praise him whether men do or no. All thy works shall praise thee saith David Psal 145.10 What then should they do for whom they are wrought The latter part of the verse shew what they will do who know what God hath wrought for them Thy Saints saith he shall bless thee They who have as most have low thoughâ—s can never give high pâ—aises of the works of God Thirdly In that this counsel and exhortion is given to Job in that this spur is as it were put to his sides Remember that thou magnifie Note The best men need monitours and remembrancers to quicken them about their duty of magnifying the works of God The Lord though he needeth not yet will have us to be his remembrancers to do our works for us if we would have our works done the Lord would have us by prayer to mind him of our own and of all his peoples condition Isa 62.6 Ye that are the Lords remembrancers so we put in the Margine and in the Text ye that make mention of the Lord c. The Lord will have us to be his remembrancers And though he is ever mindful of his Covenant yet he liketh it well to be put in mind of it But O what need have we of a remembrancer to put us in mind of the work of God and to magnifie his work We need a dayly remembrancer to put us in mind of what we should do how much more of what God hath done We need to be minded of that which 't is a wonder how we can forget our latter end or how frayle we are how much more do we need to be minded of those duties which fit us for our latter end and lead us to those enjoyments which never end Fâ—urthly Observe Such is the sinfulness of mans heart and his sluggishness that he hardly remembers to magnifie God for those works which he cannot but see Elihu urgeth Job and with him all men to remember that they magnifie even that work of his which men behold and which every man may see How slack are they in or to that great duty of magnifying God who when they see or may see if they will his mighty works yet mind not the magnifying of him Fifthly Observe Some works of providence are so plain that every man that doth not wilfully shut his eyes may behold them He is altogether stupid and blockish that seeth not what all may see Hence the Psalmist having said O Lord how great are thy works concludeth such among brutes and fools Psal 92.6 The brutish man knoweth not neither doth a fool understand this It was the saying of Plato an Heathen That man is worthy his eyes should be pulled out of his head who doth not lift them up on high that he may admire the wisdome of the Creatour in the wonderfull â—abrick of the world I may adde and in the works of providence Are they not such that as the Prophet speaks He that runs may read them Sixthly Consider why doth Elihu thus charge it upon Job surely to humble him for his sin in that he did not magnifie God for his works Hence Note It is a great aggravation of our neglect of praising God for his works or of our not magnifying the works of God seeing his works are obvious to every man even to the weaker and ruder sort of men If the very blind may see them how sinfully blind are they who see them not The works of God should be sought out Psal 111.2 4. If they lie in corners yet they are to be sought out and they are sought out of them that have pleasure therein If God should hide his work under ground if God should put his Candle under a bushel as Christ saith men do not Mat. 5. yet 't is our duty to seek it out and set it upon a Candlestick that all may behold it and praise him for it Now if the most hidden works of God must be sought out that they may be magnified surely then when the works of God stand forth and offer themselves to our view and we cannot tell which way to draw our eyes from them how great a sin is it not to behold them not to give him the glory of them Seventhly Observe To magnifie the works of God is mans duty yea it is a most necessary and indispensible duty This is the poynt chiefly intended by Elihu in his present discourse with Job This containeth the sum and substance of the whole Text. To magnifie the work of God is so necessary so indispensible a duty that A remember is put upon it lest at any time it should slip from us The Lord knowing how great how weighty how comfortable how profitable a duty it is to keep the Rest day prefixeth this word Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy Exod. 20.8 I might give instance from several other Scriptures importing those duties which have a memento put upon them to be of great necessity and that the Lord will not bear with us if we lay them by or neglect the constant performance of them To forget any duty is very sinfull how much more those which we are specially warned to remember that we do them David was not satisfied in doing the duty of the text alone but must associate others with him in it Ps 34.3 O let us magnifie the Lord together that 's a blessed consort the consort of the blessed for ever The whole work and reward too of Saints in heaven is and eternally will be to magnify God and they have the beginnings of that work and reward who are sincerely magnifying his work here on earth God hath magnified his word in all things above his name Psal 138.2 and the reason is because his workes answer or are the fulfilling of his word to the praise of his glorious name Now if God hath magnified his word by his workes then we must magnifie his workes or him in his workes For wherein doth God magnifie his word but in his works He hath magnified his work by bringing his word forth in his works Surely then if God hath magnified his word by bringing it forth in his works then 't is our duty to magnifie the works of God which are the product effect and answer of his word But some may say how is that done I would give answer to this question in five things First Then we magnifie the work of God when we magnifie God for his work we cannot magnifie the mercy of God but by magnifying the God of our mercys We cannot magnifie his work while we neglect himself we magnifie God in his work first when we ascribe the whole efficiency of what we see done in the world to him and say This is the singer of God Or when we say according to this or that time What hath God wrought Numb 23.23 To magnifie the work of God is to give the whole of it to God 'T is the hand of God upon a work that sets
idle away the day and sport and play and sing away the night As good men have holy songs in the night Isa 30.29 Ye shall have a song as in the night when a holy Solemnity is kept c. So the wicked have their wanton vaine revelling songs in the night when their sensual Solemnities are kept Belshazer was drinking in the night and doubtless he had his musick songs that night And as he had his songs mirth and musick in the night so he said not Where is God my maker who giveth me songs in the night he instead of minding God his maker in his mirth minded only the gods which himself had made as the text speaks Dan. 5.4 They drank wine and praised the gods of gold and of silver c. And thus 't is in proportion with all the wicked to whom God gives songs in the night they say not Where is God my maker This interpretation which carrieth the songs to the oppressors before spoken of contains a truth yet I shall not stay upon it but take the words as referring to the oppressed Here it may be queried how doth God give them songs in the night I shall not insist upon those conjectures which some have made about this giving songs in the night As First implying God so gracious that he giveth us not only in the day but in the night occasion of joy in sorrow namely the view and contemplation of the Heavens and Starrs which are very pleasant and refreshing Psal 19.1 Others Secondly conjecture that God may be said to give the sorrowful and oppressed ones songs in the night by the singing of birds in the night of that bird especially which hath its name from singing in the night the Nightingal Some insist much upon these interpretations It is I grant a great mercy of God that when the Sun is down we have Moon-light and Star-light and that in the night we have the innocent harmless birds to sing and make us pleasant melody But leaving these we may take the words in a double notion First Properly Secondly Metaphorically Properly and so to give songs in the night as the night is taken for night time imports the goodness of God to man not only in the day time but in the night Hence Note God in the night season as well as in the day gives his people matter of joy Night-mercies deserve and call for day-praises especially two sorts of night-mercies First Night preservations Psal 3.6 I laid me down and slept for thou Lord makest me to dwell in safety The night is subjâ—ct to many dangers Qui distribuit nocturnas custodias Sept The Septuagint render fully to this sense Who giveth watch or preservation in the night that 's matter of praise and thanksgiving to God Secondly he gives us cause of praise and singing not only for preserving our lives while we sleep in the night but for refreshing us with sleep in the night Psal 127.2 So he giveth his beloved sleep The Lord gives us not only safety but sleep Sweet sleep is a great mercy Eccl. 5.12 The sleep of a labouring man is sweet whether he eat little or mucâ— and they who sleep sweetly get refreshing and renewings of strength after all their foâ—mer labours for new labours So thaâ— if we take night properly for the night time there is much occasion of rejoycing given by God to mankind in general and more peculiarly to his faithfull servants in reference to those common mercies of bodily safety and the return of natural strength and spirits Secondly Take night properly and then this assertion He giveth songs in the night may have this meaning The Lord gives his people a praising frame of heart in the night season Etâ—am cum nulla ad eum laudandum documenta circumfulgent intus Spiritu excitat ad laudes Jun When they are wrapped up and compassed about with outward darkness when they are solitary and alone when no worldly object holds out any occasion of comfort to them yet then the Lord lets in a light or shines into their sâ—uls by his good Spirit The Lord may well be said to give songs even in the night when by the immediate work of his Spirit he filleth our spirits with joyes unspeakable and glorious These aâ—e the most ravishing songs of the night Hence Note God by his good Spirit doth often suggest sweet meditations and comfortable thoughts to his people in the night In the night the Lord minds his servants either of such mercies as they have already received or of such as according to his promise he is ready to or will surely bestow that so they may be busied in that heavenly work of praising him and rejoycing in him when they awake or cannot sleep This was Davids experience Psal 17.3 Thou hast visited me in the night Men use to visit us in the day when we are up or awake But saith David God gives me visits in the night when I am in bed he gives me many a song or makes me to rejoyce When we are in our retirements or freest from the hurry of worldly businesses and enjoyments then we are in the fittest posture for the entertainment and enjoyment of God The Lord visits his servants in the night not only as David there to try them or as elsewhere to instruct them but to comâ—oâ—t them as David was assured Psal 42.8 The Lord will command his loving kindness in the day time and in the night his song shall be with me That is a song concerning him I will sing and rejoyce even in the night time because of the goodness and kindnâ—ss of God to me in the day The experience of Asaph or of David communicated in that Psalm to Asaph gives further proof of this Psal 77.6 where having said v. 1. I cryed unto God with my voyce and he gave eare unto me he adds v. 6. I call to remembrance my song in the night that is those occasions of joy and singing which God hath heretofore given me These songs were sweeter to me than sleep As it sheweth an excellent frame of spirit to remember the Commandments of God in the night which David also professed as his practise Psal 119.55 I have remembred thy Name O Lord in the night and have kept thy Law The name of God is any manifestation of God either in his word or works And again Psal 119.62 At midnight I will rise to give thanks to thee because of thy righteous judgements Some watch in the night to give thanks Psal 134.1 others give thanks when they wake at any time in the night both are acts of purest love to God and proceed from purest consolation in God Cant. 3.1 By night on my bed I sought him The Spouse doth not say only by night I sought him but by night on my bed I spend not the night in sleeping but in seeking him whom my soul loveth Psal 16.7 My reines instruct me in the night
necessary unto God We all depend on him he is altogether necessary to us but we are not necessary to him we are and ought to be his Servants but he doth not need our service we need such a Master such a Lord we need to have such a one over us but he needs not such as we are under him Earthly Masters and Servants have need of one another Masters keep and maintain their Servants and Servants are very helpful and profitable to their Masters As a Servant needs a Master to give him meat and drink aparrel and the conveniences of this life so the Master needs the Servant he needs his work his labour his hand he cannot tell how to do his businesse without him Masters cannot live comfortably without their Servants much lesse honourably they cannot keep their State and Degree amongst men without Servants and Servants need their Masters they cannot subsist they cannot live but by wages or the reward of their labour God hath made such a tye knit such a knot among the Creatures that one though a Superiour should not despise the other though much his Inferiour for both concurre as parts to the constitution of the whole or general constitution of the world But God is not a part but the Principle or Constituter of the Universe not at all depending upon any part of it If a Servant should have need of his Master and not the Master of the Servant the Master would despise his Servant but God hath so ordered it that as the Servant needs the Master so the Master needs the Servant while himself hath no need of either God hath no need of our service but we need his service or him as our Lord and Master It is an honour to God that he hath so many to serve him but it is his greatest honour that he needs none to serve him Before there were either men or Angels God had the same honour and happinesse that now he hath he is self-sufficienâ— It were a shame and a dishonour to us should we own him for God who needed our good he cannot be our God who needs our good All Creatures need the help and good of one another and the help or good of all Creatures comes fâ—om God but God himself is strong enough to help himself and good enough to make himself everlastingly happy There is nothing without him but he can be happy without it there 's no Creature whether thing or person in Heaven or Earth necessary to God either as to his Being or well-Being And therefore we may say not only to the best man on Earth but to the most glorious Angel in Heaven as Elihu to Job What receiveth he of thine hand Secondly If what we do adds nothing to God if he receive nothing by our most righteous services then surely God shews wonderful goodnesse towards us in that he is pleased to make so great an account of and set such store by our services and righteousnesse even of any the least good we do in uprightnesse Is it not a singular comfort that the Lord puts so much worth upon what we do though what we do be of no worth to him and that God should bind himself to us when he is not at all beholding to us The Lord doth not say What do you give me or What do I receive at your hands thereby to put a slight upon our performances and services 't is far from the Lord that because he hath no need of us therefore to contemn us no he declares a gâ—eat acceptance of any the least faithfull service to himself or to our brethren which we do at his command Though should we stretch our endeavours and strain our wits to the utmost to do him good we cannot yet he doth not undervalue what we do but takes what is well done well at our hands and puts all our good deeds into his Book of Remembrance and we shall one way or oâ—her hear of them again to our comfort Hence Thirdly We may inferre How good is God who highly rewards us for the good we do though it do him no good Man will scarce thank a man for any good that he doth unlesse it redound somewhat to himself much lesse will he pay or reward another for that service which stands him in little or no stead If man make a bargain with a man he comes hardly off with him if he gets no benefit by it seeing then the Lord rewards us for those services by which he gets no good at all how wonderfully doth this declare his goodnesse Fourthly How doth the goodnesse of God appear seeing though we can adde nothing to his glory yet if we do good and righteous things he tells us that we glorifie him which is the highest commendation imaginable of what we do 'T is the Command of Christ Mat. 5.16 Let your light so shine before men that they seeing your good works may glorifie your Father which is in Heaven The Apostles Caution is Whatsoever ye do do all to the glory of God 1 Coâ— 10.31 Now though according to this and the oâ—her charge we in all we do sincerely aime at the holding forth and manifesting of that glory and gâ—odness that is in God yet he receives no encrease of glory is it not therefore wonderful goodnesse that he is pleased to say we glorifie him which is the highest attainment of the Creature and the noblest improvement of our pains and labours These and many other inferences may be made for our instruction from this humbling question If thou be righteous what givest thou to him or what receiveth he at thy hands Elihu having told Job that neither his sin did hurt God nor his righteousnesse advantage him lest any should thence inferre surely then it is no great matter whether we be righteous or wicked whether we do good or evil to prevent this mischief he shews that though your sin cannot hurt God yet it will do hurt enough and though our righteousness adde no good to God yet it may do much good This he doth in the next verse Vers 8. Thy wickednesse may hurt a man as thou art and thy righteousnesse may profit the son of man As if he had said I will tell thee what will become of the good and evil thou d est as to advantage or disadvantage forasmuch as thou canst not advantage God by thy righteousnesse Si bona agerimus nostro bono si mala nostro malo nor hurt him by thy wickednesse it must needs follow that the one may be helpfull and the other hurtfull to thy self and to such as thou thy self art If it were otherwise or not so there would be no difference between the doing of good or evil as to the Event how greatly soever they differ in their Nature Thy wickednesse may hurt a man as thou art only it cannot hurt God God is as great and as happy as ever he was and he will ever be as great and
profit us that therefore Righteousness can justifie us or that because it is profitable to us therefore it can save us All our righteousnesses are but as a filthy garment saith the Prophet and therefore unprofitable for this thing The Apostle counted all things loss not gain dung not profit that he might win Christ and be found in him not having his own Righteousness Phil. 3.8 9. Righteousness is profitable if you keep it in its proper place and apply it to its proper use it is profitable to what God hath appointed it he helps us to work Righteousness and then rewards us for our righteous working God is not unrighteous to forget our work and labour of love Heb. 6.10 Let us be found in our duty and then in due time and place we shall find our profit Our experience will teach us at last that while we have been doing good to others we have done good to our selves Righteousness is profitable unto all things and to all men as well to those who do it as to those for whom it is done JOB Chap. 35. Vers 9 10 11 12 13. 9. By reason of the multitude of oppressions they make the oppressed to cry they cry out by reason of the arme of the mighty 10. But none saith Where is God my maker who giveth Songs in the night 11. Who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth and maketh us wiser than the fowles of heaven 12. There they cry but none giveth answer because of the pride of evill men 13. Surely God will not hear vanity neither will the Almighty regard it I Have dispatched the first of those great Objections which Elihu made afresh against Job in this Chapter his speaking unduly of God This context contains a second with the answer to it The Connection is given by some thus Whereas Elihu told Job at the 8th verse That his wickedness might hurt a man like himself He here proves that the wickedness of man is very hurtfull to men so hurtfull that by reason of the multitude of oppressions they make the oppressed to cry They cry out by reason of the arme of the mighty Yet I shall not prosecute the words in that dependance but as they are matter of a second complaint or charge brought by Elihu against Job The charge is laid down in the 9th verse and his answer is prosecuted in the 10th 11th 12 th and 13th verses Vers 9. By reason of the multitude of oppressions they make the oppressed to cry This offended Job the poor cryed and they had no helper no deliverer We may conceive that Elihu gathered up this complaint from the words of Job Chap. 24.12 Men groan from out of the City and the soul of the wounded cryeth out yet God layeth not folly to them As if he had said The Lord lightly passeth by and takes little notice of the greatest afflictions the oppressions of the poor though righteous men Elihu grants these general truths First that many are oppressed Secondly that many cry out in their oppressions Thirdly that many remain undeliveeed from and unreliered in their oppressions God sometimes seemeth not to regard the groans and cryes of the afflicted nor doth he alwayes presently take vengeance of oppressors according to their folly Elihu grants all this he grants that many poor men are so mightily oppressed by the mighty that they are forced to cry mightily yet he strongly acquits God from any such imputation as those words of Job seem to admit or insinuate And in the prosecution of his answer as will appear in opening the 10th and 11th verses he sheweth that the reason why the oppressed are not delivered or answered when they cry is in themselves and not in God and he would have Job consider whether he were not of that number they cry saith Elihu but they do not cry with such a frame of heart with such a disposition of spirit as they ought they cry as men pressed rather with the weight of their own sufferings than toucht with any sense of their sins or reverence of the soveraignty of God giving them up to the power of oppressors or as having any faith in him for their deliverance or quiet submission to him who is ready to help all those who religiously fly to him for refuge and is able to bring them out of their daâ—kest and most deplorable condition These may be said either not to pray at all or they pray not with such holy aims and designs with such integrity and uprightness of heart as becometh the people of God They pray under the power of impatience or moved with envy at the power of their adversaries or with a desire of utmost revenge which nothing stops them from but their own want of power or because they cannot and therefore God takes no notice of their prayers v. 12 13. There they cry but none giveth answer Surely God will not hear vanity neither will the Almighty regard it That 's the summe and scope of the Context I shall now open the words in order Vers 9. By reason of the multitude of oppressions they make the oppressed to cry Here are oppressions and a multitude of oppressions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word signifieth magnitude as well as multitude the muchness as well as the manyness if I may so speak of the oppressions which were upon them Any one great oppression will make men cry how much more many great ones We render it as a word of number By reason of the multitude Of oppressions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oppressit vim fecit quavis injuria affecit The Original notes oppression of all sorts First oppression upon the credit and good name of another by slander and false accusation So the Septuâ—gint render it By reason of calumnies or unrighteous charges or Sycophantismes that 's the word in the Greek Translation they cry False accusers undermine others and bring them into danger by burdening them with lyes Secondly it notes usually oppression upon a mans estate 1 Sam. 12.4 Isa 33.15 Ezek. 18.7 Mal. 3.5 Thirdly upon his person Isa 52.4 Now when a man is oppressed all over when his credit or good name is oppressed by calumniation his estate by wrongfull seisure and his person by violent restraint here 's a troop a multitude of oppressions By reason of the multitude of oppressions They make the oppressed to cry That is the oppressed do not only complain a little but are forced to open lamentations the load upon them is so heavy that they cannot contain they cry yea as the next clause hath it they cry out as a woman in travel when her paines come upon her They make the oppressed to cry They make them cry upon a double Consideration First because of the misery which they feel and are burdened with Secondly for the mercy which they desire expect and think long a-coming men cry for ease for help for assistance for deliverance we may suppose the oppressed
not regard vaine prayer so when thou sayest to him thou wilt not mark it that is attend to providences as thou oughtest he wil not regard thee There is a truth in this and the Original word may fairly bear this translation yet I shall not stay upon it but rather take this Context as the beginning of a new argument than as the inforcement of the former understanding it so the words have yet a reading different from ours Another modern translater disliking the former reading only in the first part of the verse gives his own thus In this also thou hast sinned Those words are supplyed to make up the sense Etiam in hoc pexasti quòd dixisti te non contemplaturum eum Judica te coram eo expecta eum Pisc as being the bringing in of a further charge against Job In this also thou hast sinned that thou hast said thou shalt not see him judge therefore thy self before him and look for him This is the matter of his new charge Thou hast said thou shalt not see him this is thy sin And having given him this charge Elihu gives him counsel according to this translation in the close of the verse Judge therefore thy self before him and look for him We say in our translation Judgement is before him that is before God this translation saith Judge thy self before him and the reason of it is because some take the word here as a Noune Aliqui 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nomine exponunt Judicium alii pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verbo imperativi modi Judica Merc others as a Verb of the Imparative mood Judge thy self before him and then look to him or trust in him that is thou hast failed greatly and sinned in taking up such a Conclusion as this that thou shalt not see God the sense of which I shall open when I come to our own translation therefore I advise thee to judge thy self thoroughly and humbly to acknowledge thy fault This translation is much insisted upon and because it hath a profitable sense I shall note two or three poynts from the latter part of the verse where it differs from ours and then proceed to our own Translation Job being charged with sin for saying that he should not see God is here advised to judge himself Judge thy self and look to or trust in him Hence Note It is our duty to judge our selves And 't is a great Gospel duty The Apostle gives it in plain words 1 Cor. 11.31 If we would judge our selves we should not be judged of the Lord. We are very apt to judge one another but very backward to judge our selves It is a great work to erect a Tribunal as I may say in our own Souls and Consciences to sit in Judgement upon our selves which that we may do we must do these three things First we must send Summons to our selves we must cite our selves to our own Tribunal for alwayes before Judgement Summons must go out and be sent to the party offending Here we are to send Summons to our selves that is to call together all the powers of our souls to appear in this Judgement and answer what is or may be alledged against us And when we have Summoned our selves then secondly we are to examine search and try our selveâ— Lam. 3.41 Let us search and try our wayes and turn again unto the Lord. Thirdly having tryed and examined our selves before we can come to Judgement that Judgement which is here intended we must humble our selves under a Conviction of our own vileness and sinfulness whether of our nature or of our actions whether of our state or of our way for whereas there are two parts of Judgement Absolution and Condemnation we can never come to that part of Judgement the judging of our selves as persons worthy to be condemned by the Lord for our sins unless we are first convinced of our sins Now when we have summoned examined and convicted our selves then we are ready to judge our selves to judge our selves even with the judgement of condemnation respecting what we have done yet we should do it with hopes of absolution acting our faith upon the free grace and mercy of God through the satisfaction which Jesus Christ hath made for us Again The scope of this counsel or the reason why Elihu adviseth Job to judge himself was to shew that he had rashly judged of the wayes of God because he had not duly judged himself Hence Note Self-judging or judging our own doings will preserve us from rash judging the doings and dealings of God with us We shall never think God deals harshly or rigorously with us if we do but enter into and pass a right judgement upon our own souls As they that judge themselves shall not be judged of the Lord 1 Cor. 11.31 so they that judge themselves will never judge the Lord no they will acquit and justifie the Lord under all his proceedings even in his sorest and severest ones Thus did Ezra in reference to those great and unparalel'd sufferings of the Jewes in the Babylonian warr and captivity Chap. 9.13 Thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve And so did Daniel Chap. 9.7 O Lord righteousness belongeth unto thee but unto us confusion of faces as at this day Further Elihu concluded Job very much affected with or highly conceited of himself because he pleaded his own innocency or integrity so much and was so desirous to come to a hearing and have his matter tryed before God and therefore saith he Judge thy self Hence Note Self-judging will keep us from proud or high thoughts of our selves of our own wayes or works how good soever they are Suppose our wayes and our works pure and good as Jobs indeed were for the maine he was a man of the highest elevation in holiness and of greatest integrity yet if we would thoroughly examine and judge our selves consider our short comings in duty our sinnings against duty and the sins that cleave to our best duties we should find our very innocency to be guilty and our righteousness to be unrighteous and surely such a discovery would lay us very low in our own thoughts and go very far towards the subduing of that pride of our hearts which often ariseth from the contemplation of our own wel-doing Lastly Consider this counsel was given Job according to this translation with respect to that which follows Judge thy self and trust in or wait for him Hence Note We are never fit to trust nor to wait upon God in any of his providences till we judge our selves or Judging of our selves will dispose and prepare our hearts for trusting and resting upon the power goodness and mercy of God The more we judge and humble our selves the readier haâ—h God declared himself to help us in our extremities 1 Pet. 5 6. we also are then the readier to trust and wait on him both because we then see more clearly what need we
do right But as sure as God knows every mans righâ— so certainly he will do him right Abraham pleaded thus with God Shall not the Judge of all the Earth do right Gen. 18.25 Certainly he will do right he cannot but do right Judgement is before him The Scripture is express He will reward every man and award to every man according to his works Every man shall have as he is for as the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 4.6 He shall bring to light the hidden things of darknesse and make manifest the counsels of the heart and then shall every man have praise of God that is every man shall have it who is fit for it every man shall have praise who is as we say praise-worthy how much soever he hath been dispraised slurr'd in his credit unworthily dealt with and accused in this world God will not hold or detain the truth of men in unrighteousnesse though men hold both the truth of God and the truth of men the truth of their Causes in unrighteousnesse Judgement is before the Lord. Fuâ—ther That Particle which we render yet gives us this Note God is never a whit the lesse Righteous because it doth not appear to us that he is so Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him yet Judgement is before him The wayes of God are often secret but none of them are unjust Judgement is before him even then when we think iâ— is farthest off from him Therefore if we will give God the glory of governâ—ng the world and of ordering all our personal conditions we must not measure him by the things we see or which appear for we cannot see the measure of his Judgement by what appears that which appears to us is not his Judgement something else is his judgement and he in the close will make his judgement clear to all men he will make it appear that judgment is his though what his judgement is doth not appear The mis-apprehensions or mis-constructions of men do not at all retard or stop the righteousnesse of God as the Apostle speaks in another case Rom. 3.3 Shall the unbelief of man make the Faith of God that is the Faithfulnesse of God of none effect God forbid God will be Faithful and True though all the world be Unbelievers and Lyars Now as the unbelief of man cannot make the Faithfulnesse of God of none effect so our not believing that Judgement proceeds or our saying it is delayed does not at all take off God from righteousnesse in doing Judgement he is doing Judgement righteously whatever apprehensions men have of his doings Judgement is before him Therefore trust thou in him Elihu according to the first reading of the former words exhorts Job to Repentance Judge thy self and here he exhorts him to Faith Trust thou in him Judgement is before him therefore trust thou in him or wait and hope in him for seeing God is a Just and Righteous Judge he will not neglect or slight the Cause of any of his People therefore they have all the reason in the world to trust in him and wait upon him It is unbelief which makes haste Faith is content to wait and tarry The Original word hath several significations First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Notat 1. Dolere 2. Parturire 3. Manere Perseverare 4. Sperare Forte per metaphoram quia animus sperans futurâ—m gaudium cum dolore parturit Coc. More general to grieve or be in pain and trouble Secondly In special to bring forth or the pain of a woman in travel to bring forth there is much pain in that travel Thus some translate here Wait for him as a woman in travel waits for deliverance Thirdly As it signifies to have pain and to have that pain in bringing forth children so to attend to wait to stay quietly and expect Rest in the Lord saith David Psal 37.7 and wait patiently for him We may give the reason of this signification from that allusion The woman though she be in pain yet she patiently bears it because she hath hope a man shall be born into the world John 16.21 A woman in that pain hath not only patience but comfort under it because she hopes a child shall shortly be born who will recompence all her sorrows in bearing and bringing him forth into the world That 's the force of this word Trust in him Thou art in pain in trouble in travel for the present yet thou shalt have a blessed deliverance thou shalt certainly find that it is not in vain to trust upon God Thus Elihu aâ—viseth Job to such a patience as a woman in travel with child hath who bears her pains comfortably being refreshed and supported with an assurance and fore-sense of that joy which she shall have being once delivered Trust thou in him I have in some other places of this Book met with this Point of trusting in God Job said in the 13th Chapter of this Book vers 15. Though he slay me yet will I trust in him And therefore I shall not stay to open that general duty or the exercise of that Grace which here Elihu exhorts Job to Trusting in or waiting upon God Only from the Connexion Note First It is our duty to wait and trust upon God And 't is such a duty as will keep us close to all other duties a mind staid on God is a mind fit to move about any good work whatsoever which God calleth us unto Secondly Put all together Thou sayest thou shalt not see him thou art doubtful whether ever things will mend yet Judgement is before him therefore trust Hence Note When things are not clear to us when we have no light about what God is doing or what he will do yet it is our duty to trust and wait upon God We must wait upon God and trust in him though we do not see him yea though we cannot see him for Judgement is before him That of the Prophet Isa 50.10 is a clear proof of this duty and some expound this Scripture specially respecting outward dark providences as others of inward darkness or darkness of spirit Who is among you that feareth the Lord and obeyeth the voyce of his servants that walketh in darkness and hath no light as Job saith here I shall not see him What shall a poor benighted soul do in that case The answer or advice followeth Let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God How dark soever our condition is yet it is our duty to trust upon God and if once we are enabled to give God the glory due to his name in confessing that Judgement is before him we shall readily trust upon him to order all things for us though all things seem out of order even to amazement though we see heaven and earth as it were confounded yet we shall readily trust upon him because we believe that even then Judgement is before him How soon can he turn our
darkness into light who in the first Creation when all lay together in a confused heap and darkness over all bâ—ought forth light and set all in order The Lord can command light out of darkness good out of evil order out of confusion and he can do all this easily and at an instant therefore whatever the appearances of things are let not us judge according to appearance but hope and wait and stick to what God hath promised Though providences appear cross to promises and prophesies yet they never frustrate either Let us also be sure to stick to the commandements of God for we may rest assured God will stick to his promises To keep Commandements is our work to keep promises is Gods work though we fayle much in our work God will not fayle at all in his work To believe this is the highest and truest work of faith But if we are faithful in our work the keeping of Commandements we have a further evidence that God will be faithful in his work the keeping or fulfilling of promises a great part the most spiritual part of Gods fulfilling promises being his enabling of us to keep Commandements and then we shall be able to say not only in faith but from experience that Judgement is before him And untill we come to this conclusion of faith in dark times when we cannot see him the soul never sits down in rest Nothing fixes the soul but trust in God we are unquiet yea we boyle with unquietness and toss as the angry Sea with the windes till we trust fully upon God upon his wisdome and power upon his goodness and faithfulness and can say let him do as seems good in his eyes we know he is and will be good to Israel even to such as are of a clean heart When we can once stay our minds on God we are quiet but when we must bring God to our mind and must have God go our pace or come at our time and work in our way none of which he will do what a do soever we make to have it so O how restless and troubled are we even like the troubled Sea when it cannot rest And O how much of this restless trouble discovers it self in the minds of many that I say not the most of men and all because they cannot trust God when they do not see him or because when they do not see him which was Jobs fayling they say they shall not see him If matters come not to pass according to their platforme and model or hit not the dates and dayes the times and seasons which they have fixt in their unscriptural Kalender or by a mistake of the Scripture Kalendar they are ready to say they shall not see him their hopes are as the giving up of the ghost that is they give all for lost and past recovery Many trust God as they do some men no farther than they see him they are the worst and coursest sort of men whom we trust no otherwise How dishonourable then how infinitely below God is such a trust Elihu would have Job and so should we trust God though he could not see him and said he should not Thou hast said thou shalt not see him yet trust in him Lastly From the illative particle therefore that is because Judgement is before him trust thou in him Note hence The consideration of the Righteousness and Justice of God is a mighty argument to provoke us to trust him and wait upon him Trust is not every bodyes due some as we speak proverbially are to be trusted no farther than a man can throw a Milstone that is they are not to be trusted at all Trust I say is not every bodyes due but to trust God is every bodyes duty yea and interest too for he is cloathed as much with righteousness and justice as he is with strength and power Will you not trust an honest man will you not trust a wise man We can come to a height of confidence in man sometimes if we think him a man of judgement and wisdome of honesty and faithfulness we can trust all we have in such a mans hand how much more should we say to God seeing Judgement is before him therefore will we trust in him We have an eminent Scripture urging this duty upon this ground Isa 30.18 The Lord is a God of Judgement Judgement is there taken in the same notion as here in the Text he is a wise and a just God the Lord is a God of judgement what followeth Blessed are they that wait for him There can be nothing said more urging more encouraging to wait and trust on God to do us right then this He is a God of Judgement a righteous God Judgement is before him Thus far of the good counsel which Elihu gave Job in this his dark and deserted state and counsel it was worthy to be embraced with both armes and with an open breast and that Job had need of it he shews in the next words while he tells Job and us it was not so with him yet as appeared by the sad hand of God upon him and his own distemper under it JOB Chap. 35. Vers 15 16. 15. But now because it is not so he hath visited in his anger yet he knoweth it not in great extremity 16. Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain he multiplieth words without knowledge IN the close of the former verse Elihu called upon and exhorted Job to a patient reliance and trust on God Judgement is before him therefore trust thou in him here in the 15th verse he shews that the reason why God visited him so sorely and yet continued his visitation upon him was because he did not as he ought patiently trust in and rely upon him There are several readings of this verse but I shall only mention one besides our own and having stayed a little about that go on to the explication of the Text as it lyes in order before us Some render thus But know now his anger hath visited thee but a little Hebr Nunc autem cito quod paululum te visitavit ira ipsius neque inquisivit multum admodum Merc Scito perexiguum esse quo te deus iratus plectit nisi levitèr in te inqui ere mâ—luisset Bez nothing neither hath he made any great inquisition The sense of the verse according to this rendring riseth thus As if Elihu had said God hath dealt with thee O Job far better than thou hast dealt with him or then thou hast cause to expect he hath not laid his hand so heavy upon thee as thy iniquity hath deserved and yet thou complainest much of his severity whereas indeed he hath not strictly inquired into the multitude of thy sins which if he had done he would certainly have brought upon thee a greater multitude of afflictions he would have afflicted thee much more Thou art too well used to complain thus That 's the summe of this rendring which
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
few are there in power who do not much iniquity who do not either for want of better information or of a better conscience oppress grieve and afflict those that have to do with them or are subject to them God may do what he will yet will do nothing but what is right How infinitely then is God to be exalted in his truth and righteousness And thus the word of truth exalts him Deut. 32.4 2 Chr. 19.7 Rom 9.14 There is no unevenness much less aberration in any of the ways of God he never trod awry nor took a false step Who can say unto him without great iniquity thou hast wrought iniquity Hence we may infer If God works no iniquity in any of his wayes whether in his general or special providences Then All ought to sit down quietly under the workes of God Though he bring never so great judgments upon nations he doth them no wrong though he break his people in the place of dragons and cover them with the shadow of death he doth them no wrong Though he sell his own people for nought yet he doth them no wrong All which and several other grievances the Church sadly bemoans Psal 44. yet without raising the least dust concerning the justice of God or giving the least intimation of iniquity in those several sad and severe wayes Secondly We should not only sit down quietly under all the dispensations of God as having no iniquity in them but exalt the righteousness of God in all his dispensations as mingled also sprinkled with mercy Though we cannot see the righteousness of God in some of them yet we must believe he is not only so but merciful in all of them though the day be dark we cannot discern how this or that su es with the righteousnes much less with the goodness and mercy of â—od yet sit down we ought in this faith that both this and that is righteous yea that God is good to Israel in the one and in the other When the prophet was about to touch upon that string he first laid down this principle as unquestionable Jer. 12.1 Righteous art thou O Lord yet give me leave to plead with thee about thy Judgments Why doth the way of the wicked prosper Why is it thus in the world I take the boldness to put these questions O Lord yet I make no question but thou art righteous O Lord. It becomes all the sons of men to rest patiently under the darkest providences of God And let us all not only not charg God foolishly but exalt him highly and cry up both his righteousness and kindness towards all his people For who can say to God thou hast wrought iniquity Having in several other passages of this book met with this matter also I here briefly pass it over JOB Chap. 36. Vers 24 25. 24. Remember that thou magnifie his work which men behold 25. Every man may see it man may behold it afar off THese two verses contain the third advice counsel or exhortation given by Elihu to Job stirring him up to give glory to God in his providential proceedings with him There are three things considerable in these two verses First The general duty commanded which is to magnifie the work of God Secondly We have here a special reason or ground of that duty the visibility and plainness yea more than so the illustriousness of his work The work of God is not only such as some men may see but such as every 〈◊〉 â—ay see yea behold afar off Thirdly We have here an incentive to provoke to this duty in the first words of the Text Remember Vers 24. Remember that thou magnifie his work which men behold To Remember imports chiefly these two things First to call to mind what is past Mat. 26.75 Then Peter remembred the words of Christ. Secondly To remember is to keep somewhat in mind against the time to come in which sence the Law runs Exod. 20.8 Remember the rest-day that is keep it in mind that when-ever it cometh or upon every return of that day 〈◊〉 may be in a fit posture and preparation for it Remember the rest or sabbath day to keep it holy To remember in this place is set I conceive in a double opposition First To forgetfulness of the duty here called for remember and do not forget it Secondly To the slight performance of the duty here called for the magnifying of the work of God Remember that thou magnifie As if he had said Be thou daily and duely affected with it do not put it off with a little or a bare remembrance the matter is weighty consider it fully As if Elihu had said to Job Thou hast much forgotten thy self and gone off from that which is thy proper work I have heard thee much complaining of the workes of God but thy work should have been to magnifie the work of God Though God hath cast thee down and laid thee low yet thy business should have been to exalt the work of God Remember it would much better become thee to act another part than this thou shouldest have acted the part of a magnifier of the work of God not the part of a complainer gainst it Remember that thou 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Augeas extollas ejus opus non accuses ut nunc facis Merc. Magnifie The root signifieth to encrease and extol We may consider a twofold magnifying of the work of God There is an inward magnifying of the work of God and there is an outward magnifying of the work of Goâ— First There is 〈◊〉 â—â—d magnifying of the work of God when we think highly 〈◊〉 it thus did the Virgin in her song Luke 1.46 My soul doth magnifie the Lord. Her heart was raised up and stretched out in high thoughts of God Secondly There is an outward magnifying of the work of God To speak highly of his work is to magnify his work to live holily and fruitfully is to magnifie his work We cannot make any addition to the work of God there is no such magnifying of it but we must strive to give the works of God their full dimension and not lessen them at all As we must not diminish the number of his works so we must not diminish the just weight and worth of them There is such a charge of God to the Prophet about his word Jer. 26.2 Go tell the people all the words that I command thee to speak unto them diminish not a word Deliver thy message in words at length or in the full length of those words in which it was delivered unto thee We then magnifie the woâ—k of God when we diminish not a tittle As we cannot add any thing to it so we must neither abate nor conceal any thing of it To magnifie is not to make the works of God great but to declare and set forth the greatness of them that 's the magnifying here especially intended Remember
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
vastness that all must confess the hand of God hath done it Thirdly We then magnifie the works of God when we freely submit to God in them as just and righteous when we accept and take them kindly at his hand not only when they are outward kindnesses but crosses All the great words and rhetorick we can bestow upon the works of God will not magnifie them unless we freely submit to them as just and righteous They that would magnifie the works of God must say Judgment and righteousness are the habitation of his throne while they can see nothing but Clouds and darkness round about him Psal 97.2 I saith the Psalmist am in the dark about all that God is doing at this day yet of this I am as confident as confidence it self Judgment and Righteousness are the habitation of his throne I know God doth nothing amiss no not in the least Thus John in the Revelation Chap. 15.3 saw them that had gotten the victory over the beast and over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name and they saith he sing the Song of Moses c. saying great and marvelous are thy works just and true are thy wayes The works of God in Judgment upon Babylon are full of justice and we magnifie them by proclaiâ—ing and crying them up as just yea the work of God in judgment upon Zion is exceedingly magnified when Zion submits to it and embraceth it as just and righteous It was the great sin of the house of Israel when they said Ezek. 18 25. The wayes of God are not equal As if they had said are these the Lords equal dealings that we his People should be given up to the hand of the enemy and suffer such things as these yea the house of Israel must say all the works of God not only his exalting works but his humbling works are equal just and righteous for we have sinned This is to magnifie the work of God Fourthly To magnifie the work of God is to look upon his work what-ever it is not only as having justice in it towards all men but as good and being full of goodness to his People Possibly it may be very hard work yet we must bring our hearts to say it is good work good to and for the Israel of God Thus the holy man of old magnified the work of God Psal 73.1 Truly God is good to Israel This he spake while he was bemoaning himself under very afflicting providences We magnifie the afflicting works of God when we submit to them as just much more when we embrace them as good And it was very much the design of Elihu to bring Job off from disputing about the evils with which God had so long exercised him to a ready yeeldance that they were good for him and that in all the Lord intended nothing but his good Fifthly To magnifie the work of God is to answer the end of it Every work is magnified when it receiveth its end if a work be done yet if it have not its effect if it bring not that about to which it was designed the worker receives no honour from it nor is the work honoured To work in vain is a debasing a lessening of any work not a magnifying of it The Apostle was afraid to bestow his labour in preaching the Gospel in vain When people still continue in their blindness and unbelief c. this layeth the preaChing of the Gospel low but when souls are convinced and converted and come flocking in then the Gospel is magnified and the word of the Lord glorified as the Apostle prayed it might 2 Thes 3.1 Now as the word of God is magnified when it attains its end so the work of God is magnified when we give him or come up to those ends for which he wrought it But if we let God lose the end of his work we do what we can to debase his work as if he had done it in vain We say he works like a fool that hath not proposed an end to every woâ—k he dotâ— and he appears not very wise at least not very powerful who aâ—taineth not the end or ends for which he began his work The most wise God hath his end and aim in all his works in this world and this is the honour we do his work when we labour first to know and secondly to give him his end in every work But if any ask What are the ends of God in his work I answer They are very various First The chief end of all that God doth is the advancement of his own Name and Glory As he made all things for himself in Creation so he doth all things for himself in Providence That which is the sin of man is the holiness of God to seek himself It is most proper for God who is the chief good and whose glory is the ultimate end of all things to set up himself in all things Prov. 16.4 The Lord hath made all things for himself saith Solomon And the Apostle faith as much Rom. 11.36 Of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory for ever Amen All things are of him therefore all things should return unto him If we would magnifie any work of God we must be sure to give him this end the glory of it Let it not satisfie us that we are advanced or get up by the works of God unless we our selves advance his glory by them Many advance themselves and are lifted up with pride when God works for them or by them not at all minding that which they should chiefly mind the glorifying of God in by what he hath w ought either for themselves or others Secondly God hath this in design by all his works to make us better If it be a work of Judgment it is to make us better and then we exalt his works of Judgement when we are bettered by them when we are more humbled and weaned from the world by them And as 't is the design of God to make us better by his works of Judgment so by all his works of mercy The Apostle beseecheth us by the mercies of God to present our bodies that is our whole selves a living sacrifice in all holy service to himself Rom. 12.1 What will it advantage us to be bettered in our outward enjoyments by what God works or doth for us unless we learn to be better and do his work better that is unless our hearts be more holy and we more fruitful in every good word and work Some will magnifie the work of God by keeping a day of thanksgiving because they are richer or greater by what God hath wrought for them who yet are not a whit more holy or spiritual by it Wo to those who magnifie the work of God because they think it shall go better with them when themselves are not better Enquire therefore what lust hath the work of God moved you to
or warmth which is included in them or that they are kept up by the superiour heat of the Sun and Stars which first drew them up Secondly Others say these mighty Clouds are held up by the wind which keeping them in perpetual motion they fall not they descend noâ— but according to a divine order by which they are disposed of to several uses Thirdly Others ascribe it to the hollowness or spunginess of their nature which receiving and taking in the thin aire they are more easily kept up But when we have searched to the utmost for reasons in nature we must rise higher and resolve the question according to Scripture and divine Philosophy into the power and will of God The holding up of the Clouds is Gods work as well as the raising of them up He gave this law or command unto the Clouds in the day of their creation that they should not fall down nor distill a drop but by his own commandement and appoyntment Thus we find it expressed by Moses in his description of the creaâ—ion Gen. 1.6 Let the firmament that is Zanch de operibus dei â— 2. c. 1. the aire the inferiour aire next to the middle region divide the waters from the waters Here is a divine sanction there are waters above and waters below And saith God Let the firmament divide the waters from the waters that is those waters that are drawn up into Clouds in the aire a provision for Raine c. let them be kept above and divided from the Sea and waters that dwell below Thus there was a Law at first to keep quarter as I may say between those waters And Solomon speaking of the eternal Son of God of his co-eternity with the Father brings him under the name of Wisdome speaking thus of himself I was with him when he did this and that and among the rest Prov. 8.28 When he established the Clouds above that is when God made a Decree that the Clouds should stay above and not come down but at his call So 't is expressed Job 26.8 God bindeth up the waters in the thick Cloud and the Cloud is not rent under them 'T is not of it self that the Cloud having such a weight in it doth not rent and break but saith God it shall not Pro. 30.4 He hath bound the waters in a garment But what is the garment His own decree and puâ—pose is the garment which bindeth up the waters For as the waters of the Sea are bounded by the Decree of God Job 38.11 So likewise the waters in the aire are bound up by his Decree Psal 148.4 6. Praise him ye heaven of heavens and ye waters which are above the heavens he hath established tâ—em for ever and hath made a decree which shall not pass He hath established the waters which are above the heavens aswel as the waters below the heavens he hath established them by a decree like that of the Medes and Persians which shall not be disanulled So then here 's the answer to this second question How it comes to pass that the Clouds containing such floods of water which is an heavy body do not descend and overwhelm the earth This is by the power and decree or by the powerful decree of God who hath caused such a weak and thin substance as the Clouds made up only of Vapours to hold those mighty waters close and keep them prisoners that not a spoonful shall shed forth till himself pleaseth The Clouds as some have well expressed it are like spunges filled with water and till God layeth his hand upon the Clouds that is till he gives a word and as I may say squeezeth or presseth them by his providence as we squeez a spung full of water the waters fall not Thus we see the reason why Elihu makes so great a matter of the spâ—eading of the Clouds and why the waters fall not presently together nor presently drop out of them but in their season A third Querie concerning the Clouds may be this Why are they placed above What is their use I answer The use of the Clouds may be considered two ways first there is a natural secondly a spiritual use of them First there is a natural use of them and that is twofold First That they may contain water in a readiness to moisten and fatten the earth Stores and treasures of rain are kept in them to supply the necessities of all earthly creatures Secondly The natural use of the Clouds is to attemper the the heat of the air and to be as a Curtain or Screen between us and the Sun If the Sun should alwayes shine fully upon the earth we were not able to abide it but the Clouds coming between do exceedingly qualifie and moderate the heat and fierceness of the Sun These besides others are their natural uâ—es And if we look into the Scripture we shall find many spiritual and gracious uses for which God hath made the Clouds First God hath set his Bow in the Clouds as a token of his favour unto mankind as a token of his general favour that he will not drown the world again Gen. 9.14 15. And it shall come to pass when I bring a Cloud over the Earth that the Bow shall be seen in the Cloud and I will remember my Covenant which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh This is alluded to by the Prophet Isa 54.9 as a token of the special favour of God to his People that he will never break Covenant with them When Believers see his Bow in the Cloud they may be as well assured that they shall be freed from a deluge of wrath as that the world shall not be overwhelmed again with a deluge of waters Secondly We find the Lord making use of a Cloud or using the ministery of a Cloud in a gâ—acious way for the conducting of his People out of Egypt quite through the Wilderness unto Canaan That I grant was more than an ordinary Cloud and lower and nearer the earth than usually Clouds are yet it was doubtless of the same nature with other Clouds Exod. 13.21 Neh. 9.19 And therefore when the Pâ—ophet would assure the Church of guidance and protection he tells them Isa 3.5 The Lord will create upon every dwelling place of mount Sion and upon her assemblies a Cloud and Smoak by day and the shining of the flaming Fire by night for upon all the glory shall be a defence And we at this day may make this spiritual use accoâ—ding to Scripture of the Clouds which we behold as to mind us how the Loâ—d both protected and guided the People of Israel through the wilderness so to assure us that he will protect and guide us through the World Christ is this Cloud a covering protecting Cloud unto his Church and we may sweetly meditate upon him not only when we behold the Sun but as
not as noting the hand or power of God sealing men but â—ods sealing the hands of men putting them off from or besides their labour Thus by Snow and Rain he sealeth or shutteth up the hand of every man and why so the reason is given in the next words That all men might know his work God by extraordinary Snowes and Raines stops men from their work But what Is it that they should be idle No but that they may know his work Whose work Some understand it of mans own work As if the meaning were this God stops men a while from further or present work that they may take a view of their past works or he takes them off from their civil works and employments that they may employ themselves in considering their moral works as the Prophet admonished the Jews Isa 1.5 Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts consider your wayes Another Prophet reproved them for the neglect of this duty Jer. 8.6 No man saith what have I done The Lord often brings his people to hard sufferings that they may know their own doings or works This is a profitable sense yet I rather conceive that the work here intended is Gods work and so I shall prosecute the words That all men may know his work This woâ—k of God may be taken two wayes First More st ictly thus God by rain shuts up the hands of men from their woâ—k that they may know those extraordinary stormes of Snow and Rain which drive them in from their labour and shut up their hands from working are his special work Great Snowes Raines declare to all men the great power of God who doth not only astonish men by terrible thunder and lightning but can by Snow and Rain his much weaker weapons put them beside their purpose and stop their work Secondly Take his work more largly God sealeth up the hands of men that they having a vacancy from their own work may consider his he doth as it were force them from what they were doing or intended to do that so they may have leisure to take notice of what he hath done That all men may know his work Hence note First God can hinder or stop any man or all men in their work He when and as he pleaseth can seal up the hand of every man If God hath a mind to work none can lett him Isa 43.13 Who can seal the hand of God I may say also whose hand cannot God seal How easily did the Lord seal up the hand of the the builders of Babel Gen. 11.7 They were hot upon a mighty work but God by confounding their tongues sealed their hands and they as 't is said v. 8. Left off to build the City Secondly When the text saith God sealeth up the hand of every man that all men may know his work Observe How diligent soever men are about their own works yet they are slow enough too too slow to take notice of the workâ— of God When the hand of God is lifted up some will not see it they are not only backward to see it but opposite to the seeing of it and though others do not set themselves against yet they do not set themselves to the knowledge of his works 'T is a great and common sin our not studying to know the works of God we should study the works of God as much as we do the word of God we should study both his work of Creation and his works of Providence whether works of Mercy or of Judgment we should endeavour to know all his works From the universality of the expression that all mâ—n may know his work Note God would have all study this Book the book of his works They whose business and labours lie in fields the Plow-men and the Vine-dressers he would have them know his works as those special works of his the Snow and the Rain so his works in general The meanest of men cannot excuse their ignorance of the works of God seing the Text and Point tell us God drives them many times out of the field home to their houses and will not let them do a stroak of work more abroad on purpose that they might know his work Hence note Thirdly The aim and intendment of God in keeping us at any time from our work is that we may know more of his works It is a great part of our wisdom to answer the designes of God in all his providences to us We seldom think what God intends by a wet day by a rainy day by a tempestuous day we little think the aim of God in calling us from our works is to call us to the consideration of his work Some men would never find a time to bestow their thoughts upon the works of God if God did not take them off from their own work they would never be at leisure if he did not give them a leisure a vacation time and as here in this text seal up their hand God hath various wayes to take men off from the hottest pursuits of their own works he takes many off from them by sickness he binds them as prisoners to their beds others are taken off from their own business by proper imprisonment and restraint of liberty and why what is the reason of this is it not that they may know his work that they may well consider the dealings of God with them A sick bed is a School and so is a Prison where we should study both the Word and Works of God Let us remember when-ever God takes us off from our Callings by sickness or restraineth our liberty by imprisonment his gracious purpose is that we may know his work Possibly when we had liberty to go about our own work we could find little or would not find much leisure to meditate upon the works of God Well saith God I see I must take you off from your works else you will never be Students in mine That 's the effect of Snow and Rain with reference to man He sealeth up the hand of every maâ— that all men may know his work But here we have another effect with respect to beasts Vers 8. Then the beasts go into dens and remain in their places 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Potius fera quam bestia a vivaâ—itate nam eadem vox vitam significat Drus There are two words in the Hebrew which signifie bruits or beasts The word here used properly signifies wild beasts the other tame beasts such as are for our use and brought up to our hand The text intends the wild beasts the beasts of the forrest the beasts of prey they go into dens these seek shelter in snow time or when the great rain of the strength of God falleth upon the earth The Psalmist Psal 104.20 describes the beasts ordinarily going out of their dens when the night comes Then saith he all the beasts of the forrest go forth Here we have the beasts whether night or day driven to
we read of the Chambers of the South The Septuagint â—ender He bringeth the Wind or Whirlwind out of his Cellar Cellars or Store-houâ—es being secret places and removed out of sight for the keeping of Goods and VVares that are laid up there and it is elegantly expressed that VVinds come out of Store-houses as if God did lay them up till he hath â—ccasion to draw them forth and use them Some render it by a general word Out of a secret place cometh the Whirl wind VVe say best Out of the South First because it is expresly opposed to the North in the Text Secondly because Southern VVinds are the strongâ—st and most vehement VVinds as the Noâ—thern are the coldest For though we find by experience that strong VVinds blow from all Quarters of Heaven yet usually the South brings forth the strongest VVinds and therefore in Scripture a sudden and violent VVind is called a VVhirl-wind out of the South VVhen the Prophet would describe an unavoydable coming of Judgment he saith Isa 21.1 As Whirlwinds in the South pass through so it cometh c. And again Zech. 9.14 The Lord God shall blow the Trumpet and shall go with Whirlwinds of the South Both places expressing it according to what was most usually and commonly known great VVinds coming out of the South Redeamus tua benignitate ab exâ—lio et câ—ptivâ—tate ea celeritate qua turbo et procesâ—a erumpunt ab australi plaga Bold That place Psal 126.4 is rendred by â—ome not as we Turn again our Captivity O Lord as the Streams in the South but Turn again our Captivity as Storms or Whirlwinds in the South The Church prayed that God would make some sudden change of things like that made by Southern Storms and VVhirlwinds Yet we are not to understand it as if all Southern VVinds were VVhirlwinds or tempestuous favourable refreshing VVinds come from thence sometimes as may be collected from the 17th verse of this Chapter and from Canticles â—he 4th verse the 16th and as is expressed Acts 27.13 The South-Wind blew softly So that Elihu speaks of what is often and usually done not of what is alwayes done when he saith Out of the South cometh The Whirlwind That 's wind with an addition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Whirlwind is more than an ordinary wind Wind is one of those Meteors which God the Author of Nature hath provided for the use of man It is called by one of the Ancients the agitation or flux of the Air. Much might be spoken about the natuâ—al causes and matter of winds but I shall not insist upon that A VVhirlwind is a tempestuous wind Turbo a Graecis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Plinio vortex vocatur Ventus est Aeris fluxus seu agitatio Damasc l. 2. de Orthod fide c. 8. the G eeks have a special word for it and so have the Latines both importing violence or that which troubles and turns all upside down and throweth every thing out of its place Such a boysterous â—hing is the VVhirlwind 't is a tossing tumbling breaking disturbing wind this VVhirlwind Cometh out of the South It cometh A like or the same expressiâ—n is applyed to the Sun Psal 19.3 He hath set a Tabernacle for the Sun which is as a Bridegroom coming out of his Chamber and rejoyceth as a strong man to run a Race As the Sun cometh every morning out of his Chamber by Gods appoyntment so doth the VVhirlwind at special times appointed by God 'T is fitly said such fierce and unâ—uly winds come forth for they are as it were kept fast in prison till God takes off their Bonds and opens their Prison-dore and then out they come furiously and boysterously to do the work God hath commanded and designed them to Out of the South cometh the Whirlwind VVhen Elihu saith The VVhiâ—lwind the great VVind cometh out of the Soâ—â—h he doth not express yet inâ—imates who it is that brings the VVâ—iâ—lwind out of the South The VVhi lwind cometh but it doth noâ— come before it is sent The sco e oâ— Elihu all along is to shew the mighty power of God in ordering and disposing the Meteors and among them these mighty winds Hence Noâ—e Winds come at Gods appoyntment He is the Auâ—hoâ— of them he is the disposer oâ— them he rules their most unruly motions The Hâ—athen Poets â—eign d a god of the winds whom they called Aeolus whâ— was Pictur'd or Staâ—ued puffing the winds out of hi mouth But 't is Jehovah who hath the winds in his power the winds and the Whirlwind Neither the Heathen god Aeolus nor the god of this World the Devil nor the Devils of this World VVitches and Conjurers have any power of their own over the least breath of wind either to raise or lay it Agur describing the Excellency of God both in himself and in his working saith among other things Prov. â—0 4 He gathereth the Wind in his Fist implying thaâ— God hâ—th the â—inds in his hand even as a man carryeth a thing in his hand or holdeth it in his Fist keeping it there or letting iâ— out at pleasure oâ— as he listeth Psal 135.7 He bringeth tâ—e Wind out of his Treasure We read the same in the P ophet Jer. 10.13 Jeâ— 5.1 16. These Treasures out of which God bâ—ings the winâ— â—ome call the Secrets of Nature or secreâ— natural Cauâ—es but I conceive 't is an allusion to the Customes of men who lay up things useful in private places that they may have them at hand when occasion calls Christ teacheth us in imitation oâ— them to get and keep by us such Treasuries of saving Truth Math. 13.52 To be sure God hath the winds ready he hath a sâ—o e and stock of them which upon any occasion he can b ing forth God makes a twofold use of the winds or there are two general purposes for which he b ings them out of his Treasures First for good Secondly for hurt to the VVoâ—ld First in Mercy Secondly in Judgment Fiâ—st God bâ—ings them foâ—th out of his Tâ—eâ—â—ures in a way of Mercy and for good to Mâ—nkind And there is a sixfold good or good use for which God bâ—ingâ— the winds out of his Treasure Venti Aquilonares dicuntur scoâ—ae coeli quòd reddunt aerem mundum Vatabl First to cleanse and â—uâ—ge â—he Aiâ— theâ—efore by some the winds are called The Brooms of Heaven VVhen the Aiâ— is corrupt and foul God sweepeth it by these Brooms And we find when Judgment is threatned a negative is put upon the wind as to this use Jer 4.11 A dry wind of the High Places of the Wilderness toward the Daughter of my people not to fan or to cleanse c. Implying that one merciful use of the windâ— is to fan and to cleanse the Air as Co n is fanned and cleansed Secondly God brings the winds out of his treasure to temper the Air. VVh n the Ai iâ— cooled by a gentle B iâ—ze
like me declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times the things that are not yet done He that knoweth what the end of all things will be must needs dispose of all second causes and intermediate acts leading thereunto The reason why men often mis-reckon and faile of their expectation about the ends and issues of things is because they have not all the means in their power yea I may say they have not any of the means fully no nor at all in their own power The way of man is not in himself how then can his ends be only God knoweth what shall be the conclusion because he hath the full disposure of all the premises means and wayes by which the conclusion is brought about Let us adore and consider the power of God as well in disposing of the creature as in making of it Again Doest thou know c. Surely thou doest not The question here as often elsewhere carrieth in it a strong denial Hence Note Men know little of the works and wayes of God Some men are called knowing and oâ—hers ignorant but all men are deficient in their knowledge both of the nature and works of God Doest thou know But was Job some ignorant simple person Surely no Job was one of the wisest as well as greatest men of that age he was as well versed as any in the study and knowledge both of natural and spiritual things Nor is he chaâ—ged by Elihu here with ignorance simply but with ignorance as to this this was too high and too hard for him We may with reverence enough question their knowledge in some things who are very knowing men in mâ—st things There are some things which 't is a shame for a man not to know The Apostle speaks often in that language Rom. 2.4 Despâ—sest thou the riches of his goodness and fâ—rbearance and long-suffering not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance What a shame is it that any who know any thing should not know and understand the scope of the mercy of God to sinners What! knowest thou not that foâ—bearance leads to repentance Again the same Apostle in the same Epistle puts the like upbrayding question Rom. 7.1 Know ye not for I speak to them that know the Law how that the Law hath dâ—minâ—on over a man as long as he liveth He is n t worthy to be reckâ—ned as a piece of mankind who is altogether unknowing noâ— is he worthy to be reckoned among the men of his profession who knows not the common principles of it While the Apostlâ— spâ—ke to those who knew the Law he presumed they were not ignorant of that Rule in Law that the Law which hath or should have dominion over all men living hath no dominion over any man beyond this life Now I say as it is a shame for any man not to know thâ—se things which are requiâ—ed of him and specially concern him so 't is a presumption foâ— any man to seek the knowledge of those things which are purposely reserved and hidden from him Deut. 29.29 Secret things belong to God revealed things to us and to our children Christ saith of the latter day of the day of Judgment Math. 24.36 Of that day and houre knoweth no man no not the Angels of Heaven but my Father only and he removed the cuâ—iosity of his Apostles immediately before his ascâ—nsion for eâ—qui ing after that kind of knowledge Acts 1.7 It is not fâ—r you to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in his own power As it is not profitable so not lawfull for us to look after the knowledge of those things which God hath lockt up and kept secret Let us take heed we be neither sound unknowing in those things which it is a shame for us not to know not curiously prying into the knowledge of those things which are restrained from our knowledge But to the present poynt iâ— may be much matter of humiliation to us that of those things which we have a liberty and 't is our duty to know we know so little Job had free liberty to know and search after the knowledge of those things about which Elihu put his questions the Meteors of the air and the motions of those superiour bodyes yet Elihu knew he could say little in answer to these questions when he asked him Doest thou know c. And therefore his purpose was to humble Job while he made him see and know his own ignorance And did the most knowing man in the world know his own ignorance that would I am sure it might make him very humble We are apt to be very proud of a very small portion of knowledge a little puffs us up whereas the sence of our defects in knowledge may both make and keep us little in our own eyes We should be thankfull for that little which we know and humble because we know so little Elihu having by the Question now opened convinced Job in in general that he knew but little of the works of God proceeds in the close of this verse and further forwards to convince him further of his defectiveness in knowledge by putting the same question about many other particulars And the first particular about which he puts the same question is the Light of the Cloud Doest thou know when God disposed them And caused the light of his Cloud to shine He questions Job again about another poynt the weighing the Clouds v. 16. Doest thou know the ballancing of the Clouds the wonderfull works of him that is perfect in knowledge As if he had said Gods causing the light of his Cloud to shine and his ballancing the Clâ—uds are wonderfull works even the wonderfull works of him who is perfect in knowledge and tell me Job Doest thou know these things Doest thou know when God disposed them And caused the light of his Cloud to shine We must here repeat the former question and Doest thou know when God caused the light of his Cloud to shine yea some read this latter part of the veâ—se in dependance upon the former Doest thou know when God disposed them thaâ— he might cause the light of his Cloud to shine But I rather take it as a distinct Question In which conâ—â—der he doth not say That he may cause the light of his Sun but of his Cloud to shine 'T is the Sun properly that shineth Clouds do not The Sun is the Candle of the World the receptacle and vessel of light Clouds are but vessels or receptacles of water they are not properly diaphanous but opacous or grosse â—hick bodyes How then is it here said He causeth the light of his Cloud to shine I answer The Cloud doth not shine by any connatural or intrinsick light but by that which is adventitious and accidental to it And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Splenduit inclaruit There is more in that word shine than the ordinary