Exposition of Job 35-37

THis Chapter containeth the third Oration, Speech, or Address, which Elihu made to Job; in which he giveth answer to, confutes, and reproves, three assertions, or complaints, we may call them complaining assertions, with which he chargeth Job.

The First is laid down in the second and third verses; Thinkest thou this to be right, that thou saidst, my righteousness is more than God's? For thou saidst, What advantage will it be? &c. The answer of Elihu to this both complaining and (as proposed) proud assertion, is found in the 4 ^th , 5 ^th , 6t ^h , 7 ^th , and 8 ^th verses of this Chapter.

The Second uncomely complaint is charged on Job at the 9 ^th verse; By reason of the multitude of oppressions, they make the oppressed to cry: they cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty. To this Elihu gives answer in the 10 ^th , 11 ^th , 12 ^th , and 13 ^th verses.

The Third is expressed in the former part of the 14 ^th verse; Although thou sayest, thou shalt not see him. To this Elihu begins to make answer in the latter part of the same verse, and continueth • i • answer to the end of the Chapter; Yet judgment is before him, therefore trust thou in him, &c. These are the general Parts of the whole Chapter. I shall now proceed to the explication of particulars.

Who this Elihu was, I have shown heretofore, as also the spirit and temper of the man; and it may well be said here, Moreover, he said; for we have already heard many of his sayings in the 32 ^d , 33 ^d , and 34 ^th Chapters of this Book.

This first verse is a connecting Preface to that which followeth; for when Elihu had given Job liberty of speech, or of answering for himself, at the latter end of the former Chapter, and had, as we may suppose, paused a while, expecting what answer Job would make, he perceiving that Job either had nothing to offer, or would offer no more, began again; as if the Author of this Book had said, when Elihu saw that Job would not reply, or had nothing more to say for his own vindication, he let him understand, that he had more to say for his conviction.

And he said many things, and those very sharp things, his words were indeed as goads, and as nails, yea as swords, and spears, in the heart of Job; he objected against him such things, as were in the matter very bad, and such for the manner, as a godly, yea an ingenious man, ought not only to be ashamed of, but to abhor: And thus he undertakes him,

In this verse Elihu enters his renewed suit against Job, or here he proposeth what he had to charge Job with; Thinkest thou this to be right? And in the next or third verse, he endeavors to make good this charge, or to prove that Job had said so; for thou hast said, &c. As if he had said, I will prove it to thy face, that thou hast said, My righteousness is more than God's; for thou hast said, What advantage will it be unto thee, and what profit shall I have, if I be cleansed from my sin? So then in the second verse you have the charge, and in the third the proof of the charge.

The word which we render to think, notes more than a bare thinking, even the devising, or curious contriving of a matter in the brain; hast thou formed this in thy Imagination, and concluded it in thy Understanding for right, for sound, and wholesome Doctrine, for a very truth? There may be a threefold exposition of these words:

First, As an appeal to Jobs own breast; Thinkest thou this to be right? let me ask thee the question, Hast thou said well in this? dost thou believe thou hast? let thy Conscience judge, and make answer. I doubt not but thou wilt be self-condemned: And indeed no guilty person can be absolved, himself (if himself) being judge.

Secondly, We may look upon the words, not only as an appeal, but as a reproof, or objurgation; Thinkest thou this to be right? What man in his right mind would think so! thou toldest thy wife in the second Chapter, Thou speakest like one of the foolish women; and may it not now be told thee, Thou speakest like one of the foolish men? Would any man in his wits utter a word of this import, a word of so gross a savor, of so dangerous a reflection upon the Justice of God, or so much as intimate himself by any the remotest consequences, more just, more righteous than God? why hath such a word dropt from thy mouth? Thus he chides, checks, and reproves him.

Thirdly, These words may have the sense of a denying question; Thinkest thou this to be right? Surely Job thou dost not think this to be right, I cannot believe that thou thinkest this to be right, thou are not surely so far left of Reason, and of Grace, as to think this to be right. This sense gives some allay to, or abatement of the former; surely thou dost not think so, though thou hast spoken so; though thy words may have this meaning, yet I hope this is not thy meaning; I am unwilling to take up thy opinion from thy expression; Thinkest thou this to be right? From the first Exposition,

Note;

Thinkest thou this to be right? I refer it to thy own Conscience, whether this be right yea or no; and thus the Scripture speaks often. When God would stop the mouth from all contradiction, and not leave opposers a word to say, he leaves it upon them to say all. Moses intending to prove that none could prevail against Israel, unless (God provoked by sin) delivered Israel up into their hands, gives this demonstration of it ( Deut. 32.31.) Their Rock is not as our Rock even our enemies themselves being Judges; I refer this to our enemies opinion, whether the Dunghil gods, the Idols whom they serve and trust to, be like Jehovah, the living God, whom we have (and ought) to serve and trust to. You that are our enemies, do you think your Rock is like our Rock? I know you do not. The Apostles, Peter, and John, referred it back to the judgment of their Judges, whether it were fit for them, to obey their commands, yea or no, when they called them, and charged them to preach no more in that name, the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, ( Acts 4.19.) Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. We have received a command from God to preach▪ Go teach all Nations (Math. 28.19.) and we have received a command from you not to preach; now we leave it with you, whether it be fit for us to obey God or you. So the Apostle having admonished the Corinthians to flee from Idolatry, presently adds (1 Cor. 10.14, 15.) I speak as to wise men, judge ye what I say; I have given you the rule, and I leave it to your consideration, what's best and safest for you to do. I speak as to wise men, that's a holy insinuation; As if he had said, I know you are wise men, men of understanding, and therefore I do not so much command you to obey what I say, as to judge what I say; I am much persuaded you cannot judge otherwise in this thing than I do; There is so much truth and reason in what I say, that you cannot but say so too. The same Apostle speaks again in a like form about women's praying uncovered; Judge in yourselves, is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered (1 Cor. 11.13.) As if he had said, I do not stand wholly to my own judgment in this case of conscience, I dare refer it to you, and stand to yours. Thus in many things we may appeal unto the Consciences of those we deal with; & no doubt the Conscience is often satisfied while the Will stands out: Men of much understanding will dispute, when Conscience hath nothing to say; Yea some will for their own ends argue that to be right, which (in their Consciences) they do not think to be so. Thinkest thou this to be right? Thou hast said it, but dost thou think it? I trow not.

Observe, Secondly.

Elihu doth not direct Job immediately to the Word, (though that's the authoritative and authentic Rule) but to his heart; thou hast a Light in thyself, whereby thou mayest see that this is not right. Thus the Apostle, (1 Cor. 11.14, 15.) Doth not even Nature itself teach you, that if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? but if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her, for her hair is given her for a covering. The Light which every man hath in him will show this. Again, the Apostle ( Rom. 2.14, 15.) proveth that the old Gentiles had a light of Nature in them, which shown them many things amiss. Thus he argueth; For when the Gentiles that have not the Law, do by nature the things contained in the Law, (they do them by Nature, that is, by the Light of Nature, which shows them to do these things, that is, it showeth them that they ought to be done, and they do them, as to the outward action, by that Light:) these having not the Law (that is, the written Word, published to them in that formality, which the people of God have, these having not the Law) are a Law unto themselves; which show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their Conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing, or else excusing one another. This Light shown those Gentiles so far what to do according to the Law, as left them without excuse, for not doing what it shown. Gospel Mysteries and matters of Faith are purely of Divine Revelation, but what the moral Law commands or forbids, the light of Nature leads us to do and to forbear.

There is a generation of people grown up and spreading amongst us, who cry up the light within them, with neglect of, if not in oppos • tion to the Word written and preached to them. These make a very ill use of this notion; For whosoever bids us look to the light within us, to draw us off from the Word or light without us, err greatly, and may quickly draw us into the greatest errors both in Faith and Practice. 'It is dangerous to go or act against the light within us, yet if we go or act always by that light alone, we shall be in da • kness before we are aware. Natural light without Scripture-light, proves a false light, and may quickly lead us out of the way, and besides our duty. Therefore the Prophet, when any should say, Seek unto them that have familiar Spirits, &c. doth not say, look to the light within you for resolution, whether ye should hearken to such or no, but to the Law, and to the Tes ••• ony: if they speak not according to this w • rd, it is because there is no light in them, (Isa. 8.20.) If that which is called light within us, speak not according to the light of the Law and Testimony without us, there is no true light (or as the Margin hath it) no morning in us; the Day-star hath not risen in such hearts, nor do they speak like children of the light. Take heed of striking and so splitting against that Rock; yet certainly there is a light within us that must not be resisted. The Apostle reports that as the sin of the old Gentiles ( Rom. 1.28.) They did not like to retain God in their knowledge; they had a light of God by nature, God was in their knowledge, but they liked not to think of God, but rather thought of the world, and of any vanity, than of God, rather of the creature, than of the Creator; for this cause God gave them up to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient. They who obey not, who answer not the light of Nature in doing good, shall be left to the doing of those evils which are against the light of Nature. Such were those things which the Apostle calls (by a modest word) not convenient, or not fitting that duty and decorum, which man as man should carefully and religiously observe. By which negative expression, Not convenient, he positively intends the vilest evils and debaucheries of Nature, not to be named. And if God were so wroth with the Gentiles for not answering the common Light of Nature, no marvel if he spake so dreadfully against those that refuse and oppose the Light of the most glorious Gospel ( John 3.19.) This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. Not to answer the Light of Conscience within us rightly informed, much more not to obey the Light of the Gospel without us, leaves us under condemnation. The Light within man will show him very much what he ought to do, and judge him for not doing it. Thinkest thou this to be right? Doth the Principle planted in thee comply with this Position?

But what was it that Elihu puts the Question about? You have it in the close of the verse;

Or according to the strictness of the Hebrew, My righteousness is before God's. The Preposition here used is often taken comparatively, and hath the same signification with that ( Math. 11.19.) where Christ saith (as we translate) Wisdom is justified of her Children; that is, Christ, or the Doctrine of the Gospel, the Divine Light that shines there, is justified, that is approved and declared just, by all who are her Children indeed, born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. This is a good and profitable sense. Though strangers do not, will not justify Wisdom, yet her Children do and will. Nevertheless that comparative translation, and reading, which some contend for, carrieth in it a clear truth also, and serves to illustrate this Text in Job, now under-hand. Wisdom is justified more than her children, or rather than her children, or before her children. That is, more, rather, and before the Scribes and Pharisees, who pretended highly, that they were the children, yea the chief, if not the only children of Wisdom; and while they made this boast, they really resisted and opposed Jesus Christ, who is wisdom, and in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom: And therefore how much soever the Scribes and Pharisees flattered themselves in their own opinion, or were applauded, and preferred by others, as children of wisdom, or as very wise men; yet Jesus Christ the true Wisdom, was justified by God, and all good men, more than they, or before, yea infinitely before them; he was justified fully, but they not at all. Such a negative sense Christ intends, in that comparative determination, between the Publican and the Pharisee (Luke 18.14.) I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: That is, the Publican went home justified rather, or righteous rather, or more righteous than the Pharisee; the proud Pharisee, not being at all justified, nor righteous, but in his own eyes. Some Comparatives imply a perfect Negative to the opposite party, others only a partial. Such a comparative sense Elihu intimates in Jobs asse • tion of his righteousness. Thou saidst, my righteousness is more than God's; Or I am to be justified rather than God.

But some may say, where spake Job this? where's the Ch • pter and Verse? did Job, or could J • b overshoot himself to such a height of blasphemy?

I answer,

First, Some indeed charge Elihu deeply, as if he had feigned all these things against Job, or formed them up in his own Imagination, rather than grounded them upon any of his assertions; but we need not thus wound Elihu, to get a salve for Jobs sore.

Therefore Secondly, I answer, that although Job had not spoken this in so many words, or syllabically, yet he had spoken that from which Elihu might gather such a sense, or of which he might make such an interpretation. And therefore he seems to say at the thi • d verse, If thou thinkest this a falsehood, or too hard a charge, and shouldst deny that thou hast said, My righteousness is more than God's; I will tell thee what thou hast said, which hath given me ground (I think just and sufficient ground) for this accusation: Thou hast said, What advantage will it be unto me? and what profit shall I have, if I be cleansed from my sin? And is not this to make thy righteousness more than God's?

But what righteousness is here meant?

I answer, There is a twofold righteousness.

First, There is the righteousness of our persons, which is either imputed in justification, or imparted in sanctification, (as hath been shown upon some other passages of Elihu's discourse with Job ) This is the righteousness of our persons; as justified we are righteous, as sanctified we are also righteous. Now when Elihu chargeth Job to say that his righteousness was more than God's, we are not to understand it as if he had said, his personal righteousness, in either notion, was more than God's; for that righteousness which is imputed to our persons, is indeed the righteousness of God, ( Rom. 10.3.) but 'tis not a righteousness more than God's. And as for that righteousness planted in our persons, how imperfect and mixed with corruption is that, at best, in this life? And therefore had Job spoken any such words, or had harboured such a thought, it had been blasphemy at the highest rate; and (as one expresseth it well) If Job had spoken these horrible blasphemies, though extorted from him by utmost extremity, and in the greatest anguish of his spirit, surely Satan had got the day, and triumphed as Victor in this great conflict, not Job. Should the most righteous man on Earth, or Angel in Heaven, say in strict sense, My righte • usnesse is more than God's, this saying were a charging of God with unrighteousness, yea (which Satan promised himself, and told God Job would do, if tried to the utmost) a cursing of God to his face. But as Job abhorred to speak irreverently (though he sometimes spake passionately) of God, so, that he utterly disclaimed such thoughts of his own righteousness, hath appeared fully by his frequent protestations against all dependence upon, and trust in any self-righteousness or perfection, in divers passages of this Book.

Secondly, There is a righteousness of our Cause, or of the special matter in controversy: In which sense (I conceive) Judah said of Tamar, (Gen. 38.26.) She hath been more righteous than I. That is, She hath carried this business better, and more according to right. And thus we may understand Elihu charging Job for saying, My righteousness is more than God's; that is, my Cause is more righteous than his; and to say that (which is the most moderate sense) was too great a boldness for any creature, yea a blasphemy against the Creator. Shall man presume to say that God doth not carry things righteously with him, or that there is no reason why God should deal so or so with him! But did Job ever affirm his Cause more righteous than God's? I answer, not categorically, or directly; But Elihu hearing Job make so many complaints, might suppose he thought there was no reason why God should deal with him as he had done, and then he had been more righteous in his Cause than God.

The Septuagint read it without any comparison at all, which makes the meaning much more easy; they say not, My righteousness is more than God's, but, I shall be found righteous before God, or in the sight of God. This Job had said, and therefore made so many appeals to God. I am just before God, that is, My cause will be found right and just in the sight of God. And as Job had said this often equivalently, so once in terms, (Chap. 23.10.) When he hath tried m • , I shall come forth as gold, or appear innocent before God; which he spake especially with an eye to those heavy accusations which his Friends brought against him, and laid upon him: And even for this Job might well be condemned of rashness by Elihu, who aimed at the throwing down of all self-righteousness, at the stopping of every mouth, at the eclipsing of all human glory, in the presence, and before the brightness of the Most Glorious, High and Holy God.

So then, even, this other more favorable reading, which speaketh not comparatively, but positively, I am just before God, that is, I shall be justified by God, or I doubt not but I shall be acquitted, and found right before God, this cannot every way be justified: It was Jobs fault and failing, that he was so confident God would not (he was far from saying God could not) find fault with him. We may see (if we have spiritual eyes, or eyes enlightened by the Spirit, so many faults in our best services, as may make us ashamed to own them, rather than to boast of them before men, much more to bear up ourselves before God upon them: For (as Eliphaz told Job in the 4th Chapter) God chargeth his Angels with folly, and the best of his Saints are unclean before him; therefore that was too much fo: Job to say of himself, though that's the easiest and most charitable Interpretation of what he said, when he said (as the Septuagint render) I shall be found righteous before God, or in the sight of God.

Our Translation is very hard, hardest of all, Thou hast said, my righteousness is more than God's; yet this Elihu might gather up consequentially from what he spake in the 19 ^t h Chapter, verse. 6, 7. Behold I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard, I cry aloud, but there is no judgment. As also from the passage, Chap. 23 ^d verse. 2 ^d . Even today is my complaint bitter, my stroke is heavier than my groaning: In both places Job speaks as if God had not dealt rightly with him, as if God had been over-severe in afflicting him, or as if his complainings were short of his sufferings. In both or either of which, Job exceeds the bounds both of truth and duty; such extravagant expressions, have no apology but his pain, nor can anything be an Advocate for him, but this, That Satan who was his Tempter, was also his Tormenter, and held him so long upon the Rack, that he uttered (as himself confessed, Chap. 42.3.) that which he understood not, yea words by which Elihu understood that he said in effect, My righteousness is more than God's.

Note hence, first,

Man can hardly do anything that is just, and it is impossible God should do anything that is unjust. Let God do what he will, it is right, and he is righteous in doing it: Yea, whatsoever evil God doth to a Job, to any of his good people, he is good to them in doing it ( Psal. 73.1.) Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart, or clean of heart. Not only is God Righteous and Just, but Good and Gracious in what he doth: though his dispensations are often very sad, yet they are never unequal; and as the worst of men shall at last acknowledge that he is just; so the best of men, a Job, a David, shall find and see at last with joy and thanksgivings, that God hath been good, yea best to them (considering their state) in his sorest and severest dealings: For all the paths of the Lord (as well hard as sofr, as well those that are set with Briars and Thorns, as those that are set with Roses) are mercy and truth, (mercy as much as truth) unto such as keep his Covenant, and his Testimonies, Psal. 25.10. He that shows mercy cannot but show righteousness to his in all his ways. As he that doth righteousness, is righteous, (1 John 3.7.) so he that is righteousness, cannot but do righteous things. God is not only righteous, but righteousness; he is essentially righteous, his righteousness is himself: A man's being, and his righteousness are two things. The man may subsist without righteousness (all men by nature, and while nothing but nature, though much sublimated and refined, if not converted, are unrighteous) but it is as impossible for God not to be righteous, as not to be. How can he who is righteous, yea righteousness itself, but do righteous things in all he doth, in every cause, in every proceeding, whether with Persons, Families, or Nations? Is it not then a most unrighteous thing to think or say God hath, or can do any unrighteous thing?

Secondly Note,

If we say a man deals otherwise with us then we have deserved at his hands, we judge him, as to that action, uneven and unjust in his dealings. Surely then, if we think or speak hardly of the hardest ways of God, we speak and think hardly of God himself. We cannot think well of God, unless we say all that he doth is well done. A thought, that there is but one twig in our rod more than is meet, or fit, or more than is good for us, or to think it abides one minute longer upon our backs, than is meet, or fit, or good for us, is to say, Our righteousness is more than God's; yea, 'tis to say, Our wisdom is more than God's, and our mercies are more than the mercies of God. Therefore take heed of such thoughts. Though we cannot see the righteousness of God in his works, yet we must say his woe • ks are righteous. It can never be right, not only to say, Our righteousness is more than God's, but so much as to say, Our righteousness is anything to God's.

Thirdly Note,

It is very usual with those who accuse, or oppose others, to take things doubtful for certainties, their own conjectures for the assertions of their adversary, and everything which hath a likeness to an error, to be error. Elihu might have spoken more favourably to Job, he might have construed his sayings more candidly than he did: Had he taken Jobs words with a grain of Salt (as we speak) he needed not to have put so much Gall and Wormwood into his own: Had he not interpreted Jobs complaints strictly, according to the sound, or letter, but considered them with his scope, his aim, and purpose in speaking so, together with the extreme pain of his body, and anguish of his soul, when he spake so, he had never given him such cutting answers.

But God justly, and in much wisdom, sharpened the spirit of Elihu, to speak cutting words to Job, that Job feeling the smart, might be made sensible of his error, and at last be brought low, and broken under his hand. Milde words may skin a sore before 'tis searched to the bottom, and so not only retard the Cure, but endanger the Patient. The holy Apostle fore-seeing the murmurings, quarrels and disputes which flesh and blood would make about Election or Predestination, doth not go about so much to answer them by Reason, as to repress them by a strong Reproof, and vehement Objurgation, ( Rom. 9.20.) Nay, but O man, who art thou that repliest against God! shall the thing formed, say to him that formed it, why hast thou made me thus? hath not the Potter power over the Clay? &c. Now as about that unsearchable depth of eternal Election, so about present dreadful dispensations, and providences, our undue reasonings and tumultuating thoughts of heart, concerning God, breaking our bounds, and forgetting with whom we have to do, or who hath to do with us, call for and deserve sharpest reproofs; Who are you that reply against God! Who are you that think this to be right •••• h you do, or anything wrong which God doth? Who are you, that you should presume to say (so much as by inference) that your righteousness is more than God's, or, that it is anything compared with the righteousness of God!

What Job had said, which might give color for this accusation, hath been touched before, in the mention of those Speeches, or Passages, forced from him by the greatness of his suffering. But Elihu gives it us yet more expressly in the next verse.

As if he had said, O Job, If thou shouldest ask me, when or where thou hast said, My righteousness is more than God's? or how can I prove that thou hast said so? I may soon answer thee, and easily prove it thus, thou hast said, What advantage will it be unto thee? &c. Thou hast spoken as if no good were to be gotten by turning from evil; or that thou sufferest evil, being thyself free, at least turned from doing evil; and that therefore it availeth thee no more that thou art righteous, than if thou wert the greatest sinner in the world. So thou hast said, and in saying so, thou hast said what I have charged thee with.

But here the Question may arise again, as much about the Proof, as about the Charge. When did Job say, What advantage will it be unto me? and what profit shall I have, if I be cleansed from my sin?

I answer, as he said not the former words contained in the Charge directly, they were only a collection raised consequentially by Elihu, so he said not these words which are the proof of the Charge expressly, but by consequences.

For the clearing of this, we must distinguish of what is meant by profit and advantage, when Elihu saith, Thou saidst, What advantage shall it be unto thee, and what profit shall I have, if I be cleansed from my sin? This advantage and profit may be considered,

First, As to his eternal well-being and salvation; Secondly, as to his present ease and consolation. We are not to understand it as if Elihu accused Job for saying, That to be cleansed from his sin, would be n • •• vantage, no profit as to his eternal estate; that had been impious, and an Atheistical Speech, crossing the whole current of Scripture, and overthrowing the very foundation of godliness. Take away eternal reward and punishment, and where's Religion? where's either the love or fear of God? His meaning then is, that Job had said, it would be no profit, no boot to him for the present, or as to his then condition, if he were cleansed from his sin. This Elihu might gather from those two places (Chap. 9.22, 23.) This is one thing, therefore I said it, He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked. If the scourge slay suddenly, he will laugh at the trial of the innocent. As if Elihu had said, Thou canst not avoid this proof of my first Charge; for he that saith, God destroyeth the perfect and the wicked, that is, the perfect as well as the wicked, saith also in effect, What profit is it, that I am cleansed from my sin? But thou hast said the former, therefore the latter also. Again thou hast said (Chap. 10.15.) If I be wicked, woe unto me, and if I be righteous, yet will I not lift up my head. I am full of confusion, therefore see thou mine affiiction; weigh thy words, Thou hast said, Woe to me, if I be wicked, and if I be righteous, (it will not be much better with me) I will not, I dare not lift up my head, my confusion is so great. How great soever my innocence is, I have little comfort, or 'tis much-what alike with me, whether I be righteous, or wicked. In these places, and by these speeches Job seems to put little or no difference between the dealings of God with the wicked and the righteous. Once more. Those words ( Chap. 9.28, 29, 30.) are of a like import, I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent. If I be wicked, why then labor I in vain? if I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean; yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me. Saying this, thou hast said, how innocent soever I am, I shall not be dealt with as an innocent; if I make myself never so clean, God will throw me into the ditch, that is, into affliction. From these speeches Elihu might charge Job with saying, What profit is it (as to my temporal good) that I am cleansed from spiritual evil, my sin? As for his eternal estate, that's not the matter controverted in this book. The sum of all amounts to this, If I am cleansed from my sin, I may be as great a sufferer and as hardly dealt with in this world, as if I were altogether unclean. And hence it might be inferred, Surely Job was more righteous than God, because while he labored to please God as becometh his people and good servants to do, God was pleased (instead of rewarding him, as he had done many, and promised all who do so) to afflict him, as he useth to do and hath threatened to do to the worst of evil men, the wicked. Thus thou ha • t said, What advantage, &c.

The word here rendered advantage, signifieth gain any way, or anything that is commodious and gainful to us; thou hast said, What advantage will it be unto thee? Thus he brings in Job putting the question to himself, what advantage should he get to himself in this life by living a religious or a holy life? As if he had said, Doubtless 'tis concluded in thy breast, thou shalt get none; And to strengthen this thy unbelief, at least to show that thy unbelief in this point is very strong, thou hast said the same thing in another dress of words a second time; For I have heard thee saying thus also.

Job was taxed for a saying of the same scandalous sense ( Chap. 34.9.) He hath said, it profiteth a man nothing, that he should delight himself with God. There Elihu accuseth him for affirming in a third person, it profiteth a man nothing; and here for questioning in his own person;

Some derive the word Belial from this root, signifying an unprofitable one, or an unthrift, a man that doth no good, either to himself, or others; What profit shall I have? what shall I get? All the good I shall get I may put in my eye, and see never the worse: In a word, I shall not mend my condition, if I mend my conversation; so it followeth;

The words, If I be cleansed, are not expressed in the Hebrew Text, but are clea • lie implied and unde • stood; For Job cannot be supposed to ask this question; What profit shall I get by, or from my sin? that question were nothing to the present purpose or disputation. And therefore though all Interpreters do not make this supplement, yet all agree, that a supplement is to be made: Most concur in this, What profit shall I have, if I depart from, or forsake my sin? We say, If I be cleansed from my sin? As if these were Jobs thoughts, this his saying, Let me keep my sin, or not keep my sin, I see I am like to suffer. I shall still be kept under the rod. That's the plain sense of the words; Elihu chargeth Job with complaining of God, that it would be no advantage to him, 〈◊〉 to the ease of himself from any outward affliction and calamity, how much soever he forsook or were cleansed from his sin. There are two other readings of this verse, which I shall only name, and then give two or three Notes from our own.

First, Thus; Thou hast said, What profit shall I have more by it (that is, by my righteousness) than by my sins: As if his meaning were (which is a very gross one) What good shall I get by well-doing more than by ill-doing? One of the Rabbins takes in strongly with this comparative exposition, between those remotest moral extremes good and evil, as to his case: But I dare not join either with the one or other in this interpretation.

A second gives it thus; If thou demandest what may it profit thee, saying, What good shall I get by further punishment or suffering?

It hath been said before, that those words, If I be cleansed, are not found expressly in the Hebrew Text; And the word in our Translation rendered sin, signifieth also punishment or suffering, which is the fruit or effect of sin. So that according to this reading, Elihu in these words prevents an objection, which Job might take occasion to make from what he had said, or wished rather, at the 36th verse of the former Chapter. My desire is that Job may be tried unto the end; That is, further afflicted, or afflicted to the utmost. Against this desire of Elihu, Job is by him supposed making his exception, or objection, in this verse; As if he had said, Why doest thou, or what reason hast thou to desire that I should be yet again tried by affliction? What, I pray, would that profit me, if I were afflicted yet more and more? Can the suffering of evil do me good, or make me better? To this objection, Elihu gives answer in the next verse, and those which follow to the ninth; and he doth it (as the Asserter of this Interpretation judgeth) by this Dilemma. Thy afflictions would profit either God or thyself (seeing God doth nothing in vain); but neither thy sufferings, how grievous soever, nor thy doings, how righteous soever, can profit God, no more than thy sins or evil doings can damage God; therefore it remains, that if God afflict thee further, it will be (if thou hast a heart to improve it) for thy profit.

This reading, and the sense arising from it, is much insisted on; but as the former is very harsh, so I conceive, this latter is very dark and intricate, and grounded upon the supposition of an objection very remote, or not easily to be suggested in this discourse. And therefore to avoid both my own and the readers unnecessary trouble, I shall take the Text, as it stands in our Translation, and offer somewhat for instruction from it.

How great sinfulness there is in saying, There is no profit in the ways of God, I have shown at the 21 ^st Chap. verse. 11 ^th, and Chap. 34 ^th verse. 9. So that referring the Reader thither, I shall here give only this Note.

We may well put the Apostles question ( Rom. 6.21.) to ourselves, What fru • t have we in those things whereof we are now ashamed? What benefit have we got by polluting ourselves with sin? But how vain a question is it to say, What profit shall I have, if I be cleansed from my sin? Elihu chargeth Job with this; yet still remember, he refers not to his eternal, but temporal condition. And this was Asaphs or David's temptation also, as to his temporal condition; even he, the one or the other, David or Asaph spake as much in express terms, as Job is here charged with, ( Psal. 73.13.) where complaining of the great trials and troubles he had been under, and of the prosperity of the wicked; Behold (saith he) these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world, they increase in riches. But how is it with me? Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocence; for all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every moment. As if he had said, What have I got by my holiness, and forsaking of sin? what have I gained by my strictest walkings, and abstainings from the very appearance of evil? Have I not reason to conclude, in good earnest, that I have cleansed my heart and hands in vain, seeing my sufferings are not lessned, though my sins are, seeing my punishments are renewed every morning, though I am every morning upon the renewal of my repentance? Thus spake the Psalmist in the day of his temptation; and doubtless, this day of his Temption had been a day of temptation and provocation to the Lord, (like that of Israel's in the Wilderness, Psal. 95.7.) had not the Lord come in by his grace, and helped him to bite in his words at the very next verse; If I say, I will speak thus, (if I use such, not only uncomely, but wicked language as this, I have cleansed my heart and hands in vain) Behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children. And when I thought to know this, it was too wonderful for me; that is, it was beyond my skill to reconcile these works, these providences of God towards me, with his word and promises; nor was I any whit less at a loss, how to reconcile the prosperity and flourishing condition of wicked men, with those terrible threatenings which the Lord in his Word everywhere thunders out against them. These cross and intricate dispensations puzzel'd me greatly, put my soul into a maze; nor could I spel their meaning, nor make out the sense of them, Untill I went into the Sanctuary of God, then understood I their end; the woeful Catastrophe, the miserable end of wicked-men, their slippery standing, and their sudden falling, as both are described ( v. 18, 19, 20.) Then also I understood the blessedness of a godly man's estate, both now and forever, in having God his guide and his portion ( v. 24, 25, 26.) then I understood what profit and advantage comes by cleansing ourselves from sin, though to the eye it appear not, yea though all appearances speak the contrary. To be cleansed from, or to remove sin is profitable and advantageous:

First, As to the removal of Judgment. When we begin cleansing work, the Lord usually makes an end of afflicting work. For as one great end of sending affliction, is to cleanse us from sin, ( Isa. 27.9.) By this shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged, and this is all the fruit, to take away his sin; so our being clean • ed from sin is usually the end of our afflictions. When we are cleansed from sin, we are troubled no more, we smart no more: speak then, Is it no profit to be cleansed from sin, when so many, not only persons, but Nations have been ruined, because not cleansed from sin? God gave his own people cleanness of teeth, ( Amos 4.6.) that is, famine or want of bread, because of the uncleanness of their hearts, and lives; and is it no profit to be cleansed from sin, when for our sinful uncleannesses God will cleanse us of all our comforts, even to a morsel of bread? 'It is therefore a speech both false in itself, and highly di • honorable unto God, to say, I shall have no profit, for still I shall suffer, though I be cleansed from my sin; whereas first, there is more profit in being cleansed from sin, than in being delivered from sufferings; and, secondly, when once we are cleansed from sin, we are in the fairest way to be cleared from, and see an end of all our sufferings.

Secondly, The more we are cleansed from sin, the more communion we have with God, and the more peace from God. Is not this a great profit? a profit besides the eternal reward? a profit far better than any temporal reward? Will not communion with God satisfy us for the loss of friends, of estate, or health? Will not peace with God answer all the tribulations we can meet with in this world? If therefore being cleansed from sin, we have closer communion and sweeter peace with God, let no man say, What profit shall I have, if I be cleansed from my sin? And, although there should be no present profit, or advantage, though no visible, no nor spiritual income, as to present comfort, should redound to us in this world, by being cleansed from sin, yet remember, it is our profit, and our best profit to be cleansed from sin, to be emptied of sin, to mortify sin, to destroy sin; if we should have no profit in hand by leaving sin, yet there is a profit promised, that infinitely exceeds all the profits and pleasures which we can have or hope for by retaining our sin; such profit and pleasure, as will abundantly recompense us for all the worldly losses we are at, and penitential sorrows which we pass thorough in keeping or cleansing ourselves from sin. The Apostle rejoiced at the sorrow of the Corinthians (2 Cor. 7.9.) But is it good to rejoice at the sorrow of others? should we not mourn with those that mourn? 'It is true, we should; yet 'tis good to rejoice in that sorrow which doth others good; such was the sorrow of those Corinthians. The Text is exp • ess; Now (saith S ^t Paul) I rejoice not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance, for ye were made sorry after a godly manner (or according to God) that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. There is then no damage, no hurt by such sorrow; But comes there any good, any profit by it? yes, much every way; for (as it followeth, v. 10.) godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation, not to be repented of; that is, greatly to be rejoiced in. What is matter of joy, if salvation be not? True repentance for sin, is repentance to salvation: And is there not profit, is there not all profit in that? As there is a Fountain opened (the blood of Christ) for sin and for uncleanness (Zech: 13.1.) that is, for washing away the uncleanness of sin; so there are abundance of blessings flowing from that Fountain, to all such as by the actings of Faith and Repentance wash and are clean.

Thus far of Elihu's first charge, and the proof of it, taken from Jobs own sayings. How he answers and refutes those sayings of Job, will appear in opening the next words.

THe former Context contained the Charge which Elihu brought against Job, that he should say, His righteousness was more than God's, and that it would be no profit to him; if he were cleansed from his sin.

In the Context of these five Verses, Elihu gives answer to those (had Job positively and purposely said, or asserted them) blasphemous sayings, or assertions. And we have here.

First, The promise or overture of an answer, at the 4th verse, I I will answer thee, and thy Companions with thee.

Secondly, We have the answer itself laid down in the 5th, 6th, 7 ^th , and 8 ^th verses; which answer consists in three particulars.

First, That God cannot be hurt or endammag'd by our sin; at the 6 ^th verse.

Secondly, That God can have no benefit or advantage by our righteousness; at the 7 ^th verse.

Thirdly, That both Job himself, and other men like himself may, yea shall certainly have hurt and damage by their sin, as also benefit or advantage by their righteousness, verse. 8th.

Thus Elihu's answer obviates Job's passionate question at the 3d verse, What profit shall I have, if I be cleansed from my sin? As if Elihu had said, I know that neither thy sins can do any hurt to God, nor can thy righteousness do him any good; but thy sins may hurt thee, and thy righteousness advantage thyself; therefore lay down such wicked and desperate thoughts as these, say not, What profit will redound to me if I be cleansed from my sin? &c. That's his answer, according to our Translation. Other readings present us with other forms of answer; but I shall not stay upon them.

Elihu makes overture of answering before he answers, and tells him he will, before he doth it; I will answer thee, or I will return thee words. Answering is the returning of woe • ds to words; yet not of empty words, but of words filled with Reason and Authority to resolve him that is doubting, or to convince him that is gain-saying. I will answer thee,

I will speak that which shall not only take off thy Objections, but theirs also who are of thy mind, or join in Opinion with thee; I will answer thee, and thy Companions with thee: I will do both at once; when I have answered thee, they also will be answered; one answer will serve thee and them. One Line will mark and measure both Walls.

The word which we render Companions, signifies any Friends or Familiars, with whom we usually converse, with whom we eat, or who eat bread with us, (2 Sam. 13.3.) ( Prov. 17.17.) We may take it either more strictly for a special intimate bosom friend, who is to a man as his own soul, as Moses speaks ( Deut. 13.6.) or for a friend at large, such as is called a Neighbor, (Exod. 20.16.) Levite. 19.18.

Yet the question may be, Whom doth Elihu mean by Jobs Companions, when he saith, I will answer thee, and thy Companions with thee?

Some by his Companions understand those who came to visit him in his affliction, and maintained that long Discourse with him, those three friends of whom we read (Chap. 2.11.) Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuite, and Zophar the Naamathite. The Septuagint conclude Elihu meant them only, for thus they render, I will answer thee, and thy three friends.

But why should Elihu join them with Job, seeing they held Opinions contrary to Job? True, they did, yet they were not able to make good their Arguments, or convince Job; they had condemned Job, but not answered him, they did their business imperfectly, and to halves, or impertinently, and to no purpose; so that all their answerings were called no answer, Chap. 32.3. And therefore Elihu might see reason to undertake the satisfaction, not only of Job, but of his three friends, who had not given Job a satisfactory answer unto that hour.

Others take the word Companions in a more large sense, for all that were of his Opinion. As if Elihu had said, I challenge all the world, whosoever accompanies thee, or takes thy part in justifying such sayings or assertions, as I have heard from thee, I will answer them all, how many soever they be; I will undertake thee, and all thy Party, Thee, and thy Companions with thee.

Hence Note,

To oppose two is a very great disadvantage; but if a man have the truth on his side, he may oppose all, though he be alone: He may be an Antipas (Revel. 2.13.) a man against all men, as that name of Christ's faithful Martyr, there mentioned, doth import. If there be a thousand of them, he may undertake them all, for in answering one, he answers all. Elijah said of himself (1 Kings 18.22.) I, even I only, remain a Prophet of the Lord; yet he stood up against all the Idolatrous Prophets of Baal, who were no fewer than four hundred and fifty men: That we have many with us, is li • tle advantage, and less honor many a time. A long train of Followers will do us no good, if our Cause be bad. Truth is strong and will prevail; 'tis vain to fight against it, though our partakers are many. The ancient Fathers observed, how some were wont to cry up those that had the multitude on their side, and to boast that most were of their Opinion. It was the saying of a Worthy in those times, By my being alone, the word of truth, and the truth of the word, is not at all diminished. One man and the truth are strong enough to oppose a multitude in error, and a multitude of errors. The more any men, and the more men appear in opposing truth, the more is God engaged in faithfulness to appear for it. When one boasted to S ^t Jerome that he had a multitude of Followers in his Opinion; he answered, That the number of his Companions did not prove him a Catholic, but a Heretic.

But how did Elihu answer Job and his Companions? The next verse tells us how.

As if he had said, Look to the Heavens, and they'll answer thee; behold the Clouds, and they will confute thee: Thy very senses may convince thee, that thou hast spoken these things against Reason. And the Heave • s will tell thee, that thy mistake in this matter is Heave • lie wide. If thou turn thy eyes upward, and considerest that distance which is between God, who hath Heaven for the Habitation of his Hol • nesse, and of his Glory, and thee, who dwellest in thy house of Clay here on Earth, thou mayest see that thy sins cannot hurt him, nor thy goodness extend to him. The distance between Heaven and man is very great; but the distance between God and man is far greater; the one is immensurable, but the other is unimaginable, inconceivable. Therefore if the Heavens be so high, that thou canst not annoy them with thine Arrows, much less art thou able to annoy God, who is higher, and infinitely more out of Bow-shot and Gun-shot than the Heavens: That's the scope of his A • gumentation here, to prove that Job could not, or that no man can hurt God by his sin.

Both words are applied to the sense or sight of the eye, yet they have a reference also to an intellectual sight, to the eye of the mind: Look, and see; that is, Take special notice of, and contemplate the Heavens. We may look, and not see; that is, look and not consider, look and not observe: To look and see, is to give earnest attention to the thing looked upon; look curiously, c • itically, how high the Heavens are, Look and see.

We may apply the first word Look (as some do) to the truth of the thing, look how high the Heavens are; it may be seen by the eye, that they are very high, though we cannot see how high they are. The latter word See, may refer to the admirable contrivance and contexture of the thing seen, as the form • to the truth and reality of it: Look and see how wonderful, how full of wonders the Heavens are; see with admiration what a vastness, what an ex • ctnesse there is in the Heavens above thee. Thus the word is used by the Prophet, ( Isa. 42.18.) Look ye blind, that ye may see. It is a Prophesy of Gospel times: that is, Consider the Messages and Mysteries of the Gospel exactly, view them well, that ye who are blind may behold the glorious light that shines forth in them. There were many blind ones in Ch • ists time, that looked upon the things of the Gospel, and did not see; the Pharisees looked upon them, and they were among the blind ones; they indeed had better thoughts of themselves, and therefore put that question to Christ in scorn, ( John 9.40.) Are we blind also? They did not look so as to see; they were blind when they looked, and blind after they looked: The holy Prophet exhorts poor blind souls to whom the Gospel should come, to look better, to look again and again, till they saw, Look ye blind, that ye may see; That is, be diligent and humble, that ye may see the light shining in the Gospel. The proud Pharisees who would not see the light which Christ offered to them, were the worst of blind ones.

This is the Look which the word in the Text calls for. Look unto the Heavens, and see; it cannot be understood of the outward sight only, for he that looks upon the Heavens cannot but see them; but a man may look a great while upon the Heavens, and not see them considerately, nor understand what he seeth. The words import attention and consideration: And so they are used and placed (2 Kings 3.14.) Were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the King of Judah, I would not look unto thee, nor see thee; said Elisha to Jehoram King of Israel; that is, I would give thee no respect, nor take notice of thee. In this sense the Prophet represents the Church bespeaking the incompassionate Spectators of her calamity, ( Lam. 1.12.) Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? Behold and see (that is, weigh it well, and consider) if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow. Look unto the Heavens and see.

And Behold (with like attention) the Clouds. There is some difference among Interpreters, about this word which we render Clouds. The Hebrew properly signifies Thinnes; but a Cloud, is thick, and consists of many Aireal vapors, condensed into a body; and therefore this word cannot well be translated a Cloud, (saith this Author) but the thin Heavens, that is, the higher Heavens, those above the Airy Heaven.

Again, The Clouds are lower than the Heavens, they are nearest to us, they are engendered in the middle Region, nor do they at any time rise higher than that Region. Forasmuch then as Elihu is endeavoring by the consideration of the highness of God's royal seat, or of the vast distance (as the Prophet speaks) of the habitation of his Holiness and of his Glory from us, to prove, that neither any good we do can profit him, nor any evil we do, teach to his disadvantage; therefore it may seem not to make much for the purpose of Elihu, to call Job to behold the Clouds, which are near us, comparatively, though their distance from us be really very great: but I conceive, notwithstanding that Criticisme of the word, and this reason, we may well enough abide by the Translation, which saith, Behold the Clouds; for though the Clouds are thicker than the Ai • , yet they are but thin, and are soon dispersed by wind and ratified by heat.

Again, Supposing (as indeed they do) that the Clouds move in the lower part of the Heavens, it increaseth and heightens the sense of the words to the purpose, for which Elihu makes use of them. As if he had said, Behold and see the Heavens, the upper Heavens, the Starry Heavens, they are higher than thou, yea, behold the Clouds which are nearest to us, and much, very much below the Starrs, those especially which Astronomers call the fixed Starrs; yet do but behold the Clouds, which at the top of some hills one may touch with his hand, (some describe great men hiding their heads among the Clouds) Behold, I say, the Clouds which are lowest, yet they are higher than thou, they are beyond thy reach; much more the Heavens, most of all God, who is higher than the highest Heavens. Thou canst neither add to, nor diminish or blemish the beauty of the Heavens, thou canst not make a cloud better or worse; What then canst thou do to or against the God of Heaven? To convince Joh of this, is the purpose of Elihu in calling him to the view of the Heavens. Now forasmuch as Elihu invites Job to the view and Contemplation of the Heavens;

Note; First,

The Scripture calls some, Starr-gazers, such are they, who study the Heavens to a very evil purpose, drawing men off from their sole dependence upon God, by foretelling the events of things, and destinies of persons, from the positions and motions of the heavenly Bodies or Luminaries. This kind of Studying and Contemplating the Heavens, is one of the greatest vanities under Heaven, a vanity often reproved in the Scriptures of the holy Prophets; thus to be Starr-gazers, or Heaven-beholders is our sin: but there is a Contemplation of the Starrs which is our duty and commendation, ( Psal. 8.3, 4.) When I consider (in that great volume of the works of God) the Heavens, the work of thy fingers, the Moon and the Starrs which thou hast ordained; What is man that thou art mindful of him, &c. David did both look and see, he beheld the Heavens for a good purpose, a godly purpose, his own abasement, and the advancement of the glory and goodness, or of the glorious goodness of God, in spreading such a Canopy, sparkling with perpetual fires for him to walk under, and do his work by. And doubtless, did we with enlightened eyes behold and see the natural Heavens, we should become more spiritual and heavenly.

Secondly, In that we have here three words, look, see, and behold. Note,

We may look to the Heavens and not see, we may see the Heavens and not behold them. Let me here again mind the Reader of the Emphasis of that word; it notes a looking unto, or upon the Object, as a Hunter looks for a Hare, or a Fowler for a Bird; how doth he pry and look into every tuft and bush? So the word is used ( Jer. 5.26.) Among my people are found wicked men: they lay wait (or they eye and behold) as one that setteth snares, they set a trap, they catch men. All the visible works of God, much more the Heavens should be diligently considered, looked into, seen, and beheld. It was a good Conclusion of one of the Ancients, who said, That man hath not looked unto Heaven, that hath only looked upon Heaven. A bare look is not sufficient, he must look with admiration, or till he cannot forbear to admire, as the first Latin word in that sentence signifies properly. A man may look upon a Picture, and yet not behold it discerningly; he may say, that's the picture of a man, yet not consider the Art of the workman in drawing it; he may see it is the picture of a man, not of a beast, at a look, but he must see it exactly, if he would find out the worth and workmanship o • it. A man in passage (as some speak) may see a house, yet not apprehend the Symmetry of the Plat-form, the skill of the Architect, no • the commodiousnesse of its Situation; to discern these calls for serious consideration, and settled reviews. As in the Natural works of God, the Heavens made for man, so much more in his Spiritual works, the making of a Heaven in man, or man Heavenly, require our deepest thoughts, and most studious re-searches. O how many are there who look transiently upon those works of God, who never see nor behold them, never enter into the secrets of them! many know some Truths, yet never looked into any, nor labored to comprehend with all Saints (or as all Saints ought to do) what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and he • ght of them; and therefore attain not to that riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ, as the Apostle speaks ( Col. 2.2.) but are like children tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of Doctrine, as the same Apostle describes them, Eph. 4.14. Remember, we are to look and see, and behold the Natural woe • ks of God, how much more the Spiritual Mysteries of the Gospel, and the works of grace? these indeed are to be looked upon, and seen, and beheld, those other are not to be left unlooked upon.

Note, Thirdly,

Thus the Apostle argues ( Rom. 1.19, 20.) That which may be known of God is manifest in them, or to them; that is, to the very Heathens. His proof for this, is taken from the point now proposed: For the invisible things of him from the Creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal Power and God-head. The Apostle lays it down in general, Whatsoever is made, whatsoever is part of the Creation, holds out somewhat of God: The very Clods of the Earth declare his Power; how much more the Clouds and Starrs of Heaven? Therefore Look to the Heavens, Behold the Clouds, consider them, ( Psal. 19.2.) They declare the Glory of God, and the Firmament showeth his handy-work. If you ask more particularly, what do they declare? I answer, First, That God is; every Creature doth so; if there be a Creature, there must needs be a Creator; If there be Effects, there must be an Efficient; the made Heavens declare their Maker. Secondly, The Heavens declare, not only that God is, but that he is above. Christ hath taught us to pray, Our Father, which art in Heaven; God is everywhere, yet there especially; Heaven is the Habitation of his Holiness, and of his Glory. Thirdly, In the purity of the Heavens, we may see the holiness and purity of God; and they being so incorruptible and unchangeable, declare Fourthly, The incorruptibility and unchangeableness of God: He that made them such, is much more such himself. The very unchangeableness of the Heavens, is changeable, compared with the unchangeableness of God. The Heavens (saith David, Psal. 102.25, 26.) are the work of thy hands; they shall perish, but thou shalt endure (or stand), yea all of them shall wax old like a Garment: as a Vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed; but thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end. Fifthly, The Heavens which God hath built as a House for himself, being so high above the touch of the Creature, show us that God is infinitely exalted above the reach and molestation of sinful man; that's the thing which Elihu aims at, as appears by what followeth in the next words. Look to the Heavens, and see, behold the Clouds which are higher than thou.

As if he had said, When thou lookest to the Heavens, thou plainly seest thou canst do nothing against them; it would be a vain thing for thee to attempt the Heavens, to clamber up to the Clouds; surely then, thy sinnings, thy frettings, thy discontents, and complaints cannot hurt God; therefore be quiet.

The word here used, notes sin in the least degree, any error or deviation from the Rule; but it comprehends sins of the highest degree, even such as the Prophet calls ( Amos 5.12.) Mighty sins. If thou sinnest at the greatest rate, at the height of blasphemy,

The Hebrew is, What workest thou against him? Properly the word signifieth only to work; we render it by working against, that is, to the hurt and disadvan • age of another, to his mischief and undoing. As if he had said, If thou shouldest set thy shoulder to the work, if thou shouldest do evil with both hands greedily, yet thou canst make no work of it in this matter, what dost thou against him? what hurt hath he by it? And to assure Job that he hath none, nor can have any, Elihu serves him up the same Messe in another Dish of words, in the close of the verse.

Here Elihu speaks as high, as he meant before. Transgressing is more th • n ordinary sinning, though (as was touched upon the word) under sinning he comprehended any, the most extraordinary transgressings. If thy sins be transgressions, rebellions, or prevarications, and they be multiplied, if thou sinnest out of malice and wrathful purpose against God himself; and dost not only commit someone of these, but many, and heapest them up together, yet &c.

If thy transgressions be multiplied. The word signifies both magnitude and multitude; hence some render, If thy transgressions be great; we say, If they be many. Sin as much as thou wilt, and sin as often as thou wilt; sin as much as thou canst, what hurt hath God by it? Some by sin in the former part of the verse, understand that evil which is committed immediately against God; and by transgressions in this latter clause, such evils as are done against our neighbor: But I see no need at all to be so distinct, we may take it respecting God, or man, or both; for those sins which we commit against man, are also against God; he is the person offended, his Law is broken, against whomsoever the sin is committed. If thou multiply thy transgressions,

That word, What dost thou? signifies not only, or not so much, strong labor and endeavor, as the former did, but cunning in labor, and skill in labor. As if he had said, Though a man set all his wits awork to do evil, what can he do to him? Neither pains nor skill, neither industry nor policy, neither open force nor secret stratagems, can do him any, the least annoyance. Some Creatures are weak and inconsiderable, as to anything they can do by outward power, yet they can do much by their subtlety, and cunning; but neither the one, nor the other can do anything unto God. Scrue up thy wits to the highest pin, or peg, yet thou canst do nothing really prejudicial unto him. The words are plain; from them

Observe, First,

A man may quickly vex and undo himself by sin. Wisdom saith ( Prov. 8.36.) He that sinneth against me, wrongeth his own soul: All they that hate me, love death. But the sinner cannot hurt God, he is far above us; man can no more hurt God by sin, than he can hurt the Clouds, or the highest Heavens. Had we an enemy above the Clouds, were it not a madness to shoot arrows, or bend our forces against him? What is man to God! The School-man concludes, Nothing can be added to, nothing can be diminished, nothing taken from God by any act of man: Yet man, as much as in him lies, takes away from, and gives or brings to God, when he either keeps, or doth not keep that order which God hath appointed. Sinners shall be judged and dealt with, as they that have greatly annoyed and disadvantaged God, as they that have robbed and spoil'd him, as they that have smitten and wounded him, as they that have abased him, and laid him low: And there is reason they should be judged as having done so, forasmuch as they do their utmost to do so. Thus they are described ( Psal. 2.1, 2.). The Heathen rage, and the People imagine a vain thing. The Kings of the Earth set themselves, and the Rulers, &c. And why all this? what was it for? It was against the Lord, and against hû Anointed. This was done by the Princes and Great Ones of the world; yet they were so far from being able to prejudice the Lord, either in his Person, or in his Interest, that he did but laugh at them for it. And 'tis considerable that God is described there, (according to the notion used by Elihu in the Text) sitting in the Heavens, (verse. 4.) He that sitteth in the Heavens shall laugh, the Lord shall have them in derision. And why doth the Lord laugh? surely because he sees they can no more hurt or hinder him in his purposes, by any of, or all their sinful advisings, and attemptings, than if they should hope to batter down the Heavens by discharging a Pot-gun against them. And therefore he concludes with a triumphant Yet, (ver. 6.) Yet have I set my King (after you have done your worst) upon my holy Hill of Zion. The sins of men do tu • n to the glory of God, but to their own shame. The sins of God's own children turn to the glo • y of his mercy; those huge heaps, and numberless numbers of sins committed by his Children before Conversion, what do they in the issue, but lift up the glory of his Grace in the pardon of them? And the rebellions committed by impenitent sinners, going on in obstinacy to the end, without Conversion, what do they but lift up the glory of God in his Justice, and wonderful judgments, which he will bring upon them? The sins of the old world (which was a world of sin, all flesh having corrupted their way before God, and there being but one righteous Family found in it) all those sins (I say) did not damage God at all, but indeed they glorified both his Patience and his Justice; his Patience, in sparing them so long, even an hundred and twenty years after warning given; his Justice, in sending the Flood at last, which brought swift destruction upon them, and swept them all away. The unnatural crying sins of Sodom, did not hurt the God of Heaven, but God took advantage thereby, to glo • ifie his Justice, in raining Fire and Brimstone upon them from Heaven, ( Gen. 19.24.) Pharaoh by all his opposition against the Israel of God, did not disadvantage God, but gave him an advantage to make his Power known, by swallowing up him and his Egyptian Host in the waters of the Red Sea. That which is done against the Will of God, fulfills the Will of God. The sins of men are so far from hurting the God of Heaven, that they glorify him among men on E • rth; while they behold him either turning the evil which is door into good, or punishing them • or their evil doings. That which men speak or do against God, like an Arrow shot up into the Air, falls down upon their own heads. David (Ps. 111.2.) breaks out wonderfully into the praise of God upon this consideration. The works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure in them. These woe • ks of God wherein we should take pleasure, are not only woe ks of mercy to the Godly, ( verse. 3, 4, 5.) but of vengeance upon the wicked, ( verse. 6.) He hath shown his people the power of his w • rks, that he may give them the heritage of the Heathen. The works of his hands are Verity and Judgment, (verse. 7.) That is, judgment for Saints in saving them, and upon sinners in consuming them. We should much contemplate the works of God, in bringing glory to himself out of the sins of men. The Angels sinned and sell; man sinned as soon almost as he was set up: These Creatures did that which God would not have done, yet God brought about that which he would. And thus it is to this day among all the child • en of men; while they break holy Commandments, God fulfills his holy Counsels; no thanks to them, yea woe to them. So then, the Lord hath no hurt by sin; which way soever sinners turn themselves, they cannot turn away his Counsels, nor turn from his Counsels: When they are disobeying his revealed will, he is doing his secret will, in which God is most righteous, and in his season will lift up his Righteousness and Holiness, his righteous and holy Will, in the face of all the sinners in the world, and they shall know and confess that he hath served his own wise and holy purposes, even in those Providences wherein they have had no purpose, but to serve their foolish and unholy lusts and pleasures. We have an illustrious proof of this, in that extremely evil and unnatural practice of men good in the main, the holy Patriarchs, against their own Brother ( Gen. 50.20) who told them plainly, when he meant them no evil, but good, But as for you, ye thought evil against me, but God meant it for good; to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

Further, To clear the Point in general, we may distinguish of sin, as having a threefold opposition; First, Against ourselves. Secondly, Against our Neighbor. Thirdly, Against God. This division or distinction of sins, must be so understood that the two former, namely, sin against ourselves, and against our Neighbor, brings a real detriment, and disadvantage to ourselves, and to our Neighbor. But as sin hath respect to God, it doth not bring any real detriment to him: Only it may be said, First, The will of many sinners is raised up to that height of wickedness, as purposely to set themselves to dishonor God, to blaspheme his name, and do despite to the Spirit of Grace, (Heb. 10.29.) which is the utmost length that sin or lust can go. Secondly, The nature of every sin, or every sin considered in its nature, is a wrong or a hurt to God; for it is an unconformity to his Will, and a breach of his Law: Yet as to himself God receives no hurt, nor possibly can receive hurt by any, the foulest, most sinful sin.

But some may say, Doth not sin damage God at all; could Ellhu say in Truth, What dost thou against him, or into him, if thou sinnest? Is sin nothing to God? The Church complained, and cried out to those that passed by her, ( Lam. 1.12.) Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? Are all my afflictions nothing to you? May not God say much more, Are all your transgressions nothing unto me? Are our sins nothing to him? Is he unconcerned in them? How can this be? There are several Scripture-Expressions which show clearly that we do much against God when we sin, and much for him when we sin not, or abstain from sin.

First, When a People, especially when a professing People, sin, The name of God is profaned; and is that nothing to God? Is it not against God, to have his name p • ophaned? We find the Lord charging this upon his People ( Ezek. 36.20, 21.) They profaned my name among the Heathen, &c. To profane the name of God, is to make it as an unholy, as a common, yea, as a corrupt thing; and is this nothing to God?

Secondly, To sin is to dishonor God, 'tis called, A despising of God, (1 Sam. 2.30.) Them that honor me, I will honor; and they that despise me, shall be lightly esteemed. Is it nothing to be despised, to be dishonored? If a man be despised, he thinks himself wronged; loss of honor is a great loss.

Thirdly, We find in Scripture, that some kind of sinning is blaspheming. The Apostle tells the Jews (Rom. 2.24.) The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles, through you: That is, his name is evil spoken of, a bad report is brought upon his name, he hears ill among evil men, among the Gentile • , through you, that is, through the unanswerablenesse of your doings, to your sayings, or through the unlikeness of your practices, to your profession. To blaspheme the name of God is to strike through, to wound the name of God; it is somewhat to a man to have his name struck through with the poisoned Arrows and Darts of reproach. An ill tongue falls heavy, and cuts deep. A blasphemed name is a tongue-beaten name: And is this nothing to God?

Fourthly, Some sins are not only in themselves a contempt of God, but they are committed in contempt of God. When men sin presumptuously, and with a high hand; when they sin with a command shining in their eye, with a threat sounding in their ear, they even send a defiance to Heaven, and bid God do his worst: And is this nothing against God? nothing unto God? One of the Ancients writing at large of two Cities, calleth one of them, The earthly and unholy City, made by the love of ourselves, even to the loathing and contempt of God. (Love to ourselves, rising up to the contempt of God, doth all the mischief in the world) The other City he calleth holy and heavenly, and that (saith he) is built by the love of God, or when we love God even to a loathing and contempt of ourselves, and of all our own concernments, interests and advantages. When a man comes to love God with a loathing of himself, then he is indeed a builder of the holy City: And when sinners act with an inordinate love to themselves, they at once cast contempt upon God, and build that bad City; and is this nothing to God?

Fifthly, The Scripture saith, God is angry with sin. A wise man will not be angry with that which is nothing to him, or which doth nothing against him; a wise man will not be angry for nothing, much less will the only wise God.

Sixthly, The Scripture saith, God is grieved for the sins of men. Surely God will not be grieved for that which is nothing unto him. Himself saith, sinners fret him, (Ezek. 16.43.) Thou hast fretted me in all these things. A well tempered man will not fret for that which doth not some way or other afflict him. We read ( Isa. 63.10.) That Israel vexed his holy Spirit so much, that he was turned to be their enemy, and fought against them. And had they done nothing against him? Yea, it is said ( Gen. 6.6) God was so much afflicted with the sins of the old world, that he repented that he had made man upon the Earth, and it grieved him at his heart. Doubtless that is somewhat to God, which grieves him thus, and goes to his very heart. And let us take heed of thinking sin is nothing to God; though Elihu saith here to Job, What dost thou unto him, if thou sinnest? Sin hath done all the mischief to man that ever was done him, nor can anything do him a mischief, but his sin. And though God, as Elihu argueth truly, be above the reach of any mischief that sin or sinners can do him, yet upon trial they will be found guilty of, and cast for doing much, and that very mischievously against God. And therefore

For answer to the Objection, know, The glory of God may be considered two ways; Fi • st, In itself. Secondly, In its manifestations: Or, we may consider God, First, In his Essential glory and blessedness; Secondly, In his manifestative glory and blessedness. The Glo • y and Majesty of God in itself, or his Essential Glory is always the same, and receives neither increase nor diminution; for 'tis infinite and perfect, or infinitely perfect; and that's the definition of Perfection, or defined perfection, to which nothing can be added, and from which nothing can be taken. So then, Consider God in himself, and 'tis true, our sins are nothing to him, they hurt him no more than the Stars are hurt by throwing stones into the Air at them, or the Sun is hurt by casting Darts up at it, or the Moon is hurt by the barking of Dogs at it; we can no more hurt or hinder that good or glory of God by our sins, than Sun, Moon and Stars in Heaven, are hurt or hindered in their Course, by such angry assaults from Earth.

But

Secondly, Consider the manifestations of the glory of God, and this is hindered, or damaged by sin. That's the meaning of all those Scriptures, where 'tis said, his name is profaned, dishonored, blasphemed; the present manifestations of his glory, which should break out everywhere, are clouded and eclipsed by sin. And this, their sins do especially who profess his name. Professors are obliged where-ever they come, to hold out the savor and excellency of his name: And therefore God will deal with knowing sinners, as with those that hurt and wound him, as with those that have grieved and broken him, as wi h those who have burdened and troubled him, yea, as with those who would destroy him. Sin is an enemy to God, and would dethrone and thrust him out of the world; therefore s • nners shall be dealt with as such as have highly hurt and wronged God. Sinners have sometimes risen up to such expressions of wickedness, that they would even pull God out of Heaven; it is in the nature of every sin, and in the spirit of many sinners to do so, they carry a daily enmity in their hearts.

Therefore woe to those who say of God, God is not hurt by our sins? why then should we trouble ourselves about them? yes, the Lord will at last let all sinners know he hath been concerned in their sins; though they have not at all touched his Essential Glory, yet they have darkened and slurr'd the manifestations of his Glory. And therefore I answer,

Secondly, All those Scriptures before alleged, importing that sin grieves God, vexes him, and is very burthensome to him; all those are spoken either of God-man, Jesus Christ, who was made like unto us in all things, except sin, and is spoken of in the Historyes and Prophesies of the Old Testament, before he took flesh, as having those (in him) sinless passions of anger, and sorrow, and grief, which were found in him after he appeared in the flesh: Or if expounded of God, strictly considered, then what is in those Scriptures spoken of God, must be understo • d after the manner of men, yet as becomes God, who is without all passions and repentings: Or they are to be understood, not as importing Affections in God, but Effects upon men. When men sin, God doth such things as angry men use to do, such things as men do that are g • ieved with what others have done, and repent of what themselves have done. If grief, anger, repentance, were properly wrought in God, when we sin, our sins must needs be some, yea much annoyance to him. But while man sees and feels such Effects as these passions produce, the Lord is infinitely exalted above the least feeling of these passions, he remains ever the same: That's it which Elihu signifieth, and holds out to Job; we may trouble one another, and trouble ourselves by sin, but we cannot at all trouble God. If thou sinnest, what dost thou against him, what unto him? I shall conclude, and gather up the sense of this Context in these four brief Deductions. Take two of them Negatively, and two Affirmatively.

First, God doth not punish sinners in anger, only, though he be angry only with sin.

Secondly, God doth not punish sinners, at all, for fear. He fears none, whom none can hurt.

The two Affirmatives take thus:

Fi st, When God punisheth sin, he doth it out of pure love to Justice, or purely out of love to Justice.

Secondly, God afflicts the godly in mercy; 'tis not because they have done him hurt, but for their good.

Elihu proceeds further to prove, that as Job could not hurt God by his sins, so his righteousness and innocence were no advantage to him; and therefore it must needs follow, that his sins could only hurt, and his righteousness only profit himself, and such as were like himself.

Elihu having shown in the former verse, that the sin of m • n cannot detract anything from, nor in the least hinder the happiness of God; proceeds in the 7 ^th verse to show, that the sinlesness, yea that the righteousness of man cannot advantage, nor advance the happiness of God: And therefore lest he should seem to make both the sin and the righteousness of man to be of no use, he states the matter in the 8th verse, and tells us both to whom the wickedness of man is hurtful, and to whom the righteousness of man is profitable; Thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art, and thy righteousness may profit the son of man; but neither can thy wickedness hurt, nor thy righteousness help or advantage God. That's the sum of these two verses.

As if he had said; There is no reason (O Job) that thou shouldest at any time (as thou oftentimes hast) proclaim thy own righteousness, as if that added anything to God. Job was not ignorant of that; But the speech of Elihu had this scope in it, to reprove him for complaining that his goodness profited himself nothing, because though he was far from wickedness, yet he was afflicted, whereas many wicked men prospered and lived in full content; to which point his other friends had not answered. And further, Elihu urgeth Job with this, because he had so industriously defended his own righteousness, as if he would intimate that God was a gainer by it; whereas if God at any time rewardeth our good deeds, that proceedeth from his own goodness and Free Grace, not from any obligation which we have put upon him, by what we have done, how well soever we have done it. If thou be righteous, what givest thou him? This supposition, if thou be righteous, hath in it a grant, if not an affirmation, that a man may be righteous; For though all men naturally, or in nature, are unrighteous, yet thorough grace all men, that is, all men who receive grace are righteous: And they who receive grace are righteous under a three-fold notion. First, they are righteous by an imputed righteousness, or by the righteousness of another accounted to them; and thus every godly man is righteous, because freely justified. Secondly, they that have grace are righteous by an Inherent Righteousness, by a stock or a principle of Righteousness planted in them at their Conversion. In conversion, not only the acts, but the state and nature of a man is changed. He who before was nothing but a bundle of unrighteousness, becomes a righteous man; that is, he hath a • ighteous principle planted in him and abiding with him. Thus a godly man is righteous, because he is sanctified. Thirdly, every man that hath grace, is a Righteous man by a righteousness flowing out from him, or by a practical righteousness; he is righteous by the doing of Righteousness; The former is Righteousness by Conversion, this is Righteousness by Conversation; and this slows from the former, as the Apostle John speaks in his first Epistle ( Chap. 3.5.) He that doth righteousness, is righteous; that is, he is in a righteous state through Justification, and hath righteousness planted in him through Sanctification; And he that is thus righteous in his state, is also a practiser of Righteousness in his way. As it is said of that worthy pair Zacharias and Elizabeth, (Luke 1.6.) They were both Righteous, walking in all the Ordinances and Commandments of God blameless. Here was practical Righteousness, they were righteous workers, their course was a course of Righteousness, as themselves were in a state of Righteousness. And thus, I conceive, Elihu is chiefly to be understood here; because righteousness in this place is opposed to unrighteous actions. If thou wert Righteous; that is, if thy ways or thy courses were as righteous, as thou hast often reported and asserted them to be (for Job in the 27 ^th Chap. said, He would not let go his Righteousness, he would hold it till he died; he would never give up his Integrity, how much soever his friends accused him; he would no more give it up, than give it off, Now saith Elihu, If thou art righteous, as thou sayest, and standest so much upon it, let it be granted, seeing thou wilt needs have it so, that thou art righteous, The Septuagint render so, Seeing thou art Righteous, or for as much as thou art Righteous, that is, according to thy own affirmation, yea though God hath said so of thee, and born that witness of thee) yet what is that to God?

If thy conversation were such as no blame could be laid upon it; though no spot could be seen upon thy garments, after all thy walkings thorough the affairs of this world, yet what givest thou unto him? Surely nothing at all. Some conceive this was a famous proverbial Speech amongst the godly in those times, full of Reverence and high Estimation, or rather Admiration of God; If we are Righteous, what is it to God? or what give we to God? (What givest thou him?) The meaning is, thou givest him nothing. A gift is the bestowing of some good thing where there is no obligation; that's a gift which a man is not bound to bestow by any Law of Righteousness; A gift is bestowed out of mere liberality, or from a free and bountiful spirit. Now, saith he, What givest thou unto God? What service is there in all thy righteous ways and works, which thou art not obliged to tender unto God, or which thou art not bound to do? Thy Righteousness doth not at all oblige God, for whatsoever good thou doest, thou art under a command to do it; there is a Law commanding, yea, compelling thee, if thou shouldest refuse; doest thou perform any duty to God or man, which thou art not bound or engaged to perform? Surely thou doest not, yea thou canst not. Therefore, what givest thou unto God?

The words are plain, giving and receiving are Correlatives; where there is giving, there is usually receiving; and where there is receiving, there must be giving. Sometimes there is giving, where there is no receiving. When Belteshazar promised Daniel great things, if he could Interpret the hand-writing on the wall, ( Chap. 5.17.) He answered, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and thy rewards unto another. Daniel would not receive his offer: There was giving inpro mise on Belteshazars side, but no receiving on Daniel's side. Most are so much for receiving, that they love the word give, as the Prophet taxed and reproved the Rulers of Israel, (Hos. 4.18.) Her Rulers with shame (that is, shamelessly, or of which they should be ashamed, or for which all cry shame on them) do love, Give ye; that word sounded well, even like sweet music in their ears: And if others did not offer bribes to corrupt Justice, they invited them, give ye, we are ready to receive. The Apostle puts both these together in a good way, ( Phil. 4.15.) No Church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only: And he would have the Church at Ephesus to remember those words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give, than to receive, (Acts. 20.35.) Artaxerxes, one of the Persian Monarchs, was Sirnamed, Long-hand; his right hand, or giving hand, being longer than the left; showing, as some conjecture, that the Honor of Great Kings is seen more in giving than in receiving. But as we have nothing of our own to give unto God, so he hath no need to receive anything of us. Thus Elihu here, What givest thou him? or what receiveth he at thine hand?

He expresseth it not barely, What receiveth he of thee, but of thine hand; because as the hand is the great Instrument of working, so also of giving; we give and bestow with the hand, (what hath he received of thy hand ), there is a speciallitie in that. Consider thy hand, what can the hand of God take out of thy hand? Thy hand is, First, a weak hand; Secondly, a narrow scanty hand; Thirdly, thy hand is an ineffectual hand to thyself, it cannot bring any work about to the issue, to the full end and accomplishment; therefore what is thy hand, thy weak, thy narrow, thy ineffectual hand, that God should receive anything out of thy hand? And then consider what the hand of God is; His is, First, a strong hand; Secondly, a large, a wide hand; Thirdly, a hand full already; and, Fourthly, as his hand is full already, so it is a hand filling all things; He openeth his hand, and fills all things with good. Now God having such a hand, how canst thou fill his hahd with thy hand? What receiveth he at thine hand? I need not labor further in the explication of the words; Take one general Observation from them, which I shall draw down into some particulars.

They are no advantage to God: The best things that we can do, cannot at all better God, or God is never the better for them: That is the meaning of David, (Psal. 16.3.) speaking as a type of Christ; My goodness extendeth not to thee, but to the Saints which are on the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight. Jerome was of opinion, that these words of the Psalm were taken out of this place of Job. (My goodness) that is, my good deeds extend not to thee; the good deeds of Christ did not add anything to God, they did not give anything to God; for it is impossible that any good, or any goodness should so be made an addition to him, who is all, and hath all: but (saith he) to the Saints, to them my goodness extendeth, I can and will do good to them. Thus S ^t . Paul spake to the Athenians, (Acts 17.25.) God is not worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed anything: God calls for worship, but he is not worshipped, because he needs our worship, or because he would receive some benefit at the hand of worshippers. The same Apostle puts the question, ( Rom. 11.35.) Who hath given unto him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? As much as to say, no man hath given anything to God, he is above and beyond all the gifts and givings of the creature.

There is a three-fold ground of it, why nothing can be given to God, either to oblige him, or to add anything to him.

First, All is due to him, whatever we do is a debt to him; we cannot make the payment of a debt a gift. Be as holy and as righteous as you will, as exact in your walkings as you can, it is all of debt, and therefore not a gift. ( Luke 17.10.) When you have done all, (when you have run your whole Course of obedience, both as to first and second Table duties,) say you are unprofitable servants, we have done no more than was our duty to do. There is no gift, where all is due.

Secondly, Whatever we do in a way of Righteousness, is not a gift, nor an advan • age to God; for it was all first given us by God, we and all that we have came first from him; whatsoever we have, we have had it of God. It is said in that place before noted ( Acts 17.25.) He is not worshipped of men's hands, as if he needed anything, (why?) for he giveth to all men life and breath, and all things; he gives all things, and therefore he needs nothing, nor can anything properly be said to be given to him, who giveth all things. We have that remarkable Scripture (1 Chron. 29.10.) where David praiseth the Lord for the offering and gift which he himself and his people had brought towards the building of the Temple; And he desired that his offerings might be accepted of the Lord, not so much as they were given by his hand, as because they and the heart to give them, were received from the hand of God. Wherefore David blessed the Lord before all the Congregation, and said, Blessed be thou Lord God of Israel our Father, forever and ever, for all that is in Heaven and in Earth is thine; thine is the Kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all. And, now therefore, O God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious Name; But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort; for all things come of thee, and of thy own have we given thee. And again at the 16 ^th verse; All this store cometh of thee, and all is thine own. We cannot be said properly to give another that which is his own already; whatever God receives of us, came from himself: And as whatsoever we give comes from God, so every action or duty which we perform to God, comes from God; he bestows the power to do upon us, before we can do anything, and therefore it cannot be any addition unto him. There are two graces, which we exercise, very pleasing to God; first, Faith; secondly, Charity; yet neither of these contribute anything to God. Faith is so far from giving God anything, that its whole work lieth in receiving; And though charity be a giving grace, yet it gives to man only, not to God. So then, what doth God receive of man? surely nothing but his own. David enquires ( Psal. 116.12.) What shall I return to the Lord for all his benefits? Ma • k that word, return; the Hebrew Text may be thus rendered; What shall I make to return to the Lord of all his renderings, or contributions unto me; As if he had said, Lord I have received abundance from thee, thou hast paid or recompensed me fully for all my pains, and I am looking over it all, and considering what of it I shall return to thee; it is all thine own, and now Lord what shall I return of it back again to thee? What he received was returned, if not in kind, yet in effect, and the retu n of that was but his duty, it could not be his desert. Christ indeed me • ited and satisfied, because he g • ve of his own, and as God-man wrought all righteousness for us in his own strength.

Thirdly, The Lord receives nothing at our hands, for he is full already. We can put no more into a full vessel; if there be any empty space, you may put somewhat more into a Vessel, but when it is as full as it can hold, what can you put into it? Who can make the Ocean fuller, which hath in it the fullness of all waters? All that we can give to God is not so much an increase to him, as a drop of the Bucket is to the whole Ocean. Who can make the Sun b ighter? all we do to, or for God, is not so much as a Candle to the Sun. What can he receive, who hath all things in himself? God is infinitely full, therefore there is no giving to him, nor receiving by him at our hands. That word which is one of the Titles of God holds forth as much, he is Elshaddi, that is, A God every way full, every way sufficient, he is all-sufficient for us, and he is Self-sufficient. Some of the Heathens had such notions and glimme • ing apprehensions of Go • . Plato saith, The exercise of Godliness, or of Worship, is acceptable to God, but is not at all profitable to God. It is manifest, saith Aristotle, that God needs no friends, nor anything to help him. The Sacrifices of the Jews were great and royal Offerings, they brought their Sheep, and Oxen, and Bullocks, and Goats in abundance, yet the Lord would have them know he had no need of them, ( Psal. 50.8.) I will not reprove thee for thy Sacrifices, and burnt offerings to have been continually before me; I will take no Bullock out of thy house, nor he-Goat out of thy Folds, for every Beast of the Forest is mine, and the Cattle upon a thousand Hills: I know all the Fowls of the Mountains, and the wild Beasts of the Field are mine. If I were an hungry, I would not tell thee, for the world is mine, and the fullness thereof. Some conceive that Elihu aims especially at those gif • s. If thou bringest or givest many sacrifices, what receiveth he at thy hand? The Lo • d doth not call for sacrifices because he is hungry; that is, hath need of them. The Lord ( Zeph. 2.11.) threatens the gods of the Heathen, that he would starve or famish them; that is, he would destroy the means of their Worship: But who can famish the Lord, whose the world is, and the fullness of it?

Now if God receives nothing at our hands by way of supply, or addition, then

First, No Creature is 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 labor, his hand, he cannot tell how to do his business without him; Masters cannot live comfortably without their Servants, much less 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 labor. God hath made such a tie, knit such a knot among the Creatures, that one, though a Superior, should not despise the other, though much his Inferior, for both concur 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 honor to God that he hath so many to serve him, but it is his greatest honor that he needs none to serve him. Before there were either men or Angels, God had the same honor and happiness that now he hath, he is self-sufficien • ; It were a shame and a dishonor 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 f • 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 shows wonderful goodness towards us, in that he is pleased to make so great an account of, and set such store by our services and righteousness, even of any, the least good we do in uprightness. 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; 'tis far from the Lord, that because he hath no need of us, therefore to contemn us; no, he declares a g • eat acceptance of any, the least faithful service to himself, or to our brethren, which we do at his command. Though, should we stretch our endeavors, 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 o • her hear of them again to our comfort. Hence,

Thirdly, We may infer, 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, unless it redound somewhat to himself, much less 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 goodness!

Fourthly, How doth the goodness of God appear; seeing though we can add nothing to his glory, yet if we do good and righteous things, he tells us that we glorify him, which is the highest commendation imaginable of what we do. 'It is the Command of Christ ( Mat. 5.16.) Let your light so shine before men, that they seeing your good works, may glorify your Father which is in Heaven. The Apostles Caution is, Whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God, 1 Co • . 10.31. Now though (according to this and the o • her charge) we, in all we do, sincerely aim at the holding forth and manifesting of that glory and g • odness that is in God, yet he receives no increase of glory; is it not therefore wonderful goodness, that he is pleased to say, we glorify him? (which is the highest attainment of the Creature, and the noblest improvement of our pains and labors. 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 righteousness advantage him, lest any should thence infer, surely then it is no great matter whether we be righteous or wicked, whether we do good or evil; to prevent this mischief, he shows that though your sin cannot hurt God, yet it will do hurt enough, and though our righteousness add no good to God, yet it may do much good. This he doth in the next verse.

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 righteousness, nor hurt him by thy wickedness, it must needs follow, that the one may be helpful, and the other hurtful to thyself, and to such as thou thyself 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 wickedness 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 as happy as now he is, let men do their worst, and be as wicked as they can.

The word wickedness notes sin in the highest degree, at least of a high degree; every wickedness is sin, but every sin is not wickedness; yet we are not to unde • stand Elihu's meaning, as if great sins only did mischief and hurt. The truth is, every sin doth hurt and mischief; as a little poison, and the least poison may do hurt, unless it be corrected. We use to say of some things, A little doth not hurt; but we canno • say a little poison doth no hurt, unless you do not take it, or unless it be corrected; a little poison uncorrected will do hurt. So then, when Elihu saith here, Thy wickedness may hurt, we are not to understand it only of great sins, as whoredom, murder, perjury, drunkenness, and witchcraft, &c. but even of idle thoughts, of vain words, or undue passions; these hurt as well as greater sins, commonly called wickedness. Thy wickedness

These words (may hurt) are not expressed in the Original Text, but they are plainly intended and implied: Yet if we should leave them out of the reading, the sense would be the same (Thy wickedness is to hurt a man as thou art) That is, thy wickedness is to the hurt or damage of a man as thou art; it may hurt thee or thy brother, it may hurt thyself, or any like thyself.

Hence Note,

Wheresoever sin is, it doth mischief. Sin is so bad in the nature of it, that we have reason enough to avoid it and fly from it, and sin is so dangerous in the Effects of it, that we have further, though not more reason to avoid it, and fly from it; indeed we should rather (and that is our spiritualness in avoiding of sin) avoid it because of the evil that is in the Nature of it, because it riseth up against the Will, and breaks the holy Commands of God; we have greatest reason to depart from sin, because it is a departure from God, because of the blackness and filthiness of it; yet not only the blackness of this Coal, but the fire, the eternal fire that is in it, gives us cause enough to depart from it. 'It is true, a truly gracious heart would not sin, though he might escape all the sad effects of sin, but when he hears it is as hot as fire, and as deadly as poison, and as killing as the plague; when he hears that it is the ruin of Persons, and of Families, of Churches and Nations, when he hears that 'tis sin which hath done all the hurt and mischief that ever was in the world, he sees he hath further reason to dread it, and depart from it.

Again (Thy wickedness may hurt a man.)

Note;

Sin doth mischief all the world over; the whole Creation groans under the mischief and vanity, which sin hath brought upon it, ( Rom. 8.22.) Sin hath done damage to the whole Creation; but the great damage which sin doth, is to man, to him that acts it to others before whom it is acted, or towards whom it is acted. Sin is distributed into two sorts, as to its hurtfulness. Sin either respects ourselves in the hurt it doth, or others, and those others are either God or our Neighbor; sin hurts ourselves most, yet sin as it is a wrong to God, may be said to hurt his honor, and diminish the manifestation of his glory in the world, (as hath been shown before). And sin is really a wrong to our Neighbor. There are a number of sins committed against ourselves, yea, every sin, though committed against our Neighbor, hits and hurts ourselves; no man can hurt his Neighbor, but he hurts himself most. So that, although there are many sins which respect others, yet all are against ourselves. Some sins (unbelief especially, and the neglect of holy duties) hurt ourselves only; there are sins which more properly hurt others, as oppression and uncharitableness; there are several sins which at once hurt others and ourselves. Adultery hurts self and others too; evil words hurt ourselves and others too, as the Apostle tells us out of a Poet, (1 Cor. 15.33.) Evil communication corrupteth good manners; that is, you corrupt the good manners of others, you debauch others by unsavory speeches; our ill example hurts ourselves and others. Our Neighbor is hurt by our sin. First, By anything that is a wrong to him, as to his Estate, or as to his Person, or as to his Credit: Secondly, By the scandal of it, when we do that which is evil, it hardens the wicked, and makes them go on more securely in their sin, and keeps them off from the ways of God; it endangers good men also, and discourageth them in the duties they owe both to God and man in the profession of the Gospel. Thus sin may hurt ourselves and our Neighbors.

But why saith he a man as thou art? What, a man just of thy Complexion, or just of thy height, stature, and pitch? what, a man of thy State and Degree, a man just of thy eminency in the world? certainly no; but when he saith, A man as thou art, his meaning is, any man, because all men are in many things alike, they are all mortal, and sinful, and weak, and apt to receive hurt by the sins of others. Thus every man is a man as thou art.

Hence no • e

Though the faces of men are very differen • , and we know one man from another, because they are unlike in face, yet as to their constitution and natural condition, they are alike; he that is greatest, is such a man as the least; and the strongest is such a man as the weakest, the richest as the poorest, the learnedest as the most ignorant, and the godliest man is as the wickedest man, as to his natural composition. All men are alike in these four things: First, all men need that which is good. Secondly, all men are sensible of that which is hurtful and afflictive to them. Thirdly, all men are apt to take hurt, and to run into danger by the sin and ill Examples of others, or to receive good by their good deeds, and profitable examples, all men being associated in the same common nature, and familiar each to other. Fourthly, all men are alike in this, that they are not self-sufficient, but stand in need of the help of one another; He that is helpful to a man like himself, helpeth himself, and doth acknowledge that (considering human frailty) he may have occasion to call for and desire the help of another; and therefore (say some) man hath two hands, two arms, that he may understand himself born as much to need and receive help, as to give it. Thus every man is a man as thou art; and upon these and many other Considerations thou mayest hurt a man as thou art. There is an excellent paradox, handled by some of the Ancients; No man is hurt, but by himself; for unless a man's soul be hurt, he is not hurt; which is much confirmed by, and appeareth clearly in the example of Job. For the devil planted all those engines, and made all those assaults upon and against him, not because he had a design to make him poor, childless, and diseased, (all which, he knew, could not hurt him) but to make him impatient, and to extort one evil and blasphemous word against God from him. But though it be true, that no man is hurt but by himself, yet it is true also, that the sin of one man may hurt another. Oppression hurts other men, (as to civils) whether they will or no; but no sin can hurt another (as to morals) unless he will; no man is infected by vice, if himself refuse, and be against it; yea the oppressions and afflictions which other men thrust violently upon us, cannot hurt us, unless we by our impatience under them bring hurt to ourselves. The cruel usage of Tyrants, did not hurt the Martyrs; when they burnt them, and imprisoned them, and hanged them, they did not hurt them, because they were patient under those oppressions, and took their sufferings for Christ's sake with joyfulness. What hurt did the poverty and ulcers of Lazarus do him? What hurt had Abel by that inhumane cruelty of his brother Cain? What hurt had Paul by all his sufferings? What any of the Saints, by imprisonment, or banishment, by being sawne asunder, or slain with the sword? properly no hurt at all. It is out of the power and reach of wicked persecutors to hurt the Witnesses of Christ, though they have power to slay them. Steven was not hurt when he was stoned, because he freely gave up himself. In a word, take it thus; First, no man is hurt by the sin of another, but as himself is pleased with, or practiseth the same sin; Secondly, no man is hurt by the temptations of the devil, but as he consents and yields to them; Thirdly, no man is hurt by the oppositions and persecutions of others, but as he is impatient under them. Thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art,

That is, thy righteous actions or deeds, may profit the son of man; that is, thyself, or any man, good or bad. Those words, may profit, are not expressed, but are clearly implied in the sense of the Text. Righteousness tends to every man's benefit, it may help and profit thyself, it may be helpful or profitable to those who are about thee, or with whom thou hast to do.

Hence note.

Wickedness turns to man's hurt of itself, but Righteousness doth profit. Although there be a vast and wide difference between man's righteousness and unrighteousness; this latter of itself deserving all manner of evil; and the former, because imperfect at the best, deserving no good at all; yet through the bounty and benignity of God it comes to pass, that the sm • llest (if sincere) endeavor after righteousness shall profit a man as much as his greatest unrighteousness can hurt or damage him. For God who doth not reward us according to our iniquities, ( Psal. 103.10.) will most amply reward us according to our righteousness. The Apostle gave command, Exercise thyself unto godliness, (follow that trade well; why?) for godliness is profitable unto all things, (1 Tim. 4.8.) it profits by virtue of the p • omise, and it hath the promise of this life as well as of that which is to come. (Titus 3.8.) This is a faithful saying, and this I will that thou constantly affirm, that they which have believed in God, might be careful to maintain good works, (why? for) these things are good and profitable unto men. Some expound these words, good and profitable unto men, chiefly of doctrine; To teach men to follow works, that indeed is good and profitable doctrine; now if it be a good and profitable doctrine to press men to good works, to works of Righteousness, then Righteousness itself, and good works, must needs be profitable. There is such an excellency in the nature of Righteousness, it is such an honorable, amiable, and beautiful thing in its own nature, that it is enough to draw us to the doing of it (as some have said of Virtue in general, If virtue could be seen, it would draw all to the admiration of it; so I say of Righteousness in special, If it could be seen, it would draw all eyes and hearts after it ) But besides that, here is an excellent Loadstone, here is profit, thy Righteousness may profit another; profit draws much, it draws on all men in the world; where there is any profit and benefit to be had, how do men strive to trade there, as if Heaven were to be had there? now Righteousness is profitable; the exercise of Righteousness is no poor trade, there is a great deal of advantage in it; and I might show you how every work, good for the matter, done in a right manner, and for right ends, is profitable to others, and to ourselves. To speak a good word, may be a means to minister grace un •• the hearers; and to • o a good work, of any sort, ministers a gracious example to the beholders: by doing good, you may draw others to do good; to see one walking in ways of righteousness, invites and allures others into ways of righteousness; as bad examples corrupt, so good examples instruct; as bad examples build up for hell, so good examples build up for heaven; To be built or helped on heavenward, is the best profit in the world, greater profit than the gain of the whole world. And as every good work ministers a good example to the beholders, so works of Charity minister comfort and relief to the receivers, as also an occasion of blessing God for their benefactors; yea works of Charity to others are profitable also to ourselves, for there is a promise of reward to those who minister the least charities to such as deserve the greatest charity, though usually they find the least, ( Math. 10.42.) Whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones, a cup of cold water only (and how cold is their charity who will not give that!) in the name of a disciple, shall in no wise lose his reward; that is, he shall surely have it. Thus we see how profit and advantage, even great profit and advantage comes by Righteousness; yet take heed of thinking that your Righteousness deserves any the least profit at the hand of God. Though we press you to Righteousness as profitable, yet it becomes you to say, we are unprofitable servants, and therefore cannot challenge any profit as our due, how righteous soever we are. It doth not at all follow, because we affirm Righteousness will profit us, that therefore Righteousness can justify 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 labor 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 ourselves; 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.

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 hurtful to men, so hurtful, that by reason of the multitude of oppressions they make the oppressed to cry: They cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty. Yet I shall not prosecute the words in that dependence, but as they are matter of a second complaint or charge brought by Elihu against Job. The charge is laid down in the 9 ^th verse, and his answer is prosecuted in the 10th, 11th, 12 ^th, and 13 ^th verses.

This offended Job; the poor cried, 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 crieth 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 cries of the afflicted, nor doth he always 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 10 ^th and 11 ^t h verses) he showeth, 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 touched with any sense of their sins, or reverence of the sovereignty 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 da • 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 sum and scope of the Context. I shall now open the words in order.

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

The Original notes oppression of all sorts: First, oppression upon the credit and good name of another, by slander and false accusation; So the Septu • 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 lies. Secondly, it notes usually oppression upon a man's 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 wrongful seisure, and his person by violent restraint, here's a troop, a multitude of oppressions. By reason of the multitude of oppressions

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 pains come upon her.

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 ones in the Text crying in all these respects; the burden was so heavy upon them, that it made them cry out for the very weight of it, and they cried and called for some charitable, or tender heart, to come and ease them of it, and deliver them from it. Elihu doth not rest in speaking this once, but repeats it again; By reason of the multitude of oppressions they make the oppressed to cry.

These words point us expressly to the cause of their cry, or out-cry; it was the arm of the mighty; which may be taken either properly, or figuratively. Properly, the Arm is a well known and most useful member of the body: And because there is a great deal of strength and power in the arm, therefore by a figure, the arm signifieth strength, might, or power; and to say, they cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty, is as much as to say, they cry out by reason of the power of the mighty. The arm is frequently in Scripture put for power; the powerful wrath of • od is called the arm of God. The Prophet ( Isa. 30.30.) speaks of the lighting down of his arm. When the Lord lets his arm fall, o • light down upon a man, a family, or a Nation, in wrath, it crusheth either or all of them to pieces. And as the powerful wrath, so the powerful grace of God is called his arm, (Isa. 53.1.) Who hath believed our report? to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? That is, his mighty power, working by and manifesting itself in Christ, and in the ministry of the Gospel, for the conviction, conversion, and salvation of sinners. Thus also the arm of man, is the power of man, ( Dan. 11.6.) She shall not retain the power of the arm; neither shall he stand, nor his arm: That is, his power shall fall, or both he and she ( Bernire and Antiochus Theus ) shall fall and be powerless. ( Psal. 37.16.) The arm of the wicked (that is, their power) shall be broken, but the Lord upholdeth the righteous. They cry out by reason of the arm

The same word which in the first part of the verse is translated multitude, is here translated, The mighty. But what was the mightiness of these men? There is a four-fold mightiness. First, there is mightiness of body, that is natural might, and 'tis properly the might of the arm. Secondly, there is a mightiness in valor and in Arms: Thus soldiers and warriors are mighty men; they who having courage in their hearts, have also weapons in their hands, and swords by their sides, are the mighty. Such a one was Gideon, to whom the Angel said, ( Judge. 6.12.) The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valor. Thirdly, there is a mightiness of Authority: And thus the Magistrate is a mighty man; suppose he be weak in body, yet he is mighty in power, and can do great things. Fourthly, there is a mightiness of wealth and riches: Thus Boaz is called a mighty man of wealth, (Ruth 2.1.) Riches have so much might in them, that in the Hebrew one word serves to signify both might and riches. We may understand the mighty man here in any or all these four senses. The oppressed cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty. They who have much bodily strength, often oppress the weaker, and so do the mighty in Arms, and so do the mighty in Authority, and so the mighty in riches have often done, making the poor and the oppressed cry; They cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty.

From the former part of the verse; Observe.

Not only was Babylon stained with it, but Jerusalem. That's an amazing passage ( Jer. 6.6.) Thus hath the Lord of hosts said; hew ye down trees, and cast a Mount against Jerusalem. This is the City to be visited, she is wholly oppression in the midst of her. Not only was Jerusalem a City, but, The City, a City above all Cities, to be visited by an oppressing enemy; and wh • ? even because she not only had oppressors in her, but was oppression, O how oppressive was that City, which was oppression, and that not only in some parts of her, but wholly, and that not in her skirts and suburbs, but in the midst of her! The Lord, to show that the Jews were superlatively rebellious, or most rebellious against him, calleth them (in the abstract) rebellion, as the Margin hath it, ( Ezek. 2.7.) and to show how superlatively oppressive they were one against another, He calls Jerusalem oppression. Here in the Text we have a multitude of oppressions, surely then, there were a multitude of oppressors. To hear of a multitude of sins of all sorts, is very sad, but when there is multitude of one sort, and that one of the worst sort, and such a sin as cannot go alone, but draws after it a heap of almost all sorts of sin: what a multitude of sins are there! It cannot be denied, but that oppression is a very common epidemical sin, if we take and consider it in the full latitude of it. For there is a twofold oppression. First, there is a secret oppression. To deceive, defraud, or go beyond another, in the Apostles sense, is to oppress him. And thus 'tis said, ( Hos. 12.7.) He is a Merchant, the balances of deceit are in his hand, he loveth to oppress. He doth not oppress by violence, with a sword in his hand, but by craft with balances in his hand; he oppresseth while he over-reacheth in dealing and trading. This sort of oppression runs up and down everywhere; and though this kind of oppression make not a great cry, yet it is a great sin, a crying sin. There is also a secret oppression under color of Law; many turn the very Rules of Justice into rods of oppression: And this is by so much the worse, by how much it hath the better cover. Secondly, there is an open oppression, the Nimrods of the world, the mighty Hunters ta • e and vex and trouble all they can, and would make all tremble before them, or run from them, as the Hare and Hart from their merry, but merciless pursuers. Now if both secret and open oppressions are so commonly practiced, oppression may justly bear the title of a common sin.

Secondly, Note.

That cannot but be a crying sin, which makes so many cry. Oppression then is a crying sin. First, as to the nature of it: Secondly, as to the effect of it. Oppression crieth, and it makes those cry who are oppressed. Solomon saith, ( Eccles. 7.7.) Oppression maketh a wise man mad. That which puts a man even out of his wits, or besides the right use of his reason, will put him much to the use of his tongue, causing him to complain, cry out, and clamour. But who are they that are most given to, and deepest drenched in this sin of oppression? The Text answers, They cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty.

Hence note, Thirdly.

We read indeed of a poor man oppressing the poor, ( Pro. 28.3.) And Solomon tells us, that such a man's oppression is the soarest oppression; for he compares it (in the same verse) to a sweeping rain, which leaveth no food. They who have nothing, will take all when they can come by it, and get it. If all men in power should be as hard to their inferiors, as some are who have little or no power, there were no living in the world. Necessity may drive the poor to be more oppressive, than Ability draws the rich. 'It is a sad encounter when the poor contend with the poor; The necessity of the one knows no mercy, and the imbecility of the other, can give him no help. Nothing hardens the heart so much as want or hunger, ( Lam. 4.10.) They have little or no sense of another's misery, who are under the extreme smart, and feel the biting of their own. But though poor men oppress sorest, yet they oppress seldomest and fewest. They can oppress none, but such as are poorer or weaker than themselves, and cannot do that often. There must be an over-matching power in all who oppress; and usually, they who oppress, are great and mighty in power. ( Psal. 52.1.) Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? The man was mighty, and what did this might serve him for? what use did he put it to? even to do mischief. Many have a mind and will enough to do mischief, who want both power and opportunity to do it: But they who have power and opportunity to do mischief, seldom want a mind or will to do it. Power is of great use to do good, and 'tis a great temptation to do bad things. As Laban brag'd to Jacob, and crowed over him as his underling ( Gen. 31.29.) It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt; And what hindered him then, or what hath hindered many in all Ages of the world, from doing that hurt to others, which they had power to do? Not a dislike or abhorrence of the fact (which through grace stops every good man from hurting others, how great soever his power is) but a secret restraint upon their heart, like that, which Laban had in a dream, or vision to his ear; Take heed thou speak not to Jacob good or bad; that is, meddle not with him in any case to stop his journey. The Prophet ( Ezek. 22.6.) describing the sinfulness of those times, saith; Behold the Princes of Israel, everyone were in thee, to their power, to shed blood. They did it, to their power; we put in the Margin, To their arm; That is, they used and improved their arm or power to the utmost length and stretch for the oppression of others. The Prophet Jeremiah chargeth that people with sinning in general at that rate, ( Chap. 3.5.) Behold thou hast spoken and done evil things, as thou couldest. Some men sin (as all men should love and serve God) with all their might, with all their strength; they do evil with both hands greedily; that they sin no more, is not for want of will, but ability. As the people were thus set upon all manner of sin, so the Princes upon that special sin oppression. They were to their powe • , for shedding blood; yea many desire to get power into their hand, that they may avenge themselves by their own hand, and be ready to hurt whom and where they do not love. 'It is not so much ambition which provokes some men to affect power and greatness, as malice and a desire of having their ends upon whomsoever stands in their way. These like the great Fishes of the Sea, delight to swallow up and feed upon the lesser; or like the great and strong Beasts of the Forest, they tare and devour the Lambs or Sheep of the pasture. They use (that is, indeed abuse) their power, not so much for their own good, as in wronging their neighbors, whose hurt they should never seek, and whose good they ought to seek and promote next their own. Power should be used and put forth, for help, not hurt, for protection, not ruin; and therefore Magistrates, who are the chief mighty men of the earth, who are called Powers, (Tit. 3.1.) are also called the Sheilds of the earth; implying, they are to use their power for the defense (a Shield is for defense) of the oppressed, not to oppress. The Scripture calls Magistrates Sheilds, but it never calls the Magistrate a Sword. It saith indeed the Magistrate hath a sword, and that he beareth not the sword in vain, (Rom. 13.4.) that is, he doth not bear it so as to bear with evil doers, and never draw it, nor use it. But the Scripture doth not say, the Magistrate is a Sword, as it saith, he is a Shield; hereby intimating, that the Power of the Magistrate should rather be exercised in protecting than in punishing, rather in saving than destroying. What the Apostle saith concerning the design or purpose of his ministerial office, We have this power to edification, and not to destruction, (2 Cor. 13.10.) is true of all power; the primary design of it is for protection, rather than for destruction, and not at all for oppression or vexation. Magistrates have Swords, but they are Shields, not Swords; they have a Sword to cut off evil doers, and by that the good are preserved and defended. Such mighty ones, who delight to be Swords, but care not to be Shields, who are all for cutting and destroying, not at all for saving, relieving, and protecting, (such mighty ones, I say) caused the oppressed to cry, yea to cry out in Jobs time; and in what times soever they are, they make the oppressed cry out. And the matter, that Elihu supposed Job was offended at, was, that God did not hear the cry of these oppressed ones, nor appear for their deliverance; which yet he hath declared himself ready to, as David afterward describeth him, ( Psa. 12.5.) For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise (saith the Lord) I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him. But Job hearing this cry of the oppressed, or crying out of his own oppression, and God seeming not to regard it, was stumbled at the matter. To remove this, Elihu answers in the next verse.

There is a twofold Exposition of these words, arising from a doubt about the Antecedent to none, or who is meant by those that say not, Where is God my maker? Who are those?

The first Interpretation gives it to the oppressors, to the mighty men before spoken of; They make the oppressed to cry by reason of the multitude of oppressions; but none of these mighty oppressors say, Where is God my maker, that giveth songs in the night? Thus the verse is translated quite through, with respect to wicked oppressors, who cast God out of their thoughts, never saying, Where is God my maker, who hath set me up, who hath given me this power, and given me songs, (that is, occasions of joy) in the night? The wicked have abundance, they can feast it and sing it day and night, yet mind not God the fountain and bestower of all. This is a truth in itself; and because the interpretation is insisted upon by some as the truth intended in the present Text,

Take this Note from it.

They make the oppressed cry, but they say not, Where is God? They neither speak nor think of God, who hath clothed them with power, and made their arm mighty. We find this frame frequently ascribed in Scripture to oppressors; Elihu chargeth Job with it, ( Chap. 22 ^d ) where having told him to his face, of many acts of oppression; Thou hast stripped the naked of their clothing, (v. 6.) Thou hast withholden bread from the hungry, (v. 7.) And the arms of the fatherless have been broken, (v. 9.) Having (I say) reckoned up these his supposed oppressions, he concludes, ( v. 13.) And thou sayest, How doth God know? can he judge through the dark Cloud? David in prayer, speaks the same of his oppressors, ( Psal. 86.14.) O God, the proud are risen against me, and the assemblies of violent men have sought after my soul, and have not set thee before them. (Psal. 94.5, 6.) They break in pieces O Lord thy people, and afflict thine heritage; They slay the widow, and the stranger, and murder the fatherless: Yet they say, the Lord doth not see it, neither shall the God of Jacob regard it. All these Scriptures may be resolved into the Text; They say not, Where is God my maker? They who do all they can to unmake and undo their fellow-creatures, care not to remember him, who is the maker and creator of us all. But

Secondly, I conceive, those words, None saith, Where is God my maker? are rather to be referred to the oppressed, than to the oppressors: The oppressed cry indeed, but not unto God their maker. As Job said; ( Job 24.12.) Men groan from out of the City, and the soul of the wounded crieth out, yet God layeth it not to heart; so here Elihu saith, men groan and cry, yet themselves lay not God to heart; None saith, Where is God my maker? Thus our translation seems to carry it, and thus 'tis most generally understood; None of the oppressed say, &c.

Taking this sense, Elihu here begins to assign the reason why the oppressed are not delivered. As if he had said, 'It is true, there are a multitude of pressures and oppressions, and they transport all manner of men with passion; the oppressed cry, they make much ado, when they suffer, against them, under whom they suffer: But few or none are so wise, in such a case, as to recollect themselves, and make serious application to God, putting him in mind of his own gracious nature towards the work of his hands, to have mercy upon it, and in faith to seek to him for remedy and comfort, as being only able to relieve and glad the heart in great extremities; they look not to the hand of God, when they cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty: they only toil and tear themselves with complaints, they cry out of this and that man, of this and that instrument; but, alas, they find neither redress nor deliverance, because they say not, Where is God my maker? That is, they are more forward to complain of wrong done them by men, than to remember what good, or what favors God hath done them; They do not particularly and specially apply themselves to God in their trouble, they do not seek nor inquire early after God, nor humble themselves before him, or under his mighty hand, neither do they consider what God is to them, nor whether he be with them, and in them; and if they find not God near them, not in them, they consider not how they may be united to him, or get him near them. We find God, when we hear his voice speaking to us by his Word and Spi • it, and hearken to his voice; we find God when we are at peace with him, trust upon him confidently, and rejoice in him comfortably. The oppressed considered not these things.

Here is an universal Negative, none; that is, not so much as one; yet we may understand it with an allay, none, that is, few or none (as we commonly speak) say, Where is God my maker? Possibly many say it with their mouths, but few or none say it; either fi • st, heartily; or secondly, spiritually; or thirdly, humbly; or fourthly, repentingly; or fifthly, believingly; or sixthly, submittingly; and therefore no wonder, if they are not heard and helped when they cry. It is a common thing for men in distress, or under oppression, to cry out, O God, O Lord, The name of God is taken by many in vain, when anything afflicts or hurts them; but few call upon his name. It is no easy matter to cry out, in deed, O God my maker, or to say with a serious holy and gracious frame of spirit, Where is God my maker?

There is a twofold understanding of these words.

First, Some look upon them, as an earnest wish or prayer for help; None saith, Where is God my maker? That is, none saith, O that God my maker would appear in the present manifestations of his power to succor and deliver me. In which sense Elisha is conceived to speak when he smote the waters with Elijah's Mantle, (2 Kings 2.14.) And said, Where is the Lord God of Elijah? As if he had said, O thou God of Elijah come, show thy glorious power, and divide these waters.

Secondly, Others expound them as an expression of praise, or as the words of a man looking up to God in thankfulness for former benefits, in present straights. Where is God my maker? Where's he that made me, and hath preserved me hitherto? As if Elihu had said, none of these oppressed ones have recourse to God in the day of their calamity, confessing and acknowledging his great goodness to them in their creation and further preservation, which might much comfort and encourage their hearts under present grievances and pressures; None saith, Where is God my maker?

The word maker, may be taken in a threefold notion; First, for him that hath given us our being. As God is the maker of heaven and of earth, so he is our maker, ( Gen. 1.26, 27.) Secondly, for him that hath continued us in and preserved our being; for providence is a renewed creation. Thirdly, for him who ha • h raised us up, or preferred us, and done us good all our days. In which sense the word is used (1 Sam. 12.6.) And Samuel said unto the people, it is the Lord that advanced Moses and Aaron. We put in the Margin, made Moses, &c. it is this word, he made them g • eat, and put them in those high places of Government and Trust. The Lord is he that maketh men in this sense. We say commonly of a man that is advanced to some great place, He is a made man; and on the contrary, of a man that is thrown down, He is an undone man. God giveth us a being, and a bodily fabric, he protects us in our being, he advanceth us to a well-being, in all we may call him, and call upon him as our Maker. And when men would unmake us, that is, oppress and undo us, then we should say in faith, Where is God our maker? who once gave us life, and hath since lifted us up from the gates of death, and put us into a good condition. Many are crying out upon, and possibly, some railing and raging at men, but who saith (in the sense opened) Where is God my maker?

There is one thing further considerable in the Grammar of the Text. The Hebrew is plural, or a plural with a singular; as ( Gen. 1.1.) In the beginning God created: The word Elohim, rendered God, is plural; The word Bara, created, singular. Thus here, Where is God my makers? M ^r Broughton translates, Where is the puissant my makers. I might spend much time in showing the consent of several Scriptures in that point. Joshua said to the people, (who promised and engaged to serve the Lord) ye cannot serve the Lord. Why could they not? the reason follows; For he is an Holy God, (Josh. 24.19.) The Hebrew strictly is, God holies he. Thus the Prophet expresseth it, ( Isa. 54.5.) Thy makers is thy husband. Solomon's admonition runs in the same plural style, ( Eccl. 12.1.) Remember now thy Creators in the days of thy youth. But though the Scrip • ure speaks of God sometimes in the singular, sometimes in the plural number, yet the sense is always singular. The true God being but One, and the onemost one, and therefore the plural word (Elohim) is always rendered in the singular number God, where men • ion is made of the true God; they having regard to the true meaning or Divinity of the Text, not to the Grammar, or termination of the word. There are usually two reasons given by learned translators and interpreters, why the true God who is but one in essence and being, is so often expressed in the Hebre • text plurally. First, to insinuate or intimate unto us that Great and glorious mystery of the Blessed Trinity of persons in the God-head; I say, to intimate it, we cannot make a full or convincing proof from it against any Antitrinitarian Adversary; because though the word Elohim notes a plurality, yet we cannot by any force of the word, determine that plurality precisely to a Trinity, that must be done by other Scriptures, of which we have an abundant store to stop the mouth of all gainsayers. Secondly, they tell us, This plural word is used to set forth the honor of God, according to the usage of Kings and Sovereign Princes (called God's) who speak of themselves (though single persons) in a plural style, We and Us. But I conceive, neither is this cogent, though both this and the former may be piously improved. So much for the opening of these words, No man saith, Where is God my maker?

Hence observe.

( Deut. 32.18.) Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed thee. Which as it is often verified in times of peace, plenty, and prosperity, so not seldom in times of trouble, pressure, and affliction. Yea, there are some who cry and complain in affliction, yet turn away from God in affliction, ( Hos. 7.14.) They have not cried unto me with their heart, when they howled upon their beds; they assemble themselves for corn and wine, and they rebel against me. These are so far from seeking God indeed, or saying, Where is our maker, with their heart, that they rebel against him, while they would be relieved and fed by him. How frequently, even at this day, do some men storm, and fret, and rage, little minding God in their afflictions, though formally or vocally calling on him. 'It is easy to complain, but hard to pray in a day of trouble. The Jews are reproved for their regardlessness of God, while they made great preparations in a time of danger and war, or of a feared siege, ( Isa. 22.8, &c.) Thou didst look in that day to the armor of the house of the forest; ye have seen also the breaches of the City of David, that they are many, &c. And the houses have ye broken down to fortify the wall: Ye made also a ditch between the two walls for the water of the old pool, &c. Here were politick warlike preparations, yea God was little thought upon in all this; as it followeth, ( v. 11.) But ye have not looked unto the maker thereof, neither had respect unto him that fashioned it long ago. 'It is thus with the most of men; when outward misery comes upon them, what crying? what working is there? yet little returning to God, little turning into their own hearts.

Secondly, Note.

That counsel, Look to me and be saved, (Isa. 45.22.) is true of temporal as well as of eternal salvation. God is our best friend at all times, even in the best times, and it is best to look to him in the worst times. David could say, ( Psal. 73.28.) when flesh, and strength, and heart, when all failed him; It is good for me to draw near to God. Let our condition be what it will, but especially if we are in a bad condition, it is good, yea best to go to him who hath our times, that is, all the changes of our condition in his hand, to him, in whose hand the arm of the mighty is, and in whose hand alone there is might to help and deliver us from the arm of the mighty. Is it not best to look to him in affliction, who can either support us in, or bring us out of our affliction as pleaseth him? He that made us can protect and save us; therefore in every pinching strait, in every pressing danger, let us go to God in faith and hope, and he will either give us enlargements, or do us good by and in our worst and greatest straits.

Thirdly, Note.

It is good then to say, God is my maker, and I am the work of his hands, therefore he will take care of me, and deliver me out of the hand of my oppressors. There are five duties which arise from this Consideration, that God is our Maker. First, We should highly esteem and be thankful for this benefit, our making. Secondly, We should be confident that he who hath made us will preserve us. Thirdly, We should patiently submit to him, when he afflicteth us himself, or suffers others to afflict us. Fourthly, We should give him glory, by believing that he will take care of us in, or deliver us out of all our sufferings and afflictions. Fifthly, We should not think nor speak hardly of God, because he hath made us subject to trials, and the exercise of patience; neither should we take it ill, that he hath made others so high or great, that they have power to oppress us. In all these respects, we should look to God our maker, and neither murmur at, nor be afraid in a day of • ffliction. The Lord himself points us to that, ( Isa. 51.12, 13.) Who art thou that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass, and forgettest the Lord thy maker? It is good in time of affliction to remember God in all our relations, and in this, as our maker, in a three-fold making of us. First, As our maker in a natural capacity, that is, as he hath made these bodies of ours; we may plead with and urge the Lord to take care of and preserve our bodies, because he ha h made them; preservation is an act of providence, and p • ovidence followeth creation. Secondly, As our maker in a civil capacity, that is, as he hath made us rich or poor, high or low in the world, or in any worldly enjoyments. Pharaoh that great Dragon, lying in the midst of the rivers, said, ( Ezek. 29.3.) My river is mine own, and I have made it for myself. But grace teacheth us to say otherwise; if we are rich or strong, God hath made us so; if our river be broad and deep, full and over-flowing, God hath made it so; and if we are poor, and weak, if our river be na • row and shallow, empty and dry, God hath made it so; and who shall say to him, Why hast thou made it so? That God is the maker of our cross, should make us quiet under it. Thirdly, A godly man should look to God in affliction, as his maker in a spiritual capacity; I do not mean as he hath made our spirits, but as he hath made us spiritual, or as we are his workmanship, (that's the Apostles word) created in Christ Jesus unto good works, (Eph. 2.10.) That we are thus wrought, works much upon the heart of God in the day of our affliction. That God hath made us men, that we are his creatures, is a good argument, a fair plea, and moves much; but that he hath made us new men, or new creatures, his Sons by grace, and Temples of his Spirit, that he hath made us holy, believing, righteous, is a far stronger argument, a suller plea, and moves much more. A soul that can go to God thus, and tell him he is his maker; a soul that can say, (as 'tis said of the Church, Isa. 54.5.) My maker is my husband; He that made me, hath married me to himself; a soul that can say this, may indeed triumph in and over all his tribulations. How sweet is it to have an interest in Christ, and by him a relation to God as our maker in this respect. When the Lord rejects a people to the utmost, he saith he will not be stayed, no not by this relation as their maker, from doing it, ( Isa. 27.11.) This is a people of no understanding; therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them, and he that formed them will show them no favor. As if the Prophet had said, If any argument could move the Lord to show mercy, this would do it, to tell him, he hath made such a people, or, he is their maker. But there are none whom the Lord hath made in the third sense, as to a new creation, but he will have mercy on them, and show them favor; his making of them such, is a g • eater mercy and an higher favor, th • n any they can ask of him; nor are there any of that making, who are of no understanding. So then, he that is made of God spiritually, needs not care for all the unmaking or undoing he can receive from men, nor fear that he shall ever be unmade or unmercy'd by God. All he can lose in this world, doth not, cannot make him miserable, who is made fit for the world to come: He knoweth he hath an estate settled upon him by his Maker, which cannot be taken away. A man thus made, may say to his spoilers, Ye have taken nothing from me but the scraps and sweepings, the parings and chippings of my estate: The Archers indeed have sorely grieved me, and shot at me, but my bow abides in strength, and the arms of my hands are made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob. He that is spiritually made, or made a new creature, is made forever, and in every strait he may look to God his Maker, as a helper and restorer. He that made us when we were nothing, can help us when we are reduced to a very nothing. It is an encouragement to go to God for healing, because he hath wounded us; Come, and let us return unto the Lord, (saith the Church) for he hath torn, and he will heal us, he hath smitten, and he will bind us up, (Hos. 6.1.) Much more is it an encouragement to go unto God to be our healer, because he hath been our Maker. He that hath made us, can mend us; He that built us, can repair us, if we say, as we ought, and have been taught, Where is God our maker?

Those words contain a second Consideration, why the oppressed should seek to God; he giveth songs, that is, matter of songs, or cause of singing, joy and comfort, even in the night. There are several opinions about the meaning of these words. Some (as I shown before) interpret this verse of the oppressors; None (of them) say, Where is God my maker, who giveth songs in the night? So the words are a description, as of the great worldly security, so of the great worldly felicity of those oppressors. Poor men labor all day hard, and being wearied out with their labors, when night cometh they go to bed; But profane great and rich men, 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, vain, revelling songs in the night, when their sensual Solemnities are kept. Belshazer was drinking in the night, and doubtless, he had his music & songs that night: And as he had his songs, mirth, and music 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 'tis 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.

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 subj • ct to many dangers; 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 laboring man is sweet, whether he eat little or muc • ; and they who sleep sweetly get refreshing and renewings of strength after all their fo • mer labors, for new labors. So tha • , if we take night properly for the night time, there is much occasion of rejoicing given by God to mankind in general, and more peculiarly to his faithful 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! 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 s • 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 joys unspeakable and glorious. These a • e the most ravishing songs of the night.

Hence Note.

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 rejoicing in him, when they awake or cannot sleep. This was David's 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 rejoice. 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 come • o • 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 rejoice, even in the night time, because of the goodness and kindn • 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 cried unto God with my voice, and he gave ear 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 showeth an excellent frame of spirit to remember the Commandments of God in the night, which David also professed as his practice, ( Psal. 119.55.) I have remembered 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 judgments. 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 reins instruct me in the night season; That is, I have as it were discourses and soliloquies, secret debates about, and strong desires after the things of God, even in the night. That soul is indeed awake to God, which is acquainted with and used to these divine songs in the night, the time of sleep.

Further, Take the word night in a metaphorical notion, as night signifieth a troublesome state; God may be said to give songs in the night, when he comforts us in or at any time of affliction. I need not stay to prove that in Scripture the night is put for affliction, nor need I prove, that, to give inward joy in a day of outward sorrow, is to give songs in the night. The observation rising from this metaphorical understanding of night, is this, which the Scripture and experience are full of.

It is the Apostles description of God, (2 Cor. 1.3, 4.) The God of all comfort, who comforteth us in all our tribulation. What sweet songs have suffering Saints sound in the darkest midnight of their affliction! What inward peace in outward troubles! What soul freedom in bodily restraint! One of the Ancients hath put the question, and answered it. What's a song in the night? 'It is joy in time of trouble. Whenever God gives a soul joy in time of trouble, he gives a song in the night. Paul and Silas sang in the night, in both notions of night. If we take night in a proper sense, they sang in the night, and in an improper sense, they were in prison, that was a night of affliction to them, yea it was midnight with them, the power of darkness, or the darkest outward affliction to them, yet, saith the Text, At midnight Paul and Silas sang: They had songs in their mouths, and in their hearts too; they sang so loud that all heard them. And hence we may collect the strength of the argument or reason upon which Elihu here saith, God doth not regard the cry of many under oppression, they make a noise, but none saith, Where is God my maker, who giveth songs in the night, who is able to comfort us in all our afflictions, who is able to make darkness light to us, and turn our sorrows into songs of joy; they had not these high thoughts of God, not these holy confidences in God, while they lay under the oppressions of men, and therefore God did not regard their cry, nor save them from the arm of the mighty. This is the first part of the answer which Elihu made to Jobs complaint, that the oppressed were not delivered, though being pressed so sorely they could not forbear to cry, yea to cry out in their misery. The next words give us a fuller and more express answer to that complaint.

Elihu proceeds in assigning a second reason to heighten their sin, who being in distress, say not, Where is God my maker? or he giveth a further account, why the Lord doth not presently attend to the prayers and cries of some men under great oppression. He had shown in the former verse one reason of the Lord's forbearance to help them in such distresses, they did not say heartily, Where is God our maker? nor did they remember him according to the special benefits which they sometimes had received from God, even songs in the night.

In this 11 ^th verse, Elihu aggravates the sin of such oppressed persons by the consideration of that light, & understanding wherewith God hath endued, and enriched man above the irrational creatures, and which he hath therefore furnished man with, that he might know what to do in a time of distress, in the day of affliction; they say not, Where is God my maker?

Who, not only gives us songs in the night, (matter of praise, but) teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth.

Some of the Jewish Interpreters read these words positively, not (as we) comparatively, or • hey render them, to show that God hath appointed the very beasts to be our Tutors, not (as we) that himself tutors us beyond the beasts: Thus; Who teacheth us by the beasts of the earth, and maketh us wise by the fowls of heaven. This answers what Job spake in the 12 ^th Chapter of this book, ( v. 7.) Ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee: and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee. 'It is a truth that God doth teach us by the beasts of the earth, and makes us wise by the very fowls of the air. We may learn much in the School of those creatures who have not only no learning, but no understanding, and may be stirred up to the exercise of excellent virtues, by those which have not the exercise of reason. The Scripture sendeth man, the highest of visible creatures, to the lowest of visible creatures, to creatures so little, that they are scarce visible, for instruction; Go to the Ant thou sluggard, consider her ways, and be wise, (Pro. 6.6.) There are several observable qualities, and, as I may call them, virtues, not only in the beasts of the earth, and fowls of the air, but in the meanest creeping things, which are very imitable by man; and thus God doth teach us by the beasts of the earth, and by the fowls of the air, virtually, though not formally, by their practice and example, though not by their precepts or rules; for such teachings neither the beasts of the earth nor the fowls of the air have any competency at all. Man alone cannot teach man •• fectually to conversion and salvation; all that are so taught, are and must be taught of God, (1 Cor. 3.5, 6, 7.) yet the beasts of the earth, and the fowls of the air, may and do teach us instrumentally to conviction, and if we learn not by them, their teachings (as rude as they are) will be to our shame, confusion, and condemnation.

But I rather take the words, as we translate them, comparatively; Who teacheth us more than the beast of the earth: As if he had said, God teacheth the beast somewhat, but he teacheth man much more.

They who expound this context of the wicked man, who oppresseth the poor, give the sense thus; God teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth, and maketh us wiser than the fowls of heaven; that is, he teacheth us that we should not like beasts, vex, tear and rend one the other, that we should not like the Bear of of the Wood, and the Lyon of the Forest, nor like the Vultures and ravenous Birds of the air, •• ey one upon another; They who are fierce against, and unmerciful to their brethren, degenerate into beasts, whom God hath taught no better, but left them to live by rapine and spoil: Whereas he hath laid more noble principles into the heart of man, and taught him to be kind & charitable, loving, and compassionate, not to devour and vex those of his kind, how much soever inferior and below him in degree. And therefore what a shame is it for men to be more oppressive and cruel to men like themselves, than beasts are to beasts, or fowls to fowls? This is a truth: yet I conceive the context is rather to be understood of the oppressed, (as hath been touched before) than of the oppressor, and therefore our reading runs most clearly;

That is, though the very beasts of the earth, are taught somewhat by God, and have a kind of knowledge, yet men are taught of God in a more eminent, transcendent, and noble way, than they, whether wild, or tame, one or other. God doth not set up such a School for beasts, as he doth for man, nor provide such instructions for them, as he doth for man; He gives men more means of instruction, he gives them more time for instruction, he takes (as I may say) more pains to instruct them, rising early, and sending his Ministers now, as the Prophets of old, to teach his people. He every way teacheth us more than he teacheth the beasts of the earth;

But what? Are the fowls of the air endued with wisdom? I answer, First, wisdom is put sometime for that inbred subtlety, which is no more than an inclination to avoid that which is hurtful to nature, and to follow that which is suitable to it. That which is wisdom indeed is the proper and peculiar gift of God to men and Angels only. God hath given somewhat like wisdom to the fowls of heaven, they have a natural forecast; But what is the wisdom, with which the fowls of heaven are endued, to that wisdom with which man is endued, those men especially, who (through grace) are heirs of heaven? What is the wisdom which beasts have by a common instinct, to the wisdom which man hath by divine instruction, yea sometimes by divine inspiration. Beasts and birds are wise, they are taught by God what is convenient for their state, yet the best of their knowledge is ignorance, and the top of their understanding folly, compared with man. And hence it is that when men act foolishly or uncomely, they are said in Scripture to be like beasts, to corrupt themselves like brute beasts, to be brutish in their knowledge. We may easily conclude the wisdom of birds and beasts extremely below man's, seeing whensoever man acts below himself, or doth anything unwisely, he is said to be and do like a beast. The Hebrew word which we translate wiser, being applied in Scripture to Emmets or Ants, to Conies, to Locusts, to Spiders, ( Pro. 30.24.) doth not imply, that they truly know either what or why they do such or such a work, it only showeth that the work which they do, hath an order, usefulness, and reason in it, according to knowledge. Solomon saith indeed, those four little creatures are exceeding wise, not that they exceed the wisdom of man, but among brutes they exceed, or are among them of the first form for wisdom. He maketh us wiser than the fowls of the air.

Hence observe, First,

They have somewhat which is Analogous to or like knowledge and wisdom, yet neither knowledge nor wisdom strictly taken. Some of the Ancients have reported to us, the opinion of the Manichees, and Marcionites, who maintained, that the beasts of the earth, and fowls of the air, were endued with reason, properly so called; which opinion was by them justly numbered among heresies, and indeed a little reason may serve for the refutation of that opinion, which asserts beasts and fowls endued with reason; Though some other learned men in their time, and Great Philosophers have asserted as much as the Manichees or Marcionites in this point. Quintilian said, that beasts did rather want an ability of speaking, than of understanding: And Plutarch endeavoreth to prove the same in his Dialogue about that Question, Whether brute Beasts have or are endued with Reason? But we affirm the wisdom of Brutes is only brutish, and at most, but similitudinary to the rational actings of man & a similitude of, or somewhat like wisdom and reason cannot with reason be denied them. It's said of the Serpent ( Gen. 3.1.) that he was more subtle than any Beast of the field, which the Lord God had made. And when Christ saith, ( Math. 10.16.) Be ye as wise as Serpents, he implieth, according to that in Genesis, that Serpents have some shadow of wisdom, somewhat like wisdom. And when the Prophet Jeremiah (Chap. 8.7.) saith, The Stork, the Turtle, the Crane, and the Swallow, know the time of their coming, he affirms that those Fowls have a kind of knowledge. Another Prophet upbraids men with the Knowledge of Beasts, ( Isa. 1.3.) The Ox knoweth his Owner, and the Ass his Masters Crib, but, &c. Here in the Text, to learn or be taught is ascribed to Beasts, because they are tamed, broken, brought to hand, and made useful for the service of man. And wisdom is ascribed to the Fowls of the Air, because they keep their seasons duly, make their Nests safely and fitly, and bring up their young ones tenderly, with pains and diligence. There are very strange instances, scarce credible, given by Pliny and others, concerning the sagacity and docibility of some Beasts of the earth, and Fowls of the Air; we are told how they have acted more like rational creatures, than brutes: And daily experience gives proof enough, that they have a kind of knowledge, reason and wisdom, only we cannot allow them reason, wisdom, or knowledge in kind: They do works of Reason and Understanding, only (which is man's excellency) they understand not the reason of their works.

Secondly, Note;

If he teacheth men more than the Beasts of the earth, and maketh them wiser than the Fowls of the Air, then in some way and measure he teacheth them, and maketh them wise. That wisdom and knowledge, whatsoever it is, which Beasts and Fowls have, is planted in them by God; they have that which serves their turn, and answers their state, by a common instinct of nature, which man hath answerable to his state, either by immediate Revelation, or by means of instruction from God. So then, Beasts and Birds receive their peculiar qualities and abilities from God, as well as their Being: And God hath bestowed those qualities, which are shadows of wisdom and understanding, upon Beasts and Birds, not only for their own preservation, but for the benefit of man, that they may be more useful to him, and fitter for his service. As God hath made both Man and Beast for himself, so he hath made the Beasts of the Earth, and Fowls of the Air for Man, either to serve man's necessity, or to procure his honest delight: And that they might reach both these ends, he hath furnished them accordingly. A creature which hath not somewhat in it like Reason, could be little made use of by the Reason of Man.

Thirdly, Note;

Man, as Man, hath that in him, which wonderfully exceeds the Beasts of the Earth and Fowls of the Air; he hath Reason in him, which they have not; he is a reasonable creature, which they are not, and so can do that which they cannot. Man, by the power of Reason is able, first, to propose to himself an end in what he doth; secondly, to choose fit means for the attaining of that end; neither of which Beasts can do. And if any man be without wisdom to propose to himself a right end, and to choose due means lo • ding thereunto, there's little difference between that man and a beast, surely all his wisdom is but brutish. Further, God hath not only given Man a sense of those things which are hurtful to him, as he hath to the Beasts of the Earth and Fowls of the Air; but God hath given Man an Understanding, by which, he knowing God, may worship him, by which also he may see into and foresee the causes of things, and likewise rightly apply known means, either to prevent or remedy evils, and to bring about that which is good. Again, as God hath bestowed that wonderful blessing of Reason upon Man, above Beasts and Fowls, which makes him capable of higher instructions and fruitions, than either of them; so God hath provided higher and better means for the instruction of Man, than he hath for the instruction of Beasts. He teacheth us more. For,

First, He hath given his Word to Man, not to Beasts; he hath not made a Bible for the Beast of the Earth, and the Fowls of the Air; but for Man he hath, that he might both know his will and do it, know his favor or good will to him, and enjoy it. Secondly, He hath given some men his Spirit; he hath not bestowed his Spirit upon any Beasts, nor upon any Fowls of the Air: and because his Spirit teacheth us, we are said to be taught of God, eminently taught of God. Thirdly, he hath given us his Ordinances, and appointed Officers, or set persons in Office, to manage and hold out those Ordinances, wherein himself is both honored and enjoyed. He (saith the Apostle, Eph. 4.11, 12.) gave some Apostles, and some Prophets, and some Evangelists, and some Pastors and Teachers; for the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the Ministry, for the edifying of the Body of Christ, for the bringing in, and building up of souls. He showeth his Word unto Jacob, his Statutes and Judgments unto Israel, (Psal. 147.19.) and as it follows in the next verse of the same Psalm, He hath not dealt so with any Nation, as with his Israel, his Church, to be sure he hath not dealt so with the Beasts of the Earth, nor with the Fowls of the Air, as was shown also in opening the Text.

Further as to the matter in question about the Providences and dealings of God with man; God hath taught Man much more than Beasts: As First, That all things which befall us, come from, and are ordered by himself. Secondly, That we ought to receive the Rule and take instruction from God, how to behave ourselves under his various dealings. Thirdly, He hath taught us at all times, and in all turns of Providence, to stay ourselves in waiting upon him, ( Psal. 37.7.) Fourthly, He hath taught us in times of trouble and affliction, to cry to him, and call upon him as his children in faith, not barely to complain, much less to be impatiently outrageous like Beast • .

Now if God hath taught us more than the Beasts, then, we should not live by sense, nor pursue sensible things, as Beasts do, but aspire to and seek after union and communion with God, whom the beasts of the earth know not. How greatly will this aggravate the sin of man, if having been taught more than beasts, any man should be found to have learned less than beasts; as will appear yet more in the next observation but one.

Fourthly, Elihu at least intimates this Note;

For (saith he) they say not, Where is God our maker, who gives us songs in the night? who teacheth us better, or more, than the beasts of the earth. As if he had said, The beasts of the earth answer the instinct of nature, (which is all the cost God bestows in teaching them) better than men do those costly teachings and instructions which God bestows upon them by his Word, by his Spirit, by his Ministers, by his Ordinances, and by his Providences; for all these ways doth the Lord teach and instruct men from day today; yet men often act, not only beside and below, but quite contrary to all these teachings. The beasts of the earth keep up to the instruction which they have received, the instinct of nature, they move according to that; but man who hath an understanding, doth not always move suitably to his understanding; man hath reason, yet he doth not always regulate his motions by reason, but is hurried by passion, or led by sense, as a beast. ( Psal 49.20.) Man that is in honor, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish; that is, though his state and sphere be higher than a beast, yet he moves by as low a principle as a beast, even by sense, or sensual appetite, either irrascible, or concupiscible, as a beast doth. By the man in honor, that understandeth not, the Psalmist intends not a fool that hath no understanding, nor an Idiot that hath no use of reason, but he is said not to understand, because he doth not use his understanding; as he in the Parable that did not use his Talent, is said to have none, ( Mat. 25.29.) Understanding is a Talent, and a great one, a choice one too. A man that hath the greatest natural understanding and reason, yea possibly the greatest learning, and experience, may be said, not to understand, when he doth not behave himself understandingly, or according to the Laws and Rules of reason. Men of the best understanding and greatest honor are like the beasts that perish, as to • heir frailty, that is, they die; which may be the meaning of the Psalmist at the 12t ^h verse, where he saith, Man being in honor abideth not, he is like the beasts that perish. But all men that are in honor and understand not their du • y, or do not what they understand, are like the beasts that perish, as to their inability, that is, they live as if they had nothing, but (what beasts have) sense and appetite to govern their lives by. He that doth not practice according to knowledge what he knows, is like, and worse than a beast that hath no knowledge. For when a beast doth anything absurdly, he doth like a beast; but when man doth anything absurdly, he degenerates or falleth from his own form, he doth not like a man, and therefore is worse than a beast. And that's it, I conceive, which the Apostle Jude aims at in the 10th verse of his Epistle, where rebuking a very vile generation of men, Revilers, who speak evil of those things which they know not; he presently adds, But what they know naturally as brute-beasts, in th • se things they corrupt themselves. When he saith, What they know naturally as brute-beasts, his meaning is, what they know in common with beasts, that is, by sense and appetite, which are common to man and beast, (as reason and understanding are common to Man and Angel • :) Now (saith the Apostle) what they know naturally as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves, which brute beasts do not. For these words, as brute beasts, are to be taken in construction and interpretation, with the former part of the sentence, What they know naturally, not with the latter, they corrupt themselves. Their knowledge indeed is no better than the knowledge of brute beasts, natural, but in corrupting themselves they are unlike to, and do worse than brute beasts, who run not to such excesses; yet there is nothing more common in Scripture, than to say that men act the beast, when they sin, and put off those manners which become and are worthy of an ingenuous and rational man. For as man is partaker both of a spiritual and sensitive nature, so he takes his denomination from that part to which in his disposition and conversation he most inclines: Hence he is sometimes called God, or an Angel of God, and sometimes he is compared to the most hurtful of beasts, a Lyon, sometimes to the worst of beasts, to a Fox, to a Wolf, to a Dog, to a Swine, to a generation of Vipers, to what not, which may put a mark of dishonor and reproach upon him.

Fifthly, Note;

It is better to be a beast in or by nature, than to be a beast (and continue so) in qualities and conditions. O what a reproach is it, that they who have a far better nature than beasts, should lead no better lives than a beast, yea possibly much worse! The Psalmist cries shame upon such ( Psal. 32.9.) Be ye not as the Horse, or as the Mule, which have no understanding, whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee. The Horse and Mule are unruly creatures, if left to their own rule, they have no understanding how to manage and order themselves; they must be managed and ordered by bit and bridle in the hand of a skillful rider, else they do more hurt than good service to those that come near them: Now, saith the Lord to man, Be not you like the untaught or unmannag'd Horse and Mule; as ye are better taught, so ye should have better manners. We say of some men, they are better fed than taught; and we may say of many men, they are better taught than mannered; they mend not their manners, though daily taught, yea urged to mend them. For this neglect the Lord reproves the sluggard, ( Pro. 6.6.) Go to the Ant thou sluggard, consider her ways, and be wise; thou doest not answer natural, much less Scriptural light, thou doest not learn by any teachings; one of the least of my creatures may teach thee more than thou hast yet learned of all the teachers which I have sent thee. The little Ant that dwells upon a Mole-hill, that creeps upon the ground, may teach thee better manners, and make thee wiser. Art thou not ashamed to need such a teacher, having had so many teachers? That's also the sense of those rebukes which the Prophet pours out (with a strong contestation) upon the people of Israel, calling Heaven and Earth to witness against them, ( Isa. 1.2.) Hear O Heavens, and give ear O Earth, I have nourished, and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me. But how doth the Lord convict them of rebellion, and by whom? even by the teachableness and trac • ableness of the dullest brutes, The Ox knoweth his owner, and the Ass his Masters crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider. As if he had said; The Ox, and the Ass out-do you, the Ox knoweth his owner that feeds him, and the very Ass knows the crib where he is fed. These beasts take notice of, regard and submit to their Master and Benefactor: but Israel doth neither observe nor submit to me, who have tenderly nursed and plentifully nourished them; who have (as the Lord spake by his Prophet, Hos. 11.4.) been to them, as one that taketh the yoke off their jaws, and layeth them meat, the fat and the sweet, the finest of the wheat, and honey out of the Rock to feed upon; and, which is more than this, who have not only fed them better, but taught them better than the Ox or Ass; O ye Heavens, be astonished at this! Further, as in this Scripture the Lo • d contested with, and reproved his people by the beasts of the earth, so he doth it in another by the fowls of the air, ( Jer. 8.6, 7.) I (saith the Lord) hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright, &c. everyone turned to his course, (his sinful course, or his course in sin) as the Horse rusheth into the battle; that is, fiercely, fearlessly, presumptuously, at once slighting, at least forgetting, both their own danger, and my command. As the Lord thus rebukes the head-strong obstinacy and willfulness of that people, by their likeness to the Horse; so in the next verse he reproves their blindness and blockishness, by their unlikeness to the Sto k, &c. Yea the Stork in the Heaven knoweth her appointed time, and the Turtle, and the Crane, and the Swallow observe the time of their coming, but my people know not the Judgments of the Lord.