Exposition of Job 35-37

ELihu having shown how terrible God will be, how dreadfully he will deal with subtle hypocrites; The hypocrites in heart heap up wrath; proceeds in this context to do two things further.

First, that he might raise some hope in Job, if he did it last humble himself, he repeats the gracious dealings of God with humble and upright-hearted ones at the 15th verse; I say he repeats it, because he had spoken of it before ( verse. 6, 7.) and this is a very useful and profitable repetition, by which Job is doubly admonished to raise himself from his despair of a better condition; forasmuch as God doth not afflict with a purpose to destroy, but that he may heal and help the afflicted. The greatest design of God in chastening us should be always remembered, that he intends only our good, especially to make us thereby better or more partakers of his holiness.

Secondly, he makes application of the whole doctrine to Job; and that two ways; First, by way of consolation, assuring him he had been delivered in case he had humbled himself duly & deeply before the Lord ( v. 16.) Even so would he have removed thee out of the strait into a large place, &c. Secondly, he applies it by way of conviction, that as yet surely he was unhumbled, because still under the afflicting hand of God, verse. 17. But thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked, judgment and justice take hold on thee. So much concerning the state of these three verses in general; I shall now go on to open them in order.

That is the sense of the word, and the work of God. We find the word used to signify the pulling or drawing off of the shoo, ( Deut. 25.19.) As the shoo is tied or buckled to the foot, and must be loosed before it can with any ease be drawn off; so affl • ctions are tied to us, till the Lord unlooseth and draweth them off from us, or us, from them. To draw out of trouble, or to draw us out of trouble, is deliverance. David expresseth himself by that word ( Psal. 6.4.) Return, O Lord, deliver (or draw) my soul (that is me ) out of the enemies hand, or out of the trouble which compasseth me about, and is ready, like deep waters, to swallow me up. He delivereth

Who are meant by the poor, hath been shown before, I shall not stay upon it here, only consider, there are poor as to their outward state, and poor as to their inward state, that is, first, poor in spirit, which is a blessed poverty; and secondly, poor in spirituals, which is a miserable poverty. The two former sorts of poor especially, when joined in one, are here intended; He delivereth the poor

There is a great elegancy in the Hebrew text; 'tis a word of the same root which signifieth the poor who are delivered, and the affliction in which or out of which he or they are delivered. We may translate the text thus; he delivereth the poor in his poverty; that is, when he is in his poverty or affliction, the Lord delivere • h him out of his poverty, or affliction; if poverty be his affliction, o • whatsoever affliction comes under the name of poverty, the Lord delivereth him out of it. I have upon other passages of this book spoken of this deliverance, yet shall touch it here again, because we ought always to remember it; we are often in affliction, often in trouble, and therefore we have need of • en to be put in mind, and continually to bear in mind, that God is a deliverer, the deliverer of his people from, or out of afflictions; He delivereth the poor in his affliction.

Hence Note,

As • he poor cannot deliver themselves in affliction, so neither can the rich deliver the poor by his riches, nor the strong by his power, nor the wise man by his wisdom, craft or policy. The Lord often useth the help of man, creature help, in delivering the poor out of affl • ctions; yet the whole effect is here, and everywhere in Scripture attributed to God, He delivereth the poor. Deliverance of any so • t is of God, yet more especially some sort of deliverances are; as Nebuchadnezzar confessed ( Dan. 3.29.) who, wh • n those three Worthies were delivered out of the fiery furnace, ma • e a decree, that every People, Nation and Language which spake anything amiss, against the God of Shadrach, Meshach a • d Abednego, should be cut in pieces, &c. and he did it upon this ground, because (saith he) there is no other God that can deliver after this sort. He had an opinion that his god could deliver, but he appropriated the glory of that deliverance to their God; there is no god can deliver after this sort; no god but the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego can check and stop the rage of fire, and b ing out those unburnt, who are cast into the burning. That's the first thing, Deliverance is of the Lord.

Secondly, He delivereth the poor.

Note;

When it's worst with us, then usually God cometh in. He will be seen in the Mount, and provide at a pinch; he loves to do for us when we can do nothing for our selve. Take the poor in any notion, but especially for such as being destitute of all help and means of deliverance, are also poor in spi it, not trusting to any help or human arm, these, these are the persons whom the Lord delights to deliver; and herefore God is so often spoken of in Scriptu e, as espousing the cause and quarrel of the Widow and the Fatherless.

Thirdly, From the manner of expression, He delivereth the poor in affliction,

Note;

God doth not always deliver his People from affliction (either not suffering affliction to fall upon them, or presently bringing them out of affliction) but he is engaged (by promise) to deliver them in affliction; and this he doth sometimes by checking the affliction, that it shall not hurt them; sometimes by enabling them to bear, yea, to conquer the affliction, how much soever it hurts them. He delivered those in the third of Daniel, in the fiery fu • nace, by checking the fire that it should not hurt them; and Daniel in the Lions den, by checking the hungry Lions that they did not devour him. He delivered Job, and David, and Jeremiah, and the Apostles, and all the Martyrs, who loved not their lives to the death for the testimony of Jesus, by causing them to glory in, and triumph over all their tribulations. He delivereth the poor in his affliction,

What's meant by opening the ear, was shown at the 10th verse of this Chapter, and at the 16th verse of the thirty third; Yet consider somewhat in the words anew.

And openeth their ear. The Hebrew copulative particle, which we render, and, is often in that language used to denote a season, or special time, and then it is rendered by when; thus here he delivereth the poor in affliction, when he hath opened their ears, by or in oppression. Thus also ( Psal. 139.16.) Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being imperfect, and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. The Hebrew is, and not one in them; as if he had said, God had a full Idea or platform of David's b dy before it was framed; so here, he delivereth the poor in affliction, and openeth, or when he hath opened their ears in oppression; that is, taught them effectually to make a good use of their afflictions. We may also render it, after; so the copulative (Vau) is expounded ( Lev. 17.15. Jer. 10.13.) Thus here; He delivereth the poor in afflion after he hath opened their ears; that is, after he hath made them understand that sin hath caused their sufferings, and hath also made them obedient and ready to receive counsel from him, as that phrase of opening the ear hath been opened. He openeth, or when or after he hath opened their ears

The word notes, extreme oppression; we read it ( Num. 22.25.) in the story of Balaam, where 'tis said, his Ass crushed (or pressed, or oppressed) his foot against the wall, while he was going to curse the people of Israel, that so Balak might oppress them. This word is used also Judge. 4.3. 1 Sam. 10.18. and by it Elisha shown how he would have Jehorams messenger handled (2 Kings 6.32.) Oppression takes fast hold. The Lord takes fast hold of sinners by oppression, and will not let them go till he hath opened their ears; but as soon as he hath opened their ears in or by their oppressions, then (out of hand) he delivereth them in, if not out of their afflictions. From the connection of this with the former part of the verse,

Observe;

He delivereth them in affliction, when he hath opened their ears in or by oppression. When once the soul by hearing the cry of the oppressor is made obedient to the call of God, then God comes and works deliverance. Good men, while free from evil, are oftentimes like the wild ass described in the 39th chapter of this book, such as will not hear nor regard the crying of the driver, though he be not an exactor, (as the word there signifies and we put in the Margine) but a fair and gentle driver. Few hear when spoken to, till they feel as well as hear; and therefore the Lo • d first sends them into trouble, that they may hear, and having by that means opened their ears to he • , he b • ings them out of trouble. When we are truly humbled by affliction, we are near deliverance from affliction. The plaster must be kept on till the wound be healed. The Lord will not leave off scourging or correcting his people till he hath brought them to such a post • re, that they are fit for mercy. The Lord helps and heals those who submit; and if they whom he hath bound with the cords of affliction, call humbly for release and relief, he will not forsake them, but restore them in due time to their former felicity; He delivereth the poor in affliction, when he hath opened their ears in or by oppression.

Elihu having laid down this general Doctrine, makes Application of it in the two verses following;

Thus Elihu proceeds from the general Thesis or assertion of God's deliverance, to the Hypothesis, accommodating the Doctrine to Jobs Case and Person, Even so he would have removed thee, &c.

This 16th verse contains the first part of the Application made to Job, where Elihu informs him what the issue would undoubtedly have been, if he had submitted (which he did not) as he ought, to the afflicting hand of God, and had not (which he did and ought not) filled his mouth and the ear of God with bitter complaints, nor stood so stifflly upon his own defense and vindication. This Elihu doth by a double allusion.

First, to the bringing of a man out of close prison into a state of freedom, or into an open air. This he gives us in the former part of the verse, even so would he have removed thee out of the strait into a broad place.

Secondly, he doth it by alluding to the furnishing of a man's table with store, not only of wholesome but of delicious meats, who before fared very hardly. This he doth in the close of the verse, and that which should be set on thy table, should be full of fatness. As if he had said, if thou hadst harkened to the voice of God, thou shouldest have had both liberty, and plenty, hadst thou been bettered by thy troubles, it had been better for thee, and much better with thee; thou hadst been enlarged fully, thou hadst been supplied abundantly with all manner of good things desirable, even to the utmost of thy desires: that's the general scope of this verse; more particularly.

Even so would he have removed thee out of a strait into a broad place. Some read the verse with a retro-respect, or as looking back to the time past; as if Elihu had bid Job remember his former experiences, whether God heretofore dealt not bountifully with him. To this sense (besides others) Mr. Broughton translates, which hath turned thee from distresses mouth, to largeness, where is no straitness, and that which was laid upon thy table was full of fatness: and he gives the gloss upon his own translation thus; God once made thee wealthy, and would again; thou hast had experience how good a master, and how liberal the Lord is to those that serve him, thou thyself didst enjoy prosperity a long time far from all trouble, or touch of affliction. Thus, (I say) some refer the words to the time past; but I rather keep to our own translation, which expresseth the original text, as an assurance of what Job should have had, and might have expected in time, had he complied as he ought, with the purpose of God in his afflictions.

Even so would he have removed thee out of a strait into a broad place. As if he had said, God who useth and loveth to deliver the poor out of affliction, would also have delivered thee out of thy affl • ction hadst thou been humbled under thy affliction, hadst thou fallen down before him, hadst thou submitted the matter to him, and not disputed it with him as thou hast done, hadst thou confessed his justice, and not accused it or complained about it, even so would he have removed thee, &c. The word which we translate to remove, signifieth also

To move or to persuade; because he that persuades another, moveth or removeth him from his opinion or intendment, or from what his practice was before, and brings him to be or do somewhat that he did not, or was not, before. To be persuaded is to be inwardly moved, to be moved in mind: And therefore they who persuade or entice others to evil, are said to turn them from the Lord, and to thrust them out of the way which the Lord commandeth them to walk in ( Deut. 13.5.) To persuade in any degree, is to move ( Josh. 15.18.) and some persuade so strongly, that they make in others great removes.

Further, It signifies to deceive, as will appear if you compare Text and Margin; 2 Kings 18.32. and those Texts, 2 Chron. 32.11, 15. all concerning one matter. He that is deceived, is usually deceived by persuasion, and is drawn away by some enticements.

Now, because he that persuadeth or deceiveth another, endeavoreth to turn or remove him from what he holdeth or intendeth, to the contrary, therefore (as we render) this word signifies also to remove, to bring from one place to another, or from one state to another. He would have removed, or translated thee

Here are two sorts of places, a straight, and a broad place: What a straight place, properly taken, is, all know. The Heb ew is, He would have removed thee out of the mouth of the straight. The Septuagint render, He would have removed thee out of the mouth of the enemy. An enemy puts us to straits; and th • refore the same word signifies a straight and an enemy: he would have removed thee out of a straight place; the hand of an enemy is so. But mo • e generally, by the straight place, we are to understand any kind of tribulation or trouble whatsoever. Troubles of any sort are justly called straits, for they inclose and imprison us, they abridge us of our liberty, they ty us short up, where we can scarce stir or breath. A man in trouble, is a man in straits. Some expound these words allegorically, taking the mouth of the straight for Hells mouth; they that descend thither, are indeed in everlasting streigh • s; for, though Tophet be deep and large, as the Prophet speaks ( Isa. 30.33.) yet all that are there, are in straits. Hell is la ge to take in, but straight to let out, so straight, that it will not let one out forever. Others expound it tropologically, or with respect to manners; he would have delivered thee out of the mouth of the straight, that is, from the power of thy sins and corruptions, for they indeed are straits; and though we easily fall into them, yet we hardly get ou • , or free of them again. But we need not take up, either Allegories, or Tropologies; the words are plain. That which Elihu here inten • s by straits, is great trouble, deep misery, into which a man being cast, knows neither how to subsist, nor how to escape: Ye • out of that straight place he promiseth deliverance; He would have removed thee out of a straight

That is, to liberty and prosperity, which are in Scripture compared to a broad place, where a man hath room enough. Thou hast known my Soul in adversity (sai h David, Psal. 31.7, 8.) and hast not shut me up in the hand of the enemy; thou hast set my feet in a large Room, that is, in a prospe • ous condition. Thus Elihu here promiseth on God's behalf, He would have removed thee out of a straight, into a large place,

That's a broad place indeed. No streightness implieth greatest enlargement, or enlargement to the uttermost, not only of need, but desire. A broad place, where there is no streightness, is full lib • rty, or fill of liberty. A man may be in a very good, in a very free condition, and yet have some straits. To be in so good a condition, as to have no straits at all, is the top and perfection of freedom. And surely, The full attainment of such an enlargedness, is the reward of the next life, not the enjoyment of this life. The way of the wicked, in this life, is most straitly broad; the way of the righteous, in this life, is broadly straight, and endeth in a broadness of everlasting blessedness. God at last will remove all his out of a straight, into a broad place, where there is no streightness. Hence,

First, See, the Author of our deliverance is again here rememb • ed, He would have removed &c. As before, he delivereth the poor in affl • ctions, so here again, He would have removed thee out of a straight, into a broad place. As all our mercies are of the Lord, so let us acknowledge him in all.

Secondly, From the Allusion, Note;

He is in a straight, that knows not what to do; thus 'tis often with us in our troubles. It was so with good Jehoshaphat (2 Chro. 20 12.) when a mighty Enemy came up against him, Lord (said he) we know not what to do, but our eyes are towards thee; he was in a straight, what to do here on earth, but he had a b oad place to look to, even to heaven, to the Lord of heaven and earth, our eyes are towards thee. As if he had said, Lord we are in a straight, but thou art never in straits; Lord counsel us what to do, Lord help us to do it. The afflicted, many a time, know not what to do, and many times, they cannot do what they know; they know this thing would do them good, but they cannot do it, they know, that might be helpful to them, but they cannot reach it.

He is in a straight that doubts what good to choose, much more is he in a straight who seeth that whatever he chooseth, he must choose some evil. Paul was in the former straight, and David in the latter: Paul was in a straight, it was a trouble to him, being doubtful, which good to choose, ( Phil. 1.23.) I am in a straight betwixt two; betwixt what two? betwixt two very good things, namely, living here in doing good, and going to heaven to receive his reward; he was in a straight whether to live here to do more work, or to go to heaven to receive the reward of his work. 'It is some trouble, but a blessed trouble, when we are in a doubt which good to choose. But they are in very great trouble, who are in such a straight, that whatsoever they choose, they must choose evil: That was David's straight, (2 Sam. 24.14.) the Lord gave him a choice, and a very sad one, of three evils, either of famine, or of pestilence, or of flying and falling before his Enemies; hereupon David said, I am in a great straight; somewhat he must choose, and whatever he chose, it was evil, that is, penal evil; but seeing it was so, and could not be otherwise, (e malis minimum) he would choose the least, he chose to fall into the hand of God, rather than into the hands of men. Into such kind of straits are the people of God sometimes cast, they have somewhat before them to choose, but whatever they choose, it is very hard, and troublesome; troublesome to stay, and troublesome to go, troublesome to abide by it, and troublesome to fly from it, every way it is a trouble; and how many of the precious people of God have been brought into these troubles! Only this is their comfort as well as their duty, that though they may be in such straits as necessitate them to choose a less good, or a penal evil, yet as God will not, so man cannot bring them into any such straits as necessitate them to choose a moral or sinful evil. Troubles are straits. He would have removed thee out of a straight into a broad place.

Hence Note, Thirdly;

The hand of the Lord is not shortened that it cannot save, (Isa. 59.1.) There is no straight so strict, but the Lord can open it, and remove us out of it, or it from us. When the Children of Israel were in that great straight, having the Sea before them, and Pharaoh with his Host behind them, the Lo • d removed them out of that straight, and brought them into a large place. There are a thousand instances and experiences of this. David saith, ( Psal. 130.1.) Out of the depths have I cried unto thee O Lord: The depth there, and straight here, are the same under several Allusions. David cried out of the depth of misery: when he was at the bottom of the pi • , he cried unto God, and was delivered. We can be in no depth, but the power and mercy of God can reach a hand to us, and draw us out; we can be in no straight, but the power of God can, and his love will make room for us, that we may escape. Seeing then (as one of the Ancients speaks fully to this point) God will help because he is so merciful, and can because he is s • powerful, that man shuts the door of hope against himself, who thinks, or through unbelief fears, that either God will not or cannot help him. And therefore when at any time we are in a straight, let the greatness of our straits, be the exercise of our faith, not a discouragement to it. Some make their straits a stop to their faith, they cannot believe they shall be delivered out of great straits; but the greatness of our straits, should quicken, not deaden our faith, it should increase our faith, not weaken it; and so it will, if we consider who it is that undertakes to remove his people out of their straits; it is the great God; and the more their straits are, the greater their difficulties are, the greater is his glory in removing any of them into a large place. 'It is said in the Psalm, The Lord makes a way for his anger; he doth do so sometimes, he makes a broad way for his anger; yet remember he makes a way for his love and mercy too, that his great power may be seen in opening our greatest straits.

Fourthly, Whereas, 'tis not only said, He would remove thee into a large place, but, into a large place, where there is no streightness.

Observe;

O • r comforts in this world are usually mixed with sorrows, our enlargements with straits; yet • he Lord is able to give us sorrowless comforts, and such enla • gements as shall not have the least shadow of a st eight in them. As Jesus Ch • ist saveth us to the uttermost of soul straits, o • we are saved through Christ to the uttermost of our sins, that is, of our guilt and danger of condemnation by sin; so he can save us also to the uttermost of outward troubles, he can give a perfect temporal salvation, such a salvation as shall have nothing of fear or danger in this life: Elihu speaks of such a salvation. The Lord can save us to the uttermost of present perils, and set us beyond the reach of peril, even in such a place, where there shall be no fear, no suspicion of annoyance. 'It is said ( Pro. 10.22.) The blessing of the Lord maketh rich, and he giveth no sorrow with it. The Lord makes some men rich, or gives them a great estate, yet they find sorrow enough with it; but the Lord, through his blessing, can give riches, and add no sorrow with it, put no gravel in our bread, nor gall in our cup, but all shall be sweet to us; that's bringing us into a large place, where there is no present streightness, no, nor appearing cause to fear any. Thus the Nations are brought in rejoicing at the fall of Babylon, (Isa. 14.7, 8.) The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet, they break forth into singing, yea the fir-trees rejoice at thee, and the Cedars of Lebanon, saying, since thou art laid down, no feller is come up against us. The Lord will work full deliverance for his people by Babylon's fall; when that falls, Zion shall not fear the coming of anymore fellers, Christ will then give his faithful people such enlargement as shall know no straits.

This is the first allusion; He would have removed thee out of the straight into o broad place, where there is no streightness; it followeth,

Here's the second mercy. As if he had said, The Lord would not have given thee a bare deliverance out of evil, but thou shouldest have received abundance of good; thou shouldst not only have room enough, but comfort enough;

Some render, That which resteth, or abideth on thy Table; that is, thy meat, and thy drink, thy wine, and thy oil, that which thou feedest upon, should be of the best and most nourishing, not bare commons, not ordinary fare, but

Fatness is put in Scripture to express the best of things; if often signifieth the best of spiritual things, ( Psal. 36.8.) They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house. The house of God is the Church of God, and, God keeps a good house, there are fat things, and they who worship and wait upon him, they shall have abundance of them, their full satisfaction: the fatness of God's house, is the riches of Grace, the best of Gospel-Ordinances and promises, the best of Gospel-comforts and mercies, these are the fatness of the house of God; these are the things which the Apostle intended while he told the Gentiles, ( Rom. 11.17.) That they were partakers of the rest and fatness of the Olive tree. Thus also spake the Prophet, ( Isa. 25.6.) In this mountain shall the Lord of Hosts make a feast of fat things: what, of such fat things as the Epicures of the world surfeit upon, Sheep, and Oxen, &c? no; the feast of fat things which the Lord will make to his people is of spiritual things, they shall have much of Christ, much of grace here, and an assurance of glory for hereafter; This is the feast of fat things. And though the Lord give to any of his servants the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction; though the fig-tree should not blossom to them, though they should have neither Sheep in the fold, nor Calves in the shall, yet they may daily sit at this feast of fat things, and be filled with joy in the Lord, ( Hab. 3.17, &c.)

And as fatness is used in Scripture to express the best of spiritual things, so fatness expresseth the best of natural and outward good things, ( Psal. 65.11.) Thou crownest the year with thy goodness, and thy paths drop fatness; that is, plenty, and plenty of the best things, which grow out of the earth by the blessing and benign influences of Heaven. I conceive spiritual good things, the best of them, are also shadowed under those expressions of Temporal.

Further, Elihu doth not only say, That which shall be set upon thy Table shall be fat, but, full of fatness; which implieth thus much. Thou shalt have whatsoever may make thy life comfortable, and happy; for as by bread, our daily bread, we are to understand all the necessaries of this life (though bread be the meanest • a • t of our sustenance, yet it it is called the staff of life, because the m • st necessary part of it) so by fatness, we are to understand all things delicate and delicious; and those things which are most delicate and delicious, are said to be full of fatness.

Hence Note;

The mercy of God doth not only take away evil, and so leave us, it doth not only bring us out of our straits, and there set us down; but mercy proceeds to the bestowing of good upon us. As we in obedience should not put off the Lord with abstaining from evil, but ought to do good, even abundance of good, and not only bring forth good, but much good fruit; that's our duty; so the Lord's mercy stayeth not in delivering us from evil, but bestoweth good things, the best things upon us, and them in abundance.

Secondly, In that those good things are expressed by fatness, o • by being full of fatness,

Note;

When once a people, or a person are accepted of God, he • no cost, nor thinks anything too costly for them, the most • ous things in the world are not too good for them, ( Psal. • He would have fed them also with the finest of the wheat, a honey out of the rocks should I have satisfied thee. I would no • • fed them with wheat only, that's good, but with the finest whe • • that's the best; we put in the Margin, with the fat of wheat; they should not have had the bran, but the flower and the finest of the flower! they should have had not only honey, but honey out of the Rock, which, as Naturalists observe, is the best and purest honey. Surely God cannot think anything of this world too good for his people, who ha • h not thought the next world too good for them; Certainly God cannot think any of these outward enjoyments too good for his people, who hath not thought his Son too good for his people: that's the Apostles argument, ( Rom 8.32.) He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? even the best of outward good things, when he seeth it good for us.

In this see the difference of the spirit of the world, and of God, to his people. The world thinks nothing bad enough for those that are the choicest servants of God, they are sorry to see that they have anything that is good; that they have a morsel of bread, or a penny in their purses, is thought too much for them by the world: And if any trouble befall them, it • good enough for them, will the World say. The World thinks anything too good for the choicest servants of God, how much more the choicest things! But God hath other thoughts towards them, he thinks nothing too good for them, they shall be filled with fatness.

Thirdly, In that Elihu makes promise of these outward things, to the choice servants of God, whose ears are open to attend unto him;

Note;

Though such are not of this World, much less are servants to the World, yet God can make the woe • ld serve them with its best, and give them a full portion of the World, though the World be not their portion. The servants of God would not take all the World, if it were offered them, for their portion, no not a thousand Worlds, considering what a perishing thing this World is, and that at best it is but a finite thing; I say, a servant of God would not take all the World, at the hand of God, for his portion, though he is thankful for anything, for a little of it, and unworthy of any, the least, part of it. Howbeit, many times God gives a large portion of this World to his people, and that which he sets upon their Table, that is, outward good, is full of fatness. Indeed some of the choice servants of God have been afraid when they have seen much of the World come in, least God should put them off with such woe • ldly things; when their Table hath been full of fatness and dainties, when they have had Houses and Lands, Gold and Silver plenty, they have been troubled, least God should say to them, There is your All. It is said of Luther, when he had a considerable present sent him from a great P • ince (the Duke of Saxony, as I remember) this came upon his heart, I hope God will not put me off with these things, with gifts from Princes; I shall be hungry as long as I live, if I have nothing to feed upon but what is of the World, and poor as long as I live, if I have no other treasure, but what is earthly; & thereupon protested he would not be satisfied with the best things of this World, though content with anything. Thus, I say, God deals bountifully, with a liberal hand, to some of his people especially. This was made good in the former, or Old Testament times, when the promises went more upon externals (as hath been shown) whereas now they go more upon spiritual and heavenly things; yet there wants not examples of God's dealing bountifully in outwa • ds with his faithful servants under the Gospel, he hath caused that which was set upon their Table, to be full of fatness.

This is the first part of the Application, wherein Elihu acquaints Job what God would have done for him, if he had carried it humbly (as he should) under his afflicting hand, he had been out of his fetters and bonds before that time, and set in a large place, he had not fed so long upon ashes, his Table had been full of fatness.

As in this verse Elihu applied the matter to Job, by showing him how it should have fared with him, or how graciously and bountifully God would have dealt with him, if he had humbled himself, as he ought, and been duly affected with the afflicting hand then upon him, so in the following verse, he applieth the Doctrine to him, by telling him, that the reason why he was at the present in such an afflicted condition, was, because he had not so humbled himself in his affliction.

This is a home Application indeed, he speaks to his face, Thou hast done it, thou hast fulfilled the Judgment of the wicked; which is, as a home, so a very hard and heavy charge. Take a twofold Interpretation of it.

First, Some expound it (I think not rightly) of Jobs ill carriage in the time of his prosperity; as if Elihu had reflected upon that: Thou hast heretofore fulfilled the Judgment of the wicked, and that, First, by a general ill course of life. As Christ saith to the Pharisees (Math. 23.32.) Fill ye up the measure of your fathers; some conceive Elihu speaking to Job in that sense, Thou hast filled up the measure of the wicked, following them in their evil ways. Secondly, That in his Magistratical capacity, or that being a Magistrate, he had fulfilled the Judgment of the wicked; that is, what wicked men, and their bad Causes wanted of weight and t uth, of righteousness and goodness, that he filled up by favor, by accepting their persons, and giving countenance to their wickedness. Some charge him thus directly, Thou hast done the part or Office of an unjust Judge; when thou hadst power in thy hand, thou wast defective, short, or wanting, in discharging the Duty of an upright Judge, but didst the work of a corrupt Judge (corrupting Judgment) to the full; therefore now Justice and Judgment take hold of thee. But (as I said before) this is not a right Exposition of the Text; for Elihu never charged Job with a sinful course of life in former times, or before his affliction (as his friends had done) though he cha • ged him with much sin in his carriage under his afflictions; and it may be conceived, that Job heard Elihu more patiently and equally than he heard his friends, because Elihu dealt more equally and candidly with him, than his F • iends did; he did not lay it upon him, as if in the foregoing part of his life he had traded in wickedness; but only reproved him for his boldness, in dealing with, and appealing so often unto God, in his soars and sickness; or, because his spirit was not broken enough, notwithstanding those sore breakings and sicknesses, with which he was afflicted. So then, Elihu in saying this, intended not that Job had fulfilled the Judgment of the wicked, either by a wicked conversation, or by perverting Justice in favor of the wicked: Such a charge had been utterly inconsistent with the Testimony which God gave of him in the first Chapter of this Book.

Therefore Secondly, Thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked, may be understood, first, that Job had gone near, in his behavior under his affliction, to do even almost as Satan boasted, and presumed to God he would do, in the second Chapter, that if God did but lay his hand home or closer upon him, and touch his bone and his flesh, then (said Satan) he will curse thee to thy face. Now, though Job did never, in the height, fulfill this wicked opinion or judgment of the Devil concerning him, yet by his often complainings of, and murmurings about the severe dealings of God with him, and his not pitying him in his distress, he verged upon it, he came somewhat towards, and much too near the fulfilling of that judgment of the wicked one; and Elihu might say, Thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked, thou hast done (in a degree or show) as the Devil said thou wouldst, if the hand of God were heavy upon thy body.

Secondly, These words, Thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked, may have this meaning, Thou hast rendered thyself guilty of, or obnoxious to, that judgment which God useth to pronounce and execute upon wicked men.

Thirdly, Thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked; that is, thou under the hand of God hast carried thyself as wicked men usually do, thou hast imitated them in a great measure. What do wicked men when the hand of God is upon them? they rage and murmur, they toil themselves and are full of the fury of the Lord, as a wild Bull in a net; thou seemest to have fulfilled this judgment of the wicked, for thou hast been so far from humbling thyself, as thou oughtest, that thou hast stood it out and stouted it with God, and desired a day of hearing; Hast thou not in all this fulfilled the judgment of the wicked? In the 34th chapter of this book at the 8th verse, Elihu told Job, that he had gone in company with the wicked, that is, that he had taken the same course with the wicked, and as they use to do in the day of their calamity. And that's the meaning of Elihu 's charge here, Thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked, that is, thou hast carried thyself too too like wicked men in the day of thy trouble. Thus Job is here censured, not strictly, as if he had done like wicked men, but because he did not suffer so patiently as became a good man; this was in him a fulfilling of the judgment of the wicked.

Hence note;

I shall not stay upon this, having spoken of the extreme sinfulness of murmuring and impatience under the hand of God heretofore.

Secondly, Note;

They that are good in their state, may sometimes in their acts, (as Job here) fulfil the judgment of the wicked. As hypocrites fulfil, in appearance, the judgment of the upright, that is, do like upright men; so the up • ight may, in appearance, do like hypocrites, and then they also fulfil the judgment of the wicked. Job said to his wife, in the second chapter, Thou speakest like a foolish woman; and now Elihu tells him, thou hast spoken and done as a w • cked man.

Note, Thirdly;

Though we may not judge such a man's eternal estate like that of the wicked, yet as to this or that act, we may (without breach of charity) number him among the wicked, and he may quickly feel the same smart which the wicked feel. They that are godly should act like godly men, and not do anything that represents the lusts or practices, the judgment or conversation of the ungodly; left it be said (in one sense or other) of them, as here Elihu of Job, you also have fulfilled the judgment of the wicked.

As if he had said, I told thee before, if thou hadst humbled thyself, thou shouldest have had a large place, and full table, store of mercies and favors; but now judgment and justice take hold of thee. Here are two words which sometimes are used distinctly, but here they signify the same thing, or the one is but an explanation of the other. Justice and Judgment; some take justice for the habit, and judgment for the act, exercise or decree; as if he had said, Justice hath sent forth Judgment upon thee, and now both take hold of thee; God hath no • ed thy sin in thy sad condition. Yet the original doth not determine it upon Jobs person expressly, it doth not say, Justice and Judgment take hold of thee, but Justice and Judgment take hold; we supply they take hold of thee, for that's it which Elihu intends; Justice and Judgment take hold of thee, O J • b, nor will they let thee go. We find the word so used in several places, ( Prov. 3.18.) Wisdom is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her. And as the believers closing with and hold-fast upon Christ is expressed by this word, so also is the hold which sin takes of an unbeliever ( Prov. 5.22.) His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sin. Judgment and Justice take hold of thee.

Hence Note; First,

If a Job do like wicked men, he shall smart like the wicked. Though God will not cast any of his servants to hell forever, yet they may be cast into a temporary hell. The Lord told David as much, in case his Children should disobey him, and break covenant with him, though he would not cast them off, yet they should pay dearly for it; He would visit their transgressions with a r • d, and their iniquities with stripes, (Psal. 89.32.) The History of David's children makes good that Prophesy, and so hath the dealings of God with believers in all ages, who are the seed, the children of David mystical, that is, of Christ, whom and whose spiritual children the Spirit of God chiefly pointed at in that Psalm. They that do like evil men, shall suffer like evil men. Justice and Judgment properly and strictly take hold of the wicked and disobedient only, as the Apostle saith (1 Tim. 1.9.) The Law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, &c. Yet when they that are righteous are found doing like the lawless and disobedient, the Law, that is Justice and Judgment will take hold of them.

Again, Some read the words intransitively, Justice and Judgment shall hold, or hold on still, that is, they will hold on their course or way in punishing, as long as thou hold'st on thy course or way in sinning.

Hence note;

Again, Justice and Judgment take hold of thee, that is, they hold thee fast.

Hence note;

Men oftentimes get out of the hand of man's justice, they can break prison, they can file off their fetters and cast their cords from them; but none can break God's prison, none can get out of the hands of divine Justice. As Justice and Judgment shall take hold of, attach and arrest sinners, so they will hold them fast, they cannot make an escape, nor can any rescue them till God signs a warrant for their release. We cannot hinder God in the exercise or execution of Justice, nor turn him aside from his purpose, either by our power or policies. God can easily hinder men of their purposes, and can undo whatever they have done, but none can make the Justice and Judgment of God let go their hold. Therefore let us take heed, while we hold sin and iniquity, nothing can deliver us from the hand, or hold off the sin-chastening and avenging hand of God. However men fail, the Justice and Judgment of God are everlasting; they hold on their course still though men do not. Though we could pluck the Sun out of the firmament, yet not Justice out of the hand of God. We can neither put God besides his rule, nor force him from his purpose. These are the two great Prerogatives of God, he hath first a righteousness which cannot be perverted; secondly, a Justice which cannot be interrupted.

IN these three verses Elihu presseth the Application of the former Doctrine upon Job, by way of admonition and counsel; forasmuch as he had done amiss before, and carried himself unduly under the hand of God, even so far as to fulfil the counsel of the wicked, that therefore he would now, & for the time to come, take heed, and be more wary.

And lest Job should slight this admonition or counsel, Elihu adds a powerful motive to urge that duty upon him, even the wrath of God; Beware, Why?

Beware, and beware lest (this wrath breaking forth) he take thee away with a stroke. And how dreadful the wrath of God is, Elihu shows in these three verses by a threefold Consideration.

First, because if we fall into the Lord's hand, when he is in wrath, there is no means under heaven that can deliver or bring us off. This he asserteth at the latter end of the 18th verse, Then a great ransom cannot deliver thee. It is dangerous coming un-der that wrath, from which a ransom, especially a great ransom, cannot deliver. What that ransom is which cannot deliver us is expressed in the 19th verse, Will he esteem thy riches? no, not gold.

A Second motive to beware o • this dreadful wrath is this, because if once the wrath of God be up, as there is no ransom, so no power in the creature that can deliver. That we have in the latter part of the 19th verse, nor all the forces of strength; though thou hast armies, millions of men in arms, yea though thou hast legions of Angels in pay, yet they cannot prevail, all the forces of strength cannot deliver thee.

There is also a third consideration, to show the unavoidableness of the wrath of God, namely, because there is no sleeing no making an escape from it. Some indeed are so angry that you cannot satisfy them with a ransom, and so powerful that no strength can deliver you from their power, yet possibly you may make an escape and hide from them, you may get out of the way and lie out of sight; but saith Elihu, that will not do neither in this case, (v. 20.) desire not the night when people are cut off in their place; the night or darkness will be no cover to thee from the wrath of an angry God. Thus you have the sum and substance of this admonition to Job, Beware, because there is wrath, and that wrath of God so terrible that nothing can deliver from it, no ransom, no power, nor can we deliver ourselves by flight, or by darkness.

I shall now open the words more distinctly.

The word which we translate wrath, comes from a root that signifies heat, or to be hot; and we know they that are angry and in wrath are very hot, their mind and spirit are enflamed, we use to say to an angry man, why are you so hot: the wrath of man is hot: the wrath of God, is certainly much hotter.

Because there is wrath; but where is it? I answer, First, there is wrath, in the breast or heart of God, there his anger is kindled against sinners. Secondly, There is wrath in the decree of God, against sinners ( Zeph. 2.2.) Thirdly, there is wrath in the threatenings of God, there it first appears and breaketh forth ( Deut. 29.20.) So the Apostle ( Rom. 1.18.) The wrath of God is revealed from heaven. How is it revealed? As his love is revealed in promises, so his wrath in threatenings. Fourthly, there is wrath in the works of God, in his Judgments acted upon the children of men. As there is wrath hidden in his breast and decreed, so wrath is heard from his mouth in terrible threatenings, and seen in his hand by terrible Judgments executed upon his enemies. We may see wrath in the dealings of God; his works tell us he is angry. Therefore fear to persist, lest in his anger he take thee quite away. We should beware of sinful works, lest we provoke and stir up the Lord's anger to make bloody work. There is wrath, (particularly as to the dealings of God with thee, O Job, saith Elihu ) therefore,

The word beware, is not expressly in the Hebrew tex • , but it is plainly intended, and supplied by Interpreter • , in gene • all, to make up and clear the sense of this verse. We have a like reading in the 36 ^th of Isaiah, v. 18. Beware lest Hezekiah persuade you, &c. The word beware, is a supplement added there in a different character, to show that it is not expressed in the Hebrew. As if Raoshakeh had said, If Hezekiah persuade you to stand out against my Master Sennacherib, you will provoke his wrath to your utter ruin and destruction, therefore beware. There, as here, beware, bespeaks our caution; because there is wrath, take heed what you do or say.

Hence note, First;

The Apostle John in his first Epistle ( Chap. 4.8.) tells us in a direct predication, God is love; and 'tis as true, God is wrath. The wrath of God is a divine perfection, it is the perfection of God, as his love is. God is one and the same, he is not divided into several passions, perturbations or affections; but thus the Scripture speaks of him, to denote what we may expect from him, and what he is and will be in his actings towards them who obey him not.

Secondly note;

As the goodness of God is his love acted, or as the good things which God doth for us are love-actions, so the evils that are upon us are wrath-actions. I do not say that every evil which we endure in this world is the acting of wrath upon us, but I say, there is wrath in the actings of evil upon us. Moses said to Aaron, (Numb. 16.46.) Go quickly, take a Censer (hast, hast) and make an atonement, there is wrath gone out. How did he know wrath was gone out? He tells us in the next words, the plague is begun: He saw wrath in that dispensation of God; the plague begun argued that God was angry. Because there is wrath, beware.

Hence note, Thirdly;

The wrath of man is a small matter to the wrath of God, yet we are very careful to beware of the wrath of man, especially of great men. The wrath of the Kings and Princes of the world, is like the • oaring of the Lion, saith Solomon, and we are ready to tremble at that; but O how should we tremble at, and beware of the wrath of God! Who knoweth the power of thine anger? (Psal. 90.11.) We may take some scantling, some measure of the wrath of man, and know how far it can go, and what it can do; but we can take no measure of the wrath of God, for it is immesurable, and therefore we should avoid everything that procures his wrath. That's the meaning of this caveat; do nothing that blows up or incenses the wrath of God. But what is it that blows up wrath? It is sin, every sin hath that in it which may blow up wrath. The Apostle saith, The wrath of God is revealed from heaven, against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, not only against this or that ungodliness, no • only against this or that degree of ungodliness, ('tis neither against ungodliness of some special kind, nor of some special degree) but against all ungodliness, therefore all ungodliness and all unrighteousness is to be avoided.

And as we should do nothing to provoke wrath, so we should do everything which may prevent wrath ( Psal. 2.12.) Kiss the Son, why? lest he be angry, and his wrath kindle. Who is the Son, and what's this kissing of the Son which p • events wrath? The Son is Christ, he is the Son of God; this kissing is a kiss of homage, an humble submission to Jesus Christ by fai • h and obedience; it is a Gospel receiving of Ch • ist: to kiss the son is to receive Christ as ou • King, as our P • jest, as our P • ophe • , to receive Christ in the whole manifestation of his Mediatorship. Do this to prevent wrath, kiss the Son. And consider how terrible he repo • ts that wrath to be; If his wrath be kindled but a little, blessed are they that put their trust in him. On then take heed that you do not provoke the wrath of God, and do your utmost to prevent it; which nothing can do but kissing the Son, that will and that only can do it; submit to Jesus Christ, receive Jesus Christ, without him it is impossible to prevent wrath. H • that believes not, the wrath of God abideth on him, (Johs 3.36.) Jesus Christ alone is he which delivereth us from the wra h to come, (1 Thes. 1.10.) And if we further consider this wrath from the expression, both of the Psalm and of the Text, it should make us (who are so fearful of, and who so shift from the wrath of men) exceedingly afraid of the wrath of God. The word, as was shown before, comes from a root which signifieth the heat of fire, implying that the wrath of God is fire, and ( Heb. 10.27.) it is called fiery indignation; yea, God himself ( Heb. 12.29.) is called a consuming fire. Why doth the Scripture express him and his wrath, by fire? Surely because fire is well known to us, and we are well able to conceive how dreadful a thing fire is, when it is in its rage and fury, when it hath got the mastery; Fire is a comfortable servant, but a dreadful master. Now as fire is the most dreadful element, so wrath is the most dreadful attribute of God; yet I may say, that elementary fire which (as to our sense) is so dreadful, is but a sun-shine compared to the wrath of God; as will appear if we consider it in two things.

First, it burns internally. The visible fire burns but visible things, outward things, but this fire burns within, scorches the conscience, burns the soul, burns that which all the fires in the world cannot reach, cannot touch. God is a Spirit, and the wrath of God is a fire that burns the spirits, and will forever afflict and torment the consciences of wicked men. The hottest fires which the most enraged malicious Persecutors kindle, cannot touch the spirit; the conscience is quiet, the soul triumphs while the flesh fries in the fire. 'It is the fire of divine wrath alone which hath power upon the soul; and a burning there is ten thousand times more painful than the burning of our flesh.

Secondly, the wrath of God burns eternally. Your fires here though they are dreadful, yet they go out, they consume themselves by consuming the matter or fuel cast into them; they cannot continue always, because they eat up and devour that which maintains them: But the wrath of God burns continually. God is called a consuming fire, not because the fire of his wra • h consumes, but because he consumeth sinners in the fire of wrath; and when we say, he consumeth sinners in his wrath, or his wrath consumeth sinners, we are not to understand it of a consumption as to being, but only as to a well or comfortabe being; for not only the soul • , but the very bodies of sinners shall remain in this fire of the wrath of God forever unconsumed. The bodies of the damned shall be raised again at the great day, and being re-united to their souls, both shall abide unconsumed in the fire of this consuming wrath eternally. The great dread of ordinary fire is, that it consumes what it burns, but the greatest dread of this fire is, that it consumes not that which it burns. O therefore take heed of the wrath of God, the wrath of God is terrible as to corporal and temporal judgments, much more as to spiritual and eternal judgments; that is, as the fire of his wrath burns both internally and eternally. Because there is wrath, beware,

Here the danger is expressed. If the Lord be angry, he can soon take thee away with a stroke, he can remove, yea hurry thee away out of all thy present joys and enjoyments, to everlasting sorrows. The word imports a violent remove. The stroke here spoken of is like that ( Chap. 24.26.) He striketh them as wicked men, in the open sight of others; that is, he shames them as well as punisheth them; as he strikes them with his hand to their confusion, so he strikes or claps his own hands together in dirision, as 'tis said ( Chap. 27.23.) Men shall clap their hands at him, and shall hiss him out of his place; we may take it in both these significations; Lest he take thee away with a stroke; that is, lest he strike thee so as to make an utter end of thee, or lest he take thee away with derision, clapping his hands at thee, and pouring contempt upon thee. Have we not reason to beware of that wrath, which in either sense can take us away with his stroke? Yet I conceive a third sense may be given of these words, Lest he take thee away with his stroke, that is, lest he take thee away suddenly, even as suddenly as a st • oke can be given.

Hence Note;

He can take the strongest away with a stroke, he can do it wi h one stroke. The Lord needs not stand cutting and slashing, hacking and hewing (as we say) all day long; one stroke of his will do it. He took away Herod at one stroke ( Acts 12.23.) He took away Ananias and Sapphira at one stroke ( Acts 5.5.) Nadab and Abihu were taken away with one stroke ( Lev. 10.1.) All these perished, and so have thousands more, as with a stroke, so suddenly, at one stroke. The Lord can strike home; as Abishai said to David in the case of Saul, when he found him in the Trench, Let me strike him at once, and I will not strike him a second time. The Lord threatened ( Nah. 1.9.) to b • ing destruction upon those at once, when he told them Affliction should not rise a second time; as if he had said, I will not strike another blow at them, I will hit them home, and do my woe • k with one blow. We need not fear how many, or how mighty his enemies are, he can rid himself of them with one stroke. The Lord strikes some to take away their sin; thus he strikes his own people: others he strikes to take away their persons; thus he strikes the wicked, especially those who enemy-like, designedly strike at Him, his Name, his Truth, his Glory. Elihu doth not say, Beware least he strike thee, but least he take thee away with a stroke. The Lord often strikes his own faithful servants, they receive many a stroke, many a lash, many a blow, many a chastisement at his hands, but he doth not take them away with a stroke, as he doth the wicked. The Lord strikes his servants to take away their sins, and he strikes wicked men to take away their lives, to destroy them utterly.

Secondly, As the word signifieth taking away with clapping • f the hands or with derision,

Note;

He will clap his hands at their fall. We read ( Prov. 1.26, 27.) how Wisdom called and cried, and none would answer, all set her calls and counsels at naught; what followed? I (said Wisdom, that is, Christ) will laugh at their calamity, and mock when their fear cometh; as much as is said in the Text, I will take them away with a stroke, or with clapping my hands, with a kind of deriding plaudite at their going off, or rather at their being thrust off the Stage of this world. They are in the most sad condition, whom God not only destroys, but derides; they have most cause to mourn in their affliction, at whose affliction God laughs. It is said ( Job 9.23.) God will laugh at the trial of the innocent, and why, was shown in opening that place; I only touch it now upon this occasion: The Lord knows the innocent will come off with honor, will stand it out in their trial bravely, he sees what Courage & Faith & Patience they will manifest in and under their sufferings. Now as the Lord even claps his hands, and laughs, when his chosen noble ones go forth to the trial, knowing they will honor him in their trial; so the Lord laughs at the destruction of the wicked, knowing that his Justice and Righteousness shall have a full stroke at them, and lay both their shame and sin open to all the world.

That the Lord in his wrath takes away with a stroke, should make us all beware, fear and tremble; but that which followeth, may make us wary, fear and tremble much more; for, saith Elihu in the close of the verse,

The word rendered a Ransom signifies that which is paid as a price for the deliverance of a Captive out of bondage: Thus Christ gave himself a Ransom for sinners. But here is a Case wherein no Ransom will be taken, no, though it be, not a small, petty Ransom, but a great Ransom, of that (saith Elihu ) it cannot deliver thee. As if he had said, When once God is so far provoked, that the Decree is gone forth to destroy thee, then it will be in vain to think of getting off by Ransom.

Here it may be queried, What is this great Ransom that will not deliver? There is a twofold Ransom, by one of which the people of God are sometimes delivered, and always by the other.

First, The people of God are sometimes ransomed or delivered by the destruction and ruin of the wicked; that's their Ransom, and that, not seldom, proves a great Ransom. It is said expressly (Prov. 21.18.) The wicked shall be a Ransom for the righteous; how, a Ransom for the righteous! will a wicked man p • y a Ransom for the righteous? or will the wicked man offer himself a Ransom for him, and say, I will die instead of the righteous man? surely there's no such thing to be expected from him. Peradventure for a good man (saith the Apostle, Rom. 5.7, 8.) one would even dare to die; that is, one good man may possibly be willing to lay down his life for another good man. Scarcely for a righteous man would one die; that is, for a man, who only gives every man his due, o • doth every man right: but for a good man, that is, for a man that hath been very kind and bountiful to others, some would even dare to die; yet he that doth so, must be supposed to be a righteous and a good man himself. For it cannot be thought that a wicked man would give himself a Ransom for the righteous, that he would die for him whom he doth not love, yea, whom he usually hates to the death. How then is it affirmed by Solomon, that the wicked shall be a Ransom for the righteous? The meaning is, God will destroy the wicked, to save the righteous, or he will save the righteous, even through the blood and destruction of the wicked: In that sense the wicked are many times a Ransom for the righteous, rather than the righteous shall perish, the Lord will destroy the wicked. Thus the Lord spake by his Prophet of old ( Isa. 43.3.) I gave Egypt for thy Ransom, Ethispia and Sheba for thee. How was Egypt a Ransom for Israel? had they any mind to deliver the people of God? no; but rather than God would not have Israel saved, he destroyed Pharaoh and the Egyptians in the Red Sea. Thus the Lord makes the wicked a Ransom for the righteous. Though Egypt were a very goodly Country, yet God destroyed it by ten Plagues, that he might deliver Israel. Though Pharaoh was a great Prince, he drowned him in the Sea, rather than his people should go back into Captivity. Solomon gives us this sense of the Prophets words fully in his own ( Prov. 11.8.) The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the w • cked cometh in his stead.

Secondly, There is another, a more excellent Ransom for the people of God, and that is the Blood of Jesus Christ: We are bought with a price, dearly bought, and that's the Price with which we are bought (1 Cor. 6.20.) that's a Ransom which sets sinners f • ee, and makes them free indeed ( Joh. 8.36.) free f • om sin, an • free unto righteousness ( Math. 20.28.) He gave himself a Ransom for many; for a great many, for all who believe and take hold of his Name. When Elihu saith, A great Ransom cannot deliver, ' • is not to be understood of the Ransom which Christ hath paid; that's a Ransom so great, so precious, that it hath, and doth, and will forever deliver the greatest, the worst of sinners, who run to it from the wrath of God.

What then is the Ransom that is invalid and useless, which will not be accepted, which cannot deliver?

I answer, First, in general; it is anything on this side Christ, be it what it will. The greatest Ran • ome that men can devise or heap up together, or that men can make, whatsoever it is, besides the Ransom of God's own appointment, will not deliver a sinner when once wrath hath siezed upon him.

I answer, Secondly, as to particulars: It is not, First, Riches, no not Gold. Secondly, It is not our own prayers, no not tears. Thirdly, It is not our own good works, no not our own righteousness. Fourthly, It is not any of the good works or righteousness of any other, the holiest men on earth, no not the righteousness of the Saints and holy Angels in Heaven, that can deliver us from the wrath of God. The first of these particulars Elihu gives for instance in the 19th verse (of which I shall there speak further) and we may understand this verse of all the rest. Then a great Ransom cannot deliver thee.

Hence note;

(I suppose Elihu might have respect to that, in urging Job to humble himself and repent) There are Cases, wherein even the Blood of Christ will not deliver; though that hath an intrinsical virtue, power, and value, to deliver any sinner, yet, I say, there are Cases, wherein even that great Ransom, the Blood of Christ, will not deliver sinners; or thus, there are many sinners in such a Case, that Christ will not ransom them by his Blood. But who are they?

First, All that are impenitent, and persist obstinately in their sins. If any man resolve to go on in sin, the Blood of Christ is no Ransom for him. Jesus Christ came to save us from our sins, not to save us in our sins.

Secondly, All that are unbelievers; though they have a great measure of sorrow (such as it is) for sin, yea, suppose they have left off the outward practice of those sins, for which they have sorrowed, yet if they do not lay hold on Christ by faith, his Blood is no Ransom for them. As Christ will not save presumptuous sinners, who believe without repenting, so neither will he save incredulous sinners, who repent without believing. Thirdly, That great price of the Blood of Christ is not a Ransom for apostatizing sinners, who having pretended to Repentance, and made proof sion of faith, yet go back from Ch • ist and his ways, at once bu • lding what they seemed to have destroyed by repentance, and d • stroying what they seemed to be built up in by faith. The Apostle declares the doom of all such ( Heb. 10.26.) For if we si • willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more Sacrifice for sin. Wilful sinners against received Light cast off the Sacrifice of Christ (which is our Ransom, and) with which they seemed to close; and having cast tha • off, God will never be at the cost to provide them another Sacrifice: There remains (saith the Text) no more Sacrifice for sin. They would have no more to do with that Sacrifice for sin (that's the case of those who sin against the Holy Ghost) and there is no other Sacrifice for them. Such Apostates crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and (by their being ashamed of him, and turning from him, as much as in them lies) put him to open shame, as the Apostle speaks ( Heb. 6.6.) but God will never crucify his Son afresh, nor put him again to open shame, for the ransoming of willful Apostates. It is the ground of our hope, that God once gave up his Son to be crucified for us, but they are of all men most hopeless, who crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh. The Son of God, Jesus Christ, will not save those that tread him underfoot, not shall the Blood of the Covenant be a Ransom for those who count it an unholy thing; as 'tis said at the 29th verse. They who refuse the Gospel, that is, Gospel-Grace, shall never have any benefit by the Gospel; these Apostates do not only refuse to choose the Grace of the Gospel, but refuse it after a seeming choice of it, and are therefore said in the close of that verse, to have done despite to the Spirit of Grace; and shall they who despise, and, which is more, do despite to the Spirit of Grace, be ransomed through Grace? Thus we see, that as nothing but the Blood of Christ can be a Ransom, so some shall have no share in, nor benefit by that great Ransom. They who repent not, they who believe not, they who sin willfully after a profession made, both of Fai h and Repen • ance, can have no deliverance by that great Ransom, the Blood of Jesus Christ.

El • hu having • old Job in General, that if he provoked God to wrath, then a great ransom could not deliver him, proceeds to give him one particular instance of what cannot; and he gives it in that which is the most usual ransom, and which hath ransomed thousands from the wrath of man, that is, riches, gold.

As if he had said, Possibly, O Job, thou having been a great man, a rich man, the richest the greatest man in all the East, mayst think thou couldst buy off thy offense with gold, and get out from under his wrath by thy wealth and riches; but suppose thou wert as great and rich as ever, or greater and richer than any are, or ever were,

The word rendered esteem, signifies to put in order, because things which are of esteem and value, are laid up handsomely and orderly. As no man esteems trash, so he will not lay it up among his treasures. Will he esteem, or lay up thy riches, as some precious thing, as his treasure; surely no. The question (as frequently in Scripture) is a strong denial; will he? he will not value thy riches, no more than a rush; what dost tell him of thy riches, he makes no account of all that thou hast to give, yea, though thou hadst all the world to give: Men will esteem thy riches, money answers all things among men, but alas, it will answer nothing with God, will he esteem

Some translate the word which we render riches, by nobleness or greatness; so M ^r Broughton, Will he esteem thy nobleness? The word signifies both, and Job was both, he was a great man, and a Nobleman, the chief Magistrate, a Prince among the people where he dwelt, as appears fully in the 29 ^th Chapter. Will he esteem either thy riches, or thy nobleness? shalt thou be accepted because thou art a great Lord, a mighty man, dost thou think the Lord will-esteem thee for this? Certainly no. We may take in both senses of the word, Will he esteem thy riches, or Nobleness?

Hence note, First;

Note, Secondly;

God will not be stopped in his course of Justice wi • h riches or great titles, with honor, or nobleness: The riches of one man cannot ransom another, ( Psal. 49.7, 8, 9.) They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches, none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him. Nor can any man's riches ransom himself, ( Pro. 10.2.) Treasures of wickedness (that is, treasures gotten wickedly) profit nothing. Nor will the treasures of the wicked (though well gotten) profit them, ( Pro. 11.4.) Riches avail not in the day of wrath, (Zeph. 1.7.) Their gold and silver shall not profit them in the day of my wrath. If you present yourselves before God with titles of honor, and bags of gold, neither the one nor the other will do it, he will not regard thy riches, nor nobleness. When Ishmael came treacherously upon those Jews, ten of them said, Slay us not, (Jer. 4.8.) for we have great treasures in the field, of Wheat, and of Barly, and Oile, and of Wine; so he forbare, and slew them not among their brethren. But this will not do in the day of the Lord's anger.

Some translate thus, Will he regard thy crying or clamor? As if Elihu had said, Cry as much as thou wilt, the Lord will not regard it. This goes higher. Many possibly will not be taken off from the process of Justice, by greatness or riches, who yet by our humble supplication and cry may be taken off; But will the Lord regard thy cry? or as the Septuagint read it, Will he have regard to thy prayer? Wicked men that have rejected the Lord's commands, will yet hope, or rather presume, the Lord will hear their cry, and therefore they will be at their prayers in times of trouble, when the wrath of God breaks out; this is their last resort and refuge. They who never made the Lord their choice in good times, will yet make him their refuge in evil times, or in days of trouble; they think surely to be sheltered, and saved, and spared, when they pray: but this will not do neither; Will he esteem thy prayers? The Hebrew Text, at least, allows, if not clearly holds out this reading, and it can be no hurt to take in as much profitable sense, as the words, without undue straining, may hold out to us. So then, when the Lord's wrath appears, neither riches, nor honor, nor prayers, nor tears can give sinners any relief. The cries and prayers of the wicked are no more regarded by God, than their riches or greatness. Then they shall call upon me, (saith Wisdom, Pro. 1.28.) that is, When their fear cometh as desolation, and their destruction cometh as a Whirlewind, when distress and anguish cometh upon them, (v. 27.) when 'tis thus with them, then they shall call upon me, but I will not answer; that is, I will not esteem their cry. That's a very remarkable Scripture, ( Psal. 18.41.) where David speaking of his enemies, how the Lord had given him their necks, and a power to destroy them that hated him, presently adds, They cried, but there was none to save them, (but it may be they cried where they should not for help; no, saith the Text, they cried) even to the Lord, but he answered them not: then did I beat them as small as the dust before the wind, &c. The Lord having declared how resolved he was to proceed in a way of wrath against the Jewish Nation, adds ( Jer. 14.12.) When they fast I will not hear their cry. That people had been very obstinate and rebellious, they had withstood the call of God by the Prophet; yet when they saw wrath appearing and approaching, then they betook themselves to fasting and prayer; but saith the Lord, it shall not advantage them, though they fast and in their fasting cry, yet I will not regard them, nor be entreated: I know they will be praying to me, but I will take no notice of them. See how dreadful a thing it is to refuse the offers and tenders of grace, to go on in a way of sin; for then, no ransom will do it, riches and honors, yea prayers and cries and tears, shall not be regarded. Will he esteem thy riches?

This is to be joined (according to our translation) with the former words, and it suits fully with our translation of these words; Gold being the best of worldly riches, and having the greatest power with and command over men; yet saith Elihu, Will he esteem thy riches, no not Gold. He mentions that, because (I say) it is the choicest part of riches, the worst sort of gold is of higher esteem and worth, than any other metal; Gold bea • es the greatest price among metals, and hath the greatest prevalency among men, but none with God. The word rendered Gold, signifies defending, but gold is no defense against God. Will he esteem thy riches? no not Gold. The note is the same in substance with the former.

Not only will he not esteem your Copper, and Brasse, and Iron and Tynn, but not your Gold, (1 Pet. 1.18.) Gold doth much with men, but nothing with God. I shall not stay upon this clause, it being only an hightning of the same thing before asserted. But

There are two other readings of the latter part of this verse, upon which I shall stay a little: First, thus;

The word which we render as one, signifying the best gold, refined gold, other interpreters render as two words, which signify to be perplexed or in straits; Will he esteem thy riches? no though thou art in the greatest straits, and knowest not what to do.

Hence Note;

The Lord who esteems not the wicked rich at any time, will lest esteem them in an evil time. The Lord who hath an esteem of, and a regard to the godly at all times, hath it especially in a time of straits and trouble. But as the Lord never regards wicked men, so then lest when they have most need of it. Will he esteem them? no not in affliction.

There is a third reading of these words: Will he esteem thy riches? no not any defense. As our translation, no not gold, falls in plainly with the first words of the Text; so this with the latter. Will he esteem thy riches, no not gold, say we, answering the word riches in the first part of the verse. Will he esteem thy riches? no not defense, say others, which answers those words, nor all the forces of strength, in the latter part of the verse. So then, as our reading complyes with the former part of the verse, so this hath as fair a compliance with the latter; No not any defense. The word signifies to fortify, to fence, to make strong, and hence, gold, because gold is man's strength and defense. Riches are a great strength; to be rich in gold is a man's strong tower. Will he esteem thy riches? no, not gold, or defense,

These words, in the close of the verse, being the same with the middle part, as last rendered, may very well be drawn up into one, and conceived of, as if Elihu had said, Suppose thou art a mighty man and hast strong forces, he will not esteem thee for all that; The very weakness of God is stronger than man (1 Cor. 1.25.) that is, than the strongest man, or than any strength which man can procure, either to oppose God, or to protect himself against him. The Prophet to show the great power of the Chaldeans, saith ( Hab. 1.10.) They shall scoff at kings, and deride every strong hold. Surely the Lord is so far from esteeming the defences and forces of strength, which men make to, and for themselves, that he scoffs at and derides them. The Lord will deride all the strong holds of man, even the forces of strength. Some get internal carnal strong holds, to fortify themselves in, of which the Apostle speaks (2 Cor. 10.4.) The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty, through God, to the casting down of strong holds. Most sinners are men of wit, they provide themselves strong holds to save their sins in, they have their excuses and reasonings to defend their sins or themselves in their sins by. Others are men of might, they get external strong holds, they have Armies and Cities of defense, to secure themselves by; but will the Lord regard either? Not the strong holds, set up and maintained by force of wit, no, nor all the forces of strength. Though thou hast Army upon Army, and City upon City, though thou dost add Castle to Castle, and Fort to Fort, they are no more than paper walls before the Lord. As neither riches nor nobleness, so no power of man can secure man from the hand of God. Mr. Broughton varieth a little from our reading, yet concurs fully in sense; No gold, nor any other thing should be able to give sound strength; which himself expounds by this short gloss. If now thou despisest repentance, thou shalt be utterly cast off. As if he had said to Job, it is not thy, or any man's standing out against God, that will help you, your only help is in repentance and self-humbling before God. Will he esteem thy riches? no, not gold, nor all the forces of strength.

Hence note;

As there is no counsel, so no force of strength against the Lord. Hannah sang this truth (1 Sam. 2.9.) By strength shall no man prevail, that is, against man, if God be with him; much more is it true that by strength shall no man prevail against God ( Isa. 1.31.) The strong shall be tow, and the maker thereof as a spark; that is, as some expound, their Idols, whom they made their strength, shall be as tow, that is, as the most combustible matter, easily consumed, and the maker of it, that is, the Idol-maker, shall be as a spark. Do but blow a spark among tow, and what will become of it? Such are the strongest Idols, in which men trust, and such are the mightyest and strongest men before the Lord, who trust in them. Tow or flax or hemp (after the dressing) is as tinder, that the least spark will give fire to The strong (Idol) shall be as tow, and the maker of it as a spark; or, which is in effect the same, The strong (man) shall be tow, and that which he hath made, or (as we put in the Margin) his work, that is, his Idol, shall be as a spark, and they shall both burn, or perish together. This is the sentence of the Lord against the strong, a spark shall set them on fire and burn them; how then shall the strong be able to stand before the Lord who is not a spark, but a fire, and that a consuming fire! and therefore, I may urge Elihu's counsel to Job, upon all sorts of men, upon those especially who persist in any sin, take heed, because there is wrath, beware, &c. or I may urge them with the Prophets dehortation ( Jer. 9.23.) Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, nor the mighty man in his strength, nor the rich man in his riches, for, none of these can help or deliver from wrath, only Jesus Christ can, and it hath been shown who they are to whom he will not be a delivering ransom. It may be very useful to consider what negatives Elihu puts upon sinners as to deliverance from kindled wrath; not riches, not honor, not crying, not praying, not strength, not defense can deliver without turning from sin to God, and all in Christ.

Elihu having urged two arguments to make Job beware of wrath, first, because nothing could ransom him, God regards not riches, no not gold; secondly, because nothing could rescue him, all the forces of strength could not defend him against, nor fetch him out from under the hand of God; Elihu (I say) having dispatched these two arguments, he in the 20 ^th verse gives a further, and that a third argument to move Job to take heed of wrath, because, as he could neither be ransomed nor rescued, so neither could he be hid or sheltered from the wrath of God. That is the general sense of the next verse.

The root of that word which we render desire, signifies a very earnest breathing and longing after a thing, as conceiving and believing the enjoyment thereof would be an exceeding comfort and refreshment to us. So 'tis used in the seventh Chapter of this book at the second verse; as the servant earnestly desireth the shadow, &c. When a laborer is hot and sweltered almost (as we say) at his work in the Sun, how earnestly doth he desire the shadow! We say (in the Margine of that place) he gapeth after the shadow. A man, when he is hot, gapes to suck in fresh air. Such an intendment and force there is in this word, desire not, long not for, gape not after

The night seems not to be a thing, or a season so desirable, that we should gape for it or long after it. Solomon saith ( Eccl. 11.7.) Surely light is pleasant, and it is a comfortable thing for the eyes to behold the Sun; but who hath a desire after the night? what is the beauty or comeliness of the night that any should so much desire it? why then doth Elihu here forbid Job (as supposing he did) to desire it? desire not the night.

I answer, the night may be taken two ways, or under a twofold notion. First properly, as that which casteth a veil or mantle of darkness over both persons and things, and covers them from our sight; in allusion to which, the sense is this; Do not hope to hide or conceal thyself from the eye or knowledge of God. As thou canst not be ransomed, as thou canst not be rescued from his power (which was shown before) so desire not the night, for thou canst not be obscured from his knowledge under the covert of it, there is no hiding from God. Though I judge that interpretation too gross, which supposeth Elihu counseling Job not to desire the night, as robbers and adultere • s, to cover him while doing wickedly, yet possibly he might think Job was not so free to confess the evils which he had done, and therefore rather desired the concealment of them.

Secondly, the night in Scripture, as also in human Authors, is put improperly for death. All the dead are wrapped up in a night of darkness. Hence that counsel ( John 9.4.) Work while you have the day, the night cometh when no man can work. We may work, yea, much work is done in the natural night. It is said of the virtuous woman ( Prov. 31.18.) Her candle goes not out by night; she and her maids are at work in the night; therefore it cannot be strictly meant, that no man can work in the night. The night there is the night of death, or of an extreme troublous life; in these nights, especially in the former, no man can work, for there is no wisdom, nor device, nor labor in the grave whether we are going, (Eccl. 9.10.) According to this Scripture interpretation, desire not the night, is desire not death. Job had put forth such desires more than once ( Chap. 7.15.) My soul chooseth strangling and death rather than life. Mr. Broughton translates, Breath not unto that night: for people's passage to their place: That is, (saith he) desire not death, the common passage of all men, as thou hast done. Therefore Elihu seems here to call Job off from those desires; do not thou peevi • hly or impatiently (because of the trouble of thy life) call for death, lest it come too soon, and it do by thee as it hath done by many others, whom it hath cut off in judgment. So it follows here, Desire not the night,

Death is a cutting off. As many die in the night, so whenever any die they are cut off from this world, and all the employments of it. they are cut off from their dearest friends and relations. Death cuts off the thread of life, and us from the comforts of this life.

The Hebrew is, when people ascend. The Original Scripture expresseth dying by ascending, though the death of the wicked is rather a descending. It is said by a late Writer concerning the heathen profane and wicked Emperors of Rome, Such a one descended (that is, died) in such a year of his abomination. Now though the wicked descend when they die, yet there is a sense also wherein all men may be said to ascend when they die; and there is no doubt but the godly, as to their more noble part, ascend to God when they die. Thus the word is used in the fifth Chapter of this Book, at the 16th verse, where Eliphaz speaking of the death of a godly man, saith to Job, Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, like as a shock of corn cometh (or ascendeth) in his season. David deprecated an immature death under this Metaphor ( Psal. 102.14.) Take me not away in the midst of mine age. The word is, let me not ascend in the midst of mine age, that is, before I have measured the usual course of life. Thus to ascend, is the same with to be cut off; death cuts off the best from this world, and then they ascend to a better. This sense of the words suits well with the latter exposition of the night, as taken for the night of death. The word ascend, is conceived to have in it a double allusion; first, to corn which is taken up by the hand of the reaper, and then laid down on the stubble. Secondly, unto the light of a candle, which as the candle spends, or as that which is the food of the fire is spending, ascends, and at last goes out and vanisheth.

There is yet a further sense of the whole verse thus; Desire not the night, &c. That is, do not curiously inquire the cause of that divine judgment by which God sometimes sweeps away whole nations, good and bad together, in the night, or suddenly. Or thus, disquiet not thy mind in the night, but rather rest in the will of God, when thou seest or hearest of those great destructions which come upon persons or nations. Desire not the night, when people are cut off in their place, that is, when they die in, or are removed from the place where they formerly lived and had their abode; in which sense it is said of the dead, their place shall know them no more (Psal. 103.16.) How well soever any are settled, death cuts them off in their place.

First, Forasmuch as Elihu speaking to Job in this distressed estate, wishes him not to desire the night,

Observe;

The Prophet Jeremiah quits himself from this in one point ( chap. 17.16.) I have not desired the woeful day (Lord) thou knowest. He was so far from desiring it, that he prayed for the peace and prosperity of that people; but though Jeremy did not desire the evil day to come on others, yet when the evil day was come upon himself we find him venting strange and strong desires of that kind ( Chap. 9.2.) O that my head were a fountain, and mine eyes rivers of tears, that I might weep night and day for the slain of the daughter of my People. He had visions of slaughter, and he did even beg a head melted into water for abundant mourning over that day. But what were his other, what were his further wishes, with respect to himself at that time? we have them in the next verse. O that I had in the wilderness a lodging place of a wayfaring man, that I might leave my people, and go from them, for they be all adulterers, a company of treacherous men. What uncomfortable desires had Jeremiah as to that day of distress! O how did he covet to have a retiring place, any hole in the wilderness, like a wayfaring man, that he might leave his people and see them no more, because they were so wicked, and their wickedness he foresaw would bring down such dreadful evils upon them. And as he wisht this sad retirement upon the foresight of evils to come, so we find him in another place ( Chap. 20.14, 15, 16, &c. ) wishing that he had never been born to see such presnet evils. We have the like plain wish of David, in the day of his trouble ( Psal. 55.2.) Attend unto me (O God) and hear me, I mourn in my complaint, and make a noise; because of the voice of the enemy, because of the • ppression of the wicked: for they cast iniquity upon me, and in wrath they hate me (they charged him with evils that he had not done) my heart is sore pained within me, the terrors of death are fallen upon me, fearfulness and trouble are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed, or covered me. David was at that time in a very sad day, you see; and what was his wish that day? we have it at the 6 ^th verse, And I said, O that I had wings like a dove, for then would I flee away and be at rest; lo then would I wander far off and remain in the wilderness. Holy David could not keep his heart (in those distresses) from extravagant wishes. David had the integrity of a dove (as he often pleaded before the Lord) and being distrest, he wished also for the wings of a dove, that he might flee away, and get out of the reach of all those impendent calamities. How usual is it for good men in bad days to breath out such wishes? one wishes that he had never been born, rather than to see such a day; another wishes he may die presently, rather than live in such a day. When the Apostle John had given the prophesy of dreadful judgments to come upon the wicked world, or the world of wicked men, he presently tells us what their wishes or desires will be ( Rev. 9.6.) And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it, and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them. Most men flee death, that's a misery; but death sleeth from some men, and that's a greater misery. They are in the worst of conditions who would have death when death will not be had. Their lives are worse than death who only wish to die. What non-sense wishes and desires had they also in the day of the Lord's anger, mentioned in the same book ( Chap. 6.16.) Who said to the mountains and to the rocks, fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb. It is possible for good men sometimes to have strange wishes; but O how lamentable are the wishes of wicked men and unbelievers, who have no part nor interest in Jesus Christ, in those times when Conscience is wounded and awakened, or when a day of the Lord's wrath, or judgment from the Lord appeareth! When Christ the Lamb shall sit upon the throne, and call them to give an account, O then they will wish for rocks and mountains to fall upon them, that they might not appear; how glad will they then be to be hidden with an everlasting night! They cannot but desire the night, who have sinned against light. Holy Job could not forbear to desire the night of death in the day of his distress; what desires then must the wicked have, who have no hope beyond this life!

Again, as to the vanity of that design of some in desiring the night for shelter,

Note;

What is darkness to God, who is light, and in whom there is no darkness at all (1 John 1.5.) Desire not the night. As gold and silver cannot ransom sinners, as great forces, (all the Armies on earth) forces of strength cannot help sinners, so the night cannot hide them; they that are in the grossest darkness, are never the more out of God's sight; The darkness is not darkness to him, the darkness and the light to him are both alike (Psal. 139.11, 12.) and therefore he said before ( verse. 7.) Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up to heaven thou art there, &c. Wheresoever we are, God is, who is everywhere; nothing can keep us off from, or keep us out of the eye of God.

Lastly, as the night, is taken for death; Desire not the night,

Hence note;

Death is itself an evil, the worst of natural evils. How can that help us out of our evils of trouble, which is itself the most troublesome evil? The Lord promiseth some of his people that they should die before the evil day; Josiah and Hezekiah had such promi • es: 'It is a favor to die (as they did) in the assurance of eternal life, before we feel the evils of this life. But death, considered in itself, is no relief against evil; and as it is the worst of natural evils in itself, so it carrieth those who are unprepared and unprovided for it, to worser evils than any they can meet with in this life. Some desire death to escape the evils of this life, when, as soon as they die, they go to the evils of another life, which are the second death, such a death as hath no second, and descend not only to the grave, but to hell. And what hath any one got by leaving the troubles of this life, to fall into the dolors of that second secondless death! They only dream of security by death, who are unprepared go die. Death is good for none but those who are fitted for, and have by faith laid hold upon eternal life.

IN this verse Elihu gives Job another serious admonition, or re-enforceth the former, warning him to take heed of speaking or uttering anything rashly, unduly, or unbecomingly of God, in respect of his troubles and sufferings; and this he urgeth upon him by two sorts of arguments, as will appear when I come to handle the two following verses.

Take heed, regard not inniquity. As if he had said, beware, be well advised what thou dost, and what thou sayest. The word which we here render take heed, signifies to keep and preserve, but most properly, to prevent and keep off any evil, that it fall not upon us. The noun, from this root, signifies a watch tower, upon which a person stands to observe and give warning of any danger, or to descry any approaching enemy. 'It is translated, take heed, as here, so (1 Kings. 2.4.) where David upon his death-bed, gives counsel to Solomon his son and successor what to do, and how to walk in the way of the Lord, that (saith he) the Lord may continue his word which he spake concerning me, saying, if thy children take heed to their ways, that is, if they are very watchful over their ways, both as to their personal and princely walkings, if they walk in my statutes, then I will do thus and thus for them. Thus saith Elihu, take heed, look about you, have your eyes in your head, be careful. These take heeds are frequent in Scripture. From whence (before I come to the matter about which Elihu would have Job take heed.)

Observe;

We cannot be dutiful unless we are heedful; a headless person cannot be a faultless person. This duty runs quite through all we have to do; take heed, first, to the inward motions of the soul, take heed how & what you think ( Pro. 4.23.) keep thy heart with all diligence (with all keepings, with all heedings, it is this word in the text) heed thy heart, that is, thy first stirrings and motions unto any work. Secondly, take heed, as to the first motions of the soul, so to the affections of the soul, which are soul-motions formed up and stated; take heed of your affections, how and what you desire, how and what you love, how and what you hate. Thirdly, take heed to the tongue, how you speak, and what you speak, where you speak, and why or for what ends you speak; there is a great deal of take heed belonging to the tongue. Fourthly, take heed to the ear, when ye hear others speak, take heed how you hear, and when ye hear, and what you hear; infection may soon come in at those ports. Fifthly, take heed to the eyes, what you behold; the eyes are windows which often let in vanity, yea, I may say, venom and poison into the soul. In a word, take heed of all your actions, or of your whole conversa • ion; take heed what you do, and how you do it; see that ye walk circumspectly, take heed in and about all these things, that ye sin not, especially, that ye neither have, nor carry on any design or work that is sinful; take heed that ye be not found falling into that error, to avoid which, Elihu calleth or awakeneth Job to this watchfulness, take heed.

Here is the special matter in the text, about which Elihu advises Job to be heedful, regard not iniquity. The word rendered regard, signifies the turning of the face to look upon any object; that which we much regard, we turn about to look upon it, as that which we slight, we turn away from it and will not look upon it; we turn our face to a person or thing, signifying our approbation, and we turn away our face to show our dislike; and therefore we do well express this word, which signifies to turn the face, by regarding; turn not thy face to iniquity, look not to it, give it not any respect or countenance, regard not

The word signifies vanity properly. All iniquity is vanity, sin is vanity, and sin hath brought vanity into the whole creation, yea sin makes all things a vexation to us. The Chaldee sai • h, regard not a lie, the Septuagint, regard not things absurd or uncomely.

But what Iniquity doth Elihu here chiefly intend? I answer, It is a truth of Iniquity in general, regard not any iniquity; yet here Elihu speaks not in that compass; as if he should say, regard not robbery, regard not murder, regard not adultery and wantonness, regard not any of these foul and gross sins; but there was a special sin which Elihu had an aim at, and which he thought Job gave too much regard unto; regard not iniquity, that is, undue speeches and heart-g udgings, or impatient complainings against the proceedings of God with thee; that is, do not stand so much complaining about what thou sufferest, and justifying thyself in what thou hast done, expostulate the matter no more with God, wish not for the night of death, &c. This is to regard or turn thy face to iniquity; take heed of these things, do not regard these evils, this kind of iniquity.

Further, when Elihu saith regard not iniquity, we are to expound him by these affirmatives; slight it, turn from it, abhor it, loath it, despise it, reject it; all these affi matives are contained in that negative, regard not. Frequently in Scripture, negatives intend their contrary affirmatives. When that Scripture saith, despise not prophesying, (1 Thes. 5.) the meaning is, ye shall regard it, love i • , follow it, delight in it; so on the other hand, when this Scripture saith, regard not iniquity, the meaning is, despise and oppose iniquity to the utmost; Take heed, regard not iniquity. From this part of the verse thus opened,

Observe, First;

It is a hard thing to forbear iniquity when we are pinched with adversity; not to speak unduly and uncomely, not to speak amiss of God, not to speak unbecoming ourselves, require • reat caution in a day of distress. We have need to take heed of this iniquity, to be watchful in an evil day, that we neither do nor say that which is evil. When things are amiss with us, we are very apt to speak and do amiss. As soon as ever the hand of God toucheth us, how do we grieve! how do we complain! how do we murmur! how do we repine! O regard not this, 'tis an iniquity to be taken heed of, in a dark day, in a day of trouble, such as was upon Job; as black a day was upon him, as ever upon any in the world, as to his personal condition. If such a Cedar failed, have not we, poor Shrubs, reason to look about in such a day? When an affliction is very great, they that are for reputation great and strong in faith, very choice believers, experienced soldiers in the wars of Jesus Christ (when an affliction (I say) grows very great) how apt are they to be dismayed, to be out of heart, to despond, to look upon themselves as undone, and all undone! O regard not, turn from this iniquity. It should not satisfy any servant of God that he avoids gross iniquities in practice, he must make conscience of an impatient word, and order his speech aright under the rod, as well as his conversation.

Secondly, Forasmuch as Elihu calls this an iniquity,

Observe;

Jobs affliction was as heavy as the sand, yet Elihu tells him, your complainings are your iniquity. I have had occasion several times in this book to speak of the evil of complaining, under the worst and sorest of afflictions, and therefore I only name it here.

Thirdly, taking iniquity in the largest notion,

Observe;

Sinners deserve no respect, much less doth sin. 'It is one part of the character which David gives of a Citizen of Zion, (Psal. 15.4.) He is one, in whose eyes a vile person (that is, a wicked person, a person given up to his lusts) is contemned. That which makes a person vile and contemptible, is worse than a vile person, and therefore should have less respect, or more contempt from us. Remember, sin is the only thing which makes any person vile; should we then give any respect to sin? should we give respect to that which brings utter disrespect upon us? have we any reason to honor that which brings us to shame? to regard that which makes us regardless both with God and all good men? However some men are regarded with men for their wickedness, I mean with wicked men (they regard their like the more, when they are most like them) yet (I say) sin makes every man regardless with God and every good man: Therefore regard it not, yea, slight it, trample upon it. Take that

For a Fourth note in the affirmative;

We should abhor it and cast it out of our souls, we should throw it out of our conversation.

Note Fifthly;

As 'tis his property to disregard all good ( Psa. 26.4.) he seteth not his heart to that which is good, he abhorreth not evil; that i • , he hath no regard to the good of duty, and he hath a great regard to the evil of iniquity. His not abhorring evil is to be interpreted in the affirmative, he regards, respects evil, he prizes and values his very basest lusts before the Law and Will of God. David disclaimeth this base spirit ( Ps. 66.18.) If I regard iniquity in my heart, God will not hear my prayers. Now who are they whose prayers God will not hear? We have the answer made by the blind man ( Joh. 9.) God heareth not sinners: whom will he hear then, seeing all are sinners? His meaning is, he hears not impenitent sinners, unbelieving sinners, such as trade on in a way of sin. Thus David concluded, if I regard iniquity in my heart, God will not hear me; for if I regard iniquity, I am of those sinners whose prayers God will not hear. Though David had done great iniquities, and had much iniqui • y in his heart, yet he regarded no iniquity in his heart, If I have locked to any iniquity in my heart (saith he) as the word is; that is, if iniquity in my heart be smiled upon, if I have pleased myself with it, if I have given it a good look, I were a wicked man, and God heareth not such.

Lastly, from these words, Elihu speaking thus to Job, a godly man, take heed, regard not iniquity,

Note;

Indulge not thyself in complainings and impatience, lest thou be found to regard iniquity, as Job is here charged in the next words.

Here Elihu applieth the matter yet closer to Job; I have advised thee, to take heed, not to regard iniquity, and my admonition is not without cause; I do not speak at random, for I tell thee plainly, thou hast chosen this rather than affl • ction; that is, thou hast regarded iniquity. To choose is to regard.

This thou hast chosen rather that affliction. This, What? This sin, impatient complaining and expostulating with God, this sin thou hast chosen. The word which we translate to choose, denotes a very serious and exact work of the soul. Choice is a deliberate act; we choose upon discussion and debate; choice is made upon trial and proof. Thus the word is used ( Exod. 17.9.) Joshua was to take chosen, approved, experienced men, to go to the war against Amalek. David gathered all the chosen men of Israel (2 Sam. 6.1.) And thus the Lord spake to the house of Jacob by the Prophet ( Isa. 48.10.) I have chosen thee; Where? I have chosen thee in the fire of affliction. Affliction is a tryer, and either discovers who are fit to be chosen, or sits and prepares them to be chosen. This thou hast chosen

But may we say that Job sat down, and putting his affliction in one balance and sin in another, chose iniquity rather than affliction, or sin rather than suffering? Surely the bent of Jobs spirit, the frame of his heart was far otherwise; nor is it consistent with a gracious state, or a state of grace, to sit down and make a perfect election of any sin, upon any terms whatsoever. Therefore the word choosing may be taken in a milder sense, or in a more moderate intendment; as if Elihu had said, Thou hast spoken and done such things, thou hast behaved thyself so under thine afflictions, as that a man may say, surely thou hast chosen iniquity rather than affliction; thou hast given others great cause to judge thus of thee. Elihu did not purpose to fasten this upon Job, that he had purposely concluded to choose sin rather than affliction; but he had taken liberty (through the violence of his temptations an • the extremity of his pains) to use such impatient speeches an • actings as might be interpreted, in a sense, a choosing of iniqui • y (that is, impatience) rather than affliction; that is, a quiet sufferance of affliction. This thou hast chosen rather than affliction, or, (As some render it) For this cause hast thou chosen anything rather than affliction, thou hast cho • en what came next rather than affliction; or, thou hast chosen this because of thine affliction, so others read it; that is, thou hast been so pressed with thine affliction and trouble, that thou carest not what thou choosest.

Mr. Broughton thus; Beware thou look not to sorrow, to choose that for thy affliction. The sum of all is, as if Elihu had thus bespoken Job in this part of the verse; O Job, whereas God requires of thee to give him glory in the humble submission of thy soul unto him, and sitting patiently under his mighty hand, thou hast behaved thyself quite otherwise, thou hast carried it stoutly, and uttered very bitter complainings of thy condition, thou hast not given God the glory of his sovereignty, of his holiness, justice, purity and goodness, in thy affl • ction, thou hast not set thyself to do this as thou shouldest, but thou hast run out exceedingly, and overshot thyself; So that, I may even say of thee, thou hast chose this iniquity, rather than submitted to thy affliction.

Elihu speaks reprovingly, this thou hast chosen; Is this a good choice?

Hence note, First;

As Solomon counseleth, in the book of Proverbs, with all thy gettings get understanding, he means spiritual understanding; as if he had said, What ever thou are getting be sure thou get wisdom for thy soul, wisdom to salvation, wisdom for eternity; in all thy gettings get understanding: So I may lay in this place, among all your choosings be sure you never choose sin; that's not to be chosen, leave that out, or pass that by in all your elections. This is a point of very large compass; it suits not my work here, to insist much upon it, yet I shall take leave a little; What ever you ch • ose, choose not sin. Why?

First, Sin is evil in itself, and that which is (malum in se) evil in itself, or evil itself, is not the object of choice; no man is to choose evil, nor properly can choose it.

Secondly, Choose not sin, for sin is an evil forbidden, the Law is against it, and the Gospel too.

Thirdly, Choose not sin, for sin is a dishonor to God, and we should rather choose to die than dishonor • od.

Fourthly, Choose not sin, for it brings destruction upon man. Sin strictly and abstractly considered cannot properly be chosen. A rational creature cannot choose sin properly, because sin is evil; and election being the office of the Will, whose adequate obj • ct is good, sin, strictly taken, cannot be chosen. But sin is often chosen, and 'tis the choice of most men, they choose iniquity rather than affliction; iniquity is the choice and the beloved of many a man's soul. But how? It is under the pretence of something that is good; no man can choose it as 'tis evil. For though some love sin and choose sin for sins sake (such come up highest and nearest to the frame of the devil, as they that do good for goods sake come nearest to the holy Angels) yet, I say, sin is always chosen under some consideration or shadow of good; and if any man choose to sin without respect to profit or gain, yet he hath some good in his eye, namely to please himself, he would have his will, and will not let God have his will; and this is good to him who is stark naught. But usually sin is chosen upon one of these three accounts.

First, sin is very often chosen (by a mistake) for that which is good. They who (as the Apostle speaks, Heb. 5.12.) are u • skillful in the word of righteousness, they who have not senses exercised to discern between good and evil, are very apt to choose evil instead of good, that is, thinking it to be good. Thus error in opinion is chosen, upon a mistake, for truth; and iniquity in practice, is chosen, upon a mistake, for duty. Of such the Prophet speaks ( Isa. 5.20.) They call evil good, and good evil, they put darkness for light, and light for darkness: which, as some do knowingly, out of perverseness of spirit; so others ignorantly, out of unsoundness of judgment, imagining that to be good which is evil, and that to be light which is nothing else but darkness, that to be sound doctrine which is er • our, and that holy worship which is superstition. So did Paul before he was converted, he chose iniquity, and thought he had done very well; I thought (saith he) I ought to do many things against the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 26.) I thought it my duty, I verily thought I ought to persecute and vex those who believed in Jesus, where-ever I found them. And Jesus Christ himself forewarns his Disciples ( John 16.2.) that the time was coming, that whosoever killed them would think they did God service. Thus many do not understand what is right, and so choose what is wrong.

Secondly, Others choose that which is evil, hoping that some good will come of it, that God may have some glory by it, and men themselves and others may have some advantage by it. This reproach was cast upon the Apostles and their doctrine, which St. Paul rejected with highest disdain ( Rom. 3.8.) Not as we are slanderously reported, and as some affirm, that we say, let us do evil that good may come thereof, whose damnation is just. The glory of the free grace of God will be manifested in the pardoning of our sin, come therefore (say some) let us sin our fill, that so the immeasurableness of the Lord's goodness and mercy may appear. Woe to those who make such inferences, their damnation is just. To do evil upon any hopes of good by it (though it be the glory of God) subjects to the worst evil of suffering, damnation. Others choose sin; Why? They look some good will come by it, that is, some profit. If we strain our consciences to do this, we may get or keep favor with men; if we do this evil, it may gain us acceptance in the world. Many choose evil, because in doing so, they swim with the stream, and comply with the many, or as the Apostle speaks, with the course of this world; these choose evil, because they would be in the fashion of the most, they consider which way the world is like to go, and set themselves to go that way.

Thirdly, Others do evil hoping to avoid and escape danger by it; they choose the evil of sin, that they may escape the evil of punishment. As many sin for a little advantage, so others to avoid loss, and that they may sleep in a whole skin. Some will deny what they have done, to save themselves: No body can prove it against us, we will deny it, and so avoid trouble, and keep out of the reach of danger. Yea, for this cause many deny the truth and renounce the ways of God, in which they have walked. Demas forsook Paul, he left the Church of God, that he might keep in with, and close to the world. Upon these pretences and hopes many choose evil, not merely and barely in itself, but as it comes thus clothed: As some choose it through ignorance, so others upon hopes of getting good, and not a few upon hopes of avoiding evil, and keeping out of hazard and harms-way. But whatever worldly good any gain, or danger they escape, by choosing iniquity, that choice brings them into greater danger, and subjects them to the loss of a greater good.

This thou hast chosen rather than affliction. The particular iniquity (as hath been shown) was impatience.

Hence note;

The Lord by Moses told his People, when they should be brought into great tribulation, because of their sin and uneven walkings, because of their breaking the Lord's Statutes and Commandments ( Lev. 26.41.) If they shall accept of the punishment of their Iniquity, then it shall be well with them. If at such a time ye stand not complaining and murmuring against me, but shall well accept or take the punishment kindly, and kiss the Rod, acknowledging how you have provoked me, and walked unworthy of former mercy; then I will show you favor, and renew your mercies: But if in affliction you fall a murmuring, and say, surely the Lord hath cast us quite off, there's no hope, you choose iniquity rather than affliction.

Thirdly, Elihu in this doth not only reprove Job for doing that which was very evil in itself, but he reproves him for doing that which was very evil to himself; this thou hast chosen rather than affliction. As if he had said, Thou dost not know thine own good, in making this choice. We say, He is a wise man that understands his own good.

Hence note;

Thus Solomon concludes for Wisdom ( Prov. 8.36.) He that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul. He that sinneth, wrongs Christ, but Christ passeth that over, and seemeth to say, I will bare your wrongs, but pray take heed to yourselves, will you not love yourselves? will you not abstain from sin out of love to yourselves? he that sinneth against me wrongs his own soul; all that hate me (that is, my ways) they love death: And surely there is no great beauty in death, that we should love it and desire it. They choose very ill for themselves, that choose sin, the wages whereof is death. I grant, to choose affliction is but a hard choice (affliction is not good in itself) but affliction, if chosen, may prove good; it may be very good to us, it may bring in much good to us: and therefore there is wisdom, not only in choosing any affliction, rather than sin, but in choosing someone affliction rather than another. But what good doth he choose, that chooses sin? Happy is the man that endures correction, or affliction, saith the Scripture in many places; but doth it say anywhere, Happy is the man that commits iniquity? If you choose affliction rather than iniquity, you choose a great deal of good. First, David could say upon trial ( Psal. 119.71.) It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy statutes. Did ever David say, it is good for me that I have sinned, which is to unlearn or break Statutes? did he ever please himself in thinking that he had sinned? he did even please himself that he had been afflicted; that was good, because he learned Commandments by it; he grew a better Scholar, then he was in that best learning of all, the knowledge of the Commandments of God.

Again, Secondly, It is good to be afflicted; why? afflictions are the exercises of our Graces, the exercise of our Faith, the exercise of our patience, the exercise of our self-denial. 'It is a good thing to have our Graces exercised, for thereby they are increased. If you choose affliction, you shall probably have that good by it, the increase of your best things, your Graces.

Thirdly, Affliction purgeth out our corruptions, and that is good. Is it not good to have a disease, or an ill humor, purged out? this good comes by affliction. But doth the committing of sin purge sin? doth the Stock of sin abate by sinning? does the ill humor spend itself? no, the ill humor rather increaseth. When you choose sin, you weaken your Graces, and cherish your corruptions; but when you refuse sin, your corruptions weaken or spend their strength. Do you think when you have committed one sin, that the soul is made more unable to, or more averse from the same or another sin? When you have satisfied the call of one lust, will it now let you alone, and call no more? no, not at all; the more you sin, the more you may; the more you sin, the more doth the Stock of sin increase and grow in you.

Fourthly, Affliction is a means to take us off or wean us from the World: O what a good is that! we being so apt to dote upon it. The sin of the Age is, falling in love with the World; therefore it may be good for us to be soundly afflicted, that we may be weaned from the World, and from all things in the world, and be kept, where our true interest is, in the bosom of Christ, or close to him. But if you choose iniquity, will that take you off from the World? no; the more sin, the more love of the World; for sin and the World are akin, they are of a Blood; therefore the more you have to do with the one, the more you will have to do with the other.

Fifthly, Affliction b • ings us nearer to God. That which takes us off from the World, brings us nearer to God: this is an excellent advantage, a great good of affliction. But choose sin, and will that bring us nearer to God? Sin is a departure from God: The Lord saith to sinners, Ye are departed and gone. Sin is so far from bringing us nearer to God, that as all in a state of sin, are far off from God, so every act of sin widens the distance, and puts us farther off from God.

Sixthly, Affliction is our conformity to Christ. If you choose affliction, you choose that which makes you look like Christ; for he was a man of sorrows in this world, he was not in the ruff and jollity, in the power and pomp of this world, but low, and of no reputation, acquainted with grief all his days. If then you choose affliction rather than sin, you choose conformity to Christ; but choosing iniquity rather than affliction, you take up the utmost disformity to Christ, who knew no sin, n • r was any guile found in his mouth. He took all our afflictions upon him, but he would not touch our sin, as a doer of it, only as (in our stead) a sufferer for it.

How great is the good of affliction! But is there any good at all in sin? Upon all these considerations the Apostle saith, When God, the Father of spirits, afflicts his sons and daughters, he doth it for their profit, that they may be partakers of his holiness (Heb. 12.10, 11.) The Lord afflicts us for our profit, but he doth not say I have let you sin for your profit: For though the Lord is able to, and often doth, bring good out of sin, yet not instrumentally, but occasionally. Therefore the Scripture at • ributes no profit to sin, but speaking of sin, it saith, What fruit have ye of those things whereof ye are now ashamed (Rom. 6 21.) show your gain; what are your advantages? what the revenues which your lusts have brought in? what have you got by your malice, by your wrath, by your conformity and compliance with the world? have these b ought you in any advantage? are you bettered by them? what fruit have you of those things, whereof you are now ashamed? Let us therefore often consider Moses 's choice ( Heb. 11.25.) Moses was a wise and a holy man; and what did he? He chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. Herein try your spirits. Christ set two things before Moses; Come, Moses, here's affliction, you must be afflicted, and afflicted with the people of God (which are the greatest afflictions, you shall be sure to be lashed with the smartest so • rest Rod in their Company) or here is Egypt, and all the contentments that sin can give; which will you have Moses? O give me afflictions with the people of God (said Moses ) Let the world ruffle and rant in the pleasures of sin for a season, for my part I will have affliction, O give me affliction. In this choice Moses approved himself a wise man, and understood his good. So did the Martyrs. Come, will you have a p • ison, or deny Christ? a Halter, or forsake the Faith? will you into this fire, or will you commit that iniquity? O say they, give us Prisons, Halters, Fires, rather than conform to your wickedness. Remember this Point, this is a needful Point for us at all times. I would add these three things further about it. Choose affliction rather than sin; why?

First, Because sin is worse than all affliction. Secondly, Because sin is the Sting of all affl • ction. If you are in an afflicted condition, and your consciences tell you you have been base, vile, complying with the World, and dissembling or false-hearted with God; if your hearts tell you, you have been rotten at the heart, this will be the sting of your afflictions. What is the sting of death? The Apostle answers (1 Cor. 15.56.) The sting of death is sin. Would a man choose a sting? Surely you choose a sting when you choose sin, and that which will afflict you beyond all your afflictions.

Thirdly, Sin is worse than affliction, for when God would declare his severest wrath, and bring the greatest affliction upon the children of men, when he resolves to affli • t a person or a people to the utmost, he doth not say, I will make this man a poor man, or I will send plague, or sickness, or famine among this people, but he saith, I will deliver him or them up into the hands of their sins, or to the power of their lusts. ( Psal. 81.11.) Israel would none of me (saith the Lord) they were coy, they had other lovers, they would have the world, they chose sin, rather than God, and to go a whoring after the creature, rather than keep close to him. What then? So I gave them up to their own hearts lusts. As if the Lord had said, Pray take your course, you that love your own inventions, take your fill of them, you that love and would have the vanities of the world, take your fill of them. The Lord doth not threaten them with famine and pestilence, no nor with hell, but he threatens them with sin, and leaves them to the power of iniquity. Thus he gave up the old Gentile Romans to vile affections, (Rom. 1.26, 28.) Let them be victorious, let them be rich, let them subdue all Nations under their iron hands, let Rome be the Head and Mistress of the world, and command all people, let all stoop to their power, but saith God, I will give them up to vile affections, they shall be basely Idolatrous, and basely wanton, and basely gluttonous, and basely drunken, and basely ambitious, and basely envious: As they were above all people of the world in outward glory and power, so God left them under the power of their lusts, and gave them up to glut themselves with wickedness; He gave them up to a reprobate mind, to do things that are not convenient. 'It is the most terrible of all afflictions, when God makes a sin an affliction, and gives men up to hardness of heart, to pride, to a spirit of looseness and wantonness; here is a mischief indeed, the mischief of sin.

Lastly, Observe;

We may understand and prosecute this point two ways.

First, As to guilt. It will no way excuse us before God, to say, I forbore to do duty when commanded by God, I did evil because commanded by man, not out of any dislike of my duty, or liking of iniquity, but only to avoid those afflictions, which I saw inevitably falling upon me, in case I had either done the one, or not done the other. This plea will not hold before God, for any man's discharge from guilt upon either account. And though there may be some sea • ons wherein a duty may be laid by or omitted, yet there is no season wherein any iniquity may be chosen or committed.

Secondly, We cannot be excused, as to Discretion. We are fools, and act below, not only gracious but rational men, if we choose iniquity to avoid any affliction, whether that affliction or suffering, be, first, our own; or secondly, the suffering of others. First, though nearly related, & very near to us, wife, children, &c. Secondly, though many, never so many, a whole Nation, a whole world, the Church. I believe that assertion of St Augustine will be found sound and Orthodox Divinity; Better let the world perish, than attempt to save it by telling an officious lie.

The evil of sin is so bad that if any good could come by it (which of itself cannot) it were not worth the having: Some said in the Apostles times, & they said it of the Apostles, ( Rom. 3.8.) Let us do evil that good may come of it. God by his infinite power, wisdom, and goodness, brought good out of evil, even salvation to man out of the fall of the first man; but if any man, or sort of men, shall project the obtainment of good by the doing of evil, the Apostle in the same place hath given them this doom, Their damnation is just; nothing is more just or righteous, than their damnation, who hope to get good for themselves or others by doing evil, which is itself injustice and unrighteousness.

IN these two verses Elihu prosecuteth the admonition which he had given Job in the 21 verse, to take heed of uttering anything rashly concerning God's dealings with him, or, of choosing iniquity rather than affliction: And he presseth the admonition by two great arguments.

First, From the power and wisdom of God, in the 22t ^h verse; Behold, God exalteth by his power: who teacheth like him?

Secondly, He urgeth it by an argument taken from the sovereignty of God, as also from his most exact Justice, ( v. 23.) Who hath enjoined him his way? or who can say, thou hast wrought iniquity? As if he had said, Take heed how thou accusest the Justice of God in any of his dealings with thee: If God be of such power, of such wisdom, of such sovereignty; of such integrity, then consider well what thou speakest, yea what thou thinkest of God; beware thou speakest not a word, nor conceivest a thought amiss of him. Consider, I say, God himself, his ways, and works, thoroughly, and thou wilt conclude with me, That though many in the world have great power, and have left the marks of it in many places, and upon many persons; yet none like God, either, first, in doing his own work, or secondly, in directing or teaching us how to do ours.

So that Elihu by this report and commendation of the power and wisdom of God, seems to comfort Job in the assurance or hope of better things, if he would hearken to and accept his counsel; for as God had mightily afflicted and broken him, so he was as mighty to heal those breaches, and deliver him; he only waited to see him in a better frame, that he might be gracious, ( Isa. 30.18.) That's the general sum of the words.

Some read, God is high in his own power; that carrieth Elihu's reason strongly in it, God is exalted in his power above all others; and therefore it is no way suitable or consentaneous unto reason, that the greater power should be questioned, much less condemned of injustice by the lesser power: There must be a parity, a coordination, or a co-equality at least, if not a superiority, where judgment is given. That's a great truth, God is exalted in his own power.

David (Psal. 21.13.) turns it into a prayer, or wish, Be thou exalted, O Lord, in thine own strength. He makes a like prayer, ( Psal. 108.5.) The Lord in other places declareth himself p • remptorily in it, ( Psal. 46.10.) Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the Heathen, I will be exalted in the Earth. It shall be so whether men will or will not; whether men will or no, God will be exalted, because he is exalted in his own power, not in any derived power, or power given him from the creature, Men or Angels. The power which God puts forth in his works exalt him, or show him to be a great, a mighty God. Behold, God is exalted by his own power.

But we translate the Text (and so I conceive it more fitly suits the scope of Elihu ) as expressing an act of God towards others; Behold, God exalteth by his power. So Mr Broughton; Mark, the Omnipotent sets up by his strength.

(As hath been shown) is a note both of attention and admiration.

The strong God, the potent, the omnipotent God, who is able to overcome all difficulties,

The word which we render to exalt, signifieth to set in an inaccessible height, or to exalt ve • y high; and not only so, but to establish in that exaltation, yea so to confirm and corroborate him that is set up in such a height, that no power is able to molest, trouble, or afflict him; and therefore a word coming from this root signifieth a fortified Castle or Tower; such places, if any, are exalted and lifted up on high. Behold, God exalteth; As if Elihu had said, God is not only exalted in himself, he is not only lifted up beyond the reach of all creature-annoyances, but he is able to lift up others; and he doth actually exalt his when he pleaseth, beyond the reach of all danger, beyond the hurtful power of those who hate them, and therefore have a mind to hurt them. God is so exalted above others, that he can exalt others also. He exalteth by

He hath the power in himself. The word which we render power, signifieth,

First, That might and strength which is corporal, the might and strength of the body.

Secondly, Inward might and strength, whether acquired or infused, the might of the mind, wisdom and policy.

Thirdly, Civil might and power, honor and riches. Whatever maketh a man strong, comes under the notion of this word; and every way, in all the Notions of power, God is exalted. He exalteth by his power.

But seeing 'tis barely asserted (He exalteth by his power) nothing being expressed, it may be questioned, whom doth he exalt? or what doth he exalt? I answer, Forasmuch as the Scripture leaveth it at large, and undetermined, we may apply this assertion to any, either thing or person. God exalteth whom he pleaseth, and what he pleaseth. We may take it distinctly these five ways.

First, He exalteth Himself by his power; that is, he exalteth his own Name and Glory, which is nearest to him, yea, as himself.

Secondly, He exalteth every work which he will undertake and engage upon: He doth not only lay the Foundation of his work, and rear up the Walls a little way, but he exalteth by his power till he hath set up the Head-stone of his work (as the Prophet Zechariah speaketh, Chap. 4.7.) all that love and fear him shouting and crying, Grace, Grace, to it. He exalteth his works of Providence, as once he did his work of Creation, to full perfection.

Thirdly, The Lord exalteth those that fear him, for they are most properly his Favorites; and whom should he exalt but those whom he favoreth? All the worldly exaltations of evil men, are but depressions and abasements, compared with those exaltations and advancements which God intendeth for all that fear him; and some he exalteth much in this World.

Fourthly, and more specially, He exalteth by his power (such Job then was) those that are cast down by the oppressing power of men, even the poor, and those that have no help. Thou art he (saith David, Psal. 9.13.) that liftest me up (or exaltest me) from the gates of death. When I am perishing, when I am ready to be swallowed up with death, when I am at the greatest loss, even as to life itself, then thou liftest me up, thou liftest me up from the very gates of death. Again, ( Psal. 18.48.) He delivereth me from mine enemies, yea thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me: When they are casting me down, God is exalting and raising me up. And if God will raise up, who can keep down?

Fifthly, We may take the words in this general sense; Whosoever is exalted in this world, God exalteth him. The Sparrow cannot fall to the ground, nor the least thing or person be lifted from the ground, but by the hand of God. As he exalteth some in a way of special favor, so he exalteth the worst of men in a way of common providence: As none can be exalted if he say, no; God is able to put a bar or a stop to any man's exaltation; so he can exalt whom he will, and none are able to put a bar or a stop to their exaltation. Behold, God exalteth by his power.

Hence Note;

Elihu spake this purposely to Job, who was in a low condition, brought (as it were) to the very gates of death; and he makes this large description of the power of God in exalting those that are cast down, purposely to comfort Job, to erect his spirit, and cheare his heart, with a blessed confidence, that how much soever he was at present under-foot, or under-hatches, yet he might hope for better things, even to be lifted up, if he humbled himself under the mighty hand of God. ( Psal. 9.9.) The Lord will be a refuge, (the word in the Text answers this) or an high place, for the oppressed. Places of refuge are usually high places, and therefore the same Hebrew word signifieth both an high place and a place of refuge, ( Psal. 107.41.) He setteth the poor on high from affliction, and maketh him families like a flock. The Prophet ( Isa. 33.16.) Having spoken of the man that walketh in his integrity, tells us how it shall be with him, He shall dwell on high; The word is, He shall dwell in the high places, that is, he shall dwell in God, who is most high, for evermore; God will exalt him even to as much safety, as himself is in; his place of defense shall be the munition of Rocks; bread shall be given him, his water shall be sure; He shall be housed with God, yea housed in God, he shall be fed by God, he shall lodge under his roof, and sit (as it were) at his Table, he shall have bread enough, and water enough, and both sure enough.

And if the Lord exalteth thus by his power, let none be discouraged in their afflictions and castings down. The Lord alone is sufficient, yea all sufficient; and he exalteth not only by his will, that is, he hath not only a will to exalt, but he exalteth by his power, that is, he hath power enough to exalt whom he will. What power soever is in the creature, 'tis the Lord's power; 'tis a stream from his Ocean, and when the Lord is pleased to remove all power from the creature, he hath a sufficient reserve of power in himself, or in his own hand, by which he can command deliverance, yea exaltation. Therefore do not speak either despondingly or▪ desparingly, as if all hope were gone, when at any time all human power is gone; for God exalteth by his (own) power; and as it followeth in the Text,

As if Elihu had said, God is not good only at acting, but he is good at instructing, and he is best at both. He is best or beyond all in power; He is best or beyond all in wisdom and understanding, and therefore who teacheth like him?

At the 15 ^th verse of this Chapter, we have the substance of what is here asserted, and so upon the matter, 'tis but the same thing repeated; there it is, He delivereth the poor: here, He exalteth by his power; There 'tis said, He openeth their ear to instruction; here, Who teacheth like him? The words are a divine challenge, Who teacheth like him? B ing forth the man, bring forth the Angel that can. The word which here we tender, to teach, in its first sense signifieth to cast a Dart, Javelin, or Stone. It signifieth also to rain, and so the rain which falls from heaven, because that is as it were, cast from the clouds to the earth. Hence by a Metaphor it signifieth to teach or instruct, because holy doct • ine or instruction cometh down like rain from heaven upon the minds and hearts of those that are taught. My doctrine shall distill as the dew, and my speech shall drop as the rain, said Moses (Deut. 32.1.) And hence the whole Law of God is expressed by a word in the Hebrew coming from this root, that being poured down from heaven in showers of doctrine to make men fruitful in every good word and work. In answer to which, some translate this latter part of the verse, There is no Law-giver like unto him. Who is a Law-giver like him? or there is no Law-giver like him. To give Law, or to be a Law-giver, is more than barely to be a teacher, though he that teacheth, doth also (in a sense) give Laws.

Here, I conceive, we take the fittest and most suitable signification of the word, when we render it by teaching, Who teacheth like him? As if he had said, None can teach like God, and therefore surely none can teach him how to govern the world, or to dispose of any man's person or condition, as thou, O Job, hast rashly or overboldly done; for while thou hast complained so much and so often of his dealings with thee, thou hast (upon the matter) attempted to teach him. But, Who teacheth like him? Where shall we find any able to give instruction, and apply doctrine like God? God is exalted infinitely in power, and yet he condescends to be a teacher, or an instructer; God doth not stand upon his power only, he saith not, I have power to do what I will, I can force all men to my will, or break them if they will not, but he inst • ucts and persuades, he labors to allure the soul into a right understanding of his will, and submission to it. Who teacheth like him?

Hence note;

This is the great P • omise in the Covenant of grace, They shall be all taught of God (John 6.45.) Some things may be known by the light of nature, of which knowledge God is the Author, in the same sense, as he is of all natural Powers and faculties. But here Eli •• , intends a spiritual knowledge, both of God and of ourselves, or a teaching of divine things by divine chastenings, both with respect to what we should do and desire, as also with respect to what we should shun and avoid, which is the work of God alone by his grace and Spirit. Thus David shows how God is teaching while he is chastening ( Psal. 99.12.) Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O Lord, and teachest out of thy Law. God teacheth, First, by his Word, (that's his ordinary way of teaching) Secondly, he teacheth by his Works; and those both the works of Creation and of Providence, and by those, whether works of Mercy or of Judgment: By all these means God teacheth. But that which Elihu chiefly aimeth at in this place (speaking to afflicted Job ) is his teaching by affliction, Who teacheth like him? As if he had said, God doth not lay his hand upon thee by affliction, only to make thee smart, but to make thee wise; he is instructing thee while he is afflicting thee. Further, as God teacheth by his Word and by his Works, so he teacheth most eminently by his Spirit, who alone maketh the teaching both of his Word and of his Works effectual upon the hearts of the hearers and beholders. Many are taught, but none to purpose, without the Spirit. Who teacheth like him?

Note Secondly;

Elihu doth not say, Who teacheth besides God? There are many other teachers, but there is not one who teacheth like him. Some may say, wherein doth the excellency of divine teaching lie? how hath that the supereminence above all other teachings? Take the answer briefly in seven words.

First, none teacheth so plainly and clearly as God. The teachings of men are but dark and obscure to the teachings of God. Christ said ( John 16.26.) I shall no more speak unto you in parables, but I shall show you plainly of the Father. God speaks by his Word and Spirit to the lowest and meanest understanding.

Secondly, none teacheth like God; that is, so mildly, so moderately, so condescendingly to the condition and capacity of those with whom he hath to do. Christ said ( John 16.12.) I have many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now; and therefore I will not say them now, I will not bu • den you beyond your strength. I know what lessons, what instructions you are fit for, and I will give you only these and no mo • e, till ye are better prepared to receive them; I will give you only milk because ye are children, and so not able to digest-st ong meat.

Thirdly, none teacketh like God, so patien • lie and meekly. There is nothing doth more provoke the passion of a teacher, than the untowardness and dullness of those that are taught. It was a very good Rule given by one of the Ancients, he that will teach children, must in a manner be a child; He must consider what they are, and form himself to their condition, else she will never have the patience to teach them. O with what patience doth the infinite and only wise God teach his children! ( Isa. 28.9, 10.) He giveth line upon line, and precept upon precept, here a little and there a little. Here is the patience of God; He doth not say, if ye cannot take it now, I will teach you no more; No, saith God, I will give precept upon precept, and line upon line; though former precepts have not been received, yet I will give you more, here a little and there a little, ye shall have another little to the former little. God was forty years tutoring and teaching the Israelites in the wilderness, to fit them for the possession of Canaan. These three years, saith Christ, have I come looking for fruit, and all that while he was teaching them, to make them fruitful; nor was he hasty then, but upon the in • ercession of the vineyard-dresser, waited one year more. O the patience of God in teaching!

Fourthly, none teacheth like him, that is, so constantly and continually; He teacheth, and he is always teaching; there is no hour, no moment, but one way or other God is reaching; By everything we hear, or have to do with, in the ways of his providence, he is teaching us. B sides, how constant is God in teaching us formally, as 'tis said, in the Prophet ( Jer. 35.14, 15.) I have sent unto you all my servants the prophets, rising up early, and sending them: As if the Lord did bestir himself in the mo • ning, to send our teachers betimes. He soweth his seed in the morning, and in the evening he doth not with hold his hand, as he requireth us to do in all sorts of duty, whether of charity and righteousness, towards our n • ighbour, or, of piety and holy worship towards himself ( Eccl. 11.6.)

Fifthly, none teacheth like him, that is, so truly, so unerringly. While men teach they sometimes mis-teach, while they lead, they often mis-lead; they teach error for truth, and unsafe doctrine for sound; they build wood, hay and stubble, instead of gold, silver, precious stone, upon that sure foundation Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 3.12.) The best, the wisest, and most knowing men may err; only God knoweth the full compass of all mysteries, yea he is Truth; therefore his teachings are most true.

Sixthly, none teacheth like him; that is, so authoritatively. Men teach in the name and authority of God; but God teacheth in his own name and authority. The Lord giveth Authentity to his own word. If the Lord hath said it, that's warrant enough to receive it and believe it. When Christ preached, the people wondered at his doctrine ( Mat. 7.29.) For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the Scribes; that is, there went forth a mighty command with the word of Jesus Christ; He did not, as I may say, beg attention and submission to his doctrine, but exact it upon them, and draw it from them. Where God teacheth, he commandeth, his word worketh mightily; when he speaketh, all must hear at their peril. Wh •• e Princes give the rule and publish their Laws, subjects must hear and obe • , or suffer for not obeying: How much more where God gives the Rule, and publisheth his Law!

Seventhly, who teacheth like him? that is, so effectually, so efficatiously. As God hath authority to charge his teachings upon us at our peril to receive them, so he hath a power to work our hearts to the receiving of them. Who teacheth thus like God? The M •• isters of Christ teach in the authority of God, and charge all to receive what they say in his Name, but they cannot give an effect to the charge ( Isa. 48.17.) He teacheth to profit. One translation saith, He teacheth things profitable. But that is a lean rendering, for so doth every Minister that teacheth as he ought; but our rendering carrieth the efficacy of the word of God in it, He teacheth to profit; that is, he can make the dullest Scholar learn, he can make the most stubborn heart to submit. Christ speaking of this great work of God in teaching, saith ( John 6.45.) No man cometh unto me, except the Father draw him. What is that drawing? It is this teaching, as ye may see ( verse. 45.) Everyone therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father, cometh unto me. That is, everyone whom the Father hath vouchsafed to teach and instruct, that man cometh to me, that is, he believeth and obeyeth the Gospel, and submitteth both in judgment and practice. Everyone that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh to me: There is not one whom God hath undertaken to teach, that doth miscarry. ( Isa. 32.4.) The heart of the rash shall understand knowledge; or, the heart of the hasty. Now hasty and rash persons, are heady and inconsiderate persons, and therefore none of the wisest; they usually have little judgment or discretion, who are much in passion; but God can make the heart of the rash to understand knowledge; that is, he can make them understand and know things aright, who seem most uncapable of, and are naturally at the greatest distance from a rightness of knowledge and understanding.

To close the Point, take these inferences from the who I.

First, If God be such a teacher, then stay not in the bare teachings of men. What are the teachings of men to the teachings of God? Though you should have an Angel from heaven to speak to you, yet stay not in his teachings, wait for the teachings of God. Till ye are taught of God ye never learn to purpose. Set yourselves, not only as in God's presence, but as under his Spirit, to be taught; wait for the moving of the Spirit in every ordinance, as they did for the Angels moving of the waters, who lay at the pool of Bethesda for healing ( Joh. 5.4.)

Secondly, Seeing God teacheth thus paramount, seeing none teach like him, then submit to his teaching. Do not question any of his rules of life or doctrines of faith, they are all righteous and full of divine truth; you cannot do amiss if you do, nor believe amiss if you believe, no, nor miss of blessedness in doing and believing, what he hath taught.

Thirdly, Then appear as they who are taught of God.

You will say, How, or when doth it appear, that we are or have been taught of God? I shall answer that query in four things.

First, If you are or have been taught of God, his teaching unteacheh or emptyeth you, & that in a threefold respect. First, of your own carnal principles. The great business of divine teaching, is to unteach, to take men off from their own Will and Reason, from their own Rules, as also from those Customs which they have received by tradition from their fathers. If you would appear as taught of God, you must lay down all these. The teachings of grace empty the soul of what it hath taken up by Nature. Secondly, the teachings of God empty the soul of all self-righteousness. If ye be taught of God ye will be nothing in yourselves. Paul, before the teachings of God came, had confidence in the flesh, and boasted in his own righteousness; but when he was taught of God, he threw off all those. Thirdly, If ye are taught of God, that will certainly unteach and empty you of all unrighteousness. The Apostle speaks fully to that ( Ephes. 4.20, 21.) Ye have not so learned Christ, if so be that ye have been taught as the truth is in Jesus. If ye have been divinely taught, then this teaching hath emptied you of the old man; as of all self-righteousness so of all unrighteousness towards others. It is impossible any should take in the teachings of God, and yet hold any sinful practisings.

Secondly, divine teachings, as they empty and unteach the soul, so they keep it very humble. Knowledge endangers us naturally to high thoughts of ourselves, and hath a tendency in it to p • ide (1 Cor. 8.1.) Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth. Take knowledge barely as received of men, even the knowledge of divine things (for ye may have a human knowledge of divine things) this usually makes the heart swell; but the knowledge we have from the teachings of God, makes us humble, it will cause us to cry out (as the Prophet did, when the Lord appeared and let out a more than ordinary manifestation of his glory, ( Isa. 6.5.) we are undone. It was so with Job, when the Lord had schooled him, and made himself more fully known to him th • n ever before, he presen • lie cried out ( Chap. 41.5) I have he • d of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye seeth thee; wherefore I abhor myself in dust and ashes. Nothing keeps the soul so humble as the teachings of God. Where we see any proud of what they have learned, it is an argument that either they were never taught of God, or, that as yet they have not understood his teachings.

Thirdly, The teachings of God do not only empty and humble the soul, but they transform the soul, and change it into another thing than it was, as to its state and qualities: The teachings of God change not only our manners but our very natures; they not only give a light to the Understanding, but a newness to the Will, new Affections, new Desires. This is it which the Apostle calls the new creature (2 Cor. 5.17.) and that this creature is wrought to its highest perfection by the teachings of God, he showeth (2 Cor. 3.18.) We all with open face, beholding as in a glass, the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord. The glass wherein we have this sight of the glory of God, is chiefly the Word. The glory into which we are changed by those sights, is our conformity to that holiness which shineth in the Word. And this change is twofold; First, from sin to grace, which is a degree of glory. Secondly, from glory to glory, that is, from a high to a higher, and at last to the highest degree of grace. Look what the Word is, and calleth us to be, that are we when taught according to the truth of the word, by the power and Spirit of God.

Fourthly, The teachings of God confirm the soul in that which is taught, or we have learned. If God teach any divine lesson, that will stick. We receive many lessons from men, and let them slip, as the Apostles word is ( Heb. 2.1.) Doctrine taught us of God settles upon us, we hold the substance of it, and hold forth the fruit or power of it in every season of our lives: yea, if trouble or persecution arise for the truth, they who are taught of God will hold it fast, though they let go all they have in this world for it. If God teach us the doctrine of Free Grace, how we are justified by the righteousness of Jesus Christ, without our own works; If God teach us the doctrine of pure Worship, how he is to be served, and honored according to his own will, without the Traditions of men, (as Christ spake ( Mat. 15.9.) If (I say) God teach us these, or any other saving truths, we cannot but hold them: whereas they who have received them from men will part with them on the account of man. Only that which God hath taught us abideth with us, and that no man can take from us. Men may take the life of such a one from him, which God hath given him, but they cannot take the truth from him which God hath taught him. What God teacheth, is written, as it were, with a pen of iron and the point of a diamond, it is graven upon the tables of the heart forever. Thus we may in some measure discern who are taught of God; and seeing they who are taught of him, are so taught, we may very well insist upon Elihu 's challenge; Who teacheth like him? And as there is no teacher like God, so neither is there any ruler like God; this also is taught us by Elihu, as a matter out of question, while in the next verse he proceeds to make more questions, or two questions more.

This verse holds out two things. First, the sovereignty; Secondly, the integrity of God. God is supreme in power, and he is righteous in the use of his power, and therefore, O Job, thou hast much forgotten both thyself and him, in making so many complaints about thy condition, which is indeed to enjoin God his way, or prescribe to him how he shall govern the world. And seeing no man hath enjoined God his way, who can question him about it, what way soever he is pleased to take, either with whole Nations, or with any of the sons of men.

No man hath, no man can, enjoin him his way. God hath no visitors over him. Mr. Broughton renders, Who gave him charge over his ways. Like that, Chap. 34.13.

The way of God is any course which himself taketh, either in governing the world in general, or any person in particular; who shall instruct him about either what or how he shall do, whom he shall spare, whom he shall punish, whose heart he shall soften, whose he shall harden, whom he shall save, whom he shall destroy, how he shall teach, which way he shall lead; in a word, how he shall administer justice and order any of his matters? all must be bound to and by his Laws, he cannot be bound to or by the laws and prescripts of any, either in works of Judgment or of Mercy, either in doing good to and for man, or in dealing out of evil. Further,

Who hath enjoined him his way? By the way of God we may understand both the actions of God themselves, as also the reasons moving him to those actions. As if Elihu had said, Who hath taught God what to do? Who hath, or who can direct him what to do? Who may be so bold with God, who is the sovereign Lord over all the earth, thus to enjoin him his way?

Hence note;

No man hath shown him or enjoined him his way. He is the fountain of light, he seeth what to do; who hath been his counselor? (1 Cor. 2.16.) that is, no man hath, or may instruct him ( Isa. 40.13. Rom. 11.34.) Again, he is the fountain of power; none hath authority to direct him, he is above all; as he needs not the counsel of any, so he receiveth the rule from none. I have had occasion more than once in the process of this Book, to say somewhat of the sovereignty of God over all creatures, and therefore only remind it here, Who hath enjoined him his way?

The world is full of iniquity, but in God there is none at all. As God is not obliged to give any men an account of his works, so no man can find any, the least, real fault or defect in any of them; and if his works do not appear so to us now, yet at last they will appear to all without any shadow of iniquity. Samuel called together the Israelites, and demanded (1 Sam. 12.3.) Whose ox have I taken? &c. Whom have I defrauded? &c. Come charge me, witness against me; who can say, I have wrought iniquity? It was much, and a rare thing for Samuel to carry it so justly, that none could challenge him; but when all the world shall be summoned before God, he will be able to put the question, Who of all the sons of men, can say, I have wrought iniquity? None can say it, but with utmost impudency and highest blasphemy. It is impossible for God to work iniquity; not only is his Command, but his Will totally against it. Whatever God works is according to his own Will, and his Will is the Rule of Righteousness; therefore he can do no iniquity. There is no iniqui y in acting or working according to the Law. If men act according to their will, they usually act iniquity, because their will is no • a Law, and 'tis seldom conformed to the Law. The will of no man is so right, or so fixed in the right, as to be received fo • a Law. But seeing whatever God doth, he doth it according to his o • n Will, and his Will is the righteous Rule of all things, therefore all must be right which he doth: Who-ever took him tripping in his dealings? Who can say, he bath wrought iniquity?

But why doth Elihu speak thus to Job? Had he ever said that God works iniquity?

I answer, He had not. Yet because he thought God might have done better by good men, or have given out that which was more suitable to their estate, than such continual sorrows and afflictions as he endured, therefore this saying is deservedly imputed to him. For, it would have become Job, and doth every man, to say, that is best done which God do • h, and that he hath chosen or pitched upon the best, and most proper means of doing his own choicest servants good, even when 'tis worst with them in the world, or, when he afflicts them with the greatest evils; For, Who can (then) say, he hath wrought iniquity?

Hence observe;

Who, though he be so absolute in power, that none can call him in question ( none can enjoin him his way, and therefore none can question him for his way) yet he is so perfect in righteousness, that no fault can be found in him, nor any error in his way. Though the Lord hath power to do what he will, yet he hath no will to do wrong with his power. The Lord neither doth nor can do wrong to those who have, to their power, continually wronged him. And indeed, he that hath all power in his hand, can have nothing but right in his heart. How few are there in power (though their way be enjoined to them, though they have power merely by commission, from superior powers, though their power be such as they are to give an account of, yet, I say, how few are there in power) who do not much iniquity, who do not, either for want of better information, or, of a better conscience, oppress, grieve and afflict those that have to do with them, or are subject to them! God may do what he will, yet will do nothing but what is right. How infinitely then is God to be exalted in his truth and righteousness! And thus the word of truth exalts him (