Exposition of Job

This Argument, taken from the greatness of God, is here specially pressed and instanced in the matter of his supreme Dominion and Sovereignty over all his Creatures; so that he is bound to give no account of any of his proceedings. From which he inferreth, That it was Jobs folly to strive and contend with God as he did. This is the great Argument so frequently pressed afterward by Elihu, and insisted upon by God himself, That God hath not tied himself to observe any Rules (especially those which men would presume to prescribe unto him) in his dispensations, but hath absolute and uncontrollable authority to dispose of all things according to the pleasure of his own will; and consequently, he may afflict even godly men, not only for chastening and purging out the remainders of sin in them, but that he may give a proof of his absolute dominion, and put their graces to a trial; and he may also permit wicked men to prosper, without giving an account to any of the reasons why he doth so. For further clearing of the words, Consider,

1. To strive, or, contend, with God, doth here import not only not to submit, but even to complain and murmur at his dispensations, as the words cited, v. 10, 11. intimate to have been Jobs practice; and to seek to have an account of the reasons thereof, as Job frequently desired to know why God dealt so with him. See Chap. 10.2. and 23.3, 4, 5.

2. The word here rendered, Matters, signifieth also, Words, and accordingly some read thus, He speaks not all his words, or, telleth not all his mind in his dispensations. The scope of this is the same with our reading; but seeing the word rendered, to give an account, properly signifieth, to answer, or, give a return to a question or a proposal, the other word is here more fitly rendered, Matters; and the whole purpose imports this, That he is not bound to be accountable to man for his matters and proceedings, or to stand at his Barr, and answer all his cavillations and exceptions against them.

3. Where it is here said, that he gives not account of any of his matters, the Original hath it, He giveth not account of all his matters. But that phrase, in this Language, is equivalent to an universal negative, That he giveth not account of any of all his matters, or, affairs in the World. And so the phrase is used, Psal. 147.20. where, that he hath not dealt so with all Nations (as it is in the Original) beside Israel, who are excepted, v. 19. doth not import, that he hath dealt so with some Nation beside them, though not with all; but that he dealt not so with any Nation beside, as it is well rendered. See also, Psal. 143.2. and 103.2. and 76.6. Rom. 3.20. and many the like, in the Original Language. And if we take the Original phrase here as it soundeth, it will both conclude what is here expressed, and intimate something further for clearing of this purpose. For it may import,

1. That if he give not an account of all his matters (and that because he is the Sovereign and great Lord, v. 12.) then certainly, upon the same reason, he is not bound to give account of any of them, whatever he condescend to do in some cases, as is intimated, v. 14. And if he be not bound to give an account, and his giving an account (where we must take the phrase in a large sense, as also afterward) or pointing out the reasons of any of his proceedings, flow merely from his own good pleasure; it will necessarily follow, that if any will put him to it, as Job did, he will maintain his Sovereign Dominion by giving no account of anything.

2. That though he give an account of the reasons of some of his proceedings, whereby he testifieth his gracious condescendence to man; Yet he still manifests and keeps up his Dominion, by not giving an account of all things he doth, but wrapping up many of them in thick darkness, as the instances, afterward produced by God himself, do make manifest; among which mysteries of Divine Providence, his afflicting of godly men (which is the case here in debate) is a remarkable one.

3. Even where God condescends to give an account of his matters in part, yet men see not all these matters, but there are still depths and mysteries, even in what is most obvious; and therefore God puzzle • h Job with questions about common things, Chap. 38. and in the rest of his speeches. But it is not needful to insist upon any of these, seeing (whatever God condescend to do) this phrase (as hath been said) doth not import any such condescendence. Only, it is to be remembered, That God's not giving an account of any of his matters, doth not import, that he reveals nothing of his mind concerning any of his dispensations; For the contrary is clear from the tenor of the Scriptures, and from what is subjoined, v. 14. &c. But the scope of the phrase is, to point out his Sovereignty, and that he is above all Law, nor will he submit himself to man's Tribunal or censure in anything that he doth; however carping man presume (upon the matter) to put him to it.

From this Verse, Learn, 1. It is a sure and undoubted truth, that matters and transactions are God's, and that all that is done in the World is of him; For, that is fixed here, That all are his matters. We should not lose a sight of him and his Providence in the World, and in what cometh to pass, seeing he condescends to number the very hairs of his people's head, Matth. 10.30.

2. The true state of the question betwixt God and carping man, is, not, whether God's dispensations in the World, and toward the Carper, proceed upon holy and wise reasons; But, whether God be bound to reveal those reasons, and submit them to his censure, and, whether he be capable to comprehend and take them up, if God should reveal them? For, the question here is not, whether there be a sufficient account to give, but whether he should give this account to Job, or any other, or not? And, indeed, however God be pleased to exercise his Sovereignty, in keeping up his counsels, and however man be uncapable and unable to comprehend them, if they were revealed; Yet were the reasons of his dispensations seen and considered, they might silence all our cavillations and complaints.

3. God is Sovereign and Supreme to do what he pleaseth, without being accountable to any; For, here it is his Prerogative, not to give account of his matters, nor to be called to an account by any for them (as Inferiors are accountable to their Superiors) seeing he oweth nothing to any, nor can do them wrong (as being Supreme above all Law) nor hath he any Superior, to call him to an account. This may not only condemn them, who presume to bring all the deep counsels of God, about man, to the Barr of their corrupted reason (a presumptuous undertaking, checked by the Apostle, Rom. 9.19, 20.) But it may teach the people of God, that it is their duty to study well, that they have to do with an absolute and uncontrollable Lord. Hence,

4 The study of God's Dominion and Supremacy is sufficient to quiet the minds of men, under dispensations for which they can see no other reason; For, here, that he gives not account of his matters, is an Argument sufficient to silence all his murmurings. Thus Eli submitted, considering this, It is the Lord, 1 Sam. 3.18. It is true, there are many other reasons (as Elihu urgeth other Arguments afterward) which may refute men's passionate complaints; Namely. That we deserve nothing but what is evil at God's hands; That temporal afflictions are not of that moment, that we should quarrel God about them, or complain of them, considering that they are but temporal, and do Saints good, and are their common and usual lot; That those murmurings and complaints (beside that they dishonor God) do expose us to manifold temptations of further sinning, do hinder the exercise of grace, and indispose us for duties, &c. Yet when all those other reasons are obscured (as may come to pass in an hour of temptation, or under cleanly trials) this Argument remains still, written as with a beam of the Sun, to refute all those miscarriages. Yea, those other Arguments will not so effectually prevail, till this be also taken alongst. It is also true, that, notwithstanding the Sovereignty of God do shine in his dispensations, men may warrantably pray to him for deliverance from a sad Lot, and may use lawful means to have it removed; Yet still they ought (in all humble respect to his Sovereign Dominion) to forbear quarrelling, albeit he do not only afflict them, but render all the means of deliverance ineffectual. And for this end, it should be considered, That all boisterous thoughts of heart under trouble do reflect upon his Sovereignty, and do evidence that men have forgotten that God is the Potter, and they are the clay. And if men will not submit to God's Sovereignty, as a sufficient reason why he may afflict them when he pleaseth, they may get the conscience of their own gross miscarriages to grapple with, which may stop their mouths under saddest afflictions. In a word, such as acknowledge God's Sovereignty, will learn to be made and marred as God pleaseth, and will make it their work, not to dispute or quarrel, but to obey, stoop and submit in all things, wherewith he is pleased to exercise them.

5. Whatever be the absolute Sovereignty of God, or his infinite wisdom about man; Yet, man hath no will to yield and submit to him; but would be carping and quarrelling; For, so was it with Job here in his complaints, which calls for this refutation. Man naturally hath no will to be afflicted (no oratry or motives will easily persuade him, to stoop to it) or to be at the disposal of another. Yea, since the fall of Adam, it sticks in man's throat (as a Pill he cannot easily swallow) to acknowledge a Lord over him, Psal. 12.4. And he is bent to follow forth that design, hatched by our first Parents, Gen. 3.5, 6. to be a God himself, not only in knowing good and evil, but in every other thing.

6. Whosoever will not stoop and submit to the Sovereignty of God, and to his wisdom in carving out their lots, they make God their party, and do fall a striving and contending with him; For, here Job is charged with striving, or, contending against God, because he submitted not to his good pleasure, who giveth no account of his matters. As men are naturally bent to strive with God, Numb. 20.13. in the matter of his commands, provoking him by disobedience, 1 Cor. 10.22. and in the matter of his promises, by unbelief, Exod. 17.7. so also in the matter of his dispensations, by impatient murmuring. All bitterness of Spirit under trouble (let us pretend to direct it as we will, against Instruments, &c. ) is, in effect, an opposition to God, and a striving with him, yea, and worse than the affliction itself. For,

1. It will neither mitigate, nor remove, the trouble, it may well continue and augment it. See Job 34.33.

2. It hinders our making use of trouble, by reason of that fruitless exercise.

3. God is too hard a party for us to grapple with, Is. 45.9. 1 Cor. 10.22. And,

4. If we make him our party and enemy, to sadden us under trouble; who will make us glad, and comfort us over it?

Doct. 7. When men come to themselves, their own reason and consciences will tell them, that to contend with the Sovereign Lord, is an irrational and absurd course; For, he puts Job to it, Why dost thou strive against him? For he giveth not account of any of his matters. Intimating, That (upon the former reasons and considerations, and others like them) God hath a party to plead for him, within every man's bosom, which he can waken and employ when he pleaseth; That every contender and complainer against God is self-condemned, if he would but exercise his wit and conscience to consider of his way; and, That a contender and complainer is so far transported with his own passion, that he hath not the use of his reason, but needs to be put to it, to ponder what he is doing, and why he doth it.

Followeth, to v. 31. the second Argument, whereby Elihu refutes Jobs complaints, of God's severe dealing with him, who was a righteous man. And as in the former Argument, he shown, That God, by reason of his Sovereignty, was not bound to give an account of his matters; So, here he showeth, That, however God be not bound, yet, he condescends to give a better account of his mind and ends in his dispensations, than men take notice of, or improve; So that they have rather cause to complain of themselves, their uncapableness and unfruitfulness, than to complain of God. And this Argument he prosecutes at length, that he may take occasion to give some further account of God's mind in troubles and afflictions.

In this Verse, we have this Argument more generally propounded, both as to God's condescendence, and man's unfruitfulness, That God speaks his mind oftener than men perceive it. And for clearing of the words, Consider,

1. For the matter which God is here supposed to speak to man, it is of his matters, v. 13. so far as it concerns, or is profitable for, man to know, in order to his Souls good, as the enlargement of this Argument makes clear.

2. For the manner of his speaking, or the means, whereby he communicates his mind to man, the following instances clear, that he speaks both by his Word (extraordinarily revealed by visions, v. 15. or dispensed in ordinary way by Ministers, v. 23.) and by afflictions, v. 19. Under which (though Elihu 's present scope lead him to speak only of afflictions) all other dispensations of Providence are to be comprehended, by which God speaks his mind to men.

3. As for his frequency in speaking, while it is said, God speaketh once, yea, twice, and that he worketh twice, thrice, (which is translated, oftentimes) v. 29. it is not to be restricted to any certain number (though afterward three means of God's speaking be instanced, by Visions, Sickness, and a Ministry) but the meaning is, That (which soever of these ways he speak) though it were enough if he spake but once, yet he is pleased to speak more frequently, though after frequent warnings, (once, twice, or thrice) he may give over to warn anymore. Some understand it thus, That if God speak once, and men perceive it not, he will speak again, till men take it up. And it is true, that God doth pursue his people with instructions, till they learn their lesson; yea, God will also speak at last to the wicked, in a language which they will understand, however now they slight many warnings and instructions. But that is not the scope which Elihu aims at in this Argument; but rather to give a check to man's quarrelling of God, while himself is rather ignorant, even after all those admonitions.

4. For man's not perceiving, when God speaks, albeit, in the first place, it be meant of his ignorance, or inadvertency, in taking up those frequent warnings; Yet it includes also (as a consequent and effect of the former) his not improving, or making use of that, which, possibly, he may perceive of God's mind, when he speaks.

In this Verse (that I may more distinctly speak to it) we may consider,

First, The connection and dependence of this Verse upon the former, held out in the Particle, For. Some do here translate it otherwise (as judging there is no connection betwixt this and the other Argument) and instead of, For, they read, When, or, Albeit, which the word doth also signify. And so the whole Verse will run thus, When God speaks, or, Albeit God speak—yet man perceiveth it not, or, he (that is, man, as is well supplied in the Translation) doth not perceive, or, contemplate it. But I shall follow our Translation, as conceiving that this Argument serves not only to prove the principal Conclusion, but is an amplification of the former Argument also. And the Connection may be taken up in these two,

1. Why should God give an account of his matters, v. 13. seeing man doth not perceive, what he is pleased to reveal, and give him some account of? Which teacheth, That the ill use men make of what they receive, is the ready way to obstruct and hinder their getting of more.

2. If men perceive not what is obvious, and revealed to them for their instruction, v. 14. why should God give them an account of his deep counsels? v. 13. This is God's own Argument, which he afterward presseth by many instances, to convince Job of his presumption and folly, in desiring to plead with him. And it teacheth, That our blindness and inadvertency in many obvious things may silence our quarrellings, when God keeps us in the dark in other things.

Secondly, Consider the general scope of this Argument, which is, To lead Job from quarreling of God about his afflictions, and his being kept ignorant of the reasons thereof, to accuse himself of ignorance and inadvertency. It teacheth,

1. It is an usual fault in men to complain of God and his dealing, when themselves are to blame; For, here he showeth, That, however Job complained of God's way, and that he could not see a cause of his dealing toward him, yet, God had rather cause to complain, that he saw so ill what he had revealed concerning it. Thus the hearts of many fret against the Lord, when their own foolishness hath perverted their way, Prov. 19.3. And the Lord, Ezek. 18.23. declares, That that people reasoned ill, when they said, His ways were not equal, when indeed their ways were unequal. Thus also men are apt to complain of sharp rods, when they should complain of their own boily skins, or, their want of mortification, casting away of strength, &c. which make the rod grievous. In a word, as Hagar had a Well near her in her distress, though her eyes were not open to discern it, Gen. 21.15, — 19. So in many of our distempers and grievances, we have a cure very near us, if we saw it, even within, by the change of our dispositions, more mortification and encouragement in God, &c.

2. Whatever needful humbling there be, through want of light, under trouble; yet light is not men's greatest want in such a case; For, that is the particular wherein Elihu asserts, that Job wanted not instruction and means of light, however he complained. Thus the Lord answers the question of Hypocrites, Mich. 6.6, 7, with 8. So that when Saints do mistake troubles, or mistake God because of their troubles, or when they think they have cause to run away from God because he hath afflicted them, or do sit idle under the Cross, as not knowing what to do, &c. they do but evidence that their own petted and peevish Spirits have bemisted themselves. For God's mind hath been often spoken to those businesses, if men would employ his Spirit for grace to take it up.

Thirdly, Consider the matter of this Argument, as it contains this general challenge against man, That God speaks and reveals his mind to him, (by his Word and Dispensations) and yet he perceiveth it not. It teacheth,

1. Albeit the Lord will have men to acknowledge his Sovereignty, yet he deals not always at that rate with them; For, albeit he be not bound to give account of any of his matters, v. 13. yet he condescends to speak of those things to man Albeit he keep up mysteries, yet so much is said to man, as is needful for him to know, Job 28.28. And even when dispensations are dark, yet something of God's mind concerning them is revealed. We need not fear God's exercising of his Sovereignty, where we do meekly stoop, Job 23.6. and 37.23. Psal. 99 4. We may hazard much upon him, and stoop to dark dispensations, when we consider how much is made clear unto us.

2. There is nothing can make a dispensation intollerably sad, if it speak and have a lesson to us; nor is ou • condition hopeless, so long as God is in speaking terms; For, whereas Job complained of it, as a sad case, that he knew not what God said or meant by all he did to him, Elihu gives him this as a comfort, that God speaks, or was in speaking terms, and inculcating some lesson thereby. See Psal. 94.12 Dispensations are very terrible when they are dumb, and nothing is said by God under them, as 1 Sam. 28 5, 6. Which they have need to look to, to whom neither word nor rod speak anything.

3. As God is still speaking by his Word, to them who enjoy it; So there are none of his dispensations, if they be well read, but they say somewhat to us; and even those of them which are most dark and wherein his Sovereign dominion shines most, have lessons in them, if it were but to teach us submission; For, he asserts it as universally true, that God speaks to man. Thus all the works of Creation and Providence, Mercies and Crosses, do preach some instruction. See Ps. 19.1, 2. Mic. 6.9. Eccles. 7.14. And therefore we should not only see what God doth, but observe what God saith by it, as his Messenger. Nor are we to mistake, though it seem to speak reproof only, and no comfort; for if that be well improved, it will produce comfort at last.

4. It is nothing strange to see God say much, when yet man doth little perceive it; For, that is the challenge here. As for men's perceiving of what he speaks by the Word, it will come to be spoken of in its own place, v. 16. But as for his dispensations (and particularly, afflictions, which are principally intended here, and afterward instanced) not only are they, ofttimes, not at all considered, Is. 42.25. Hos. 7.9. but read wrong, when they are considered, 2 Chron. 28.23. Jer. 44.17, 18. And hence it cometh to pass, that dispensations are but ill improved, and the bad fruits thereof are but answerable to men's inadvertency, ignorance, or error, in observing of them, Is. 1.5. and 9.9, 10. and 22.12, 13. Hos. 5.13. and 7.14, 16. Now it is nothing strange, as to see the natural man not perceive the things of God, 1 Cor. 2.14. So, even to see godly men ignorant of, or mistaking God in his dispensations (like Samuel, who ran to Eli, when God called him) as Job did here mistake, perceiving somewhat, but not rightly, and because of that did miscarry. Hence we find Saints made sensible of their own bruitishness in the things of God, Prov. 30.2, 3. particularly, in reading and • mproving the dispensations of God, Ps. 73.21, 22. with v. 11, 12, 13, 14. Now these mistakes, ignorances, and the fruits following thereupon, may flow from those (among other) causes,

1. An aversion to affliction, or to the dispensation under which we are. This so stupifieth and distempers some, that when once that is made their lot, they can advert to nothing else, but are madded like wild bulls in a net, Is. 51.20.

2. Inadvertency and levity of Spirit; Whence it cometh to pass, that men lay not their condition to heart, Is. 42.25. especially, if the matter wherewith they are exercised be light.

3. Selfishness; Whence it cometh to pass, that, if dispensations do not nearly touch men themselves (even though they concern the Nation, or common interests wherein they are also concerned) they do not lay them to heart, Is. 5.11, 12. Am. 6.3, 4, 5, 6. So that if the goad be not still in their own sides, they are sensible of nothing.

4. Idols, biases, and unsound principles; Whence it comes to pass, that (as the Proverb hath it, As the Fool thinks, so the Bell clinks, or sounds that in his ears) men do read Providential dispensations, not as God speaks by them, but as themselves are affected, and according to the Idol of their own hearts. Thus Ahaz, 2 Chron. 28.23. and those Jews, Jer. 44.17, 18. being possessed with this principle, That the prospering way was only right and approved, they put a wrong Commentary upon God's Providences.

5. Ignorance; Whence it cometh to pass, that men run away from God because of some dispensations, which he hath sent of purpose to bring them to him.

6. Atheism, and men's losing a sight of Providence in what occurrs in the World; Whence it comes to pass, that men read what they please in their lots, and never inquire after God's mind in them. See Ezek. 9.9. and Zeph. 1.12.

7. When men go not to the Word, and gather God's mind in his dispensations from it, they will walk in the dark, and multiply mistakes? For they to whom chastenings are blessed, must be taught out of the Law, Ps. 94.12.

8. Men do, ofttimes, involve themselves in darkness and mistakes, because they make use of false Perspectives, in reading God's dispensations; Thus many do look upon their lots, as their passion, and pride, and the conscience of their own ill deservings, do represent them unto them; Yea, they look more to what the dispensation saith, or is like to produce, of itself, than to what God saith, or will do, by it.

9. While men do not consider that God speaks divers lessons by one dispensation (as in Jobs case, God preached both submission to his Sovereignty, and humiliation for sin, thereby; and frequently humiliation and comfort may be designed in one and the same dispensation) they do lose or neglect one part or other of their lesson. From all this we may gather, That men should be humbled for these causes of their mistakes; That they should employ God much, for light to help them to understand his dispensations, otherwise they will wander; and, That they should make much use of the Word, which only is the true Commentary to expound dispensations.

Fourthly, Consider this Argument as it is amplified, and the challenge aggravated, from this consideration, That God condescends to speak once, yea; twice, or frequently, and yet man comes no better speed in perceiving of it. It teacheth,

1. It proclaims the Lord's great condescendence and kindness, that he doth not take neglecters of means of instruction at their first word; but followeth them with mean after mean, and with frequent renewing of the means, to cause them learn their lesson, and receive instruction: For, he not only speaketh once, but, yea, twice; where a certain number is put for an uncertain, importing, that he speaks frequently. See Is. 28.13. Ps. 62.11. It is great mercy, that God (who is not bound to any) speaks, if it were but once, and men should be afraid to neglect the very first admonition, Heb. 3.7, 8. seeing they have no assurance, that, after he hath spoken once, he will speak anymore; and the way of propounding this here, first once, then twice, or, the second time, imports, that men should be serious to hearken at every time he speaks, as not knowing if they shall meet with the like again: Yet, such is the graciousness of God, that he overcomes men's evil with his goodness, and waits upon those who neglect his warnings, till there be no remedy. See 2 Chron. 36.15, 16. Is. 65.2. And this he doth, partly, to reclaim his own elect, whom he will not lose; partly, to render others inexcusable. Yea, what should become of the World, if he did not wait upon it, and by his long suffering lead it to repentance? Rom. 2.4. Would it not have been consumed and destroyed long ago, as he dealt with the old World before the flood? And therefore men should consider, how often he would gather them, Matth. 23.37. And they should look upon his chastening of them seven times, and yet seven times more, as speaking his love, if they will at last accept the punishment of their iniquity, Lev. 26.

2. It is man's great sin, and an evidence of the power of corruption in him, that many means, and those frequently applied, do not prevail with him; For, though God speak once, yea, twice, yet man perceiveth it not. It is a sin, if we consider it in itself, not to consider the works of the Lord, or those dispensations whereby he reveals his mind to man, Ps. 28.5. And therefore it must be an heinous sin, not to improve those means, when they are frequently repeated, as 1 King. 11.9. Which, as it may humble godly persons, who are guilty of it, and may aggravate the fault of all, who neglect frequently inculcated lessons; So, such despisers of their own mercy would beware lest the longsuffering of God wait no longer upon them. For though he condescend to speak not only once, but twice, or thrice, (as it is v. 29.) that so he may fully declare his mind, and leave men without all excuse; yet, he will not speak always. See Gen. 6.3.

Elihu proceeds to prosecute this Argument, (to v. 30.) as to God's part in it; instancing some of those various means whereby he speaks his mind to men: Such, as dreams and visions, and the like extraordinary ways, to v. 19. Sickness, to v. 23. and a Ministry concurring therewith, to v. 29. And withal, he not only cleareth, that God speaks by these means, but showeth also what he speaks, even to draw men to repentance, to cure their pride, and teach them to make more use of imputed righteousness. His scope in all which, is, not only to prove what he had said, v. 14. of God's speaking to man; but, that by declaring, what God speaks, he may make out the other branch of that assertion, v. 14. that man doth little perceive what God speaks to him. For albeit he speak nothing expressly to this challenge; Yet if the lessons here propounded, which are inculcated by those means and ways of God's speaking, shall be compared with the practice of most of men, and even of godly men, it will easily be seen, how deficient they are in observing and improving those instructions. And withal, he doth hereby give an account of God's method in speaking to men, that he comes to speak by rods and afflictions, when visions are not hearkened unto.

The only difficulty to be cleared here, is, Whether in all this long discourse, concerning the various ways and means of God's speaking to men, and the instructions communicated by these means, Elihu do reflect upon Job? And he seems indeed to point at his sickness, and at himself as sent a Messenger and Interpreter to him, and there was a vision also concerning him, Chap. 4.12, 13, &c. had it been well applied. To clear this a little, Consider,

1. Albeit it be true, that unrenewed men may have dreams and visions from God, to warn, reprove, or restrain them from evil, Gen. 20.3. and 31.24. Matth. 27.19. to warn them of things to come, Gen. 40, and 41. Dan. 2. and for other ends; and albeit God may make use of visions, afflictions, and the Ministry, to convert men to himself; Yet, in those instructions here given by these means, Elihu must be understood to speak with relation to godly men; otherwise he should not speak to Jobs case and complaint.

2. As Job and his Friends did, ofttimes, speak to the matter in Thesi, and Elihu 's Argument, v. 14. is also general; So those instances may also be looked on in Thesi; as relating to godly men in general; and although all that is said here should not agree to Jobs case, yet it is sufficient for confirmation and illustration of the Argument, if it hold true in general, of godly men.

3. Whatever of this purpose may be applied to Job, yet it is certain that God's great end in afflicting him, was not to chasten him for any notorious miscarriage formerly committed; but only to give a proof of his own Sovereign dominion, and to take a trial of Jobs faith and other graces. And accordingly, God himself (when he comes to speak) never quarrels Job for any fault before his trouble, but only for his miscarriage under it; and argues with him upon the point of Sovereign • y and wisdom, as Elihu had done in the former A • gument.

4. This being laid as the chief business in all this trial of Job, we may yet look upon what Elihu says here, as very suitable to Jobs case. For albeit God was pursuing no quarrel against Job, yet he had infirmities, and needed to be humbled, to renew his repentance, and close more with Christ for righteousness, as the fruit both of extraordinary visions, afflictions, and the documents he was to give him as a Messenger sent from God to him. And had Job been busy about this exercise, he would never have complained of his afflictions as causeless, nor that God was an enemy because of them. In sum, However some of these instructions after-mentioned, yea, all of them, may reach and concern unrenewed men, in their full latitude; Yet here they are propounded as lessons to be daily learned by every godly man, which if Job had perceived, he might have seen cause to forbear his complaints.

In this Verse, we have the first mean whereby God speaks his mind to man (unto which the teaching and instructions communicated thereby, are subjoined in the three following Verses) and that is, Dreams and Visions in the night, either when men are in a deep sleep, or slumbering only betwixt sleeping and waking. We find in Scripture (and frequently in the writings of the Prophets) that Visions were Revelations given to men when awake, and so are distinct from Dreams, whereby God reveals his mind to men when they are asleep, Numb. 12.6. But here a Vision is joined with a Dream, and is given unto men, when they are sleeping. And albeit it may be conceived, that the dream cometh when men are in a deep sleep, and the vision when they are slumbering; Yet it seems rather, that the vision here is only an apputenance of the dream, and doth signify those representations of things (such as Joseph, Pharaoh, Nebuchadnezzar, and others, had) which men have in their dreams, whether they be in a deep sleep, or slumbering only. However, under this mean, here mentioned, all the extraordinary ways (beside that of God's sending extraordinary Prophets, or Messengers, of which, v. 23.) of God's revealing his mind, then in use, are comprehended. And here also it appears, that this Book contains an History of things that were before Moses time. For here there is no mention of a written Law, or Word of God; but those extraordinary Revelations (whether immediately, to the persons who were themselves concerned, or mediately, to his Servants and Messengers, who did reveal the same to others) past for the Word of God. See Chap. 6.10. and 23.12. and 28.28.

Doct. 1. It is the great mercy of the people of God, that they want not manifestations of him, nor revelations of his will, within time; For, here is supposed, that God had, from the beginning of the World, and before the Scripture was written, his his mind one way or other communicated, and an intercourse kept up betwixt him and his people; which is a mercy to be much prized, Ps. 147.19, 20.

2. It speaks, also, the great mercy and kindness of God, that when he hath anything to say to his people, he speaks it first by his Word, before he make use of other means; For, Elihu propounds this as the first mean whereby God speaks to man, and when God comes to make use of other means, it is because this is not well entertained, as we will hear afterward.

3. Such is God's love to his people, that when they need a manifestation of him, or of his mind, he will make use of extraordinary means, before they want it; As here God spake in an extraordinary and immediate way, before the Scriptures were written. Now it hath pleased the Lord to change this way, not only to teach us to submit to make use of ordinary means, and that he may magnify his power, in working by ordinary means what at any time was wrought by extraordinary means, and making a word of the Scriptures no less effectual to shake or comfort an heart, than if he yet spake immediately, by visions and dreams, or above from Heaven. But because these extraordinary ways were terrible (as Job 4.12, 13, 14. and we read how Daniel was affright • d and affected with them) and more apt to be corrupted by delusions, and were actually imitated and counterfeited by Satan; Therefore God made choice to speak more mediately by his written Word, which is a way more familiar and sweet, more sure, 2 Pet. 1.19. and more fit to perpetuate truth in the World, than the transmitting of these Visions, and immediate Revelations by Tradition, John 21.23. and yet speaks no less particularly to them who are concerned, than when visions and dreams were given to particular men, and directed to them by name; as the Spirit by Solomon speaks particularly to the persecuted Hebrews (to you) who were not in the World many ages after the Book of Proverbs was written, Heb. 13.5. However, God's way then with his people (though changed now) intimates, that, though he need not make use of extraordinary means, nor should we tempt him by looking for them, John 4.48. yet God will not leave his promises unfulfilled, nor his people's necessities unsupplyed, though he should do it in a singular way.

4. It is also to be observed, that God hath variety of ways and means, whereby he can communicate his mind to his people; As here (beside those after-mentioned) he hath dreams, and visions sometime joined with dreams; under which (as hath been said) all the extraordinary ways of Revelation, then in use, are comprehended; whether they were internal illuminations, without any visible representations, or visions to men awake, or dreams (and those accompanied with visions) to men asleep, or voices from Heaven, &c. In all which, we are to observe, That God (so to say) keeped many doors patent, that he might be frequent, and throng in his converse with his people, and might make them ashamed for their conversing so little with him, which we are also to observe and make use of, in the means yet continued with us. Withall, this variety and change of means (God sometime sp •• king one way, and sometime another) served to keep men from formality, or looking only to one mean, that they might wait upon him in all of them. And it may teach us, that when known issues do fail us, in that way wherein God ordinarily walks toward his people, we need not be discouraged, seeing he hath variety of means whereby he can do us good; And when he deals not with us, as he was wont to do, we need not fear but he will do us no less good in another way.

5. The Lord would also have it most conspicuous how little of his people's activity is to be seen in the kindnesses whereof they are made partakers; As here a sleeping man can contribute nothing to such an immediate Revelation. And this holds good in other things also, That we may expect that from God, according to his word, which nothing in us can assure us of; and, That God delights to manifest much of himself, where little of us, or of our activity, doth appear.

6. The Lord also is pleased to tryst his people with surprizals, and inexpected proofs of himself; As those dreams and visions came when men had no thoughts of them. See Gen. 16.13. and 28.11, 16. Luk. 5.5, 6. Mic. 4.10, 11, 12. God delights to make his people ashamed of their unbelief, and to disappoint their fears, by proofs of his love in unlikely times and lots. And withal, though such Revelations are not now to be expected, yet, this teacheth, That men should always be in a spiritual frame, and particularly, should go to sleep in a good frame, seeing God (if he please) can communicate his mind to them, even then.

7. This also may be marked, That when God made use of these means (especially dreams, and some visions) though they left some impression upon the mind, yet sometime men understood not the things pointed at thereby; as we read of Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar's dreams, Daniel's visions, and others the like. Hereby (as the Lord sometime made way for advancing some of his servants, for the good of his Church; as Joseph was advanced in Pharaohs Court, and Daniel in Nebuchadnezzar's Court, because they interpreted their dreams. See Dan. 2.30. So,) the Lord would point out, that his lessons are very deep, and not soon perceived; that their being dark to his people, that they may be humbled, and put to employ him, is no evidence of his displeasure; and that we should observe the double mercy there is, in getting his mind revealed, and in our getting the understanding thereof.

Elihu, having propounded this first mean of God's speaking, proceeds (in pursuance of his Argument, v. 14.) to show both that God speaks thereby, v. 16. and what he speaks, or designs by his speaking, (whereby also he informs Job what that is which men perceive not when God speaks, v. 14.) whether more immediately, as the lesson he would have men to learn, v. 17. or more mediately and ultimately, as the fruit of their learning and profiting by what he speaks, v. 18. So that here we may consider a threefold fruit, or consequent, of those dreams and visions, when they are given to men, so propounded as the latter doth depend upon the former.

1. More generally, That God by that mean designs man's instruction, v. 16.

2. More particularly, That this instruction tends to humble men, and to cure the evils that are in them, v. 17.

3. That where instruction is effectual for that end, it tends to man's advantage, and saves him from greater inconveniences, v. 18.

In this Verse, Elihu asserts, more generally, that God speaks and affords men instruction by this mean. The word rendered, Instruction, signifieth also, Correction; and, accordingly, some take up the purpose thus, That by visions God reveals to man, and assures him, that he will correct and chasten him, if he repent not. This is a truth in itself, and may be some part of that instruction which God affords to man. But I incline rather to follow the Translation; and so the words do more generally point out, That God, by these means, affords some instructions to men's ears, for promoving these ends mentioned, v. 17, 18. As for the two expressions, of opening, (or, revealing, or, uncovering) the ear, and sealing of instruction, the latter seems to explain the former, and doth import, that God by visions and dreams reveals instructions to men's ears in so authentic, serious and authoritative a way (as if it were sealed with the Great Seal of Heaven) as may leave an impression upon them, as the Seal leaves a print upon the Wax.

And here the Question is, Whether Elihu speak here of such an opening of the ear, and sealing, as is eventually efficacious upon the Spirits of men, and doth prevail with them?

Answ. As by these means light was communicated to those who had them; so it is not to be doubted but these extraordinary visions and dreams had some more than ordinary impression upon th • se who had them. But as to the efficacy of this mean, to draw men to repentance, for their own good, as it is, v. 17, 18. it is more agreeable to Elihu 's scope (who complains, v. 14. that men perceive not when God speaks, and intimates, v. 19. that afflictions follow upon this mean, when it avails not) to understand the matter thus, That those visions and dreams tend (if we look to the nature of the things themselves) to open men's ears, and seal their instruction; as they use actually to rouse up men, and put (at least) some temporary impression upon their Spirits, above what is commonly produced by more ordinary means of revealing the will of God: And that they are sufficient means to produce these effects of instruction and repentance, and are blessed to produce them in some, though many may have those means, who yet are never so effectually instructed, as to be withdrawn from their purpose. For not only do we read that men have had strong impressions upon their Spirits, by reason of their dreams and visions, who yet knew not so much as what God spake by them, till some other did interpret them, as hath been marked before: But it is expressly said, That God openeth men's ears in affliction, when yet those saving effects do not always follow, Chap. 36.10, 12.

From this Verse, Learn, 1. It is the will of God that men profit by the Word, and that, for this end, they do not satisfy themselves with this, that God condescends to speak to them, and is in speaking terms with them, nor rest upon this, that God's way of speaking doth somewhat affect them (as men were of old affected with these extraordinary dreams and visions:) But that they be careful to produce solid fruits of his pains taken upon them; For, therefore is an account here subjoined of God's ends in speaking to men, that they may study to attain them. And where this is not studied, it will not avail men that they seem to be somewhat affected, as Ezek. 33.31, 32. or as Christ's hearers were sometime affected, Mark 1.22, 27. and else-where. See also Matth. 13.20, 21.

2. It is a sweet fruit of God's speaking to men, when they are thereby instructed (whether by corrections, or sharp reprehensions, as the word will import, or otherwise) and made to learn their lesson; For, this is the scope and end of God's speaking, to communicate instruction, or correction and reprehension. It is most necessary that men's judgments be well informed by the Word, otherwise it will be to small purpose that their affections are sometime warmed and tickled thereby: And directions, yea, even reprehensions, are no less necessary in their kind, than comforts are in their own time and order. As some are enraged at reproofs, so it is but the same corruption in others that makes them be discouraged, and without comfort, because of them. However, if men were more busy at improving of directions and reprehensions, they would be more fit for other messages, and profit better by them, Matth. 11.29. 2 Cor. 7.8, 9, 10, 11.

3. A special mean to make the Word speak home to men, is, to consider well their own frailty to whom God speaks; Therefore here, in the matter of instruction, man is called, Enoch, frail man. Albeit man in the ruffe of his pride be, in his own eyes, Geber, a strong mighty man, as he is called, v. 17. yet, he is still but Adam, (as he is there also designed) a bit of red earth. And as all our near converses with God should make us see our frailty, and be low in our own eyes, Gen. 18.27. Job 42.5, 6. So, especially, this should be minded, when he condescends to speak to us, that his condescendence may affect and ravish our hearts (as Is. 66.1, 2.) and that, remembering we are but dust, we may be afraid to dally with the most high God, or to dispute his commands.

4. Albeit God, who speaks, be the most High, and man, to whom he speaks, be but dust; Yet, he hath naturally a deaf and shut ear to the instructions of God, For, here the ears must be opened, or, revealed and uncovered, before men receive instruction. All men by nature are ignorant of the things of God, 1 Cor. 2.14. and have uncircumcised ears, as well as hearts, Act. 7.51. And, beside what is natural and habitual, men's ears are stopped, with pride, Jer. 42. with 43.1, 2. with prosperity, Jer. 22.21 with trouble, Exod. 6 9. with itching and curiosity, 2 Tim. 4.3, 4. with willful aversion and stubbornness, Deut. 29.18, 19. Psal. 58.4, 5. and other the like impediments. All those men should mourn for, and study to have those impediments removed; For the day is coming wherein all men, even the most stubborn, will be made to hear, whether they will or not. And that woeful comfort, of hardening ourselves against what the Word can say, will fail the most stubborn and stout-hearted at last. Nor need men entertain prejudices at the Word, because it speaks always sad things to them; For if they would hear and improve what is unpleasant, it would speak comfortably to them at last.

5. As God can remedy this evil of a stopped ear in man, and must be the Physician to cure it, Act. 16.14. Is. 50.4, 5. And doth sometime employ sharp means to cure it in his Children, Job 36.10, 15. and therefore is to be looked unto, for what we want, and acknowledged in what we have, of this mercy; (For, so much doth this phrase, of opening the ear, import, when it is made use of to express God's effectual operation upon his people) So, God hath given to his people sufficiency of external means to cure this evil, and the more singular the means are, they should hear the better; For, so much doth this phrase import, That God afforded this as a sufficient mean to open the ears of men, and that that extraordinary mean contributed to that end. When God speaks to the Creatures, he should find patent doors; and albeit we want those extraordinary means, yet the Word preached ought to be no less effectual, Luk. 16.29, 30, 31. And when God comes to speak by his rods (of which after) to press home his Word; or when he makes his Word more lively, than is usual, in the mouths of his Servants, or continueth his Word with us in sad times, it should rouse us up so much the more.

6. It is not enough that men hear and understand, and be affected for the present, unless what they hear leave a constant impression upon them, For as God seals his doctrine, by his authoritative publishing thereof, so this instruction, should be sealed, and leave an impression upon us. See Heb. 2.1. Jam. 1.23, 24.

7. When God reveals his mind, especially in a more singular and eminent way, men have sufficiency of means to cause what God saith take impression upon them; For, those means are here held out as sufficient to seal men's instruction. Thus did Daniel 's Visions affect him. And albeit men have not now extraordinary Revelations; yet, (as hath been marked from Luk. 16.) the consideration of God's Authority speaking in his Word is sufficient (in its own kind, as a mean) to cause men tremble, Ezra 10.3. Is. 66.5. For men will not readily slight what a Prince saith unto them; far more should the Word of the great God have impression upon us. And where the Word prevails not, he is provoked to write his mind in deep and sad characters of affliction, Chap. 36.8, 9, 10.

In this and the following Verse, Elihu gives a more particular account of what God saith by dreams and visions, and what is the scope of that instruction which he seals thereby, v. 16. In this Verse, we have an account of the more immediate scope thereof; Namely, to humble man, and bring him to repentance. As for the first part of the Verse, if we take the word, Purpose, in a strict sense, it will import, That man naturally is a purposing, projecting Creature; who would lay down his own settled way which he means to follow and prosecute, neglecting dependence upon God; That man chooses this way, that he may exalt himself in pride (as is supposed in the latter part of the Verse) as Master and Orderer of his own affairs; and, That God doth overturn all these fine projects of proud men. Not only do the messages of his Word speak against this evil (and his rod doth actually overturn these projects, if the Word be not obeyed) but even the variety of ways whereby God then manifested his mind (all which are comprehended under these mentioned, v. 15.) served to abase man, and keep him in a continual and humble dependence upon the pleasure of God in his purposes.

But the word must be taken in a larger sense, for Work (as it is in the Original) or, some evil work and undertaking, from which God withdraws and calls men by his Word, which was then revealed in dreams and visions. Thus man's work, is all one with his transgression, Chap. 36.9. And as for the latter part of the Verse, And hide pride from man; To hide pride, here, is, to take it away, and withdraw man from it, so that it becomes as a thing that is hid and lost, which appears not, and cannot be found; or, by taking away that which pride feeds upon, to prevent man's pride, and so to hide it from him, that he shall never find it, nor anything whereof to be proud. And this is added to the former, either as a particular instance of that general, of man's work, which is to be abandoned, Pride being an especial evil work whereof God would have his people free; or, as God's end in instructing man to abandon his evil work, and that, by letting man see his work to be mourned for and amended, he layeth his pride, and lets him see there is no cause for it. In sum, the meaning of the whole Verse is, That the messages of God's Word, even when directed to godly men, tend to lead them to renew their repentance daily, and, by what they see of their own evil works, to make them have a low esteem of themselves.

To clear this yet a little more, Consider,

1. The first part of this Verse is concisely expressed in the Original; For the words, From his, are a Supplement, and the Original hath only, word for word, To withdraw (or, cause to remove) man's work. Hence some render it thus, That man (as the Agent) may remove work; and so the purpose will run very smoothly, That God instructs man, v 16. that may remove work, or, abandon evil courses. But as in the following part of the Verse, it is God who hides pride; so it seems clearer to understand the first part of the Verse of him also, That he, by instructions, withdraweth man, &c. And as for the Supplements required to this reading, the Particle, From, is here brought from the latter part of the Verse (as is not unusual in this language) to clear the reading, that he withdraws man from work, as well as he hides pride from man. And as for the relative, His (which must be supplied also in the other reading) it is not only expressly added, Chap. 36.9. their work; but the subject matter necessarily implieth it. For, that God withdraws man from work, is not to be universally taken, that God turns men idle from duties of a lawful calling, or, from good works, but only from these evil works, which are not the works of God, but their own, as they are corrupt men.

2. It being Elihu 's scope (as hath been cleared, and otherwise he could not speak to Jobs case and complaint, whom he acknowledgeth to be a godly man) to give an account of the instructions which God gives to godly men by his Word, which was then revealed in these extraordinary ways; We are not to conceive, that this is all, and the only instruction which God's Word affords to such, that they should repent, and be humble: For, his Word is sent also to comfort god • y men. But the meaning is, Partly, that whatever else God's Word speak to godly men, this lesson, of daily humiliation and renewing of repentance, is still to be taken alongst with it; Yea, the more God speak of comfort, and things refreshful, they should learn this lesson the faster, as we find Saints have done in their familiar addresses to God, Gen. 18.27. and in God's special manifestations to them, Is. 6.5. Job 42.5, 6. Partly, and especially, when good men are in Jobs temper, complaining that God should afflict them who are righteous, then this lesson is most proper for them, to silence and put them from their clamours.

3. I see no cause to apprehend, that Elihu, in propounding this instruction to Job, doth intend to charge Job with any particular evil work, such as Abimelech, Gen. 20. and L • ban, Gen. 31. were upon, when God restrained them by a dream or vision; But his scope is, more generally, to point out, that this holds true of all the godly (and so of Job ) that they have daily works, or, out-breakings, from which they need to be withdrawn; and if Job had minded this, he would not have swelled so high as he did, in his complaints and resentments about his condition.

From this Vese, Learn, 1. Even the best of men, within time, have corruptions, their crooked biases, works and projects, which are not good; For, so is here supposed, even of godly men, to whose condition Elihu is speaking. Godly men should mind this much, and study their filthiness, notwithstanding their privileges, which will let them see, that they are Adam still (as he is here called) or have somewhat of old Adam in them. They should also remember, that this is their own work, as hath been explained. They can neither charge it upon God, Jam. 1.13. nor doth Satan (though a busy tempter) deserve all the blame that, ofttimes, is cast upon him; but the true rise of man's miscarriage is from his own lust, Jam. 1.14.

2. Not only have Saints Original corruption to look to, but out-breakings and works also, which should be grievous to them, when their weakness comes out, and above ground; For, here a godly man hath even a work which is not good; which though it may be extended to signify man's inward projects and machinations also, yet most properly it signifieth those visible fruits which flow from that inward root of corruption.

3. It is the will of God, that his people do daily renew their repentance for their infirmities and miscarriages, and that they go daily to the opened Fountain to be cleansed from them; For, Man should be withdrawn from this work, and should remove it from him, and turn from it by repentance. Where this is neglected, and we do not call ourselves daily to an account, it may tend to great confusion in a day of distress, and may even bring our reconciled estate into question.

4. It is the great scope of the Word, whereby God speaks to his people, to draw them to this daily renewing of their repentance; For, God instructs by dreams and visions, to withdraw man from his work. The Doctrine of God approves of no sin, even in Saints, but teacheth them so much the more to aggravate them, as they are committed by them. And as the saddest messages tend not to drive us away from God, but rather to invite us to him; So, most comfortable messages should quicken and promove our repentance. Therefore we should try our profit • ng by the Word, by our frequency in the exercise of repentance; and when messages are any way odd and singular (as here it was extraordinarily revealed) they should speak the louder to invite to this exercise.

5. Repentance for failings should be joined with reformation, and abandoning of those evils for which men are grieved; For, this dispensation tends to withdraw man from, or, cause him remove his work. It is sad when this reformation follows not upon convictions; and yet it may be so with Saints, either because their convictions are not deep and solid enough, or because they do not put them in Christ's hand, who only can g • ve a good account of them.

6. Among other evils incident to the people of God, Pride is a special evil; as here is instanced. This is an evil which in others feeds upon empty shadows, such as their birth, riches, honors, bodily perfections, successes, natural or acquired endowments, &c. But in God's people it is ready to feed upon their best things, their gracer, privileges, singular mercies and deliverances. See Jer. 7.3, 4. 2 Chron. 32.24, 25. 2 Cor. 12.7. 1 Cor. 4.7.

7. Whosoever are not daily calling themselves to an account for their failings, and renewing their re-repentance daily, but, possibly, are murmuring and complaining because of their sad lots; they are not free of pride, how much soever they are crushed; For, so much may be gathered from the connection and scope, that till men be withdrawn from their work, Pride will not be hid from them, and that Jobs complaints evidenced that he was not free of this evil, and that he neglected the better work, of repenting daily, which would have kept him humble. And this is a certain truth, that no afflictions will humble a man (however they crush him) unless he be exercised with the conscience and sense of sin.

8. God is a great enemy to pride, and his Word hath sufficiently declared, how ill he is pleased with it; For, the scope of this instruction, is, to hide pride from man. See Psal. 138.6. Dan. 4.37. Jam. 4.6. Prov. 6.16, 17. It is a sin, which in itself is a folly, 2 Cor. 12.11. a sin, for which there is no cause, seeing we do but our duty in our highest attainments, yea, not so much as our duty, Luk. 17.10. and an evil which declares men to be nothing in reality, Gal. 6.3. It robs God of his glory, Rom. 11.36. and crosseth his great design, of abasing all flesh before him, 1 Cor. 1.29, 30. And therefore must be hat • full to him.

9. Albeit proud men bulk much in their own eyes, and great men are much subject to this evil of pride; Yet no greatness, real or imaginary, doth warrant men to entertain it. For, even Geber (as it is in the Original) the mighty, or, great man, ought to have pride hid from him. If even greatest of men consider, that they are vanity at their best estate, Psal. 39.5. that they will not long continue what th • y are, but death will level them with others, Psal 49.10, 11, 12. that the more they have received, they have the stricter account to make, Luk. 12.48. and, that pride doth blast and provoke God to take away all their excellencies; If, I say, they did consider these things, they would find how little cause they had to be puffed up with pride.

10. It is the will of God, and the scope of his instructions by his Word, that men do not pretend to abominate pride, while yet their practice declareth that they hug it in their bosoms; But that they endeavor to remove it, and rid themselves of it; For, Pride must be hid from man. Which doth not import, that it is sufficient, that pride be hid and lurking, though it be not mortified and subdued; but that it must be so hid from man, as he shall not find it. The phrase, to hide, signifieth sometime to take a thing quite away, as Job 3.10. It seems to be a Metaphor taken from men's burying of these things which they desire not to be seen, as Moses hid the Egyptian whom he slew, Exod. 2.12. Thus that is said to be hid, which is destroyed and brought to nothing, Is. 29.14. with 1 Cor. 1.19. Now men's sin is said to be hid two ways; One is, by a free pardon, when a sinner hiding himself under Christ's shadow, gets his sins pardoned and covered, Neh. 4 5. Psal. 32.1. and 85.2. And it is certain that such as repent of their pride, must have pardon for their by-gone pride, whatever reformation there be for the futu • e. But this is not principally meant here; For by a pardon, sin is properly hid from God's revengeful eye, not from man, save in so far as a pardon hides him from the penal effects of his sin. The other way of hiding sin, is, when it is hid from the man himself; not by keeping him from seeing his guilt and inclinations to sin, but by removing of the sin from him. And in this sense it is taken here; and it imports, That the man who heeds the instructions of the Word concerning his pride, will,

1. Not satisfy himself with claiming to a pardon, when he is convinced of his guilt in it, but will endeavor to have it removed from him, that the mortification of the evil may be a comfortable evidence of the pardon of • t.

2. He will endeavor to remove it from him with detestation, as an evil which he cannot endure to look upon, but it must be hid out of his sight, as is said of the Idols of penitents, Is. 30.22.

3. Being sensible of his own propensity to that evil, he will study to prevent it, by hiding from himself all causes and occasions of it, and temptations to it. He will not study his graces and his privileges, without studying his infirmities, which may be a counter-balance to him; he will be sparing to reflect upon his afflictions, at least he will be careful not to aggravate them, lest his corruption and pride be thereby irritated; and, in studying of his sad lots, he will be careful also to study his ill deservings, and the mercies which are continued with him, and the mercies remembered in wrath, which may keep his Spirit sober.

4. That all these endeavors may be effectual, it should be his care to abide under Christ's shadow, that virtue from him may prevent the budding of that evil.

Doct. 11. It may encourage men to hearken to the voice of God in his Word, if they consider that his quarrel is not against their persons, but their sins, that he intends not their destruction, or to crush them, but only their humiliation and reformation; and, that the only loss they will sustain (if they manage his instructions well) is the hiding of pride, and the causes and occasions thereof, from them; For, this is declared to be the scope of his instruction, which he seals unto, and upon man, To withdraw man from his work, and hide pride from man; and men do wrong themselves, when they make another use thereof.

In this Verse, Elihu gives an account of a further and more mediate scope of the Lord's dealing with his people by dreams and visions, and a result of the former; Namely, That the Lord leads them to renew repentance, and to be humbled, that so he may prevent their further hurt, if they do it not, even the pit, and some violent death by the sword, or the like violent means. The words, Soul, and, Life, being different in the Original, the first part of the Verse may be understood of the Souls going to Hell at death, and the latter part, of the manner of their death, that it shall be violent. And albeit godly men (of whom Elihu 's scope is chiefly to speak) will not actually go to Hell (nor doth Elihu say that here, but rather, on the contrary, that God prevents it) yet their failings, of their own nature, do deserve it; and therefore God makes use of the Word here to prevent it, and if that succeed not, he hath the rod, &c. (as after followeth, to effectuate it. Or, the phrases may be taken promiscuously, the latter explaining the former, That God keeps their Soul, or, Life, from the pit, or, grave and death, and that not an ordinary, but a violent death, which, otherwise, they would incur, if they hearken not to the Word, or lesser rods. As we find God dealt with Josiah, whom he cut off in his presumptuous attempt against Pharaoh Necho; and thus did he chasten some of the Corinthians for their miscarriages, 1 Cor. 11.30.

From this Verse, Learn, 1. The people of God do therefore run on in their miscarriages and follies, and do neglect the renewing of their repentance, because they consider not the hazards which they run by these courses; Therefore are they informed of their danger here.

2. Albeit the eternal state of the godly be secured by Christ, yet, their failings (and particularly, their pride) do deserve the pit; and albeit God prevent that hazard to the godly; yet (beside the fears of their eternal destruction) they may be sharply chastised, and even taste of a violent death: For, so much is here intimated, That by their miscarriages, and particularly, by their pride, they run the hazard of the pit, and of perishing by the sword.

3. It is one great cause of men's mistaking God's dealing towards them, that they can easily feel and resent the want of some mercies, which they have enjoyed, but they do not study and remark preventing mercies; Therefore here, lest men should mistake God's disquieting of them with visions and dreams, and his putting them to the unpleasant task of humiliation and repentance, Elihu lets them see what hazards are prevented thereby, and that he keepeth back the Soul from the pit, and the life from perishing (or, passing, namely, out of the body) by the sword, by these means.

4. There is nothing so sad, which befalleth the people of God, but it tends to prevent somewhat that is sadder, which otherwise would befall them; For, here, all this trouble by visions and dreams, and the toil of repentance and humiliation, are put upon godly men, to prevent sad strokes. See 1 Cor. 11.32. Ps. 94.12, 13.

Followeth, to v. 29. the second and third means whereby God speaketh his mind to men, though they perceive it not; Namely, by Sickness, and by the Ministry of the Word. I join these together, because they must go together, that God's mind may be known in them. For however Sickness, blessed of God, fit men to hear what God will speak, yet it is by the Ministry here, that God's mind, concerning the sick person, is revealed. And withal, these two, as they are here put together, do very well agree to Jobs case, who was now afflicted in his body, much like to what is here recorded (only we read not of his keeping his bed constantly) and had Elihu, a Messenger from God, with him, to expound God's mind, in that dispensation, to him. And albeit Jobs Friends urged his sickness also, as an Argument against him, Chap. 5.17, 18. and else-where; Yet they urged it as an Argument to persuade him to repent of his supposed wickedness. But Elihu drives another design, as we shall hear. We may take up the whole purpose, to v. 29. in this order.

1. He propounds the means whereby God speaks to man, Sickness, v. 29, — 22. and a Ministry, v. 23.

2. He declares what it is that God speaks by these means, v. 23.

3. He gives an account of the blessed effects of the trial, when this lesson is well learned, v. 24, — 28.

In these Verses, we have a description of a sore Sickness, whereby God speaks to man; which is propounded,

First, In general, v. 19. Where it is held forth, in its conjunction with the former mean, of Visions and Dreams, whereby God speaks (intimated in the copulative, Also ) in its scope and tendency, which is to chasten, or, argue, and reprove; and, in its vehemency and extremity, assaulting the Patient with pain, till he must take his bed. From which it appears, that Job was much upon a Bed, or, Couch, as Chap. 7.13. though at other times he sat up and went abroad.

Secondly, The greatness of this affliction is pointed out by several effects.

1. That it reacheth not only the sick man's flesh, but his bones, and affects all of them with great pain, v. 19. Thus we find that Job complained often of his bones and sinews. See Chap. 30.17, 30.

2. That (as is usual in sickness, Psal. 107.18.) his sickness makes him loath all meat, even such dainty meats as use to be prepared for sick men, v. 20. And of this Job had also some experience, Chap. 3.24.

3. That it wastes and consumes his body, v. 21. So that his plump flesh disappeareth, and his bones stick out. Of which also Job complaineth, Chap. 16.8.

4. It brings his life to the gates of death, or near to the grave, and to the destroyers, v. 22. that is, His diseases are deadly, and threaten him with destruction; or, they bring him near to the worms which destroy men in the grave. And Job had this frequently in his mouth, that he was near to death. See Chap. 17.13, 14.

From v. 19. Learn, 1. It pleaseth God, beside the messages of his Word, to visit his people with the rod; For, here pain also, (beside those dreams and visions, v. 15.) is sent, that God may speak thereby. Even when men profit by the Word (as Job did in his prosperity) God may yet send a rod for their further exercise, and to take trial how they will keep their feet under such a dispensation; as the question is stated betwixt God and Satan about Job, Chap. 1, and 2. And godly men should stoop and submit to this. And further (which comes nearer to Elihu 's scope) The Word its alone hath not, ordinarily, that operation which were to be desired; but even where it works most effectually, it may leave the rod somewhat to do further. And much more, when the Word is ill improved, the rod will follow; for God loves his people better than to let them pass on with their faults, uncorrected and unreclaimed.

2. Among other trials which befall the people of God, they will find personal trials, pains and sicknesses, among the most searching; For, Elihu instanceth those as very speaking messengers, and searching trials; and so did Satan truly argue, though upon a wicked design, Chap. 2.4, 5. So that they who are free of that trial, may bear other difficulties the better; and those who are exercised therewith, should prepare for much humbling trial by it. They should also remember, that God calls them thereby to be humble and sensible of sin, from which the craziness of men's bodies doth flow; and, in particular, that God calls them to be sensible of their little prizing or improving of bodily health, when they enjoyed it; which they ought to mourn for, and amend, if ever God restore them to health again. And who so do thus improve their sickness, may find that God hath visited them, that he may give them a proof of his power and love, in their recovery.

3. As God doth not intend the destruction of his people by their afflictions and sicknesses (even though they be taken out of the World by them) but their chastisement and instruction; So, they may need to be sharply reproved, and argued out of their subterfuges and defences, before they receive correction and instruction as becometh: For, the word rendered, to chasten, signifieth properly, to reprove, or, argue with one. Which imports,

1. That even God's dear Saints may have much folly, which needs correction and reproof.

2. That afflictions may speak chastisements and reproofs to godly men, for this their folly, when yet their persons are accepted and approved of God.

3. Even godly men are, sometimes, not easily convinced of their folly, and of the evil thereof, but they must be argued with, to bring them to a sense thereof.

4. That sharp trials are sent upon this errand, to waken them out of their dreams, and subdue their stubbornnesses; which effects, those rude messengers are very apt means to produce.

Doct. 4. Under trial, men ought to observe and prize even common mercies; As here it is supposed to be a mercy, that this pained person hath a bed to lie upon. Albeit the phrase may import no more but this, That they are not able to stir, whether they get a bed or not; Yea, Saints may sometime come to want a bed, when they are sick and sore: Yet, humility will teach men not to undervalue that common mercy, if it be afforded them.

5. Whatever outward accommodations God provide for afflicted, and, particularly, for sick persons, which they are bound to prize and acknowledge; Yet, none of these will afford relief, so long as God hath the trial to continue: For, even upon his bed, where men use to get rest, he is chastened with pain. See Chap. 7.4.13, 14.

6. When God afflicts his people, they may expect that it will be an affliction and trial indeed; lest, otherwise, if their trouble were more easy, their exercise under it should languish: For, this pain reacheth the very bones, as well as the flesh, which is a measure of trial whereof David frequently complains, Ps. 6.2. and 32.3. and 38.3.

7. The love of God to his Children must not be measured by the degree of their affliction; For albeit in the issue there will be a difference betwixt them and others, as they have also secret supporting strength in the mean time, which others want; Yet they may be no less sharply afflicted than others: As here, he hath strong pain in his bones. The Original hath only, strength, or, strong, instead of strong pain; which some make an Epithet of his bones, thus, He is chastened, — even the multitude of his strong bones. But the Grammatical construction of the words will not so well bear that reading. And therefore the word, pain, must be repeated from the former part of the Verse. For, such strength, or, strong thing, must be understood here, as affects the bones of a sick man, which can be nothing else but pain.

8. When God is about to try men, nothing in them will be of force to resist him, or support them, but their only recourse must be to himself; For, his bones, which are strong, are assaulted with strong pain.

9. The people of God may expect that all, as well as any one, of their supports, will be reached, and succumb, in a trial; whereby God drives them to himself, whither men of themselves are loath to come, but would gladly shift from one shelter to another, so long as they can find anything to give them ease: For, even the multitude of his bones are reached, and he gets a skin-full of sore bones.

From v. 20. Learn, 1. As it is a mercy to have food in sickness, and choice of food, suitable to men's weak condition, (as here is implied, that he hath bread, and dainty meat, or meat of desire; So it is a duty to tender those who are sick, in providing what may be most comfortable to them: For, here, there is supposed to be provided, dainty meat, meat desirable for sick persons, and which they use to desire, if they have any appetite. God may have tender respects for such afflicted persons, and therefore we should tender them.

2. It is an evidence of the vanity of creature-comforts and contentments, that they fail men most when they are in greatest need, whereas the sufficiency of God doth most appear in distress; For, here meat will do the sick man no good, when he is in a decay, and so hath most need of it.

3. Among other mercies to be observed in our food (as, that God provides it, puts a blessing in it, &c. ) this is one, that God gives us ability, and an appetite, to make use of it; For, this is seen to be a mercy, when it is taken away from sick men, so that their life and soul (that is, their living body and appetite) abhor bread, and dainty meat.

From v. 21. Learn, 1. It is a truth to be much studied, that nothing in man is able to bear out against God's afflicting hand; For, here men's bodies succumb, and fall under a consumption, in sickness.

2. Though men doat much upon their bodies, and are careful to make provision for their flesh, Rom. 13.14. Yet sickness and other troubles can soon make a change upon them, and leave them nothing but a Skeleton of skin and bones; For, His flesh is consumed away that it cannot be seen, and his bones, that were not seen, stick out. See Lam. 4.8. Men should not be indulgent to their own bodies, to spare them in the duties of God's service, lest he spare them not in the matter of afflictions.

3. When men will not see their own frailty by contemplation, or what they see takes not a solid impression upon them, God can make it conspicuous in humbling effects; For, here this lesson is inculcated by sickness. And it is for the godly's behoof that God doth experimentally instruct them in those lessons, which, otherwise, are not enough laid to heart.

From v. 22. Learn, 1. As men carry mortality always about with them, so the Lord sends sickness to put them in mind thereof; and albeit they may now and then escape the hazard, yet they should remember, that death will come at last; For, for this end doth the sick man's soul (or, life, as it is after added) draw near unto the grave.

2. When God gives a commission, there are many destroyers, or sicknesses, to take away a man's life; any one of which will serve the turn; For, there are, destroyers, to assault his life.

3. As death and the grave do lay men's bodies low, and under the power of destroying worms; So they are not in themselves comfortable, as being a destruction of men's persons, Psal. 90.3. and leaving poor dust to be triumphed over by sicknesses, which have deprived it of life, and by worms, which destroy it: For, thus also is his life brought near to destroyers. So that they have reason to bless God who get a more comfortable sight of this lot.

4. God's people may be alarm'd with threatened destruction, when yet God minds only their chastisement and instruction; And it is no strange thing to see them brought to a low and deadly posture, before they get the right use of their trial, and before what they learn be solidly stamped upon their hearts: For, here, His soul draweth near unto the grave, and his life to the destroyers, that he may hear what God speaks to him thereby, and may be in a capacity to entertain that Messenger and his message, of which in the following Verses.

Followeth, the third mean, whereby God speaks to man, together with an account of God's mind, uttered thereby, to the sick and afflicted person, and of the consequents of man's entertaining this message. In this Verse we have to Consider,

First, The third mean, which God joins with affliction, to declare his mind in it; Namely, Some Messenger sent of God to the sick man, to be with him in his low condition. This Messenger is here described,

1. From his Authority, that he is a Messenger, sent by God, and authorized by a Commission, to speak in his name. Some do understand it of an Angel (as the word in the Original is indeed the name given to those blessed Spirits) and some of Christ, the Angel and Messenger of the Covenant. But as the word is frequently taken in Scripture for men who are employed and sent upon an Ambassage or message; so here it is safer to understand it of some Minister, or man extraordinarily inspired, who is present with the sick man, as here Elihu was with Job.

2. From the nature and scope of his Work, that he is an Interpreter, to expound the dispensations of God to the sick man, and to be a trench-man, both from God to him, and from him to God, as men who understand not one another's language make use of Interpreters between them.

3. From his Rarity, that he is one among a thousand, or, a person rarely to be found, even among many who are employed in that work; as this phrase imports, Eccles. 7.28.

Doct. 1. However trouble may contribute to humble man, and lay his pride, and may bring him to desire to know the mind of God concerning him; Yet, trouble, its alone, and without the Word, will do no good; For, here another mean must be added, to clear from the Word what God speaks by that affliction. See Psal. 94.12. We must not mistake albeit afflictions do not produce all the good effects we desire; it is well if they send us to the Word, and cause us study it better.

2. Albeit men's own Spirits should be the Candle of the Lord, to let them see what they are, and ought to do, Prov. 20.27. and especially it should be so in a time of trouble; Yet ordinarily (as afflictions cannot be read without the Word, so) men need help to read God's dispensations aright, and what God speaks in his Word concerning them: For, the godly man needs a Messenger, for this end, in his sickness.

3. It is a great trial of men's submission, when they are put to stoop to ordinary means of comfort and instruction, even when their need is greatest: For, now, under affliction, God sends not visions to the sick man himself, as v. 15. nor doth himself immediately appear, as Job often desired, but reveals his mind by the ministry of his Messengers, whom he sends and employs upon that errand.

4. That these Instruments employed must be Messengers, doth not seclude that assistance which every godly man is bound, in charity, to afford to the afflicted, for his direction and comfort; But it showeth, That none ought to act those things in a Ministerial and authoritative way, but only they who have a Commission from God for that effect. In no age of the Church was it lawful for men to intrude themselves upon the Ministerial calling; Nor would any Prince endure that a man should behave himself as his Ambassador, without his Commission; nor would a Master endure such Servants. And withal, it showeth, That they who are authorized by such a Commission should carry as the Messengers of God, and should be received and entertained as such. See 1 Cor. 4.1, 2. Gal. 4.14.

5. That this Messenger is an Interpreter, or, trenchman, may teach,

1. That God's dispensations toward his own Children need, ofttimes, an Interpreter, or Commentary, as having more in them than can be seen at first, and some other thing than sense will easily discern.

2. That such as are employed about this work, have need of much skill and ability, to interpret that which cannot so well be read, even by those who are concerned. See Is. 50.4.

3. That in their expounding of God's dispensations by, and according to his Word, and generally, in revealing the counsel of God, we should seriously ponder their authority; that they are Messengers, sent of God, to be Interpreters; So that God speaks by them, and they speak in God's stead, as his Ambassadors, 2 Cor. 5.20. Upon which account they are rather to be made use of than private Professors.

Doct. 6. That this Messenger, and Interpreter, is, one among a thousand, may teach,

1. That faithful Ministers are very rare; The Ministry itself is a difficult task, for which none are of themselves sufficient, 2 Cor. 2.16. And beside, it is Calling that brings small worldly profit, and is attended with great opposition; So that it is no easy task for men to acquit themselves faithfully in it.

2. That it is b • t scarce one of many Messengers (even though they be otherwise able and honest) that is fit and able to deal effectually with troubled consciences and afflicted persons; which is the work here to be undertaken by this Messenger. So that it is a singular mercy when many of those are in a Land.

3. That such Messengers ought to be esteemed of as rare Jewels, Is. 52.7. They are the fruit of God's married love, Jer. 3.14, 15. and may sweeten bitter lots, Is. 30.20, 21. And therefore should not be the object of men's contempt.

Doct. 7. This Supposition is also to be marked, If he be with him; Which doth not import, That sick persons should not send for faithful Ministers, and will make use of them only if they come of their own accord, or be providentially present with them; For the contrary is enjoined, Jam. 5.14. But it imports,

1. That Ministers should be careful to attend persons in sickness and affliction, to see what good they can do, and whom of them they can get gained to Christ.

2. That it is a mercy to have such faithful men near us in our distresses; As Elihu was to Job. The Church found it sad when she wanted her Signs and Prophets, in the time of her trouble, Ps. 74.9.

3. When God in his providence strikes a godly man, he will be careful to provide comfort for him some other way; As here he provides a Messenger to be with the afflicted man.

Secondly, In this Verse, Consider, also, the account that is given of what God speaks by his Rod, and this Messenger, and what this Messenger should speak as the mind of God in such a dispensation; He should show unto man his uprightness, or, his rectitude, righteousness, equity. Where the great Question is, Who is meant by this relative, His, or, whose uprightness it is that this Messenger is to show and declare? The antecedent immediately preceding is, Man, which should seem to import, that it is man's uprightness that is shown; and yet the context takes in God also, as he in whose name the Messenger speaks, and who, in the following Verse, gives him a further Commission; and, accordingly, some do understand it of God's uprightness, and some of man's. I conceive that where such things are left undetermined, we may take the words in the fullest latitude, so as we keep by the scope of the words and purpose. And therefore if we consider, that, when what is here shown and declared takes effect, man is brought to need a ransom, and God finds it for him, v. 24. He is also brought to be sensible of his sin, v. 27. upon which God renders unto him his righteousness, v. 26. If, I say, we consider this, we may make up the tenor of this Messengers errand in these particulars,

1. He is to show unto man God's uprightness, that he is just and upright in his afflicting of him.

2. That man maybe convinced of this, he must show that he is a sinner who is afflicted, which he may do by pointing out the holiness and righteousness of God who afflicts him, and by pointing out to man what is the uprightness which God requireth of him, which will easily discover unto him his deviations from that rule.

3. He is also to convince man concerning the uprightness and equity of God, in his dealing with him, since he hath laid down a sure way of reconciliation betwixt himself and man, and for man to attain to a good account of all lots that befall him; even by repenting of his sin, v. 27. and fleeing to that ransom, v. 24.

4. By pointing out those, he showeth unto man wherein his uprightness and rectitude consisteth, or what may set him right in God's favor, and is his duty, to prove himself an upright and righteous man; even to repent, and lay hold upon that ransom which God hath found. So this direction will comprehend both Repentance, and Faith in the Messiah, or, closing with his imputed righteousness. And albeit the word here rendered, Uprightness, doth nowhere (that I can observe) signify the righteousness of Christ imputed to us; Yet, it may well signify, that it is man's duty (if he would be upright, and stand right in God's favor) to lay hold upon that righteousness. This I take to be principally and ultimately meant in this p • ace, That this Messenger is to show to the afflicted man, that it is his uprightness, and the way to set him right again, to repent and believe: Yet this cannot well be inculcated and demonstrated to a godly man in affliction (who is the person here spoken of all along) unless he be first convinced of God's uprightness in afflicting him, of his own sin and deviation from the rule of righteousness which is prescribed to him, and of God's equity in all his designs and actings about him. And therefore I take in all those, as the full exposition of the words, which comprehends a man's being laid low, in the sense of his sins, whereby he is made to justify God in all that befalleth him, Neh. 9.33. Lam. 1.18. and his being lifted up and encouraged through faith in Christ; which were the sum also of Paul's doctrine, Act. 20.21. So the sum of all is, That whereas even godly men are, ofttimes, sliding, and do forget to renew their repentance and faith, God layeth them low under his afflicting hand, and by his Messengers tells them that they ought to be humbled in the sense of their sinfulness, and to renew their repentance, and lay hold upon the ransom which God hath found.

From these words, taken in their full latitude, as hath been explained, Learn,

1. Such as have a calling to deal with the Souls of afflicted persons, have need of God's direction and assistance in managing that undertaking; For, they have much to show, or, declare, unto them, as hath been said, which requires no little furniture to find it out, and to propound it in the due order.

2. Albeit even God's people be ready to mistake him under trouble; Yet it is their duty to study the uprightness of God, in guiding them, and ordering their lots; As here we are taught. It is a blessed fruit of trouble, when men are made to grow thereby in their commendation of God, and when the sight of their own sinfulness, and of his holiness, who afflicts them, doth contribute to lay them low, and to justify and exalt him in their hearts.

3. When afflicted persons are laid low in the sense of their own sinfulness, and of his holiness, who afflicts them, their work is not yet done; but they should be further convinced of the rectitude and equity of God's procedure, and that he seeks no advantage of them, but to drive them to their duty, and (thereby) to their happiness; For, this also is to be shown unto man, as hath been explained.

4. The sum of afflicted godly men's duty, is, by renewing their repentance and faith, to close with Christ, and imputed righteousness; For, it is the result of all other instructions, to point out this as man's uprightness, or, rectitude. So that they mistake God's mind in his humbling dispensations, who run away from Christ, or think to work out a righteousness of their own, wherewith to satisfy God. And though men should preach and press the Law never so much upon afflicted man; Yet they have not done all their work, if they leave them there, and do not point out Christ unto them.

5. Even godly men are so much ignorant of the righteousness of God, and taken up with a desire to establish their own righteousness, Rom. 10.3. and do so frequently forget to humble themselves, and make use of Christ, that they need, not only to have their duty pointed out to them, but to be brought to the gates of death, that they may hearken unto the doctrine of humiliation, repentance and faith; For, this must be declared, or, shown, unto man, and he is brought to that low condition, v. 19, — 22. that he may hearken to it when it is declared. And as men have themselves to blame that they are put to such difficulties, to stir them up to learn this lesson; so they who profit at that School, are great gainers, even by saddest afflictions.

This Verse is made difficult to understand by reason of the various conceptions that men have of that relative, He, and who should be meant thereby. Some refer it to the Messenger, formerly spoken of, v. 23. and read it thus, He speaketh to him (that is, to the sick man) of grace, and saith, (to wit, to God) Deliver him, &c. that is, he instructs him in the Doctrine of free grace, and prayeth that God would preserve him from destruction, because of that ransom which he hath found, or, published. But neither doth the first word signify, to speak of grace, but only, to be gracious; nor can this phrase, of finding a ransom, be well spoken by a Messenger of himself, especially, when he is speaking to God. Therefore (to pass also the conjecture of others, that Christ in person is that Messenger, v. 23. who here favourably intercedes for the afflicted man) I take this relative to point at God, who hath been spoken of before. And so here Elihu begins to give an account of the sweet and comfortable effects that shall follow upon the sick man's learning that lesson, • .23. The first whereof (in this Verse) is, That God will be gracious to the afflicted man, because of the ransom found in Christ (who was known even then, to be the Redeemer, Chap. 19.25.) and will deliver him from the pit. So that here we have, the fountain-cause of this change wrought upon the afflicted man's condition, even God's grace; the meritorious cause thereof, a ransom; and the effect of those, or the change itself, which is here expressed by his being delivered from going down to the pit.

For further clearing of this purpose, Consider,

1. As for the connection betwixt this and the former Verse, we are not to conceive, that God is thus gracious upon the Messengers showing, only, unto man his uprightness, but it must be so shown as the afflicted man doth learn the lesson, before these evidences of God's love break forth, of which more afterward.

2. If it be inquired, What a deliverance from the pit is here meant?

Answ. It is not to be doubted, but deliverance from eternal destruction (which even a godly man deserves, because of his sins, for which he is chastened) is the fruit of that ransom, on which the penitent man layeth hold by faith; and so that may be included here. Yet since Elihu is principally speaking of men's bodily sickness, and their deliverance from that, v. 25, 28, 30. I incline rather to understand this of the preservation of the man's life, opposite to that destruction wherewith he was threatened, v. 22. Yet so as this must be looked upon as a pledge of his everlasting deliverance from Hell. And albeit such a temporal preservation and deliverance be not always afforded to godly penitent men; Yet the sense will run clear enough, thus, That the penitent afflicted man, closing with Christ, shall get temporal deliverance from his affliction, according to the tenor of the Covenant of grace about those things, (namely, when it is for God's glory, and his good to get it) and that as a pledge and earnest of his eternal deliverance.

3. If it be inquired, To whom it is that God saith, Deliver him?

Answ. The phrase may import no more but this, That his effectual providence and operation shall be forth coming to deliver, and to remove all impediments; and so he may command sickness to spare him, as when he spake at the Creation, and the thing spoken was done. But more (particularly, this Commission seems to be directed to the Messenger, who instrumentally saves and delivers men, 1 Tim. 4.16. and who must intimate these glad tidings to the afflicted man, for his encouragement. In sum, this Verse imports, That if this afflicted man repent and close with Christ, (according as God's Messengers reveal to be his duty) God for Christ's sake will spare him, and will give Commission to his Ministers to intimate so much unto him.

From this Verse, Learn, 1. The first thing that men should be careful to learn under affliction, is, their own duty, before they come to know more of God's mind in it; For, first, man must be shown his uprightness, v. 23. and brought to repent and believe, and then God is gracious, &c. It is true, God hath preventing mercies and grace, whereby he brings his people up to their duty; he may also see the way of his froward people, and heal them, Is. 57.17, 18. Yet we are bound to mind our duty, that he may appear for us, and our neglecting of this method makes our troubles ofttimes stick long with us.

2. It is supposed here, that the Messengers instruction, v. 23. hath had success upon the afflicted man, otherwise a step of this procedure should be wanting here. For (as hath been said) it is not to be conceived, that upon his showing only unto man his uprightness, God will be gracious, till he understand and improve that lesson wherein he is instructed. And this comprehending of the success of the message under ehe publication thereof, may not only point out, That, however faithful Ministers will be approved when they have done their duty, though it have no success, Is. 49.4, 5. Yet, as to the hearers part, that message is as good, as not told (yea, much worse) which produceth not suitable effects; That may be said, in some sense, not to be shown, which they see not, and whereof they make no use. See Jer. 8.8. But further, this may import,

1. That God, who hath instituted a Ministry, hath also promised to bless it, and that if they declare their message, he will bless it, at least to some; and therefore honest men may go about their work in faith, even in most difficult times.

2 That imputed righteousness, when it is preached in a right and lively way, is very apt to gain ground upon hearts, especially upon godly men, to draw them to repent and close with it, and to every other duty; For, that is the Doctrine here, the showing, or publication whereof, is supposed to be successful.

3. It is the duty and property of godly men, when in affliction, especially, to be tender, and learn God's mind from his Word; and to be then humbled in the sense of sin, and affected with the offer of grace; For, it is here supposed, that when this godly man is chastened with sickness, a Messenger from God shall not show his message to him in vain. See Ps. 119.67, 71.

4. That when God condescends to take pains upon any of his Children, by Sickness, and by his Messengers, he will in mercy follow them with those means (however they may prove stubborn for a time) till they take effect upon them, that so he may be gracious to them; For, it is supposed, that those means will certainly have this effect at last.

Doct. 3. Whatever be the care and diligence of godly men, in affliction, to follow their duty; Yet, it is grace, and grace only, that must do their turn, and the more diligent they are, grace will be seen to be the more free; For, whatever success the message have, yet God is gracious to him, in delivering him. And this may be another reason, why no mention is made of the afflicted man's profiting by the message; even because what he doth is not worthy to be mentioned in the day when grace appeareth to do him good, and because this is one evidence of his sincerity in profiting by the Word, that his diligence is nothing in his eyes, and grace is all in all.

4. It may encourage miserable sinners and, particularly, afflicted Saints, that there is graciousness in God, which will condescend to stoop and reach them, even in their lowest condition; For, even then, when he is lying at the gates of death, and made sensible of his sinfulness, and need of a Savior, he is gracious to him.

5. No graciousness in God can be expected to be let forth unto sinners, but in Christ, and because of that ransom which he hath paid for satisfying of justice; For, this ransom, or, atonement, is given here, as the reason and procuring cause of all this gracious dispensation. Not that Christ did purchase, that God should be gracious in himself, for that is one of his Attributes; nor yet that God should have a purpose of grace and favor to his Elect, for it flowed from his gracious purpose and eternal love to them, that Christ was sent to die for them. But the meaning is, that Christ, by his ransom, hath purchased the communication and effects of his love and grace to sinners, in a way agreeable to his justice. And this doth not only evidence, that the Gospel was savingly (though not fully) revealed in Jobs days; But further, it serves to direct us to look upon our deliverance as costly, and our mercies as dearly purchased by Christ, however we receive them freely; and to remember, that God is not only merciful, but just also, and that his justice must be satisfied by Christ, otherwise no good can come to us.

6. The ransom of Christ is sufficient to purchase the greatest of blessings and mercies, to those who flee to him; For, here this ransom is given, as a sufficient reason of all this deliverance and mercy conferred upon the afflicted man. We need not be afraid to lay much we • ght upon Christ's merit, if we make use of it in the right order.

7. Christ's merit, and the ransom paid by him, ought not to hide from us the freedom of the grace of God in his dealing with us; Considering that (beside his hand in providing this remedy) of which after) it is of free grace that Christ is accepted in our stead, and his purchase is applied to us; For, here the ransom, and God's graciousness, are conjoined together, and God is gracious to the man, though he hath found a ransom.

8. It commends the free grace of God, and speaks all to be grace which is done to us, that, though God will have his justice satisfied by a ransom; yet, this way of satisfaction hath been found out by God himself, and not devised or found out by Men or Angels; For, saith he, I have found a ransom, or, devised it, and accepted of it in the man's stead.

9. The grace and love of God toward lost man doth not lie lurking in his bosom, but floweth forth in comfortable effects, as he needs them; For, being gracious to him, comfortable effects and messages fellow.

10. God's people, for whom he finds and accepts a ransom, may expect not only to be delivered from the pit, and eternal destruction, but to get deliverance also from their temporal distresses, were they never so deadly, in so far as is good for them; For, He deliver, him from going down to the pit, even when he is drawing near to it, v. 22. Not only are the spiritual and eternal deliverances of Saints, but even their temporal deliverances also, a fruit of Christ's purchase, and an effect of God's love and graciousness.

11. It may heighten the Saints hope and encouragement in God, that he not only wisheth his people well, but hath all things at his command which may either hinder or promove their welfare; For, if he say, Deliver him, Sickness, and all things else, will obey. See Matth. 8.8.

12. God's mind concerning his people, who flee to Christ for refuge, is to be sought in his Word, and from the public Dispensers thereof; For, thus also he saith to the Messenger, Deliver him. See 2 Cor. 5.20.

The second effect of the sick man's hearkening to the message, is, That not only shall his life be preserved, but he shall recover his health, so that he shall come out of that languishing condition wherein he was, v. 21. Yea, so great shall be the change, that he shall be as fresh, or fresher, than a very young Child, and as he was in the days of his youth. See 2 King. 5.14.

Doct. 1. As bodily health is a great mercy, so that also is in God's hand, to dispense it as shall be for the good of his people; So that even deadly discases will not get their will of them, without God's Commission; For, here the godly man hath a promise that he shall recover of his disease.

2. The afflictions of godly men are made up to them with rich advantages, when they come to Christ with them; and their loss proves their gain in the issue; For, here he gets not only health, but, His flesh shall be fresher than a Childs, he shall return to the days of his youth.

3. A sound Spirit, and the sense of God's favor in Christ, is Sovereign medicine and health to the body; For, upon his closing with, and God's finding a ransom, v. 24 this followeth, that his flesh shall be fresher than a Childs, &c. See Psal. 103.3, 4, 5. Is. 33.24.

The third effect, is, renewed communion and sweet intercourse and fellowship with God; which is here spoken of, not on • y as the mean of attaining a deliverance from his sickness, but, as his practice and carriage after that God hath been gracious to him. The sum is, That he shall pray, and find acceptance, and get a comfortable sight of God's reconciled face; And that because God shall render, or, restore his righteousness unto him. Where, by righteousness, which is restored, we are not only to understand the effects of God's fidelity, and the righteous performance of his promises, but especially that imputed righteousness which is God's, as being of his finding out, and man's also (and so the relative, His, being ambiguous, we may refer it to both) because it is imputed to him, and so accounted his. Now this is said to be restored, not that a godly man's justification can admit of an interruption, or intercision, and be restored o • new again; but the sense and comfort of it may be suspended in a time of trial, and afterward clear up again. And this promise seems to be relative to Jobs deserted condition, whereof he so frequently complained.

Doct. 1. As Prayer is a blessed fruit of a successful Ministry upon an afflicted person, and a mean of bringing about God's gracious purposes for his good, Ezek. 36.37. (For, here it is supposed, that this afflicted person, to whom the Messenger hath spoken, doth pray. See Jam 5.13. And though God may prevent our prayers, yet it is sad, when, in times of distress, our mercies are readier than our prayers, and are retarded, only because we pray not.) So a godly man will have to do with God by prayer, even after his affliction is over: For, when he is recovered, he shall pray unto God. A godly man wants not daily necessities, though he be delivered from eminent and singular afflictions; his delight in God's company will cause him make many errands to him; and his nearness unto God will discover many wants to him, which he could not see at a distance; nor will he be able to entertain that nearness and communion without much prayer. In sum, this is a touchstone whereby we may try a blessed deliverance, if it do not put us out of the need of prayer, nor be accompanied with the neglect thereof. And this may also serve for caution, that we do not mistake a condition, as if it were not good, so long as many errands to God is the worst of it.

2. As the prayers of godly men are never what they should be, so they are not alike at all times; For, though, no doubt, he prayed before; yet now (when he is afflicted, but especially, when he is delivered) he begins to pray to God, to some purpose, and prospers in it. The prayers, even of Saints, in the time of their ease and prosperity, are, ofttimes, dead and lazy, and offered up without any sense of need; but now they become earnest and vehement Supplicants, as the word imports. And albeit afflictions, temptations, and sense of God's anger, may rouse them up to pray with more fervency; Yet even then their prayers are, ofttimes, muddy, and full of passions, doubts and fears; as may be seen in the Disciples prayers, when they are in a distress, Mark 4.38. and in the many passionate complaints of afflicted Saints. But when a man comes to close with imputed righteousness, and to taste of the love of God in deliverances, then he is in the best frame for prayer. This may warn us,

1. Not to take everything for prayer, which looks like it, where humility, meekness, fervency, &c. do not shine in our addresses.

2. To suspect our own hearts, and to look well to our prayers, when we are in fits of trouble.

3. To close with the love of God, and an interest in Christ, if we would pray to purpose.

Doct. 3. How poor soever an account the Children of God may get of their passionate complaints; Yet when they repent, and close with Christ for righteousness, their prayers shall not fall to the ground, nor be l • st; For, here they have a promise of success. See Matth. 7.7. God takes so much delight in the prayers of humble believers, that he will not reject them, Cant. 2.14.

4 Whatever bad success Saints seem to have in their prayers, when they are thus qualified; Yet they are bound to believe that their persons and prayers are accepted with God; For, He shall be favorable to him, or, well pleased with him. So that,

1. God hath no quarrel at them, whatever they get in an answer to their prayers.

2. It is very comfortable, that, however they be exercised about some petty concernments of lesser moment, in their prayers, yet the state of their persons is secured.

3. They may expect favor and love in all they meet with, and are bound to believe it, though they cannot discern it.

Doct. 5. As the joy of Saints depends upon the sight of God's reconciled face, Psal. 4.6, 7. or, upon the hope of it, Psal. 42.11. and not upon trifles; So, however this sensible joy may be interrupted, and God's face hid from them (for their trial, or chastisement, and till they repent, and close with Christ:) Yet, it may come again after much sadness; they may become favorites again, and be admitted to see the Kings face, and that will renew and heighten their joy: For, he shall see his face with joy. It is enough that this rich allowance is in God's hand, who will dispense it as may be for his people's good.

6. Saints ought not to suspend their assurance of God's favor and good-will upon their sensible satisfaction and joy, so as to question the one, if they want the other; For God's being gracious, v. 24. and favorable, here, are distinct from the man's getting Joy, and this is but an effect and fruit of those, and a fruit which doth not at all times flow from them. So that they are in a great mistake, who can see no favor but in sensible satisfaction.

7. Saints true joy, and sense of God's favor, must depend upon, and flow from, their justification and righteousness in Christ, and not their sanctification only, or chiefly; For his joy in seeing God's face flows from righteousness, as the ground and reason of it, He shall see his face with joy, for he will render unto man his righteousness. See 1 Pet. 1.8. Ps. 32 1, 6, 7.

8. The righteousness of God, imputed unto sinners, is sufficient to remove all that could hinder our reconciliation and joy; For, it is here given as a sufficient reason of what is promised.

9. As this righteousness is indeed God's, who found it out, and impureth it, and who is engaged in his faithfulness and righteousness to accept those who make use of it; All which showeth, that it is not an empty notion and fancy; So he who fleeth unto Christ, may reckon it to be his own righteousness, by virtue of that legal union that is betwixt Christ and him; Thus in a sound sense, this relative, His, when it is called, His righteousness, may be referred both to God and man, who are spoken of in the sentence, and we may safely look thus upon it, when the Text doth not determine, which of them is to be understood.

10. A justified man's righteousness may, at sometimes, be obscured and out of his sight, by reason of his afflictions, guilt, temptations, sense of wrath, &c. So that it may seem to himself to be lost; For, so is supposed here, that it may be to be rendered, or, restored again. As we should entertain this precious Jewel warily and tenderly, so we should not suspect it, because of such changes and alterations.

11. When a deserted and bemisted Saint doth renew his repentance, and flee to Christ, he will find that his good estate is not lost when he wants the evidence of it, but the clouds will clear again; For, he will render, (or, return, or, restore) unto man his righteousness. See Ps. 51.12.

12. Albeit the good condition of Saints be irrecoverable by any diligence of theirs, and so it may seem hopeless, when it is gone; Yet God himself can, and will, clear all these clouds; For, he will render it. Which speaks much for their encouragement, who find that they can do nothing but multiply and augment clouds by their activity.

13. As it is sad to the Children of God, when their good estate is obscured and hid from them; So they may expect that their joy shall be as great, when their Sky cleareth again: For, then there is joy, when he rendereth to man his righteousness.

These two Verses, as they are translated, contain a summary account of man's duty in this matter, and of God's kindness following thereupon; Who observeth men, and if he find any man penitent, and confessing his sin, v. 27. he doth deliver him from the pit; which imports not only, or so much, his deliverance from eternal death (though that also be secured to the penitent) as from bodily death, as the whole context, and the following words (which are added by way of explication) do clear. But the Original, v. 27. hath only (as in the Margin of our Bibles) He shall look upon men, and say, I have sinned, &c. And v. 28. may also be read (as our Margin hath it) He hath delivered my soul — and my life, &c. So these Verses will contain the last effect of all this proceeding betwixt God and the afflicted man; Namely, The recovered man's confession and acknowledgement (to the honor of God, and edification of others) both of his sin, v. 27. and of God's goodness toward him, notwithstanding his miscarriage, v. 28, I take this to be the right reading of v. 27. That the afflicted man shall confess his miscarriage, before others. And for the next Verse, all cometh to one purpose, whether we read it as the man's acknowledgement of what God hath done for him, or, as Elihu 's intimation, in God's name, that this shall be done to him, upon his confession and repentance for his sin.

From v. 27. Learn, 1. The transactions that are betwixt God and his poople, the changes that are in their condition, and the variety of his dispensations toward them, are worthy to be marked by all; For, so is here supposed, in that it is fit to tell all this to men.

2. It is the character of persons whose afflictions are sanctified, and who are penitent, that they are public minded, and mind the good and edification of others; For, He shall look seriously (as the word imports) upon men, and seek to edify them. See Psal. 51.12, 13. Luk. 22.31, 32. He seeth the evil of men's security, and insensibleness of God's kindness, as having smarted himself for that folly; and he seeth men to be but frail creatures, (as their name here imports) and ready to fall into such evils, and therefore he would have them remedied and prevented.

3. Albeit closing with Christ's righteousness be the great work of godly men, yet renewing of repentance must go along with it; For, here this man is a penitent.

4. Repentance (especially for public sins) must not be huddled up in corners, but publicly avowed, as we have opportunity in our stations, and as the nature of the offense requireth, that so it may be exemplary; As here his repentance is publicly professed.

5. As even the regenerate have sin, and must be sensible of it under trouble (that so they may justify God who hath afflicted them, and may make it their greatest task to remove sin under the cross, Is. 27 9.) So a blessed deliverance continueth the sight and sense of sin, and repentance fo • it; For, both when he is afflicted and delivered (as the words may relate to both) he is at this, I have sinned.

6. A true penitent will not care to shame himself, that he may glorify God by the confession of his sin; For, looking upon men, he will say, I have sinned. See Josh. 7 19. Dan. 9.7, 8, 9.

7. It is not enough to see or confess sin, unless it be seen in the aggravations thereof; As here, it is subjoined, I have sinned, and perverted, &c. See Rom. 7.13.

8. Repentance will make a strange change in men's judgments, in approving what is excellent; For, what he before neglected and slighted, is now found to be right, and the Law, which enjoins it, to be just and good, Rom. 7.12.

9. It is a sad aggravation of sin, in a penitents esteem, when he hath not only done wrong, but perverted that which was right, as it is here expressed, either by being stubborn in an evil course, or by wresting his light, and the rule of right and wrong, to make what is wrong seem right; much more (if that can be incident to a renewed Child of God) by opposing and resisting what is right in others, as Act. 13.8, 10.

10. Whatever sinful courses do promise, or, sinners do fancy, yet penitents will find sin an unprofitable course; For, saith he, It profited me not; Which imports also (for it is a diminutive expression) that it is destructive, and had proved so to him, if grace had not prevented. See Rom. 6.21.

11. Albeit the offense committed against God should most sadly affect a penitent; yet his own folly, in taking such an unprofitable course, may aggravate his crime, and contribute to the heightening of his sorrow; As here it is taken notice of, upon that account.

From v. 18. Learn, 1. True penitents will find a sweet account of the change of God's dealing toward them; As here is intimated (whether we read it as a promise, or as the man's acknowledgement) that, instead of chastisement, there cometh a great deliverance.

2. A penitent will not only get deliverance from eternal wrath, but even from temporal judgments, in so far as is for his good; For, his soul, or, life, is delivered from the pit, or, grave, and his life shall see the light, and shall not go through that dark trance of death, in a cloud. And albeit our temporal life be not much worth; Yet it is a mercy not to be despised, especially in such a case: And even common mercies will look sweetly upon a penitent.

3. As mercy doth good, even to them who have been evil, and grace will pardon and cure, even the perverseness of God's people; (as this Verse compared with the former doth teach) So this should set forth the praise of God, and encourage them to repent yet more; For, so much doth this import, as it is the delivered man's speech, that he blesseth God, who had delivered him, notwithstanding he had sinned.

4. The greater the difficulties of God's penitent people are, they will contribute to make the praises of God sound the louder, for his delivering from them; For, this heightens the song, that he delivers even from the pit, or grave.

In these Verses, Elihu briefly recapitulates this second Argument, which he propounded, v. 14. and hath been instancing in the following Verses hitherto; And showeth, That God makes frequent use of those various means of instruction, formerly mentioned, for man's good, that he may be excited to renew his repentance, and so may not be cut off, but recovered out of trouble, and made to live comfortably. In the Original, instead of, oftentimes, it is, twice, thrice, whereby he doth not so much point at the three ways of instructing man, which have been formerly instanced, as names a certain number for an uncertain, and intimates, that God even frequently renews all or any of those former means, to the same godly man, or to divers of them diversely, that he may prevent their ruin. This Elihu recapitulates for Jobs information, to clear his mistakes about his own case, and to give him a check for his ignorance of what was so frequently and ordinarily done about godly men.

Doct. 1. God's dealings about his people should be seriously looked upon, and pondered, again and again; For, so much doth Elihu 's recapitulation of this matter import, that Job should look, and look again, upon it. See Ps. 28.5.

2. Whatever good be done to, or about, God's people, by whatever mean or instrument, God is to be seen as the worker of it all; For, God worketh all these things, formerly mentioned, with man.

3. God's condescending to take notice of men, and even of his people, is admirable; Considering that man is nothing to him, Psal. 8.4. and that his dispensations toward them are wonderful; For, Loe, saith he, God worketh all these, &c.

4. It is, in particular, admirable, that God should condescend so frequently to be at pains about his people; and that, after they have abused mercies, and slighted means, yet, he will follow them; For, this heightens the admiration, that God worketh these, oftentimes, with man; that when Visions succeed not, he will send Affliction, and a Messenger with it, and will repeat everyone of these so often as need requireth.

5. God's dispensations should be studied and looked upon, not only in themselves, but with an eye to his end and design in them; Therefore he subjoins for what end God worketh all these things,

6. Whatever the godly may apprehend; yet God, by all his dispensations, minds their good, and they will find that it is so, if they improve them well; For, such is his end in all his working, here subjoined, v. 30 See Rom. 8.28.

7. God may bring about his people's good by means that are not very likely; For, all that working tends to bring back from the pit; Not only visions, but even deadly afflictions, are sent to prevent (not only eternal, but temporal) death.

8. God's kindness to his people, and his designs in strange dispensations, would be better seen, if men would study preventing, as well as delivering, mercies: For, here God not only delivers out of trouble, but brings back from the pit, and prevents his death.

9. As the mercies whereof the godly are deprived by trouble, are restored to them with advantage; So those mercies should be more precious in their eyes, when they are thus restored: For, man recovered out of deadly trouble, is enlightened with the light of the living. He gets as it were a new life, and he esteems it so, and it is very comfortable and lightsome to him. See Is. 38.18, 19.

10. It is a fault, when godly men complain of their lot as singular, and so make it bitter to themselves, when it is but ordinary; or, to be ignorant of what ordinarily befalls godly men, and to quarrel, when their lot is but ordinary: For, thus doth he shur up his Argument, refuting and quarrelling Jobs complaints, and his professing of his ignorance of God's mind in his trial, by showing, that God worketh these things, oftentimes, for these ends, and therefore he needed neither have been ignorant of it, nor ought to have quarrelled it.

These Verses, contain the Conclusion of Elihu 's first Speech (after which it seems, he was silent awhile, to see if Job would make any Reply) and a preparation to his second Speech. Wherein,

1. In general, he craves that Job would seriously remark what he had said, and attend to what he was yet to say, v. 31.

2. He explains this his desire, Showing, That he desired not, by speaking on, to hinder him from saying what he could in his own defense, as the rest had done. For he was neither engaged in this quarrel out of any malice against his person, nor was he a contentious man; but desired to justify and absolve him, if he could show him good grounds for it, v. 32. But if he had no more to say, he craves audience, and promiseth to teach him wisdom, v. 33. And so Job, finding that he spake to purpose, keeps silence, and he proceedeth in the following Chapter.

From these Verses, Learn, 1. It concerns men so much to see how they entertain what men say unto them from God, wherein they have taken much pains; Therefore doth Elihu so often, in the beginning and close of his discourses, put Job to this task.

2 Afflicted men have need, especially, to look how they entertain those messages, which touch them nearly, and do point out their faults; For, afflicted Job is called to mark and hearken, unto what he had told, and would tell him, concerning his miscarriages.

3. Simple audience is not enough, but serious attention and observation are required, when God by his Messengers speaks to us, particularly, in affliction; For, saith he, Mark well, and heaken unto me.

4. Such as make conscience of right hearing, will not in passion interrupt them who speak; For, saith he, Hold thy peace, and I will speak. It is not very certain, that Job was interrupting him till he forbad him; For, in the next Verse, he gives him free leave to speak. Yet, as it is certain, that Job was not yet fully convinced or satisfied, and therefore so much is said to him after this; So, it may be that Job was offering to except or propound somewhat, till Elihu desire him to hear him out; offering, notwithstanding, to hear if he had anything to say to the purpose, as being his true friend. Which kindness (among other things) possibly, did so work upon Job, that he gave over his purpose, and chose rather to hear, than to speak. However, passionately to interrupt the Messengers of God, is a very great sin; And however men do forbear that practice, yet they may interrupt their own edification, if they keep not their own Spirits composed, and be not as men dumb and deaf (as the word, Hear, signifieth) as to anything they think irritating in the message.

5. They who would refute and convince men, who are in an error, ought to give them a fair hearing, however they interrupt their impertinencies; For, though he desire he will hold his peace, yet, saith he, If thou hast anything to say, answer me, either now, if thou please, or after I have spoken all my mind.

6. Men will never give others a fair hearing, nor speak a right to a cause, so long as they are contentious, and do entertain prejudices against persons, or, being once engaged, do strive more for victory, than for truth, and so do cast iniquity upon men, Psal. 55.3. For, saith he, giving a reason of his offer, for I desire to justify thee, in so far as is possible, or, if there were ground for it.

7. As men should thus give a fair hearing to those with whom they deal; So, upon the other hand, when men have no solid answer, they should not jangle in their own defense; but hear and take reproof; For, saith he, If not, hearken unto me, hold thy peace.

8. It is their duty who deal with others, especially those in distress who give them an hearing, to teach them solid wisdom, and not empty notions; For, saith he, I will teach thee wisdom.

9. As there is no man so wise, but he needs to be more wise, and may need instruction to know God and himself, when he is in trouble; So, a just cause gives a weak man great advantage of a st •• ng party: For, in all these respects he saith to Job, I will teach thee wisdom, intimating, that Job, a great and wise man, needs instruction that he may be more wise; especially now when he is in the dark through much perplexity and trouble; And though Job was a great Prince, and Elihu but a young man, yet he counts it no arrogance, having truth on his side, to say, that he is able to teach Job in this matter.

CHAP. XXXIV.