Exposition of Job 32-24, Commentary on Job · Chapter 34

Exposition of Job 32-24 · Commentary on Job · Chapter 34

p. 787JOB. Chap. 34. Verſ. 31, 32.

Surely it is meete to be ſaid unto God, I have borne chaſtiſement, I will not offend any more.

That which I ſee not, teach thou me: if I have done iniquity, I will doe no more.

ELihu having convinced Job, both of the power of God, to doe what he pleaſeth, and alſo of his righteouſneſſe, that he is juſt in whatſoever he pleaſeth to doe, proceedeth to give him counſell, how to carry himſelfe better towards God, then by his former ſpeeches and expoſtulations (hinted at the 5^th verſe of this Chapter) he ſeemed to have done. In theſe two verſes he gives him (according to our tranſlation) counſell conſiſting of three branches.

Firſt, He counſells him to a due ſubmiſſion, to the hand of God. In the former part of the 31^th verſe; Surely it is meete to be ſaid unto God, I have borne chaſtiſement.

Secondly, He counſells him to reformation, or to a gracious reſolution of laying downe every ſinfull thing, or what ever was a provocation to God. This he doth once and againe, twice in theſe two verſes; Firſt, in the cloſe of the 31^th verſe; It is meete to be ſayd unto God, I will not offend any more; Secondly, in the cloſe of the 32d verſe; If I have done iniquity, I will doe no more.

Thirdly, Elihu counſells Job, to pray for further diſcoveries, both of his ſins, and ſinfullneſſe, as alſo of his duty, at the beginning of the 32^d verſe; That which I ſee not teach thou me. Thus you have the diſtinct poynts of that counſell which Elihu gives Job, according to our reading of theſe words. There is another reading, which I ſhall touch, when I have firſt opened and proſecuted the words as they ſtand in ours.

Verſ. 31. Surely it is meete to be ſayd unto God, I have borne chaſtiſement; I will not offend any more.

Theſe are child-like words, ſuch words as a faulty, yet a ſubmitting p. 788repenting childe, ſpeakes to a diſpleaſed father, when he is under his rod, (yet ſuch as become the moſt aged and growne men in grace) I have borne chaſtiſement, I have been under thy correcting hand, forgive me O my father, I will doe ſo no more. Thus Elihu adviſeth Job, to beſpeak God his father while he was afflicting him.

Some render the former part of this verſe, by way of interrogation, or queſtion, Hath he ſayd unto God, I have borne chaſtiſement, I will offend no more? hath Job ſpoken thus to God? As if Elihu (making his appeale to the by-ſtanders) had ſayd, Ye all are witneſſes that Job hath not yet humbled himſelfe under the correcting hand of God, but rather charged God with ſeverity, in dealing with him, and over-boldly enquired into the reaſon of his dealings. Our affirmative tranſlation carrieth the ſame ſenſe with this interrogative, and queſtioning tranſlation; for when Elihu ſaith to Job, It is meete to be ſayd unto God, I have borne chaſtiſement; he ſuppoſeth, that Job had not ſayd ſo.

Surely it is meete to be ſayd unto God.

foreignThe Hebrew particle which we render ſurely, commonly ſignifieth, for, as giving an account or reaſon, of ſomewhat that went before; yet we render it well both here, and elſewhere, ſurely, according to the ſcope of the place; eſpecially ſeeing Elihu ſpeaking thus, is not giving a reaſon of what was ſayd before, but inferring a duty from it.

Againe, The word meete, is not expreſly in the Hebrew text, yet it is clearly implyed in it, and therefore added by our tranſlators to fill up, and cleare the ſenſe; the originall is, It is to be ſayd unto God, we ſay, It is meete to be ſayd unto God, I have borne chaſtiſement.

The word chaſtiſement alſo is not expreſly in the original, there it is only, I have borne, but becauſe bearing muſt needs import, that ſomewhat is borne as a burthen, and ſeeing according unto the ſubject matter that Elihu is upon with Job, it muſt referre to ſome affliction or chaſtiſement laid upon him, therefore we fitly ſupply this word chaſtiſement, It is to be ſayd unto God, I have borne; what? (it cannot be meant of any outward corporall burthen, or viſible loade layd upon his back; but, I have borne) p. 789chaſtiſement, affliction, or correction; It is meete to be ſayd unto God, I have borne chaſtiſement; that is, I both have and will beare, whatſoever thou haſt, or ſhalt be pleaſed to lay upon me; I will not diſpute thy burthens, but take them up. So then, this firſt part of the verſe is a direction miniſtred to Job, ſhewing him how to behave himſelfe in the bearing of affliction; He muſt not ſtrive or ſtruggle with them, nor with God about them, but ſuſtaine them. And this direction is not peculiar to Job's perſon, or to his caſe alone, but it belongs to all that are in affliction, let their caſe be what it will; all ſuch ought to beare quietly or patiently to abide under the burthen which God layeth upon them. I ſhall not ſtay upon the opening of the ſpeciall ſignification of that word chaſtiſement, becauſe it is not in the Hebrew text, only thus, chaſtiſements are uſually taken for thoſe afflictions, or afflicting providences, which God layeth upon his owne children; he layeth judgements upon the wicked, and puniſhments upon the ungodly, but properly, and ſtrictly, that which falls upon his owne people is called chaſtiſement. For though in Scripture, there are diſpenſations of God towards his owne people, ſpoken of under the notion of judgement, yet they have not a proper ſenſe of judgement, as proceeding from wrath, and intended for revenge. Wrath is the ſpring from whence judgements flow, and as to their iſſue, they tend to the ſatisfaction of Juſtice. This God doth not expect, at the hands of his owne children, and therefore their afflictions are moſt properly called chaſtiſements, Surely it is meete to be ſayd unto God, I have borne chaſtiſement.

Hence note.

It is our duty when the hand of God is upon us, or when we are under chaſtiſements, to ſpeake humbly, meekly, and ſubmiſſively to God.

We ought alwayes to be humble, and carry it humbly towards God, but then eſpecially when God by any afflicting providence is humbling us. The Prophet (Hoſ: 14.2.) calling that people to returne unto the Lord, adviſeth thus; Take with you words, and turne to the Lord, ſay unto him, take away all iniquity, and receive us graciouſly, ſo will we render the calves of our lips. As Elihu here makes a kinde of directory, what a perſon in affliction ſhould ſay unto God, It is meete to ſay unto God, that is, for a man in thy caſe, p. 790to ſay thus unto God; ſo that Prophet, by the Spirit, ſaith, Take unto you words, and turne to the Lord, and ſay or ſpeake thus unto him; though not ſtrictly, ſyllabically, in ſo many words, yet to this ſence, and purpoſe, or according to this tenour, ſpeak thus, Take away iniquity, and receive us graciouſly. And when the Prophet ſaith, Take unto you words, his meaning is not that they ſhould affectedly ſtudy a forme of words for God, much leſſe that they ſhould artificially counterfeit words which their hearts had not conceived, or were not correſpondent to their hearts, (many ſpeake words, even to God, which never come neare but are meere ſtrangers to the intents of their hearts) but ſincere words, humble words, words of ſupplication, not expoſtulating words, not quarrelling words, not murmuring words, not meere complaining words, but take to you words of confeſſion, and ſubmiſſion, and ſo preſent your ſelves and your condition before the Lord. The Preacher (Eccleſ: 12.10.) ſought to finde out acceptable words, and ſo ſhould we when we ſpeake unto men; Preachers of the word ſhould ſeeke to finde out acceptable words; not fine words, not ſwelling words of vanity, not ſlattering ſoothing words, but acceptable words, that is, ſuch as may finde eaſie paſſage into the heart; or ſuch words as may make their paſſage into the heart, through the power of the Spirit of God. Now if the Preacher ſought to finde out acceptable words, when he ſpake to the people, much more ſhould we when we ſpeak to God. O how ſhould we labour then to finde out acceptable words. All words are not fit to be ſpoken unto God; the words that are (in ſuch caſes as the text ſpeakes of) may be reduced to theſe two heads.

Firſt, They muſt be God juſtifying words, that is, words by which we acquit the Juſtice of God, how ſore, and how heavy ſoever his hand is upon us. When Daniel (Chap: 9.7, 14.) was laying before the Lord the calamitous ſtate of that people (they were under as ſore judgements as ever nation was, For under the whole heavens (ſaith he there) hath not been done, as God hath done unto Jeruſalem) yet all the words he ſpake unto God, tended unto the juſtification of God; O Lord (ſaid he) righteouſneſſe belongeth unto thee, but unto us confuſion of faces, as at this day, to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jeruſalem, &c. We have not had one ſtroake more, then we have deſerved, there hath not been a grain of weight more in our burthen, then we have p. 791brought upon our ſelves, there hath not been a drop in our cup more then we have given juſt cauſe for, Therefore hath the Lord watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us, for the Lord our God is righteous in all his works, which he doth, for we obeyed not his voice; theſe are words fit to be ſpoken unto God.

Secondly, We are to take to our ſelves ſelf-condemning, ſelf-abaſing, ſelf-emptying words. Such we finde in that chapter, (v. 5, 6, 7.) To us belong ſhame, and confuſion of face, &c. theſe are the words we ſhould take to our ſelves, and thus it is meet to be ſaid unto God, whenſoever his chaſtiſements are upon us.

Secondly Obſerve.

It is our duty to acknowledge it to God, that he hath chaſtened us, when he hath.

We muſt own his hand in afflicting us, as much as in proſpering us, in caſting us down, as much as in lifting us up, in wounding us, as much as in healing us; It is meet to be ſaid unto God, we have born chaſtiſement, thy hand hath been upon us. The neglect of, or rather obſtinacy againſt this, is charged as a great ſin (Iſa. 26.17.) Lord, when thy hand is lifted up, they will not ſee; that is, they will not acknowledge thy moſt eminent appearances in anger againſt them. 'Tis ſo with many at this day, though there be a hand of God (as it were) viſibly afflicting their bodies, and eſtates, their children and families; yet they will not ſee, that it is a hand of God; but ſay as the Philiſtines, it is a chance, or, it is our ill fortune; it is from the negligence of this man, or from the malice of that other man. All this while there is no acknowledgement of the hand of God. They ſay not with Eli, (1 Sam. 3.18.) It is the Lord; nor with David, (Pſal. 39.9, 10.) I was dumb, I opened not my mouth, becauſe thou didſt it; Remove thy ſtroke away from me, I am conſumed by the blow of thine hand. It is as much our duty, and for the glory of God, to confeſs that our afflictions are of God, as our mercies and favours.

Thirdly Obſerve.

The chaſtenings of God muſt be born, they muſt be endured.

Many are chaſtiſed who cannot ſay they have born chaſtiſements; It's an ordinary thing to be under chaſtiſement, but its a great thing and requires much holy skill and ſpiritualneſs to bear a chaſtiſement; p. 792the duty of a Chriſtian lies moſt in two points.

Firſt in doing, or in active obedience.

Secondly in ſuffering, or in paſſive obedience, and there is as much of God, as much of grace, as much of holineſs, yea I may ſay much more held out in bearing and in ſuffering, then there is in acting or in doing.

But you will ſay, what is it to bear, that you make it ſo difficult a matter to bear chaſtiſements? How muſt chaſtiſements be born? or what is it to bear them?

I will anſwer the queſtion under two heads. Firſt, Negatively, To bear chaſtiſement is not

Firſt, meerly to finde or feel it upon our ſhoulders as a burthen which pincheth or preſſeth us; ſo a beaſt may bear.

Secondly, it is not a bearing meerly becauſe we cannot help it, or be rid of our burden, for ſo the worſt of men may bear; they bear the greateſt burthens that God layeth upon them, becauſe they cannot avoid them, nor eaſe themſelves of them.

Thirdly, It is not a bearing ſtoutly, or ſlightingly, to make nothing of it; ſo proud men bear, men of unſubdued ſpirits unto God, and his word, regard not what they bear, nor what God doth to them.

Fourthly, It is not a bearing them ſowrly or ſullenly; for ſo diſcontented perſons bear; yea, ſo the devil beareth the burthen which the hand of God hath laid upon him.

Fifthly, Nor is it a bearing chaſtiſement faintly or diſpondingly; ſo weak believers bear. To bear and faint, is not the bearing of faith. Neither of theſe are the bearing of chaſtiſement which Elihu intends in this counſel, when he ſaith, It is meet to be ſaid unto God, I have born chaſtiſment. Thus ye ſee the Negative, what the bearing of it is not?

Secondly, I anſwer affirmatively, To bear a chaſtiſement as an act or work of grace, is

Firſt to bear it ſenſibly; that is, feeling the weight of the hand of God, and taſting the bitterneſs of that cup of ſorrow which he giveth us to drink.

Secondly, 'Tis a bearing of it ſubmittingly, humbly, patiently, laying our ſelves down at the foot of God, and ſaying, as Eli did, Let him do what ſeemeth him good; or as David, (2 Sam. 15.26.) Behold, here I am, let him do to me as ſeemeth good unto him. We p. 793never bear any evil of affliction well, till we can ſay (with a ſweet reſignation of our ſelves) to God, do with us what ſeemeth to thee good. And (for our encouragement I may ſay) nothing can hurt a godly man which ſeemeth good to God.

Thirdly, 'Tis a contentful bearing, or a bearing contentedly; Thus Chriſt ſpake (Pſal. 40. and 'tis cited by the Apoſtle Heb. 10.) Lo, I come to do thy will, I am content to do it; what was that? It was to bear or ſuffer; the greateſt part of what Chriſt was to do, was to bear or ſuffer the chaſtiſement of our peace, (Iſa. 53.5.) and in ſuffering to be made a ſacrifice for us; his contentment to do the will of God, was a contentment to ſuffer. Of ſuch a ſpirit ſhould the people of God be; bearing chaſtiſement not only patiently, but contentedly; this is hard, but this cannot be left out in the full exerciſe of that grace.

Fourthly, 'Tis to bear it (more then contentedly) willingly; how free was Chriſt to bear, when he ſaid (John 18.11.) The cup which my father hath given me, ſhall I not drink it? Surely I will, I am willing to drink it, though it be a bitter cup. We are not to will our ſufferings, but to ſuffer them willingly; there is a vaſt difference between theſe two; I do not ſay we are to will our ſufferings, but we are to ſuffer them willingly; we muſt ſuffer what, and how, and when, and how long God will; and when God willeth our ſufferings, we muſt ſuffer with our wills, or be willing to ſuffer.

Fifthly, To bear chaſtiſement in the ſence here intended, is not only to bear it with our will, but with our affections, not only willingly, but acceptably, and embracingly; 'tis to ſay welcome croſs, becauſe it is the will of God. There is no chaſtiſement that we can rejoyce in, or have any affection to, conſidered in it ſelf, but to bear chaſtiſement in contemplation of the will of God, ſhould work our hearts to an accepting, to an embracing, to a welcoming of it; we ſhould ſay to all our ſufferings, welcome, by the will of God.

Sixthly, 'Tis to bear it prayerfully; we muſt bear ſilently in oppoſition to complaining; but we muſt not bear ſilently in oppoſition to praying. While chaſtiſement is upon our backs, ſupplications muſt be in our mouths; and we muſt pray, firſt, That we may ſee the reaſon why or for what cauſe God chaſteneth us: Secondly, We muſt pray, that we may anſwer the ends which God p. 794aimeth at in chaſtening us. Thirdly, That we may have freſh power to bear his chaſtenings. Fourthly, That God would be pleaſed to remove our chaſtenings. While we bear chaſtenings, we may pray, and pray hard that God would take them away. David had no ſooner ſaid, I opened not my mouth, (that is, complainingly) becauſe thou didst it (Pſal. 39.9.) but preſently he opened his mouth in prayer (verſ. 10.) Remove thy ſtroke away from me. While we bear our croſs patiently and willingly, it would be our ſin not to pray for deliverance from it. To ſay I am under a chaſtiſement, and let the Lord keep it upon me as long as he will, I will never ask him to take it off, were a moſt unbecoming frame of ſpirit. They that bear affliction moſt cheerfully, ſhould pray moſt earneſtly to be eaſed of it; we muſt be willing to bear them alwayes, yet we muſt pray that we may not bear them long. If a childe under the rod of a parent, ſhould not ſay, pray father ſtay your hand, it is enough, but let him go on ſtriking, and never intimate a deſire of his forbearance, this were a ſigne of ſtubbornneſs, not of patience and ſubmiſſion. 'Tis as bad not to ask releaſe from our troubles, as to murmure at them, or to be unquiet under them. Remember then, you muſt be as much in the exerciſe of prayer as of patience under the croſs, and that in theſe four reſpects. Thus you have the anſwer to that queſtion; by which it appears, that 'tis no eaſie matter to ſay what Elihu ſaith, It is meet to be ſaid unto God, I have born chaſtiſement?

There is yet another queſtion, (for ſome may demand) why ſhould chaſtiſements be thus born? I anſwer,

Firſt, We muſt bear them according to all the rules before given, becauſe they come from God. Our afflictions are Gods allotment, we muſt bear what he appoints: therefore old Eli, though he had failed, and ſinned greatly, and ſo brought a cloud of calamity upon himſelf and his family (the very report whereof, as Samuel told him, would make both ears of every one that heard it, to tingle) yet he compoſed his ſpirit to a ſubmiſſive hearing of it, upon this ſingle conſideration, It is the Lord, and there is enough in that conſideration to make all men ſubmit. For firſt, The Lord is ſupream, and therefore what he doth muſt be born. Secondly, He is a Father, a childe muſt bear what a Father layeth upon him; and as the Lord is a father, ſo he is not a haſty, imprudent, or paſſionate father, but a moſt wiſe and judicious father; therefore 'tis p. 795our intereſt as well as our duty to bear his chaſtiſements. Yea, he is a gracious, tender, and compaſſionate father, and when we know he that layeth a hand of affliction upon us, hath alſo a heart full of compaſſion towards us, we ſhould willingly bear his hand.

Secondly, Chaſtiſements are to be born in the manner directed, becauſe they are for our good, and ſhall we not bear what is good for us? It is good for me (ſaid David, Pſal. 119.71.) that I have been afflicted; and ſo the Apoſtle (Heb. 12.10.) For they verily for a few dayes, chaſtened us after their own pleaſure, but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holineſs. Chaſtiſements are for our profit, and ſhall not we bear that which is for our profit? If God ſhould lay chaſtiſements on us for our hurt, meerly to vex us, & to put us to pain, or meerly becauſe he delights in our ſufferings, who could bear them? But it is meet to bear what God layes upon us, becauſe he doth it for our good and profit.

Thirdly, We muſt bear chaſtiſements in the manner ſhewed, becauſe unleſs we bear them ſo, they will do us no good, or we ſhall have no profit by them, and that's a miſery indeed. To bear ſmart, and finde no advantage coming in by it; to drink gall, and to have no ſweetneſs come out of it; to endure loſs, and to have no kinde of profit by it is very grievous. Now what ever chaſtiſement is laid upon any, it doth them no good, and they can have no profit by it, unleſs they bear it as was before deſcribed; it is not the bare being afflicted, that doth us good, but it is the wiſe management, or the skilful bearing of it that doth us good; and therefore we finde, that the Apoſtle (Heb. 12.11.) when he had ſaid, There is no affliction joyous for the preſent, but grievous, adds, Nevertheleſs afterwards it yeildeth the peaceable fruit of righteouſneſs, (but to whom? What to every one that is afflicted, have they theſe ſweet fruits? No, but) to them that are exerciſed thereby. Afflictions bring no ſweet fruits to them that have them, unleſs they be exerciſed by them: how exerciſed? Afflictions exerciſe every one that hath them; they are to all a paſſive exerciſe, but to be exerciſed, notes here an active exerciſe; they who graciouſly exerciſe themſelves in affliction, ſhall without doubt finde benefit and fruit by affliction.

But ſome may ſay, what is it to be thus exerciſed by affliction? I anſwer (for the opening of that Scripture) to be exerciſed, is,

p. 796Firſt, To be much in ſearching our own hearts, and wayes, or how 'tis with us, and what hath been done by us, (Eccleſ. 7.14.) In the day of adverſity conſider, that is, bethink your ſelves, Firſt, What God is doing. Secondly, What you have been doing. Thirdly, What becomes you to do in ſuch a day. The prophet points us to the two latter Duties of ſuch a day in one verſe, (Lam. 3.40.) Let us ſearch and try our wayes, and turn again to the Lord. To ſearch our wayes, is to conſider what we have been doing; to turn to the Lord, is the great thing to be done, in a day of adverſity.

Secondly, As this exerciſe of the ſoul conſiſts in ſearching our own hearts; ſo in ſearching the heart of God (if I may ſo ſpeak) that is, in an humble enquiry to the utmoſt, what God meaneth by any affliction, what hath moved him to afflict us; and we have as much cauſe to ſearch Gods heart, as our own in this caſe. Thus in that National affliction (2 Sam. 21.1.) when the famine continued three years, year after year, it is ſaid, David enquired of the Lord, why is it thus? he ſearch'd Gods heart by deſiring an anſwer from the Lord, what ſin it was which provoked him to that ſad diſpenſation. And thus we ſhould be enquiring of God by prayer what ſin he ſtriketh at, or what grace he ſpecially calleth us to act by any affliction which he ſendeth either upon our families or perſons.

Thirdly, There is an exerciſing of our ſelves in ſearching the affliction it ſelf; firſt, into the nature of it. Secondly, into the circumſtances of it, how timed, and meaſured, by what hand, and in what way the Lord deals with us; this is a great exerciſe, and unleſs we are thus exerciſed under affliction, we get ſmart, and loſs, and bitterneſs, but no good at all by it. So much for the firſt counſel given Job by Elihu, It is meet to be ſaid unto God, I have born chaſtiſement.

His ſecond counſel as it lies here in the order of the Text, is about the reformation, or the amendment of what is amiſs.

I will not offend any more.

foreign a radice foreign ſignificat magna nocendi cupiditate ardere ſicut mulieres ardent deſiderio concipiendi foetum; tranſfertur in ſecunda conjugations, vel ad parturientium dolores, vel ad concupiſcendi libidinem. Moller in Pſal. 7.14.Ps 7:14It is fit the afflicted ſhould ſay unto God, I wil not offend. The root of the word here uſed, ſignifieth ſomtimes the pains of travel in p. 797childe-bearing, (Cant. 8.5.) I raiſed thee up under the Apple-tree, there thy mother brought thee forth, there ſhe brought thee forth that bare thee. And again (Pſal. 7.14.) Behold he travelleth with iniquity, and hath conceived miſchief, and brought forth falſhood: It ſignifieth alſo in Scripture to corrupt, or to pollute, (Neh. 1.7.) We have dealt very corruptly againſt thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the ſtatutes, nor the judgements which thou commandeſt thy ſervant Moſes. To deal corruptly, or to do corruptly, what is it but to ſin againſt or offend God? Every offence or ſin, ſprings from the corruption of our own hearts, and is a corruption of our wayes and manners. Both theſe readings, I will not offend, or, I will not corrupt, meet in the ſame ſence; for to corrupt our wayes is to offend, and to offend is to corrupt our wayes; to do any evil is to corrupt our ſelves, or others. So then,Non tantum in Piel, ſed & in Kall videtur uſurpari pro corrumpere, Zech. 11.7.14. Job 34, 31. De Dieu in loc.Zech 11:7Zech 11:14Job 34:31 the meaning plainly is this, I will corrupt my way no more; the man in affliction muſt ſay to God in a deep ſence of, and ſorrow for his former ſins, offences, and corruptions, I will offend, I will corrupt no more. Now, comparing the former counſel with this; Obſerve, Firſt.

Chaſtiſement is for amendment.

The evil of affliction is brought upon us, that we may take heed of, and turn from the evil of ſin, (that's intimated by the connexion) therefore to go on offending, while God is chaſtening, is to add rebellion to our ſin. It was the brand of Ahaz (2 Chron. 28.22.) in the time of his diſtreſs, he treſpaſſed yet more againſt the Lord; whereas being in diſtreſs, he ſhould have ſaid to the Lord, I will treſpaſs no more.

Note ſecondly.

When God chaſtens us, we ſhould promiſe amendment.

We ſhould tel God, we will him offend no more, we wil grieve him no more, we will provoke him no more, we will diſhonour him no more; the leaſt ſin once committed is too much, therefore we ſhould engage to ſin no more.

But it may be queſtion'd, can any man make ſuch a p…omiſe, or take ſuch an engagement upon himſelf, when under chaſtiſement, that he will offend no more? Is that degree of perfection attainable in this life, to offend no more? How then is this meet to be p. 798ſaid unto God, I will offend no more? Muſt we promiſe things that we cannot perform? Is there any man chaſtened that offends not again? ſaith not the Apoſtle James, in many things we offend all? Is it then meet to ſay this unto God, I will offend no more? Is it not ſinful to make a promiſe not to ſin? I anſwer,

Firſt, by way of conceſſion. No man may promiſe, what ever his chaſtiſements are, that he never will ſin at all any more, no man can make any ſuch promiſe, neither is that the meaning here; but he that is under the chaſtening hand of God, may and muſt, promiſe that he will not commit ſuch, or ſuch a ſin any more; eſpecially not ſuch a ſin as he moſt ſuſpects to have brought the chaſtiſement upon his back; we may make promiſes againſt particular ſins, though we cannot promiſe we will never ſin.

Secondly, We may promiſe, when we are under the chaſtening hand of God, that we will offend no more, in ſuch a manner as we have offended formerly, ſo fooliſhly, ſo vainly, ſo negligently; we may and muſt promiſe to be more watchful, that we ſin not the ſame ſin again either for matter or manner.

Thirdly, When chaſtened, we may ſay unto God abſolutely, we will offend no more, with reſpect to the purpoſe of our ſouls; that is, we muſt lay aſide all purpoſes of committing any ſin; yea we may, we muſt tell the Lord, 'tis the deſire and purpoſe of our ſouls, 'tis our ayme, and ſhall be our endeavour to offend no more. The ayme of every true believer is not to ſin, though (in this world) it be not the attainment of any (1 John 2.1.) My little children, theſe things write I unto you, that ye ſin not: As if the Apoſtle had ſaid, I would fain wynde up your hearts to ſuch a pitch, that you may not ſin at all; But if any man ſin, we have an Advocate with the Father; I know you cannot but ſin, yet let it be your care not to ſin, and your prayer to offend no more. And how ſhould we bleſs the Lord, if we could live without ſin, and be for ever rid of it! we ſhould wiſh a thouſand times more to be quit of ſin, then affliction; thus we muſt ſay unto God, we will offend no more.

Fourthly, though we cannot promiſe, or take up ſuch a reſolution abſolutely, nor in our own ſtrength, yet we may and ought in the ſtrength of Chriſt, or to the utmoſt of that ſtrength and grace, which he gives out, and beſtoweth upon us.

I ſhall have occaſion to ſpeak further to this poin…, from thoſe p. 799words of the 32d or next verſe, (which are of neer alliance both as to matter and form with theſe here) If I have done iniquity, I will do no more.

Only before I paſs from this rendering of the Text in hand, take two Notes more; In that Elihu telleth the penitent perſon, he ought to ſay unto God, I will not offend any more.

Note, Firſt.

A truly humbled and repenting ſoul, is as careful to avoid the act of ſin for the time to come, as to be freed from the guilt of ſin paſt.

This holy care is a ſure argument of a good conſcience. A wicked wretch may be deſirous to have former offences pardoned, but he hath not any unfeigned purpoſe not to offend any more; and uſually he hath no ſooner caſt up his ſin by a ſeeming penitent confeſſion, but he returns with the dog to his vomit by a freſh commiſſion of his ſin. Sorrow for ſin yeilds no comfort, if not accompanied with a care not to ſin. Chriſt was not ſo rigid to the woman taken in Adultery as her accuſers were, yet he ſaith to her, (John 8.11.) Go and ſin no more; as if he had ſaid, thy caſe will be ſad, though now thou haſt eſcaped or got rid of thy accuſers, it thou tradeſt on in this wicked way. And when David prayed for purging the ſin paſt, he alſo prayed for eſtabliſhing by the free Spirit of God, againſt ſuch-like temptations in time to come, (Pſal. 51.) as if he had ſaid, Lord, I do not ask pardon that I might take liberty to offend again, but I deſire thy confirming and preventing grace, that I may offend no more.

Secondly, From the extenſiveneſs of this engagement, to which Elihu directs the penitent perſon, I will not offend any more, neither in one kinde nor other.

Note.

He that is truly humbled for any one ſin, will to his utmoſt avoid every ſin.

He ſaith, I will not offend any more. He that loves God, cannot live in the doing of any one thing which God hates; but as he expects good out of all the promiſes, ſo he hath reſpect to all the commandments; whoſoever hath ſo, would not offend in any thing any more.

p. 800Further, as this latter clauſe is tranſlated, I will corrupt no more.

Note.

Firſt, Sin is a corruption.

We ſhall do well to look upon ſin in all its notions, to make it loathſom to us; this is one notion of it, ſin corrupts every thing and perſon it hath to do with.

Firſt, Sin is the corruption of our nature, the whole maſs of mankinde, and the whole of every man is leavened by it.

Secondly, Sin is the corruption of our converſation, and of our way, (Gen. 6.11, 12.) God looked upon the earth, and behold it was corrupt, for all fleſh had corrupted his way upon the earth. Moſes warns the people of Iſrael againſt ſin upon this ground, (Deut. 4.16.) Leſt ye corrupt your ſelves, and make you a graven image, read Pſal. 53.1. Hoſ. 9.9. Zeph. 3.7. Zech. 3.7.

Thirdly, Sinning is the corrupting of the Commandments of God, a ſinner as much as in him lyeth makes void the Law.

Fourthly, Sinning is a corrupting of the Covenant of God; yea ſome kinde of ſinning is a corrupting the blood of the Covenant, or a counting the blood of the Covenant as an unholy thing (Heb. 10.29.) though the blood of the Covenant be in it ſelf infinitely above all corruption, yet ſin doth what it can to corrupt it.

Laſtly, Some render, it is meet to be ſaid unto God, I have born chaſtiſement, I will not break; which we may underſtand two ways. Firſt,Ideo ad Deum dici debet perfero, non diſrumpam. Bez. I will not again break the Commandment; ſo it falls in with our Tranſlation, I will not offend. Secondly, I will not break; that is, thoſe rods, or bonds of chaſtiſement that thou haſt laid upon me; as if he ſhould ſay, Lord, thou haſt bound me in theſe fetters of affliction, and I will abide thy pleaſure under them, I will not ſtrive, but ſubmit, I will not break priſon, but wait thy time for my deliverance.

Hence Note.

We must bear, not break the bonds of our affliction.

Some (like ſtubborn children under the chaſtening hand of a Parent) would even break away from God; or like malefactors, when under the hand of Juſtice, they would break priſon, knock off their irons, and get away. As the wicked do, and ſpeak concerning the bands and cords of Gods Commandments, (Pſal. 2.3.) p. 801Let us breake their bands aſunder, and caſt away their cords from us; ſo ſome ſpeake and doe about the bands and cords of divine chaſtiſements, they will breake from them, or breake them, if poſſibly they can. Let ſuch remember, 'tis beſt when they are in Gods bands, to let him untie them, and when they are in his priſon, 'tis good to abide there, till he is pleaſed to diſcharge and let them out. The Apoſtles being in priſon, the Magiſtrates ſent the Sergeants, ſaying, Let theſe men goe, but Paul ſayd unto them, they have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romanes, and have caſt us into priſon, and now doe they thruſt us out privily, nay verily, but let them come themſelves and fetch us out. A godly man when under reſtraint by the illegal or rigorous dealings of the Magiſtrate, will not accept his liberty, upon unworthy termes; ſurely then he will not make an eſcape out of the hand of God unwarrantably. He is ready to accept his liberty with much thankfullneſſe, but he will not force it with violence. A godly man would free himſelfe from ſin, and get heaven by a kind of force (as Chriſt ſpeakes in the Goſpel) but he would not free himſelfe from ſuffering by force, nor get his eaſe by violence. When God bindes him, he ſaith (according to this reading) I will not breake.

But you will ſay, who may be ſayd to breake or get by force out of the chaſtning hand of God?

I anſwer; Firſt, they doe it, by way of interpretation, who are impatient and unquiet in their afflictions. A child that ſtrives and ſtruggles under his fathers rod, breakes away from him as much as he can.

Secondly, They actually breake from under the hand of God, who by any ſinfull way helpe themſelves out of their afflictions. Such, when God hath bound them with the cords of affliction, goe to the Devill to looſe & let them out. 'Tis ſad when God impriſons a man, But O how ſad is it to go to the Devill for a releaſe; yet ſo doe all they who being under affliction, endeavour to free themſelves by any ſinful way; eſpecially when they who are perſecuted for the ſaith & truth of Chriſt, break their faith with Chriſt, and quit the truth before profeſſed, that they may quit themſelves from perſecution. O take heed of ſuch deliverances, rather dye under the afflicting hand of God, or the perſecuring hand of man, then free your ſelves from either by putting your hand or ſuffering your mouth to ſin. Better be utterly broken by affliction, then p. 802ſo to breake the bands of affliction; better dye in affliction, then ſin your ſelves out of affliction. Let God who ha…h layd the burthen upon you, take it off, or el…e lye under it ſtill. Thus much for theſe two coun els given Job by Elihu; Sed ad deum fortem, qui dicit condono, non deſtruam, dicendum eſt praeterquam quod video tu doce me, ſi ini quitatem operit… ſum non pe…gam. Merl.It is meete to be ſayd unto God, I have b…rne chaſtiſement, and, it is meete to be ſayd unto God, I will offend no more; there is yet a third thing to be ſayd unto God, which Elihu gives al…o in counſel, that which I ſee not teach thou me; But, b…fore I proceed to that, I ſhall a while conſider another tranſlation of the verſe already opened, very Conſiſtent with the Original text, and much Inſiſted upon by ſome learned Interpreters, as being full of Goſpel ſenſe, and very ſpiri…ual matter. According to this ſecond reading the words run thus: Verſ. 31. But to the Almighty God who ſaith, I forgive, I will not deſtroy; It ought to be ſaid, beſide what I ſee teach thou me, if I have done Iniquity, I will not proceed to doe it.

The difference of the tranſlation is very evident and eminent; we read thus; Surely it is meete to be ſayd to God, I have borne chaſt…ſement, I will not offend any more. This tranſlation ſaith, But to God who ſaith I forgive, &c. It ought to be ſayd, &c. Mr Broughton, is expreſs for this tranſlation, rendring the text in theſe words; Now unto the omnipotent which ſaith, I pardon, I will not deſtroy, this ſhall be ſaid, what I ſee not teach thou me, &c.

As the words according to our tranſlation containe an humble and a very gracious acknowledgement of the Chaſtening hand of God, and mans promiſe of reformation; ſo according to this they containe a moſt precious deſcription of the moſt gracious diſpoſition of God, ſpeaking two things of himſelfe to man.

Firſt, As pardoning.

Secondly, As not deſtroying. From this double diſcovery of God, a double duty is inferr'd, incumbent upon man. For God having thus declared himſelfe ready to forgive ſin, and loth to deſtroy ſinners, every ſinner ſhould be induced to ſay thus to God; I ſee many of my ſins, and I believe I have many ſins more which I ſee not; therefore, firſt, I beg of thee, O God, that thou wouldeſt ſhew me what I ſee not, and, ſecondly, that thou wouldeſt keep me for ever from doing or committing againe that evill which thou ſhalt ſhew me or cauſe me to ſee. Thus the 32^d verſe is an Inference p. 803of a two-fold duty in man, upon that two-fold manifeſtation of the goodneſſe of God, as a God that willingly pardoneth ſin, and as a God that is unwilling to deſtroy ſinners.

Or we may give the ſumme of theſe two verſes (according unto this ſecond tranſlation) thus;1 Condono, in quo eſt remiſſio culpae. 2 Non deſtruam in quo eſt remiſſio paenae. We have firſt an Exhortation to repentance from the moſt mercifull nature of God, both as ready to forgive, and as loth to deſtroy his creatures. The former act importing the taking away of the guilt of ſin; the latter the remittal and removall of the puniſhment.

Secondly, We have here a direction about repentance, or to the penitent, ſhewing, how an humbled ſoule ſhould behave himſelfe toward God; He ought to ſay thus; What I ſee not teach thou me, and if I have done iniquity, I will doe no more. Where we ſee the humbled ſoule in the exerciſe of a fourefold duty; Firſt, He confeſſeth what ſins he knoweth; Secondly, He confeſſeth or ſuppoſeth, that he hath many ſins which he doth not know. Thirdly, He entreateth the Lord to ſhew him every ſin, whether of heart or life, which he knoweth not of. Fourthly, He engageth that he will not continue in any ſin which the Lord ſhall diſcover to him, or give him the knowledge of. You have thus the generall ſcope of theſe two verſes according to this ſecond reading.

I ſhall now a little open the words, and give Notes from them according to this tranſlation.

But unto God who ſaith, I forgive.

It may here be juſtly queſtioned, how the Original can be render'd into ſuch variety; one tranſlation ſaith, It is meete to be ſayd to God, I have borne chaſtiſemen; this other ſai…h, …o God who ſaith, I forgive, I will not deſtroy; It ought to be ſaid, &c. The firſt reading makes the words to be ſpoken by man; this ſecond reading gives the words as ſpoken both by God and man,Verbum foreign latiſſimè patet ſi quid aliud Hebraicum, inter alios tolerandi, parcendi, condonandi remittendi ſignifi…atum habet etiam ſolitariè poſitum ut hic. or they are a direction given by the Spirit of God to man, what to ſay to God, Who ſaith, I forgive, I will not deſtroy?

I anſwer, for the clearing of that doubt, the difference of the readings ariſeth from the copious ſignifica…ion of one Hebrew word, which is rendred many wayes in Scripture, eſpecially two.

Firſt, To bear, in which ſenſe we tranſlate, I have born chaſtiſement. p. 804The word chaſtiſement, as was ſhewed before, is not expreſly in the text, but ſupplyed, to make out the ſenſe, by our tranſlaters: I have born, what? thy hand, thy chaſtiſement.

Secondly, It ſignifies alſo to pardon, or to forgive; I ſhall referre you to one Scripture, in which that word is uſed in both theſe ſenſes (Gen: 4.13.) And Cain ſaid unto the Lord, my puniſhment is greater then I can bear; that's the text, but if you read the margin of our larger Bibles, that ſaith, My iniquity is greater then that it may be forgiven, or pardoned; the text ſaith, my puniſhment; the margin ſaith, my iniquity; the ſame word ſignifieth both ſin the cauſe, and puniſhment the fruit. Againe, there the text ſaith, My puniſhment is greater then I can bear; and the margin ſaith, my iniquity is greater then that it can be forgiven: So that according to the text, the words are Cains complaint againſt the juſtice of God; that he dealt over-rigorouſly with him, My puniſhment is greater then I can bear. And according to the margin, they are a deſcription of his deſpair of the mercy of God, my ſin is greater then that it may be forgiven. And as we find the word uſed in that place, both for bearing, and for pardoning; So in ſeverall other places it is tranſlated by pardoning; take but one Inſtance in the Pſalms, where we find it tranſlated twice in the ſpace of a few verſes to forgive or pardon (Pſal: 32.1.) Bleſſed is the man whoſe iniquity is forgiven. And againe, v. 5^th, I ſaid I will confeſſe my iniquity, and thou forgaveſt the iniquity of my ſin; So that, though there be a different verſion and tranſlation of the word in this text of Scripture, yet it is ſuch as is conſonant to the uſe of the word in other Scriptures, and alſo to the truth of the whole Scripture.

Yea, we know that in our Engliſh tongue, to bear with a man, ſignifies to forgive him his preſent fault, or not to puniſh him and uſe extremity againſt him for it. And therefore according to the exigence of any place, the word may be tranſlated either way, and here it may be ſafely taken in both.

But to God who ſaith, I forgive, I will not deſtroy, it ought (or it is meete) to be ſaid, what I ſee not teach thou me.

Elihu according to the reading now before us, brings in God thus ſpeaking, yea even boaſting thus of himſelfe, I forgive, or I pardon.

p. 805Hence note.

Firſt; It is Gods owne profeſſion of his owne ſelfe, that he is a ſin-pardoning God.

And God doth ſo much ſay or profeſſe this of himſelfe, that when he was entreated by Moſes to ſhew him his glory, this was the chiefe thing which he ſayd of himſelfe (Exod: 34.6, 7.) And the Lord paſſed before him, and proclaimed the Lord, the Lord God mercifull and gracious, long-ſuffering and abundant in goodneſſe and truth, keeping mercy for thouſands, forgiving iniquity, tranſgreſſion and ſin. Here's my name (ſaith God) if you would know how I am called, or what I would call my ſelfe, this is it, I am a God forgiving iniquity, &c.

And as God pardoneth ſin, ſo there is none in heaven or in earth that pardoneth like him, that hath ſuch a name for pardon as God hath (Mic: 7.18.) Who is a God like unto thee, pardoning iniquity, &c. The gods of the Earth, that is, Kings and Princes give pardons, and to doe ſo is the ſweeteſt and choyceſt flower in the Crowne of Princes, and they uſually ſhew their Greatneſs by this act of grace when they come firſt to their Crowne and exerciſe of their ſoveraigne power. The Princes or gods of the Earth can pardon, but ('tis no diſparagement to put that queſtion) Can they pardon like God? no; their pardon is no pardon in compariſon of Gods pardon; yea their pardoning is a kinde of condemning compared with the pardoning grace of God. The pardons which Kings give are but the ſhadow of his pardon, who is King of kings (Iſa: 43.25.) I, even I am he that blotteth out thy tranſgreſſion. As if he had ſaid, I am he, and there is none elſe; this glory is proper to me, and none can partake with me in it, nor will I give this glory to another. All ſins are committed againſt God, and (in a ſenſe) againſt him only, therefore only to be pardoned by him. Who can remit the debt but the Creditor? (Pſal: 51.1.) Againſt thee, thee only have I ſinned. What debt ſoever we run into by any ſin committed againſt man, God only is the Creditor. All that men can doe, is but to forgive the treſpaſſe againſt themſelves; ſo farre as man is wronged, he may, yea he ought to forgive, as Chriſt teacheth us to pray (Math: 6.12.) Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. All that we can forgive is only the treſpaſs done to our ſelves, and ſo forbeare perſonal p. 806and private revenge. We cannot forgive the offence againſt God. For when Chriſt ſaith (John 21.20.) Whoſoever ſins ye remit, they are remitted; that remiſſion is but the declaring of a pardon, it is not the beſtowing of a pardon, or it is only a miniſterial forgiveneſſe, not an authoritative forgiveneſſe; ſo to forgive is Gods Royalty; He ſaith, I forgive.

Secondly, To God who ſaith, I forgive, &c. Forgive! what? forgive! whom? Here's neither what nor whom, neither things nor perſons named, God barely ſaith, I forgive.

Hence obſerve.

The pardoning mercy of God is boundleſſe and unlimited.

Here's no ſin named, therefore all are included, no ſinner ſpecified, therefore all are intended. I forgive, I pardon; the pardoning mercy of God knows no limits; it is not limitted; Firſt, to any ſort of ſins or ſinners; Secondly, it is not limited to any degree of ſins or ſinners; let ſins or ſinners be of what ſort they will, let ſins or ſinners be of what degree they will, they are within the compaſſe of Gods pardoning mercy. And as this text intimates, that the pardoning mercy of God is boundleſſe, becauſe it expreſſeth no bounds; So other Scriptures tell us expreſly that it is boundleſſe, extending it ſelfe to all ſorts and degrees of ſins and ſinners (Math: 12.31.) Every ſin and blaſphemy ſhall be forgiven. That a ſin is great, that it is extremely aggravated, is no barre at all to the pardoning mercy of God; he can as eaſily pardon great ſins as little ſins; even ſins that are as Crimſon and ſcarlet, as well as thoſe of the lighteſt tincture. The die or colour of ſome cloaths or ſtuffs, is ſo fading, that (as we ſay) the next wind will blow it off, or cauſe it to dye away, but ſcarlet and crimſon in graine never change their colour; yet the pardoning grace of God cauſeth crimſon and ſcarlet ſin; to change colour, and makes them as white as the naturall wool or ſnow, that is, takes them quite and cleane away. Yea the greatneſſe of ſin is ſo far from being a ſtop to pardon, that it is uſed asan argument to move God to pardon. David prayeth (Pſal: 25.11.) For thy names ſake O Lord, pardon mine iniquity; why? doth he ſay? becauſe it is little, or only a ſmall ſin, a ſin committed raſhly, unadviſedly, or but once; no; he uſeth none of theſe excuſatory pleas for pardon, but ſaith, pardon my ſin for it is great. Moſes was not afraid to p. 807ſpeake for pardon upon this ground alſo (Exod: 32.31.) Lord (ſaith he) this people have committed a great ſin, and have made them gods of gold, yet now if thou wilt forgive their ſin, &c. There's a great deale of divine Rhetorique in that ſpeech; Moſes was not doubtfull, whether God would forgive them their ſin, becauſe it was great, but he urged the Lord to forgive their ſin becauſe it was great. Where ſin aboundeth, Grace doth much more abound (Rom: 5.20.) and therefore God is ſaid to pardon abundantly, or to multiply to pardon (Iſa: 55.7.) and whom doth he promiſe to pardon there? even the man of iniquity, ſo that Scripture hath it; Let the wicked forſake his way, and the unrighteous man (or the man of iniquity) his thoughts, &c. If you who have ſinned abundantly, repent, I will pardon abundantly. The heart of God in pardoning ſin is infinitely larger then the heart of man can be in committing ſin: and as the leaſt ſin needs pardon, ſo the greateſt may have it; nothing hinders the pardon of ſin, but the ſinners not coming for it, or his not asking it. The ſin againſt the holy Ghoſt cannot be forgiven; but the reaſon is, becauſe ſuch as commit that ſin utterly reject the grace of God, and tread the blood of the Covenant under their feet, as an unholy thing.

Thirdly, The text ſpeakes in the preſent tenſe; God ſaith not, I will pardon, or, poſſibly, I may pardon, but ſheweth what he both actually doth, and what he alwayes doth, To God who ſaith I pardon.

Hence note.

God pardoneth preſently, he pardoneth continually.

I pardon, is a preſent, it is a continued act. To pardon is Gods work to day, and Gods work to morrow. As every ſoule may ſay of himſelfe, Lord I ſin; not only I have ſinned, or I ſhall ſin hereafter, but I ſin: ſo ſaith God, I pardon; as men ſtand alwayes in need of pardon, ſo God ſtands alwayes prepared to pardon. He is (Pſal: 86.5.) plenteous in mercy, ready to forgive; The heart of God is never out of frame for that wo…ke, never indiſpoſed to it. David found him ſo (Pſal: 32.5.) I ſaid I will confeſſe mine iniquity; he did not ſay, I have confeſſed mine iniquity; he was not come to a formall Confeſſion; onelyonly he had it upon his heart to humble himſelfe before God, and confeſſe his ſin; yet it follows; and thou forgaveſt the iniquity of my ſin. p. 808While there was but a holy reſolve upon his heart to confeſſe his ſin, the pardon of it was given him. The holy hiſtory of his ſin and of Gods mercy aſſureth us, that the word was no ſooner out of his mouth (2 Sam: 12.13.) I have ſinned, but inſtantly Nathan ſaid, The Lord hath put away thy ſin. Though God doth not pardon of courſe, yet he is in a continuall courſe of pardon; therefore Moſes prayed (Numb: 14.19.) That God would pardon the people according to the greatneſs of his mercy, and as he had forgiven them from Egypt untill then. As if he had ſayd, Lord, thou haſt been pardoning all along from the very firſt ſtep we took out of Egypt to this day, thou haſt exerciſed abundance of patience, long-ſuffering and mercy in pardoning this people, now Lord pardon us, as thou haſt done from Egypt to this day; doe not ſtop thy acts of Grace. The very firſt act of pardon ſtands for ever, he that is once pardon'd, is alwayes pardon'd: yet there are dayly renewings of pardon, and freſh acts of it every day.

Fourthly, The word render'd to pardon, ſignifies to take away; as to beare a burden upon our ſelves (according to the former tranſlation) ſo to beare, or lift it off from another.

Hence Note.

Pardon is the taking away, or the bearing of ſin off from us.

An unpardoned ſoul hath a burden of ſin upon him ready to break his back, yea enough to break his heart, were he ſenſible of it; the Lord by pardon takes this burden off from him. David ſpeaks of his ſins under this notion of a burden, (Pſal. 38.4.) My ſins are gone over my head, they are a burden too heavie for me to bear. Yea ſin is a burden too heavie for the ſtrongeſt Angel in heaven to bear. But pardon eaſeth the ſoul of that burden, or 'tis the unburdening of the ſoul: Hence alſo pardon is called the removing of ſin, (Pſal. 103.12.) Thou removeſt our ſins from us, as far as the Eaſt is from the Weſt. Pardon removes ſin even to the utmoſt diſtance, ſuch is that of the Eaſt from the Weſt. Pardon is called in another Scripture, the caſting of ſin behinde Gods back (Iſa. 38.17.) Thou haſt caſt all my ſins behinde thy back. Ye when God by pardon takes ſin from off our backs, he doth not only caſt it behinde his owne back, but he layeth it upon the back of his Son. Sin muſt lye ſomwhere till it is ſatisfied for; therefore pardon takes ſin off from us, and layeth it upon Chriſt, (Iſa. 53. p. 8096.) He hath laid on him the iniquities of us all. While ſin is unpardoned, we bear it; and that it might be pardoned, Chriſt hath born it, (1 Pet. 2.24.) He bare our ſins in his body on the tree. Pardoned ſin is taken off from the ſinner, and laid upon Chriſt; and he can do well enough with it, he can bear it, and diſcharge it fully, none elſe can: Indeed heaps of ſin lye on the ſouls of ſome ſinners, and they feel them no more then a fly: what's the reaſon of it? Becauſe they are dead in their ſins, and nothing is a burden to a dead man, throw a thouſand Milſtones upon him, he feels none of them: but a ſoul that is awakened, that hath but ſo much life put into it, as to feel a conviction of ſin, O how is that ſoul preſt and burden'd with the weight of ſin! Yet till pardon take ſin off from the ſoul, there it muſt lye, there it muſt abide; therefore Chriſt ſaith, (John 9.41.) Becauſe ye ſay ye ſee, your ſin remains; What's that? You are unpardoned, your ſin is upon you ſtill; you think your ſelves very wiſe and underſtanding, you think you can do well enough without me, therefore your ſin remaineth; that is, it ſtands in full power and force againſt you.

Fifthly, Here are no conditions; God ſaith not, I pardon upon ſuch and ſuch terms, but I pardon.

Hence Note.

God pardons freely, he doth not clog pardon with hard terms.

'Tis the glory of God that he pardons freely. The pardon of ſin may be conſidered, Firſt, In the Decree of God from everlaſting. Secondly, In the Execution of his Decree; which is, when any are effectually called and converted. Thirdly, As to the manifeſtation and Declaration of it to the perſon pardoned. A poor ſinner may be unpardoned in his own ſence, or in the Court of Conſcience, when he is pardoned in the Court of Heaven. Now as pardon is free in the Decree of it, ſo in the Execution of it, as alſo in the Declaration of it to the ſoul; for though ſomthing, yea much muſt be done in the ſoul before pardon is declared, yet nothing is deſerved, all is of free grace. God doth not manifeſt pardon till man repents and believes; yet he doth not pardon him becauſe he repents and believes.

It may be objected, Surely there is ſomthing in us which moves God to pardon, for ſaith not Chriſt of Mary (Luke 7.47.) Many ſins are forgiven her, for ſhe loved much. Hence Papiſts argue, p. 810that, pardon of ſin is from ſomthing in us, ſhe repented much, believed much, loved much, therefore much was forgiven her?

I anſwer, That Scripture declares her great love to be the effect of great pardoning mercy, not the cauſe of it. Chriſt ſaith to Peter, much is forgiven her; this woman was a noted ſinner, and it appears plainly, that much hath been forgiven her, for ſhe loved much. That her many ſins are forgiven her, this is the teſtimony, ſhe loved much: The love of God to us, not our love to him, is the reaſon and original of pardon, (Iſa. 43.25.) I am he that blotteth out thy tranſgreſſions for my own ſake. God pardoneth ſin for his own ſake, and for Chriſts ſake, not for ours. In one Scripture God ſaith (Exod. 34.6, 7.) I will by no means clear the guilty: In another (John 6.37.) Chriſt ſaith, He that comes to me, I will in no wiſe caſt out. Till the ſinner cometh to Chriſt, his ſins are upon his own account; that is, he ſtands guilty, and God ſaith, I will by no means clear the guilty; no man ſhall ever be clear'd of the puniſhment due to his ſin, while the guilt of his ſin is untaken off by the blood of Jeſus Chriſt: but beſides reſpect to the blood of Chriſt (which is the ranſome paid for us) God reſpects nothing out of himſelf as the reaſon why he pardoneth us. I forgive.

I will not deſtroy.

Our Tranſlation reads it, I will not offend. The word ſignifies firſt to offend or ſin; it ſignifies alſo to deſtroy; and becauſe deſtruction is a fruit or effect of ſin, one word may well ſerve for both;foreign ſo we render it (Micah 2.10.) This is not your reſt, becauſe it is polluted, it ſhall deſtroy you, even with a ſore deſtruction. Canaan was the reſting place of God himſelf, (Pſal. 132.14.) and it was the reſting place of the Jewes after their travel through the wilderneſs, (Jer. 31.2.) but when once they had polluted the land by ſin, the land gave them no reſt, but deſtroyed them; that is, they were deſtroyed out of the land. Here God declaring himſelf gracious in pardoning penitent ſinners, promiſeth reſt to them, and freedome from deſtruction. I forgive, I will not deſtroy.

Hence obſerve firſt, God is able to deſtroy.

Thus God reported himſelf by Moſes, (Deut. 32.39.) See now, that I, even I am he, and there is no God with me; I kill, and I p. 811make alive; I wound, and I heal; neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand. God doth not ſay I cannot, but I will not deſtroy; (James 4.12.) There is one Law-giver who is able to ſave and to deſtroy: There is but one ſupream Law-giver, and that's God: and this one Law-giver is able to ſave and to deſtroy. There are many Law-givers that are neither able to ſave nor to deſtroy; or if they be able to deſtroy, they are not able to ſave. Men in authority, or worldly Powers, have not power alwayes to act their authority, but there is one Law-giver that's able to ſave and to deſtroy; he can ſave thoſe that obey his Lawes, and deſtroy all thoſe that tranſgreſs them; he is too ſtrong for the ſtrongeſt ſinner, there is no making peace with him by oppoſing or overcoming his ſtrength, but by taking hold of his ſtrength, that is, by ſubmitting to it, (Iſa. 27.5.)

Secondly Note.

To forgive ſin, or to ſhew mercy to ſinners, is an act to which God declares himſelf more enclin'd, or better pleaſed with, then to deſtroy ſinners.

Every one that ſinneth deſerves to be deſtroyed; yet ſaith the Lord, I pardon, I will not deſtroy; I could deſtroy, and any one ſin committed by any man would juſtifie me againſt all the world in his deſtruction: Every mouth muſt be ſtopped, and all the world become guilty before God upon that account, (Rom. 3.19.) yet God doth not deſtroy. And that he hath no content in deſtroying, he bindes it with an Oath (Ezek. 33.11.) As I live ſaith the Lord, I have no pleaſure in the death of the wicked, &c. as if he had ſaid, I am not bent upon your deſtruction, I had rather be taken off, and ſave you, I pardon, I will not deſtroy.

If any ſhall ſay, Hath God no pleaſure in deſtruction? Hath he not a will to deſtroy as well as to ſave?

I anſwer, God hath pleaſure in deſtroying, but it is in the deſtruction of thoſe who obſtinately reſiſt his Will, who refuſe both his counſel and his Covenant; to ſuch indeed he ſaith (Prov. 1.26.) I will laugh at your calamity, and mock when your fear (that is, the thing you feared) cometh, as deſolation, &c. That, the men in whoſe calamity God laugheth are ſuch, is evident by the character given of them at the 25^th verſe, Ye have ſet at nought all my counſel, and would none of my reproof. As if God had ſaid, you p. 812have laughed at my counſel, therefore I will laugh at your calamity. The Lord will declare himſelf delighted in their deſtruction who have deſpiſed inſtruction; and he will glorifie himſelf in the actings of his Juſtice upon them, who have ſlighted and put by the tenders and entreaties of his mercy. Yet ſtill God declareth himſelf more pleaſed in acting and putting forth his ſaving power, then his deſtroying power. The Prophet (Hoſ. 11.8, 9.) moſt pathetically repreſents, as it were, a debate in the breaſt of God himſelf between his Juſtice and his Mercy; How ſhall I give thee up, Ephraim? How ſhall I deliver thee, Iſrael? How ſhall I make thee as Admah? How ſhall I ſet thee as Zeboim? Mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together; (v. 9.) I will not execute the fierceneſs of mine anger, I will not return to deſtroy Ephraim. We ſee after the debate, the Lord determines for ſparing, not for deſtroying. So then, though he can, and will not only deſtroy, but laugh at the deſtruction of obſtinate ſinners, yet he loves to ſpare rather then to deſtroy.

Thirdly, From the connexion of theſe two, pardoning and ſparing mercy, God ſaith firſt, I pardon, and then ſecondly, I will not deſtroy; who are they whom God will not deſtroy? they are are ſuch as he pardons.

Hence Note.

Pardoned perſons ſhall never be deſtroyed.

As ſoon as Nathan had ſaid to David, the Lord hath put away thy ſin, the very next word is this, thou ſhalt not dye, (2 Sam. 12.13.) if Davids ſin had not been pardoned, Daved muſt have dyed for it. 'Tis a Logical Maxime, When the Cauſe is taken away, Sublata cauſa collitur effectus.the Effect is taken away; Sin is the cauſe of deſtruction, therefore when God takes away ſin, which is the cauſe, deſtruction the effect muſt needs be taken away too; pardon deſtroyeth ſin, therefore how can they that are pardoned be deſtroyed? Pardon ſwallows up ſin. As the Apoſtle ſpeaks of life, (2 Cor. 5.4.) That mortality might be ſwallowed up of life; Here, mortality ſwallows up our lives by degrees, but hereafter mortality ſhall be ſwallowed up at once of life; Now, as life ſhall then ſwallow up mortality, ſo pardon at preſent ſwalloweth up ſin; for as in our glorified ſtate there ſhall never any thing of mortality appear, ſo in a pardon'd eſtate, nothing of ſin ſhall appear as to hurt us. Sin p. 813pardoned cannot be found, (Jer. 50.20.) In thoſe dayes, and in that time ſaith the Lord, the iniquity of Jacob ſhall be ſought for, and there ſhall be none, and the ſins of Judah, and they ſhall not be found; why not? The Lord anſwers, for I will pardon them whom I reſerve: And if their ſins ſhall not be found, ſurely they ſhall not be found guilty, and therefore not deſtroyed: God may chaſten them whom he hath pardoned, but he will not deſtroy thoſe whom he hath pardon'd; pardoned perſons may ſmart, and ſmart greatly for ſin, but they ſhall not dye eternally for it, they ſhall not be deſtroyed for it. David was pardoned, yet God told him, the ſword ſhall never depart from thy houſe; and the Lord told him particularly of a ſore deſtruction upon a part of his houſe preſently; becauſe by this deed thou haſt given great occaſion to the enemies of God to blaſpheme, (thou being a Profeſſor, haſt opened the mouths of the wicked againſt profeſſion) therefore (though thou ſhalt not dye, yet) the childe alſo that is born unto thee ſhall ſurely dye.

There are two things which the pardon of ſin takes away. Firſt, the power or reigne of ſin; where-ever ſin is pardoned, the ſtrength of it is ſubdued. God doth not pardon ſin as Princes do; they may pardon an evil doer, and yet he ſtill remain as evil and as ready to do evil as ever; they may pardon a thief, and yet he continue to be a thief ſtill; but if God pardons a drunkard, an adulterer, or a thief, he doth not remain a drunkard, or an adulterer, or a thief ſtill; God takes away the power of that ſin which he pardoneth. Secondly, The pardon of ſin takes away the puniſhment of ſin; it may leave ſome chaſtiſement, but it wholly takes away the puniſhment. The Popiſh doctrine ſaith, the fault is taken away by pardon, but there is a commutation of the puniſhment, eternal puniſhment is changed into temporal, either in this life, or that to come; hence their doctrines of Purgatory, and of Prayer for the dead, &c. all which ſtuffe comes in upon this account. They caſt all men into three ſorts, ſome are Apoſtles and Martyrs, men very eminently godly, and they go immediately to heaven: there are another ſort, and theſe are Apoſtates from, or perſecuters of the faith, notorious ſinners, theſe go immediately to hell: there are a third or middle ſort of ordinary ſinners, and they go immediately after death, neither to heaven nor hell, but to Purgatory, where they muſt bear the puniſhment p. 814of their ſins till they can be prayed out: Chriſt hath only got ſo much favour for them (ſay they) to change their eternal puniſhment into a temporal. The grace of the Goſpel knows nothing of this Doctrine; that tells us when ſin is pardoned, all is pardoned, both guilt and puniſhment, both temporal and eternal, nothing remains but only chaſtiſement; how ſorely ſoever a believer ſuffers in this life, yet ſtrictly taken, it is but a chaſtiſement, and there remaineth nothing for him to ſuffer in the life which is to come. And if ſo, then

Pardon of ſin is a precious mercy. 'Tis ſo, Firſt, Becauſe it proceeds from the precious mercies of God. Secondly, Becauſe it comes thorow the precious blood of Chriſt, (Col. 1.14.) Thirdly, Becauſe it opens a door to all precious mercies; as ſin unpardoned with-holds all good things from us (Jer. 5.25.) ſo ſin pardoned opens the door for all mercy to flow in upon us. Chriſt ſaid to the ſick man (Matth. 9.2.) Be of good cheer, thy ſins are forgiven thee. Fourthly, It is a precious mercy, becauſe it ſtops and keeps off all evils and judgements ſtrictly ſo called, I forgive, I will not deſtroy. Our comforts cannot ſtand before the guilt of ſin, and our troubles cannot ſtand long before the pardon of ſin; (Iſa. 33.24.) The higheſt wtath of God appears in this, when he will not pardon; and it argues the greateſt diſpleaſure of man againſt man, when he prayeth that he may not be pardoned. That was a moſt dreadful prayer of the Prophet, (Iſa. 2.9.) The mean man is bowed down, and the mighty man humbles himſelf, therefore forgive them not; here was a prayer that they might not be forgiven; and the ground why he prayed ſo, ſeems to be as ſtrange, as the matter of it was dreadful. Is it a ſin to be excepted from pardon, to ſee a mean man bow down, and a mighty man humble himſelf? The meaning is, they bowed themſelves not to God, but to idols; all bowing and humbling our ſelves either to worſhip an idol, or in idol worſhip, is rebelling againſt God. We have a like prayer (Jer. 18.23.) the Prophet having ſpoken of the plots and deviſings of the people againſt him, turns himſelf thus to God, Thou knoweſt all their counſel to ſlay me, forgive not their iniquity, neither blot their ſin from thy ſight. Nothing can be wiſht worſe to any man then this, that his ſin may never be pardoned. And here it may be queſtioned, how the Prophet could make ſuch a prayer, which ſeems to have the height of all p. 815uncharitableneſs in it. I anſwer, firſt, The Prophet was led by an extraordinary Spirit to do this. Secondly, We are not to conceive that the Prophet prayed for their eternal condemnation, but that God would call them to a reckoning, and make them feel the evil of their own doings. There is a ſin unto death, for the pardon of which we are not to pray, (1 John 5.16.) yet there is no ſin about which we are to pray that it may never be pardoned. The worſt prayer that can be made againſt any man, is, that he may not be pardoned; and there is nothing better to be prayed for then pardon. It ſhewed the height of Chriſts love, when hanging on the Croſs, he prayed thus for his enemies, (Luke 23.34.) Father, forgive them, they know not what they do; And the Protomartyr Stephen breathed out a like ſpirit of charity, while he was breathing out his life (in a ſhower of ſtones powred upon him from more ſtony hearts, Acts 7.60.) with this prayer, Lord, lay not this ſin to their charge.

Thus, I have finiſhed this 31^th verſe, both according to our own Tranſlation, and that other inſiſted upon by many of the learned; only from the connexion of this verſe with the next, according to the latter reading, (To God who ſaith I pardon, I will not deſtroy; it ſhould be ſaid, that which I ſee not teach thou me, if I have done iniquity, I will do no more.)

Obſerve.

The very conſideration that God is ready to pardon ſin, ſhould make us reſolved againſt the committing of ſin.

The ſin-pardoning mercy of God, is one of the higheſt and moſt ſpiritual arguments by which the ſoul is kept from ſin. There is forgiveneſs with thee (ſaith David, Pſal. 130.4.) that thou mayſt be feared; that is, becauſe thou art ſo merciful as to forgive ſinners, therefore they ought to fear thee, in doing what thy will is, and in avoiding whatſoever is contrary to thy will. 'Tis propheſied, that frame of ſpirit ſhall dwell upon the people of God in the latter dayes, (Hoſ. 3.5.) They ſhall fear the Lord and his goodneſs; that is,Si ſcirem homines ignoraturos & Deos ignoſcituros, tamen non facerem. Sen…. they ſhall fear to offend the Lord becauſe he is ſo good, and ready to pardon. It was ſaid by a Heathen (and it may ſhame many who profeſs themſelves Chriſtians, that a heathen ſaid ſo) if I did know that men ſhould never know the evil which I do, and that the gods (ſo he ſpeaks in their language) would pardon p. 816and forgive the evil which I do, yet I would not do it. Surely, the ſpirit of a true believer muſt needs riſe thus high, and higher, upon the clear grounds of Goſpel grace, and diſcoveries of the free love of God. Cannot a true believer ſay, though I know that God will pardon my ſin, though he hath declared that my ſin is pardoned, and though I could be aſſured that men ſhould never know of this ſin, if I commit it, yet I will not do it. To God who ſaith I pardon, it ſhould be ſaid, I will ſin no more.

I ſhall now proceed to the 32^d verſe, which ſtands fair to either reading.

Verſ. 32. That which I ſee not, teach thou me; if I have done iniquity, I will do no more.

Some carry the general ſence of theſe words, as if ſpoken by God himſelf to Job, and ſpoken by an irony, or in ſcorn, as if he had thus beſpoken him; If I have afflicted thee beyond thy deſert, or have overthrown thy judgement (that Job had (more then once) complained of,Si quid me fugit in te affligendo, vel ſi quid errarem tu me doceas. Si te venando perperam egi vel injuſtè me habui, non ultra, id fecero, foreign, Merc.) if I have not kept to the true rules of reaſon and righteouſneſs in chaſtening thee; if in my dealings with thee I have done amiſs, or have not done thee right? Shew me wherein (O Job) and I will afflict thee ſo no more. I ſhall not ſtay upon this, but take the words according to our Tranſlation, as the whole verſe intends a further deſcription of a perſon deeply humbled under, and ſenſible of the hand, the chaſtening, the afflicting hand of God; who having ſaid (with reſpect to all known ſins) in the former verſe, I will offend no more, ſaith here in this verſe concerning all unknown ſins, That which I ſee not, teach thou me; and if I have done iniquity, I will do no more.

That which I ſee not.

There is a two-ſold ſight; Firſt, Corporal, the ſight of the bodily eye. Secondly, Intellectual, the ſight of the eye of the minde, or of the underſtanding; when Elihu repreſents the penitent afflicted perſon ſpeaking thus, What I ſee not, &c. he intends not a corporal ſight but an intellectual. Seeing is here (as often elſewhere in Scripture) put for knowing: the underſtanding is the eye of the ſoul. How blinde and dark are thoſe men, who have no underſtanding in the things of God! (Eph. 4.18.) When Chriſt p. 817had ſayd, For judgement am I come into the world, that they which ſee not might ſee, and that they which ſee might be made blinde; ſome of the Phariſees ſaid unto him (John 9.41.) are we blinde alſo? (have we no eyes?) Jeſus ſaid unto them, If ye were blinde, ye ſhould have no ſin, but now ye ſay we ſee, therefore your ſin remaineth; that is, your ſin remaineth upon you in the power and guilt of it. In that ſenſe alſo Chriſt uſeth the word (Math: 13.14.) Hearing ye ſhall hear, and not underſtand, and ſeeing ye ſhall ſee, and not perceive; ye ſhall have only ſuch a knowledge of God, and of the things of God, of his word, & of his works, as will be of no other uſe to you, then to leave you without excuſe. Seeing ye ſhall ſee but not perceive; ye ſhall have a fruitleſs and an unprofitable ſight.

That which I ſee not (or have no underſtanding of) teach thou me, is the prayer of the humble ſoule. But what were thoſe things, which he feared or ſuppoſed he did not ſee? Thoſe unſeene things might be of three ſorts.

Firſt, Thoſe ſins which he did not ſee; and thoſe in a double notion, either corruptions dwelling in him, or evills acted by him. What corruptions, or what tranſgreſſions I ſee not, acquaint me with, anoynt mine eyes that I may ſee them.

Secondly, Thoſe favours and mercies which he did not ſee (we have many mercies which are not knowne to us, or of which we take little, yea no notice at all) thoſe good turns, which I have received and have not been thankfull, or have not improved and made ſutable returns for them, ſhew thou me.

Thirdly, Among the things not ſeene we may number the purpoſes, aimes, and ends of God, in laying thoſe chaſtiſements upon him. As if he had ſayd, If I have not yet apprehended what thou driveſt at in my affliction, ſhew it me, I beg and heartily deſire a diſcovery of it. And if I have acted unduely with reſpect to thy aimes in chaſtiſing me, I will doe ſo no more. The acts of God are plaine, but his aymes lie cloſe and are not perceived, but by an enlightned, yea and a very attentive eye. That which I ſee not, &c.

Hence obſerve; Firſt.

The choyceſt ſervants of God may be much in the darke about and ſhort in the knowledge of many things which it much concerns them to know.

p. 818Though every believer hath an eye, and an eye open to ſee the things of God, the things which concern his peace, yet the cleareſt-ſighted among believers know but in part (1 Cor. 13.9.) We all know, but we do not know all. Thoſe words of the Apoſtle may have a twoſold underſtanding. Firſt, we know, but a little of any thing, that which we know we have but a part of it in our knowledge; in this life we know nothing throughly, nothing to the bottome, no not common principles. David ſaith (Pſal: 119.96.) I have ſeen an end of all perfection, but thy commandement is exceeding broad; There is ſuch a perfection in thy commandement, that I cannot ſee, nor can any man come to the out-ſide of it in this world. And as the holineſs of God in the Law is exceeding broad, ſo there is a hight, a depth, a length, and a breadth in the love of God revealed in the Goſpel, which exceedeth all our knowledge. (Eph: 3.19.) That ye may know the love of Chriſt which paſſeth knowledge, &c. We know but a part of that love of God, the fruits and effects whereof are all our portion. We are not able to comprehend, though we labour to comprehend the breadth and length and depth and height of it. Our meaſure of loving God is to love him out of meaſure; but 'tis a very ſmall meaſure of the love of God to us which we can know. Thus we know but little of that we know. Secondly, We know in part, that is, there are many things which we know not at all, we have no knowledge of ſome things, which may be fully knowne. Though we know many of our ſins and corruptions, yet we have ſins and corruptions which we know not of (Pſal. 19.12.) Who can underſtand his errors? Who can underſtand the errors of his underſtanding? who can underſtand the errors of his will? who can underſtand the errors of his affections? who can underſtand the errors of his actions? who can underſtand them all? yet they are all underſtandable. There are many errors in all theſe, which we know not to be errors, therefore we have need every one of us to pray as David there did, Clenſe thou me from my ſecret faults. From ſecret faults in my underſtanding, from ſecret faults in my will and affections, in my practice and converſation. The ſecret faults which he asked pardon for were not thoſe faults which he had committed in ſecret, or which other men know not of; but thoſe faults which were ſecrets to himſelfe, or which himſelfe knew not of: Further, we know not our faults; Firſt, either in reference p. 819to the doing of evill, or ſins of commiſſion; nor Secondly, in reference to the not doing of good or ſins of omiſſion; nor Thirdly, doe we know our faults in reference to the manner of doing that which is good. Though we doe not quite omit a duty, yet we faile many times in the doing of it. We doe little of the good which we ought, and little of the good which we doe is done as it ought. We have ſecret ſins not only of commiſſion in doing that which is evill, and of omiſſion in not doing that which is good, but alſo in doing good. There are many flaws and errors in our doing of that which is good, which, though we perceive not, yet the pure eyes of God perceive. So then, as we ſee not all our errors in omitting duties, ſo we ſee not all our errors in performing duties; to ſee them requireth a ſpirituall ſight indeed. Many can ſee when they omit a duty altogether, and charge themſelves with a fault for it, but our faults in performance of duty, in prayer, in hearing none take notice of them, but they who have a ſpiritual eye, nor do they alwayes take notice of all of them, nor fully of any of them at any time. We are much in the dark about theſe errors which accompany our holy duties. The iniquities of our holy things are many, and they lie very cloſe. We may quickly and eaſily fall into them, but we cannot eaſily diſcerne them.

For, Firſt, though we performe an act of worſhip, of Church-worſhip, of inſtituted worſhip, right for the ſubſtance, yet we may miſs and erre in ſeverall circumſtances, and not come up exactly to the outward performance of it. Secondly, much more may we run into errors and faults in the performance of duty, as to the internall part of it, or that frame of heart with which a duty is to be performed. We ſeldome, I may ſafely ſay, we never come up to that zeale, to that ſelf-abaſement, to that faith, to that love and delight which ſhould be in us when we approach to and appeare before God in the duties of his holy worſhip, whether publick or private. The beſt of Saints come farre ſhort of knowing all the evill and faylings of their evill and deceitfull hearts, while they are engaged about that which is good, how much more are they ſhort in the knowledge of God; and therefore what reaſon have we to ſay, as Elihu here directs the penitent ſoule to ſay; That which I know not teach thou me.

Secondly, Note.

p. 820It is the duty of the moſt knowing ſervants of God to confeſſe their ignorance.

When Elihu would have Job ſay, That which I ſee not teach thou me, he would have him confeſſe, that there was ſome goed or evill which he did not ſee. He that deſireth God to teach him, what he doth not ſee, doth therein acknowledge that he doth not ſee all that he ought. Our underſtandings are imperfect as well as our wills and affections; and our ſins or imperfections whereſoever they are muſt be confeſſed. The deficiency of our knowledge, or the imperfection of our underſtanding muſt be confeſſed as well as the imperfection of our will to doe good, and of our doing good. David layeth load upon himſelfe in confeſſing the faultineſſe of his underſtanding, or inability to judge aright of what he ſaw before him (Pſal: 73.22.) So ignorant was I and fooliſh, even as a beaſt before thee. And the ſpeciall poynt wherein he confeſſed his ignorance, was about the outward diſpenſations of God, in ſuffering wicked men to flouriſh. He had ignorant apprehenſiōs, and was quite out in that matter; and therefore befools himſelfe and calls himſelfe a beaſt, ſo far was he from ſeeing the mind and deſigne of God as became a Saint. Such an acknowledgement Agur made (Pro: 30.2.) I am more brutiſh then any man, I have not the underſtanding of a man, I neither learned wiſdome, nor have the knowledge of the holy. This worthy man confeſſed his ignorance; and as the more we know, the more we ſee our ignorance, ſo the more we know, the more we confeſſe our ignorance. They that have but little knowledge, are eſpecially defective in this poynt of knowledge to ſee their ignorance; and are therefore but little troubled with their ignorance. Many think they know enough; ſome, poſſibly, think they know all. They who have leaſt knowledge, are leaſt conſcious of their own ignorance. And as there are many ſins of ignorance, ſo ignorance it ſelfe is a ſin, and therefore to be confeſſed and bewailed before God.

Thirdly, When El…hu brings in the penitent perſon confeſſing his ignorance, and begging inſtruction,

It teacheth us, Sins of ignorance need pardon.

As our ignorance needs pardon, ſo doe our ſins of ignorance. The law of Moſes teacheth this (Levit: 4.2.) If a ſoule ſhall ſin p. 821through ignorance, &c. he ſhall bring his ſacrifice. He muſt make an attonement for his ſin of ignorance. And we have further directions about offerings for ſins of ignorance, when they are diſcovered and made knowne to the ſinner himſelfe. (Lev: 5.2, 3, 4, 5, 6.) Then (ſaith the Law) he ſhall be guilty, that is, if when he knoweth his ſin, he doe not performe what the Law requireth in ſuch caſes, then he is not only ceremonially but morally guilty, as a neglecter if not as a deſpiſer of the ordinance and appoyntment of God for his cleanſing. That which I ſee not teach thou me.

The words are a prayer for divine teaching. The teaching of God is two-fold; Firſt, Immediate by his Spirit (John 14.26.) The Spirit which is the comforter ſhall come and teach you all things. And againe (1 John 2.27.) The anoynting (that is, the Spirit) which ye have received of him, abideth in you: and ye need not that any man teach you; that is, ye need not reſt in, or pin your faith upon the teachings of man; as you muſt not deſpiſe, ſo ye need not depend upon the inſtruction of man. Secondly, There is a mediate teaching, God teacheth by meanes, inſtruments, and ordinances. Firſt, by the miniſtery of his word; Secondly, by the works of his hands. He teacheth, Firſt, by his works of creation; Secondly, by his works of providence, they are our maſters, tutors and inſtructers. Now when this penitent perſon prayeth, Teach thou me; we may underſtand him of both theſe teachings. Firſt, of immediate teaching by the Spirit, who is the anoynting. Secondly, of teaching by meanes, by the preaching of the word of God, and by his providences; in what way ſoever God is pleaſed to teach us, our hearts ſhould ſtand open to receive inſtruction. And what way ſoever we receive inſtruction, it is God that teacheth us. Though men be the inſtruments, yet the effect is of him.

Hence Note, Firſt.

God only is able to teach or ſhew us the things which we know not.

Men alone cannot. Chriſt ſaid to his Diſciples, when he commiſſioned them, (Matth. 28.19.) Go teach all Nations. And (Eph. 4.11.) When he aſcended up on high he gave ſome Apoſtles, and ſome Prophets, and ſome Evangeliſts, and ſome Paſtors and p. 822Teachers; yet no Teachers can bring home inſtruction without the teachings of God. The tenour of the new Covenant runs thus, (Iſa. 54.13.) All thy children ſhall be taught of the Lord. And again (Jer. 31.34.) They ſhall teach no more every one his neighbour, &c. that is, they ſhall not be left to the teachings of man: or the teaching of God ſhall be ſo glorious, that all ſhall acknowledge it; though there be inſtruments, yet the flowing forth of the ſpirit ſhall be ſuch, that inſtruments and means ſhall be little taken notice of. For when he ſaith, they ſhall not teach every one his neighbour, it is not an abſolute Negative, but ſhews that there ſhall be a more excellent teaching; as when the Apoſtle ſaith (2 Cor. 3.6.) Chriſt hath made us able Miniſters, not of the letter, but of the Spirit; This Negative is not abſolute, for the Apoſtles did teach the Letter, and the Spirit is uſually conveyed by the Miniſtery of the letter, or of the external word; the word is (as it were) the chariot wherein the Spirit rideth, and cometh by the ear to the heart. So that, when Paul ſaith, We are Miniſters not of the letter, &c. his meaning is, we are rather, or we are more the Miniſters of the Spirit then of the letter. The inward teaching accompanying our Miniſtery, carryeth the matter, both for conviction and converſion, both for illumination and conſolation, not the outward teaching (John 6.45.) Every man therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father, cometh unto me. And how long ſoever we go to School to men, how long ſoever we ſit under the Miniſtery of the ableſt Goſpel Preachers in the world, we come not to Chriſt till the Father teacheth; till he joyn his inward teaching to the outward teaching of the Miniſter, the light and life of grace is not received. It is God who teacheth effectually, men teach but inſtrumentally. Thus it was propheſied of the Goſpel times (Iſa. 2.3. & Micah 4.2.) Many Nations ſhall come and ſay, Come and let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord, and to the Houſe of the God of Jacob, and he will teach us of his wayes, and we will walk in his paths, that is, he will accompany the Miniſters and meſſengers of his word with his Spirit, he will impower them from on high, and ſo we ſhall learn his Statutes, and underſtand his wayes. David aſcribes even his skill in Military affairs to Gods teaching, (Pſal. 144.1.) Bleſſed be the Lord, my ſtrength, who teacheth my hand… to war, and my fingers to fight. God only teacheth a man powerfully to be a good Souldier. Surely then, it p. 823is God only who teacheth us to be good Chriſtians, to be Believers, to be holy. He hath his ſeat in heaven, who teacheth hearts on earth.

Secondly, As theſe words hold out to us the temper of an humble ſinner;

Note.

A gracious humble ſoul is teachable, or is willing to be taught.

As it is the duty of the Miniſters of the Goſpel to be apt to teach, that's their ſpecial gift, or characteriſtical property; ſo 'tis the peoples duty and grace to be apt to be taught, to be willing to be led, and inſtructed; naturally we are unteachable and untractable. As we know nothing of God ſavingly by nature, ſo we are not willing to know; we would ſit down in our ignorance, or at moſt in a form of knowledge. To be willing to learn, is the firſt, or rather the ſecond ſtep to learning. The firſt is a ſight of our ignorance; and the ſecond, a readineſs to be taught, and entertain the means of knowledge.

Thirdly, The words being the form of a Prayer;

Note.

It is our duty to entreat the Lord earneſtly that he would teach us what we know not.

It is a great favour and a mercy, that God will teach us, that he will be our maſter, our Tutor. Now, as we are to ask and pray for every mercy, ſo for this, that God would vouchſafe to be our Teacher, (Pſal. 25.4, 5.) Shew me thy wayes, O Lord, teach me thy paths; Lead me in thy truth, and teach me; David ſpake it twice in prayer, Lead me, and Teach me: Lead me on in the truth which I know, and teach me the truths which I know not. So he prayeth again, (Pſal. 119.26.) Teach me thy Statutes, make me to underſtand the way of thy precepts. David was convinced that he could not underſtand the Statutes of God, unleſs God would be his Teacher; though he could read the Statutes of God, and underſtand the language of them, yet he did not underſtand the Spirit of them till he was taught (and taught) of God, and therefore he prayed ſo earneſtly, once and again, for his teaching. When Philip put that queſtion to the Eunuch (Acts 8.30.) Ʋnderſtandest thou what thou readeſt? He ſaid, how can I except ſome p. 824man ſhould guide me? Or, unleſs I am taught. Though we read the Statutes of God, and read them every day, yet we ſhall know little unleſs the Lord teach us. Solomon made it his requeſt for all Iſrael at the ſolemn Dedication of the Temple, (1 Kings 8.37.) Teach them the good way wherein they ſhould walk. God who is our Commander is alſo our Counſeller.

Fourthly, From the ſpecial matter wherein this penitent perſon would be taught, which is plain from part of the latter verſe, If I have done iniquity;

Note.

A gracious heart is willing to know and ſee the worſt of himſelf.

He would have God teach him what iniquity he hath done. David was often upon that prayer, (Pſal. 139.24.) Search me, O God, and know my heart, and ſee if there be any wicked way in me. Lord, ſhew me my ſin; as I would not conceal my ſin from thee, ſo I would not have my ſin concealed from my ſelf. A carnal man who lives in ſin (though poſſibly he may pray for knowledge in ſome things, and would be a knowing man, yet he) hath no minde that either God or man ſhould ſhew him his ſin; He loves not to ſee the worſt of himſelf, his dark part; he as little loves to ſee his ſin, as to have it ſeen. But a godly man never thinks he ſeeth his ſin enough; how little ſoever he ſins, he thinks he ſins too much, (that's the general bent of a gracious mans heart) and how much ſoever he ſees his ſin, he thinks he ſees it too little. And therefore as he tells God what he knows of his ſin, ſo he would have God tell him that of his ſin which he doth not know. That which I know not, teach thou me.

If I have done iniquity, I will do no more.

There are two ſpecial parts of repentance. Firſt, Confeſſion of ſin, whether known or unknown. This we have in the former part of the verſe, That which I ſee not, teach thou me. There is the confeſſion of ſin, even of unknown ſin. The ſecond part of repentance is reformation or amendment, a turning from ſin, a forſaking of that iniquity which we deſire God would ſhew us, we have this ſecond part of repentance in this latter part of the verſe.

p. 825If I have done iniquity, I will do no more. But why doth he ſay, If I have? &c. Had he any any doubt whether he had done iniquity or no? every man muſt confeſs, down right, that he hath ſinned, and done iniquity, without ifs or an's. Solomon having made ſuch a ſuppoſition in his prayer at the Dedication of the Temple, (1 Kings 8.46.) If they ſin againſt thee) preſently puts it into this poſition, for there is no man that ſinneth not. The Apoſtle concludes, (1 John 1.8.) If we ſay we have no ſin, we deceive our ſelves, and the truth is not in us. Therefore, this, If I have done iniquity is not to be underſtood as if this or that man, as if he or any man might be without ſin; but when the penitent is brought in, ſaying, If I have done iniquity; h… meaning is, Firſt, What ever iniquity I have done, I am willing to leave it, to abandon it, I will do ſo no more. Secondly, Thus, If I have done iniquity, that is, if I have done any great iniquity,foreign Perverſe agere. if I have acted perverſeneſs, or perverſly, as the word ſignifieth, I will do ſo no more; to do iniquity is more then barely to ſin. As if he had ſaid, though I cannot promiſe that I will ſin no more; yet, Lord, if thou doſt diſcover to me any iniquity, any groſs ſin or perverſeneſſe, I will do that no more, I will engage my ſelf againſt that ſin with all my might; and to the utmoſt of my power, by grace received, I will keep my ſelf pure from every ſin. If I have done iniquity.

Hence Note. Firſt, A godly man hath a gracious ſuſpition of himſelf that he hath done evil, yea ſome great evil, that he hath done amiſs, yea greatly amiſs, though he be not able to charge himſelf with this or that particular iniquity.

He knoweth he hath ſinned & done evil, though he knoweth not every evil he hath done, nor how ſinfully he may have ſinned; he doubts it may be worſe with him then he ſeeth. Poſſibly he hath done iniquity. Job in reference to his children (chap. 1.5.) had an holy ſuſpition that in their feaſting they might ſin againſt God; he knew no ſin they had run into, nor could charge them with any exceſs; but he was jealous they had ſinned; nor did Job ſpeak thus, as if his meaning were, that poſſibly in their feaſting ſome corruption might work in them, (he knew there is no man in the beſt duties of his life wholly freed from the workings of ſin) but, he had this jealouſie, that they might have fallen into ſome great p. 826ſin, and ſo provoked God greatly againſt them, therefore he did (as it were) way-lay ſuch guilt, and early ſought reconciliation with God. As Job was thus jealous of his children, ſo a gracious heart, though he cannot charge himſelfe with this or that evill, yet he is apt to ſuſpect his owne heart, and feares it may be worſe with him, then poſſibly, it is.

Secondly, When he ſaith, If I have done iniquity; This humble man, though he doth ſuppoſe that he might have done iniquity, yet he doth but ſuppoſe it.

Hence note.

A godly man may live free from the doing of any groſſe ſin.

He doth not put an if upon it whether he had ſinned or no, but, whether he had done iniquity. Zachariah and Elizabeth were not without ſin, but they did no iniquity; for, ſaith the text (Luke 1.6.) They were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandements and ordinances of the Lord blameleſſe. It cannot be imagined but that the people of Iſrael ſinned, yet (Num: 23.21.) God ſaw no iniquity in Jacob, nor perverſeneſſe in Iſrael. There may be ſuch a time in the Church when the people of God have no iniquity, no provocation to be ſeene or found among them. Though a Godly man cannot deny but he hath ſinned, yet he can affirme that he hath not indulged himſelfe in any ſin. If I have done iniquity, I will doe no more.

The Hebrew is, I will not adde. We render, I will doe no more. As if he had ſayd; If upon tryall, it be found that I have done iniquity, yet I will not adde iniquity to iniquity, I will not goe on, I will not perſiſt, nor proceed in iniquity. I will not take a ſtep more in any way which God ſhall diſcover to me to be an evill way. If I am out of the way, I will not goe on in my way.

Hence obſerve.

Firſt, A godly penitent perſon is reſolute againſt ſin.

His will is ſet againſt it; I will doe no more. I ſhewed in opening the former verſe (It is meere to be ſayd unto God, I have borne chaſtiſement, I will offend no more) in what ſence a godly man may make ſuch a promiſe, or ſay, I will ſin no more; here I ſay, A godly p. 827man is reſolute againſt ſin, eſpecially againſt great ſins. As a carnall man hath but very weake reſolves for the doing of good, he hath (as ſome expreſſe it) but a velleity, ſomewhat like a will to doe that which is good; ſo a carnall man makes but weake reſolves againſt evill, he hath not a ſetled will, but a kind of noleity againſt it. He makes ſome flouriſhes of profeſſion againſt it, but he is not reſolvedly ingaged againſt it; whereas a godly man is reſolute both as to the doing of good, and the not doing of evill. If a godly man might have his will, he would never ſin more; And as a Godly man waiteth joyfully for that ſtate of glory wherein he ſhall ſin no more; ſo a reſolution to ſin no more, hath, as I may ſay, ſomewhat of glory in it. In glory we ſhall ſin no more, and where grace is in truth, that ſoule would gladly be rid of ſin, and ſin no more. A godly man is reſolved againſt all ungodlineſſe; and this is a kind of entrance into glory.

Againe, Whereas the penitent man ſaith, I will doe no more.

Note.

Continuance in any knowne ſin (for, ſaith he, what I know not teach thou me) or in that which is made knowne to us to be ſinfull, is inconſiſtent with true repentance.

Repentance for and continuance in ſin, cannot conſiſt in the ſame ſubject. This is the voyce of every gracious ſoule, I would not ſin any more, or I would not continue any longer in ſin. To ſin is common to man, but to continue in ſin, is proper to a wicked man. To erre and faile that's humane, but to perſevere in error is diabolicall. Sin will continue in us while we continue in this world; but they that are not of the world, doe not, will not continue in ſin, how long ſo ever they are in the world. Sin may be conſidered three wayes. Firſt, as remaining in us; Secondly, as reſerved; Thirdly, as preſerved by us. There is ſin remaining in the beſt of Saints on this ſide heaven (Rom: 7.20, 21, 22, 23, 24.) Sin is reſerved only in carnall men, they ſave their ſins, and would be ſaved, not from but in their ſins. Sin is preſerved or maintained and defended in the worſt of wicked men. Sin is heightned to the utmoſt, where 'tis not only retained, but maintained and preſerved. The Apoſtle having cloſed the fifth Chapter of his Epiſtle to the Romanes, in the triumph of Goſpel grace. That as ſin hath reigned unto death, ſo grace might reigne through p. 828righteouſneſſe unto eternall life by Jeſus Chriſt our Lord, begins the next with a prevention of the abuſe of this Grace; What ſhall we ſay then, ſhall we continue in ſin that grace may abound? God forbid. How ſhall we that are dead to ſin, live any longer therein? How can we continue in ſin, that are partakers of Goſpel grace? Sin will continue in us, but we cannot continue in it. The queſtion implyeth a kind of impoſſibility. We were once dead in ſin, but now we are dead to ſin, how then can we live or continue in it? Perſeverance is either our beſt or our worſt. To perſevere is beſt when we perſevere in good, and to perſevere is worſt when we perſevere in evill. It is bad to be or doe evill, but it is worſe to abide in evill. The firſt beſt is not to ſin, the next beſt is not to continue, nor lodge in ſin, no not for an houre. Paul ſayd in another caſe (Gal: 2.5.) To whom we gave place by ſubjection, no not for an houre; We ſhould not give place to ſin, no not for a minute, but reſiſt it to the utmoſt, and totally diſplace it, if we can.

Laſtly, From the Hebrew elegancy, which ſaith, I will not adde.

Note.

A godly man may commit ſin after ſin, but he doth not adde ſin to ſin.

When he hath committed any one ſin, he breaks it off and dedeſtroyeth it by repentance. He doth not adde ſin to ſin, becauſe the ſin formerly committed is deſtroyed by repentance. His former ſin is taken off the file before he acts a ſecond, who heartily repenteth of the firſt, and as heartily reſolveth not to commit a ſecond. Such a man doth not run a round of ſinning and repenting, though he ſinneth after …he hath repented. Daniel gave that advice to Nebuchadnezzar (Dan: 4.27.) Break off thy ſins by righteouſneſſe, and thine iniquities by ſhewing mercy to the poore. If thou repenteſt indeed, the ſin that cometh after will not be added to thy former, becauſe that is done away through Grace. A godly man (according to the former poynt) would not adde or commit another act of ſin to his former; as it is ſayd of Judah (Gen: 38.26.) who had committed folly with Tamar, He knew her againe no more. Though his ſin was great, yet doubtleſſe his heart was humbled, and he returned not to his former ſin. But the p. 829wicked man continues in his wickedneſſe, yea, he bleſſeth himſelfe in his heart, ſaying, I ſhall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mi…e heart, to adde drunkenneſſe to thirſt (Deut: 29.19.) Every new ſin is an addition to his former ſins, becauſe he alwayes liveth in ſin. They who would not have the captives brought into the City, gave this reaſon (2 Chron: 28.13.) For whereas we have offended againſt the Lord already, ye intend to adde more to our ſins, &c. O take heed of ſinning ſo, as to joyne ſins together. As in Arithmeticke when we adde ſumme to ſumme, what an huge ſumme may we quickly make. Therefore breake off ſin by repentance, that if thou ſinneſt againe, it may not be an adding of ſin to ſin. That's a dreadfull propheſie and threatning (Pſal: 69.27.) Adde iniquity to their iniquity, and let them not come into thy righteouſneſſe. How doth the Lord adde iniquity to iniquity? will he cauſe any to ſin more? or will he doe any iniquity? No; the meaning is (as our margin intimates) the Lord will adde the puniſhment of their iniquity to their iniquity; or he will give them up to the power of their owne luſts and vile affections, ſo that they cannot but renew the acts of ſin, and adde one iniquity to another. It is a bleſſed worke when we are much in the additions of grace to grace, and of good workes to good. 'Tis the deſigne and buſineſſe of a gracious heart to adde grace to grace, that is, the exerciſe of one grace to another, till every grace be exerciſed (2 Pet: 1.5.) Give diligence to adde to your faith vertue, and to vertue knowledge, and to knowledge temperance, and to temperance patience. Here is a bleſſed addition. When a good man hath done well once, he adds to doe more, he adds more acts of the ſame kind, and he adds to doe good acts of any other kinde; He adds patience to godlineſſe, and to godlineſſe brotherly kindneſs, and to brotherly kindneſs charity; thus he is buſied in a bleſſed way of addition. But the addition of ſin to ſin, is the bitter fruit of rebellion againſt God (Iſa. 30.1.) Wo to the rebellious children — that cover, but not with a covering of my Spirit, that they may adde ſin to ſin. They that make excuſes for ſin committed, adde ſin to ſin; yet by theſe coverings, we may underſtand not only excuſes and pretences, for ſin acted, but our owne good acts; for to cover ſin with any thing of our owne, is to adde ſin to ſin. Yet I conceive, the adding of one kind of ſin to another, is the addition there meant. The Iſraelites p. 830ſayd to Samuel, when they were brought to a ſight of their ſin (1 Sam: 12.19.) We have added unto all our ſins this evill to ask us a King. They refuſed the Lords government, and asked a king in the pride of their hearts, and ſo added ſin to ſin. Thus 'tis ſayd of Herod (Luke 3.20.) That to all his evill deeds, he added this, that he ſhut up John in priſon. And as there is an adding of ſeverall kinds of ſin, ſo of ſeverall acts of the ſame kind of ſin, oath to oath, and adultery to adultery, and wrong-dealing to wrong-dealing; this day ſome oppreſſe their brethren, and the next day they doe the ſame. O let ſuch remember what additions the Lord will make to them, he will adde puniſhment to puniſhment, he will adde the ſame kind of puniſhment ſeveral times, he will adde ſword to ſword, and famine to famine, and peſtilence to peſtilence, and he will adde puniſhments of various kinds. The Prophet reports what various or (if I may ſo ſpeake) heterogeneal kindes of ſin men added and ſtrung up together. (Hoſ: 4.2.) By ſwearing, and lying, and killing, and ſtealing, and committing adultery, they break out and blood toucheth blood. Surely, God will make blood touch blood in a way of puniſhment, as men make blood touch blood in a way of ſin. The adding of ſins makes an addition of plagues. When Jehoiakim the King heard the roll read, he threw it into the fire and burnt it (Jer: 36.) but could he burne or make an end of the threatnings? no (v. 32.) And there were added beſides unto them many like words. It is ſayd (Rev: 22.18.) If any man ſhall adde unto theſe things, God ſhall adde unto him the plagues that are written in this booke. To adde any thing to the holy word of God, is as ſinfull as to take from the word, or act againſt it. God can adde plagues as faſt as men adde ſins. When ſin is added to ſin, then guilt is added to guilt, and puniſhment to puniſhment. Take heed of this addition, reſolve with the penitent ſoule in the text; If I have done iniquity, I will adde no more.