Exposition of Job 38-42, Commentary on Job · Chapter 40 · Verse 6-8

Exposition of Job 38-42 · Commentary on Job · Chapter 40 · Verse 6-8

p. 527JOB, Chap. 40. Verſ. 6, 7, 8,

6. Then anſwered the Lord unto Job out of the whirlwind, and ſaid,

7. Gird up thy loyns now like a man; I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.

8. Wilt thou alſo diſannul my judgement? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayſt be righteous.

IN the former verſe Job gave out in the plain field, confeſſing himſelf overcome, not by rigour and force of arms, but by reaſon and ſtrength of argument, or rather by that which is above all reaſons and arguments, the ſoveraign power and authority of God; and thereupon he reſolved to meddle no more, to anſwer no further; and that, though he had ſpoken once, yea twice, yet he would not proceed, he would adde no more, he had enough of it, he had already ſpoken too much, much more (with reſpect to God) than came to his ſhare. Hereupon the Lord, at this 6th verſe, begins again to ſpeak and anſwer him; and his anſwer is contained and continued quite through this fortieth Chapter, together with the whole one and fortieth, and in it we may conſider theſe four things diſtinctly.

Firſt, A p…eface, at the 6th verſe; Then anſwered the Lord unto Job out of the whirlwind, and ſaid.

Secondly, We have here a challenge, at the 7th verſe; Gird up thy loyns now like a man; I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.

Thirdly, We have in this anſwer of God, a reproof of Job, or a vehement expoſtulation with Job, in the 8th and 9th verſes; Wilt thou alſo diſannul my judgement? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayſt be righteous? Haſt thou an arm like God? canſt thou thunder with a voice like him? Thus he expoſtulates, thus he reproves.

Fourthly, We have here a large proof or demonſtration of the greatneſs, power, wiſdom, and ſoveraignty of God, for the further conviction and humiliation of Job. And this proof or demonſtration of the power of God is laid down two wayes.

p. 528Firſt, By his providencial actings, in deſtroying proud and wicked men. This we have in the 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14 verſes; Deck thy ſelf now with majeſty and excellency, and array thy ſelf with glory and beauty; caſt abroad the rage of thy wrath, and behold every one that is proud, and abaſe him. As if the Lord had ſaid, theſe things I do; I look on every one that is proud, and bring him low, I tread down the wicked in their place, &c. All this I can do, and do in my providences daily; Job, canſt thou do ſo too? Thus we have a proof of the great power and ſoveraignty of God taken from his judiciary proceedings with proud men.

Secondly, He gives of a proof his great power by a double inſtance, from the work of creation; as in the former Chapter by the works of providence alone, ſo here by the works of creation and providence too. And this double inſtance is given in two great vaſt living creatures; one of them the greateſt upon the earth, the other the greateſt in the waters.

The firſt is Behemoth, the vaſteſt creature that breaths upon the earth, who is deſcribed from the 15th verſ. of this Chapter, to the end.

The ſecond is Leviathan, the vaſteſt creature in the water, who is deſcribed quite through the one and fortieth Chapter. The Lord having ſpoken of many other creatures formerly, in the forming and ordering of which, his power and wiſdom ſhine forth; he reſerved theſe two to cloſe with, that Job by the conſideration of them, might ſee what a poor thing himſelf was, and how unable to grapple with the great God, who made thoſe great creatures; for that is the general iſſue. If God hath made ſuch huge creatures as theſe, then what a one is God! how mighty and powerful is God! what is the cauſe, if the effects are ſuch? what is the fountain, if we ſee ſuch ſtreams? Such is the drift of God in this his laſt anſwer to Job, and theſe are the parts of it. We may ſum up all in this brief; here humane weakneſs and divine Power are compared together; mans nothingneſs, with Gods Allneſs or Alſufficiency, that ſo man (Job in ſpecial) might be convinced, and conclude that he could no more charge God with any fault, than he was able to reſiſt his power.

So then, this whole oration or diſcourſe tends to the confirmation of Job, yet more, in believing the irreſiſtible providence of God; which, when he ſhould well underſtand, he would no p. 529more doubt of his juſtice, nor accuſe his judgements of ſeverity, nor would he any more deſire to debate with God as he had done.

Nor can theſe things be preſſed too often upon the holieſt among men, man being not only by nature altogether unbelieving, but having ſo much unbelief mingled with his graces, as ſad experience teacheth him at all times, eſpecially in times of great affliction and temptation. So much of the whole anſwer, and the ſtate of it; now for the particulars.

Verſ. 6. Then the Lord anſwered Job out of the whirlwind, and ſaid.

Then. That is, when Job ſaid he could not, or he would not anſwer, or had no more to anſwer, Then, the Lord anſwered; or, to go a little further.

Then. When Job had humbled himſelf, and ſaid he was vile, even then the Lord anſwered him, and he anſwered him out of the whirlwind.

Then the Lord anſwered Job.

Not ſo much to his ſpeech as to his ſilence; for Job reſolved to ſay no more, yet the Lord anſwered; and the Lord anſwered him Out of the whirlwind.

At the firſt verſe of the 38th Chapter, we read of this whirlwind, and of the Lord anſwering out of it.

What a whirlwind is, was there opened, and ſeveral points of obſervation given from it, which I ſhall not now at all touch upon, nor meddle with; and yet, though the words in this 6th verſe of the 40. Chapter, are the very ſame with thoſe in the firſt verſe of the 38th Chapter, yet from their placing and their repeating here, we may profitably take notice of ſome things for our inſtruction.

Then the Lord anſwered Job out of the whirlwind, and ſaid. The whirlwind being here ſpoken of a ſecond time, 'tis queſtioned by ſome, whether this were a whirlwind of greater force, or of leſs than the former, or the ſame. The ground of the querie is from a little variation which is in the Hebrew Text. In the 38th Chapter an Article is prefixt to the word whirlwind, which (ſay ſome) p. 530intends the ſence, noting it to be a very vehement whirlwind: But in the 40 Chapter, that article is left out; upon which they collect, That this latter whirlwind was not ſo fierce, nor ſo vehement as the former. But this is only a conjecture; nor can any thing be ſolidly grounded upon ſuch Grammatical differences; yea, ſome, notwithſtanding that defect of the Article, conceive the whirlwind here in this Chapter, was more vehement than that in the former Chapter. But I ſhall not ſtay about that Querie, nor diſcourſe any thing concerning the nature of the whirlwind, which was toucht before at the 38. Chapter, but ſhall

Obſerve, Firſt; God hath terrible wayes of revealing himſelf, as well as ſweet and gentle wayes.

To ſpeak out of a whirlwind, is a dreadful manifeſtation. The whirlwind, and ſpeaking out of it, notes a legal diſpenſation, or a miniſtration of terror, ſuch as the Law was publiſhed in, of which we read in the 19th of Exodus, which was ſo terrible (ſaith the Apoſtle, Heb. 12.) that Moſes himſelf ſaid, I exceedingly fear and quake. The Lord hath his Mount Sinai diſpenſations, in thunder and lightning, and with a terrible voice; and he hath alſo his Mount Sion diſpenſations in ſweet and precious promiſes, and Goſpel-Ordinances; he hath his beſeechings, his intreatings, his wooings, his invitings. Divine diſpenſations vary. 'Tis ſaid (1 King. 1.6.) in the Hiſtory of Eliah, that when the Lord appeared, there was an Earth-quake, and the Lord was not in the Earth-quake; there was a mighty wind, and the Lord was not in the wind; there was fire, and the Lord was not in the fire: At laſt, there came a ſtill ſmall voice, and there the Lord was. The Lord waved the dreadful manifeſtation of himſelf, by winds, tempeſt, thunder, fire, Earth-quake, and came only in a ſtill voice. The reaſon why the Lord doth thus variouſly diſpenſe himſelf, ſometimes in a whirlwind, ſometimes in a gentle gale, is to anſwer the ſeveral tempers and ſpirits of men; where the ſpirits of men will not bow, the Lord knows how to break and bring them down; and where the ſpirits of men are already bowed and broken, humbled and melted, the Lord knows how to comfort and confirm them: He will not break the bruiſed reed, nor quench the ſmoaking flax. And when it is ſaid, He will not p. 531break, the meaning is, he will bind up and ſtrengthen the bruiſed reed; And when it is ſaid, he will not quench, the meaning is, he will blow up and kindle the ſmoaking flax, that is, weak believers, or ſouls afflicted under the ſenſe of their own weakneſs and ſinfulneſs, or ſinful weakneſſes.

'As tis a great part of the wiſdom of the Miniſters of the word, to divide the word aright, that is, to give every one a portion ſutable to his condition (they muſt ſpeak to ſome, as it were, in a whirlwind, in the whirlwind of the Law; they muſt ſpeak to others in a ſtill voice, that of the Goſpel; they muſt threaten and terrifie ſome, comfort and refreſh others) So the Lord himſelf deals; he hath many wayes of humbling the creature, and as many wayes of comforting the creature; he ſpeaks in a whirlwind (as I may ſay) when he threatens in the Law, he ſpeaks dreadfully, ſometimes by his providences and judgements (there's a voice in them) he ſpeaks terribly to us in our own perſonal afflictions, and when under ſad diſpenſations: All this is, as it were, a ſpeaking in the whirlwind. And he ſpeaks graciouſly, winningly and comfortably, or to the hearts of his people, even when he leads them into the wilderneſs (Hoſ. 2.14.) The Apoſtle ſaith, Knowing the terror of the Lord we perſwade men; that is, we perſwade men by the terror of the Lord: and ſo, knowing the goodneſs and the mercy of the Lord, we perſwade men; that is, we perſwade them by the goodneſs & the mercy of the Lord. I (ſaith the Apoſtle, Rom, 12.1.) beſeech you by the mercies of God, preſent your bodies, &c. Of ſome we muſt have compaſſion, making a difference; & others ſave with fear (Jude verſ. 22.23.) that is, we muſt put them in fear, that they may be ſaved, or (as I may ſay) ſcare and fright them to heaven.

Secondly, Conſider, who it is that the Lord ſpake to in a whirlwind; he ſpake to Job: and who was Job? ſurely a very godly man, a man that feared God, a man that had a very noble teſtimony from God himſelf, and yet here God ſpake to Job himſelf in a whirlwind.

p. 532Hence, Note; The best of men may ſometimes need the terrible appearances of God, to humble them and to bring them to a due confeſſion of their ſins.

Certainly God would not have ſpoken to Job in a whirlwind, if there had not been cauſe for it; he would not have ſpoken twice in a whirlwind, if there had not been double cauſe for it. The Apoſtle Peter ſaith (1 Eph. 1.6.) Ye are in heavineſs through manifold temptations (that is, afflictions and trials) if need be. We ſhould never feel any affliction from the hand of God, never be in heavineſs, if there were not need. There is need that the holieſt in this world ſhould ſometimes be made heavy, or that heavineſs ſhould be upon them for a time. We ſhould always have calms and fair weather, never any ſtorms, nor tempeſts, nor whirlwinds from God, did not our needs call for it. As we every day need bread, which is therefore called by Chriſt our daily bread; ſo moſt days we need a rod, either the rod of his mouth to reprove us, or the rod of his hand to chaſten us: And we do ſo, eſpecially, for theſe reaſons.

Firſt, To bring us into a deep ſence of our own vileneſs, to humble us, to lay us low.

Secondly, To make greater impreſſions upon our hearts, of the power and ſoveraignty of God, of the holineſs and righteouſneſs of God. It is, that we might know our ſelves more, and that we might know God more, that God ſpeaks to us in whirlwinds, in terrible diſpenſations.

Further, As this is a ſecond whirlwind, as it is a ſecond ſpeaking to Job, a good man, in a whirlwind,

Obſerve; God will not give over terrible diſpenſations and appearances, till he hath brought man to his purpoſe.

God hath an end, a purpoſe in every work, and every work of his goeth on, till he hath attained his purpoſe. As the word which goeth out of the Lords mouth ſhall not return unto him void, but ſhall accompliſh that which he pleaſeth, and proſper in the thing whereto he ſends it (Iſa. 55.11.) So the work which God takes in hand, ſhall not be in vain, but ſhall proſper to the purpoſe for which he undertakes it. Now if any ask what is the purpoſe of p. 533God in whirlwind diſpenſations? that was ſhewed before, even to make us more humble, and to have higher thoughts of God in every reſpect.

But ſome may ſay, Job had very low thoughts of himſelf before, he had ſaid, I am vile; doubtleſs Job ſpake this in great humility: why then doth the Lord ſpeak to Job in a whirlwind again, ſeeing he was truly humbled at his firſt ſpeaking?

I anſwer, Though Job was humbled, yet he was not humbled enough, he was not yet laid low enough, nor melted down enough, and therefore God ſpake to him in a whirlwind again. It would not ſerve his turn, barely to ſay I am vile, God muſt have more of him than that, he muſt make a fuller confeſſion of his fault than that; God brought him at laſt to ſay, I abhor my ſelf, and repent in duſt and aſhes, which is a deſcription of deepeſt humiliation. Now becauſe Job was not come to that, but had only ſaid, I am vile (though there was matter of great humiliation in that) the Lord queſtions with him again in a whirlwind. This ſhould be of great conſideration to us in any day of affliction.

For if God hath not his purpoſe in bringing the firſt affliction, we ſhall be ſpoken to in a whirlwind a ſecond time. We are apt to wonder and think it ſtrange, that God ſhould ſpeak terribly to us ſo often, that he ſhould renew our afflictions, and make us new croſſes. We think, if we do but make a light confeſſion of our ſins, and ſay, we are vile, preſently the ſtorm ſhould ceaſe, and the affliction be removed. Let us not deceive our ſelves, Job had ſaid he was vile; yet God continued the ſtorm, becauſe he was not yet low enough. 'Tis not enough for us that we are truly humbled. As there muſt be truth in our humiliation, ſo there muſt be depth in it; for queſtionleſs, when Job ſaid before, I am vile, he did not diſſemble with God, he was hearty in it, and ſpake his heart; what he ſpake was from his very ſoul, and in ſincerity, he did not complement with God, he did not flatter God with his mouth, nor lie unto him with his tongue, as the Iſraelites did (Pſal. 78.36.) his heart was right with God, as theirs was not (ver. 37.) yet, becauſe his ſpirit was not come down as it ſhould, therefore he muſt be awakened and humbled more with another whirlwind, he muſt be further ſchool'd, that he might give further glory to God in his own abaſement.

p. 534And hence we may infer; If the Lord ſpake thus to Job, and may ſpeak thus terribly to any good man, once and again? Then with what terror, in how dreadful a whirlwind, will God at laſt ſpeak to all the wicked of the world?

If he ſpake out of a whirlwind to a Job a gracious godly man, what will that whirlwind be, out of which he will ſpeak to a Pharoah, to prophane and hard-hearted ſinners! As our Lord Jeſus Chriſt ſaid of himſelf in the Goſpel, If it be thus done to a green tree, what ſhall be done to the dry? If God hath whirlwinds for his Jobs, for his own people, who are as green flouriſhing trees in grace and holineſs; what will he do with the dry ſticks of the world? And I may argue it as the Apoſtle doth (1 Pet. 4.13.) If judgment begin at the houſe of God, what ſhall the end be of them that obey not the Goſpel? what ſhall their end be? no man is able to ſay, no nor to conceive how ſad it will be. Judgment begins at the houſe of God; God will not ſpare his own houſe, not his own houſhold, he will not ſpare his Servants and Children when they ſin; he is no cockering Father, he will correct his own Children; he will not only ſweep his houſe, but he will ſhake his houſe; and he ſhakes it, becauſe it is no better ſwept, nor kept more cleanly. And if for theſe, and ſuch like reaſons we at any time ſee judgment beginning at the houſe of God, we may ſay with aſtoniſhment, What will the end of thoſe be who obey not the Goſpel! What will become of the wicked and ungodly, of thoſe who openly prophane and blaſpheme his Holy Name! O what appearances ſhall they have of God, and how ſhall they appear before God! We read, in the 25th of Jeremy; of a Bowl of blood given him to carry about to the Nations: A terrible meſſage he is ſent about; he carries a Cup of blood about, and bids the Nations drink, they muſt drink it; and ſaith the Lord, If they ſhall refuſe to take the Cup at thy hand to drink, then ſhalt thou ſay unto them, thus ſaith the Lord of hoſts, ye ſhall certainly drink: Why? For lo, I begin to bring evil upon the City which is called by My Name; and ſhall ye be utterly unpuniſhed? As if the Lord had ſaid, I have brought evil upon Jeruſalem, upon my own people, and they have drunk very deep of that bitter Cup; and do you, O ye uncircumciſed nations, think that you ſhall eſcape? We may conclude, the Lord hath a p. 535terrible ſtorm to bring upon the wicked and ungodly of the world, when we hear him ſpeaking to his own people in whirlwinds. Conſider this ye that forget God (as ſuch are admoniſhed Pſal. 50.22.) leſt he tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver. For our God ſhall come, and ſhall not keep ſilence; a fire ſhall devour before him, and it ſhall be very tempeſtuous round about him, as 'tis ſaid at the 3d verſe of that Pſalme. And Then, as 'tis threatned (Pſal. 2 5.) ſhall he ſpeak to them in his wrath, and vex them in his ſore diſpleaſure. That ſpeaking will indeed be ſpeaking out of a whirlwind, which ſhall hurry them away into everlaſting darkneſs.

Thus far of the manner of Gods ſpeaking to Job the ſecond time; It was ſtill out of the whirlwind. Now followeth the matter ſpoken, or what he ſpake to him.

Verſ. 7. Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.

I ſhall add but little about this verſe, becauſe we have had it almoſt word for word (Chap. 38.3.) where the Lord thus beſpake Job, Gird up now thy loins like a man, for I will demand of thee, and anſwer thou me.

Theſe words this ſecond time ſpoken or repeated by God to Job, fall under various apprehenſions, theſe four eſpecially.

Firſt, Some look upon them meerly as a challenge ſent of God; Gird up now thy ſelf like a man, come ſtand to thy work, or rather ſtand to thy word, do thy beſt.

Secondly, Others expound them as an irony or divine ſcorn, put upon Job to humble him. Come, Gird up thy loin… like a man; Don't flinch for it, ſtand to it, thou wilt ſurely make good the day with me.

Thirdly, Many (in a milder ſenſe) look upon theſe words, meerly as Counſel given to Job; as if the Lord had ſaid, I mean to deal further with thee, Therefore come now, prepare and addreſs thy ſelf to the buſineſs; I give thee leave to make the beſt thou canſt of thy cauſe.

Fourthly, We may take theſe words,Eſto bono animo, &c. as ſpoken to Job for his Comfort and encouragement. The Lord ſeeing him as it were ſinking, and refuſing to ſpeak, ſaith to him, be not troubled, be of good chear man, Gird up thy loins like a man. As the words are taken for a challenge, and under the notion of a ſcorn put upon Job, I ſhall not ſtay upon them.

p. 536This phraſe (Gird up thy loins) was opened at the 38th Chap. 'tis a metaphor taken from Travellers, or thoſe that go about any buſineſs; who wearing long garments, uſed to gird them up, that they might be more expeditious, whether for labour or for travel.

Thus the words are matter of Counſel and encouragement given to Job, and under that notion I ſhall Note two things from them.

Firſt, As they are words of counſel, the Lord having further buſineſs with Job or more to do with him, adviſeth him to gird up his loins like a man.

Hence, Obſerve; When we have to do with God, we ſhould put out our ſelve to the uttermoſt.

To Gird up our loins like a man imports our beſt preparation; and ſuch preparation we need for every holy duty. When we are to pray, we had need gird up our loins like men, for then we are to wreſtle or ſtrive with God, we muſt work it out with God in the duty of prayer; and if our garments hang looſe, that is, our affections be upon the earth, and our hearts in the corners of the world, how can we prevail with God in prayer? we muſt gird up our loins like men, when we declare our deſires and requeſts to God in prayer, and expect that God ſhould anſwer us. The holy Prophet complained of the Jews failing in this (Iſa. 64.7.) There is none that calleth upon thy name, that ſtirreth up himſelf to take hold of thee. Doubtleſs many called upon God in thoſe days, but they did not ſtir up themſelves to take hold of God by faith, and ſo their prayers went for no prayers. And when we go to hear the word (wherein God deals with us) we had need gird up the loins of our minds, elſe we cannot mind the word while we hear it, nor remember, much leſs practice the word which we have heard. The Scripture often calls us to preparation for every duty: What can diſcompoſed perſons, looſe-ſpirited perſons, looſe-loin'd perſons do with God or for God? When we have any thing to do with God, any thing to do for God, we ſhould do our beſt, and be at our beſt, we ſhould play the men. Maſter Broughton expreſſeth it well, though not clear to the words in the Original, Let me ſee thy skill or how skilfully thou canſt handle the matter with me. The Lord would have us ſhew p. 537our skill when we have any thing to do with him, or to do for him; we ſhould then play the men and not the children, much leſs ſhould we play the fools, be ſloathful, ſluggiſh, and careleſs.

Eſpecially we ſhould do this with reſpect to the appearing of Jeſus Chriſt in the great day of our account: Chriſt himſelf gives the rule, Stand with your loyns girt, and your lamps burning, as thoſe ſervants that wait for their Lords coming. When Chriſt our Lord comes, all muſt come before him, but none ſhall be able to ſtand before him, but they who ſtand with loyns girt; that is, who are ready, and in that readineſs wait for his coming.

Secondly, Taking theſe words as words of encouragement: Gird up thy loyns like a man; Poor heart, do not faint.

Note; When God intends and purpoſeth to humble his people moſt, he would not have them deſpair in the leaſt.

When God layes them in the duſt, he would not have them ſink in deſpair, but be of good cheer. God loves to ſee his people humbled, but he doth not love to ſee them dejected. As God would have us ſenſible, ſo comfortable. Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, ſaid the Lord (Iſa. 40.1.) when he ſaw they were ready to ſink, he commanded comfort to be ſpoken to them. He gives Cordials and Reſtoratives, when he is ſpeaking out of a whirlwind; and therefore he ſaid to Job, Gird up thy loyns like a man.

But however the Lord is either counſelling or comforting Job in theſe words, he checks and reproves him in the next.

Verſe 8. Wilt thou alſo diſanul my Judgement? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayeſt be righteous?

Theſe are words of reproof, and a very great reproof they are. Here the Lord begins to chide and expoſtulate with Job.

Wilt thou.

'Tis a quick kind of ſpeech;Irritum facere eſt ſimplex verbum contrarium verbo confirmandi, aut natum firmumque aliquid faciendi. ſuch Queſtions have much ſpirit and life in them. How now Job, Wilt thou diſanul my Judgement?

But what is meant by diſanulling, what by the Judgement, that God ſaith Job was about to diſanul?

p. 538To diſanul, is to make void, to fruſtrate, to break a thing, ſo as it ſhall not ſtand in any ſtead, or be of any force; it is applied to the breaking of an Oath, to the breaking of a Covenant, and to the diſappointment of counſels and purpoſes. Read Num. 30.14, 15. 1 Kings 15.19. Jer. 35.20. Pſal. 33.10, 11. Iſa. 8.10. Thus ſaith the Lord, Wilt thou diſanul, or make void my Judgement?

foreign Ne repellas judicium meum. Sept. foreign. Numquid repelles judicium meum? Symach.The Septuagint render it as a Negative Command, Do not thou repel or reſiſt my Judgement. An ancient Greek Tranſlator renders it, as we, by way of Queſtion, What, wilt thou repel or oppoſe my Judgement? The word is applied to great ſinnings (Ezra 9.13.) And after all this that is come upon us, &c. ſeeing our God hath given us ſuch deliverance as this, ſhould we again break thy Commandements? &c. But did Ezra think, that after that they ſhould no more break the Commandements? Taking a breach of the Commandements barely for ſinning, he could not expreſſe it ſo; therefore by breaking the Commandements, he means diſanulling the Commandements: What is that? 'Tis ſo to break the Commandements, as if we would reſcind and repeal them. There is ſuch a kind of ſinning, as if men would not onelyonly ſin againſt the Law, but ſin the Law away, or out of doors, as if men would ſin the Bible out of the world: that's the meaning of the word there, If we ſhall again break thy Commandements; for it followeth, and joyn in affinity with the people of theſe abominations. 'Tis not breaking the Commandements by any ſin, but to ſin ſo as if we would make them all void, and reverſe the ſtatutes of heaven. Thus the word is uſed by David (Pſal, 119.126.An etiam mutabis judicium meum? Targ.) which doth much clear the ſenſe of this Text, Lord, it is time for thee to work; Why? for they have made void thy law. 'Tis the ſame word here in Job, They have diſanulled thy law. 'Tis high time for God to awake, to beſtir himſelf, and look to men, when they come to this height of ſinning, to make void and diſanul his Law, by ſetting up their own luſts. Some would even enact their own luſts, and throw down the Law of God. That's the ſignificancy of the word here uſed; ſaith God to Job, Wilt thou diſanul my Judgement? Wilt thou make it void, or break the courſe of it? Wilt thou change it, and put or introduce ſomewhat of thine own in the room and place of it, as ſome gloſſe the words? Wilt thou diſanul p. 539My judgement?

Judgement, I conceive, in this place is taken for that courſe of adminiſtration which God uſes in the World, whether with particular perſons, or with Nations. As if the Lord had ſaid, Thinkeſt thou thy ſelf not only able to comprehend the reaſon of all my adminiſtrations towards thy ſelf or others, but wilt thou alſo preſume to ſubject them to thy will and wiſdom; as if thou couldst adminiſter them with more equality and righteouſneſs, or to better purpoſe than I have done? The courſe or way of Gods diſpenſation, is Gods Judgement; and 'tis called his Judgement,

Firſt, Becauſe it proceeds upon the higheſt reaſon, upon the cleareſt acting of Judgement and underſtanding; and in that ſenſe 'tis alwayes Judgement. For God is a God of Judgement (Iſa. 30.18.) That is, of the higheſt reaſon and underſtanding in all matters that he doth.

Secondly, 'Tis called Judgement, becauſe oftentimes theſe adminiſtrations are as a ſentence pronounced and given out by God, whether againſt particular perſons or Kingdomes, and ſo have Judgement in them, that is, wrath and puniſhment. Judgement is often put for puniſhment. In this ſenſe we are to underſtand it here. Wilt thou diſanul my Judgement, particularly with thy ſelf. I have taken this courſe with thee, I have brought all theſe afflictions upon thee, I have broken thy eſtate, I have broken thy body, I have broken thy ſpirit; this is the courſe I have taken with thee: wilt thou diſanul this courſe that I have taken with thee? ſurely thou ſhouldeſt not, I know thou canſt not. So then, the Lord expoſtulates thus with Job, as if he would have croſſed all his proceedings and dealings with him, or would have reſcinded as it were the ſentence and decree of God concerning him. Wouldeſt thou have me to change either the matter, manner, or meaſure of thy chaſtnings? No, my will, not thine, ſhall be the rule of them. Wilt thou diſanul my Judgement? Now from this ſenſe of the words,

Note, Firſt; It is impoſſible to reverſe, reſcind, or diſanul the Judgement of God.

The Lord ſpeaks to Job as attempting a thing beyond himſelf, p. 540or beyond his power. What, ſaith the Lord, wilt thou diſanul my judgement? ſurely thou wilt not venture at that, thou wilt not offer that; 'tis more than thou or any man can do. The Lords judgement, or the way which he will take with any man, no man can ſuperſede or ſtop; no man can hinder him in it. What the Lord determines, what he gives forth, it ſhall ſtand. Balaam could ſay (Numb. 23.20.) The Lord hath bleſſed, and I cannot reverſe it. The judgement of the Lord at that time towards Iſrael, was a Judgement or Sentence of favour and mercy; therefore ſaith Balaam, The Lord hath bleſſed, and I cannot reverſe it. And if the Lord gives out a Sentence of affliction, or commands a croſſe upon any man, who ſhall reverſe it (Pſal. 33.10.) The Counſel of the Lord ſhall ſtand, and the thoughts of his heart to all generations. They ſhall ſtand; who then ſhall make them fall? The Sentences or Judgements of men are often diſanulled by men, and they may alwayes be diſanulled by God (Lam. 3.38.) Who is he that ſaith, and it cometh to paſs, when the Lord hath not commanded. The Lord can diſanul all the Judgements of men, of the wiſeſt men in the world; but none can diſanul the Lords Judgements, and make them void. There are but two wayes by which the Judgement, that is, the Sentence, or the reſolution and purpoſe of a man is diſanulled.

Firſt, By the power of the party againſt whom the Judgement is given. Sometimes there is a Sentence given againſt a man, which comes to naught, 'tis made void; why? there's no power can execute it upon him: David ſpake much in that language, Ye ſons of Serviah are too hard for me.

Secondly, Sometimes the Judgements of men are diſanulled by a ſuperiour Authority; one Court recalls or takes off the Judgement of another. But neither of theſe wayes can the Judgement of God be diſanulled. If God give out a Sentence againſt a perſon, his power, how powerful ſoever he is, ſhall never hinder the execution of it; though he be (as it's ſpoken in Amos) as high as the Cedar, and as ſtrong as the Oak, yet he ſhall not hinder the Judgement of God. And as there is no man hath power of arm; or of arms, to hinder the Judgement of God; ſo there is no Authority ſuperiour to, or above Gods. There's no Court above the Court of Heaven, to which appeal may be made, to get Gods Sentence diſanulled, or his Judgement p. 541reverſed; therefore the Judgement of God cannot be diſanulled.

And ſeeing the Judgements of God, as taken for the Sentence which he hath declared againſt ſinners, ſuch as that (Rom. 2.9.) Tribulation and anguiſh upon every ſoul that doth evil, &c. cannot be diſanulled; what cauſe have we to bleſſe God for Chriſt, who hath endured that Judgement in his own perſon, which could not be diſanulled nor made void; and hath alſo (as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, Col. 2.14.) blotted out the hand-writing of ordinances that was againſt us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his Croſſe. Yet

Obſerve, Secondly; The Judgements of God are by him accounted as diſanulled or made void by us, when we do not ſubmit to them, nor humble our ſelves as we ought under them.

This was Jobs Caſe. Why doth God aske him whether he would diſanul his Judgement? ſurely, becauſe he had made many complaints (as hath been ſhewed in this Book) about the dealings of God with him: The Lord interpreted this as a diſanulling of his Judgement. If we are not ſatisfied with the Judgement of God, though it be a Judgement of anger and diſpleaſure towards us, we, as much as in us lies, diſanul the Judgement of God. Let us often remember this, The way of Gods proceeding with us, his way of adminiſtration towards us, is his Judgement; now if it be a way of affliction, if he ſpeak terribly to us, let us take heed of complaining, leſt we be found diſanulling his Judgement. We may come under the compaſſe of this Charge before we are aware. As for inſtance;

If we ſhall ſay, we could bear any Judgement but this, any affliction but this; this is to diſanul the Judgement of God. Let us ſay, whatever the affliction is, it is beſt for us, and God hath moſt righteouſly brought it upon us.

Again, If we ſhall ſay, we could be patient even under this Judgement of God for the matter of it; but when we conſider the degree of it, that it goes ſo far, and wounds ſo deep, who can bear it? Thus Job complained (Chap. 6.2.) Oh that my grief were throughly weighed, and my calamity laid in the ballances together; for now it would be heavier than the ſand of the Sea: p. 542therefore my words are ſwallowed up. It was not ſo much the matter of his affliction, as the degree, or weight, or extremity of it, which put him to thoſe grievous complaints. Now if we are not patient and quiet under that very degree of the Judgement which God is pleaſed to heighten it unto, this is a diſanulling of his Judgement; therefore let us take heed of complainings upon that account.

Yet further, Others will ſay, If this Croſſe had been for a ſhort time, we could have born it; but it hath been long upon us already, and we know not how long it may continue, we can ſee no end of it. Take heed of theſe complainings; for this alſo is to diſanul the Judgement of God, if we find fault with the length of the Croſſe. Though we may cry with the ſouls under the Altar, How long Lord, how long, yet we muſt not ſay it is too long.

Laſtly, There is this alſo at which many are much troubled, and ſo even diſanul the Judgement of God; for ſay they, if it were but in ſome one thing that we were afflicted, we could bear it; but we are afflicted in body, and afflicted in mind, and afflicted in our children, and afflicted in our eſtate, we are afflicted in our credit, and in all our comforts; if it had been in ſome one thing, we could have ſat down quietly under it; but now it's affliction all over. Take heed, for this alſo is to diſanul the Judgement of God. And if any of theſe be to diſanul the Judgement of God, how ſoon may we do it? And if they are not, as to either, free from this charge, who ſhew ſome impatience and trouble of ſpirit under the ſeverer dealings of God, what ſhall we ſay of thoſe who openly murmur, and even rage againſt them?

Thirdly, Wilt thou diſanul my Judgement?

Note; God takes it as a high affront, and a diſhonour, when his Judgement is touched, or when his Judgement is not quietly ſubmitted to.

Wilt thou, ſaith he, What! diſanul my Judgement! The Apoſtle ſaith, Let God be true, and every man a liar. Let the Judgement of God ſtand, though we fall.

Fourthly, Conſider what a huge boldneſſe it is in a creature, to do or ſay any thing which may be interpreted a diſanulling of the Judgement of God.

p. 543Fifthly, Conſider how ſinful a thing it is for any to go about to croſſe the adminiſtration of God. Somewhat we may do, in all the judgements or ſad diſpenſations of God; we may pray about them, and we may in an humble ſubmiſſion expoſtulate with God about them; but we muſt take heed of an unquiet ſpirit under them, or of any riſings of heart againſt them: Pray we may about them, earneſtly, inſtantly, and importunately, and the more the better, yet ſtill quietly ſubmit; and the more quietly we ſubmit to them, the more fit we are to pray to, and wreſtle with him about them; that he in his own good time, and in his own way, would remove them from us. Wilt thou diſanul my Judgement?

Wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayeſt be righteous.

Theſe words may be taken as an Expoſition of the former. As if the Lord had ſaid, Either I muſt be condemned, that thou mayest be righteous, or thou muſt be condemned, that I may be righteous; now whether it be meet that I or thou muſt be condemned, do thou judge. While thou inſiſteſt ſo much upon thine own innocency, thou ſeemeſt to caſt blame upon my Juſtice. Either I have wronged thee by afflicting thee without just cauſe, or thou haſt wronged me by intimations that I have done ſo: One of theſe muſt needs be true, ſeeing there is no middle between them. Conſider then which is moſt probable, that I have wronged thee, or thou me. Theſe are immediate contraries; ſo that the one being granted, the other muſt be denied. Now wilt thou accuſe me of injuſtice in afflicting thee, that thy cauſe may be eſteemed just?

But did Job ever accuſe or condemn the Lord?

I anſwer, Not directly (as hath been ſhewed heretofore) It never came into Jobs heart to accuſe God of unrighteouſneſs: but becauſe by ſome miſunderſtood ſpeeches of his, they about him judged he had; therefore the Lord put this queſtion home to him, that he might exonerate and clear himſelf. The onelyonly matters in which he might ſeem to condemn God as unrighteous, was his ſpeaking ſo much of his afflicting the righteous, and proſpering the unrighteous; or his inſiſting ſo much upon the defence of his own righteouſneſſe before men, ſeemed to derogate from, or intrench upon the righteouſneſſe of God. So then Job did not intentionally caſt any aſperſion or blot upon the Juſtice of God; p. 544he onelyonly intended, in what he ſaid, to ſhew that the affliction that was upon him, was not for his ſin, but for his trial, when he ſpake ſo much of his own righteouſneſſe; and yet becauſe he was a little too laviſh in ſpeech, and too paſſionate, the Lord here puts this queſtion to him, Wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayeſt be righteous? 'Tis I that juſtifie thee, and wilt thou condemn me? The Lord is righteous, and all men are unrighteous; and ſhall any man do that which caſts a note of unrighteouſneſſe upon God. Wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayeſt be righteous?

Hence Note, Firſt; He that is much in the juſtifying of himſelf, when he is under the Judgement, or afflicting hand of God, doth upon the matter condemn God.

Job was much in juſtifying himſelf, though not with an intention to condemn God, yet the very action ſpake this in the opinion of others, that he thought himſelf not righteouſly dealt with, or at leaſt rigorouſly dealt with. He that maintains his own right too much in affliction, chargeth God with wrong, though he never meant it: And therefore the Apoſtle ſaith, Let God be true, Deum injuſtitiae accuſare videbatur qui juſtos affligerei. Merc.and every man a liar. A godly man in a good frame, though he cannot charge himſelf with any crime, nor is conſcious of any way of wickedneſs, that he hath lived in, yet approves and juſtifies the Lord in all his dealings with him; and therefore we muſt take heed (it is a tender point) how we juſtifie our ſelves, eſpecially under the afflicting hand of God. If we juſtifie our ſelves, there is ſomewhat of condemnation caſt upon God; therefore ſtill you ſhall find that the holieſt ſervants of God in their Confeſſions charge all upon themſelves. Righteouſneſs belongs to God, but to us ſhame and confuſion of face. So ſpake Ezra, and ſo ſpake Daniel. It is very dangerous to, and we quickly may, reflect upon the juſtice of God, and derogate ſomewhat from him, by our juſtifying of our ſelves.

Obſerve, Secondly; 'Tis our duty in all things whatſoever God doth, to juſtifie him.

In dubio ſemper adverſum nos pro deo ſentiendum eſt. Merc.As it is the higheſt grace which God manifeſts to the creature, to juſtifie man. It's God that juſtifies; who ſhall condemn. So it is one of the moſt excellent duties of man, to juſtifie God. p. 545It is a high grace of God to man, to juſtifie man; but it is onelyonly the duty of man to juſtifie God in all things. Let him do what he will with perſons or Nations, let him break them all to pieces, let him lay all waſte and deſolate; in all this we are to juſtifie God. We ſhould rather be willing to appear ſinful, and that we are puniſhed for our ſins and evil deeds, than ſo much as in appearance to queſtion or make the leaſt doubt of the juſtice of God, or give others the leaſt ſhadow of an occaſion to queſtion or doubt it.

That of the Schoolman bears much weight in this caſe.Aquinas. If (ſaith he) two are equal, and a fault is to be laid upon one of them; it is not reprovable, if one of them purge himſelf of the fault charged, although he be blameable in the opinion of others; becauſe man naturally loveth himſelf more than another. But where there is ſo great a diſtance, as between God and man, man ſhould rather take the blame to himſelf, though unjuſtly laid on him, than caſt it upon God; which he cannot do but unjuſtly. And therefore God in arguing with Job, propoſeth the ſuperlative excellency of himſelf above man.

Obſerve, Thirdly; We ſhould be much in judging our ſelves.

Wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayeſt be righteous? Thou ſhouldeſt condemn thy ſelf, and judge thy ſelf; thy judgement is upon a wrong object. Self judgement is good, but judging of God, oh how ſinful is that (1 Cor. 11.31.) If we would judge our ſelves, we ſhould not be judged of the Lord. Our buſineſſe is to judge our ſelves, and for not judging of our ſelves, it is, that we meet with ſo many judgements from the hand of God. Therefore God judgeth us, becauſe we do not judge our ſelves. And therefore let every mouth be ſtopt; it ſhall be ſo at laſt as the Apoſtle concludes (Rom. 3.18.) Every mouth ſhall be ſtopt, and all the world ſhall become guilty before God. We are ſelf-guilty, and therefore ſhould be ſelf-condemned. 'Tis a dreadful thing in one ſenſe to be ſelf-condemned, as it is ſpoken of the Heretick (Tit. 3.11.) He is condemned of himſelf: He is condemned of himſelf, while he doth juſtifie himſelf. 'Tis the worſt of condemnations, to be condemned of our ſelves, by juſtifying of our ſelves; but it is good to condemn our ſelves, in judging or in humbling our ſelves. p. 546David was much in ſelf-cenſuring and ſelf-judging: when he found himſelf envying the proſperity of the wicked, and ſaid, he had clenſed his heart in vain, he ſoon after cenſures himſelf for both (Pſal. 77.22.) So fooliſh was I and ignorant, even as a beaſt before thee. As if God had ſaid, what a fooliſh creature am I, thus to condemn God in his proceedings, & to talk of my own innocency. Let us not boaſt of, but (as Maſter Calvin expreſſeth it upon the Text) let us win our ſpurs by condemning our ſelves: For that is the only way to honour and exalt God. If we would get honour to our ſelves, it muſt not be by conteſting with God, but by humbling our ſelves before him; there's no obtaining with God, by contending with him, much leſs by condemning him.

Verſ. 9. Haſt thou an arm like God? or canſt thou thunder with a voice like him?

THe Lord at the 6th verſe of this Chapter, entered upon a vehement expoſtulation with Job, to humble him and bring down his ſpirit; and that Job might be thorowly humbled, here the Lord in this 9th verſe ſheweth what a diſparity there was between himſelf and Job, as before in his righteouſneſs, Wilt thou condemn me that thou mayſt be righteous? art thou more righteous than I? So here in his power.

Verſ. 9. Haſt thou an arm like God? canſt thou thunder with a voice like him?

As if the Lord had ſaid, Let me ſee what thou canſt do, or whether thou canſt do like God, ſeeing thou carrieſt thy ſelf ſo unlike a man? That's the ſcope and tendency of this 9th verſe, as of thoſe that went immediately before.

The whole verſe conſiſts of two convincing queſtions. The firſt, in thoſe words, Haſt thou an arm like God? The ſecond, in theſe, Canſt thou thunder with a voice like him?

Haſt thou an arm like God?

The arm, properly taken, is a noble and an eminent limb or member of mans body. Nor hath any creature, nor is any creature p. 547ſo much as ſaid to have an arm but man. And ſome may ſay, ſeeing the arm is a bodily member, how can God, who hath no body, be ſaid to have an arm? I anſwer; 'tis true, God is a ſpirit, without diſtinction of parts; yet frequently in Scripture, as humane paſſions, ſo bodily parts are aſcribed to God improperly or by a figure. And becauſe the arm is a ſtrong and noble member of mans body, that member by which man puts forth the greatneſs of his ſtrength, that member by which he doth and atchieves great things; therefore the arm in Scripture ſignifies power, and is the embleme of might and ſtrength. In this language the Lord threatned old Eli the High Prieſt (1 Sam. 2.31.) Behold the days come that I will cut off thine arm, and the arm of thy fathers houſe, &c. that is, I will take away thy power, and the power of thy family. Thus (Zech. 11.17.) Wo to the idol ſhepherd, that leaveth the flock, the ſword ſhall be upon his arm; that is, his power ſhall be broken, and he made uſeleſs, as that man is whoſe arm is wounded. And as the arm notes miniſterial power, ſo magiſtratical power, whether abuſed or rightly uſed (Job 35.9.) They cry out by reaſon of the arm of the mighty; and (Chap. 38.15.) The high arm ſhall be broken.

Now as the arm is put for the power of man, ſo for the power of God (Pſal. 98.1.) O ſing unto the Lord a new ſong, for he hath done marvellous things; his right hand and his holy arm hath gotten him the victory. Read alſo (Iſa. 59.16. and Iſa. 63.12.) and here in the Text, Haſt thou an arm like God? Is thy arm like Gods arm? that is, is thy power like Gods power?

Hence, Note; Firſt, God hath a mighty power? He hath an arm.

There are three Scripture expreſſions, which in a gradation hold forth the power of God.

Firſt, The finger of God (Exod. 18.9.) When the Magicians could not imitate Moſes in the Plague of Lice, then they ſaid unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God; that is, the power of God is eminent in this miracle, it exceeds our power, we not only cannot do the like, but nothing like it, as we did before in ſemblance of thoſe former miracles. Thus Chriſt himſelf being blaſphemed by ſome of the Jews, who ſaid, He caſteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of devils, anſwered (Lu. 11.20.) If I by p. 548the finger of God caſt out devils, &c. that is, If I by the power of God, or by the holy Spirit (ſo another Goſpel hath it (Mat. 12.28.) If I by the Spirit of God) caſt out divels, &c.

Secondly, The power of God is expreſſed by the hand, which containeth all the fingers (Iſa. 59.1.) Behold, the Lords hand is not ſhortened that it cannot ſave, that is, his power is not abated; he hath a long hand ſtill, his power to ſave is as great as ever it was. The ſame Prophet ſaith (Chap. 9.17.) The hand of the Lord is ſtretched out ſtill, that is, his power is ſtill at work to puniſh impenitent ſinners. How much and how long ſoever God hath puniſhed ſinners, he can puniſh them longer and more; if they continue longer in ſin, or ſin more and more.

Thirdly, We have here in this Text, and in many others, the arm of God (that's more than his hand) ſignifying the fullneſs of his power. Not that there are any real gradations in the power of God; but there are gradations in the exerting and putting forth of his power. Sometimes God putteth forth his power (as it were) by a finger only, as Rehoboam ſaid (1 Kings 12.10.) My little finger ſhall be thicker than my Fathers loins; that is, the leaſt that I will do in my government ſhall be more afflictive and burdenſom to you (if you call it a burden) than the moſt that my Father Solomon did in his. At another time God putteth forth his power by his hand, you may ſee his whole hand, that is, fuller and clearer evidences of his power, in what he doth or hath done, that is, in his works of providence, whether in breaking down or building up. And laſtly, he ſheweth his arm, his ſtretched-out arm, that is, the fullneſs of his power. God hath power, great power, mighty power, he hath an arm, an out-ſtretched arm; and this arm of God is ſpoken of in Scripture for a four-fold uſe.

Firſt, For the ſafe guarding of his people; 'tis a protecting arm. The arm of God with us ſignifieth our ſafety. The Prophet, ſpeaking of the dealings of God with his ancient people, ſaith (Iſa. 63.12.) He led them by the right hand of Moſes with his glorious arm; that is, his protecting arm, by which he ſaved that people from the wrath of Pharaoh in their firſt advance out of Egypt, and from the wrath of all their enemies, in all their encampings and marches to Canaan, was very glorious. This glorious arm of his, is a defence upon all his glory (Iſa. 4.5.) p. 549that is, upon his whole Church, for there his truth, holineſs, and holy worſhip, which are his glory, are held up, and held out. The Church of God, is ſo much for the glory of God, that 'tis called his glory.

Secondly, As the Lord hath a protecting arm from evil, ſo an arm delivering and pulling out of evil. The deliverance which God wrought for the Iſraelites in bringing them out of Egypt (Exod. 6.16. Deut. 5.15. and Deut. 7.19.) is ſaid to be done by an out-ſtretched arm, that is, by his power viſibly put forth, and even to the utmoſt, in the wonderful effects of it. All the while God did not deliver Iſrael out of their bondage, he might be ſaid to draw in or hide his arm; but when he delivered them, then he was ſaid to ſtretch it out.

Thirdly, As the arm of God is for the protection and delivering of his people, ſo for the deſtroying of his and their enemies. God hath a deſtroying arm, and of that Moſes ſpake (Deut. 33.27.) The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlaſting arms; and he ſhall thruſt out the enemy from before thee (that's ſometimes the work of the everlaſting arms of God) and ſhall ſay, deſtroy them.

Fourthly, The Lord hath an aſſiſting, helping, ſtrengthning arm to carry us thorough any good work or duty, which he calleth us unto (Iſa. 53.1.) Who hath believed our report, and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? that is, who hath received power to believe, and do according to what the Lord hath revealed? The arm of God works powerfully, not only upon the outward man, but upon the heart of man, for the converting and ſaving of ſouls (Pſal. 110.3.) In the day of thy power thy people ſhall be willing. The power of God put forth upon the inner man, for full conviction and ſound converſion is greater than any power, that worketh upon, for, or againſt the body of man. God hath a mighty arm for all theſe purpoſes, and for many more, even for as many as he is pleaſed to make uſe of it, or employ it in.

And if any ask, How mighty is his arm?

I anſwer, No man knoweth how mighty it is; only this we know, It is Almighty. What the might of Almightineſs is, who can underſtand! Moſes ſpake admiringly more than knowingly to this point (Pſal. 90.11.) Who knoweth the power of thine anger? p. 550The anger of God is beyond comprehenſion, and ſo is his love; Who knoweth the power of his love? We are exhorted (Eph. 3.19.) To know the love of God, which paſſeth knowledge. What the heighth, depth, length and bredth of divine love are & anger, no man knoweth; nor doth any man know the dimenſions of divine power. The Apoſtle ſpeaking of God as a Spirit, ſaith (1 Tim. 6.16.) Whom no man hath ſeen, nor can ſee. So we may ſay of God as powerful; no man knoweth, nor can know how powerful he is. He muſt be as powerful as God, who knoweth how powerful God is.

Only this we may ſay, Firſt, his power is ſo great, that he can do all things, and he can do all things with eaſe, There is nothing hard to God. Hard things are eaſie to God. Some things are hard, and others eaſie to men; but to God all things are alike. Not only is nothing too hard for the Lord, as he ſaid to Abraham (Gen. 18.14.) but the truth is, nothing is hard to him.

Secondly, His power is ſo great, that he can do whatſoever he willeth or hath a mind to do (Job 23.13.) He is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what his ſoul deſireth, even that he doth. And as the Lord can and will do whatever he hath a will to do, ſo to clear the point a little further, we may boldly ſay, he hath a will to do all things of theſe three ſorts:

Firſt, He hath a will to do whatſoever he hath promiſed, purpoſed, or determined to do. Now, if we duly weigh what great things there are in the promiſes and purpoſes, in the counſels and decrees of God to do in the world, we may ſoon conclude with truth and ſobriety, that great things will be done in their proper times and ſeaſons.

Secondly, The Lord doth aſſure us, he hath a will to do whatſoever we ask of him in faith, and according to his will. If we have a rule for our asking, or if we ask by rule, we have a Gods word for it, that it ſhall be done and given to us according to our askings (1 John 5.14.) And this is the confidence that we have in him, that if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us. What is that? is it only that he perceives or knows what we ask? no, his hearing is the granting and giving what we ask. God is engaged by his gracious promiſe, that his arm ſhall do all that we pray for right for the matter, and aright for the manner, in faith and in ſincerity.

p. 551Thirdly, It is the will of God to do whatſoever is for the real good of his people, though (poſſibly) they ask it not. It is the will of God, not only to do what we ask, but many times, more than we ask. As God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think (Eph. 3.20.) ſo he actually doth for us much more than we ask or think. The Lord expects we ſhould pray for every good thing which he hath promiſed; and therefore he had no ſooner made many large and moſt gracious promiſes of doing great things for the Church, with this aſſurance (Ezek. 36.36.) I the Lord have ſpoken it, and I will do it. But preſently he adds (verſ. 37.) Thus ſaith the Lord God, I will yet for this be enquired of by the houſe of Iſrael, to do it for them. We ſhould extend our prayers and our ſeekings to the utmoſt line of the word, or our prayers ſhould be commenſurate both to propheſies and promiſes: Prayer helps them all to the birth, and they ſeldom bring forth alone. And indeed prayer is nothing elſe, in the matter of it, but a turning or putting the promiſes into petitions, tis a ſuing out the good of the promiſe: Yet there are ſome good things in the promiſes which we cannot reach, or at leaſt are not mindful of. There is a great latitude in the promiſes, The Commandements of God are exceeding broad (Pſal. 119.96.) Who can find out all the duty of them! And doubtleſs the promiſes are exceeding broad; who can find out all the mercy in them! The Apoſtle Peter (2 Epiſt. 1.4.) calls them exceeding great and precious promiſes; they are exceeding good, and they are exceeding great, they are as great as they are good; and who hath a heart great and good enough to ſee and ſue out all the good and great things in them? Now I ſay, though (poſſibly) we ask not for all the good of the promiſe (at leaſt not expreſly) yet it is the will of God to do all that for us, and to beſtow all that good upon us which he hath promiſed. He hath preventing grace; his firſt grace he alwayes giveth unasked. When he begins to manifeſt himſelf to a poor ſoul to bring him out of a ſtate of darkneſs, is ſuch a ſoul begging this of God? no; he is running from, and rebelling againſt God. I am found of them that ſought me not, ſaith the Lord (Iſa. 65.1.) Now, as they who are not the Lords, receive grace to become his, unasked; ſo they that are the Lords, through grace, receive many mercies unasked. God will not fall in giving all that he hath promiſed, though we fail in p. 552asking ſome things promiſed: His arm is powerful enough to do what he willeth; and this is the will of God, to fulfil or make good all his promiſes. Men often out-promiſe themſelves, but God doth not. Haſt thou an arm like God?

Hence take theſe inferences; Firſt, If the Lord hath ſuch a mighty arm, Then let us take heed we do not provoke the Lord to turn his arm againſt us.

That's the uſe which the Apoſtle makes of this point, and which naturally floweth from it (1 Cor. 10.22.) Do ye provoke the Lord to anger? are ye ſtronger than he? The Apoſtles ſenſe hits the language of the Text fully; as if he had ſaid, Have you an arm like God? There's no compariſon between yours and his; He can cruſh you before the moth (Job 4.19.) that is, as ſoon as, or before a moth is cruſhed, which crumbleth to duſt with the leaſt or lighteſt touch of the hand, or little finger.

Secondly, If the Lord have ſuch an arm, Then let us labour to get and engage the arm of the Lord for our help.

Men love to be on the ſtronger ſide; and ſome reſolve to be on the ſtronger ſide, though it ſhould be, or not regarding whether or no it be the worſer ſide. Now ſeeing all have a natural deſire to intereſt themſelves where the greateſt ſtrength is, becauſe there probably and rationally the greateſt ſafety and beſt ſhelter is; then, how ſhould we labour to get and aſſure an intereſt in God, which cannot be done, but by being on Gods ſide (that is, by keeping cloſe to him in all the duties of holineſs and righteouſneſs) for doubtleſs he is ſtrongeſt; his ſide is not only a good, but the beſt, not only a ſtrong, but the ſtrongeſt ſide. Hath any man an arm like God? can all men, ſhould they joyn all their arms in one, make an arm like Gods? They cannot. Nor is there any arm ſtrong, but in or by the ſtrength of Gods arm. As old dying Jacob ſpake while he was bleſſing his ſon Joſeph (Gen. 49.24.) The archers have ſorely grieved him, and ſhot at him, and hated him; but his bow abode in ſtrength, and the arms of his hands were made ſtrong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob. How were his arms made ſtrong! How did his bow abide in ſtrength! It was by the hands (that is, by the power) of the mighty God p. 553of Jacob. Nothing made him ſtrong, nor to abide in ſtrength, but the arm of the mighty God. In this arm of God, the Church triumphed of old (Pſal. 124.1, 2, 3.) If it had not been the Lord, who was on our ſide, now may Iſrael ſay, If it had not been the Lord, who was on our ſide, when men roſe up againſt us, then they had ſwallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled againſt us: Their wrath was kindled into a burning flame, yet we were not burnt, much leſs utterly conſumed, becauſe the ſtrong God was with us, or becauſe, as the Pſalm concludeth, Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth. What help can we need at any time, which he cannot give us, who made heaven and earth without any help or helper? It is an impregnable Tower of comfort, that at what loſs ſoever we are, we may find help, or help is to be had in God.

Thirdly, If God hath ſuch a mighty arm, Then let us truſt him.

We may truſt to his ſtrength; and when his ſtrength is indeed truſted to, our truſt is withdrawn from all other ſtrengths. We may uſe the arm or ſtrength of creatures, while we truſt in the arm or ſtrength of God; but while we truſt in the ſtrength of God, we muſt truſt in no ſtrength but his, nor, if we really truſt him, can we. When Senacherib King of Aſſyriah invaded Judah with a mighty Hoſt, Hezekiah thus incouraged his people (2 Chron. 32.7, 8.) Be ſtrong and couragious, be not afraid nor diſmayed for the King of Aſſyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him, for there be moe with us than with him; with him is an arm of fleſh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us, and to fight our battels; and the people reſted themſelves upon the words of Hezekiah King of Judah. They had an arm; what arm? not an arm of fleſh (like Senacheribs) but the arm of the Lord for their help, and that carried the day. Created power is too ſlight to be truſted; but the power of the Creator calls all for our truſt. We cannot truſt creatures too little (as to ſucceſs) nor can we truſt God too much. Hath any man an arm like God?

A fourth Inference may be this; If the Lord hath ſuch an arm, ſuch power, This ſhould encourage us to the duty of prayer.

We are eaſily perſwaded to ſeek to him for help, who hath p. 554ſtrength to help, eſpecially when we know that he hath an inclinableneſs of will to help us. Hath not the Lord a ſtrong arm? hath he not an inclinable will? Let us then in all our needs pray as the Church did (Iſa. 51.9.) Awake, awake, put on ſtrength, O arm of the Lord (the Lord and his arm are the ſame) awake as in the ancient dayes, in the generations of old; art thou not it that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon? The Lord hath a mighty arm, yet his arm or power ſeemeth to be ſometimes (as it were) aſleep; that is, not to act, or not to take notice how it is, or how matters go with the Church. Now, when at any time it is thus, our duty is to awaken the Lord by earneſt prayer; Awake, put on ſtrength, O arm of the Lord. It is a mercy when we have an heart to pray, and a God to pray unto, who can quickly put on ſtrength; that is, give undeniable evidences that he hath a ſtrong arm, yea, infinitely the ſtrongeſt arm; which may be

A ſecond obſervation, taken or ariſing from theſe words, as ſpoken comparatively, Haſt thou an arm like God?

The arm or power of the creature, is nothing to the arm or power of God; no creature hath an arm like Gods.

There is nothing in the world conſidered in a gradual difference, ſo unlike another, as the arm of God, and the arm of man are. Mans arm is ſo ſmall a thing compared with Gods, that it is a very nothing, not ſo much as a candle to the Sun, nor as a drop to the Ocean, nor as one ſingle duſt to the globe or body of the whole earth. No Rhetorick can ſpeak diminutively enough of mans arm, compared with Gods, nor can any divinity uttered by men or Angels: yet how apt is man to have too high thoughts of mans arm, and too low of Gods. Were it not that men are apt to have too high thoughts of mans arm, and too low of Gods, this queſtion had never been put to Job, Haſt thou an arm like God? Job had been a man of as big an arm, as moſt in his dayes. 'Tis ſaid of him, that he was the greateſt of all the men of the Eaſt (Chap. 1.3.) And he ſaid of himſelf (Chap. 29 25.) That he ſate chief, and dwelt as King in the Army. Now ſhould we look upon Jobs arm, not as (when God ſpake this to him) lean and thin, and extreamly fallen away, if not quite withered, but as I was at beſt, fulleſt, thickeſt, ſtrongeſt, before he fell into that affliction, or after his reſtauration out of it; p. 555yet what was Jobs arm or power, in his higheſt advancement, to the arm and power of God! might not God then have ſaid to him, as well as when he ſaid it, Haſt thou an arm like God? or hath any man at this day? Surely (ſaith David, Pſal. 62.10.) men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lye, to be laid in the ballance (that is, if they are truly weighed, eſpecially if they are weighed with God) they are altogether lighter than vanity. For, Firſt, the power of man to help, is weak and vain (Pſal. 33.16.) There is no King ſaved by the multitude of an H…ſt; a mighty man is not delivered by much ſtrength. And that's an unqueſtionable truth, whether we underſtand it of his own ſtrength, or of the ſtrength of any others, who come in and contribute their utmoſt to his aid and aſſiſtance. And this is one reaſon, why the Lord calls us off from truſting to the arm of man (Pſal. 146.3.) Put not your truſt in Princes, nor in the ſon of man, in whom there is no help. True, may ſome ſay, it were a a folly to truſt in weak Princes, to truſt in them for help, who have no power to help; but we will apply to mighty Princes, we hope there is help in them; No: thoſe words, In whom there is no help, are not a diſtinction of weak Princes from ſtrong, but a concluſion, that there is no help in the ſtrongeſt. That's ſtrange; what? no help in ſtrong Princes! If he had ſaid, no help in mean men, carnal reaſon would have conſented; but when he ſaith, Truſt not in Princes, nor in any ſon of man, one or other, who can believe this? yet, this is a divine truth, we may write inſufficiency, inſufficiency, and a third time inſufficiency, upon them all; the cloſe of that verſe in the Pſalm, may be their Motto, There is no help in them. And if any ſhall truſt in man for help, ſome one of, if not all, theſe evils or ſad iſſues will follow.

Firſt, He will be deceived and diſappointed; what he looked upon as a rock, will prove but a ſand; what he took for a Cedar, will prove but a reed, and the more he leans upon it, the more it fails him, as the Scripture ſpeaks.

Secondly, He will be aſhamed and vexed (Iſa. 20.5.) They ſhall be afraid & aſhamed of Ethiopia, their expectation, & of Egypt, their glory; that is, which they gloried in, and believed would b ing them in much glory, or into a very glorious condition. They probably expected help from Ethiopia, but they gloried in the fore-thoughts of that help which they preſumed Egypt would give them, but p. 556they gloried in that which ſoon proved their ſhame.

Thirdly, If any truſt in any arm of fleſh, it will bring a curſe upon him (Jer. 17.5.) Curſed be the man that maketh fleſh his arm, and whoſe heart departeth from the Lord. Nor doth the Prophet only pronounce a curſe upon that man, but explains the curſe, or tells him plainly what it ſhall be, both in the negative, and in the affirmative; He ſhall be like the heath in the deſert, and ſhall not ſee when good cometh, but ſhall inhabit the parched places of the wilderneſs, in a ſalt land, and not inhabited. Then, ceaſe from man whoſe breath is in his noſtrils, for wherein is he to be accounted of? Whatſoever account is to be made of man, this is not, that he ſhould be truſted in. We may apply to men for help, but we muſt not truſt in them, as if they could carry the matter for us; Have men an arm like God? Mans is but a weak and withered arm; and as the arm of man is not to be truſted in for any help he can give us, ſo

Secondly, The arm of man is not to be feared for any hurt he can do us. Theſe two have a near relation to, and dependance upon each other; for they who are ſo ſtrong, that we are ready to truſt them, if we can make them our friends, thoſe we are as ready to fear, if they turn our enemies; and they who never truſt in man unduly, will not fear man but according to duty. And we have no reaſon, if we conſider that, and what, the arm of man is in the hand of God, to fear the arm of man. The Scripture ſpeaks often of the Lords dealing with the ſtrongeſt arm of man (Ezek. 30.21.) Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharoah, King of Egypt, and loe, it ſhall not be bound up to be healed, to put a roller to bind it, to make it ſtrong to hold the ſword. Pharoah had an hurting arm, an arm ſtretched out againſt the Iſrael of God; but God did more than hurt, he broke that arm. And conſider how the Spirit of God followeth the metaphor, It ſhall not be bound up. Pharoah would fain have got his broken arm ſet, hoping it might be ſtronger than ever: No, ſaith God, It ſhall not be bound up to be healed, to put a roller to bind it, to make it ſtrong. As if the Lord had ſaid, Pharoah may call for his Chyrurgions to bind up his broken arm, yet it ſhall be without effect; all their skill and Chyrurgery ſhall be in vain, his arm ſhall not be healed nor made ſtrong. Again (Jer. 48.25.) The horn of Moab is cut off, and his arm is broken. A ſavage beaſt cannot hurt us when his p. 557horn is cut off, nor can a cruel-hearted man, with a broken arm. In theſe and many other Scriptures we ſee, both that mans arm is in the hand of God, and what God doth often to mans arm; upon which conſiderations he infers (Iſa. 51.12.) I am he that comforteth thee; Who art thou that art afraid of a man that ſhall die, and of the ſon of man that ſhall be made as the graſs, and forgetteſt the Lord thy maker? As if the Lord had ſaid, doſt thou hear and believe that I have a ſtronger arm than man? and art thou, who haſt an intereſt in me, afraid of a man? We have cauſe to fear man, when we do that which is evil; the magiſtrates arm beareth not the ſword in vain, for he is the Miniſter of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil (Rom. 13.4.) But to all them who remain peaceably in their duty to God and man, Jeſus Chriſt hath ſaid, (Luke 12.4, 5.) Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that, have no more that they can do: But I will forewarn you whom you ſhall fear; fear him, which after he hath killed, hath power to caſt into hell; yea, I ſay unto you, fear him. Chriſt, who gave but a ſingle prohibition of our fear of man, gave a double charge to fear God, knowing that to be the beſt cure of, and remedy againſt any undue or ſinful fear of man.

Further, ſeeing God hath ſuch an arm, let us be much in the conſideration of it, let us often meditate upon the ſtrength of his arm, his almighty power. The mighty God is as a weak one to us, both for the doing us good, and the keeping us from evil, till we ſit down, and believingly meditate upon his almighty power and greatneſs. As David called the faithful of old to view the ſtrength of Sion (Pſal. 48.12.) Walk about Sion, and go round her; mark well her Bullwarks, tell her Towers. So I may call upon all to view the ſtrength of the God of Sion, and to remember his arm, which is the only ſtrength, the Bullwark, the Tower of Sion. Be ſtill (ſaith the Lord, Pſal. 46.10.) and know that I am God. We never truly know either that God is, or what God is, we know him not to be God, but carry it as if he were but a man, till we are ſtill, that is, compoſed into a deep ſilent conſideration of his eternal power and Godhead, or that he is God. And the godly have done ſo, eſpecially in two caſes.

Firſt, When they ſaw little humane ſtrength, little of mans arm for them.

p. 558Secondly, When at any time they ſaw the arm of man great and ſtrong againſt them. In both which caſes we find David often in the Pſalms, and other good Kings wholly taken up in the thought of, and in acting their faith upon the arm or power of God. Thus did King Aſa (2 Chron. 14.11.) and thus did King Jehoſaphat (2 Chron. 20.6, 12.) O Lord God of our Fathers, art not thou God in heaven? and in thy hand is there not power and might? ſo that none is able to withſtand thee? O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might againſt this great company, that cometh againſt us; neither know we what to do, but our eyes are upon thee.

So much of the firſt humbling queſtion in this verſe, Haſt thou an arm like God?

A ſecond followeth, or Canſt thou thunder with a voice like him?

To thunder may taken either properly, for the ſending out of that loud and terrible ſound or crack, which we ſometimes hear from the clouds, and ſo we may underſtand it here, Who can make a thunder-clap like God? Natural thunder is a token of Gods power, and 'tis a dreadful token. Should I expound and proſecute the Text in the letter, 'tis a great truth and of uſeful conſideration. The voice of God in thunder exceeds the voices of all men.

But in Scripture to thunder is often taken improperly, and ſo it ſignifieth any mighty ſpeaking or ſpeaking with mighty effect.Hoc inſtrumento efficar Dei juſſio ſiſtens atque exhibens quicquid vult ſignificatur. Loc. Pericles olympius (ſic enim propter vim eloquentiae dictus eſt) fulminabat, intonabat conſund bat Graeciam. Plutarch. Hence thoſe two eminent Apoſtles (James and John) were called Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder, becauſe they preached ſo powerfully for the converſion and ſalvation of ſinners. And in the Chapter before the Text (Job 39.25.) we read of the thunder of the Captains, that is, of the Captains loud voice, giving exhortations, orders, and commands, to their Army ready for battel. The power that goeth forth with the Word of God, is the thunder of his voice. It was ſaid of Pericles, a great Oratour among the Grecians, that he did thunder and lighten upon his Auditors; ſuch was the power of his Rhetorick, that he did ſhake, as it were, that whole country with his voyce.

p. 559Now, as in the former queſtion, the Lord ſet forth his mighty ſtrength, in acting, by his arm, Haſt thou an arm like God? So here he ſeeteth forth his mighty power, in ſpeaking, by thunder, Canſt thou thunder with a voice like him?

Hence, Note; The voice of the Lord is a powerful voice.

To thunder is to ſpeak, but it is no ordinary ſpeaking, that is intended by it. To thunder is to ſpeak, not only weightily, but powerfully, ſomewhat paſſionately, if not diſpleaſedly, and with a mighty impreſſing force, as alſo with an extenſion and intention of the voice. To lift up the voice like a trumpet (as the Prophet was commanded, Iſa. 58.1.) hath all this in it, much more to lift up the voice like thunder; and ſuch is the voice of God. The ſtrongeſt and moſt ſtentorean voice of man is but a whiſper, and cannot ſtartle a Mouſe, or give me leave to ſay (as we proverbially ſay) the ſtrongeſt and moſt muſical-mouthed man, ſpeaks but like a Mouſe in a Cheeſe, his voice is indeed a meer ſilence in compariſon of the thunder of Gods voice. The whole 29th Pſalme is a proof of it; which though it be true of the natural thunder, yet 'tis chiefly to underſtood (as hath been ſhewed) of the metaphorical or ſpiritual thunder, the power that goeth forth with the ſpeakings of God. And that there is a thunder, a mighty power, accompanying the Word of God, may appear in theſe particulars.

Firſt, The bare ſaying voice of God is exceeding powerful. To ſay a thing, is as little as may be towards the effecting of it. But if God do but ſay, let ſuch a thing be, it is ſo; yea, his ſaying (no more is expreſt) gave all things a Being: He only ſaid, Let there be light, and there was light, &c. (Gen. 3.3.) That ſaying was a commanding, as the Apoſtle expounds it (2 Cor 4.6.) God who commanded light to ſhine out of darkneſs, &c. The ſaying voice of God hath a commanding power in it, that is, every thing is done and cometh to paſs as he ſaith (Pſal. 33.6.) By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, and all the hoaſt of them, by the breath of his mouth. And if the whole world was the product of a word from God, what cannot God produce in the world, by ſpeaking the word?

p. 560Secondly, How powerful is the expreſsly or directly commanding voice of God, if his ſaying voice be ſo powerful! When the Lord gave the Law (Exod. 19.16.) what voices? what thunderings were then heard! The ſaying of God is a virtual command, but he gives formal commands alſo. And when he gave the Law or Ten Commandements, the thunder of his voice made all the people tremble, and ſtand afar off: And if (as that notion hath often been well enforc'd) God thundered with ſuch a voice at the giving of the law, with what a dreadful voice will he thunder when he comes to Judge thoſe who have broken, and impenitently continu'd in the breach of the law.

Thirdly, There is a mighty power, as in the bidding, ſo in the forbidding or reſtraining voice of God. He by the voice of his word can put a ſtop to creatures, when they are in their ſtrongeſt career and ſwifteſt motion. What is ſwifter in motion than the Sun? All creatures on earth or in the air, are but ſluggs to the Sun; the Eagle upon her wing is but a Snail to the Sun: yet God can forbid the Suns motion (Job 9.7.) He commandeth the Sun, and it riſeth not; That is, if he ſend forth a prohibition to the Sun, it will not ſtir forwards one foot, till he takes off his prohibition, and bids it fulfill its wonted courſe; as in Joſhua's dayes (Chap. 10.12.) and at his command it will go backward, as in the dayes of Hezekiah (2 Kings 20.11.) Further, The Lords voice diſanuls and makes void the commands of any creature (Lam. 3.32.) Who is he that ſaith it, and it cometh to paſs, if the Lord have not commanded it? They reckon (as we ſay) without their hoſt, who hope to carry on any work without Gods concurrence; for he can g…ve a negative to all our affirmatives, and make all our wheels, either ſtand ſtill or go backward.

Fourthly, There is a thunder in the teaching voice of God. His teaching voice is a very ſtill voice, yet 'tis a very ſtrong voice; the ſoul falls down at the ſound of it. 'Tis promiſed (Iſa. 54.13.) that we ſhall be all taught of God, that is, effectually taught; ſo taught, as to …eceive inſtruction. The teaching voice of God, makes the ignorant knowing, and the fooliſh wiſe. The Lord (ſaid the Prophet, Iſa. 8.11.) ſpake unto me with a ſtrong hand, and inſtructed me, that I ſhould not walk in the way of this people. There had need be a ſtrong hand in the voice of that inſtruction, which keeps us out of the common walks of p. 561the world. Yet, there is ſuch a power in the teaching voice of God, that like a thunder-bolt, it over-throweth and ſo pulls down all the ſtrong-holds of ſin, caſting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth it ſelf againſt the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Chriſt (2 Cor. 10.4, 5.) Thus God thunders againſt ſin, and batters ſinners; which is infinitely harder to do, than to battel and level the walls of a City to the ground with thundering Cannon. The weapons of our warfare, for the conqueſt of ſouls to Chriſt, are all laid up in, and fetcht out of the Arcenal of the holy Scriptures or Word of God; and, O what work have they made in the world! How many have fallen, by ſubmitting to them, to their own ſalvation! and how many more have fallen, by reſiſting them, to their own everlaſting deſruction!

Fifthly, There is a mighty power in the reproving voice of God. When God deals verbal rebukes to ſinners, as well as verberal, he often makes their beauty to conſume away like a moth (Pſal. 39.11.) The Lord profeſſeth to all hardned ſinners, whoſe conſciences now give them no reproofs, and who preſume God will give them none neither, that he hath thundering reproofs ready for them (Pſal. 50.21.) I will reprove thee, and ſet them (that is, thy ſins) in order before thine eyes. O conſider this (as 'tis adviſed in the next verſe of the ſame Pſalm) ye that forget God, leſt he tear you in pieces, with the thunder of his reproof.

Sixthly, There is alſo a mighty power in the comforting voice of God. O what a vertue is there in thoſe ſecret whiſpers, wherein God ſpeaketh peace to his people (Hoſea 2.14.) I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderneſs, and ſpeak comfortably unto her, or to her heart. A thunder (as to power) goeth with this voice of God: This hath a power to ſettle a ſhaking or diſconſolate ſoul, and nothing but the power of Gods voice can do that. When none can comfort, the Lord can. To comfort the conſcience is (ſaid Luther) as great a work as to make a world.

Seaventhly, There is a mighty power, as in the promiſing or comforting voice of God, ſo alſo in his threatning voice. The Lord thunders reproofs againſt thoſe that have ſinned, and he thunders threatnings to keep all from ſinning; and how terrible that voice i… the Apoſtle knew, who ſaid, Knowing the terrour of the Lord we perſwade men (2 Cor. 5.11.) And as the Apoſtle knew it p. 562by believing it, ſo all final unbelievers ſhall know it by their ſenſe and feeling of it.

Eighthly, There is a thunder of power in the propheſying voice of God. When the Lord fore-tells what ſhall come to paſs, who can withſtand it? We find thoſe propheſies, which hold forth the ruin of Chriſts enemies and of his Church, ſhewred in with thunder (Rev. 8.15. and Rev. 11.19.) which did not only ſhew that thoſe propheſies ſhould be certainly and ſolemnly fulfilled in their ſeaſon, but that they ſhould be terribly fulfilled, or fullfilled with a terror, like that of thunder. All propheſies ſhall effectually come to paſs and be fulfilled; therefore power is in them.

Ninthly, What a power is there in the ſwearing voice of God. Firſt, God ſwears ſometimes in his wrath (he did ſo againſt that people of old) I ſware to them in my wrath, that they ſhould not enter into my reſt: And ſo powerful was that oath, that not a man of them could come into Canaan, their Carcaſſes fell in the wilderneſs. And as when rhe Lord ſwears in wrath; ſo, Secondly, When he ſwears in love and mercy, there's irreſiſtible power in that alſo. Thus God ſware and made oath to Abraham (Heb. 6.17.) Wherein God willing more abundantly to ſhew unto the heirs of promiſe, the immutability of his counſel, confirmed it by an oath; that by two immutable things, in which it was impoſſible for God to lye, we might have ſtrong conſolation, &c. To David alſo God ſware in love (Pſal. 89.35, 36.) Once have I ſworn by my holineſs, that I will not lye unto David. His ſeed ſhall endure forever, and his throne as the Sun before me, &c. The oath or ſwearing voice of God is ſo ſtrong, that we have reaſon enough both of ſtrong fears, when he ſweareth in wrath, as he did againſt the children of Iſrael; and of ſtrong conſolation, when he ſweareth in love, as he did to Abraham and to David. And wo to thoſe who believe not when God ſwears either in wrath or in love.

Tenthly, There is a mighty power in the Judging voice of God. When he ſhall ſpeak from his throne in that great day, what a thunder will there be in his voice? When in that Judgment-day he ſhall acquit his elect, that voice will have a raviſhing power in it: And when his condemning ſentence ſhall be pronounced againſt the wicked, that voice will have an aſtoniſhing power in it, beyond that of thunder. And it is to be conſidered, p. 563that in many places of Scripture, where the eminent judgments of God are mentioned, his voice or thunder is mentioned, as going before or accompanying, thoſe ſolemn and tremendous diſpenſations (Pſal. 18.13. Pſal. 68.33, 34, 35. Iſa. 30.30. Jer. 25.30. Joel 4.16.)

To conclude this point, ſeeing there is a power, like that of thunder, going forth with the voice of God, in the effectual miniſtrations of his Word; let us well conſider, whether God hath ſpoken to us effectually, yea or no; have we known the thunder of his Spirit? hath there come a mighty power upon us, with the voice of his Word? if the voice hath not reach't our hearts, and reformed our lives, we have not heard the thunder of Gods voice, but only the voice of man, or a ſound in the air beating the outward ear. Naturaliſts ſay from experience, that by the power of thunder and lightning, the ſword is ſometimes melted, while the ſcabbard is unhurt. And from experience, they that are ſpiritual can alſo ſay, that the thunder of Gods voice melteth the ſoul, while it only toucheth the ear. Therefore we have reaſon diligently to enquire, what power hath come with the word ſpoken; have we found the commanding, the promiſing, the threatning, the inſtructing, the comforting voices of God effectual upon our hearts? Bleſſed are they who have been thus thunder-ſtruck. And all they who have been thus ſtrucken out of themſelves and into Chriſt, may truly ſay, what that people ſaid flattering and blaſphemouſly, at the Oration of Herod (Acts 12.22.) It is the voice of God, and not of man. Though the ſound of the words came in mans voice, yet the power of them came in Gods voice; for who can thunder with a voice like him? or who indeed hath any thing like ſuch thunder in his voice but he?

Further, the Lords deſign being to humble Job, in putting theſe queſtions, Haſt thou an arm like God? or canſt thou thunder with a voice like him?

Note; Man is never convinced, either of his own weakneſs and unworthineſs, till he is taught to conſider the power, greatneſs, and mightineſs of God.

Till God is great and high in our thoughts, we are great and p. 564high in our own: And when God is great in our eyes, we are little in our own, and ſo are all things elſe; then our power is nothing to the power of God, our holineſs nothing to the holineſs of God, our wiſdom nothing to the wiſdom of God. 'Ti… good thus to compare our ſelves with God, that we may ſee and be convinced, how infinitely below God we are in all that we have and are. David ſaid (Pſal. 39.5.) Mine age is as nothing before thee. It is ſo in all other things; our wiſdom is nothing before God, our holineſs is nothing before God, our ſtrength is nothing before God. As thoſe ſearchers of Canaan ſaid (Numb. 13.33.) We ſaw the Giants there, and we were as Graſhoppers in their ſight. We thought our ſelves tall men, before we ſaw thoſe high-ſtatur'd Giants; but having ſeen them, we were but Pigmies, yet, but as Graſhoppers. So we think we have a great deal of power, and wiſdom, and holineſs, till we look upon God, and then we are convinced of our own meanneſs and poverty. The Apoſtle ſaith in higheſt truth and honeſty, as well as modeſty (2 Cor. 10.12.) We dare not make our ſelves of the number, or compare our ſelves with ſome that commend themſelves; but they meaſuring themſelves by themſelves, and comparing themſelves amongſt themſelves are not wiſe. And why not wiſe? becauſe they ſeem to be too wiſe, or think themſelves very wiſe. We get ſome opinion of our own wiſdom, and holineſs, and goodneſs, and righteouſneſs, comparing our ſelves with men like our ſelves; but if we would compare our ſelves with God, we ſhould ſoon ſee what poor things we are. What pitiful creatures do we appear when compared with our Creatour! and we ſhall have profited well by this Scripture, if we make this uſe of it; and leave priding our ſelves as men, by comparing our ſelves with men. One man ſaith, I am as good as that man; and another ſaith, I am as wiſe as that man; and a third ſaith, I am as holy as ſuch a man. O that we would but think what the goodneſs, wiſdom, and holineſs of God are: ſuch holy thoughts wrought upon the heart, will free us from all high thoughts of our ſelves, and then we ſhall look for our all in Jeſus Chriſt; then, as the Prophet gives us the true form of Goſpel-ſpeaking (Iſa. 45.24.) Surely ſhall one ſay, in the Lord I have righteouſneſs and ſtrength. And ſo will every one ſay who ſeeth (which is true of all men) that his own ſtrength is weakneſs, and his righteouſneſs a filthy rag, compared with the ſtrength p. 565and righteouſneſs of God: Our arm, our voice, our ſelf-all, or our all of ſelf, will vaniſh and diſappear, if once God appear to us in the glory of his arm and voice. Haſt thou an arm like God? or canſt thou thunder with a voice like him?