Exposition of Job 38-42, Commentary on Job · Chapter 42 · Verse 7-9

Exposition of Job 38-42 · Commentary on Job · Chapter 42 · Verse 7-9

p. 852JOB, Chap. 42. Verſ. 7, 8, 9.

7. And it was ſo, that after the Lord had ſpoken theſe words unto Job, the Lord ſaid to Eliphaz the Temanite, my wrath is kindled againſt thee, and againſt thy two friends: for ye have not ſpoken of me the thing that is right, as my ſervant Job hath.

8. Therefore take unto you now ſeven bullocks, and ſeven rams, and go to my ſervant Job, and offer up for your ſelves a burnt-offering, and my ſervant Job ſhall pray for you, for him will I accept, leſt I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not ſpoken of me the thing which is right, like my ſervant Job.

9. So Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite went, and did according as the Lord commanded them: the Lord alſo accepted Job.

THeſe three verſes contain the ſecond part of the chapter, in which the Lord,

Firſt, Reproves Jobs three friends (ver. 7.)

Secondly, Directs them what to do for the making up of the breach, or for their reconciliation (ver. 8.)

Thirdly, Accepts them; that is, Job, praying for them, the breach was healed, and they reconciled (ver. 9.)

So then, here God appeareth as a Judge of the cauſe, and as a moderator of the controverſie between Job and his friends; and he appeared as a gracious judge, ready to be reconciled to thoſe whom he had blamed, and reproved for their folly and miſapprehenſions of him, in his afflicting providences towards Job.

p. 853Verſ. 7. And it was ſo, that after the Lord had ſpoken theſe words unto Job, the Lord ſaid to Eliphaz the Temanite, my wrath is kindled againſt thee, and againſt thy two friends; for ye have not ſpoken of me the thing that is right, as my ſervant Job hath.

In this verſe we have the divine Judgement given in Jobs caſe, and in it there are four things conſiderable.

Firſt, The time or ſeaſon of it, thus expreſt; And it was ſo, that after the Lord had ſpoken theſe words unto Job.

Secondly, The manner of it; The Lord ſaid, he declared his mind.

Thirdly, The ſpecial perſon with whom the Lord dealt, and whom he choſe out to declare his mind reſpectively to the other two; Eliphaz the Temanite.

Fourthly, The decree or judgement it ſelf, in which we may conſider two things.

Firſt, The matter of it; My wrath (ſaith the Lord) is kindled againſt thee, and thy two friends; I am not pleaſed with any of you, yea, I am highly diſpleaſed, My wrath is kindled.

Secondly, The ground of it, plainly expreſt in theſe words; For ye have not ſpoken of me the thing that is right, as my ſervant Job hath. As if the Lord had ſaid, if you would know the reaſon why I am ſo angry, 'tis this; Ye have not ſpoken of me the thing that is right, as my ſervant Job hath.

Thus we have the ſtate of theſe three verſes, and the parts of this ſeventh, wherein God appeareth as a determiner of this long diſputed controverſie, between Job and his three friends.

And it was ſo, that after the Lord had ſpoken theſe words unto Job.

Here is the time when the Lord gave this judgement, that's the firſt thing to be conſidered in this verſe; and it may be queſtioned, whether the Lord gave this Judgement immediately after he had concluded his ſpeech with Job, and Job had made his confeſſion to the Lord? or whether there were ſome ſpace of time between? The word after may be either preſently after, or a good while after; here is no expreſs limitation of the time, it being only ſaid, After the Lord had ſpoken theſe words unto Job.

p. 854Some conceive it was a good while after God had done with Job, that he took his friends to task, and they ground it upon thoſe words, in the 8th verſe, Take unto you ſeven Bullocks, and ſeven Rams, and go to my ſervant Job: And it is ſaid at the 9th verſe, That they went and did according to what the Lord had commanded. Hence they collect, that Jobs friends were either returned quite home, or far upon their way, when the Lord ſpake this.

But this reaſon hath no force in it, to prove that Jobs friends were abſent; and therefore I rather conclude, that God ſpake to, and gave this judgement of Jobs friends (as it were) upon the place, as ſoon as he had done with Job; for 'tis more than probable, that Jobs friends ſtayed to hear both Elihu's ſpeech, and the diſcourſe which the Lord made to Job out of the whirlwind; and that as ſoon as he had done, and Job ſubmitted, he preſently paſſed this ſentence for the comfort of Job, and for the conviction of his friends.

So then, as ſoon as the Lord had ſpoken theſe words, and finiſhed his buſineſs with Job, when he had humbled Job, when Job had repented and confeſſed his fault, in uttering things that he underſtood not, God proceeded preſently to deal with Jobs three friends. There are three things which give evidence to this.

Firſt, The Lord would not let them continue long in their hard opinion of Job.

Secondly, If they had continued any long time unreproved, they might poſſibly have gloried as if they had got the victory, and had the better of Job.

Thirdly, They might have raiſed ſome undue report of Job, and have blamed him among others where they came, as they had done to his face; therefore, the Lord to prevent their continuing in any hard opinion of Job, or that they had got the better of Job, or to ſtop their mouths from giving forth any hard words of Job, preſently called them to an account, gave them to underſtand, that they had ſpoken amiſs, and he, as it were, with the ſame breath comforted Job, and convicted his three friends.

Hence note, Firſt; God doth every thing in its proper ſeaſon.

That which is ſeaſonably done, is doubly done. Words in ſeaſon, p. 855are like apples of gold, in pictures of ſilver; and therefore the Lord, who knows all ſeaſons, will do and ſpeak in ſeaſon, and take the fitteſt ſeaſon for every work and word, for every thing he either doth or ſaith. This ſhould teach us to mind the due timing, both of our actions and ſpeeches, eſpecially of our reproofs; we ſhould not let thoſe who have committed a fault, go too long unreproved, leſt they think themſelves faultleſs, and that we approve them, or at leaſt that their fault is ſmall, and almoſt faultleſs. We muſt not ſuffer ſin upon our brother (Lev. 19.17.) But it may be ſaid, how ſhall we hinder it? That Text tells us how, Thou ſhalt in any wiſe rebuke him. Though a man that is rebuked may keep his ſin upon him, and continue in it, notwithſtanding our ſevereſt and diſcreeteſt rebukes; yet he that rebukes a ſinning brother, doth not ſuffer ſin upon him, but hath done his duty, and uſed the means appointed by God for the removing of it. And as we ſhould not let the Sun go down upon our wrath againſt other men, nor give place to the devil in our ſelves (Eph. 4.26.27.) ſo we ſhould not ſuffer the Sun to go down upon the ſin of other men, nor give place to the devil in them, by our forbearance to rebuke them for their ſin. Thus the Lord dealt with Jobs three friends; he ſpeedily reproved them for their error, in not ſpeaking of him the thing that was right.

Further conſider, The Lord begins with Job, and then proceeds to deal with his friends; Job had the firſt reproof, his friends the ſecond.

Hence note; The Lord reproves them firſt, whom he reſpects moſt, who are deareſt to him.

We cannot ſhew our ſelves more friendly to any man, than by an early reproof of his error, or as the word is (Lev. 19.17.) by not ſuffering ſin upon him. 'Tis a mercy (when we reprove not our ſelves) to meet with a reproof (though late) from others; but to be ſoon reproved, is much mercy. Every good, the ſooner it comes to us, the better it is. To be helpt out of ſin-evil, is a great good; and therefore, when we are in a fault with others, 'tis a priviledge to be reproved before others, and with all poſſible ſpeed to be brought unto repentance. The Apoſtle Peter ſaith (1 Pet. 4.17.) Judgement begins at the houſe of God. The Lord judgeth his own p. 856houſe, before he judgeth the world: and it is in mercy to his own houſe, that he doth ſo; for when God judgeth thoſe of his houſe, he chaſtneth them, that they ſhould not be condemned with the world (1 Cor. 10.32.) And as God uſually begins to judge his own houſe before he judgeth the world, ſo the neerer and dearer any of his houſe are to him, the ſooner he begins with them; as here, Jobs three friends, Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar, were of Gods houſe, but Job was more eminent than any of them, and therefore God reproved him, before he reproved them. It was ſo, that after the Lord had ſpoken theſe words unto Job,

The Lord ſaid to Eliphaz the Temanite, my wrath is kindled againſt thee, &c.

The Lord ſaid.

Theſe words contain the ſecond thing to be conſidered in this verſe, to wit, the manner of proceeding, He ſaid; that is, he openly declared it, he did not whiſper it in the ear of Eliphaz, he did not ſpeak it to him inwardly by his Spirit (there are inward reproofs, conſcience-checks) he did not ſpeak to him in his ſleep, or in a dream (that opinion of one upon this place, that God reproved Eliphaz in a dream, is but a dream) but openly, that all might hear, and ſo the innocency of Job, and the fault of his friends, might be manifeſt to all. Some are of opinion, that the Lord ſaid this to Eliphaz out of the whirlwind, as he ſpake to Job. And though I do not aſſert that, yet it cannot be denied, but that as ſuch a manner of ſpeaking did beſt ſuit the Majeſty of God, ſo the matter ſpoken, which was a ſore reproof, in which the Lord manifeſted much diſpleaſure. The Lord ſaid, openly and and angerly To Eliphaz the Temanite.

He ſpake not to Bildad, nor to Zophar, but to Eliphaz the Temanite. But why did the Lord direct his ſpeech to him perſonally, and by name, while the buſineſs concerned them all? I might anſwer as ſome do, becauſe what any one of them ſaid to Job, was as if ſaid by them all: And though their opinions differed, yet their perſons did not, all three agreeing in this (though upon ſeveral grounds) to oppoſe Job. And therefore the Lord in ſpeaking to one, ſpake to them all.

p. 857But I ſhall give three other Reaſons for it, and from each a Note.

Firſt, Eliphaz was the elder man, the graver perſon, as all agree, and therefore God reproved him perſonally.

Note this from it; The elder and greater any are, the greater is their offence, when they offend, though others offend with them.

When many are in a fault, the chiefs or heads of them are moſt faulty, and deſerve chiefly to hear of it. When Iſrael had committed that great ſin in Baal-peor (Numb. 25.4.) The Lord ſaid, Hang up the heads of the people before me, that is, the chiefs of the people. So, in proportion, when the Lord came to deal with theſe three, he fell upon Eliphaz firſt, as the more eminent or firſt of the three.

Secondly, as Eliphaz was the elder or firſt of the three, ſo he began firſt with Job; he was not only the firſt and chief in perſon, but he was the firſt and chief ſpeaker.

Hence note; They who are firſt in a fault, ſhall be firſt in reproof.

It is dangerous to follow, or be a ſecond in a bad matter, but more, to begin and be leader.

Thirdly, Eliphaz was more ſharp with, and violent againſt Job, than the other two, and therefore the Lord began with him.

Hence note; The deeper any are in a fault, of any kind, and the more of the heart appeareth in it, the worſe it is, the more blameworthy are they, and they ſhall be more blamed for it.

All the three friends of Job did much miſtake him, but the ſpirit of Eliphaz was hotteſt, therefore the Lord culled him out firſt. The Lord ſaid to Eliphaz the Temanite.

What ſaid the Lord?

My wrath is kindled againſt thee, and againſt thy two friends.

p. 858My wrath is kindled.

Theſe words are uſed by Elihu (Chap. 32.2, 3.) Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu, the ſon of Barachel the Buzite; againſt Job was his wrath kindled, and againſt his three friends was his wrath kindled. Here the Lord taketh up the ſame words concerning Eliphaz, My wrath is kindled againſt thee & thy two friends. Elihu's wrath was kindled, not only againſt Jobs friends, but againſt Job himſelf; but the Lords wrath was kindled only againſt Jobs three friends, not againſt Job. He indeed diſpleaſed God, and was ſharply reproved by him; but the wrath of God was not kindled againſt him. 'Tis uſeful to conſider the difference between Gods judgement and mans, both as to things and perſons. Elihu thought Job was faulty as his friends, and therefore his wrath was kindled, as againſt his three friends, ſo againſt him too; but the Lord thought otherwiſe, and therefore ſaid to Eliphaz, My wrath is kindled againſt thee and thy two friends; he ſaid not ſo to Job.

Again, conſider the Lord ſpake much with Job, but he ſpake little with his friends, he did not vouchſafe them any long diſcourſe; and the words he ſpake to them, were very hot words; he in few words (as angry men uſe to do) told them their own.

Once more conſider, the difference of the Lords dealing with him and them. The Lord fetcht a great compaſs to reprove Job, as Nathan the Prophet did to reprove King David; but he told his friends at firſt word, My wrath is kindled againſt you. Though they were good men, yet not ſo dear to God as Job, and therefore he dealt in a more fatherly and favourable way with Job, than with them;foreign Exarſit incenſus, inflammatus eſt. Inter ſeptem voculas Hebraeorum, quae iram ſignificant, haec omnium eſt graviſſima. Scult. they had only hot words, My wrath is kindled againſt you, &c. I am more than angry. As the coals of ſpiritual love (ſpoken of, Cant. 8.6.) ſo the coals of divine wrath are coals of fire, which hath a moſt vehement flame. There are ſeven words in the Hebrew language which ſignifie anger, and this notes the moſt vehement of them all.

My wrath is kindled.

The Latine words Ira and Iraſco, ſeem to be derived from it. The word is ſometimes applied to grief (there is a kind of fire in grief.) Thus 'tis ſaid (1 Sam. 15.11.) It grieved Samuel, and p. 859he cryed unto the Lord all night. Samuel was vehemently grieved, becau…e of the ill performance of Saul in his expedition againſt the Amalakites. 'Tis alſo tranſlated to fret (Pſal. 37.8, 9.) Fret not thy ſelf in any wiſe to do evil; fretting hath its burning.

My wrath (ſaith the Lord) is kindled.

There is a wrath of God, which is not kindled, as I may ſay, it is not blown up, 'tis covered in the aſhes of his patience and forbearance; but here, ſaith God, My wrath is kindled. This is ſpoken by God after the manner of men. God feels no change by wrath or anger, no impreſſion is made on him by any paſſion: Wrath in God, notes only his change of diſpenſations towards man, not any in himſelf. When he acts like a man whoſe wrath is greatly kindled, then 'tis ſaid, his wrath is kindled; as when he acteth like a man that ſheweth much love, it may be ſaid, his love is kindled.

Further, when God ſaith, My wrath is kindled, it implieth there is ſome great provocation given him by man, as in the preſent caſe Eliphaz and his two friends had done. The Lord threatned a ſinful Land with brimſtone, and ſalt, and burning, like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah; and, this being executed, all Nations ſhall ſay, wherefore hath the Lord done thus unto this Land? what meaneth the heat of this great anger? Then men ſhall ſay, becauſe they have forſaken the Covenant of the Lord God of their Fathers, &c. (Deut. 29.23, 24, 25.) The wrath of God is never kindled till blown, and that which bloweth it up is mans ſin; nor doth the ordinary ſins of man kindle the wrath of God, for then it muſt be alwayes kindled, even againſt the beſt of men. Doubtleſs, when the Lord ſaid in the Text to Eliphaz, My wrath is kindled againſt thee and thy two friends, there was ſomewhat extraordinary in their ſin, which kindled it; and therefore the Lord directed them an extraordinary way (as to circumſtances) for the querching of it, and the making of their peace.

But here it may be queſtioned, why did the Lord ſay his wrath was kindled only againſt Eliphaz and his two friends? had he nothing to ſay againſt Elihu? he had ſpoken as harſhly to Job as any of them, yet Elihu was not at all reproved, much leſs was the wrath of God kindled againſt him.

I anſwer, 'Tis true, Elihu ſpake very hard words of Job; yet we may ſay four things of Elihu, which might exempt him from p. 860this blame which fell upon thoſe three.

Firſt, He did not ſpeak with, nor diſcover a bitter ſpirit, as they did.

Secondly, Elihu objected not againſt Job his former life, nor charged him as having done wickedly towards man, or hypocritically towards God; he only condemned him for preſent miſcarriages under his trouble, for impatience and unquietneſs of ſpirit under the croſs.

Thirdly, That which Elihu chiefly objected againſt Job was, the juſtifying of himſelf rather than God (as he ſpeaks at the beginning of the 32d. Chapter) not the maintaining of his own innocency, nor the juſtifying of himſelf before men. Indeed Job failed while he inſiſted ſo much upon that point, that he ſeemed more careful to clear himſelf, than to juſtifie God.

Fourthly, When Elihu ſpake hardly, it was more out of a true zeal to defend the juſtice of God in afflicting him, than to tax him with injuſtice. Now becauſe Elihu did not carry it with a bitter ſpirit, and hit the mark much better than his friends (though in ſome things he alſo ſhot wide and miſunderſtood Job) therefore the blame fell only upon Jobs three friends, and not upon Elihu; The Lord ſaid to Eliphaz, my wrath is kindled againſt thee, and againſt thy two friends; but his wrath went no further.

Hence note, Firſt; The Lord knows how to declare wrath as well as love, diſpleaſure as well as favour.

He hath a ſtore of wrath as well as of love, and that is kindled when he is highly diſpleaſed.

Secondly, Note; Sin cauſeth kindlings or diſcoveries of divine wrath.

Had it not been for ſin, the Lord had never declared any wrath in the world, nothing had gone out from him but kindneſs and love, favours and mercies. Wrath is revealed from heaven againſt all unrighteouſneſs, and againſt unrighteouſneſs only (Rom. 1.18.) Unrighteouſneſs kindleth wrath, ſin is the kindle-coal. When we ſee wrath or diſpleaſure going out, we may conclude ſin is gone out. Moſes ſaid to Aaron (Numb. 16.46.) Take a Cenſer, and p. 861put fire therein from off the altar, and put on incenſe, and go quickly unto the congregation, and make an atonement for them, for there is wrath gone out from the Lord, the plague is begun. Now as in this latter part of the chapter, Moſes ſhews that wrath was gone out againſt that people from the Lord; ſo in the former part of it he ſhews, that ſin, and that a great ſin, was gone out from that people againſt the Lord.

Thirdly, Note; The Lord ſometimes declareth wrath, even againſt thoſe whom he loveth.

Wrath may fall upon good men; ſuch were theſe friends of Job. All the Elect, whileſt they remain unconverted or uncalled, are called Children of wrath (Epheſ. 2.3.) Though they are in the everlaſting love of God, yet they are children of wrath, as to their preſent condition, whilſt in a ſtate of nature and unreconciled to God. Now, as the children of God, are children of wrath, before their converſion; ſo, when any great ſin is committed after converſion, they are in ſome ſenſe under wrath; and the Lord declareth wrath againſt them, till the breach be healed, and their peace ſued out. It is dangerous continuing for a moment in any ſin unrepented of, or we not going unto God by Jeſus Chriſt for pardon. When once the wrath of God is kindled, how far it may burn, who knoweth? There is no ſafety under guilt; Therefore kiſs the ſon leſt he be angry, and ye periſh from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little: bleſſed are they that put their truſt in him (Pſal. 2.12.) My wrath is kindled againſt thee, and thy two friends. Why?

Becauſe ye have not ſpoken that which is right of me.

Hence note, Fourthly; When the Lord is angry he will ſhew cauſe of his anger.

God is not angry (as men often are) without cauſe. When Jonah was angry, the Lord ſaid unto him, Doſt thou well to be angry? Yea, ſaith he, that I do, I have reaſon enough (thought he) to be angry, though there was no true reaſon at all for it. But when the Lord is angry, he always hath reaſon enough, and he ſometimes giveth his reaſon. That the Lord doth us good, is from free p. 862grace: there is no reaſon in us, why he doth us good; as he told the people of Iſrael, I did this, and that for you, not becauſe ye were more than others (either in weight or number) but becauſe I loved you: but when the Lord afflicts his people, he tells them the reaſon, 'tis for your ſins, or to purge you from your ſins; and ſometimes pointeth them to the ſpecial ſins, for which he puniſheth them, and from which he would have them purged. As here he did Eliphaz, and his two friends.

Ye have not ſpoken of me the thing that is right, as my ſervant Job hath.

The Lord doth not charge them with any evil actings, but with undue ſpeakings; Ye have not ſpoken of me the thing that is right.

Hence note; Failings in ſpeech, or in what we ſay, may kindle wrath, as well as failings in what we do.

Further, The Lord doth not charge them with ſpeaking ſoul and filthy things, they had only ſpoken the thing that was not right. A little failing in ſpeech, or in what we ſay concerning God and his ways, may kindle wrath.

foreign ad me, coram me Pagn.Ye have not ſpoken of me, that is, concerning me, or concerning my proceedings with Job, the thing that is right.

The Hebrew is, To me, ye have not ſpoken to me the thing that is right. God was not only the ſubject of whom they ſpake, but the object to whom they ſpake; this whole diſputation being tranſacted as in the preſence of God, and both Job and his friends appealing to him, as the Judge and Moderator of it. Hence the Septuagint render, ye have not ſpoken before me the thing that is right: As if God had ſaid, all that ye have ſpoken hath been in my preſence, I being witneſs, yea, I being Judge; yet ye ſpake not right. Did we remember that whatſoever we ſpeak, as well as whatſoever we do, is before God, and muſt come under his judgment, we would be more careful both to do and to ſpeak (which theſe men did not) the thing that is right. Ye have not ſpoken of me p. 863The thing that is right.

The Hebrew is but one word, and it may be taken two ways.foreign complectitur & veritatem & convenientiam cum officio & decoro. Significat igitur & falſa dixiſſe de Dei judicio & Jobo, & non eo animo dixiſſe ſive vera, ſive falſa eſſent, quo decobat. Coc. Cauſam meam iniquè egiſtis. Jun. Firſt, For rightneſs in matter. Secondly, In manner. Our tranſlation refers to the matter; ye have not ſpoken of me the thing that is right. Yet they failed (as the word implieth) in their manner of ſpeaking alſo; they handled Gods cauſe unhandſomely, they ſpake not as they ought, as well as what they ought not, to a poor afflicted creature; they ſpake not with that tenderneſs, pity, and compaſſionateneſs as became them, to a man in that pitiful caſe.

But though the Lord might ſay in both theſe ſenſes, Ye have not ſpoken of me the thing that is right, yet he ſaid not (as the Septuagint over-raſhly render) Ye have not ſpoken of me any thing that is right; nor doth the Lord charge them abſolutely, as not ſpeaking right of him, but with a modification, or comparatively, Ye have not ſpoken of me the thing that is right, As my ſervant Job hath.

As if he had ſaid, Job hath been condemned by you, and yet Job hath ſpoken better than you, righter than you; though he hath had his failings in ſpeaking, yet ye have failed more than he.

But it may be queſtioned, what was it that they did not ſpeak right, and what was it that Job ſpake righter than they.

I anſwer, They had not ſpoken ſo right as he,

Firſt, About the doctrine of Gods providence, by which he governs all things, and diſtributes good and evil, that is, proſperity and adverſity, to the ſons of men.

Secondly, They had not ſpoken ſo right as he, taking up the ſigns or tokens of the love and hatred of God from his outward diſpenſations.

Thirdly, They cenſured Job as a ſinful doer in former times, and that now his ſin had found him out, becauſe at that time he was ſo great a ſufferer. Theſe things were not right.

Or thus, Jobs friends did not ſpeak right.

Firſt, In judging that God was angry with him, becauſe he afflicted him.

Secondly, Nor did they ſpeak right in judging Job wicked, becauſe afflicted; they ſpake many right things about the juſtice and p. 864power of God, but they did not hit Jobs caſe right: They thought and concluded, that if Job had not been a great ſinner, God would not have afflicted him at all, at leaſt, not ſo greatly: They ſuppoſed God could not juſtly afflict Job as he had done, had Job been a juſt man. This was not right; they did not well conſider, Firſt, That God may afflict a juſt man out of Soveraignty. Secondly, They did not well conſider, that God hath other ends and reaſons in afflicting than for iniquity; and therefore they knew not how to juſtifie the proceedings of God, but by condemning Job, which there was no neceſſity to do. So then, their great errour and miſtake was in reſolving this queſtion affirmatively, Whether he that is greatly afflicted, be a great ſinner? or whether the ſevere judgments of God light only upon ungodly men? Their affimation of this, was enough to make Job deſpair, and did provoke him to utter ſeveral very paſſionate and unfitting ſpeeches.

For though Job ſpake many things right, yet not all right. God judged him according to the tendency and ſcope of his ſpirit and ſpeech, not according to the accidents and ſuddein extravagancies of either. Job ſpake right,

Firſt, In affirming conſtantly, that God did not afflict him for his ſin.

Secondly, That his afflictions were no ſigns of Gods diſpleaſure againſt him, nor of his wickedneſs againſt God. Yet Job did not ſpeak all nor always right: He failed,

Firſt, When he ſpake impatiently of his own ſufferings.

Secondly, When he ſpake ſo boldly to God, asking (as it were) an account of his doings and dealings with him.

Thirdly, He ſpake not right (though that was right which he ſpake) when he ſpake ſo much of his own righteouſneſs, thereby (though not purpoſely, yet) according to the apprehenſion of others, reflecting upon the righteouſneſs of God. In theſe things and more (which have been noted in opening this book) Job ſpake not right of God; yet righter than Eliphaz and his two friends, and therefore the Lord told them, Ye have not ſpoken of me the thing that is right, as my ſervant Job hath.

Further, To anſwer the queſtion, and to clear the whole matter, we muſt take notice.

Firſt, In what Job, and his three friends agreed.

Secondly, In what they diſagreed.

p. 865They all agreed, firſt, in This, that all the afflictions which befal man in this life, fall within the ſight and certain knowledge of God.

Secondly, they all agreed, That God is the author and efficient cauſe, the orderer and diſpoſer of all the afflictions that befal man.

Thirdly, they all agree, That God neither doth, nor can do wrong to any man, whatſoever affliction he layeth upon him, or how long ſoever he continueth it upon him. Thus far they all ſpake right things, and agreed in what they ſpake.

But Jobs friends held other opinions, wherein he totally diſſented from them.

Firſt, That, whoſoever is good, and doth good, ſhall receive a preſent good reward.

Secondly, That whoſoever is evil, and doth evil, ſhall receive preſent puniſhment. So that, if any wicked man proſper, it is but for a while, ſudden miſchief will overtake him: And if any godly man be afflicted, it is but for a while, his affliction will ſoon end, and he return to a flouriſhing condition in this life. From theſe premiſes they concluded, that whoſoever is afflicted, and continueth long under affliction, certainly that man is wicked, and thereupon they judged Job to be ſuch a one.

But Job held this right poſition againſt them all, That the providence of God diſpenceth outward good and evil ſo indifferently to good and bad men, that no unerring judgment can poſſibly be made of any mans ſpiritual ſtate, by his outſide or temporal ſtate: This Job ſtuck cloſe to, as was ſhewed more fully in the Preface to the Second Part.

I conclude then, That neither did Eliphaz and his two friends, fail ſo much in ſpeaking, as to ſpeak nothing right of God (yea, there was ſomewhat right in every thing they ſpake of God) neither did Job ſpeak ſo right, as to ſpeak nothing amiſs of God. Now God, who knew exactly who ſpake righteſt, determined the matter for Job: Ye have not ſpoken of me the thing that is right, as my ſervant Job hath.

Yet before I paſs from theſe words, it may be queſtioned, and ſome make it a great queſtion, Whether we are to underſtand this ſentence and determination of God (preferring what Job had ſpoken of him, before what Eliphaz and his two friends had ſpoken of him) p. 866in reference to all that Job had ſpoken of him, in way of aſſertion, throughout the whole diſpute, when his ſoul was heated and grieved; or, of what he ſpake towards the latter end, in a cooler temper, when his ſoul was humbled?

The Jewiſh Doctors (who for the moſt part are very ſevere againſt, and cenſorious of Job) expound this ſentence of God, as if it reſpected only what Job ſpake at the beginning of the 40th chapter (ver. 3, 4, 5.) Then Job anſwered the Lord, and ſaid, behold, I am vile, what ſhall I anſwer thee? Once have I ſpoken, but I will not anſwer; yea, twice, but I will proceed no further. And what he ſpake at the 42d chapter (ver. 1, 2.) Then Job anſwered the Lord, and ſaid, I know that thou canſt do every thing, and that no thought can be with-holden from thee, &c. Concluding (ver. 6.) Wherefore I abhor my ſelf, and repent in duſt and aſhes. In theſe places, ſay they, Job ſpake righter than his friends, but not ſo in the whole body of his diſcourſe. Some others poſſibly have concurred (though I have ſeen but one, and him only in Manuſcript) with the Rabbins, in this cenſure; affirming, that Jobs opinion was the worſt of all the four, yea, that it was little leſs than blaſphemy, taking men off from, at leaſt, diſcouraging them in ways of godlineſs, while he affirmed peremptorily (chap. 9.22, 23.) He (that is, God) deſtroyeth the perfect, and the wicked: if the ſcourge ſtay ſuddenly, he laugheth at the tryal of the innocent. This aſſertion of his concerning God (and of this, his whole diſcourſe with his three friends ſavoured) was not (ſay they) ſo right as theirs: and therefore they reſtrain thoſe words of God, Ye have not ſpoken of me the thing that is right, as my ſervant Job, to what Job ſpake in the chapters mentioned, when he was upon his repentance; but will not allow them to reach to, or be meant of what he ſpake of God, in the courſe of his former diſpute with his friends.

But I ſhall cloſe and joyn with thoſe, who refer the words of this final judgment which God gave upon this matter, to what Job ſpake of God from firſt to laſt; and that they are not to be limited to what Job ſpake after God had humbled him, by ſpeaking to him out of the whirlwind.

I grant (as hath been ſaid) Job ſpake unduely more than once, in the days of his anguiſh and ſore affliction; for which Elihu reproved him ſharply (chap. 34, ver. 35, 36, 37. chap. 35.16.) p. 867And ſo did God himſelf (chap. 38.2. chap. 40.1, 2, 8.) Nor did Job in the iſſue ſpare, much leſs flatter himſelf, as if he had ſpoken nothing amiſs, but humbly confeſſed his error and ignorance in ſpeaking (chap. 40.4, 5. chap. 42.3, and 6.) Wherefore I abhor my ſelf, and repent, &c. even, becauſe in the extremity of my pains, I ſpake ſo unadviſedly with my lips.

I grant alſo, that Job ſpake much more rightly, or righteſt of God, after God had humbled him and brought down his ſpirit by that dreadful diſpenſation out of the whirlwind.

Yet, I ſay, Job ſpake more rightly of God during his affliction, than Eliphaz and his two friends had done; which, as it may appear by that brief account or ſurvey of their opinions a little before given, ſo I ſhall adde ſomewhat more towards the making of it yet more apparent.

For, Firſt, That aſſertion laid down (chap. 9.22, 23.) He deſtroyeth the perfect and the wicked, &c. which hath raiſed ſo much duſt, and is judged by ſome as a quench-coal to all piety and religion; and which occaſion'd the Jewiſh Writers to ſay, that Job ſought to turn the charger the bottome upward; that his mouth was full of gravel, that he began his ſpeech with curſing, and continued it with blaſpheming: That aſſertion, I ſay, is no more than Solomon hath given us (Eccleſ. 9.1, 2.) All things come alike to all; and there is one event to the righteous and the wicked. Now Job ſpake this in his firſt anſwer to Bildad, which was almoſt at the beginning of the diſpute.

Secondly, Job ſpake altogether right of God, and of his providence towards himſelf and others all along; while he conſtantly maintained, Firſt, That he was not afflicted for any wickedneſs committed by him, in the former paſſages of his life. Secondly, That outward good is not always the portion of the good, nor outward evil the portion of evil men always in this life. Thirdly, That God is not unrighteous, though he exerciſe the righteous with grievous troubles all their days, and heap worldly bleſſings upon the wicked all the days of this life. Fourthly, That we are not to take meaſure of, nor eſtimate the goodneſs or badneſs of any mans perſon, by the good or bad days which paſs over his head in this life. Fifthly, That no mans happineſs or unhappineſs, is to be judged by what befals him in this life. Job ſpake right, and righter of God than Eliphaz and his two friends, in all theſe particulars. p. 868And whereas he ſometimes acted impatiently, and ſpake uncomely, blotting a good cauſe with paſſionate and haſty words, ſuch as ignorant and evil men might make an ill uſe of, and draw to the patronage of their prophanity; theſe proceeded not out of the abundance of his heart, but from the abundance of his pains under the heavy hand of God. And when he ſeemed to tax the judgment of God, it was not any affirmation that God was unjuſt or unequal in it; but an expoſtulation with him about it, or, as ſome expreſs it, a confeſſion of his own ignorance, and an earneſt deſire of clearer light and better information concerning the way of it.

But if we conſider the ſum of what Eliphaz and his two friends ſpake of God; we ſhall find Eliphaz in this great miſtake, affirming, that all the ſufferings and afflictions which befal man in this world, are laid upon him by God as a puniſhment for ſin. And all three joyned in two other miſtakes. Firſt, That all wicked men, ſooner or later, are viſibly puniſhed for their ſin in this life. Secondly, That though a good man may poſſibly ſuffer grievous afflictions in this life, yet God always delivers him out of them, before he departs this life. Hence it muſt needs follow, that if a man for long continuance of time, eſpecially, if all his life long he continue in great calamity, that man muſt be judged wicked, though no apparant wickedneſs can be charged upon him, nor proved againſt him. Upon theſe unſound principles, they were all confident to infer againſt Job, that he was an hypocrite, and that all thoſe troubles which befel him, were inflicted by the righteous hand of God as a puniſhment for his ſin.

Now if this be the ſum of what they ſpake, we have reaſon enough to anſwer the queſtion propoſed, That the Lords deciſive ſentence between Job and his friends, reſpecteth what Job ſpake of or to God, throughout the book, and is not to be underſtood only of what he ſpake towards the cloſe of it; Ye have not ſpoken of me the thing that is right, As my ſervant Job hath.

There are two parts of a Judges office. Firſt, To condemn the guilty. Secondly, To acquit the innocent. God the great Judge doth both here; the firſt, in the former words; the ſecond, in theſe: Yea, the Lord doth not only acquit, but own Job in the p. 869cloſe of all, as his ſervant. The Lord ſaid to Satan in the firſt chapter, Haſt thou conſidered my ſervant Job; and here he concludes (after Satan had done his worſt to make Job quit the ſervice of God) in the ſame ſtile, my ſervant Job; as if the Lord had ſaid, Job ſhall wear my livery ſtill, he is my ſervant ſtill.

Several uſeful obſervations iſſue from this latter part of the verſe, which I ſhall briefly hint.

Firſt, Who were theſe that had not ſpoken aright? they were wiſe, grave, and learned men, yea, they were godly men too.

Hence note, Wiſe, learned, and good men may err.

They may err in judgment, and in ſpeech. Jobs friends ſpake many truths, but did not apply them truly to Jobs caſe. The beſt men may not only miſs, but miſtake their mark. They who are in the light, yea, who are light in the Lord, have yet ſome darkneſs in them, and may both do and ſpeak from that darkneſs (ſuch was the caſe of theſe men in the text.) David may be underſtood of good men, in a degree, as well as of bad men, when he ſaid (Pſal. 62.9.) Men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: they are ſo, both actively and paſſively; they may be deceived, and they may deceive. As when the Lord of old hearkened and heard, they (that is, all wicked men) ſpake not aright, no man repented of his wickedneſs, ſaying, what have I done? (Jer. 8.6.) So when the Lord hearkens and hears at this day, they, that is, all good men, ſpeak not aright in all things, neither of him, nor of what he hath done.

Secondly, Conſider who it was that God vindicated in this matter? It was his ſervant Job.

Hence note; God will ſooner or later, one time or other, vindicate the credit of his faithful ſervants.

He will (as we ſpeak proverbially) ſet the ſaddle upon the right horſe; and make it appear before men and angels, who have done and ſpoken right, yea, who righteſt. Let patience under ſufferance have its perfect work, for God will give a perfect judgment of every mans word and work (Pſal. 37.6.)

p. 870Thirdly, Note; The Lords knowledge is infinite and unerring.

He knoweth who hath the better, who is in the right: He could tell Eliphaz and his two friends, that though they had ſpoken ſome things right, yet not all, nor ſo right as Job. The Lord (as we ſay) can cleave a hair in any controverſie, and tell every one where he is out, whether in opinion or practiſe. God is light, and in him is no darkneſs at all (1 John. 1.5.) Our light is but little, and 'tis mingled with much darkneſs; our light is dark, and will be ſo, till we come to that inheritance among the Saints in light. But Gods light is all light, altogether light, both concerning things and perſons.

Fourthly, What Eliphaz and his friends ſpake, that was not right, concerned Job immediately; they ſpake very glorious things of God out of his caſe: yet the Lord ſaith not, Ye have not ſpoken of Job the thing that is right, but, Ye have not ſpoken of me the thing that is right.

Hence note; God takes himſelf concerned in what is ſpoken amiſs, of or concerning his ſervants.

Jobs friends looked upon themſelves as ſtrong witneſſes, yea, as great Advocates for God; and doubtleſs, they intended no leſs than a plea for God, in what they ſpake to and againſt Job: yet becauſe they in many things grieved, and in ſome things wronged his ſervant Job, therefore ſaith God, ye have not ſpoken of me the thing that is right. The Lord will ſay, in the great day, to the wicked, about their neglects of duty to his faithful ones, In-as-much as ye did it not to one of the leaſt of theſe, ye did it not to me (Mat. 25.45.) In-as-much as ye have not fed and cloathed theſe, ye have not fed nor cloathed me. Now, as the Lord taketh all the neglects of good to his people, to himſelf; ſo the Lord taketh all that evil which any ſpeak of his people, to himſelf: He (ſaith God) that ſpeaketh amiſs of mine, ſpeaketh amiſs of me. The Lord accounteth himſelf intereſted in all that good or evil, which is done and ſpoken to his people; and he is very angry when any thing is miſ-ſpoken of, or miſapplied to them, though with reſpect to himſelf, or as a ſervice unto himſelf.

p. 871Fifthly, Conſider, Jobs friends ſpake many excellent truths; yet ſaith the Lord, ye have not ſpoken of me the thing that is right, as my ſervant Job hath.

Hence note; The Lord is greatly diſpleaſed, when truth, or that which is right in it ſelf, is wrong applied.

Jobs friends were moſtly right in their Doctrine, but often out in their Uſes; all their open aſſertions had ſome truth in them, but ſo had not all their ſecret Inferences. God will not bear it, to have truths put to any ill uſe, eſpecially this, to grieve and diſcourage any of his ſuffering ſervants. To ſpeak of the holineſs, juſtice and righteouſneſs of God, ſo as to terrifie an afflicted ſoul, is to make a bad improvement of the beſt things: 'Tis a fly in the box of ointment. Dead flies (ſaith Solomon, Eccleſ. 10.1.) cauſe the ointment of the Apothecary to ſend forth a ſtinking ſavour; ſo doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wiſdom and honour. Jobs friends were in reputation for wiſdom and honour; yet this little folly ſent forth an ill ſavour in the Lords noſtrils, and cauſed him to ſay, Ye have not ſpoken of me the thing that is right.

Sixthly, Jobs friends certainly meant well, and had a zeal for God; yet God was angry, and ſaid, they had not ſpoken right.

Hence note; Our good intentions, yea, zeal for God, will not bear us out when we do or ſpeak amiſs.

Theſe men had a zeal for God, elſe Job had not ſaid as once he did, Will ye lye for God? Though they did not knowingly ſpeak a lye, yet a lye was in what they ſpake; and therefore their ſpeaking for God would not bear them out.

Seventhly, The Lord ſaid to Jobs friends, Ye have not ſpoken of me the thing that is right, as my ſervant Job hath. Though Job ſpake ſome things amiſs, yet the Lord did not charge him with them, as he did his friends.

Hence note; The Lord over-looketh many failings, and will not upbraid his ſervants with them.

p. 872Job had his failings; but the Lord took no notice of them, but made a determination in his caſe, as if he had ſpoken right in all things. The Lord will not flatter his ſervants when they fail, yet he is very favourable to them, even when they fail; he told Job plainly enough, that he had darkned counſel by words without knowledge, while he asked him, who did it? (Chap. 38.2.) He intimated alſo, that Job had contended with him, and reproved him, that he had (conſequentially) attempted to diſannul his Judgement, and condemn him (Chap. 40.2, 8.) yet here when the Lord came to make up the matter between Job and his friends, he ſpake as if he had forgot both his own cenſures of him, and the occaſion of them. Holy David acknowledged (Pſal. 130.3.) If thou Lord ſhouldſt mark iniquities, O Lord, who ſhall ſtand! The Lord doth not mark iniquity where he ſeeth much integrity; the Lord doth not mark every arrow that flies beſide the mark, when he ſeeth the mark was honeſtly aimed at. We ſay, he may be a good Archer that doth not hit the white, if he come but ſomewhat near it; he indeed is a bungler that miſſeth the Butt. Job aimed at, and came neer the mark, though he did not alwayes hit it. The Lord will give a good teſtimony of us, if we aim right at, though we ſometimes miſs the mark. It is ſaid of Zachariah and Elizabeth (Luke 1.6.) They were both righteous. There's not a word ſpoken of their failings, though doubtleſs they had their failings, both as to the Ordinances and Commandements of God.

Eighthly, The Lords wrath being kindled againſt Jobs friends, we might expect he would thunder upon them; yet he only ſaith, Ye have not ſpoken of me the thing that is right.

Hence obſerve; The Lord dealeth mildly with ſinners.

He did not give wrathful words, though his wrath was kindled; he did not call Eliphaz and his friends Hereticks, nor tell them they had belyed him, and ſlandered his proceedings; he did not aggravate their fault by grievous words, he did not upbraid them particularly: but, without bitterneſs or hard reflections, comprehended their all faults in one general ſoft word, Ye have not ſpoken of me the thing that is right. This ſhould be our pattern in dealing with an offending brother: whereas many, if a p. 873brother do but differ from them a little, if he do not ſay as they ſay, and concur with them fully in opinion, are ready to cenſure him hardly, and give him reproachful language. The Apoſtles rule is (Gal. 6.1.) Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye that are ſpiritual reſtore ſuch a one in the ſpirit of meekneſs, conſidering thy ſelf, leſt thou alſo be tempted. God who is above all temptation, meekly reſtored theſe faulty men; yea, though his wrath was kindled againſt them, yet his ſpeech was mild and cool, only ſaying (and what leſs could he ſay, if he ſaid any thing) Ye have not ſpoken of me the thing that is right, As my ſervant Job.

Why doth the Lord call Job his ſervant? Surely at once to put an honour upon him, and to comfort him. Eliphaz and his two friends were Gods ſervants; yet becauſe of their miſcarriage in that ſervice, God did not own them at that time as ſuch. God was wont to call David his ſervant at every turn; yet when he had numbred the people, Nathan was ſent to him with a hard meſſage, and is bid, Go, and ſay unto David, not, my ſervant David (2 Sam. 24.12.)

Hence note, Ninthly; God honours man much, by owning him as his ſervant.

To ſerve the Lord, is as much our priviledge as our duty; and when the Lord calleth us to his ſervice, he rather puts a favour up-us, than a burden. The Lord is the higheſt maſter, and they are highly honoured who are his ſervants. It is an honour to ſerve Kings and Princes: what is it then to ſerve the King of Kings, the Prince of the Kings of the earth! as Jeſus Chriſt is called (Rev. 1.5.) 'Tis alſo profitable as well as honourable, to ſerve the Lord; for he is the beſt maſter, his work is the beſt wo…k, and his wages is the beſt wages. And not only ſo, but 'tis eaſie to be the Lords ſervant; for as he expects we ſhould do his work, ſo we may expect help and ſtrength, hearts and hands from him to do it. If the Lord doth but own us for his ſervants, we ſhall not faint at his work, whether it be doing or ſuffering work. God upheld his ſervant Job in, and carryed him through all thoſe tryals and troubles, which would have ſunk him a thouſand times, had not he ſtood by him and aſſiſted him. The Lord is a maſter p. 874in Covenant with his ſervants, and that a Covenant of grace, in which every command hath a promiſe annexed to it; and that not only a promiſe of reward, when we have done it, but of ſtrength to do it: and if ſo, then we may conclude it eaſie as well as hohonourable and profitable, to ſerve the Lord. Therefore

Let us labour to approve our ſelves the Lords ſervants. And if any ask, who is the Lords ſervant? I anſwer,

Fi…ſt, He is the Lords ſervant that doth the Lords work; His ſervants we are, whom we obey; he is our maſter whoſe work we do. It is good for us to conſider whoſe work we are about. Jeſus Chriſt was the fathers ſervant in that great undertaking, the redemption of loſt man. Now, all his work on earth was his fathers work (John 9.4.) I (ſaid he) must work the work of him that ſent me. Unleſs we are in the Lords work, and doing the Lords will, we cannot be reckoned among his ſervants.

Secondly, If you are the Lords ſervants, then as you do the Lords work, ſo you are ready to do all his work. He is not a ſervant that doth what he pleaſeth. Some ſay, they will do the Lords work, but they pick and chuſe, they do this, and leave the other undone: He is the Lords ſervant, that goeth through all the Lords work. If we do eaſie work, and refuſe hard work; if we refuſe that work which diſpleaſeth the world, and chuſe only that which is pleaſing to the world, we ſerve not the Lord, but the world and our ſelves. Here is the tryal, when we do what God willeth, whether the world will it, and like it, yea, or no. The Lord ſaid of David, He is my ſervant (and what will he do?) he will do all my will; that is, he will not ſtick at any of my work.

Thirdly, If ye are the Lords ſervants, as ye will do all his work, ſo no wo…k but his; you will not do the work of the fleſh, you will not do any work for man, in oppoſition to the work of God. In ſubordination to the will of God, we ſhould readily do the work of man. In ſerving men thus, we are alſo the ſervants of God. But he that is the Lords ſervant, will not do any work for man which contradicteth or croſſeth the ſervice of God. Chriſt ſaith expreſly, No man ſerveth two Maſters; ye cannot ſerve God and Mammon (Mat. 6.24.) We may ſerve many Maſters, if they command the ſame thing, or things ſubordinate; but we cannot ſerve two Maſters if their commands interfere and claſh one with the other, as the work of God and Mammon doth. p. 875And thus the Apoſtles caution is to be underſtood (1 Cor. 7.23.) Ye are bought with a price: be not ye the ſervants of men.

Fourthly, If ye are the Lords ſervants, as ye do the Lords work, and all his work, and only his work, ſo ye will do his work willingly. All the Lords ſervants are free men, his ſervants are ſons; they do not ſerve as ſlaves, but as children; and God dealeth with them as a Father, more than as a Maſter. Conſider, have ye a free ſpirit for the ſervice of God? His ſervants find themſelves indeed conſtrained to ſerve him, but they do not ſerve him by conſtraint; they are conſtrained by love, not by baſe fear to ſerve him.

Fifthly, If ye are the Lords ſervants, ye do his work for his ſake; the will of the Lord is as much the reaſon why ye do his work, as the rule by which ye do it. Should we do never ſo much of that which is materially the Lords work, unleſs we do it becauſe it is his work, we are not his ſervants in doing it. He that doth the Lords work for ſelf-ends only or chiefly, is not the Lords ſervant, but his own.

Sixthly, If ye are the Lords ſervants, ye have reſolved to be his ſervants for ever; your ears are bored at his poſt, and ye have have ſaid (as the ſervant under the Law that loved his Maſter, Exod. 21.5, 6.) Ye will not go out free. It was ſo with Job; he was the Lords ſervant before his rrouble, and he was ſo at the end of his troubles. The Lord doth not take ſervants for months and for years; we muſt be his everlaſting ſervants, alwayes his ſervants, if his ſervants at all. And this ſhould rejoyce our ſouls, that we are and ſhall be for ever in the Lords work. To ſerve the Lord, is better than to rule the world. God is ſo good a Maſter, that we ſhall never have any, the leaſt, occaſion to deſire a change; and he is ſo ſure a Maſter, that we need not fear it.

Laſtly, Though the Lord ſaid, his wrath was kindled againſt Eliphaz and his two friends, yet in the very next words he is directing them how to make their peace, and return, or be received again into his favour.

Hence note; God often manifeſts more diſpleaſure, than ever he intends to act.

Yea, when ever he manifeſts diſpleaſure againſt his children, p. 876it is that he might not act it. Nineveh was threatned with deſtruction, that repenting it might not be deſtroyed. Sinners of all ſorts are threatned with death and damnation, that believing, they may be ſaved and live. What could Eliphaz and his two friends expect, when the Lord ſaid, My wrath is kindled, but that his wrath ſhould have ſwallowed them up, and conſumed them in a moment? Solomon ſaith (Prov. 16.14.) The wrath of a King is as meſſengers of death, and like the roaring of a Lion (Prov. 19.12.) much more is the wrath of God like the roaring of a Lion, and as the meſſengers of death. But, though the Lord told Jobs friends of wrath, and of kindled wrath, yet he only, Firſt, reproved them mildly; and, Secondly, inſtead of blowing up that fire, ſheweth or directeth them how to quench it, and get into the Sun-ſhine of his favour; as will appear further in the verſe.

Verſ. 8. Therefore take unto you now ſeven Bullocks, and ſeven Rams, and go to my ſervant Job, and offer up for your ſelves a burnt-offering, and my ſervant Job ſhall pray for you, for him will I accept, leſt I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not ſpoken of me the thing that is right, like my ſervant Job.

This verſe holds out the counſel or direction which the Lord gave Eliphaz and his two friends for the making of their peace, and the reconciling of themſelves to his Majeſty, whoſe wrath was kindled againſt them. And here the Lord directs them to a twofold means of their reconciliation.

Firſt, The offering up of a ſacrifice, in which we may conſider two things.

Firſt, The matter of the ſacrifice, or what was to be ſacrificed, Bullocks and Rams.

Secondly, The quantity or number of the ſacrifice, ſeven and ſeven, ſeven Bullocks and ſeven Rams; ſuch was the matter, ſuch the quantity of the ſacrifice which they were commanded to offer.

Secondly, The Lord directs Eliphaz and his two friends to apply themſelves unto Job, and deſire his interceſſion for them; Go to my ſervant Job, and my ſervant Job ſhall pray for you. To this direction the Lord ſubjoyns two things,

p. 877Firſt, An incouragement by a gracious promiſe, in theſe words; For him will I accept.

Secondly, A threat, in caſe they ſhould neglect or refuſe to go and perform this duty, laid down in the cloſe of the verſe; Leſt I deal with you according to your folly, in that ye have not ſpoken of me the thing which is right, like my ſervant Job.

Theſe are the particulars conſiderable in this 8th verſe.

Therefore take unto you ſeven Bullocks and ſeven Rams.

The Lord ſpake this to Eliphaz and his two friends. The word of illation, Therefore, at the beginning of the verſe, refers to the word For, at the latter end of the former verſe. As if the Lord had ſaid unto them, Becauſe ye have ſinned againſt me, and provoked me to anger, ſo that my wrath is kindled by your not ſpeaking of me the thing that is right; therefore I adviſe you (and be ye ſure at your peril, to follow my advice; I adviſe you) for the making up of this breach, and the recovery of my favour, to take unto you ſeven Bullocks and ſeven Rams.

Take unto you.

Some conceive that theſe words, Ʋnto you, are redundant, yet doubtleſs they carry a clear ſenſe, as they ſtand in the Text, Take unto you; that is, for your uſe and behoof in this great ſervice, Take unto you Seven Bullocks and ſeven Rams.

This was a great ſacrifice, and it was ſo under a twofold conſideration.

Firſt, As to the matter of the ſacrifice, bullocks and rams were great cattle, there were ſacrifices of leſſer matters. We read in the law of Moſes, of a pair of turtle doves, and two young pigeons for a ſacrifice; theſe, the poorer ſort under the law, did offer with acceptation, whereas rich and great men (and ſuch were theſe Eliphaz and his two friends in their time) were commanded to bring great and richer ſacrifices. The rich (as Solomon exhorts, Prov. 3.9.) were to honour the Lord with their ſubſtance, and with the first fruits of their increaſe. Theſe rich men were to bring bullocks and rams, a great ſacrifice in the matter of it.

p. 878Jubentur ſeptem tauros, &c. immolare, quis perfectiſſimum eſt ſacrificium Chriſt, una expiotione omnia peccata delens. Perfectus cuim uumerius ſepte narius eſt. Brent. Septem eſt numerus plentitu dinis & perſectionis, id quod obſolutam expiationem ſ remiſſionam clpae eorum deſignabat. Etſi interim in omnibus ſacrificiis veteribus, ad emicum Chriſti ſacrificium cujus illa erant imago & umbra reſpiciebatur. Nerc.Secondly, It was a great ſacrifice, if we conſider the number, ſeven bullocks, and ſeven rams. One bullock was a ſacrifice, and one ram was a ſacrifice, but here God commanded ſeven of each. Seven is a number of perfection, and of plenitude; ſeven is a great number, and ſeven is a perfect number: it is often uſed myſtically or enigmatically, to note perfection. The Lord made all things in ſix days, and reſted the ſeventh; ſeven days made up a compleat week, and ſeven years are a week of years. We read of A candleſtick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his ſeven lamps thereon, and ſeven pipes to the ſeven lamps which were on the top thereof (Zech. 4.2.) We read alſo of the ſeven ſpirits (Revel. 1.4) and of ſeven golden candleſticks (Rev. 1.12.) Theſe were myſterious ſevens, and there are many more mentioned in Scripture, which to inſiſt upon, would make too great a digreſſion from the purpoſe of the text under hand, where we have ſeven bullocks and ſeven rams, which make up and imply a great and perfect ſacrifice; as the law of Moſes alſo directed in ſome caſes (Levit, 23.18.) And ye ſhall offer with the bread ſeven lambs without blemiſh. So (1 Chron. 15.26.) When the Lord helped the Levites that bare the Arke of the Covenant of the Lord, they offered ſeven bullocks, and ſeven rams. Again (2 Chron. 29.21) They brought ſeven bullocks, and ſeven rams, and ſeven lambs, and ſeven he-goats for a ſin-offering, for the kingdom, and for the ſanctuary, and for Judah. Balaam incited and hired to curſe Iſrael ſaid unto Balak (Num. 21.1.) Build me here ſeven altars, ſ prepare me here ſeven ſeven oxen, and rams, He would needs imitate them whom he deſired to ruin, and offer a full ſacrifice that he might curſe them fully. The greateſt ſacrifice for number that we read of, was at the dedication of the Temple, where the offering of the King was two and twenty thouſand oxen, and an hundred and twenty thouſand (htep (l Kings 8.63.) We read alſo of great ſacrifices (1 Chron. 29.21. 2 Chron. 17.11. and Chap. 30.24.) There were greater ſacrifices than ſeven, yet ſeven was a great ſacrifice. Some Interpreters conceive, that every one of the three was to offr ſeven bullocks, and ſeven rams; that had been a very great ſacrifice, but in that the Text is ſilent. The law of Moſes appointed (Levit. 4.3.) that if a Prieſt committed a ſin of ignorance, he ſhould bring a young bullock without blemiſh unto the Lord for a ſin-offering. Thelaw required p. 879no more for a ſin of ignorance in a Prieſt, and if the whole congregation were guilty of a ſin of ignorance, their ossering was no more (ver. 13, 14.) and if a Ruler had committed a ſin of ignorance, the law required only a kid of the goats, a male without blemiſh (ver. 23.) and if any one of the common people committed a ſin of ignorance they were to bring a kid of the goat, a female (ver. 28.) So that whereas the law required but one bullock for the ſin of ignorance in a Prieſt, and but one bullock for the whole congregation; and for a Ruler, but a kid of the goats, a male; and for any common perſon, but a kid of the goats, a female: Here Jobs friends were commanded by the Lord to offer up ſeven bullocks, and ſeven rams for the expiation of their ſin, which doubtleſs was only a ſin of ignorance. This plainly ſignified, that the Lord was highly diſpleaſed with them for their harſh judgment, and uncharitable cenſures of his ſervant Job; and to let them know, that their doing ſo, could not be excuſed by their good intentions, and zeal for God.

Thus we ſee, what the ſacrifice was, both for kind and number. The next words tell us, what they muſt do with their ſacrifice.

Go to my ſervant Job (faith God)

Why to Job? ſeveral reaſons may be given, why they ſhould go to Job; I ſhall name five or ſix.

Firſt, Becauſe they had wronged Job, and therefore they muſt be reconciled to him.

Secondly, Becauſe God would have them underſtand, that himſelf, notwithſtanding their ill opinion of Job, approved him as a good man, yea, as a man far exceeding them in godlineſs, though they had judged him an hypocrite, or an ungodly man. Thus the Lord ſent them to Job, that they might eat their words, and receive a full conviction of their error.

Thirdly, God would have them go to his ſervant Job, to make them ſenſible, that the favour he intended them, was very much for Jobs ſake, and that they muſt, in part, be beholding to Job for it.

Fourthly, The Lord ſent them to Job, that he might give a high evidence of his grace, eſpecially, of his charity in forgetting injuries, and requiting good for evil. His friends had reproached him ten times, and grieved his ſpirit very much, yet he muſt p. 880ſhew how ready he was to forgive them, and pray that they might be forgiven.

Fifthly, God would have them to go to Job, that they might know that Job was reconciled to them as well as himſelf.

Sixthly, God would have them go to Job, that this might humble them, or that they might ſhew their humility and ſubmiſſion. It was a great piece of ſelf-denial, for them to go to Job, after ſuch a conteſt; and entreat him to ſpeak for them, of whom they had ſpoken ſo hardly, and with whom they had long contended ſo bitterly. Thus the Lord tried both Job and them; the Lord tried Jobs charity, and their humility. We are hardly brought to confeſs that we have wronged others, or have been out and miſtaken our ſelves. 'Tis no eaſie matter for a man to acknowledge himſelf overcome; 'tis extream hard to become a ſuppliant to one, whom we lately deſpiſed and trampled upon. All this is his hard meat, and not eaſily digeſted; yet Eliphaz and his two friends muſt digeſt all this, before they could acceptably obey the Lords command, in going to his ſervant Job.

Nor was it an eaſie matter, for Job to forget ſo many affronts and unkindneſſes, as he had received from his friends. ' Tis hard for a man that hath been wronged and reproached, yea, condemned, to paſs air by, and not only embrace his oppoſers and reproachers, but pray and ſolicite for them. Thus the Lord, in ſending them to Job, took tryal both of Job and them. The Lord commanding them to ſupplicate him, whom they had offended, and expecting that he ſhould make ſuit and ſupplication for them who had offended him; put both their graces to it, and in a moſt ſweet and gracious way, at once healed the breach, which had been between Job and them, as alſo that between them and himſelf. Who ever took up a difference more ſweetly, or reunited diſſenting brethren thus wiſely? Go to my ſervant Job,

And offer up for your ſelves a burnt-offering.

That is, thoſe ſeven bullocks, and ſeven rams.

Here (as was ſaid before) was the facrifice; but who was the Prieſt? The text ſaith, Offer up for your ſelves, which may intimate that, that as they were to offer a ſacrifice for themſelves, ſo, that they themſelves offered it. But as Interpreters generally, p. 881ſo I conceive Job was the Prieſt, who offered it in their behalf, We read (chap. 1.5.) that Job offered ſacrifices for his children, and there it was ſhewed that he was the Prieſt. Every ſacrifice muſt be offered by a Prieſt; the people brought the ſacrifice unto him to offer for them. No ſacrifice is acceptable without a Prieſt: Therefore Jeſus Chriſt, who was our ſacrifice, was a Prieſt alſo, none could offer him but himſelf, he was both ſacrifice, and Prieſt, and Altar. So then, whereas the Text ſaith, they were to offer a burnt-offering for themſelves, the meaning is, they were to bring it unto Job, and he to offer it for them. The Prieſt offered, and Iſrael offered; that is, Iſrael offered by the Prieſt; they brought the matter of the ſacrifice to the Prieſt, and the Prieſt ſlew and preſented the ſacrifice to the Lord. It is one thing to offer, another thing to ſlay the ſacrifice. They offered a ſacrifice who brought it, or at their coſt cauſed it to be brought to the holy place; and this any of the people might do. They offer it upon the Altar to the Lord, who were eſpecially appointed thereunto: Theſe were the Prieſts only. Before the Ceremonial law, as given by God to Moſes, the Prieſt-hood lay in the eldeſt or father of the family, upon which account Job was a Prieſt; whereas afterwards, the Prieſt-hood was ſettled in the family of Aaron, and it was forbidden to any, but one of hs line, to offer ſacrifice.

So that, when the Lord ſaid to Eliphaz and his two friends, Go to my ſervant Job, and offer up for your ſelves a burnt-offering, he directed them to Job, Non eſt hic curiouſè captendo diſtinctio holocauſti aboliis victimis cim haec ante legem contigovint. Quaſi latinè diceres-holocauſtabitis holo cauſtum; i.e. in ſolidum offeratis, & ut in auras totum abort officietis. Merc.as having the honour of Prieſt-hood in him, and ſo the power of doing it for them, or in their behalf. Offer up for your ſelves

A burnt-offering.

That is, a ſacrifice wholly conſumed by fire. The Hebrew is very elegant, make an aſcentton to aſcend. The whole burnt-offering was the moſt perfect offering; and therefore the Hebrews expreſs it by a word that ſignifieth the perfect conſumption of it in the fire, and ſo the aſcention of it to heaven in ſmoke and vapour, as a ſweet odour in the noſtrils of the Lord, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks (Epheſ. 5.1.) and as David (Pſal. 141.2.) A part of many ſacrifices was ſaved to feaſt upon afterwards, as the harlot ſpake (Prov. 7.14.) I have peace-offerings with me; this day p. 882have I payed my vows: but the burnt-offering was wholly conſumed, and ſent up unto the Lord. Go to my ſervant Job, and offer up for your ſelves a burnt-offering.

Hence note; Firſt, The Lord is very ready to forgive; and to be at peace with thoſe that have offended him.

Though the fire of his wrath be kindled (as it is ſaid in the former verſe) yet he is willing to have it quenched. The Prophet Micah (chap. 7.18.) makes this report of God, He retaineth not his anger for ever, that is, he retaineth it but a little while, he is ſpeedily pacified, and forgives; and ſometimes (as here) he forgives, without any higher ſignification of his anger than a bare rebuke. The Lord did not lay the leaſt mul…t, the leaſt chaſtning or affliction upon Eliphaz and his two friends, though his wrath was kindled againſt them. I grant, it is not ſo always; ſome ſmart ſorely, and pay dearly for their errors. When the anger of the Lord was kindled againſt Aaron and Miriam (Num. 12.9.) for ſpeaking againſt Moſes (as thoſe three had againſt Job) he was not then ſo eaſily pacified; for, firſt, it is ſaid in the cloſe of the 9th verſe, he departed, and (ver. 10.) the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; here was much diſpleaſure, yet not all, for it followeth, and behold Miriam became leprous, white as ſnow. In this caſe God was angry with two that had ſpoken againſt a ſervant of his; and they felt more than a bare rebuke, here was a blow given, and that a ſore one. The Lord deals gently with ſome ſinners, that none may deſpair; and ſeverely with others, though his ſervants, that none may preſume.

Only let us remember, that when the Lord at any time doth chaſten and rebuke his ſervants for ſin with great ſeverity, he doth not drive them away, nor diſcourage them, but would have them look to him for pardon and healing. When he judgeth them (as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, 1 Cor. 11.32.) he doth not condemn them; or if we call it a condemnation, yet he doth not condemn them with the world, nor as he condemns the world. God condemns the unbelieving world to deſtruction, but he condemns his ſervants only for their humiliation. The goodneſs of God appears much in theſe two things.

Firſt, In his flowneſs to anger, his mercy doth even clog his juſtice, and gives it leaden feet, it comes ſlowly.

p. 883Secondly, In his readineſs to ſhow mercy. The Scripture ſaith he is ſlow to wrath, and ready to forgive; his goodneſs doth even adde wings to his mercy, cauſing it to fly ſwiftly, to the relief of ſenſible and humbled ſinners; or (as one of the Ancients expreſſeth, he ſharpneth the ſword of his juſtice with the oile of his mercy; and ſo it becomes a healing, as well as a wounding, ſword.

Secondly, In that the Lord himſelf gave this direction, Take unto you ſeven bullocks, and ſeven rams, &c.

Obſerve; God, againſt whom we ſin, ſheweth us the way to get peace, and the pardon of our ſins.

When man ſinned at firſt, or when the firſt man fell into ſin, there he had lain for ever, if the Lord had not ſhewed him a way out: Had it been left to man to deviſe a way to recover himſelf when he was fallen, his fall had been irrecoverable, he had never found how to get at once his ſin pardoned, and the juſtice of God ſatisfied. This was the Lords own invention (and it was the moſt noble and excellent one, that ever was in the world) he ſhewed fallen man at firſt how to get up; and here he gave direction to theſe fallen men, what to do that they might: The Lord, who was their Judge, was alſo their Counſellor.

Thirdly, Conſider the particular way of their peace-making, it was by ſacrifice, Take unto you ſeven bullocks, and ſeven rams, &c.

Hence note; Sacrifices for ſin were appointed and commanded by God, not deviſed by man.

Sacrifices have been from the beginning. Cain and Abel brought their offerings unto the Lord (Gen. 4.3, 4.) Noah, alſo, builded an altar unto the Lord, and offered burnt-offerings on the altar (Gen. 8.20.) Abraham offered the ram for a burnt-offering (Gen. 22.13.) Now though the law for ſacrifices was not formally given in thoſe times, yet it was really given. All thoſe elder ſacrifices were of the Lords appointment, and by his direction, as well as thoſe in and after the days of Moſes. There is no expiating of ſin againſt God, by the inventions of man. Heathens offered ſacrifices to their Idol-gods, imitating the worſhip p. 884of the true God (The Devil is Gods ape.) Typical ſacrifices were of God, for the taking away of the ſin of man: And ſo was the true ſacrifice, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; when he (that is, Chriſt) ſaid, ſacrifice and offering, and burnt-offering, and offering for ſin, thou wouldſt not (that is, thou wouldſt not have thoſe legal ſacrifices, nor didſt ever intend to have them, as ſatisfactions to thy offended juſtice, ultimately to reſt in them) then ſaid he (that is, Chriſt) Lo, I come to do thy will, O God (Heb. 10.8, 9.) It was the will of God, that Jeſus Chriſt ſhould be the expiatory ſacrifice for the ſin of man; by the which will (v. 10.) We are ſanctified through the offering of the body of Jeſus Chriſt once for all. The ſacrifice of Chriſt himſelf had not ſaved us, if it had not been of Gods appointment; nor could any ſacrifice have ſo much as ſhadowed the way or means of our ſalvation, if God had not appointed it.

Fourthly, Conſider the purpoſe for which the Lord commanded Eliphaz, &c. to offer their ſacrifice, it was to make an attonement for their ſin.

Hence Obſerve; Sin muſt have a ſacrifice.

There was never any way in the world, from firſt to laſt, to help a ſinner but by a ſacrifice; and who was the ſacrifice? Surely Jeſus Chriſt was the ſacrifice; it was not the blood of bulls and goats, of bullocks and rams, that could take away ſin, as the Apoſtle argueth at large in the Epiſtle to the Hebrews, theſe could never take away ſin, theſe only pointed at Jeſus Chriſt, who alone did it, by bearing our ſins, and by being made a ſacrifice for them. To typifie or ſhew this, we read in the law of Moſes, that the ſin of the offender was laid upon the ſacrifice; and a ſacrifice for ſin, was called ſin by the Prophet, long before Chriſt came (Dan. 9.24.) He ſhall make an end of ſin, that is, when Chriſt ſhall come in the fleſh, he ſhall make an end of all ſacrifices for ſin; and ſo the Apoſtle called it after Chriſt was come, and had ſuffered in the fleſh (2 Cor. 5.21.) He made him to be ſin (that is, a ſacrifice for ſin) for us, who knew no ſin, that we might be made the righteouſneſs of God in him. The ſacrifice was called ſin, becauſe the ſin of the perſon who brought it, and in whoſe behalf it was offered, was laid upon the ſacrifice; there was as it were a tranſlation of the ſin, from the perſon to the ſacrifice. In which ſence Luther is to be underſtood, p. 885when he ſaid, Jeſus Chriſt was the greateſt ſinner in the world; not that he had any ſin in his nature, or any ſin in his life, but becauſe he had the ſins of all that are or ſhall be ſaved, laid upon him; as the Prophet ſpake (Iſa. 53.6.) The Lord hath laid upon him the iniquity of us all; or (as our Margin hath it) He hath made the iniquity of us all to meet on him. And there is no atonement for ſin, but by a ſacrifice. So the Lord ordained the offering up of a whole burnt-offering for the taking away of ſin, that ſinners might ſee what they had deſerved, even to die; and not only ſo, but to be wholly burnt and conſumed in the fire of his wrath. Impenitent ſinners ſhall be conſumed in fire, that ſhall never be extinguiſhed, nor ever extinguiſh them; they ſhall abide in an ever-living death, or in an ever-dying life. They who reſt not upon the ſacrifice of Chriſt, once offered, muſt be a ſacrifice themſelves, alwayes offered to the juſtice and wrath of God.

Here it may be queſtioned, why the Lord commanded them to offer ſeven Bullocks and ſeven Rams? what could the blood of ſeven do more than the blood of one?

I anſwer, Firſt; This being a great ſacrifice, poſſibly the Lord commanded it, thereby to intimate the greatneſs of their ſin. Two things chiefly ſhew the greatneſs of a ſin. Firſt, the greatneſs of the puniſhment laid upon the ſinner. Secondly, the greatneſs of the means uſed for the healing of that breach which ſin hath made.

I anſwer, Secondly, the number ſeven being a Symbol of perfection (as was ſaid before) figured the perfect ſacrifice of Jeſus Chriſt, who by one offering, hath for ever perfected them that are ſanctified (Heb. 10.14.) A perfect number of ſacrifices was fitteſt to ſhadow the infinite perfection of that one ſacrifice, which makes, and which only makes all the comers thereunto perfect. For though a perſon under the Law having offered his ſacrifice, was no more reckoned guilty of that ſin by men; yet his conſcience did ſtill accuſe him of, and charge him with ſin, and therefore ſacrifices were renewed (Heb. 10.1, 2.) nor could the accuſings of conſcience be quieted, but by looking to Chriſt by faith, whom the ſacrifice ſhadowed, and the ſacrificer was to point at.

Fifthly, In that the Lord ſent Eliphaz and his two friends unto Job with their ſacrifice,

p. 886Obſerve; We muſt reconcile our ſelves to thoſe we have wronged, before we can look to be reconciled unto God, againſt whom we have ſinned, or to be accepted of him in any ſervice.

The counſel of Chriſt directs to this (Mat. 5.23, 24.) If thou bringeſt thy gift unto the Altar, and there remembreſt that thy brother hath ought againſt thee, leave there thy gift before the Altar, and go thy way; firſt be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. This general command of Chriſt, is the ſame in effect, with what the Lord here long before gave particularly and perſonally to Eliphaz and his two friends; they muſt firſt go and be reconciled to Job, and then offer their ſacrifice. This the Apoſtle alſo gave in charge (1 Tim. 2.8.) I will therefore, that men pray every where, holding up holy hands; but how? without wrath and doubting. There are two things required, if we look to be accepted of God in any ſervice. Firſt, Faith. Secondly, Love or charity. There muſt be faith, elſe we cannot lift up holy hands without doubting: There muſt be love, elſe we cannot lift up holy hands without wrath. They who are ſuing for, and expecting favour and mercy from God, have need to diſcharge themſelves of all wrath and revenge towards man. With what face can any expect favour from God, who will not acknowledge wherein they have wronged man?

Sixthly, Obſerve; God is very tender of the credit of his faithful ſervants; he will not be reconciled, unleſs they are righted.

Job had been wronged, no man more, by the cenſures of his friends; and God was ſo tender of his honour and reputation, that his friends muſt make him reparation, before God will accept their ſacrifice. One reaſon why God is ſo tender of the credit of his ſervants, is, becauſe they are tender of his, and will undergo any wrong, rather than his Name ſhall be blaſphemed or wronged. As God will himſelf honour them, who honour him (1 Sam. 2.30.) ſo he will one time or other, ſome way or other, retrench and caſt back upon men, all that diſhonor which they have received from men, or cauſe them to take it off, and wipe them clean whom they have undeſervedly aſperſed.

p. 887Obſerve, Seventhly; God will humble proud and high ſpirits, and make them ſubmit to thoſe whom they have wronged.

There is a twofold ſubmiſſion, which is the duty of a Chriſtian. Firſt, to God (James 4.7.) Secondly, to man; and this is twofold.

Firſt, To thoſe that are over us, and above us, in power (Rom. 13.1. Tit. 3.1.) And thus not only are ſubjects to ſubmit to Magiſtrates; but all of a lower degree, are to ſubmit to their ſuperiours, ſervants to their Maſters, wives to their Husbands, children to their parents.

Secondly, There is a ſubmiſſion to thoſe that are wronged by us; and though they be our inferiours, yet (in this ſenſe) we are to ſubmit to them, that is, acknowledge that we have wronged them. The Apoſtle James intimates ſuch a ſubmiſſion (Chap. 5.16.) and the Apoſtle Paul ſpeaks it plainly (Eph. 5.21.) Submitting your ſelves to one another in the fear of God. Here is a mutual ſubmiſſion, a ſubmiſſion in caſe of wrong (and doubtleſs that rule of Scripture is extendible to other caſes) not only of equals one to another, but of ſuperiours to inferiours. Our ſpirits like not this, we hardly ſubmit to thoſe that we have wronged; but there's no remedy, we muſt. Some ſay they will ſubmit to God, but they cannot ſubmit to man, they cannot ſtoop to that. Let ſuch remember, that without this ſubmiſſion, even to an inferiour whom we have knowingly wronged, or are made to know (which was the caſe here) that we have wronged, we cannot hopefully apply to God for peace and reconciliation.

Eighthly, Obſerve; They that are wronged by others, muſt forgive them their wrongs.

God ſent Eliphaz and his two friends to Job, not only that they ſhould acknowledge they had wronged him, but that Job might freely and fully teſtifie (ſo far as concerned him) his forgiveneſs of that wrong. As it is the duty of them that have wronged others to ſubmit to them in the acknowledgement of it; ſo they that are wronged, ought to forgive & receive them in that ſubmiſſion. We muſt forgive, as we look to be forgiven (Mat. 6.12.) We cannot pray p. 888believingly, that God would forgive us the guilt of our iniquity committed againſt himſelf or others, unleſs we forgive others the injury which they have done us.

Obſerve, Ninthly; Good men are ready to give and take ſatisfaction in point of wrong.

Jobs friends had done him wrong; and as they (good men) were ready to give ſatisfaction, ſo Job (good man) was as ready to take it. Many wrong others, but will give no ſatisfaction; many are wronged by others, and will take no ſatisfaction, nothing will quiet or appeaſe them. Jobs friends and himſelf were highly to be commended, that they were willing to give, and he to take ſatisfaction. The Apoſtle urgeth this (Eph. 4.26, 27.) Be angry and ſin not, let not the Sun go down upon your wrath, neither give place to the devil. They give up their hearts as lodging-chambers to the devil, who let the Sun go down upon their wrath; therefore it followeth (verſ. 31.32.) Let all bitterneſs, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil ſpeaking, be put away from you, with all malice, and be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Chriſt ſake hath forgiven you. They that know what it is to be forgiven by God, they that know what need they have continually of Gods forgiving grace & mercy, will be as ready to accept ſatisfaction, as any can be to give it. This was eminent in Job, as will appear further in opening the next words in this verſe. Go to my ſervant Job, and offer up for your ſelves a burnt-offering, And my ſervant Job ſhall pray for you.

How eminent Job was in prayer, and how available his prayers or interceſſions were for others, may be collected from that in the Prophet (Ezek. 14.14.) where he is joyned with Noah and Daniel. Job being here called to pray for his friends, was put upon another piece of the Prieſtly Office. There were two parts of the Prieſtly Office, and Job is adorned with them both. Firſt, the Prieſt was to offer ſacrifice. Secondly, to pray for the people. Jeſus Chriſt filled up both theſe parts of the Prieſtly office for us. Firſt, he offered himſelf a ſacrifice for us. Secondly, he interceded, yea, he ever liveth to make interceſſion for us (Heb. 7.25.) p. 889Job, as in offering up a ſacrifice, ſo in praying for his faulty friends, was a type of Chriſt; My ſervant Job ſhall pray for you. But for what ſhould he pray in their behalf? Surely, that their ſin might be forgiven, and they find favour with God,

The word here rendred to Pray for, is elegant and ſignificant,Verbum pertinet ad rem forenſem & judicialem; ſignificat orare vel deprecari more ejus qui ad judidicem appellat, & illum ſupplex adit & precabundus. Coc. implying a forinſecal act, when an advocate in Court moves the Judge in behalf of an offender; ſo that when the Lord ſaith, My ſervant Job ſhall pray for you, his meaning is, he ſhall deprecate the wrath and vengeance that your ſin hath deſerved, and entreat my favour for you, and ſeek your peace with me. My ſervant Job ſhall pray for you.

Hence obſerve, Firſt; It is a duty to pray for thoſe that have wronged us.

Not only is it a duty to forgive them, and be reconciled to them; but to pray for them, and heartily wiſh their good. The Apoſtle James having ſaid (Chap. 5.16.) Confeſs your faults one to another; preſently adds, Pray for one another: yea, Chriſt commands us to pray for the good, not only of thoſe that confeſs they have wronged us, and deſire reconciliation to us, but to pray for our enemies, that is, ſuch as ſtill hate us, and continue to contrive all the miſchief they can againſt us. It is a duty, not only to pray for them that acknowledge their fault, but for the… alſo who go on in their fault againſt us; enemies do ſo. Bleſs them that curſe you, do good to them that hate you, pray for them that deſpitefully uſe you and perſecute you. Theſe are Chriſts, not only counſels, but commands (Mat. 5.44.) Even for them we ſhould pray, that God would pardon their ſin, turn their hearts, and give them repentance, which is the beſt we can pray for them.

Again, the Lord ſaith, My ſervant Job ſhall pray for you.

Hence obſerve, Secondly; God undertakes and gives his word for a good man, that he will do his duty.

God having ſpoken to Job about this matter, undertook for his performance; My ſervant Job ſhall pray for you, I will put it into his heart to do it. The Lord may very well be bound for a good man, that he ſhall do his duty, becauſe, as he hath promiſed, p. 890ſo he will help him to do his duty. Thus the Lord engaged for Abraham (Gen. 18.19.) Shall I hide from Abraham the thing that I am doing? I know Abraham (I am well enough acquainted with Abraham) that he will command his children and his houſhold after him, and they ſhall keep the way of the Lord. I know him, I will be ſurety for him. The Lord ſpeaks with confidence concerning his people, that they will do this and that, they will humble themſelves before him, and that they will forgive and pray for their enemies; he knows they will do all theſe things, becauſe he knows he hath given them power and a heart to do them. The Apoſtle was confident of the obedience of the Church of Galatia (Gal. 5.10.) I have (ſaith he) co fidence in you, through the Lord, that you will be none otherwiſe minded. When the Apoſtle undertook that they ſhould do their duty, he did it reſpectively to a divine aſſiſtance and preſence with them; I have confidence in you (not in your ſelves, but) through the Lord, &c. but God undertakes abſolutely, My ſervant Job ſhall pray for you.

Thirdly, Note; The prayers and interceſſions of the righteous, prevail much with God.

The Lord having aſſured them that his ſervant Job ſhould pray for them, tells them in the next words, Him will I accept; which intimates, that his p…ayers ſhould have a great power with God for them (James 5.16.) The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much; and it doth ſo in a twofold reſpect.

Firſt, For him…elf. A godly man gets much good of God in his own caſe, by prayer.

Secondly, It prevails very much with God, in reſpect of others. 'Tis a great honour with which the Lord crowns the prayers of his faithful ſervants, that they prevail, not only for themſelves, but for others. Thus the Lord ſpake to Abimelech (Gen. 20.7) Now therefore reſtore this man (meaning Abraham) his wife, for he is a Prophet, and he ſhall pray for thee. And his prayer was anſwered. When the Lord had ſmitten Miriam with the Leproſie, Moſes cryed unto the Lord, ſaying, heal her now, O God, I beſeech thee; and ſhe was healed (Numb. 12.13.) Thus Samuels prayer prevailed (1 Sam. 7.9.) And Samuel took a ſucking Lamb, and offered it up for a burnt-offering, and Samuel cryed unto the Lord for Iſrael (not for himſelf, but for Iſrael) and the Lord heard him. And in the p. 891twelfth Chapter of the ſame Book (verſ. 19.) the people begged prayers of Samuel; And all the people ſaid unto Samuel, pray for thy ſervants unto the Lord thy God, that we die not. And at the 23d verſe, Samuel ſaid, As for me, God forbid that I ſhould ſin againſt the Lord, in ceaſing to pray for you, but I will teach you the good and the right way; and he prayed for them, and the Lord ſpared the people at that time. Not to pray for others, proceeds from uncharitableneſs: not to deſire the prayers of others, proceeds either from ignorance, not knowing of what value the prayers of others, who are godly, are; or from pride, that we will not be beholding to others for their prayers. It is a great mercy to have the prayers of good men going for us.

Fourthly, Note; The prayers of others may prevail with God, when our own cannot.

Eliphaz and his two friends were good men, yet the Lord did not give anſwer to them, but to the prayers of Job. The prayers of others may be anſwered, when ours are not, in a double reſpect.

Firſt, Others may be in a better p…aying frame than our ſelves. Every one that is in a praying ſtate, is not alwayes in a praying frame, eſpecially not in ſuch a praying frame as another may be in; another may be in a better praying frame, and ſo may prevail more for us, than we for our ſelves.

Secondly, Some other perſons may be more accepted with God, than we; ſome are, as it were, favourites with God. God ſhews favour to all his ſervants, but all his ſervants are not his favourites: Moſes was a favourite, Abraham was a favourite, God called him his friend; and Job was a favourite. The Lord ſhews favour to many, who yet are not his favourites. Kings and P…inces ſhew favour to all their faithful ſubjects, yet but one (poſſibly) is a Favourite. The Lords chief favourite, is his Son Jeſus Chriſt, he hath his ear continually: I knew, ſaid Chriſt (John 11.42.) that thou heareſt me alwayes. Now, as Chriſt is a favourite above all men; ſo among good men, ſome have favour with God above others. A King will hear a favourite, when he will not a common perſon. Our Annotators upon this very place, tell us out of Mr. Fox, that when Sir John Goſtwich had falſely accuſed p. 892Arch-Biſhop Cranmer to King Henry the VIII, he would not hear him, nor be reconciled to him, till Cranmer himſelf, whom he had wronged, came and ſpake for him. Thus the Lord will not be reconciled to ſome, till the wronged party intercedes for them. Yet we muſt remember, that the power or effect of all our prayers, depends upon Jeſus Chriſt alone; by him it is, that any have acceſs to the father, and he is the way to the holieſt, the beloved, in whom God is well pleaſed, whom he heareth always, and through whom God heareth his beſt beloved favourites on earth.

Obſerve, Fifthly; It is a great mercy to have the prayers of a good man going for us.

The Lord told not Eliphaz and his two friends, of any thing elſe that Job ſhould do for them, he only ſaith, Job my ſervant ſhall pray for you. If the Lord doth but ſtir up the heart of a Job, of a Moſes, of a Jacob, a Wreſtler in prayer, to pray for us, who knows what mercy we may receive by it! And therefore, when the Lord forbids his favourites to pray for a people, as ſometimes he doth, it is a ſign that ſuch are in a very ſad condition, yea, that their caſe is deſperate. Jeremiah was a mighty man with the Lord in prayer, and the Lord ſaid to him (Jer. 14.11.) Pray not to me for this people for good. Jeremiah was forward to pray for them, but the Lord ſtopt him, Pray no more; not that the Lord diſliked his prayer; but, becauſe he was reſolved not to forgive them, though he prayed for them, therefore he ſaid, pray not. The Lord would not let ſuch precious waters run waſt, as the prayers of Jeremiah were. They are in a remedileſs, ill condition, of whom the Lord ſaith, pray not for them. Of ſuch the Apoſtle ſpake (1 John 5.16.) If any man ſee his brother ſin a ſin not unto death, he ſhall ask and God ſhall give him life. There is a ſin unto death, I ſay not that he ſhall pray for it. The pardon of a ſin unto death is not to be prayed for. Every ſin deſerves death, but every ſin is not unto death: They who ſin ſo, are paſt prayer; and in how woful a plight are they, whoſe ſins are paſt prayers! They who have been much in prayer themſelves, and afterwards fall off from, or walk contrary unto their prayers, come at laſt to this miſerable iſſue, that either they give over praying for themſelves, or others are ſtopt from praying for them. And though an p. 893outward bar be not laid upon their friends prayer, as in Iſraels caſe, yet there may be a bar upon the ſpirit of ſuch as uſed to pray for them. It is a bad ſign, when the Lord ſhuts up the heart from praying for any one; and it is a ſign of mercy, when the Lord inlargeth the heart of any that are godly to pray for others.

Sixthly, Obſerve; Prayer for another doth not profit him, unleſs he be faithful himſelf.

I ground it upon the text, Job ſhall pray for you; but you muſt carry a ſacrifice, which implied their faith; and they muſt carry a ſacrifice to Job, and that implied their repentance; and both implied that they prayed for themſelves alſo. It is in vain to offer a ſacrifice without faith and repentance (being in this frame) My ſervant Job ſhall pray for you. Conjunctis precibus nihil impetratu impoſſibile eſt. Conjunctae autem preces eſſe non poſſunt ubi eſt offenſio. Coc. vid.The prayer of faith prevails not for thoſe that go on in their unbelief and impenitency. Job prayed for his friends; and they repenting and believing, he prevailed for them. The reaſon why the Prophet Jeremiah, in the place before mentioned, as alſo (chap. 7.16.) was commanded not to pray for that people, was, becauſe they were a hardened people in their ſins, and therefore his prayers could do them no good. Yea, the Lord told him (cha. 15.2.) that though not only he, but other great favourites joyned in prayer for them, it ſhould do them no good. Though Moſes and Samuel ſtood before me, my mind could not be towards this people. The reaſon why thoſe eminent favourites, and mighty men in prayer, could do no good, was (as was ſaid before) becauſe they were unbelieving, and hardned in their ſins, as appears upon the place. The Prophet Ezekiel ſpeaks the ſame thing (chap. 14.14.) Though theſe three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job (this Job that we have in the text) were in it, they ſhould deliver but their own ſouls by their righteouſneſs, ſaith the Lord. Jobs prayers obtained good for his friends; but the children of Iſrael were in ſuch a condition, that though Noah, Daniel, and Job were praying for them, they ſhould get no good by it; their ſins were ſo high, and their hearts ſo hard, that the prayers of the holieſt men in the world could not prevail with God for mercy.

p. 894It cannot be denied, but the prayers of a godly man may profit a wicked man, an unbeliever, an impenitent perſon, for his converſion to the faith, and the bringing of him to repentance; but they profit not any man, who as he hath not faith, ſo continues in his unbelief.

Yet, I grant, that the prayers of a believer may profit ſuch an unbeliever, as to the avoiding of ſome temporal evil, or as to the obtaining of ſome temporal good; as is clear in Abrahams prayer for Abimelech (Gen. 20.7.) But how much ſoever a godly man prayeth for the pardon of a wicked mans ſin, or the ſalvation of his ſoul, he ſhall never be pardoned or ſaved, unleſs himſelf repent and believe. They who never pray in faith for themſelves, ſhall not get favour with God, by any prayer of faith made by others for them.

Now as from this, and ſuch like Scriptures, it appears, that the prayers of godly men, for good men here on earth, are very pleaſing unto the Lord, and receive great anſwers: So they do abſurdly, who, from this Scripture infer, that the Saints departed pray for us, as if they knew or underſtood our condition; and they do more abſurdly, who living here on earth, pray to the Saints in heaven to pray for them. The Scripture ſpeaks nothing of prayers to departed Saints, nor of departed Saints praying for us; the Scripture ſpeaks only of the living on earth, praying for thoſe that live on earth. Job was alive in the body, and ſo were thoſe three men, to whom the Lord ſaid, My ſervant Job ſhall pray for you.

The Lord having aſſured Eliphaz and his two friends, that Job would pray for them, giveth them encou…agement to go and deſi…e his prayers, by a gracious promiſe.

For (ſaith he) him will I accept; and threatneth them in caſe they ſhould forbear, in the next words, Leſt I deal with you according to your folly, in that ye have not ſpoken of me the thing that is right, like my ſervant Job.

Firſt, Of the gracious promiſe, him will I accept. The Hebrew ſaith, his face will I lift up. Acceptation with God is the lifting up of the face of man; then man lifteth up his face with boldneſs when he is accepted with God. When God refuſed to accept Cain and his offering, his countena…ce fell, or was caſt down (Gen. 4.5.) Unleſs the Lord lift up the light of his countenance p. 895upon us, as David prayed (Pſal. 4.6.) we cannot with any comfort, much leſs with true confidence, lift up our face or countenance unto God. That's the ſignificancy of the word.

Him will I accept.

God is no accepter of perſons, as the word is often uſed in Scripture (Deut. 10.17.) The Lord is a great God, mighty and terrible, which regardeth not perſons. It is the ſame phraſe in the Hebrew, with this in the Text, he lifteth not up faces, that is, the Lord doth not accept perſons upon any outward reſpect.

Firſt, The Lord doth not accept perſons for their perſonableneſs, as I may ſay; the Lord doth not delight in any mans legs, his delight is in them that fear him (Pſal. 147.10, 11.) he doth not accept men for their goodly ſtature, as he told Samuel, when he would needs have poured the oile upon the firſt-born of the Sons of Jeſſe (1 Sam. 16.7.) Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his ſtature, becauſe I have refuſed him: for the Lord ſeeth not as man ſeeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart. 'Tis the beauty of holineſs and integrity in the heart, not the beauty of fairneſs upon the face, with which God is taken; 'tis a lowly mind, not a high ſtature, which God accepts.

Secondly, The Lord is no accepter of perſons, as to the nation or country where they were born or live. Thus the Apoſtle Peter ſpake (Acts 10.35.) I perceive, that God is no reſpecter of perſons; but in every Nation, he that feareth him and worketh righteouſneſs, is accepted with him. God doth not prefer Jews before Gentiles, Barbarians or Scythians: that a man had his birth in this or that Nation, neither helps nor hinders acceptation with God.

Thirdly, The Lord accepteth no mans perſon for his riches (Prov. 11.4.) Riches profit not in the day of wrath. No mans perſon is acceptable to God for his purſe, or his penny, no not at all.

Fou…thly, The Lord …ccepteth no mans perſon for his worldly greatneſs, honour and dignity; He poureth contempt upon Princes (Pſal. 107.40.) The day of the Lord is againſt the hills and mountains (Iſa. 2.14.) The great God regardeth not any man meerly for greatneſs; the Lord accepts no mans perſon upon theſe p. 896or any ſuch like accounts: He only accepts the perſons of thoſe that fear him, and do his will.

Suſcipit faciem Deus quando precantem c… audit.The Lords acceptance of any perſon, in the ſenſe of this promiſe concerning Job, is, Firſt, To ſhew favour and manifeſt affection to him. Secondly, To honour a…d highly eſteem him. Thirdly, (Which is here ſpecially intended) to anſwer his prayers, and grant his requeſts, not only for himſelf, but for others. When a perſon is once accepted, his prayers ſhall not be denied, nor ſuffer a repulſe. The Lord accepteth perſons, as a King the perſons of thoſe loyal Subjects, who come to intreat his favour and pardon for thoſe that have offended him, and rebelled againſt him; he grants their ſuit, and treats them fairly. In this ſenſe the Lord maketh promiſe to Eliphaz and his two friends, that he will accept Job.

Hence, Obſerve; Firſt, It is a very high favour and priviledge to be accepted of God.

Him will I accept, ſaith the Lord, of Job. This was a favour beyond all the favours, that follow after in the cloſe of the book, about the doubling of his eſtate. If Jacob (Gen 32.20.) was ſo taken with a hope of acceptance by his brother Eſau; Peradventure he will accept me; If when he was accepted by Eſau, he ſaid (chap. 33.10.) I have ſeen thy face, as though I had ſeen the face of God, and thou waſt pleaſed with me: Then, how much more ſhould we rejoyce in this aſſurance, that God hath accepted of us, and that he is pleaſed with us! If the Apoſtle (Rom. 15.3.) prayed ſo earneſtly, and deſired others to ſtrive with him in prayer to God, that his ſervice, which he had for Jeruſalem, might be accepted of the Saints; then how much more ſhould we pray, that our ſervices may be accepted of God, and rejoyce when they are accepted! The Apoſtle made it his chief work, to get acceptation with God (2 Cor. 5.9.) Wherefore we labour, that whether preſent or abſent (that is, whether living or dying) we may be accepted with him; we are ambitious of divine acceptation. The word which we tranſlate labour, noteth a labouring after honour, which ambitious men labour much after, implying that to be accepted with the Lord is a very high honour, indeed the higheſt honour.

p. 897There is a two-fold acceptation. Firſt, Of our perſons. Secondly, Of our ſervices. The former is the ground of the latter, and Jeſus Chriſt is the foundation of both (Epheſ. 1.6.) He through glorious grace hath made us accepted in the beloved. Jeſus Chriſt is ſo dearly beloved of the father, that he is called, The Beloved, as if only beloved. The acceptation of our ſervices is often promiſed in Scripture, as a high favou… (Exod. 28.38. Ezek. 20.40, 41. Iſa. 56.7.) This Moſes prayed for in the behalf of the Tribe of Levy, which Tribe was appointed to offer ſacrifice, and to pray for the people, (Deut. 33.11.) Bleſs Lord his ſubſtance, and accept the work of his hands. What was the work of Levies hands? it was to offer ſacrifice, to which prayer and interceſſion was joyned. That Levi, who had the prieſt-ho…d fixed in the family of Aaron, ſhould be accepted in the work of his hands, was a bleſſing not only to himſelf, but to many more. This David prayed earneſtly for (Pſal. 19.14.) Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy ſight, O Lord, my ſtrength, and my redeemer. He put up a like prayer (Pſal. 119.108.) Accept, I beſeech thee, the free-will-offerings of my mouth, O Lord. This was the prayer of Araunah for David (2 Sam. 24.23.) The Lord thy God accept thee. So great a priviledge it is, for our perſons and ſervices, to be accepted with the Lord; that when once we have it, we may rejoyce all our days (Eccleſ. 9.7,) Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart, for God now accepteth thy works. Solomon doth not mean it of a ſenſitive joy only, much leſs of any ſenſual joy, but of a gracious and ſpiritual joy. In this joy we may eat and drink, when our work is accepted; and our work is never accepted, till our perſons are.

Now, if it be ſo great a priviledge to be accepted with the Lord, how great a miſery is it not to be accepted? this inference floweth naturally from that great truth. And how great a miſery it is, not to be accepted of God, ſeveral Scriptures hold out. The Prophet (Amos 5.22,) declareth no other judgment upon that people but this, The Lord accepteth them not. And the ſame declaration is made by ſeveral other Prophets (Jerem. 14.10, 12. Hoſ. 8.13. Mal. 1.8, 10.) Acceptance is our greateſt mercy, and non-acceptance our greateſt miſery; and that's the p. 898reaſon why the underſtanding and faithful ſervants of God are ſo ſtrict, or (as the world accounts it) preciſe and ſcrupleous, that they will not turn aſide, no not in thoſe things which are called ſmall matters, and of which many think God will take no notice. They deſire to be accepted of God in every thing, and becauſe they know (in ſome meaſure) what is acceptable to him, therefore they would do nothing, no, not the leaſt thing, which is unacceptable to him (Prov. 10.32.) The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable. The lips are organs or inſtruments of ſpeech, not of knowledge; the underſtanding knoweth, the lips only ſpeak: Yet here Solomon aſcribes the work of the underſting to the lips; and this he doth, becauſe there is or ſhould be a great cognation, between the underſtanding and the lips; we ſhould ſpeak nothing but what we underſtand, we ſhould ſpeak only what we know, and according to our knowledge. The lips of the righteous have ſuch an intercourſe with their underſtanding, that their very lips may be ſaid to know what is acceptable, and therefore they ſpeak what is acceptable. It is ſaid of David, that he guided the people with the skilfulneſs (ſaith our) with the diſcretion (ſaith another tranſlation) with the underſtanding of his hands, ſaith the original (Pſal. 78.72.) The hand hath no more underſtanding, skill, or diſcretion ſeated in it, than the lips; yet becauſe David conſulted with his underſtanding, in what he did with his hand, it is ſaid, He guided them by the skilfulneſs, or diſcretion, or underſtanding of his hand. Thus the lips of the righteous underſtand and know what is acceptable; and they know that unleſs they have an aime to honour God in ſmall matters, yea, in all matters, they greatly diſhonour him, and ſo cannot be accepted with him at all. The excellency of a gracious heart, appears greatly when he maketh conſcience of doing the leaſt thing which he knows, ye, only fears, will be unacceptable to God, or wherein he may run the hazard of this priviledge, his acceptation with him.

There are three things, which ſhew why it is ſo great a priviledg, to be accepted with God, and why his ſervants are ſo careful not to do any thing that is unacceptable unto him.

Firſt, Becauſe, Once accepted with God and always accepted. For though poſſibly a perſon accepted may have ſome frowns from p. 899God upon his uneven walkings, or ſinful actings; yet his ſtate of acceptation, continues firm in the main. The Lord doth not utterly caſt off his favourites, no, nor any whom he taketh into his favour, or a nearneſs with himſelf.

Secondly, If we are once accepted with God, he can make us accepted with men; and that, not only with good men (Rom. 14.18.) but, even with bad men. God can give us favour in the eyes of thoſe men, who have not an eye to ſee, that we are in his favour. Daniel, who was ſo careful to keep up his acceptation with God, That he purpoſed in his heart, not to defile himſelf with the portion of the Kings meat (Dan. 1.8, 9.) Of him it is ſaid (ver. 9.) God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love, with the Prince of the Eunuches. He, a conſcientious Jew, had great acceptation with him, who was an idolatrous Heathen.

Thirdly, If once accepted of the Lord, we need not be much troubled, though we are reprobate to the world, though the world reject and caſt us off, yea, caſt us out. The Lords acceptation of us, will bear or may bear up our ſpirits, in the midſt of the worlds reproaches, repulſes, and rejections.

Again, When the Lord ſaith, Him will I accept.

Obſerve; The Lord accepts ſome godly men more than others.

Jobs three friends were godly men, queſtionleſs they were, yet they had not that acceptation with God which Job had. All that are godly have acceptation with God, but they have not all alike acceptation (Acts 10.35.) In every Nation, they that fear him and work righteouſneſs, are accepted with him: Which we muſt not take meerly for a moral or legal righteouſneſs, but as in conjunction with an Evangelical righteouſneſs. Now let them be who they will, that fear God and work righteouſneſs, they are accepted: but all are not equally accepted; him will I accept, ſaith the Lord concerning Job, with an Emphaſis; why was it ſo? becauſe Job was one of the moſt eminent perſons for godlineſs, yea, the moſt eminent, at that time, upon the face of the whole earth, as was ſhewed at the 2d verſe of the firſt chapter. Noah was a man highly accepted of the Lord above others, and he was righteous above others (Gen. 7.1.) Thee (ſaith God) have I ſeen righteous before me in this generation. Poſſibly there might be others p. 900righteous, but there was no man ſo righteous as Noah, and none ſo accepted as he.

And if it be enquired, who amongſt good men are moſt accepted, or accepted beyond other good men? I anſwer,

Firſt, They among good men are moſt accepted, who live moſt by faith. As without faith it is impoſſible to pleaſe God, in any degree (Heb. 11.6.) ſo they that live moſt by faith, pleaſe God moſt, or in the higheſt degree, and are moſt accepted by him. Abraham, who lived ſo much by faith, that he was called the father of the faithful, was ſo much accepted of God, that he is called The friend of God (Jam. 2.23.)

Secondly, Among godly men, they who are moſt upright in their walkings, who walk with a ſingle eye, and with a right foot, are moſt acceptable; ſuch a man was Job. The character given him (Chap. 1.1.) was, A man perfect and upright.

Thirdly, They that walk moſt humbly, are moſt acceptable unto God. For, … God reſiſteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble (Jam. 4.6.) ſo he ſheweth grace, that is, favour, or graceth and adorneth them with his favours. When one ſaid (Mich. 6.6.) Wherewith ſhall I come before the Lord? &c. The Prophet anſwered (verſ. 8.) He hath ſhewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do juſtly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? That is, as he requireth of thee to exerciſe juſtice toward all men, and mercy to the poor, or any in miſery, ſo to walk humbly with himſelf; that is, to acknowledge thou haſt need of the righteouſneſs of a Saviour, and of the mercy of a God, how much righteouſneſs and mercy ſoever thou haſt exerciſed towards others. When we are low in our own eyes, then are we higheſt in Gods eye; when we, as it were, reject our ſelves, and all that we have done, as unworthy of any acceptation, then are we moſt accepted of the Lord.

Fourthly, Among Believers, they are moſt accepted with God, who are moſt fruitful in their lives, and do moſt good in their places, and according to their opportunities. The Lord loveth a fruitful Chriſtian. Many are barren trees, unfruitful ground, little can be ſeen of good which they do; theſe are a burden to God. But, when a Chriſtian (as it is ſaid of Chriſt, Act. 10.38.) goeth about doing good; when a Chriſtian, as Chriſt giveth the account of his own life (John 17.4.) Glorifieth God on earth, and finiſheth p. 901the work which God gives him to do, O how acceptable is ſuch a one to God! And therefore,

Let us labour to know, and do what is acceptable to the Lord. The Apoſtle would have us prove what is acceptable to the Lord (Eph. 5.10.) that is, Firſt, ſtudy the Word, to find out what is acceptable to the Lord. Secondly, approve and embrace with our whole hearts, what we find to be ſo. Thirdly, practice and do what we have ſo approved or embraced. And becauſe the Scripture ſpeaks of ſome duties which are ſpecially acceptable to the Lord, I ſhall inſtance the Point in a few particulars.

Firſt, Doing right to every one (Prov. 21.3.) To do juſtice and judgement, is more acceptable to the Lord than ſacrifice. This is true, or may be affi…med of juſtice, both commutative and diſtributive. To do juſtice in our dealings with men, called commutative juſtice, is more acceptable than ſacrifice, that is, than any outward worſhip given to God without this. 'Tis true alſo, of diſtributive juſtice, which is done by Magiſtrates in rewarding good men, and in puniſhing them that do evil; theſe works of juſtice alſo, are more acceptable to the Lord than ſacrifice.

Secondly, The true worſhip and ſervice of God, which the Apoſtle calls ſacrifice, is highly acceptable to God (Rom. 12.1.) I beſeech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye preſent your bodies a living ſacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reaſonable ſervice. Theſe firſt Table-duties, when in conſort with thoſe former ſecond Table-duties, are highly honourable, and therefore cannot but be highly acceptable to the Lord. Sacrifice to God, without juſtice to man, is meer hypocriſie; Juſtice to man, without ſacrifice to God, is no better than Heatheniſh morality: Both united, are the beauty of Chriſtianity.

Thirdly, To ſerve Chriſt, that is, to aim at the honouring, as well as the enjoying of Chriſt, with our Goſpel-priviledges and liberties, is exceeding acceptable. The Apoſtle having ſaid (Rom. 14.17.) The Kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteteouſneſs, and peace, and joy in the holy Ghoſt, preſently adds (verſ. 18.) He that in theſe things (that is, in righteouſneſs, and peace, and joy in the holy Ghoſt) ſerveth Chriſt, is acceptable unto God; that is, this ſhews he is a perſon accepted with God. The doing of things purely acceptable to God, is a clear and ſtrong argument of our acceptation with him.

p. 902Fourthly, To do any good we do, be it little or much, with a willing mind, is very acceptable to God (2 Cor. 8.12.) If there be firſt a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath. Though it be little that we have, yet if the mind be free, if there be much of the will in it, though but little of the purſe (if we have no more to give, or give according to what we have) if there be much of the heart in it, though but little of the hand (if we do according to the power that is in our hand) the Lord hath a very great reſpect to it.

Fifthly, To be much in prayer for others, eſpecially for thoſe that are in power over us, is very acceptable to the Lord (1 Tim. 2.2, 3.) I exhort that ſupplications, &c. be made for all men, for Kings, and all that are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, in all godlineſs and honeſty; for this is good and acceptable in the ſight of God our Saviour. As it is good and acceptable in the ſight of God, that we ſhould lead a quiet and peaceable life, in all godlineſs and honeſty, under Kings and all in authority; ſo that we ſhould pray for Kings, and thoſe that are in authority.

Sixthly, When children do well requite their parents; that (ſaith the Apoſtle, 1 Tim. 5.4.) is acceptable unto God.

Seventhly, To ſuffer patiently for well-doing, is greatly pleaſing unto God (1 Pet. 2.20.) In a word, they among good men are moſt acceptable of God, who are moſt zealous in doing any thing in a right manner, which for the matter is acceptable unto God.

Obſerve, Thirdly; As the Lord accepteth ſome godly men more than others, ſo he accepteth ſome godly men for others.

The Lord doth not ſpeak here of accepting Job ſtrictly for himſelf, but of his acceptation in the behalf of his friends, Him will I accept, that is, for you; I will be intreated by him, I will not give you the honour to be intreated by you, but to him I give it, I will be intreated by him. The Prophet Eliſha ſaid to the King of Iſrael (2 Kings 3.14.) Were it not that I regard the preſence of Jehoſhaphat the King of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor ſee thee; he would not vouchſafe that bad King a look, but for the reſpect that he bare to good Jehoſhaphat. And it is a truth, p. 903that God would not have ſo much reſpect to ſome good men, were it not for the ſake of ſome others, who are better. Yet, that the Lord accepts one mans perſon more than anothers, or one mans perſon for another, is primarily and principally, in and for the ſake of Jeſus Chriſt. Job had acceptation with God more than his friends, and for his friends; he had the former by his being in Chriſt, and the latter as he was a figure of Chriſt. No mans perſon, no mans work is accepted of, otherwiſe than in relation to Chriſt. The Apoſtle affirms this fully (Eph. 1.6.) He hath made us accepted in the Beloved. Chriſtians are beloved, but Chriſt only is the Beloved: we are accepted in him, the beloved, as to our ſelves; and 'tis in the beloved that any are accepted more than others, or for others.

Take this Inference from the whole.

The Lord accepted Job praying for others; then he will accept a good man praying upon right grounds, and for right ends, againſt another.

It is dangerous to ſtand in the way of their prayers, who are accepted of God. That man is more ſafe, againſt whom a thouſand are acting, than he againſt whom any one godly man upon a juſt ground is praying. The Lord hath done great things againſt evil men, upon the prayers of the faithful, as well as he hath done great things for good men at their prayer. David by one ejaculatory petition, ſpoyled the plot of Achitophel; the Lord, according to that ſhort prayer, turned his counſel into fooliſhneſs, and ſo overturned the whole deſign laid againſt his ſervant David. Thus far of the promiſe, which the Lord gave Eliphaz and his two friends for their encouragement, to go unto Job and entreat him to offer up a burnt-offering, and to pray for them, for him will I accept.

Now followeth a threat, in caſe they did not: Leſt I deal with you according to your folly.

As if the Lord had ſaid, Do not ſlight this advice that I give you, no, nor forſlow it, make haſt to make your addreſs to Job; I will accept him, and I tell you, I will not accept you alone; therefore make haſt, and do as I have commanded, elſe I ſhall deal with you according to your folly.

p. 904There is ſome difference in the reading of theſe words.

Firſt, Some read, Leſt I do or act folly to you. But how can the Lord do or act folly towards any? We may expound this tranſlation, by that (Pſal. 18.26.) where David ſaith of the Lord, With the pure thou wilt ſhew thy ſelf pure, and with the froward or perverſe, thou wilt ſhew thy ſelf froward or perverſe. But how doth the Lord ſhew himſelf froward with thoſe that are froward? there is no frowardneſs in the Lord, he is alwayes in a compoſed and ſedate frame, infinitely beyond any paſſion or perturbation: the meaning is only this, The Lord will deal with men according to what they are; the actings and effects of his providence ſhall be towards a froward man, as if he were froward. If a man deal perverſely with God, he will deal with him as if he were perverſe; and with the pure, God will ſhew himſelf pure, that is, he will carry it purely towards them; they ſhall receive good, who are and do good. Thus here, go, ſaith the Lord, and do as I bid you, Leſt I deal folly to you. In the Hebrew Language, to do kindneſs with one, is the ſame as to exerciſe or ſhew kindneſs to him. That form of ſpeech is uſed, Gen. 20.13. Gen. 24.49. Gen. 40.14. And ſo to do folly with one, is to ſhew or exerciſe folly to to him. The Lord doth folly to them that do folly; that is, he makes them ſee by his wiſe doing, how fooliſhly they have done.

Others expreſs it thus, Leſt I deal fooliſhly with you, or, folly to you; that is, leſt I do that which may be accounted fooliſhneſs in me. You having appeared Advocates in my cauſe, and pleaded for me ('tis folly to pay any man with unkindneſs for the ſervice he hath done us.) Well (ſaith the Lord) look to it, I will not accept you, but deal folly to you, or fooliſhly with you, in the ſenſe of ſome men (poſſibly) but wiſely in my own. The Lord is alwayes to be admired, in his wiſdom, holineſs, and in the ſerenity of his ſpirit; yet in the opinion of the wiſe men of this world, he may ſeem to deal fooliſhly, or do folly.

Secondly, The words may be rendred, Leſt I do that which may be diſgraceful to you. Thus the Chaldee paraphraſe readeth, Leſt I put a diſgrace, or an affront upon you, and make it appear, to your ſhame, that you have not carried it aright in this matter, but have been ſhamefully out. The word here uſed, is ſeveral times uſed in Scripture, to note the defiling or diſgrace of a thing p. 905(Nahum. 3.6.) I will caſt abominable filth upon thee, and I will make thee vile, that is, I will diſgrace thee, and (as it followeth) I will ſet thee for a gazing ſtock. So (Micah 7.6.) when the Lord would ſhew the exceeding ſinfulneſs of thoſe times, he ſaith, Truſt ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide, keep the door of thy mouth from her that lyeth in thy boſom; for the ſon diſhonoureth the father; it is this word, the ſon diſgraceth the father, he dealeth with his father as if he were a Nabal, a very fool. When a ſon knoweth not his diſtance, nor performeth his dury, he diſhonoureth his father. The Prophet (Jer. 14 21.) ſpeaks in a way of deprecation, Do not abhor us, for t…y name ſake, do not diſgrace the throne of thy glory. The Lord is …ometimes ſo angry with his people, that he even caſteth dirt upon the throne of his glory, that is, upon his Church, in and by which he ſhould be glorified, as upon his Throne. The Lord diſgraceth his Church, the throne of his glory, when his Church diſgraceth him, and diſhonours his glori…us name (Deut. 32.15.) Jeſurun waxed fat, and kicked (that is, Iſrael, the Church was waxen fat; the Lord fed Jeſurun his Church to the full, they had not a lean ſe…vice of it: but what did J…ſurun?) he forſook God wh ch made him, and lightly eſteemed the rock of his ſalvation. The word which we tranſla…e, he lightly eſteemed, is the word of the Text: Now when Jeſurun did lightly eſteem or diſgrace the Lord, he ſoon after diſgraced Jeſurun, his Church, The throne of his glory. This is a good ſenſe of the words; do as I di…ect, lest I put a diſgrace upon you. Thus folly is put fo… the puniſhment of folly, as ſin often, for the penal effects and fruits of ſin; as 'tis ſaid (1 King. 13.34.) This thing …ecame ſin to the houſe of Jeroboam, even to cut it off.

Our reading ſaith, Leſt I deal with you according to your folly; that is, according to your ſin, and the hard cenſures which you have given of my ſervant Job, and, as it followeth, In that you have not ſp ken of me the thing that is right. Theſe things have been your folly; and … do not ſpeedily repair with your ſacrifice to Job, and get him to pray for you, what you can do your ſelves, will not mak… amends for your folly, nor mend this breach, but, I will deal with you according to your folly, you ſhall taſte of the fruit of your doings; the reward of your hands, or of your tongues, ſhall be given to you. That's the general ſence of our tranſlation; p. 906As if the Lord had ſaid, Leſt I make you underſtand by your ſad experiences, by the puniſhments and chaſtiſements laid upon you, that you have done very fooliſhly, and were greatly miſtaken in your apprehenſions of me, and of my providences concerning Job. Or thus, ye have declared much folly in the management of this matter with my ſervant Job, ye have offended againſt the common Laws of friendſhip and humanity, inſulting over a man in miſery; and your folly hath been greater, while, againſt the Laws of piety, ye have judged of a mans holineſs, by his outward unhappineſs, and have cenſured him as a bad man, becauſe he hath in this world endured ſo much evil. This hath been your ſin, ye have in this dealt fooliſhly with my ſervant Job; therefore haſten to him, and do as I have ſaid, Leſt I deal with you acaccording to your folly.

Hence note, Firſt; Sin is folly.

And not only is it ſimple folly, which a man committeth for want of wit, or becauſe he hath little underſtanding (what a man doth for want of wit and underſtanding, is ſimple folly) but ſin is wicked folly, which is the abuſe of wit, and parts, and gifts, yea, the overflowing of luſt. And though we cannot charge theſe men, that they did intentionally uſe their wit and parts to grieve Job, yet it proved ſo; though it was not the end or deſign of them that ſpake, yet it was the iſſue of their ſpeech; they did him a great deal of wrong, and doubtleſs, Satan ſtirred much, or provoked them to uſe their parts and gifts to imbitter the ſpirit of the poor man, and God left them to do it. This was their folly; and all ſuch actings or ſpeakings are no better, nor do they deſerve better or ſofter language. This word folly, is often applied in Scripture, to ſin, eſpecially to great ſins. Another word is uſed in the Proverbs of Solomon; but in ſeveral other places, ſin is expreſſed by this (Gen 34.7.) When that great affliction fell upon Jacob, the raviſhing of Dinah, her bret… came home very wroth, ſaying, He hath committed folly in …l. So (Judges 19.23. Judges 20.6.) the abuſing of the Levites Concubine is called the committing of folly. Whoredom is expreſſed by folly (Deut. 22.21.) And this word, with reference (I conceive) to the ſin of whoredom, which is ſpoken of in that place, is tranſlated p. 907villany (Jer. 29.23.) All ſin is folly, eſpecially any great ſin is ſo. For,

Firſt, It is a folly to hurt our ſelves. No man can hurt us, if we do not hurt our ſelves by ſin. The Apoſtle Peter ſaith (1 Epiſt. 3.13.) Who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? 'Tis ſtrange, that any ſhould. Though it be true enough that many have had, not only a will to harm them that follow good, but have actually done them many and great outward harms; yet this is a great truth, none can indeed harm them that follow good, becauſe all harms turn to their good. Nothing can hurt us but our ſin.

Secondly, Sin is folly, for in ſinning we ſtrive with one that is too hard for us. Do we (ſaith St. Paul, 1 Cor. 10.23.) provoke the Lord to jealouſie? (are we ſo ſimple?) are we ſtronger than he?

Thirdly, It is folly to do that by which we can get no good, that's the part of a fool (Rom. 6.21.) What fruit have ye of thoſe things whereof ye are now aſhamed? What have ye got by them? have ye made any gains or earnings to boaſt of? the end of thoſe things is death; & is it not folly to begin that which ends in death, and that a never-ending, an eternal death.

Fourthly, It is folly to ſin, for by that, at beſt, we run a hazard of our beſt portion, for fading pleaſures, and periſhing profits. If we have any pleaſure by ſin, it is but pleaſure for a ſeaſon, and that a very ſhort one too. What a fooliſh thing is it to venture things that are incorruptable, for periſhing things? It were a great folly for a man to venture gold againſt graſs: they do infinitely more fooliſhly who ſin againſt the Lord; for all that they can get by it, is not ſo much, to what they hazard, as graſs to gold (Mat. 16.26.) What is a man profited, if he ſhall gain the whole world, and loſe his own ſoul? or what ſhall a man give in exchange for his ſoul? As all fleſh is graſs, ſo all that fleſh luſteth after is no better. What kind of Merchants, what kind of Exchange-men are they, that will traffick or truck away their ſouls, for the profits or pleaſures of ſin? and 'tis for one of theſe that moſt, if not all men, traffick away their ſouls.

p. 908Secondly, Obſerve; When God dealeth m…ſt ſeverely with ſinners, he dealeth juſtly with them.

What rod ſoever he layeth upon their backs, what ſhame, what poverty, what ſickneſs he affl cts them with, It is but according to their folly, they have but their own, they have no reaſon to complain. The Prophet told the people of Iſrael, as one man, when under grievous affl ctions (Jerem. 4.18.) Thy ways and thy doings, have procured theſe things unto thee: Thou haſt no reaſon to complain, for thy puniſhment is of thy own procurement, that is, thy ſin is viſible in thy puniſhment, thou eateſt but the fruit of thy own doings, how bitter ſoever it is. Another Scripture ſaith (Num. 32.23.) Your ſin ſhall find you out, that is, you ſhall ſuffer according to what you have done, and reap what ye have ſowed. And is it not folly to ſow to the (corrupt) fleſh, when of the fleſh we ſhall reap corruption (Gal. 6.8.) The fleſh is a corrupt thing, and can yield us no better a thing than it is (the effect is like the cauſe) corruption, that is, a miſerable condition both here and hereafter, now and for ever.

Thirdly, Note; The Lord will not paſs by, nor ſpare, no not a godly man, when he ſinneth and repenteth not.

All this is included in the going of theſe men to Job. As if the Lord had ſaid, I will puniſh you Eliphaz, and Bildad, and Zophar for your folly, unleſs ye repent. They that are in a ſtate of grace, cannot expect favour from the Lord, unleſs they turn from their ſin, and give him glory by repenting and believing. Good men doing evil may ſuffer for it, as well as the worſt of men. The Lord will ſee a work of repentance and ſel…-humbling, a work of faith, looking to Chriſt the ſacrifice, elſe he will deal with them, even with them (as he threatned theſe good men) according to their folly.

But what was the folly of Eliphaz and his two friends, for which the Lord threatned to deal ſo ſeverely with them? The latter part of the verſe tells us, what God accounted and called their folly.

p. 909In that ye have not ſpoken of me the thing that is right.

The Lord had told them as much at the ſeventh verſe, My wrath is kindled againſt you, becauſe ye have not ſpoken of me the thing that is right. Here the Lo…d pointeth them to their ſin again, and layeth his finger afreſh upon the ſoar.

But why doth he ſo?

Take theſe three reaſons why. Probably the Lord repeated theſe words,

Firſt, To ſhew that he was very ſenſible of their ſin, in ſpeaking amiſs of him, and very angry with them for it. They provoked the Lord much, when they meaſured him, as it were by themſelves, or by their own meet-wand, in his ways of judgment, and procedure with Job; and therefore they muſt hear of it a ſecond time, or (as we ſay) at both ears.

Secondly, The Lord telleth them again of it, that he might faſten the ſenſe of their ſin more upon them. We very hardly take the impreſſion of our follies and failings, we are ready to let the thoughts of them wear off and ſlip from us; they abide not, but glide away as water from a ſtone, or from the ſwans-back, unleſs fixed by renewed mindings: and for this reaſon the Lord repeateth the mention of ſin ſo often, in the the ears of his people, by the miniſtry of his word, that the evil of it may more fully appear to them, or that they may the more clearly ſee, and the better know how bad, how baſe, how fooliſh a thing it is to ſin againſt him.

Thirdly, I conceive, the Lord repeated theſe words, to confirm the judgment which he had given before concerning them in thoſe wo…ds, Ye have not ſpoken of me the thing that is right. Quicquid in divino colloqui… re…etitur, robuſtius confirmatur. Greg. lib. 35. moral. c. 8.As if the Lord had ſaid, that which I ſaid before, I ſay again, I do not change my opinion, either concerning you or my ſervant Job; and therefore, I ſay it once more (the rep…ting of a matter is for the confirmation of it, as Joſeph told Pharaoh about the doubling of his dream.) Ye have not ſpoken of me the thing that is right, Like my ſervant Job.

Theſe words alſo are a repetition, yea, a triplication, and more than ſo, this is the fourth time, that the Lord hath called p. 910Job his ſervant, in the compaſs of two verſes, three times in this 8th verſe, and once in the 7th.

But what ſhould be the meaning of this? why did the Lord call Job his ſervant ſo often, even four times, as it were in one breath?

I anſwer, Firſt, It intimates that Job was the Lords ſteady ſervant, that what he was at firſt he was then at laſt, and what he had been long ago he was ſtill. Some have been called the ſervants of God, who have given it over in the plain field; but here the Lord calleth Job his ſervant, over and over, four times over, as being his ſure ſervant.

Secondly, It was to ſhew that as Job retained the ſame duty and reſpect to the ſervice of God, ſo God retained the ſame opinion of Job, and of his ſervice then as at firſt.

Thirdly, The Lord in repeating this relational title, ſervant, ſo often, would aſſure us that he knew not how (if I may ſpeak ſo) to ſpeak more honourably of him. The Lord gave no other title to Moſes (Num. 12.7.) nor to Caleb (Num. 14.24) nor to David (2 Sam. 7.5, 8.) The Lord did not ſpeak this ſo often, becauſe he wanted other titles to give him, or becauſe he had not variety of phraſes to expreſs himſelf by, but as if he knew not where to find a more honourable title. I grant that title of relation, Son, is more noble, and more endearing; but that is not at all ſpoken of in the Old Teſtament, nor is it given to any particular perſon in the New. Believers, as to their ſtate, are all the ſons of God; but no one believer is ſpoken, either to, or of, under this title, Son. The Apoſtle Paul ſtill called himſelf only a ſervant of God. He that is the Lords ſervant, is the beſt of free-men. We have enough to glory in, when we are his ſervants. The Hiſtory reports of the French King, That the Ambaſſador of the King of Spain repeating many great titles of his Maſter; the King of France commanded this only to be mentioned of him, King of France, King of France; implying, that this ſingle title King of France, was as honourable as that large roll of titles given the King of Spain. Thus the Lord calleth Job his ſervant, his ſervant, his ſervant, to ſhew that all honour is wrapt up in this word, A ſervant of God.

Fourthly, This repetition may ſignifie, That Job had been a very great, good, and faithful ſervant to the Lord; not only a ſervant, p. 911but a laborious and profitable ſervant to the Lord; ſo the Scripture calls thoſe who are laborious in his ſervice, though at beſt, as to the Lord, we are unprofitable ſervants, nor can any be profitable unto him.

Fifthly, The Lord multiplieth this title upon him, becauſe whatſoever a godly man doth, is ſervice to the Lord. This word ſervice is comprehenſive of all duties; to hear the Word is, to ſerve the Lord; to pray, to faſt, to give almes, is to ſerve the Lord all is ſervice to the Lord.

Job was every way a ſervant of the Lord.

Firſt, As he was a Ruler. To rule well in a family is to ſerve the Lord; to rule Nations is to ſerve the Lord much more. Job was a ruler, and he ruled well in both capacities, as was ſhewed in opening the 29th, 30th, and 31ſt chapters.

Secondly, Job was a great ſervant of the Lord, as he was a worſhipper.

Thirdly, Job was a great ſervant of the Lord, as he was a ſacrificer; he had the honour of the prieſt-hood.

Fourthly, Job was a great ſervant of the Lord, as a teacher of the truth; he had inſtructed many, as Eliphaz acknowledged (chap. 4.3.) And as he was a great ſervant of the Lord in teaching the truth, ſo in oppoſing error; he ſtood firm to his own opinion (the truth) againſt the tenent of his friends.

Fifthly, Job ſerved the Lord as he was a ſufferer. To ſuffer is very great ſervice, eſpecially (as he did) to ſuffer greatly. We ſerve the Lord as much with his croſs upon our backs, as with his yoke upon our necks, or his burden upon our ſhoulders. Job was a great ſervant of the Lords, as in holding forth the doctrine of the croſs, or maintaining that God afflicts his choiceſt ſervants; ſo in bearing the croſs himſelf.

Sixthly, Job was a great ſervant of the Lord in praying for his friends, and in being ſo willing to be reconciled to them; and therefore, the Lord having had ſo many ſervices of him, and ſo many ways, repeateth, my ſervant Job, my ſervant Job, as if he could not ſay this word often enough, My ſervant Job.

Thus we have the Lords command or charge given to Eliphaz and his two friends, what they muſt do for the quenching of that fire which was kindled in his breaſt againſt them, for their folly in p. 912dealing with his ſe vant Job. How they anſwered that command, will appear in the next words.

Verſ. 9. So Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite, went, and did according as the Lord commanded them: the Lord alſo accepted Job.

This verſe holds out the obedience of Eliphaz and his two friends, to the charge and command which the Lord gave them in the eighth verſe; where the Lord ſaid to theſe three men, Take to you ſeven bullocks and ſeven rams, and go to my ſervant Job, and offer up for your ſelves a burnt offering, &c. This Text anſwereth that command, they went, and did according as the Lord commanded them. Their obedience to the Lords command is deſcribed three wayes.

Firſt, by the ſpeedineſs of it; They went.

Secondly, by the exactneſs of it; They went, and did according as the Lord commanded them.

Thirdly, by the good iſſue and fruit of it; The Lord alſo accepted Job.

So Eliphaz the Temanit…, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite, went.

Theſe were the three perſons who had to do with Job in that long conteſt opened in the body of this book; theſe are the perſons againſt whom the Lords wrath was kindled, becauſe they had not ſpoken of him the thing that was right, as his ſervant Job; theſe were the perſons to whom the Lord gave command to b ing their ſacrifice to Job, and offer it up for themſelves, that reconciliation might be made; the…e perſons went, all three went: As all th ee were wrapt up in one fault, as all three were in the ſame ſin, ſo they all three joyned together and agreed in their obedience to the command of God, and in repentance for their ſin and faultineſs.

They went.

Having received a command to go, they did not tarry and ſtay to co…ſider whether they ſhould go or ſtay, they did not put in any demur to the matter, but went; which implyeth, firſt (as p. 913was ſaid) the ſpeedineſs of their obedience, they went preſently; ſecondly, the willingneſs of their obedience, their minds were in the work, as well as their bodies; thirdly, the cheerfulneſs of their obedience, they went as if they had been to take a pleaſing or pleaſant Journey. They went; and what did they? They went And did according as the Lord commanded them.

Their obedience was not only ſpeedy, and willing, and cheerful, but exact. Theſe words, They did according as the Lord commanded them, yield us a great example of full, of compleat obedience; they not only did what was commanded, but they did it as it was commanded, yea, and they did it becauſe it was commanded,Singulare e… emplum docilitatis et modeſtiae, ut qui etiam nec improbitate nec malevolentia ſed pet imprudentiam peccarunt. Bez. for that muſt come in to make up the fulneſs of our obedience. Here is then a great example of humility, of modeſty, of meekneſs, and of ſubmiſſion to the will of God, They went and did according as the Lord commanded them. What was that? They brought their ſacrifice, firſt, for kind, and ſecondly, for number, as the Lord had commanded them: The Lord commanded them to bring Bullocks and Rams; they brought them: The Lord commanded them to bring ſeven Bullocks and ſeven Rams; they brought them as the Lord commanded, both for kind and for number.

Secondly, They brought them to Job. The Lord ſaid, Go to my ſervant Job; they went to Job according as the Lord commanded them.

Thirdly, We muſt ſuppoſe they intreated Job to undertake the Office of a Reconciler, of a Mediator, of a Prieſt, between God and them, according as the Lord commanded. Though this piece of their ſubmiſſion and obedience be not expreſſed, yet it is intimated and implyed; nor could it be omitted, it being not only a part, but the principal part, of that duty which the Lord laid upon them. Thus in all things they ſubmitted and were obedient according to the command of the Lord.

Firſt, In that we have all three named here in this matter of obedience; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite, went,

p. 914Obſerve; It is very good in it ſelf, and very pleaſing to God, when they who have joyned in any ſin or miſcarriage towards himſelf or others, joyn readily together in ſhewing their ſorrow and repentance for it.

It was a bleſſed ſight to ſee thoſe three men coming as one man about this duty, not one of them drawing back, not one of them putting in any plea againſt the command of God. There are three things wherein it is very pleaſant to behold the people of God joyning in one.

Firſt, when they joyn or are one in Opinion and Judgment, when they all think the ſame thing, and are of one mind in the truth.

Secondly, When they joyne together and are one in affection, when they are all of one heart, though poſſibly they are not all of one mind, or, when they meet in affection, though not in opinion, (Pſal. 133.1.) Behold how good and how pleaſant it is, for brethren to dwell together in unity! And when David had ſpoken admiringly of this goodly ſight, he ſpake declaratively concerning the goodneſs of it (verſ. 2.) It is like the precious oyntment upon the head: 'Tis ſo, firſt, for the ſweetneſs of it; 'tis ſo, ſecondly, for the diffuſiveneſs of it (as followeth) that ran down upon the beard, even Aarons beard, that went down to the skirts of his garments.

Thirdly, (which is the matter in the text) it is a bleſſed thing to ſee them joyning together in duty, either as duty is conſidered

Firſt, in doing that which is good; or, when, as the Apoſtles word is (2 Cor. 6.1.) they are (among themſelves) workers together in any good work; we ſay (to fill up the Text) workers together with God. That's a bleſſed ſight indeed, when we joyne with God, and God joyneth with us in his work: It is alſo a bleſſed ſight, when all the Miniſters of Jeſus Chriſt, and any as members of Jeſus Chriſt, joyn in any good work, in this eſpecially, to beſeech all we have to do with, that they receive not the grace of God in vain.

Secondly, in turning from evil, and putting iniquity far from them; in praying for the pardon of ſin, and making their peace with God. In this work the three in the Text joyned together. p. 915'Tis a good work to turn away from evil, eſpecially when all who are concerned in it joyn in it. A great mourning is propheſied (Zech. 12.11, 12, 13.) And the land ſhall mourn every family apart; the family of the houſe of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the houſe of Nathan apart, and their wives apart; the Family of the houſe of Levi apart, and their Wives apart, &c. Here's a great mourning with a turning from ſin propheſied of, as alſo the manner of it; Every family ſhall mourn apart: But though they ſhall mourn apart, yet they ſhall all joyn in mourning; a whole family ſhall mourn apart, not a part of a family; and as the whole of a family ſhall mourn, ſo …ll the Families ſhall mourn and repent, and ſeek reconciliation to God, as if they were but one family, yea, but one perſon. As to joyn in ſin, and to be brethren in iniquity, is the worſt of unions, indeed a combination againſt God; ſo to joyn as Brethren in mourning for ſin, and repenting of our iniquities, is a bleſſed union, and highly pleaſing unto God.

Secondly, In that it is ſaid, They went and did as the Lord commanded,

Obſerve; When the Lord commandeth we muſt ſpeedily obey.

We muſt make no excuſe, no delay, we may not diſpute the commands of God, nor may we at all excuſe our ſelves from doing the commands of God: Theſe men did not ſo much as deſire to be excuſed; they ſaid not, it is true, we have failed, but it was through ignorance, or we had a good meaning in what we ſaid, we intended Job no hurt; may we not then be ſpared this coſt and trouble? we hear of none of this, but preſently they did as the Lord commanded. Though the command of the Lord be hard and very unpleaſing to fleſh and blood, yet we muſt ſpeedily obey it. The command which theſe men received was to fleſh and blood a hard command. Is it not hard to fleſh and blood,

Firſt, to confeſs that we have erred, and are out?

Secondly, Is it not hard to fleſh and blood? goeth it not againſt the grain, to ſubmit to one whom we have wronged?

Thirdly, Is it not hard to fleſh and blood, to honour whom we have reproached and thought light of? All theſe are hard meat to fleſh and blood, and we can hardly digeſt them (as was toucht p. 916before) yet theſe men without diſputes and delays went about the work. Abraham received a hard command from God, a far harder command to fleſh and blood than theſe men received: For, Firſt, they received a command to go and offer bullocks and rams in ſacrifice; but Abraham was commanded to offer his Son in ſacrifice. Secondly, He was to offer his only Son; that was harder. Thirdly, He was to offer his only Son Iſaac, whom he loved. A man may have an only ſon, who is a vexation and a trouble to him: but as he was a ſon, and an only ſon, ſo a ſon whom Abraham greatly loved; yet God layed this hard and grievous command upon him, Go and offer up thy ſon, thine only ſon Iſaac, whom thou loveſt, upon one of the mountains that I ſhall ſhew thee (Gen. 22.2.) When Abraham had received this command from God, to offer up his ſon for a ſacrifice, as theſe had received a command to offer up beaſts in ſacrifice; What did Abraham? He roſe up early in the morning (ſaith the text) and ſadled his aſs, and took two of the young men with him, and Iſaac his ſon, and went unto the place which God had told him. As here theſe men went, ſo Abraham went, he did not linger, nor lye long in bed, but roſe up early in the morning. This was an amazing work of obedience to the command of God, a very hard and grievous command of God. Abraham had ſhewed an eminent act of obedience to the Lord, before this offering up of his ſon; when God called him out of Ʋr of the Caldees, he went. The Apoſtle ſaith (Heb. 11.8.) By faith Abraham when he was called, to go out into a place which he ſhould after receive for an inheritance, obeyed, and he went out not knowing whither he went; he followed God as it were blind-fold. So the Apoſtle yeilded preſent obedience, he made no diverſions, no ſtop; When it pleaſed God (ſaid he) who ſeparated me from my mothers womb, and called me by his grace, to reveal his ſon in me, that I might preach him amongſt the heathen; immediately I conferred not with fleſh and blood, neither went I up to Jeruſalem, to them which were Apoſtles before me, but I went into Arabia, &c. (Gal. 1.15, 16, 17.) He conferred not with fleſh and blood, that is, neither with his own heart, or with his own intereſt, what would be ſafeſt and beſt for him, nor did he go to conſult with other men who were fleſh and blood, but followed his call. Whatever God commands we have nothing to do but to obey. As the Centurion ſaid (Mat. 8.9.) I am p. 917a man under authority, and I have ſouldiers under me; and I ſay to one, go, and he goeth; and to another, come, and he cometh; and to a third, do this, & he doth it: Such an obedience are we to yeild to the commands of God. The Apoſtle giveth a like charge concerning ſervants, with reſpect to all their maſters lawful commands (Tit. 2.9.) Exhort ſervants to be obedient unto their own maſters, and to pleaſe them well in all things, not anſwering again, that is, not gain-ſaying, or not contradicting, as the word may be tranſlated. When a ſervant receiveth a juſt command from his maſter, he muſt not contradict, he muſt not put in his advice, thus or thus, but follow the orders given him. Now, if Maſters on earth ought to receive, in all lawful commands, ſuch obedience from their ſervants, how much more is this due to our Lord and Maſter in heaven? eſpecially, if we conſider what the commands of the Lord are, under theſe three titles or attributes of them.

Firſt, They are all juſt and good. It is impoſſible for God to command that which is not right to be done, for his command maketh that right which is done, whatſoever it is; his will is righteouſneſs it ſelf, and the rule of it.

Secondly, His commands are not only juſt and good in themſelves, but they are good to us, they are given for our profit and benefit, it is our intereſt as well as our duty to obey them. In keeping them there is great reward (Pſal. 19.11.) yea, the keeping of them is a great reward. Do not my words (ſaith the Lord, Mic. 2.7.) do good to him that walketh uprightly?

Thirdly, The commands of the Lord are eaſie: That's the Apoſtles meaning, when he ſaith (1 John 5.3.) His commandements are not grievous. The Lord doth not put grievous things, nor heavy burdens upon his people. My yoke (ſaith Chriſt, Mat. 11.30.) is eaſie, and my burden light. Eaſie and light to a ſpiritual mind; to the new creature, though grievous to corruption, and burdenſome to the fleſh. Hard things are eaſie, and heavy things light to a ſutable mind; whereas eaſie things are hard, and light things heavy to a mind that is not ſo. Seing then the commands of the Lord are juſt in themſelves, good to us, and not grievous, he being our Soveraign, we ought ſpeedily to obey whatſoever he commands; and leaving off, or laying aſide all diſputes and excuſes, preſently fall upon the work which he at any time calleth p. 918us unto. This was commendable in Eliphaz and his two friends, They went and did as the Lord commanded them.

Thirdly, Obſerve; The Lords commands muſt be done as he commandeth them.

We may do what the Lord commandeth, yet not as he commandeth. The Lords commands muſt be done, as we ſay to a hair, to a tittle, they muſt be done exactly: It is not enough to do what God commandeth, but according as he commandeth. The As is remarkable. Not only muſt we do good, but we muſt do it in a good way, that is, in Gods way. Firſt, The matter muſt be according to his command. Secondly, The manner muſt be according to his command; and this a two-fold manner. Firſt, the external manner muſt be as the Lord hath commanded. David bringing home the Arke (2 Sam. 6.3.) they carried it on a new Cart, when it ſhould have been carryed upon the Levites ſhoulders; that was a failing in the outward manner of that work. Hence that confeſſion of David, when he undertook that work a ſecond time (1 Chron. 15.13.) The Lord made a breach upon us at firſt, for that we ſought him not after the due order. We muſt worſhip God aright, for the outward manner of his commands and inſtitutions, elſe we diſhonour him, while we intend to worſhip him. Secondly, The inward manner muſt be according to the command of God. 'Tis poſſible we may hit the outward form of worſhip, yet miſs in the inward manner of it. The Lord ſearcheth the heart, he knoweth what is within, and muſt be worſhipped in ſpirit and in truth (John 4.24.) that is, according to the truth of the rule made known in the word, and in truth of heart. The inward manner of worſhip is,

Firſt, That we worſhip in faith; Without faith it is impoſſible to pleaſe God (Heb. 11.6.) If we have not a juſtifying faith, yea, if we have not a perſwading faith (Rom. 14.5, 23.) that what we do is according to the will of God, our worſhip i… not according to what the Lord hath commanded, and ſo becomes ſin to us.

Secondly, That we worſhip in love. Though we do never ſo many holy ſervices to the Lord, if we do them not in love to him, we fail in the inward manner of our worſhip. The ſum of all the Lords commands, is, Thou ſhalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy ſoul, and with all p. 919thy might. It is not hea…ing and praying, but theſe in love, which is the fulfilling of the commandement. Every duty muſt be mixt alſo with love to man. We may do many things commanded to men, yet, if we do them not in love to men, we do nothing as the Lord commandeth. Thus the holy Apoſtle concluded peremptorily (1 Cor. 13.1.) Though I ſpeak with the tongue of men and angels, &c. and have not charity, I am become as ſounding braſs, or a tinkling cimbal; and though I beſtow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burnt, and have not charity, it profiteth nothing.

Thirdly, To do all that the Lord commands according to the inward manner, is to do all in humility; that is, Firſt, Acknowledging that we have no power of our own to do any thing; Secondly, That we have deſerved nothing, how much ſoever we have done, or how well ſoever we have done it.

Thus in doing the Lords commands we ſhould labour to anſwer the mind of the Lord fully, and to hit every circumſtance, to omit nothing, no not the leſt thing. Moſes (Exod. 10.16.) being to carry the people of Iſrael out of Egypt, would not compound the matter with Pharaoh: Ye may go ſaid Pharaoh (after he had been broken by ſeveral plagues) Only let your little ones ſtay; no, ſaith Moſes, that is not as the Lord hath commanded me. And at another time, he ſaid, Go, only let your cattle ſtay; no, ſaith Moſes, this is not as the Lord commanded, I will not leave ſo much as a hoof behind me. And ſo ſaid Moſes concerning the obſervances of the law, For, thus I am commanded, or this is as the Lo…d commanded, as we read all along the books of Exodus and Leviticus. We are not full in our obedience, till we obey fully. It is ſaid of Caleb (Num. 14.24.) He had another ſpirit, he followed the Lord fully, that is, as to matter and manner, as to out-ſide and in-ſide. Let us labour to be full followers of God; not out-ſide followers of God only, but in-ſide followers. Let us not reſt in the in-ſide, when we are not right in the out-ſide, nor pleaſe our ſelves with an out-ſide ſervice, when we are careleſs of the inward. Thus of their obedience, as conſidered in general, They did according as the Lord commanded.

Further, conſider their doing as the Lord commanded them in that ſpecial matter, their reconciliation, firſt to himſelf, and then to Job.

p. 920Hence Obſerve, Fourthly; What the Lord appointeth for our reconciliation, we muſt do, and we muſt do it as he hath appointed.

Cur te pudeat peccatum tuum dicere cum non pudet facere? Bernard. in Sentent. Erubeſcere mala ſapientiae eſt, bonum verò erubeſcere fatuitatis. Greg. l. 1. in Ezek. hom. 10.Though the means which God appointeth ſeem to us improbable and weak, though it be troubleſome and chargeable, as here the offering up of ſo many bullocks and rams, yet we muſt do it; Yea, though it put us to ſhame before men, by the acknowledgment of our errors and miſtakes, as here Eliphaz and his two friends alſo did, yet we muſt do it. They who are aſhamed of ſin, will not be aſhamed to acknowledge their ſin. But what muſt we do to be reconciled to God or ma…?

They who deſire reconcilion with God, muſt go out of themſelves, and go to Jeſus Chriſt; they muſt (as Eliphaz, &c. did) bring a ſacrifice to God, not (as they did) of bullocks and rams, but (which was ſhadowed by thoſe legal ſacrifices) the ſacrifice of Jeſus Chriſt himſelf, Who by one offering hath perfected for ever them that are ſanctified (Heb. 10.14.)

They who deſire reconciliation with man, muſt do that which God here appointed theſe men, go to him whom they have wronged, and acknowledge their error, or that they have wronged him; they muſt alſo deſire his pardon and prayers. Thus did theſe men, and they did as the Lord commanded for their reconciliation, firſt, to himſelf, and then to Job.

Fifthly, We may conſider this their obedience, as to the ſpring of it. What made them ſo ready, when the Lord commanded them, to go and do as he had commanded them? doubtleſs this was one thing, the men were now humbled, God had brought them to a fight of their ſin; Ye have not ſpoken of me the thing that is right; this they were made ſenſible of, and confeſsed, and ſo obeyed.

Hence, Obſerve; They who are truly humbled and touched, with a clear ſight and deep ſenſe of their ſins, will do whatſoever the Lord commandeth, and as he commandeth.

They who are made ſenſible of the wrath of God, deſerved by and kindled againſt them for their ſins, will do any thing which he commands for the obtaining of his favour. God may have p. 921any thing of an humble ſoul; had the Lord commanded theſe men to go to Job, and offer ſacrifice, before he had convinced them of their ſin, they might have flung away over the field, and not have kept the path of his commandments; but having humbled them they ſubmitted. When Peter had preached that notable Sermon, which prickt his hearers at the very heart (Acts 2.37.) Then they ſaid unto Peter, and to the reſt of the Apoſtles, men and brethren, what ſhall we do? They were not only ready to do what they were commanded, but did even ask for commands; What ſhall we do? They, as it were, threw down a blank, and deſired the Apoſtles to write what commands they would that tended to ſalvation; as if they had ſaid, we are ready to do what the Lord commandeth, and according as the Lord commandeth: Thus being made ſenſible of their ſins, and of the wrath of God, which they had provoked againſt themſelves, by crucifying the Lord of life, They cried out, what ſhall we do? We will ſubmit to any thing that is fit to be done. Saul, afterward Paul, came out with fury to perſecute the Diſciples of Chriſt; but the Lord having beaten him from his horſe to the ground, he trembling and aſtoniſhed, ſaid, Lord what wilt thou have me to do? (Acts 9.6.) He was fit to take any impreſſion, and to be moulded into any form, by the hand of God. They who have been made to know what it is to break commands, are willing to obey and keep them. This was the firſt ſpring of their obedience; God had humbled them.

There was a ſecond ſpring of their obedience, which will yield a ſixth Obſervation: For, as the Lord had convinced them of their ſin, ſo he had given them hopes of mercy in the pardon of it, and of reconciliation to himſelf. So much was intimated in that gracious counſel given them; Take unto you ſeven Bullocks and ſeven Rams, and go and offer up a burnt-offering for your ſelves, &c. This was a comfortable word, and doubtleſs they underſtood it ſo, and ſaid in their own hearts, God might have made us a ſacrifice, but he commands us to offer a ſacrifice. And what doth this ſignifie? Surely, that he will be gracious to us, and is ready to pardon us. Having theſe hopes of pardon, they went and willingly did what the Lord commanded, they went to Job, they ſubmitted to him whom they had contemned, they honoured him whom they had deſpiſed before.

p. 922Hence note; The intimations of mercy, and hopes of pardon, prevail mightily upon the ſoul of a ſinner.

The Lord did not only ſhew them their ſin, and terrifie them with kindled wrath, but ſhewed them a ſacrifice, and this preſently won upon them. The love of God is more conſtraining than his wrath; and hopes of pardon and ſalvation, than the fear of puniſhment and damnation: both have their effects, and are ſtrong motives, wrath and love, but the ſtrongeſt is love. As when the Apoſtle beſeeched the Romans (Rom. 12.1.) to preſent themſelves a living ſacrifice, he beſought them by the mercies of God: So when the Lord commanded theſe men to offer up ſlain beaſts in ſacrifice, hope of mercy was the motive. 'Tis mercy w^ch moves moſt effectually, to offer both our ſervices & our ſelves a ſacrifice unto God; that's the ſame Apoſtles argument again (2 Cor. 7.1.) Wherefore having theſe promiſes, let us cleanſe our ſelves (that is, uſe all means of cleanſing our ſelves, let us go to Chriſt for the cleanſing of our ſelves) from all filthineſs both of fleſh and ſpirit, perfecting holineſs in the fear of the Lord. The end of the Commandement is charity (1 Tim. 1.5.) that is, 'tis charity or love which gives the Commandement its end. What is the end of the Commandement? it is that we ſhould obey and fulfil it. To what end doth the Lord give us Commandements? it is that we ſhould keep them. Love is the end of the Commandement, as it gives the Commandement a compleating end. Now, whence comes our love, either to God or man? Surely from the manifeſtation of Gods love to us. So that, when the Lord manifeſteth his love to us, raiſing and confirming our hopes by promiſes, then our love appeareth in doing and keeping Commandements; and therefore, love is there joyned with faith unfeigned, a faith without hypocriſie or deceit. Now, the work of faith in God for pardon and reconciliation, is grounded upon a ſacrifice. Thus, as Evangelical obedience is better than legal, ſo mercy revealed in the Goſpel, quickens to obedience, more than wrath revealed in the Law. The ſight of mercy, and the ſenſe of the lov… of God, in ſending his own Son to be a ſacrifice for us, works more upon us, than if the Lord ſhould threaten to make us a ſacrifice, or to conſume us in the fire of his wrath for ever. It was the ſacrifice p. 923which made theſe men go to Job and humble themſelves, they perceived there was hope now, and that though they had failed, yet the Lord was ready to rece…ve them, and would not deal with them according to their folly, as he told them he would, if they did not (according to his command) go to Job with their ſeven Bullocks, &c. and offer up a burnt-offering. They went and did as the Lord commanded them.

But what came of it? how did they ſpeed? what was the iſſue of all? The Text ſaith, The Lord alſo accepted Job.

This may ſeem a ſtrange connection; they going and doing as the Lord commanded them, one would have thought, it ſhould be ſaid, And the Lord accepted them, whereas the Text ſaith only thus, The Lord alſo accepted Job.

But were not Jobs friends accepted? ſhall we think that they loſt their labour? not ſo neither; without all queſtion theſe three b…inging their ſacrifice according to the command of God, both for matter and manner, were accepted too: yet, becauſe it was at the requeſt and prayer of Job for them, therefore the Text ſaith not, The Lord accepted, but, The Lord alſo accepted Job;Accepit Jehova perſonam Jobi ſacerdotio jungentis nomine Chriſti ſacerdotis, & victimae ſempi…rnae noſtrae quam iſte figurabant. Jun. that is, he offering ſacrifice, and praying for them, they were accepted. This ſheweth us the great myſtery, or the ſum of the Goſpel; the Lord did not accept them in themſelves, but he accepted Job in ſacrificing for them, and all in Chriſt. And conſider, it is not ſaid, The Lord accepted the ſacrifice, or the prayer of Job, but, The Lord accepted Job; his perſon was accepted in and through the ſacrifice or interceſſion of Chriſt, and his ſacrifice and interceſſion for Eliphaz and his two friends were accepted alſo in him.

How the Lord teſtified his acceptance of Job, whether by conſuming his ſacrifice with fire from heaven, or by any other outward token of his favour, is not here expreſſed, and therefore to us uncertain; only this is certain, and that is enough for us to know, that God accepted him.

What it is to accept, was ſhewed in opening the former verſe.

In brief, to be accepted, is to have favour with God, our petitions anſwered, and the things done which we move or petition for. The Lord alſo accepted Job.

p. 924Rogavit Job & Dominus ignavit; profuit illis amicitia, quibus obſuit inſolentia Ambroſ. 3 Offic. c. ult.And when 'tis ſaid, The Lord alſo accepted Job, this implyeth, that Job did willingly undertake the ſervice and duty for his three friends. Though it be not ſaid, that Job offered ſacrifice and prayed for them, yet both are wrapt up and underſtood in this concluſion, The Lord alſo accepted Job. This gives evidence or witneſs to the goodneſs of Job, and his eminence in grace; how full of love, how ready to forgive was he! He did not inſult over Eliphaz, &c. nor ſay, now I have got the day, God hath determined the matter for me;Amicè ut amicos illos amplexus eſt. he did not tell them, ye have wronged and abuſed me, ye have unjuſtly cenſured and reproached me; but putting their unkindneſſes into oblivion, and laying aſide the thought of them, he laid out his ſoul to the utmoſt for the healing or making up of the difference (ariſing from their folly) between God and them.

For the better improvement of theſe words,

Firſt, Let us compare them with thoſe in the eighth verſe. Here it is ſaid, The Lord alſo accepted Job; and there the Lord ſaid, Him will I accept; there it is a promiſe, here a performance.

Hence note; Whatſoever the Lord promiſeth to do, he will certainly perform and do.

A word from God is as ſure as his deed; our hope upon promiſe, as good as poſſeſſion; In hope of eternal life, which God who cannot lye, promiſed before the world began (Tit. 1.2.) Chriſt will be Amen, that is, performance (2 Cor. 1.20.) to all the promiſes (2 Cor. 1.20.) As they are all made in him, ſo they ſhall every one of them, and in every thing, be made good by him, unto the glory of God by us; that is, we ſhall at laſt have abundant cauſe of glorifying of God, in performing and making good of all the promiſes, upon the undertaking of Jeſus Chriſt for us. No man ſhall fail of acceptance, that is under (as Job was) a promiſe of acceptation; get under promiſes, and you ſhall partake the good promiſed.

Secondly, Whereas upon their doing according as the Lord commanded, preſently it followeth, The Lord alſo accepted Job,

p. 925Note; Though the Lord will ſurely perform what he hath promiſed, yet if we would have the good promiſed, we muſt do the duty commanded, otherwiſe our faith is but preſumption.

If Eliphaz and his two friends had not done as the Lord commanded them, they could not rightly have expected God ſhould do what he promiſed, accept Job, and ſo themſelves. There are promiſes of two ſorts. Firſt, of preventing grace; theſe are made to the wicked and unconverted. Secondly, there are promiſes of rewarding grace; theſe are made to the godly, who muſt perform the duty commanded, if they would receive the mercy promiſed. As many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy (Gal. 6.16.) If you will have peace, you muſt walk according to rule; the Lord is not bound to fulfil promiſes, if we take liberty to break Commandements, or neglect to do them. And they who have true faith in the truth, and faithfulneſs of God to fulfil the one, can never take liberty to break the other. None are ſo ſure to the Command, as they who have fulleſt aſſurance in the Promiſe.

The Lord alſo accepted Job.

Here are but few words, yet much matter; and who knoweth how much mercy? Here is much, yea, all in a little, The Lord accepted Job.

Hence note, Thirdly; To be accepted of God, is the anſwer of all our prayers and deſires, a full reward for all our ſervices.

Acceptation with God is the happineſs of man, and ſhould be his ſatisfaction. If we are accepted in our ſervices, we are bountifully rewarded for them; and if our perſons are accepted, we ſhall be everlaſtingly ſaved. When the Lord accepted Job, he he heard his prayer for his friends, they were reconciled. This good news, The Lord alſo accepted Job, was enough to make their hearts leap for joy. Acceptation is a reviving word, the ſum of all that we can wiſh or pray for; 'tis enough & enough to confirm our faith, and to wind up our aſſurance to the very higheſt expectation of a ſupply to all our wants, and of pardon for all our ſins. All p. 926the kindneſſes of God are comprehended in this one word, Acceptation.

Fourthly, The Lord accepted Job. Here is no mention at all of accepting his ſacrifice, yet that was accepted too.

Hence note; The Lord having reſpect to our perſons, cannot but have reſpect to our ſervices.

If our perſons are accepted, our ſervices are; and if the ſervices of any are not reſpected, it is becauſe their perſons are not. 'Tis ſaid (Gen. 4.4, 5.) The Lord had reſpect unto Abel, and to his offering; but unto Cain and his offering, he had no reſpect. Reſpect or no reſpect to what is done, alwayes begins with the perſon of the doer.

Yet further, Job was accepted; but u…on what account? or how was Job accepted? not in himſelf, nor for himſelf, but in Chriſt the promiſed Meſſias.

Hence note, Fifthly; That any mans perſon is accepted, is from free grace, through Jeſus Chriſt.

When we have done all, we deſerve nothing, we are only accepted. The Lord accepted Job, not for his own ſake, not for the worth of his ſervice, not for the worthineſs of his perſon, but for him whom he in that action repreſented, and in whom he believed, Jeſus Chriſt. Job himſelf needed Chriſt for his acceptation; 'tis in and through him that any are accepted. The word Acceptance plainly implieth, that there is nothing of merit in us; acceptation notes grace and favour. This reſpect to us, is not for any deſert in us.

From the whole, we may infer, Firſt, If the Lord accepted Job when he offered ſacrifice, and prayed for his friends; how much more doth he accept Jeſus Chriſt, who offered himſelf a ſacrifice for ſinners, and ever liveth to make interceſſion for them, whoſe ſacrifice he is!

Did the Lord preſently accept Job and his friends, or Job for his friends? then what confidence may we have, that Jeſus Chriſt, p. 927who is our everlaſting ſacrifice and Advocate, who is entred into the holieſt, the Sanctuary of heaven, and there pleads for us with his own blood, is accepted for us, and we through him. Chriſts ſuit ſhall never be refuſed, nor ſhall we, while we come to God through him. This act of divine grace, was, as I may ſay, but a ſhadow or figure of that great work of Jeſus Chriſt, in reconciling ſinners, and making them accepted with the Lord; and therefore, as often as we pray, Chriſts everlaſting ſacrifice ſhould come to our remembrance, for the confirmation of our faith, and our encouragement againſt fears. We may argue down all our doubts about acceptation by Chriſt, upon this account, that Jobs friends were accepted at his ſuit, and their acceptation not bottom'd on him, nor in his ſacrifice, but as both ſhadowed Chriſt. Where the Reconciler is accepted, they that are in him, and for whom he makes requeſt, are accepted too. What the Lord ſpake from heaven (Mat. 3.17.) This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleaſed, reacheth all believers to the end of the world, whoſe head and repreſenter Chriſt is. Let us adore, and ever be thankful, that we have received ſuch grace in Chriſt; for, though Jeſus Chriſt in his perſon is of infinite worth, and his ſacrifice of ſo great a value, that it became a price ſufficient for the ranſom and redemption of all ſinners: yet, it was of free grace that Chriſt was made a ranſom for ſinners, and we accepted through him.

Secondly, Take this Inference: If the Lord be ready to hear a Job for his friends, then the Lord will much more hear a Job for himſelf.

That the prayers and ſupplications which Believers put up to the Lord, obtain mercy and good things for others, may ſtrengthen faith, that they ſhall obtain for themſelves.

Thirdly, We may infer, Job was become a great favourite with God, after his humiliation and ſelf-abhorrence.

He no ſooner fell out with himſelf for his former miſcarriages, but the Lord, as it were, fell in love with him afreſh. What a favourite was he grown, who could thus readily get an anſwer, and obtain favour for thoſe, againſt whom the Lord ſaid, My wrath is kindled?

p. 928Thus much concerning the judgment and determination of God in this matter, which put a period to the long continued controverſie between Job and his three friends, and reconciled both parties both unto God and between themſelves. O how bleſſed is the iſſue of the Lords Judgment and undertaking towards his ſervants and children! When once he was pleaſed to appear in the caſe, he ſoon ſilenced both ſides, and made them in the concluſion both of one heart, and of one mind.

And no ſooner was this humbling and reconciling work done and over, but reſtoring and reſtitution work followed, as will appear in opening the third and laſt part of this Chapter, which is alſo the laſt part of the whole Book.