Exposition of Job, Exposition of Job · Chapter 36 · Verses 24-25
Verſe 24. Remember that thou magnifie his work, which men behold.
25. Every man may ſee it, man may behold it afarr off.
The third Proof of the greatneſs of God is taken from the conſideration of his moſt obvious works, wherein it doth clearly ſhine. In proſecution whereof,
1. He generally propounds the Proof, ver. 24, 25.
2. Being to clear it by particular inſtances, he premits and repeats his Propoſition, concerning the greatneſs of God, to keep Job in mind of his ſcope, ver. 26.
3. He confirmeth this truth by many particular inſtances, v. 27 — 33. and in the next Chapter.
In theſe Verſes he propounds his Proof, That even Gods obvious works (not his work and diſpenſations toward Job, which the beholders do remark, as ſome underſtand the words, but his common works, which are ſeen by all) are to be magnified. And the force of the Argument is, If there be ſo much to be admired and magnified, even in his common works; How much leſs can men comprehend his myſterious Providence in ſome particular diſpenſations about his people? This Argument is,
1. Propounded by way of counſel unto Job, that he ſhould magnifie Gods work. Whereby he ſheweth his friendlineſs to Job, in giving him ſo warm an advice; whence alſo it is, that he inſiſts to give ſo many inſtances to confirm this Argument, in the following Diſcourſe.
2. It is amplified, that this work, which he deſires Job to magnifie, is a work which men do behold, and every man may behold it afarr off. Whereby he not only clears what works they are he is ſpeaking of, even works which are obvious to all; But quickens him to magnifie them, conſidering that all men take ſome notice of them; or, do ſing of them, as the Vulgar Latine reads it. And for mens beholding theſe works afarr off, it may further amplifie the matter, that men ſee and take notice of theſe works, even at a diſtance from them (as the Sun and Clouds, &c. are diſcerned and noticed by men, though they be at a great diſtance above them, of which after) Or, they ſee his hand in them, even afarr off, or, at firſt view, and though they be not very attentive. But further, though thoſe be truths, yet the phraſe ſeems chiefly to import, that, though they ſee ſomewhat of God in them, yet they do not ſee them perfectly, but as men ſee things at a great diſtance, and ſo it points out that there is more in them than they ſee.
From theſe Verſes, Learn, 1. Much of God is to be ſeen, even in his ordinary working; For, that is the work, or operation of God, which is here propounded as a proof of his greatneſs. And though the word be ſingular, yet it relates not to any one work only, but to many; as the following inſtances do clear, and it holds true alſo of all of them. See Pſ. 19.1, 2. Rom. 1.19, 20.
2. Gods greatneſs, as it ſhines in his ordinary operations, ought to be magnified and exalted, and not ſlighted, becauſe theſe works manifeſting it are common and ordinary; For, ſaith he, Magnifie his work.
3. It is ſpecially required of men, when they are diſtempered in their own particular caſes, that they ſtudy Gods works in general, wherein they are leſs concerned; Whereby they may be inſtructed in good principles concerning God, which will be of uſe to clear their miſtakes about their own condition: Therefore, by way of diverſion, he draws Job to the ſtudy of the common works of Providence, which might help to ſend him back in a better frame to judge of his own caſe, and he might thereby be excited to aſcribe that glory to God which he had endeavoured to obſcure by his complaints.
4. Men are, ordinarily, great neglecters of Gods ordinary works; and, particularly, Saints in a diſtemper are prone to ſtudy nothing which may help to clear them, but do lye ſtill poring upon their own condition, whereby they do but heighten their diſtempers; For, here there is need to bid Job remember this to magnifie his work.
5. It is a great proof of love and kindneſs to wait upon diſtempered friends, and to ſweeten reproofs with ſeaſonable advices; For, inſtead of arguing, he lovingly adviſeth Job, and wakens him out of his dreams, Remember that thou magnifie his work.
6. As it is the common duty of all men to ſtudy Gods works, and all men have ſome ſight and knowledge of them; So this, ſhould be a ſpurr in the ſide of the godly, to quicken them to diligence; For, this is a motive to excite Job to this duty, that it is a work, which men behold, every man may ſee it. Not only are the works in themſelves obvious and viſible, but ſomewhat is ſeen of them, and in them, by every ordinary obſerver; and therefore Job ſhould be careful to magnifie him.
7. It ſpeaks the frailty of men (whoſe name is Enoſh, here, v. 25.) and the depths and rich treaſures that are, even in Gods ordinary works, that, however all men ſee ſomewhat of them, even afarr off; yet they cannot reach or take them up fully: For, Man may behold them, but afarr off. The ſame may be ſaid of our ſpiritual knowledge in this life, 1 Cor. 13.12. And if this hold true of the moſt ordinary and obvious works of God, much more are ſome particular acts of his Providence incomprehenſible.