Commentary on Ezra Nehemiah Ester Job and Psalms, Commentary 4 · Chapter 37
CHAP. XXXVII. Verſe 1. At this alſo my heart trembleth]
AT this? At what? at the thunder, whereof he had ſpoken before,Beza. Diodat. and more meant to ſpeak: and which he heard at that inſtant, (as it may ſeem by the next verſe) and therefore no wonder that his heart trembled, and was moved out of its place by an extraordinary palpitation, or (as the Tigurines have it) luxation. Thunder is ſo terrible, that it hath forced from the greateſt Atheiſt an acknowledgement of a Deity. Suetonius telleth us of Caligula, (that Monſter, who dared his Jove to a Duel) that if it thundred and lightned but a little, he would hood-wink himſelf: but if much, he would creep under a bed, and be ready to run into a mouſe-hole, as we ſay. Auguſtus Caeſar also was ſo afraid of thunder and lightning, that alwayes and every where, he carried about him the skin of a Sex-Calf, (which thoſe Heathens fondly held to be a preſervative in ſuch caſes) and if at any time there aroſe a great ſtorm, he ran into a dark vault. The Romans held it unlawful to keep Court Jove ton…nte, fulgurante, in a time of thunder and lightening, as Tully telleth us.De Divin. lib. 2. And Iſidore deriveth tonitru à terrendo, thunder from its terrour; and others, form its tone, or ruſhing craſhing noiſe, affrighting all creatures: At the voice of thy thunder they are afraid, Pſal. 104. which One, not unfitly, calleth Davids Phyſicks.
Verſe 2. Hear attentively the noiſe of his voice] Conjunctam commotione vocem ejus, the great thunder-crack that now is: that angry noiſe (as the word ſignifieth) Hear in hearing; you cannot but hear it with the eares of your bodies, hear it alſo with the eares of your minds; tremble and ſin not; contrary to the courſe of moſt men, who ſin and tremble not, drowning the noiſe of their conſciences, as the old Italians did the thunder, by ringing their greateſt Bells, diſcharging their roaring-Megs, &c. But what ſaith Elihu here to his hearers? Audite, audite, audite etiam atque etiam, contremiſcetis & vos, vos teſtes adhibeo, as Mercer paraphraſeth it out of Kimchi: Hear ye, hear ye, hear ye again and again, and then ye alſo will tremble. I take you to witneſſe; whether ye conſider his greater thunder-claps ringing and roaring in your eares (See Pſal. 29.4. & 87.7.) or the leſſer rumblings, called here, Murmur vel Muſſitationem, vel habitum, citra quem ſermo non profertur; the ſound (or breath) that goeth out of his mouth. Ariſtot. Pliny.All's aſcribed to God; though Naturaliſts tell us (and truly) that there are ſecond cauſes of thunder and lightning: wherein, nevertheleſſe, we muſt not ſtick, but give God the glory of his Majeſty, as David teacheth, Pſal. 29. and as blind Heathens did, when they called their Jove Altitonantem, the high Thunderer. The beſt Philoſophy in this point is to hear God Almighty by his thunder ſpeaking to us from heaven as if he were preſent: and to ſee him in his lightnings, as if he caſt his eyes upon us to ſee what we had been doing. His eyes are as a flaming fire, Rev. 1.14. and the ſchool of nature teacheth, that the fiery eye ſeeth Extra-mittendo, by ſending out a ray, &c.
Verſe 3. He directeth it under the whole Heaven] Heb. He maketh it to go right forward, meaning the thunder, the vehement noiſe or ſound whereof (not altogether unlike that of cloth violently torn, or of air thruſt out of bellows, or of a cheſnut burſt in the fire, but far louder) is brought through the air to our eares with ſuch a mighty force, that it drowns all noiſes, clappings, clatterings, roarings even of many waters; making the earth to ſhake again,Lavat. and all things tremble, non ſecùs quàm ſiquis currum onuſtum per plateam lapidibus ſtratam ducat; And this dreadful noiſe is by God directed to this or that place under the heavens, at his pleaſure. The word rendred (directeth) ſignifieth alſo Beholdeth; whence ſome interpret this text of Gods ſeeing all things under heaven. But the former ſenſe is better.
And his lightning unto the ends of the earth] God commands the lightning to cleave the clouds, and to ſcatter its flames through the world. Lightning is the brightneſſe of a ſhining flame, running through the whole air in a moment, riſing of a ſmall and thin exhalation kindled in a cloud; ſee Pſal. 18.13. The natural end and effect of thunder and lightning is, to clear the air by waſting poyſonous vapours. The ſupernatural is, to ſhew Gods excellent Majeſty and Might, which the Mightieſt muſt acknowledge, Pſal. 29.1, 2. to be his officers about him to make room for him, Pſal. 97.1, 4. to execute his wrath upon his enemies, Exod. 9.23.27. Pſal. 77.18, 19. 1 Sam. 2.10. Iſai. 29.6. and his mercy toward his people for the humbling of them, 1 Sam. 12.18, 19, 20, &c. raiſing them again to an aſſured confidence, Pſal. 29.11, &c. But that God can ſhoot theſe arrows of his ſo far, Mat. 24.27. Pſal. 77.18. & 97.3, 4. and here; yea, and that at the ſame time when it raineth, when one would think that the one ſhould quench the other, Pſal. 135.7. this is a juſt wonder: and Jeremy urgeth it twice, as ſuch, chap. 10.13. & 51.16.
Verſe 4. After it a voice roareth] After it, that is, after the lightning, it thundereth: indeed, before, or at leaſt together with it; but the lightning is ſeen before the thunder is heard, becauſe the ſenſe of hearing is ſlower than the ſenſe of ſeeing (thus fire is firſt ſeen in a Gun,Segnius irritant animos demiſſa per aures, &c. Horat. ere the report is heard; the Ax of the Wood-cleaver is up for a ſecond blow, ere we hear the firſt, if any way diſtant, &c.) And beſides, as R. Levi well obſerveth here, that the ſight of the lightning may come from heaven to us, there needeth no time; becauſe our eyes reach up thither in an inſtant: but that a ſound may come therehence to us (in regard of the diſtance, and becauſe the air muſt be beaten and many times impreſſed as into ſo many circles) there muſt be ſome ſpace of time; neither can it be done ſo ſuddenly.
He thundereth with the voice of his excellency] Or, of his height, or, of his pride. Proud perſons think themſelves high, and uſe to ſpeak big-ſwoln words of vanity, bubbles of words, as St. Peter calls them. If they be croſſed never ſo little, verbis bacchantur, & cum quodam vocis impetu loquunter, Oh the tragedies, the bluſters, the terrible thunder-cracks of fierce and furious language that follow thereupon. Some have been threatned to death, as Cornelius Gallus was by Auguſtus Caeſar: and Sir Chriſtopher Hatton Lord Chancellour, by Queen Elizabeth. How much more ſhould men quake and even expire before the thunder of the moſt high, or wriggle as worms do into their holes, the corners of the earth?
And he will not ſtay them, when his voice is heard] Them, that is, new flaſhes of lightning: or, rain and haile, which uſually break out either while it thundreth, or preſently after, in a moſt vehement, and impetuous manner.
Verſe 5. God thundereth marvellouſly with his voice] Or, God thundereth our marvellous things with his voice] Marvellous indeed, if we conſider the effects of thunder, lightning, and light-bolts, which differ from lightning in form only, and not in matter; and for the effects thereof Naturaliſts tell us ſtrange things: as, that by them the money hath been melted, without hurting the purſe; the Sword hath been broken within the ſcabbard, the wine hath been exhauſted within the barrel, the bones broke within the fleſh, &c. How various and marvellous the nature, generation, matter, form, effects of the thunder and thunder-bolt are, not only Seneca, Pliny, and other Meteorologiſts teſtifie, but daily experience ſealeth to the truth of it.
Great things doth he, which we cannot comprehend] As being above the reach of our ſhallow capacity: Or, which we will not know; ſo the Hebrew hath it: ſuch is our oſcitancy, or obſtinacy, that we will not take knowledge of Gods works of wonder, though they do even run into our ſenſes. This he conſtrueth for an high contempt; as a skilful Artificer would do when he hath ſet forth a curious piece to publick view, and none will take notice of it. God ſeemeth to have made the Meteors in ſuch great variety, that therein he might ſhew his own skill, and their imperfection.
Verſe 6. For he ſaith to the ſnow, Be thou on the earth] He commandeth it, and it is done; for together with his word there goeth forth a power. Dixiſſe Dei, eſt feciſſe, Pſal. 147. God giveth ſnow like wooll: Many wonders there are in ſnow: as that it ſhould be made in the loweſt part of the air, and not above where it is coldeſt: that it ſhould ſnow upon the earth, but never upon the ſea, as Pliny ſaith: that ſnow ſhould lye continually, not only upon the Alps, but upon mouth Aetna, where fire flames out: that no ſnow falleth in Egypt; but in Tartaria, a hot Countrey; ſometime it ſnoweth in the heat of Summer: that it ſerves for a cover to preſerve the earths heat, though it ſelf be cold: that being white, it ſhould ſometimes bring forth red worms, &c.
Likewiſe to the ſmall rain, and to the great rain of his ſtrength] Not a drop of rain, whether it come leaſurely or haſtily, but falleth by a divine decree, chap. 28.26. ſee the Note there. The Chaldee Paraphraſt underſtandeth here the Summer and Winter-rains. God ſheweth his ſtrength in a thing ſo weak, and diffluent of it ſelf, that thereby he may overturn and break in pieces the proudeſt of mens ſpirits: for whom alſo if they repent not, he hath a more terrible rain, Pſal, 11.6. overflowing with fire and brimſtone, Ezek. 35.22.
Verſe 7. He ſealeth up the hand of every man] i.e. He, by his great ſhowres, ſendeth men home for ſhelter, glad to intermit their work till better weather. See Exod. 9.19. The Hebrews call rain, Sagrir, Prov. 27.15. from ſhutting up: becauſe it keeps men at home, from travelling or working abroad.Vide Joan … Indag. Chiromancie findeth here no footing, whatever ſome have doated: as if God had ſet certain ſignes and notes in mens hands of what ſhould hereafter befal them; and this text is alleaged for proof; but abſurdly.
That all men may know his work] i.e. That they may take notice of Gods handy-work in ordering the ſeaſons: and have time to think on their domeſtick affairs.
Verſe 8. Then the beaſts go into dens] In rainy and ſnowy weather, the very wild beaſts, (as lively and luſty as they are, whence alſo they have their name in the Original) are glad to take harbour, and there to hold them till the ſtorm be over.
Verſe 9. Out of the South cometh the whirl-wind] Which is a wonderful wind indeed; foreign, the Greeks call it (as they do a like wind at ſea, foreign, the Marriners miſchief) the Latines Vorter, becauſe it turnes up trees by the roots, houſes by the foundation, Job. 1. And Turbo, as breeding great trouble; for which cauſe alſo Pope Ʋrban was called Turban. It ſuddenly ariſeth, and as ſuddenly ceaſeth, but doth much miſchief, and eſpecially in ſtrait and narrow places. In alluſion whereunto the Apoſtle would not have people to be wherried and whirled about, with every wind of Doctrine, Eph. 4.14. as unſtable ſouls uſe to be. Illebius for inſtance; who of a Proteſtant, firſt turned Antinomian, and afterwards a Papiſt. So the old Illuminates, boaſting at firſt of a certain Angelical purity, fell ſuddenly to the very counterpoint of juſtifying beaſtiality. For prevention of this pernicious lightneſſe,Spec. Europ. It is good (ſaith the Apoſtle) that the heart be eſtabliſhed with grace, Hebr. 13.9. That men be ſound in the faith, well principled, bottomed and ballaſted.
And cold out of the North] Heb. Out of the ſcattered winds. North-winds ſcatter the clouds,foreign. Hom. Odyſſ. clear the Skie, and ſo bring on faire cold weather. By Mezeri… here ſome underſtand certain Stars toward the North-Pole; Arcturus the Vulgar Latine rendreth it.
Verſe 10. By the breath of God froſt is given] Froſt is the exceſſe of cold by the blowing of the coldeſt winds, which are here called, The breath of God: theſe congeal the waters, and turn them into ice contracting them into a narrower room. Hence it is, that as any Countrey is more Northerly, ſo it is colder; the ſea alſo is frozen and unpaſſable.
And the breadth of the waters is ſtraightned] This the ſame again in other words, though ſome underſtand it of hail: when the broad-flowing water in the clouds by the force of the cold is narrowed up into hail. All this is of the Lord. Fides non in ordinem operis, fe… in authorem oculos ſuos dirigit, ſaith Brentius upon the Text: Faith ſeeth God in all.
Verſe 11. Alſo by watering he wearieth the thick clouds] That is, by ſhowring down of much rain he disburdeneth and diſſipateth them, ſeeme they never ſo thick and large. Theſe ſeeme to be troubled and tired …ut when as they are watering the earth, they are waſted and drawn dry by the heat of the Sun.
He ſcattereth his bright cloud] Heb. The cloud of his light; that is, the cloud by diſſolving whereof he reſtoreth light and fair weather, or the cloud which was covered over with lightning before, chap 36.30.
Verſe 12 And it is turned round about by his counſel] Vertit Dominus & revertit. The Lord turneth and returneth: letteth out, and bringeth back the clouds, as it were by a rope, at his own pleaſure: a Metaphor from Mariners, who skilfully manage the ropes of the Ship to beſt advantage. In like ſort the clouds are, by Gods cunning turned about in a circuit (as Beza rendreth it) that is in a round compaſſe or circle; they are not carried up and down the aire by and wandring and inconſtant motion: but they are, as it were, by certain Engines (ſo he maketh the Metaphor) of Almighty God, turned about at his own pleaſure, when and where he thinketh good to uſe them; for he beſt knoweth where is moſt need of raine, ſnow, &c. and therefore he by his wiſdome driveth them hither and thither, for the fulfilling of his purpoſe. Some refer this Text to the revolution of the Heavenly Orbs; which is alſo done by God.
That they may do whatſoever he commandeth them] A Metaphor like that Levit. 25.21. where God ſaith that he will command his bleſſing upon the ſixth year; and it ſhall bring forth fruit for three years. Now if the ſenſeleſs creatures ſo readily obey God, how much more ſhould we? And if he be Lord of Tempeſts, he is alſo of Diſeaſes and diſaſters. Chear up therefore, and ply the throne of Grace. He will ſee that all ſhall go well with his ſuppliants.
Verſe 13. He cauſeth it to come, whether for correction] Heb. For a rod. God hath his rods ſticking up in every corner of his houſe for chaſtiſement of his children, and they ſhall take it for a favour too,foreign Sept. Bern. Hebr. 12.7. r Cor. 11.32. Sinite vergam corr…pi…t…m, … …iutis m…lltum conterentem, ſaith an Ancient. he co… with the rod of correction, that ye feel not maul of confuſion. Better ſuffer immoderate raines and lightnings, then that terrible tempeſt, chap. 27.21. and the black flaſhes of hell fire, that foreign, as Plato calleth it; the fiery Lake, as the Scripture.
Or for his Land] i.e. His Church, Hoſ. 9.3, A Land that he watereth and watcheth over from one end of the year to the other, Deut. 11.12.. His vineyard cared for, and kept to himſelf night and day, Iſai. 27.3. Or, the earth at large, which is Gods great field, Pſal. 24.1. (as the Church is his fold, Pſal. 100.3.) and eſpecially that part of it which is deſert and uninhabited. There alſo God cauſeth his Sun to ſhine, and his raine to fall, Matth 5.45. Job 38.26, 27. That the wild beaſts alſo may have food.
Or for mercy] Some ſingular and extraordinary mercy, as 2 Sam. 21.10. 1 King. 18.45. Sive ad faciendum beneficentiam; or to beſtow his bounty, and to beſtow a largeſſe; as Princes ſometimes make a ſcatter of monies among the multitude. Clouds are Gods Store-houſes, which he eft-ſoons openeth to our profit, Deuter. 28.12. By them, he maketh a ſcatter of riches upon the earth; which good men gather, and bad men ſcramble for.
Verſe 14. Hearken unto this, O Job] Here Elihu by little and little draweth to a moſt wiſe concluſion bringing Job to this point, that as the wiſdome of God in theſe daily and ordinary works of Nature doth far exceed the reach & capacity of man ſo the ſhould much more conſider the ſame in this grievous calamity,Beza. Merlin. which was now befalne him. And for as much as he could not come to the knowledg of any other ſecondary and middle cauſes; he ſhould rather adore and reverence the ſecret counſel and purpoſe of God herein, then labour in vain, and without any profit at all to torment himſelfe in ſearching out that which is not poſſible for any man to underſtand. Which argument God himſelf doth at large moſt truly and divinely proſecute in the four following Chapters.
Stand ſtill and conſider the wondrous works of God] Conſiſte, conſidera, and that thou mayeſt ſee into theſe divine ſecrets, Non arrigend… ſunt aures caruis, ſed fidei, Prick up the eares of thy faith, which alone can skill of theſe myſteries; whereinto if thou haſt yet no inſight, and canſt not yet feel the juſtice, wiſdome and goodneſs of God in thy preſent ſufferings, it is for want of judgement▪ (as I ſhall evince in that which followes) it is becauſe thou haſt not mine eyes, ſenſes habitually exerciſed to diſcern good and evil, Hebr. 5. ult. Nicoſtratus in Elian, himſelf being a cunning Artiſan, finding a curious piece of work, and being wondred at by one, and asked, What pleaſure he could take, to ſtand gazing as he did on the Picture? anſwered, Hadſt thou mine eyes thou wouldſt not wonder, but rather be raviſh'd as I am, at the inimitable Art of this rare Piece. Elihu ſeemeth here to ſay as much to Job.
Verſe 15. Doſt thou know when God diſpoſed them?] Viz. Thoſe wondrous works of God in the Aire eſpecially; thoſe varieties of Meteors, the generation and motions whereof, the greateſt Philoſophers cannot perfectly find out by their natural cauſes, neither do they wel agree amongſt themſelvs concerning thoſe cauſes. For Anaximander holdeth one thing, Metrodorus another, Anaxagoras a third, Ariſtotle a fourth; let thoſe that have a mind to it, read their janglings and Diſputes in Plutarch, De placitis Philoſophorum. Now if no man (though never ſo wiſe) can underſtand the wondrous works of God in theſe common things of Nature; how can he comprehend his hidden works, hoc eſt, crucem, ſaith Brentius?
And cauſed the light of his cloud to ſhine] Or, That he may cauſe the light of his cloud to ſhine. Hereby he meaneth lightnings, iſſuing out of the moiſt and cold cloud ſay ſome, the Rainbow, ſay others, that wonderful work of God (fained therefore by the Heathens to be the daughter of Thaumantias, Plato.or of wonderment) which is full of wonders, witneſſe the beautiful ſhape thereof, and various colours, with their ſeveral ſignifications, as ſome conceive: the ſeveral Prognoſticks; viz. Of rain in the morning, of fair weather in the evening, as Scaliger concludeth; the form of it a bow, which yet never ſhooteth any man unleſſe it be with aſtoniſhment and love, &c. God puts his bow in his hand (ſaith Ambroſe on Geneſ. 9.13) not his arrow, but his bow, and the ſtring of the bow is to us-ward. The Jewes conceit that the name Jehovah is written on the Rainbow, and therefore they no ſooner ſee it, but they hide their eyes, confeſſe their ſins that deſerve a ſecond deluge) celebrate Gods great goodneſs to mankind, &c. Some by the light of Gods cloud, here underſtand the Sun-ſhine through the clouds, cauſing it to clear up. Now who can certainly foretel rain or fair weather? Some Learned men have ſpent much time and pains in Aſtronomy to get skill in prognoſticating, but could do little good of it: when they foretel a faire day, it commonly raineth, and the contrary. The Country mans Prognoſticks, the Shepherds Calender, hold better for moſt part, then the Predictions of theſe Artiſans.
Verſe 16. Doſt thou know the balancings of the clouds?] i.e. How they are hanged up even in the aire, like Architas or Archimedes his Pigeon, equally poiſed with their own weight. But how they are upheld, and why they fall here, and now, we know not, and wonder. Some Naturaliſts tell us, that the clouds are upheld by the heat of the Sun: but thats more then they can tell, and there is much to be ſaid againſt it. Wherefore it is better for men to confeſſe their ignorance, then ſo peremptorily to pronounce of things they know not. Let it be proper to God to be perfect in knowledge. It was too much that ſome aſcribed to Tertullian, to Hierom, to Toſtatus and ſome others, that they knew all that was knowable.
Verſe 17 How thy garments are warme, when he &c.] Canſt thou give a reaſon of the extreme heat that is about the Summer-Solſtice, when the warm South-winds blow ſo gently, that they are ſcarce felt at all, and thy cloathes heated by thy body are a burden to thee, ſo that thou art ready to caſt them off, and but for common honeſty, thou couldſt go naked? Brentius thinks, That although one of the winds only is here inſtanced, yet the diſpoſing of them all is intended; wherein much of God may be ſeen: for it is he alone, who holdeth them in his fiſt, hideth them in his Treaſures, ſendeth them out as his Poſtes, rideth upon them as his Chariot, 2 Sam. 22.10. Pſal. 104.3. checks them at his pleaſure (whence they concluded Chriſts Deity, Matth. 8.27.) makes them pace orderly appointing them their motion, &c. chap. 28. Nos motum ſentimus, modum neſcimus, Joh 3.8. Thou heareſt the ſound of the wind, but knoweſt not whence it cometh, nor whither it goeth. Now if in theſe common matters men are ſo blind, how much more in the deep judgements of the moſt High?
Verſe 18. Haſt thou with him ſpread out the Skie?] He had convinced Job of his ignorance, and now he will of his impotence and imbecility: and this by an irony; q.d. Tunè ille giga…es? Art thou indeed that Gyant or Demi-god that helped the Almighty when he ſpred the heavens, when he laid the foundation of the earth, &c? Age itaque ſi tantus vir es, quantum te oſtentas, &c. Go to then, if thou be indeed ſuch an one as thou wouldſt ſeem to be, whiles thou takeſt upon thee to be, viz. to contend with God, and to complain of his hard dealing with thee, Teach us what we ſhall ſay unto him, &c. as ver. 19. for we dare not, as thou haſt done, dare him to come into the liſts with us, as hoping to have the better of him.
Which is ſtrong.] Not by reaſon of any hard maſſie Elemental thickneſs, but by reaſon of their airy,Diod. incorruptible, indiſſoluble nature, compoſed of very thin and even parts. Hence the Greeks call it, foreign, and the Latines Firmamentum. See the Note on Gen. 1.7.
And as a molten Looking-glaſs] Perſpicuum & ſapphirinum, clear and tranſparent as a mirrour wherein God maketh himſelf viſible,R. Levi. as it were; who, of himſelfe is too ſubtle for ſight or ſinew to ſeize upon. The Hebrew hath it, which is ſtrong as a molten Looking-glaſſe; i.e. as a poliſhed brazen Looking-glaſs, being more ſolid then braſs more tranſparent then chriſtal.
Verſe 19. Teach us what we ſhall ſay unto him] A notable ſcoffe, a ſharp ſarcaſme. Verba ſunt urgentis & inſultantis; q d. Velim ut è tot argumentis, cap. 23.4. aliqua nunc proferas, I would that thou wouldſt bring out ſome of thoſe many Arguments thou didſt brag of: for we are at a fault; neither can we (ſuch is our ignorance) find what to ſay in thy juſt defence, had we never ſo good a mind to it.
For we cannot order our ſpeech by reaſon of darkneſſe] We are benighted and word-bound, forced to acknowledg our ignorance our infancy, and to complain, (as Anaxagoras afterwards did) omnia eſſe circumfuſa tenebris; and (as Empedacles) anguſt as eſſe ſenſuum ſemitas, that we are far to ſeek of what to ſay in this caſe, and ready to think that ſilence would be our ſafeſt eloquence.
Verſe 21. Shall it be told him that I ſpeak] An in acta referetur …i, ſi loquar? Shall it be recorded before him, &c? q.d. Then wo be to me, for I am ſure to rue it, yea, and (without mercy) to be ruined for it. Did not Enoch the ſeventh from Adam propheſie long ſince, ſaying, Behold the Lord cometh to execute judgment upon all, and to convince them of all their hard ſpeeches which ungodly ſinners have ſpoken againſt him, Jude 14, 15.
If a man ſpeak, ſurely he ſhall be ſwallowed up] If he ſpeak in thy behalf, or after thine example, preſuming to controle Gods works, and to quarrel his proceedings as thou haſt done, he is ſure to be undone. Some read the words thus, For if he ſpeak man ſhall be devoured; That is, if God ſpeak, man (who before he cometh to ſpeak, thinks that he ſhall be able to reaſon with him) ſhall be quite confounded, and his words, as it were, ſwallowed up by his profound wiſdome; and he made unable to ſpeak one word for himſelf. Wherefore let all f…ſh be ſilent before the Lord; for if any preſume to chat againſt his judgements, he ſhall have his words driven down his throat again by a divine vengeance, Cave ne lingua feriat collum, Take heed thy tongue cut not thy throat, ſay the Arabians Proverb-wiſe.
Verſe 21. And now men ſee not the bright light that is in the clouds] It ſeemeth ſaith an Expoſitor, that at that very inſtant the cloudy weather, did begin to clear up, and that thereupon Elihu took occaſion to ſpeak theſe words,The Sun is called Light by an excellency: the Egyptians call him Orus, from the Hebrew, Or. q.d. Thou art not able to look into the body of the ſhining Sun, quia nimium ſenſibile laedit ſenſum; How much leſſe canſt thou behold God in his glory, in compariſon of whom, the Sun in his ſtrength is but as a clod of clay? Hereafter we ſhall ſee God as he is, ſee him face to face, 1 John 3. See as we are ſeen, &c. but here we can ſee his back parts only and live, Exod. 33. Surely out of what Elihu had hitherto ſaid Job ſhould have reaſoned thus with himſelf, I cannot bear the force of a flaſh of lightning, of a clan of thunder, of a violent ſhowre, of an overturning whirl-wind of an extreme froſt, of the out-ſhining Sun, &c. how much leſſe of God in his Majeſty?
Verſe 22. Fair weather cometh out of the North] Heb. Gold cometh, &c. Serenitas aur ſimilis. Tig.that is, the golden beames of the Sun, as golden Oyle, Zech. 4.12. The North-wind alſo cleanſeth the clouds, and ſhewes us the pleaſant face of the Sun, that Gold-maker; all whoſe rayes come tipt and gilt with a gliſtering glory upon them.
With God is terrible Majeſty] Far beyond that of the Sun, or of the moſt dread Soveraign upon earth: be it an Auguſtus Caeſar, or a terrible Tamberlane, Turk. hiſt. 23… & 415.in whoſe eyes ſate ſuch a rare and reverend Majeſty; as a man could hardly endure to behold them, without cloſing his own. The Tigurines render it, Ad Deum reverendiſſimum pertinet confeſſia, To the moſt reverend God belongeth praiſe. Others by way of Doxology, Ʋnto God be reverend Majeſty; a fit percloſe of Elihu's excellent Diſcourſe. It was the laſt ſpeech of dying Chryſoſtom, Glory be to God from all creatures. Let it be the badge of the Beaſt, Laus Deo, & beatae Virgini. Cry we, Deus terribilis laudeter, as Brentius rendreth this Text, Let God alone be praiſed.
Verſe 23. Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out] Heb. The Almighty; the Nominative Caſe put abſolute; q.d. in ſhort, as for the Almighty (that nomen Majeſtativum, as Tertullian phraſeth it) we cannot comprehend him, any more then we can the main Ocean in a cockel ſhell. And whereas we can ſay, as here, that he is excellent in Power, and in Judgement, and in plenty of Juſtice,Auguſt. Iſta de Deo dicimus, quia non invenimus melius quod dicamus; We ſay theſe things of God, becauſe we have nothing better to ſay of him, and muſt owe the reſt unto our thoughts, although indeed, He is above all name, and above all notion. In ſearching after God, ſaith Chryſoſtom, I am like a man digging in a deep Spring, I ſtand here, and the water riſeth upon me, and I ſtand there, and ſtill the water riſeth upon me. To Thomas Aquinas buſie in this ſearch, was ſhewed (they ſay) a deep pit in the edge of the ſea, (which empty it, and carry away the water as oft as they will,) it is ſtill filled with other. It is a knowledge that paſſeth knowledge, Eph. 3.19 That which in meaſure is pleaſant and profitable, being too much enquired into, proves unſavoury and unſafe.
He will not afflict] viz. Willingly. Lam. 3.33. or canſleſly, 1 Pet. 1.6. Or He will not anſwer; viz. Every one that queſtioneth the juſtice of his proceedings as Job in his heat had done. The Seventy render it queſtion-wiſe, will he not anſwer? ſcil. Thoſe that call upon him in truth, ſith he is excellent in power and in judgmen, &c? Sure he will.
Verſe 24. Men do therefore fear him] They do, or ſhould do, for his excellent greatneſſe and goodneſſe, Pſal. 130.4. Matth. 10.28. But in caſe they do not
He reſpecteth not any that are wiſe of heart] That out of a conceit of their owne wiſdome ſtand it out againſt him, and think to reaſon it out with him, as thou haſt done. Or, But he ſeeth not all wiſe in heart: He findeth not all wiſe, whom he beholdeth here upon earth. Stultorum plena ſunt omnia, and thou alſo haſt dealt very fooliſhly, as God hath ſeen and will ſhortly ſhew thee better then I can do.