Mark in what a condition Job was, when he speaks thus honourably of the name and power of God. One would think, Job had little reason to extol the power of God, which he felt to his own smart; Job was stripped of all he had, his outward comforts were taken from him, and the arrows of the Almighty wounded his very spirit. Now when he had wounded Job through and through, through flesh and through spirit, even at this time, when God appeared, making no use of his power but to undo Job, Job is in his Encomium, all in the praise and commendation of God. He indites a Chapter on purpose to set forth the power and wisdom of God, while he employed both to make his afflictions both great and accurate. This shows the admirable frame of his spirit; in all his distempers his heart stood right, and he would speak good of God, what evil soever ⟨p. 223⟩befell him from Gods hand. Let God afflict with his power, yet a gracious heart rejoices in it. A gracious heart will lift up that power which weakens and throws it down. Let the Lord employ his wisdom to undo, to impoverish such a man, to bring him into such straits that he cannot get out, yet he hath enlarged thoughts of that wisdom, He sees God is as wise in troubling us, as he is in delivering. That language of Spira, is the right language of hell (I judge not his person, but his speech) who in a great temptation spake thus, I would I had more power then God, or, O that I were above God. He was angry that God had so much power, because God used his power against him. A carnal man would be above God: especially, if God at any time puts forth his power against him. When he is hard bestead and hungry, he frets himself and curses his King and his God, looking upward (Isa. 8.21.) to murmur at God, not to pray unto him, or speak good of him.1 It is observed by one of the Ancients concerning the Heathen, That if God did not please them, he should be no longer God. Such are our hearts by nature, if God do not use his power, wisdom, mercy for us, we presently wish he had no power, wisdom, nor mercy for any in the world; we would be above God, unless God will serve us: but an holy heart saith thus, Let God improve his power and wisdom which way he pleaseth, if to afflict and chasten me, yea to destroy and cast me to hell, his be the power for ever, I extol his power.
Mark in what a condition Job was, when he speaks thus honourably of the name and power of God. One would think, Job had little reason to extoll the power of God, which he felt to his own smart; Job was stript of all he had, his outward comforts were taken from him, and the arrows of the Almighty wounded his very spirit. Now when he had wounded Job thorow and thorow, thorow flesh and thorow spirit, even at this time, when God appeared, making no use of his power but to undo Job, Job is in his Encomium, all in the praise and commendation of God. He endites a Chapter on purpose to set forth the power and wisdom of God, while he imploied both to make his afflictions both great and accurate. This shews the admirable frame of his spirit; in all his distempers his heart stood right, and he would speak good of God, what evil soever ⟨p. 223⟩befell him from Gods hand. Let God afflict with his power, yet a gracious heart rejoices in it. A gracious heart will lift up that power which weakens and throws it down. Let the Lord imploy his wisdom to undo, to impoverish such a man, to bring him into such straits that he cannot get out, yet he hath enlarged thoughts of that wisdom, He sees God is as wise in troubling us, as he is in delivering. That language of Spira, is the right language of hell (I judge not his person, but his speech) who in a great temptation spake thus, I would I had more power then God, or, O that I were above God. He was angry that God had so much power, because God used his power against him. A carnall man would be above God: especially, if God at any time puts forth his power against him. When he is hard bestead and hungry, he frets himself and curses his King and his God, looking upward (Isa. 8.21.) to murmur at God, not to pray unto him, or speake good of him.1 It is observed by one of the Ancients concerning the Heathen, That if God did not please them, he should be no longer God. Such are our hearts by nature, if God do not use his power, wisdom, mercy for us, we presently wish he had no power, wisdom, nor mercy for any in the world; we would be above God, unles God will serve us: but an holy heart saith thus, Let God improve his power and wisdom which way he pleaseth, if to afflict and chasten me, yea to destroy and cast me to hell, his be the power for ever, I extoll his power.
- 1Tertullian. Illud est impiorum ingenium, ut Deum non ulterius celebrent, quam cum benefacit. Fer.
