A35535:1765
An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty second, the thirty third, and…An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the thirty second, the thirty third, and…
An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty second, the thirty third, and the thirty fourth chapters of the book of Job being the substance of forty-nine lectures / delivered at Magnus near the Bridge, London, by Joseph Caryl ...An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the thirty second, the thirty third, and the thirty fourth chapters of the booke of Job being the substance of forty-nine lectures / delivered at Magnus neare the Bridge, London, by Joseph Caryl ...
London: printed by M. Simmons, 1661
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
He will render unto man.
It is an indefinite assertion, not to this or that man, but to man. With God there is no respect of persons, but he that worketh righteousness (let him be who he will) is accepted of him. To man, that is, to every man God will render his righteousness.
Righteousness is of two sorts; First, There is the righteousness of our sanctification, which consists; First, in our turning from or leaving to do evil; Secondly, in our doing good: this is a righteousness wrought by us and dwelling or inherent in us. The Hebrews by this word often express that which we call alms or charity; and the reason is two-fold, why alms or acts of charity are expressed by that word which signifieth righteousness; First, because our charity or our alms must be given of those things that are rightly gotten. We must not do unjustly that we may be charitable, nor wrong some to relieve others. Secondly, because charity and alms is a due or right to the poor that are in want; we call it charity, but it is a work of duty (Prov: 3.27.) therefore 'tis well expressed by righteousness. He shall render unto man his righteousness or beneficence. We may take it in this ⟨p. 438⟩large sense; for this also is a part of our sanctification. And when it is said, he will render unto man his righteousness, we are not to understand it of righteousness in kind, but of the reward or fruit of his righteousness. For here Elihu speaks of a person already righteous, or at least of him who had repented of and turned from his unrighteousness. So that, to return or render unto man his righteousness, is to return the mercy promised to those that are righteous.1 For as iniquity or unrighteousness is often put for the punishment of unrighteousness; so equity or righteousness is often put for the reward of righteousness, or for that which God according to his righteous promise returns unto a righteous person. Thus we may understand Elihu here. As if he had said, God dealt with this man before, as with a sinner, or he afflicted him for his sin; But now he will deal kindly with him as with a righteous person, and removing his affliction, and taking his hand off from him, he will render his righteousness to him, he will not reckon with him for any former unrighteousness.