Nor shall I more than mention that apprehension of some Rabbins, who thus give out a 4th sense or interpretation of the words; whereas we say, As touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out, 1he is excellent in power, and in judgement, &c. They say thus, although the Almighty be great in power and in judgment, and plenty of justice, yet we find him not so; That is, we do not find him putting out the greatness of his power, or the exactness of his justice, in the commands wch he hath laid upon us, or in the duties wch he hath required of u•; he doth not over-burden us, nor exact hard things of us. And they instance in the rules which God gave about offerings and sacrifices; he required (say they) of some only a turtle dove, or a pair of young pigeons, of others but a lamb, or a bullock, such things he required for sacrifice as were of easy price, and might easily be obtained, he did not put us upon the getting of strange and rare beasts, as Buffs, or Unicorns, or any sort of creature which may put us to much pains in getting them, or to much expense in buying them. And as in these, so in other things God hath graciously condescended to our weakness, as appears every where in the Law. Thus the Jewish Writers make out their translation: and though it be a truth, that in one sense the Ceremonial Law was (as St Peter, in that council at Jerusalem declared Acts 15.10) A Yoke, which neither they nor their fathers were able to bear, yet there was much favour mixed with it, which caused the Lord to appeal in that point to their own consciences, or to make themselves the Judges (M•ch. 6.3.) O my people, what have I done unto thee, or wherein have I wearied thee? testify against me. And as God, though great in power, did not over-lay the Jews, so much less hath he over-laid us Christians with duty (1 Joh. 5.3) His Commandments are not grievous. And Christ said of his yoke and burden (Mat. 11.10) My yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Christ may lay what burdens he pleaseth upon us, but he is not pleased to lay any grievous burdens upon us. This therefore is a ⟨p. 637⟩truth, both as to them and us, yet I conceive it beside the design of Elihu in this place, and I only mind the Reader of these different interpretations, of all which some good improvement may be made. So much of this verse: The whole discourse of Elihu concludes in the next.
Nor shall I more than mention that apprehension of some Raboins, who thus give out a 4th sence or interpretation of the words; whereas we say, As touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out, 1he is excellent in power, and in judgement, &c. They say thus, although the Almighty be great in power and in judgment, and plenty of justice, yet we find him not so; That is, we do not find him putting out the g•eatness of his power, or the exactness of his justice, in the commands wch he hath laid upon us, or in the duties wch he hath required of u•; he doth not over-burthen us, nor exact hard things of us. And they instance in the rules which God gave about offerings and sacrifices; he required (say they) of some only a turtle dove, or a pair of young pigeons, of others but a lamb, or a bullock, such things he required for sacrifice as were of easie price, and might easily be obtained, he did not put us upon the getting of strange and rare beasts, as Buffes, or Unicorns, or any sort of creature which may put us to much paines in getting them, or to much expense in buying them. And as in these, so in other things God hath graciously condescended to our weakness, as appears every where in the Law. Thus the Jewish Writers make out their translation: and though it be a truth, that in one sense the Ceremonial Law was (as St Peter, in that council at Jerusalem declared Acts 15.10) A Yoak, which neither they nor their fathers were able to bear, yet there was much favour mixed with it, which caused the Lord to appeale in that point to their own consciences, or to make themselves the Judges (M•ch. 6.3.) O my people, what have I done unto thee, or wherein have I wearied thee? testifie against me. And as God, though great in power, did not over-lay the Jews, so much less hath he over-laid us Christians with duty (1 Joh. 5.3) His Commandements are not grievous. And Christ said of his yoke and burden (Mat. 11.10) My yoke is easie, and my burden is light. Christ may lay what burdens he pleaseth upon us, but he is not pleased to lay any grievous burdens upon us. This therefore is a ⟨p. 637⟩truth, both as to them and us, yet I conceive it beside the design of Elihu in this place, and I only mind the Reader of these different interpretations, of all which some good improvement may be made. So much of this verse: The whole discourse of Elihu concludes in the next.
- 1Omnipotentem non invenimus multum robore & judicio; Et tali• sit, tamen talem eum non experimur in m•ndatis sui•, ut immodice nos oneret, aut immodicam a no•is exiget justitiam, &c. Rabbi Selc. moth & Rambam.
