An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty-fifth, thirty-sixth, and thirty-seventh chapters of…

Job had begged for this once and again, though possibly, as Elihu would here convince him, he was something too forward in it, and did not enough reflect upon himself; yet as he had often desired it, so doubtless it was exceeding much upon his heart, that he might have a clear discovery from God. The Apostle, in somewhat a like case, in being aspersed in his Ministry, saith, We are made manifest unto God, (2 Cor. 5.11.) It pleased him that he was manifest unto God: But when God is pleased to manifest himself unto a Soul, how pleasing is that? When we can say, now we see God, we see him clearing up our way, clearing up our integrity, ⟨p. 105⟩clearing up our state, how satisfying is it! And as it is most sweet and satisfying to see God clearing up our state to our own consciences, so it is exceeding sweet to see him clearing up our actions to the eye of the world; as the Apostle spake in the same place, We are manifest unto God, and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences. As if he had said, we hope, God hath discovered us to you, and your consciences do also attest with us and for us what we are. Light is sweet (the light of the air, saith Solomon) and it is pleasant to behold the Sun, the Sun in the firmament; how much more sweet is the light of divine favour, as also of our own faithfulness, shining into our hearts, and upon our ways, so that we are able to say, now we see the Lord graciously rolling away our reproach, owning us, and taking our part before and against all the opposing contradicting wo•ld!

Job had begged for this once and again, though possibly, as Elihu would here convince him, he was something too forward in it, and did not enough reflect upon himself; yet as he had often desired it, so doubtlesse it was exceeding much upon his heart, that he might have a clear discovery from God. The Apostle, in somewhat a like case, in being aspersed in his Ministry, saith, We are made manifest unto God, (2 Cor. 5.11.) It pleased him that he was manifest unto God: But when God is pleased to manifest himself unto a Soul, how pleasing is that? When we can say, now we see God, we see him clearing up our way, clearing up our integrity, ⟨p. 105⟩