An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty-eighth, thirty-ninth, fortieth, forty-first, and forty-second,…

Job had no intent to darken the counsel of God, yet he did it, Some make it their business (when they speak of the counsels of God) to darken them and raise a dust; these are either angry with the light, or envious at it, and unwilling that others should enjoy it. Some Patrons of Popery, the better to make their own excuse for obscuring or hiding the Scriptures in darkness from the People, have not feared to charge them with darkness & obscurity. And others by their ill and unskilful handling of the Scriptures have brought darkness and obscurity upon them. Though the Scriptures have many dark places in them, yet woe to those who say the Scriptures are dark; and let all take heed of darkening them, for they are the counsel of God. It is an easy matter to paddle in a clear stream, till it runs muddily; but it will not be for any mans ease or peace to do so in the clear crystal streams of the holy Scriptures. It is the unhappiness of some that they cannot but ⟨p. 31⟩speak and write about the counsels of God obscurely; and there are others who glory that they can. It was said of a dark Pen,¹ that While he would have that read which he had written, he would not have that understood which was read; and while some would have that heard which they speak, they speak as if they would not have that understood which is heard. It is a great sin purposely and designedly to darken the Counsels of God; and 'tis a failing and an affliction to darken them, though we (as Job did not) design it not. We should labour to deliver our minds plainly concerning the mind of God, that what we utter may not be sound a darkening of his Counsel, but as much as in us is, a clearing of it. Counsel (as was touched before) is the giving of light in dark cases; and therefore we should enlighten Counsel.

Job had no intent to darken the counsel of God, yet he did it, Some make it their business (when they speak of the counsels of God) to darken them and raise a dust; these are either angry with the light, or envious at it, and unwilling that others should enjoy it. Some Patrons of Popery, the better to make their own excuse for obscuring or hiding the Scriptures in darkness from the People, have not feared to charge them with darkness & obscurity. And others by their ill and unskilfull handling of the Scriptures have brought darkness and obscurity upon them. Though the Scriptures have many dark places in them, yet woe to those who say the Scriptures are dark; and let all take heed of darkening them, for they are the counsel of God. It is an easie matter to paddle in a clear stream, till it runs muddily; but it will not be for any mans ease or peace to do so in the clear crystal streams of the holy Scriptures. It is the unhappiness of some that they cannot but