1. These Attributes are all essential to God: They are from God, as well as in God. He is their Author, as well as their Subject: But in Men and Angels they are all derivative; though Truth, and Justice, and Holiness, may be in them, yet they are not from them, but from God. God is not obliged to any but himself for them; He can thank only himself that he hath them, but Angels and Men are not obliged to themselves, but to him for them. When the high God would lay Job low, by manifesting the vast difference between himself and Job; He bids Job be obliged to himself for his Excellency,1 Deck thy self with Majesty ⟨p. 100⟩and Excellency, array thy self with Glory and Beauty. To be decked and arrayed with Majesty and Excellency, notes, 1. The extent and abundance of it, the whole man is covered with Raiment. To be clothed with shame, is to be extremely reproached, Psal. 35.26. To be arrayed with humility, is to be very humble, lowly in an extraordinary degree, 1 Pet. 5.5.2. The publicness of it; our Deckings and Raiments are visible, we cannot go abroad, but all see our Clothes. God speaks to Job to this purpose, Job, thou hast talked very presumptuously, and carried thy self as if there were no great distance or difference between Me and thy self, as if thou wert like me, and and equal to me: If thou art, let me see it; Deck thy self with Majesty and Excellency, array thy self with Glory and Beauty. I can deck my self, and array my self with all these in the highest degree, and will not be beholden to any others for their help: I am clothed with Majesty, but no Creature lent an hand for the making up, or putting on those Clothes. Psal. 104.1. I have covered my self with light as with a Garment, Psal. 104.2. But neither Man ⟨p. 101⟩nor Angel afforded me the least assistance therein. Do thou as much for thy self as I have done for my self, and then indeed thou mayst compare with me. God might make the same offer to Angels which he doth to Job, and none of them would or could accept it. Dependence is of their essence, as they are Creatures; and they can no more be separated from it, then from themselves.
1. These Attributes are all essential to God: They are from God, as well as in God. He is their Author, as well as their Subject: But in Men and Angels they are all derivative; though Truth, and Justice, and Holiness, may be in them, yet they are not from them, but from God. God is not obliged to any but himself for them; He can thank onely himself that he hath them, but Angels and Men are not obliged to themselves, but to him for them. When the high God would lay Job low, by manifesting the vast difference between himself and Job; He bids Job be obliged to himself for his Excellency,1 Deck thy self with Majesty ⟨p. 100⟩and Excellency, array thy self with Glory and Beauty. To be deckt and array'd with Majesty and Excellency, notes, 1. The extent and abundance of it, the whole man is cover'd with Rayment. To be cloath'd with shame, is to be extremely reproached, Psal. 35.26. To be arrayed with humility, is to be very humble, lowly in an extraordinary degree, 1 Pet. 5.5.2. The publikeness of it; our Deckings and Rayments are visible, we cannot go abroad, but all see our Clothes. God speaks to Job to this purpose, Job, thou hast talk'd very presumptuously, and carried thy self as if there were no great distance or difference between Me and thy self, as if thou wert like me, and and equal to me: If thou art, let me see it; Deck thy self with Majesty and Excellency, array thy self with Glory and Beauty. I can deck my self, and array my self with all these in the highest degree, and will not be beholden to any others for their help: I am clothed with Majesty, but no Creature lent an hand for the making up, or puting on those Clothes. Psal. 104.1. I have cover'd my self with light as with a Garment, Psal. 104.2. But neither Man ⟨p. 101⟩nor Angel assorded me the least assistance therein. Do thou as much for thy self as I have done for my self, and then indeed thou mayst compare with me. God might make the same offer to Angels which he doth to Job, and none of them would or could accept it. Dependance is of their essence, as they are Creatures; and they can no more be separated from it, then from themselves.
- 1Job 40.10.
