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 ...

Vers. 23. For he will not lay upon man more then is right.

The text strictly rendred, is, He will not lay upon man more. Our translaters supply the words, then is right to determine what that more is which God will not lay upon man.

The words have a two-fold sence.

First, Some interpreters render them as a direct deniall of any power seated in or liberty given unto man, to plead, capitu∣late, or to come in judgement with God; Elihu charging it upon Job, that he had not done well in taking or using such a liberty to complaine about his condition; addeth here (according to this interpretation) God neither hath nor will indulge man a liberty (as he hath not given him a just cause) to complain as if he had don him wrong. And if man when God hath once declared his mind, and published his sentence, should make his defence or offer to produce his reasonings against it, the Lord will not suffer it, he will not permit man to proceed in such a way, seeing the sentence of God and what he doth upon it is alwayes just, and the right stands ever on his side, as well as the soveraignty is ever vested in him. Master Broughton translates the whole verse to this sense, Therefore it is not for man ever to purpose to enter into judgement be∣fore the Omnipotent; there is no appeale from God, nor will he

admit sinners by any artifices, or delayes, to interrupt the pro∣gresse of his justice.

Secondly, The words (as we render them) carry both an as∣sertion, that God is just, and a demonstration of it; For he will not lay upon man more then is right, that he should enter into judgement with God; that is, man hath no cause to enter into judgement with God, if God should give him leave, and let him be at his li∣berty in that poynt; for God will not lay upon man more then is right.

There is another supply of a word which also beareth a good sense, and suites wel with this exposition; thus, God will not lay upon man more then he can beare, (or hath strength to beare) that he should enter into judgement with him; if we reade the text so, then that of the Apostle (1 Cor: 10.13.) is a cleare exposition of it, There hath no temptation taken you, but such as is common to man; but God is faithfull, who will not suffer you to be tempted, above that you are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to beare it. A temptation or af∣fliction common to man, is but such as man may beare; God will not overburden his people, he knoweth what flesh and blood, as also what Grace can beare. As a man would not lay such a weight upon a childe, as would burthen a man, (we lay a childs burthen upon a child, and a mans burthen upon a man) so the Lord mea∣sures and weighs out his judgements in proportion to every mans strength, he will not lay upon him more then he is able to beare. That's a good sense, and hath a cleare reason in it, why man should not complaine of what God layeth upon him, it being only pro∣portionate to his strength.

But I shall rather prosecute the text according to the supply given in our translation, which makes the reason why all such com∣plaints should be forborne and silenced, to be this, because the sufferings of man are never proportion'd beyond his desert.

He will not lay upon man more then right.

That is, more then he hath deserved, or is equitable in his case; whatsoever is layd, or imposed upon man beyond right, he hath cause to complaine of, and may traverse the Judgement, or desire another hearing, yea he may appeale to some higher Judge if there be any; But if what is awarded against him be right ac∣cording

to Law, and sutable to Justice, let the sentence be what it will (let him be able to beare it or no, much more if he be able also to beare it, as in this case it is) he hath no cause at all to de∣sire a review of it. Thus it is (saith Elihu) in all the dealings of God with man, He will not lay upon man more then is right,

that he should enter into judgement with God.

To enter (or goe) into judgement (as the word is) is either to begin or renew a sute, and to desire the hearing of the cause a∣gaine. God makes no faulty Judgements, why then should any cause determin'd by him come to a second hearing? there may be reason enough among men to heare a cause againe, but what God resolves, needs not be reviewed much lesse reversed. Here then Elihu meets with those frequent complaints of Job under his af∣flictions, and likewise with those his severall motions, and earnest petitions, to have his cause heard afresh, as if God had prest him too sore, or, at least, had not done him right in suffering him to be so sorely prest by men. Thus Elihu seemes to say; God never gave any man any just cause, to plead his cause over againe with him, nor hath he given thee (O Job) any cause to desire it of him. 'Tis true, car∣nall men, yea and sometimes godly men, when (as Job here) they are greatly afflicted, are ready to thinke and say they are over-severely dealt with; But the reason of Elihu stands good and firme against all these thoughts and sayings. For he will not lay upon man more then is right.

Hence note.

God never wronged, nor will wrong any man.

There are two speciall cases, in which God never did, nor ever will wrong man; First, he will not wrong man by denying him that reward, which he hath freely promised, no man shall serve God for naught; he shall not say, God hath promised, but he hath not performed. The experience of his people seale to the truth of his promises, as wel as their faith imbraceth it. That hope of man which is anchored in a promise of God, never miscarried not made any man ashamed. Secondly, God will not wrong man, by laying upon him a greater punishment then he hath threatned. The Magistrate cannot be charged with laying more punishment upon an offender, then is right, if he punisheth him not more then

the Law alloweth. There may be a great deale of severity (I grant) in punishing up to the rigor of the Law, but there is no un∣righteousness in it. The Mosaical law allowed of forty stripes; now if they had layd forty-one upon any offender, they had layd upon him more then was right, because they exceeded the Law; and to have layd full forty stripes, which was the utmost they could by Law, had been severe, therefore they usually abated one stripe at least; Hence the Apostle Paul saith (2 Cor: 11.24.) Of the Jewes five times received I forty stripes save one; if they had given Paul forty stripes they had done no wrong as to the Law, though one had been too many for and a wrong to him who had not broken their law. Seeing the Lord lays no more upon the worst of sinners, then the law alloweth, he doth not lay upon man more then right, Yea not only the chastisements which the Lord layeth upon his owne servants, but the greatest punishments which he layeth up∣on the worst of the wicked, in this world, are much lesse then might with Justice be inflicted. This was Ezra's humble acknow∣ledgement before the Lord (Ezra 9.13.) And after all that is come upon us, for our evill deeds, and for our great trespasse, seeing that thou our God hast punished us lesse then our iniquities deserve. The punishment that was upon the people of Israel, was exceed∣ing great, in so much that Daniel saith in his prayer (Chap: 9.11, 12.) Ʋnder the whole heavens, hath not been done, as hath been done upon Jerusalem, yet Ezra speaking of that very dispensation, saith, Thou hast punished us lesse, then our iniquities deserve. In this life the greatest of our punishments, are lesse then the least of our sins. Every sin, or transgression of the Law, deserves eternall death; therefore in this life the greatest punishments that fall up∣on sinners, are lesse then their sins. As the least mercies which God bestoweth upon them, are greater then the greatest of their deservings. (That was Jacobs free confession (Gen: 32.10.) I am not worthy of the least of (or I am lesse then) all the mercies, and of all the truth which thou hast shewed unto thy servant) So the greatest punishments that fall upon them in this life, are lesse then the least of their sins: And in the next life, where sinners shall have full measure, heaped up, pressed downe, running over, and that for ever, yet then they shall not have one graine more, ei∣ther of weight or measure, then they have deserved. The Lord layeth upon no man in this life so much, nor in that to come more then is right.

Hence it followeth, Secondly.

Man hath no cause to complaine of God, or God hath not given any man any cause to complaine whatsoever his sufferings are.

Why should he complaine who hath but his right? As God hath not given any man a liberty to complaine, so he hath not gi∣ven any man just occasion, or a true reason to complaine. If the burden of punishment be heavy upon any man, let him thanke his own sin, or selfe for it, he hath but his due from God. We are often cruel to and wrong our selves, God is usually mercifull, and never but just to us; yea how great soever any affliction is, 'tis a mercy that 'tis no greater; and God can quickly make it greater, how great soever it is, and still be just. As he never doth more then he may, so he never doth so much as he can in punish∣ing us. The Lord hath more in the treasures of his wrath, then yet he hath powred upon the worst of sinners. Nor indeed can the most capacious vessels of wrath, hold all his wrath; 'tis, as him∣selfe is, infinite. Cain sayd, My punishment is greater then I can beare (Gen: 4.13.) yet God could have made his punishment greater then it was. Therefore Jeremy confessed (Lam: 3.22.) It is of the Lords mercies that we are not consumed, because his com∣passions faile not. Whatsoever is lesse then utter consumption, hath some mixture of compassion in it, every punishment hath somewhat of compassion in it, except that of everlasting damna∣tion. O then let all flesh feare and tremble to enter into Judge∣ment with God, to complaine or take offence at any of his pro∣ceedings with them.

There are foure things considerable in God, which should stop all mens mouths, from daring to doe so.

First, He is most powerfull; there is no escaping out of his hands.

Secondly, He is most wise and seeth quite through all that man hath done with his hand, yea all that hath been contrived in his heart.

Thirdly, He is most just, and will not be taken off from doing less, neither can he be provoked to do more then is right to any man.

Fourthly, How should man fear to enter into judgement with God; seeing his judgments are past finding out; they are, as the Scri∣pture

saith, a great deep, we are not able to fathome them; therefore wo unto those that complain of, or murmure against them: we should alwayes pray with David, (Psal. 143.2.) Lord, enter not into judgement with thy servant, for in thy sight shall no man living be justified: and we should alwayes be afraid to enter into judge∣ment with God, for he will not only justifie, but magnifie him∣self and his works in the sight of all men living. We should be so far from entring into judgement with God (which many do when they think they do it not) that we should continually beg him, not to enter into judgement with us; for we are not only unable to stand before him, but must certainly be broken before him; as it followeth,

Notes

• Quia non ultra unquam ponet deus super vi∣rum. i. e. pote∣statem homini nunquam faciet, ut de se ille que∣ri possir. Merc: Ne{que} enim ul∣tra in hominis potestate est, ut veniat cum deo in Judicio, Vulg:
• Non imponet ei amplius quam ferro possit. Drus: