56o Chap. 34. An E.tipe7tio upon the 13o&of J o is Verf. lo. Verf. 'r 1. For the werke ofaman (hall he render. unto him, and caaofe every man tofind accordog tohis way e. As if he had laid, God Bothevery man right, therefore he is righteous, and there is no iniquity inhim. Elihu having denyed any wnrighteoufnefs tobe in God, here ;hewethhow.he exercifeth righteoufnefle. The werke ofa manfhall he render to him. Thework of a man is here put for the reward, iffue, or fruit of his work ; God dothnot render every mans work to him in kind, that is, the thing it felfe which he bath done, but the work in its refult and reward. That whichGod returneth to a man accord- ing to his work, may be called a reward in a fourfold refpe6. Firh, becaufe it bath in it the benefit of a reward to the worker. Secondly, becaufeit is given in anfwer to the work done. Third- ly, becaufe God hath given his people leave, yea a command to beleeve and waite for good fruir to themfelves, when they doe goodworks. Fourthly, becaufe it is proportion'd to the work or duty performed. For as goodis returned for good, fo great good is returned for great good done. Though the greateh good that ever was or can be done by a rneere creature doth not deferve ( byany intrinfick worth) the leali good at the hand of God. Thus faith the Spirit (iev. 14. 13.) Blefed are the dead that dye in the Lord, from henceforth they ref$from their labours, and their works follow them ; not the workes which theydid, but that which is by.promife due to them for thofe workes. The Prophet áffurethus ( Ifa. 3z. 17. ) The work ofrighteoufnefs ispeace ; we cannot underhand it as a dire& predication, but peace is the fruit or iffue of the worke of righteoufnefs, or as the latter part of the verfe clearly expounds ir, The of etl ofrighteoufneffe(hall be quiet- nefs andaf urancefor ever. Which as it is mob true of the righte- oufüefs of Chrifi, who is our peace (Ephef. z. 14.) and our Peacemakerthrough theblood ofhis crofs (Col. 1. so. ) So it is true of mans righreoufnefs, the work whereof is (by promife ) crownedwith the bleffings of peace, both fpirituall and corporali, temporall and eternall. The work of aman Shall
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