fetters and held in cords De carcere educentur ad occisionem gladij Aquin. Per gladium iransire dicitur qâ—i gladio occiditur Drus but now the sword shâ—ll overtake them and they shall perish or be taken away by the sword The Hebrew is they shall pass away by the sword that is they shall die Man is said to pass away by the swoâ—d when the sword doth not pass by him but smites and kills him which is a temporal perishing It is said Isa 57.1 The righteous perish c. As the righteous perish by a natural death so they may perish by a violent death and possibly that may fall upon them when they attend not the providential dispensations of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—â—prie â—â—è miâ—sile aut jaâ—â—lum They shall perish by the sword or by the drawn weapon The word notes any weapon that is drawn or cast forth hence some translate it a Dart or Javeling which is shot out of the hand but it may also be applied to the Sword which being drawn forth out of the sheath is often sent upon deadly messages and may be numbered among missive weapons Now when Elihu saith they shall perish by the sword we may take the word sword properly or tropically Properly two wayes First for the sword of the Warrier Secondly for the sword of the Magistrate either justly punishing or grievously afflicting Some good men have acknowledged in great trials and sufferings under the hand of man that God hath met with them for their neglect or non-attendance to more immediate afflictions under his own hand Again take the sword tropically or improperly and so any sore affliction that greatly annoyeth especially if to death is called a sword in Scripture They shall perish by the sword under one notion or other if they do not obey Hence learn God will not spare no not his own People if they do not obey him God is full of sparing-mercy but the righteous may provoke him so that he will not spare no not them Judgement begins often at the house of God 1 Pet. 4.17 And if Judgement begin at the house of God what shall the end be of those that obey not the Gospel This is a terrible word The righteous may perish by the sword how dreadfully then shall the unrighteous the wicked the scorners of godliness perish If God will make his own people smart in his anger when they provoke him how will he speak to his enemies in his wrath and vex them in his fore displeasure Psal 2.5 Secondly From the gradation of their troubles First they were bound in fetters and holden in cords but now here 's a sword a devouring sword a killing deadly weapon Hence learn They who give not glory to God in lesser or in lighter afflictions draw greater upon themselves They may come from a cord to a sword from being bound to be slain God hath several sorts of Instruments to chasten his people with and as the best of outward good things may be the portion of evil wicked men so the worst of outward evils may be the portion of good men they may at any time and sometimes shall perish by the sword and as it followes They shall die without knowledge The sword is death a deadly sword 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they shall die Without knowledge or as the text may be read because they were without knowledge But is any righteous man without knowledge That the soul be without knowledge is not good saith Solomon Prov. 19.2 How then can he be good whose soul is without knowledge And seeing we interpret this text of the righteous how can it be said they die without knowledge I answer Knowledge may be taken in a more general sense and so no righteous man either lives or dies without knowledge he neither lives nor dies without the knowledge of God in Jesus Christ whom to know is eternal life John 17.3 and without the knowledge of whom all who are actually capable of such knowledge must die eternally he neither lives nor dies without the knowledge of himself as a sinner and of Christ who saveth him from his sins Such ignorances are inconsistent with the state of a godly man he may do foolishly but he is not a fool he may be wanting in some kind of knowledge but he doth not want knowledge he cannot be without saving knowledge though he may perish temporally without knowledge The first thing that God makes in the new creation is light the light of knowledge there he begins his work therefore we cannot take knowledge generally simply and absolutely in this text Dei monita per castigationes â—cire intelligere noluerunt Drus but as knowledge may be taken restrictively for knowledge in or about this or that particular so a good man may want knowledge there may be somewhat which the Lord would acquaint the righteous with and teach them by their fetters and afflictions which they do not learn and therefore they die without kâ—owledge or because they are without knowledge yet that want of knowledge together with all their other wants and ignorances are pardoned to them Further we may expound the words thus They shall die without knowledge that is without the knowledge or consideration of of that special affliction or judgement which is coming upon them Non est oratio affirmativa stultitiae vel negativa scientiae sed simplicitèr negat advertentiam Bold they shall die unawares not thinking nor so much as dreaming of such a judgement or that such a hand of God was so near them According to this interpretation Elihu intends either their inadvertency of that approaching scourge or calamity with which they are overtaken or their not understanding the reason of it Christ saith in the Gospel Luke 12.46 The master of that servant the evil servant shall come in a day which he knowes not of and in a time when he looked not for him Now as the last Judgement the great Judgement shall come upon the wicked in a time when they look not for it so the Lord may bring a special particular judgement upon some one or more of his own people when they do not think of it or never suspected that they should fall under it Good men are sometimes surprized and so they shall die without knowledge is no more than this they shall be taken unawares by a suddain unexpected judgement Though every godly man hath a preparation for the general judgement yet as to a particular one he may be much unprepared Lastly Some expound the words of more than inadvertency or bare nescience even of folly and some degree of affected ignorance which possibly may prevaile upon a righteous man in some cases and for a time but I rather adhere to the former interpretation because as was shewed before the whole context seems to intend a more ordinary case of a righteous man So then this Scripture holds out the sad issues
express the abomination of that sort of sinners by a word proper to them the Scripture by an Euphemisme calls them holy we translate the Scripture sense and call them unholy or unclean Their life is among the unclean among Sodâ—mites Thus as the death of the hypocrite here is fully expressed in the former words He shall die with the youth that is like those sinful Sodomitish youths like those youths who live in the heat of abominable lusts though he seemed to have an heat of holiness so their life heâ—eafter is fully expressed in these latter words Their life is with the unclean This clearly sets forth hypocrites they are spiritual adulterers they pretend love to Christ as their husband but their hearts go a whoting after the world And therefore as their life was really in this world though they pretended otherwise so it shall be visible in the world to come among the unclean Hence Note First They who are like the unclean in this life shall be wrapped up with them in the next life after death or in the second death They who live like the wicked shall dy like the wicked and live with them if theirs may be called a life for evermore The hypocrite with all his varnish and fair colours shall not die like a godly man nor live with him after death though he hath lived the life of a godly man as to appearance yet he shal not die so nor live so when the dead rise he shal die and live like and among his own company the unclean He was secretly unclean in his life and he shall openly live among the unclean when he dyes Balaam a Sorcerer a Witch a false Prophet how did he beg that he might die the death of the righteous and that his last end might be like his Num. 23.14 The hypocrite would sain die like those whom he hath imitated and made a shew of all the dayes of his life But did Balaam dy like the righteous no he dyed as he lived like one that had loved the wages of unrighteousness Though hypocrites have lived in reputation with godly and good men yea have been reputed godly and good men yet when they die they shal go down among the unclean even among the debauched and filthy Sodomites they shal go to their own place and to their own company It is said of Judas when he hanged himself Acts. 1.25 He went to his own place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his proper place All things naturally tend to that which is congeniall or like to them heavy things downward light things upward What place is congenial to what place is the center of wicked men Surely Hell the bottomless pit is their own place and that 's the meaning of the text there Judas was a great while among the Apostles in an high place in a very excellent place he went like an Apostle or for an Apostle but that was not his owne place he was an hypocrite and when he dyed then he went to his owne place to thâ—t place which was proper to him In this life good and bad are mingled together in the same place the hypocrites and the sincere may be in one House in one Cong egation in one Church in the purest Church on eaâ—th there may be hypocrites in heart as well as sincere but when hypocrites die they shall be divided from all those with whom they were never truly or in heart united If it were possible all the godly or sincere should be in one place as to spirituals here that 's most comely and desirable though not attainable yet we cannot make the separation perfect in this life but at death it will be done perfectly death will not leave one hypocrite among the sincere not a weed among the herbs nor a chaff in the floor death will make perfect separation after death all the holy shall be gathered together into one society and all the unholy into another society by themselves It is said of Abraham he was gathered to his people Gen. 25.8 Not only to his kindred in the flesh but to all those that were of his faith Death will gather all to their proper place and company Godly Josiah was gathered to his fathers 2 Chron. 34.28 and the wicked are said Psal 49.19 to go to the generation of their fathers where they shall never see light Death will send every one to his owne The hypocrite shall no more shuffle himself among the righteous nor Satan himself nor any of his Sons among the Sons of God every man shall be for ever among his like Further note The smoothest-faced and closest hypocrite in the world shall fare as bad or no better then the foulest and deboystest sinner They shall die with the vile and be taken away among the unclean The fairest hypocrite shall have no more esteem with God then the foulest Sodomite that ever was in the world Christ saith if any refuse to receive the Gospel it shall be worse with them then with Sodom the cry of whose sins went up to heaven nor shall it be any whit better but rather worse with them who â—eceive the Gospel of Christ only in shew their hearts not being right with him How woful is their present condition who daily heap up wrath who in the sense opened die in or with youth and whose life after death is among the unclean JOB Chap. 36. Vers 15 16 17. 15. He delivereth the poor in his affliction and openeth their ear in oppression 16. Even so would he have removed thee out of the strait into a broad place where there is no straitness and that which should be set on thy table should be full of fatness 17. But thou hast fulfilled the judgement of the wicked judgement and justice take hold on thee ELihu having shewed how terrible God will be how dreadfully he will deal with subtile hypocrites The hypocrites in heart heap up wrath proceeds in this context to do two things further First that he might raise some hope in Job if he did it last humble himself he repeats the gracious dealings of God with humble and upright-hearted ones at the 15th verse I say he repeats it because he had spoken of it before vers 6 7. and this is a very useful and profitable repetition by which Job is doubly admonished to raise himself from his despair of a better condition forasmuch as God doth not afflict with a purpose to destroy but that he may heal and help the afflicted The greatest design of God in chastening us should be alwayes remembred that he intends only our good especially to make us thereby better or more partakers of his holiness Secondly he makes application of the whole doctrine to Job and that two wayes First by way of consolation assuring him he had been delivered in case he had humbled himself duly deeply before the Lord v. 16. Even so would he have removed thee out of the strait into a large place
Jeremy did not desire the evil day to come on others yet when the evil day was come upon himself we find him venting strange and strong desires of that kind Chap. 9.2 O that my head were a fountain and mine eyes rivers of tears that I might weep night and day for the slain of the daughter of my People He had visions of slaughter and he did even beg a head melted into water for abundant mourning over that day But what were his other what were his further wishes with respect to himself at that time we have them in the next verse O that I had in the wilderness a lodging place of a wayfaring man that I might leave my people and go from them for they be all adulterers a company of treacherous men What uncomfortable desires had Jeremiah as to that day of distress O how did he covet to have a retiring place any hole in the wilderness like a wayfaring man that he might leave his people and see them no more because they were so wicked and their wickedness he foresaw would bring down such dreadful evils upon them And as he wisht this sad retirement upon the foresight of evils to come so we find him in another place Chap. 20.14 15 16 c. wishing that he had never been born to see such presnet evils We have the like plain wish of David in the day of his trouble Psal 55.2 Attend unto me O God and hear me I mourn in my complaint and make a noise because of the voice of the enemy because of the â—ppression of the wicked for they cast iniquity upon me and in wrath they hate me they charged him with evils that he had not done my heart is sore pained within me the terrors of death are fallen upon me fearfulness and trouble are come upon me and horror hath overwhelmed or covered me David was at that time in a very sad day you see and what was his wish that day we have it at the 6th verse And I said O that I had wings like a dove for then would I flee away and be at rest lo then would I wander far off and remain in the wilderness Holy David could not keep his heart in those distresses from extravagant wishes David had the integrity of a dove as he often pleaded before the Lord and being distrest he wished also for the wings of a dove that he might flee away and get out of the reach of all those impendent calamities How usual is it for good men in bad dayes to breath out such wishes one wishes that he had never been born rather than to see such a day another wishes he may die presently rather than live in such a day When the Apostle John had given the prophesie of dreadful judgments to come upon the wicked world or the world of wicked men he presently tells us what their wishes or desires will be Rev. 9.6 And in those dayes shall men seek death and shall not find it and shall desire to die and death shall flee from them Most men flee death that 's a misery but death sleeth from some men and that 's a greater misery They are in the worst of conditions who would have death when death will not be had Their lives are worse than death who only wish to die What non-sense wishes and desires had they also in the day of the Lords anger mentioned in the same book Chap. 6.16 Who said to the mountaines and to the rocks fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. It is possible for good men sometimes to have strange wishes but O how lamentable are the wishes of wicked men and unbelievers who have no part nor interest in Jesus Christ in those times when Conscience is wounded and awakened or when a day of the Lords wrath or judgment from the Lord appeareth When Christ the Lamb shall sit upon the throne and call them to give an account O then they will wish for rocks and mountaines to fall upon them that they might not appear how glad will they then be to be hidden with an everlasting night They cannot but desire the night who have sinned against light Holy Job could not forbear to desire the night of death in the day of his distress what desires then must the wicked have who have no hope beyond this life Again as to the vanity of that design of some in desiring the night for shelter Note There is nothing can cover us from the eye or secure us from the hand of God What is darkness to God who is light and in whom there is no darkness at all 1 John 1.5 Desire not the night As gold and silver cannot ransom sinners as great forces all the Armies on earth forces of strength cannot help sinners so the night cannot hide them they that are in the grossest darkness are never the more out of Gods sight The darkness is not darkness to him the darkness and the light to him are both alike Psal 139.11 12. and therefore he said before vers 7. Whither shall I go from thy spirit or whither shall I flee from thy presence If I ascend up to heaven thou art there c. Wheresoever we are God is who is every where nothing can keep us off from or keep us out of the eye of God Lastly as the night is taken for death Desire not the night Hence note It is a vain wish to desire death for our rescue or escape from the evils of this life Death is it self an evil the worst of natural evils How can that help us out of our evils of trouble which is it self the most troublesom evil The Lord promiseth some of his people that they should die before the evil day Josiah and Hezekiah had such promiâ—es 'T is a favour to die as they did in the assurance of eternal life before we feel the evils of this life But death considered in it self is no relief against evil and as it is the worst of natural evils in it self so it carrieth those who are unprepared and unprovided for it to worser evils than any they can meet with in this life Some desire death to escape the evils of this life when as soon as they die they go to the evils of another life which are the second death such a death as hath no second and descend not only to the grave but to hell And what hath any one got by leaving the troubles of this life to fall into the dolors of that second secondless death They only dream of security by death who are unprepared go die Death is good for none but those who are fitted for and have by faith laid hold upon eternal life JOB Chap. 36. Vers 21. Verse 21. Take heed regard not iniquity for this thou hast chosen rather than affliction IN this verse Elihu gives Job another serious admonition or re-enforceth the former warning
of prophane spirits usually dye in their youth and are cut off in the Flower of their Age. They who multiply their sins substract from their dayes and they have least gâ—ound of hope to live long who live ill As bloody so deceitful men such are hypocrites in heart shall not live out half their dayes They who live not out half their dayes dye in youth That also is the meaning of Eliphaz Chap. 15.32 where he saith The wicked man shall have his recompence before his time as also when he saith Chap. 22.16 They were cut down out of time that is before the ordinary time of cutting man down by Death was come And therefore I answer Secondly they die in youth needs not be taken in that strictness as importing that they die before they come to mens estate but only that they die before the common time of dying To die in youth signifieth any immature death or when death cometh suddainly upon any they may be said to die in youth Thus here they die in youth that is some immature or suddain death overtakes them they come to an hasty or untimely end they prolong not their dayes on earth Thirdly this dying in youth may refer to the hypocrites unpreparedness or unfitness to die Unprepared persons may be said to die in youth because youths or younger men aâ—e usually unprepared to die Hence that serious memento or warning given them Eccles 12.1 Remember now thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth Young men are commonly so unprepared to die that whosoever die unprepared may be said to die in youth yea though they die in old age they die infants I may say at least in alusion to that of the Prophet possibly it may be a proof of what I say Isa 65.20 An old man that hath not filled his dayes by being good and doing good dieth a child As a child may be said to die an hundred years old when he dies full of grace so a man of an hundred years old may be said to die a child an infant when he hath no grace for though he hath been long in the world yet he can hardly be said to have lived at all So then how long soever the hypocrite in heart hath had a being on the earth and a breathing in the air he alwayes dieth in youth or before his time Moritur cum Juventa Jun. Ponitur ב pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut cap. 9.26 Psal 143.7 Pisc Aeque morientur pari judicio Dei conterentur atque juveniles illi animi qui proterve obnituntur Deo palam ad omne flagitium projecti sunt Jun. Vt hic vita mori dicitur sic Authores Latini dicunt vita vivere vitam vivere vita moritur cum homo vitam cum morte commutat Drus Vita eorum suppleo ausertur Pisc Cum meritoriis Pisc Latini vacant cinaedos pathicos qui in concubitu libidinoso vice mulieris funguntur Id. because he hath not yet learned the way to eternal life There is yet another reading of the woâ—ds we say they die in youth that saith they die with youth or young men that is as dissolute deboyst vitious and riotous young men die so hypocrites die The hypocrite is opposed to the outwardly profane in his life but he shall be like him in his death As if Elihu had said look as vain voluptuous youths carnal youths or young men who give themselves up to their pleasures look as or how they die look what wrath is upon them when they die even so shall the hypocrites in heart die they die with the youth I shall touch this further upon the last clause where Elihu gives us this sence in other words and in words that more fully reach this sence for having said they die in or with youth he thus concludes And their life is among the unclean Here it may be queried forasmuch as he said before they die in youth how doth he here say Their life is among the unclean what life have they when dead I answer By their liâ—e we may understand that life which hypocrites in heart shall have after death which may be taken two wayes First for the life of the soul while the body remaines a consuming or consumed caâ—kass in the grave that life after death the life of their soules is among the unclean Secondly for the life which they shall have after the resurrection of their bodies that will be among the unclean too Some translate the words thus Their life is taken away among the unclean we say their life is among the unclean The word is is not in the original text and we may make the supply by a word signifying to take away Their life is taken away among the unclean that is they shall die like the worst of sinners they shall make no better an end than the unclean and profane no better than the most foul and filthy Sodomites as the original imports For The word which we render unclean hath a double yea a contrary signification holy and unholy clean and unclean They who are holy onely in name are most unholy in heart and life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Duo contraria signifiâ—at sanctura profanum pollutum scortatorem Recte simulatores effaeminatis comparat quia ex pravitate animi contingit quod homines sint simulatores est enim proprium magnanimi esse manifestum Aquin. The Scripture often by the same word expresseth things of utmost opposition so here he calleth those who are most unholy by a word which signifieth holiness the Hebrew saith their life is among the Sodomites Mr. Broughton translates and their life with fornicators Sodomites who are the most unclean and filthy sinners worse than fornicators are expressed by a word by this word which also signifieth holy or holy ones Deut. 23.17 There shall not be a Sodomites or an holy one among you and therefore as we read of Sodomites in the land who are sinners against the the law of nature 1 Kings 14.24 so according to that law of Moses we read 1 Kings 15.12 and Chapter 22.46 as also 2 Kings 23.7 of the destroying of the houses of the Sodomites and of the removing of Sodomites out of the land Sodomites being the most abominable of all unclean ones how unclean are they whose life is among them or whose life is taken away wiâ—h them The Spirit of God doth rightly compare hypocrites to Sodomites and filthy persons because it proceeds from the heat of some base lust or other that any are hypocrites 'T is proper to those who are magnanimous or of noble spirits to be open clear-hearted and ingenious Their life is with the unclean Hypocrites have a great affectation to be numbered among the clean and holy and possibly they have been or may be high in the opinion of men for holiness for very Sainâ—s But their life shall be among the Sodomites or the unclean It being a shame to
Trench Let me strike him at once and I will not strike him a second time The Lord threatned Nah. 1.9 to bâ—ing destruction upon those at once when he told them Affliction should not rise a second time as if he had said I will not strike another blow at them I 'le hit them home and do my woâ—k with one blow We need not fear how many or how mighty his enemies are he can rid himself of them with one stroke The Lord strikes some to take away their sin thus he strikes his own people others he strikes to take away their persons thus he strikes the wicked especially those who enemy-like designedly strike at Him his Name his Truth his Glory Elihu doth not say Beware least he strike thee but least he take thee away with a stroke The Lord often strikes his own faithful servants they receive many a stroke many a lash many a blow many a chastisement at his hands but he doth not take them away with a stroke as he doth the wicked The Lord strikes his servants to take away their sins and he strikes wicked men to take away their lives to destroy them utterly Secondly As the word signifieth taking away with clapping â—f the hands or with derision Note God will even laugh at the ruine of wicked men He will clap his hands at their fall We read Prov. 1.26 27. how Wisdome called and cried and none would answer all set her calls and counsels at naught what followed I said Wisdome that is Christ will laugh at their calamity and mock when their fear cometh as much as is said in the Text I will take them away with a stroke or with clapping my hands with a kind of deriding plaudite at their going off or rather at their being thrust off the Stage of this world They are in the most sad condition whom God not only destroys but derides they have most cause to mourn in their affliction at whose affliction God laughs It is said Job 9.23 God will laugh at the tryal of the innocent and why was shewed in opening that place I only touch it now upon this occasion The Lord knows the innocent will come off with honour will stand it out in their tryal bravely he sees what Courage Faith Patience they will manifest in and under their sufferings Now as the Lord even claps his hands and laughs when his chosen noble ones go forth to the tryal knowing they will honour him in their tryal so the Lord laughs at the destruction of the wicked knowing that his Justice and Righteousness shall have a full stroke at them and lay both their shame and sin open to all the world That the Lord in his wrath takes away with a stroke should make us all beware fear and tremble but that which followeth may make us wary fear and tremble much more for saith Elihu in the close of the verse Then a great Ransome cannot deliver thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Redemptionis Pretium quod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Graeci appellant The word rendred a Ransome signifies that which is paid as a price for the deliverance of a Captive out of bondage Thus Christ gave himself a Ransome for sinners But here is a Case wherein no Ransome will be taken no though it be not a small petty Ransome but a great Ransome of that saith Elihu it cannot deliver thee As if he had said When once God is so far provoked that the Decree is gone forth to destroy thee then it will be in vain to think of getting off by Ransome Here it may be queried What is this great Ransom that will not deliver There is a twofold Ransome by one of which the people of God are somtimes delivered and alwayes by the other First The people of God are somtimes ransomed or delivered by the destruction and ruine of the wicked that 's their Ransom and that not seldom proves a great Ransome It is said expresly Prov. 21.18 The wicked shall be a Ransome for the righteous how a Ransome for the righteous will a wicked man pâ—y a Ransome for the righteous or will the wicked man offer himself a Ransome for him and say I 'le dye instead of the righteous man surely there 's no such thing to be expected from him Peradventure for a good man saith the Apostle Rom. 5.7 8. one would even dare to dye that is one good man may possibly be willing to lay down his life for another good man Scarcely for a righteous man would one dye that is for a man who only gives every man his due oâ— doth every man right but for a good man that is for a man that hath been very kind and bountiful to others some would even dare to dye yet he that doth so must be supposed to be a righteous and a good man himself For it cannot be thought that a wicked man would give himself a Ransome for the righteous that he would dye for him whom he doth not love yea whom he usually hates to the death How then is it affirmed by Solomon that the wicked shall be a Ransome for the righteous The meaning is God will destroy the wicked to save the righteous or he will save the righteous even through the blood and destruction of the wicked In that sence the wicked are many times a Ransome for the righteous rather than the righteous shall perish the Lord will destroy the wicked Thus the Lord spake by his Prophet of old Isa 43.3 I gave Egypt for thy Ransome Ethispia and Sheba for thee How was Egypt a Ransome for Israel had they any mind to deliver the people of God no but rather than God would not have Israel saved he destroyed Pharaoh and the Egyptians in the Red Sea Thus the Lord makes the wicked a Ransome for the righteous Though Egypt were a very goodly Country yet God destroyed it by ten Plagues that he might deliver Israel Though Pharaoh was a great Prince he drowned him in the Sea rather than his people should go back into Captivity Solomon gives us this sense of the Prophets words fully in his own Prov. 11.8 The righteous is delivered out of trouble and the wâ—cked cometh in his stead Secondly There is another a more excellent Ransome for the people of God and that is the Blood of Jesus Christ We are bought with a price dearly bought and that 's the Price with which we are bought 1 Cor. 6.20 that 's a Ransome which sets sinners fâ—ee and makes them free indeed Joh. 8.36 free fâ—om sin anâ— free unto righteousness Math. 20.28 He gave himself a Ransome for many for a great many for all who believe and take hold of his Name When Elihu saith A great Ransome cannot deliver ' â—is not to be understood of the Ransome which Christ hath paid that 's a Ransome so great so precious that it hath and doth and will for ever deliver the greatest the worst of sinners who run to it
book at the second verse as the servant earnestly desireth the shadow c. When a labourer is hot and sweltered almost as we say at his work in the Sun how earnestly doth he desire the shadow We say in the Margine of that place he gapeth after the shadow A man when he is hot gapes to suck in fresh air Such an intendment and force there is in this word desire not long not for gape not after the night The night seems not to be a thing or a season so desireable that we should gape for it or long after it Solomon saith Eccl. 11.7 Surely light is pleasant and it is a comfortable thing for the eyes to behold the Sun but who hath a desire after the night what is the beauty or comeliness of the night that any should so much desire it why then doth Elihu here forbid Job as supposing he did to desire it desire not the night I answer the night may be taken two wayes or under a twofold notion First properly as that which casteth a vail or mantle of darkness over both persons and things and covers them from our sight in allusion to which the sense is this Do not hope to hide or conceal thy self from the eye or knowledge of God As thou canst not be ransomed as thou canst not be rescued from his power which was shewed before so desire not the night for thou canst not be obscured from his knowledge under the covert of it there is no hiding from God Though I judge that interpretation too gross which supposeth Elihu counselling Job not to desire the night as robbers and adultereâ—s to cover him while doing wickedly yet possibly he might think Job was not so free to confess the evils which he had done and therefore rather desired the concealment of them Secondly the night in Scripture as also in humane Authors is put improperly for death All the dead are wrapt up in a night of darkness Hence that counsel John 9.4 Work while you have the day the night cometh when no man can work We may work yea much work is done in the natural night It is said of the vertuous woman Prov. 31.18 Her candle goes not out by night she and her maids are at work in the night therefore it cannot be strictly meant that no man can work in the night The night there is the night of death Ne aspires ad illam noctem sc mortis qua abeunt populi ad locum suum Jun. Qua e medio tolluntur populi in loâ—o ipsorum Pisc or of an extream troublous life in these nights especially in the former no man can work for there is no wisdom nor device nor labour in the grave whether we are going Eccl. 9.10 According to this Scripture interpretation desire not the night is desire not death Job had put forth such desires more than once Chap. 7.15 My soul chooseth strangling and death rather than life Mr. Broughton translates Breath not unto that night for peoples passage to their place That is saith he desire not death the common passage of all men as thou hast done Therefore Elihu seems here to call Job off from those desires do not thou peeviâ—hly or impatiently because of the trouble of thy life call for death lest it come too soon and it do by thee as it hath done by many others whom it hath cut off in judgment So it followes here Desire not the night When people are cut off in their place Death is a cutting off As many die in the night so when-ever any die they are cut off from this world and all the imployments of it they are cut off from their dearest friends and relations Death cuts off the thread of life and us from the comforts of this life The Hebrew is when people ascend The Original Scripture expresseth dying by ascending though the death of the wicked is rather a descending Verbum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ascendere pro excidi tolli â—umitur It is said by a late Writer concerning the heathen profane and wicked Emperors of Rome Such a one descended that is died in such a year of his abomination Now though the wicked descend when they die yet there is a sence also wherein all men may be said to ascend when they die and there is no doubt but the godly as to their more noble part ascend to God when they die Thus the word is used in the fifth Chapter of this Book at the 16th verse where Eliphaz speaking of the death of a godly man saith to Job Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age like as a shock of corn cometh or ascendeth in his season David deprecated an immature death under this Metaphor Psal 102.14 Take me not away in the midst of mine age The word is let me not ascend in the midst of mine age that is before I have measured the usual course of life Translatio a condelis quarum lumen ascendit atque ita paulatim consumuntur ipsa Thus to ascend is the same with to be cut off death cuts off the best from this world and then they ascend to a better This sense of the words suits well with the latter exposition of the night as taken for the night of death The word ascend is conceived to have in it a double allusion first to corn which is taken up by the hand of the reaper and then laid down on the stubble Secondly unto the light of a candle which as the candle spends or as that which is the food of the fire is spending ascends and at last goes out and vanisheth There is yet a further sense of the whole verse thus Desire not the night c. That is do not curiously enquire the cause of that divine judgement by which God sometimes sweeps away whole nations good and bad together in the night or suddenly Or thus disquiet not thy mind in the night but rather rest in the will of God when thou seest or hearest of those great destructions which come upon persons or nations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sub subter saepe significat in loco Desire not the night when people are cut off in their place that is when they die in or are removed from the place where they formerly lived and had their abode in which sense it is said of the dead their place shall know them no more Psal 103.16 How well soever any are setled death cuts them off in their place First Forasmuch as Elihu speaking to Job in this distressed estate wishes him not to desire the night Observe In times of distress and trouble we are apt to make many strange wishes or to express uncouth requests and desires The Prophet Jeremiah quits himself from this in one point chap. 17.16 I have not desired the woful day Lord thou knowest He was so far from desiring it that he prayed for the peace and prosperity of that people but though
against the men of the World they were better have Tales told and reports made against them to all the Princes of the earth than have reports made to God against them To have a poor soul upon just grounds telling God what evil men have done against him how they have slandâ—ed and reproached him how they have opprest and vext him will come at last to a sad account against them Shall it be told God that I speak saith Elihu And shall it be told God that we do evil and we regard it not Shall we answer thoâ—e that tell us they have told o will tell God of our evil doings as impudent childâ—en and servants do such as threaâ—en them with telling thâ—ir Pâ—â—ents and Masters of their evil doings What care we do if yâ—u will O let us take heed how we do or speak that which if told in the ears of God may cause blame and bring his displeasure upon us There are a sâ—rt of Tale-bearers very odious in the sight of God and all good men such are spoken of Prov. 11.13 Prov. 18.8 But they who bring reports to God as Joseph did to his Father Jacob concerning his brethren Gen. 37.2 of the evils done by men such Tale-bearers if I may so call them do but their duty and as their reports are accepted with God so they hasten wrath upon evil men Luke 18.7 Shall it be told him that I speak If a man speak surely he shall be swallowed up Si dixerit Heb scil apud se illud nempe se velle talem sermonem Deo narrare Pisc That is if any man speak if a wise man speak and if he speak as wisely as he can and place his words in the best oâ—der he can yet if he shall desiâ—e as Job hath done to come near unto â—od and plead with him surely he shall be swallowed up Job in the hottest of those desiâ—es to plead with God did not as haâ—h formerly been noted in favour of him challenge God he diâ— not think himself a Match for God in pleading his cause before him he good man was far from such a presumptuous spirit yet because he insisted so much upon that desire of pleading his cause with God Elihu had reason to check him in such language as this If a man speak surely he shall be swallowed up We that are dust and ashes may not be so bold with God 't is best for us to lye at his foot and let him do what he will with us only beg of him that we may improve his dealings and profit by his corrections if the wisest and holiest of men shall speak otherwise Surely they shall be Swallowed up The word implies that a man so speaking shall be ruined and brought to nought Mr. Broughton renders Would any man plead when he shall be undone No man but a mad man would speak in a business wherein he must needs be ruined We say well swallowed up that is both he and his understanding shall be utterly confounded This phrase of speech is often used in Scripture when a greater power undertakes a lesser thus fire swalloweth up stubble and oppressors their poor underlings David saith of his enemies with respect to the greatness of their malice Ps 56.1 Ps 57.3 They would swallow me up Possibly they had not power enough to do it or no fitting opportunity to do it but they wanted no will to do it They would swallow me up if they could that is they would make an utter end of me or dispatch me quite So this word is used in several other places Isa 28.7 They are swallowed up of wine Some swallow down the wine so long till the wine swalloweth them up the wine gets the mastery over them and they are no longer as we speak proverbially their own men The Apostle gives order concerning the incestuous person that had been cast out of the Church 2 Cor. 2.5 receive him saith he lest he be swallowed up of over-much sorrow that is lest sorrow get the mastery of him It is not good that the floods of sorrow though it be a sorâ—ow for sin should prevail over us so as to swallow us up in the gulph of despair Again while the Apostle â—â—sures us and would have us triumph in that assurance that death shall never do a godly man any hurt he thus expresseth it 1 Cor. 15.54 Death is swallowed up in victory that is in and by the victory of Jesus â—hrist He by dying quite overcame death he did not only wound it and worst it or get the better of it or â—our it but toâ—ally ruin'd it as to any power of hurting us all which and whatsoever else concerns the death of death and the destruction of the grave is wrapt up in that one word Death is swallowed up in victory And therefore also it is said by the same Apostle 2 Cor. 5.4 Mortality shall be swallowed up of Life Jesus Christ hath brought in such a life through the Gospel as shall at last put an utter end to Mortality Our Mortality now by degrees puts an end to or swalloweth up our Lives but then Life will quite swallow up or put an end to our Mortality that is our Mortality shall be quite removed and taken out of the way by that Life which Christ haâ—h purchased for his people by his own death All these Scriptures shew the force of the word here used by Elihu when he saith If a man speak surely he shall be swallowed up If a man speak How or to whom The answer is If a man speak to God he shall be swallowed up But shall every one that speaks to God be swallâ—wed up Not so therefore we must go to the manner of speaking If a man speak to God not keeping his distance if a man speak to God without a Mediatour he shall be swallowed up as a drop of water is swallowed up of the Ocean or as a spark of fire is swallowed up in a great flame Perdetur vir ille fulgore celsitudinis Majestatis ejus perstrictus or as the light of a Candle or Glow-worm is swallowed up by the Sun there is no standing for the Creature before God in such a nearness of access but by faith in a Mediator If a man speak he shall be swallowed up Man is no match for God or he is a most unâ—qual match Yet further these words may note the coâ—quest of the mind or understanding of man by an object which is too high and excellent for it for then his thoughts yea and his Reason too are swallowed up and he is carried out of himself as a man in an extasie or trance When St. Paul was caught up to the third heavens and heard unspeakable words he was swallowed up with the greatness of the matter and was in a divine extasie whether in the body he could not tell or whether out of the bâ—dy he could not tell 2 Cor. 12.2 3 4. Thus saith Elihu shall
suffer us a little we will not burthen you much There are two things of admirable use in speaking First Brevity Secondly Perspicuity 'T is true that they that strive to be short prove very obscure yet doubtless 't is no very hard thing in most matters to joyn perspicuity with brevity and to give a clear sense in a few words And though it be a truth That when we have said much of God and of the things of God we have said but little yea that when we have spoken our all there remains infinitely more to be spoken yet we should as much as may be aim at brevity especially where the Person spoken to is weak and unfitted by bodily indispositions to hear much Suffer me a little And I will shew thee c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Amplam et susiorem rei elucidationem et declarationem importat Bold That is I will make all plain to thee I will give thee a full declaration of my mind and I hope of the truth I will set all before thee that so upon a â—eview thou mayest the easier apprehend my sense and give thy sentence about it Day unto day uttereth speech saith David Psal 19.2 and night unto night sheweth knowledge 'T is this word and it notes a very plain and evident manifestation of that which is offered to be known the very night carrieth a light in it concerning the glory of God I will shew thee That I have yet to speak on Gods behalf Dativus verba addities indicat honorem et cultum loqui Deo est non solum pro Deo defendendo sed etiam honorificando sermonem assumere Bold Some read for God or to God that is for the glory of God or to the honour of God in the clearing up of his righteousness against those blemishes which thy speech if not intentionally yet consequentially hath cast upon it I will speak that which may both convince thee and justifie God The Original Text strictly is thus I will shew thee that there are yet words for God that is I will make it appear that many things more may be said and proved in pursuance of this Poynt for thy further humiliation under the mighty hand of God and for the Lords vindication in all his dealings with thee I speak for God Nor was this a meer pretence Quia saepe arrogantes sibi sentium silentii reverentiam non deberi Domini non nunquam potentiam de quo quasi loquuntur insinuant c. Greg. in Loc. or a vain boast as I find some Expositers I conceive very causelesly charging Elihu as if here he published a zeal to speak for God that he might gain applause or draw a reverence upon himself in what he had to speak Some 't is granted have câ—yed up the Name of God when they closely aimed at their own But doubtless Elihu was honest and plain hearted when he said that what he had to say was for God as he pretended so he was really for God I have yet to speak on Gods behalf Hence Observe First It is a mans honour as well as his duty to be an Advocate for God As it is mans comfort his choicest comfort that God hath pâ—ovided an Advocate for him that he hath found out one to speak to himself in our behalf namely Jesus Christ so it is both the duty and honour of man to be an Advocate for God For if First it be a great honour to know God and to have God made known to us He hath not dealt so with any Nation as he dealt with the Jews in giving them the knowledge of his mind and as for his Judgements they have not known them Psal 147.20 Secondly If it be a greater honour to believe and obey according to what we know then Thirdly When we know when we believe and obey our greatest honour of all is to plead for and stand up in Gods behalf to undertake being called the defence of his truth and of his wayes to contend earnestly for the Faith once by God delivered to the Saints which is indeed the only good contention Paul saith Phil. 1.17 I am set for the defence of the Gospel Paul was a Champion ready to cope and buckle with all comers for Christ or the Gospel and therefore at the 20th verse of the same Chapter he saith the great thing he lookt after was That Jesus Christ might be magnified in his body whether by life or by death There are three wayes whereby we appear as Advocates on Gods behalf First By saying or arguing Secondly By doing or practising Thirdly By enduring and suffering and by all Christ is magnified in our body the two former wayes by life the latter by death or by that which bears the Image of it There 's noâ—hing needs a fuller measure of defence for God than the Truth of God and we never stand up so fully on Gods behalf as when we stand for his Truth though â—ur selves fall To speak and do on Gods behalf is most for our own behoof though we get but small fees or wages yea though we lose our all in this world for such speaking and doing I could wish there were not too much cause of complaint that God hath not many to speak on his behalf and that Christ Jesus our great our only Advocate with God hath few Advocates among men When God as it were calls to us Who is on my side who Truly there are but few that will appear for him that is for Truth for Holiness for holy Worship few appear for these things when differences arise about them The corrupt part of the world in any Age will not and the better part are not so free as they ought to speak and appear in such Cases on Gods behalf The world saith St. John in the Revelation wondred after the Beast he cannot want Advocates who hath so many Admirers But as the Admirers so the Advocates of the Lamb are not many they are only a sealed a selected Company We can be very warm in speaking in our own Cause and on our own behalf but how cold and dead-hearted are we when we come to speak in the behalf of God! what a sad withdrawing is there from that duty God stands up often on the behalf of his People and owns them in their need yet few own God or the Truth of God when there is most need Remember as it is our honour so our duty to speak on Gods behalf and they will come to a bad reckoning at last both for their doings and speakings for the work both of hand and tongue who have done and spoken much in their own behalf and little or nothing on Gods Again As Elihu makes this an Argument to provoke Job to hear him patiently Note They that speak for God ought to have audience It is an Argument commanding attention to say I speak from God or for God As when the Lord himself speaks all ought
maketh not or suffereth not the wicked to live The Hebrew strictly is He doth not enliven the wicked So the word is used concerning the Midwives that feared God Exod. 1.17 They did not obey the word of the King but saved the Male Children alive or they enlivened the Male children They who preserve do upon the matter give a new life The like Expression we have Exod. 18.22 Thou shalt not suffer a Witch to live The Hebrew is thou shalt not vivifie or enliven a Witch They who have commerce with the Devil the Prince of the Air they who Trade with Hell to satisfie the lusts and curiosities of evill men on earth are not worthy to breath in the Air or live upon the face of the Earth He preserveth not the life of the wicked There are two things in this negative speech of Elihu First God doth not shew any favour to nor indulge wicked men in their evil wayes He that will not so much as pâ—eserve their lives doth not give them favour while they live Life and savour are two distinct things Job 10.12 Thou hast granted me life and favour Favour with life is the pâ—iviledge of the living favour is better than life The Lord doth but seldome reprieve much less doth he at any time favour or pardon impenitently wicked men Secondly When Elihu saith he preserveth not the life of the wicked Non vivificat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro intersâ— it et omni vita spoliat Coc. we are to understand it by an ordinary Figure wherein less is expressed than is to be understood He preserveth not that is first he is not solicitous about their preservation he cares not much what becomes of them and not only so but Secondly he destroyeth the life of the wicked the Lord will certainly ruine and utterly undoe them one time or other one way or other he will do it either immediately by his own Arme by some notable stroke of vengeance from himself or he will do it by means he will find out and impower instruments that shall destroy the very life of the wicked And I conceive Elihu brings in this Proposition concerning God in answer to what Job had observed and complainingly alleadged about the Prosperity of the wicked Chap. 21.7 Wherefore doth the wicked live become old yea are mighty in power As if Job had intimated that the Lord surely did shew not only some but much respect unto wicked men they did not only live but they lived a long time and not only a long time a bare life but were mighty in power and over-powered yea oppressed many with their might Elihu replyeth here notwithstanding this Allegation which seemed to reflect upon the Justice of God that the Lord preserveth not the Life of the wicked Mark first he doth not say he preserveth not the Life of a man that sinneth for then whose life should be preserved but he preserveth not the life of the wicked 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is of a man who sinneth presumptuously and goeth on impenitently who is incorrigible Secondly he doth not say God suffereth not a wicked man to live for then most men being wicked in all Ages of the world the world would be very thin and almost naked of Inhabitants But he preserveth not saith he the life of the wicked that is he sets no stoâ—e by them as we do of those things which we carefully preserve We may compare this verse with that of Job Chap. 34.26 27 28. where 't is said of mighty oppressoâ—s the Lord striketh them at wicked men that is as he useth to strike wicked men in the open sight of others because they turned back from him and would not consider any of his wayes So that they cause the cry of the poor to come up to him and he heareth the cry of the afflicted Now as there Elihu speaks affirmatively he striketh wicked men so here he speaks negatively which is the same in effect God doth not preserve the life of the wicked and as there he said God heareth the cry of the afflicted or poor so here he giveth right to the poor These Texts are of the same sence and expound each other From the former part of this sixth verse already opened he preserveth not the life of the wicked Observe First Wicked men are out of Gods Protection they can expect no favour from him They are out-lawed Some persons are out-lawed by men and then if any man injure them or kill them they can have no remedy by the Law they have their amends as we say in their own hands the Law gives them none Wicked men are out of Gods love and therefore out of his care he turns them up as we say to the wide World to shift for themselves whether they sink or swim 't is all one to him He is neither Sun nor Shield to the wicked he is both to the godly Psal 84.11 The Lord is a Sun and a Shield the Lord will give Grace and Glory no good thing will he with-hold from them that walk uprightly As a Sun he giveth out the warm Beams of his savour to refresh and revive them when the World leaves them cold and comfortless And as a Shield he defends and saves them when the World strikes at them and vexes them he will keep them safe from evil as with a Shield The wicked have no share in this not in any such-like promise the Lord is rather Fire and Sword than Sun or Shield to them he neither comforts them while they live nor preserves their lives from death But some may say Doth not God preserve the lives of the wicked Is it not said Job 7.20 He is the preserver of men Which indefinite seems to carry it for all men And Psal 36.6 Thou preservest man and beast Yea wicked men not only live but prosper and flourish in the World as Job complained Chap. 21.7 Wherefore do the wicked live becâ—me old yea are mighty in power Surely then they are preserved and if God do not preserve them who doth Man hath no more power to preserve his own life than to give himself life how is it then that the Text saith God doth not preserve them or that they are out of Gods Protection I answer First It cannot be denyed but that the wicked hold their lives and all the good things they have possibly they have many good things of God But the wicked and their liveâ— or the lives of the wicked are preserved only by that common Pâ—ovidence of God which extends even to the Beasts of the field they are not preserved by any special Providence or Promise of preservation made to them their Souls are not bound in the bundle of life with the Lord their God as Abigail assured David his should be 1 Sam. 25.29 nor are they as one very well expresseth it in the Language of the Prophet Isaiah Chap. 4.3 written or reckoned among the living in Jerusalem Neither
their life nor their death is precious in the Lords sight as both of the meanest Saints are Psal 116.15 The special Promises of preservation are made to the godly the common Providences of preservation extend to the wicked God preserves many wicked men but not one of them can plead a Promise for his preservation or say Lord thou hast undertaken to preserve me I have thy Word or Warrant for my preservation So then the Lord doth not preserve the life of any wicked man upon a word of Promise Secondly I answer When the lives of the wicked are preserved they are not preserved for any love which God bears to their persons as such but either First to bring them into a better state that is to turn them from their wickedness that being converted they may be saved at last according to his purpose Or Secondly they are preserved to serve some ends and purposes of his in this World For though God hath no pleasure in them yet he makes some use of them and doth his pleasure by them Or I may say they are preserved to be Executioners of his displeasure in chastening and correcting his own people The King of Assyria was preserved in great Power and to what end I will send him against an hypocritical Nation Isa 10.6 He must go on my Errand though he meaneth not so nor doth his heart think so as the Lord spake vers 7. He hath other matters and designs in his head but I have this use of him and of his power even to punish the people of my wrath The Lord made use also of Nebuchadnezar and his Army to serve him in the destroying of Tyrus and of him and his Army he saith They wrought for me Ezek. 29.20 Thus the Lord doth some of his work his strange work especially his work of Judgment by the hands of wicked men and therefore he preserves their lives Yea he preserves them many a time to be a help and a defence to his people A Thorn Hedge keeps the Pasture that strange Cattle break not in and eat it up Wicked men are as Bryars and Thorns and they are suffered to live because the Lord can make use of them as a Fence to his people When the Serpent cast out of his mouth water as a Flood after the woman the Church that he might cause her to be carryed away of the Flood then the Earth that is earthly carnal men helped the Woman Rev. 12.15 16 The Lord used bad men to do that good work the preservation of his distressed and persecuted Church Thirdly As the Lord suffers many wicked men to live that they may be brought out of their sins so he suffers others to live that they may fill up the measure of their sins Why did the Lord preserve the Amorites was it because he loved or liked them no but because they were not then ripe for Judgment Gen. 15.16 The Iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full Some wicked men are to fill up their dayes that they may fill up the measure of their Fathers sins by their own as Christ threatned the Scribes and Pharisees Math. 23.32 Such a grant of life though for a thousand years is worse than a thousand Deaths Fourthly we may answer The wicked are not so much preserved from as reserved unto further wrath 2 Pet. 2.9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust unto the day of Judgment to be punished God doth not presently punish all the wicked nor take away their lives there is a day of Judgment coming and till that day come their lives are preserved as persons reserved unto Judgment Fifthly VVhen wicked men are said to be out of the Lords Protection consider There is a twofold Protection First ordinary Secondly extraordinary The Lord doth preserve and protect wicked men in an ordinary not in an extraordinary way he doth not work wonders much less miracles to preserve them as he often doth for the preservation of his own people God will not be at such cost in preserving of wicked men as he is at in the preserving the lives and liberties of his eminent Servants rather than they shall perish or not be preserved he will somtimes work a miracle and put Nature out of its course to save their lives VVhen those three VVorthies were cast into the midst of the burning fiery Furnace God stopt the rage of that furious Element that the Fire had no power upon their bodyes nor was an hair of their head singed neither were their Coats changed nor the smel of fire had passed on them Dan. 3.27 Did we ever hear that the Lord restrained the power of the fire to preserve wicked men When Daniel a man precious in the sight of God was cast into the Lions Den the Lord preserved his life also by stopping the Mouths of the Lyons Dan. 6.22 Did we ever hear that God preserved the lives of wicked men in such a way No sooner were Daniels accusers cast into the Lyons Den but the Lyons had the Mastery of them and brake all their bones in pieces e're ever they came to the bottome of the Den v. 24. The Lord doth not preserve the lives of the wicked by miraculous manifestations of his Power and Glory Sixthly I answer Though some wicked men are commonly preserved as other men yet many by their wickedness hasten their ruine and shorten the number of their dayes We may distinguish of wicked men First wicked men may be taken in a General notion for all that are unconverted and unregenerate Many persons pass for honest and good men in the world who yet are wicked being carnal and abiding in a state of nature wicked men of this sort are ordinarily preserved Secondly Take wicked men and such I conceive the Text especially intends for notorious wicked men such as are murderers blasphemers c. the Lord doth not preserve the lives of such but lets mans Justice seize upon them or divine vengeance overtake them Psal 55.23 The blood-thirsty and deceitful man shall not live out half his dayes that is he shall not live half so long as he might according to the course of Nature because of his nefarious sinful courses Histories are full of dreadful Tragedies sealing to this Truth with the blood and untimely death of gross offenders How often have we seen or heard of the Veâ—geance of God following and falling upon those that were signanter notoriously wicked and of â—â—ese we are especially to understand the Poynt and Text He preserveth not the life of the wicked Take this Inference from all that hath been said about this awakening Observation How sad is the life of a wicked man indeed of any man on this side the Line of grace but especially of any very wicked man He can scarce be said to live whose life is not preferved by God a wicked man is alwayes in death seeing God doth not preserve his life The Apostle
Paul said he was in Deaths often but God had as often preserved his life but they are in Deaths alwayes whose life God never preserveth VVhat preservation of life can he have who hath not God for his preserver God in Creation or Propagation giveth us our life as to being but Preservation gives us our life as to well-being Can it be well with them that are not under the preservation of God To be redeemed by Christ would be but a small comfort unless we were also preserved by him Jude 1. To them that are sanctified by God the Father and preserved in Jesus Christ and called If we were only redeemed from death and not preserved in life what were our spiritual life to us So I may say in respect of the life of the body to be meerly created or propagated what is it if we are not preserved 'T is a high Priviledge when a man can not only say he hath received life from God but his life is preserved by God That 's the first poynt He preserveth not the Life of the wicked Again From that other Interpretation of the words as not to preserve is as much as to destroy and ruine Note As God utterly disowneth so he will at last utterly ruine all wicked men He not only doth not favour them but pours out fury upon them Jer. 10.25 Pour out thy fury upon the Heathen that know thee not and upon the Families that call not on thy Name The Prophesie of Isaiah speaks no better concerning them than that prayer of Jeremy Isa 3.11 Wo unto the wicked it shall be ill with him for the reward of his hand shall be given him And what can the hand of a wicked man earn the wages of sin is death he can get nothing but wrath and death nothing but tribulation and anguish here and eternal misery hereafter by the work of his hands VVoe to the wicked for the reward of his hands shall be given him that is eternal destruction and sorrow shall be given him according to the iniquity of his hand A godly man is rewarded according to the cleanness of his hands Psal 18.20 24. He labours to keep his hands much more his heart clean whatever the VVorld judge of him But woe to the wicked when God giveth them the reward of their hands of their unclean soul and filthy hands for what can such hands get or procure by all their labour but their own mischief and sorrow There is no peace saith my God to the wicked Isa 57.21 No peace is to them because no good is done by them their portion lyes in promises who keep Commandements so theirs must needs lye in threatnings who do nothing but break them or break them in all they do My meditation of him shall be sweet I will be glad in the Lord said David Pâ—al 104.34 As if he had said I know that I and eveâ—y Godly man shall receive so much good from the Lord that it doth me good at the heart to think of it But as for the wicked I can fore-see as we say with half an eye how ill it will be with them and so let it be I must subscribe to and vote with the righteous judgement of the Lord againâ—t them ver 35. Let the sinners be consumed out of the Earth and let the wicked be no more Lastly Consider these words He preserveth not the life of the wicked with respect to the wicked specially intended and treated of in this Context The Lord is mighty and despiseth not the mighty because they are mighty he preserveth not the wicked Hence Note Wicked men how mighty soever cannot preserve themselves nor doth the Lord undertake for their preservation The strongest of wicked men cannot stand by their own strength they cannot protect nor preserve themselves and the Lord will not put forth his strength to preserve them from falling As no mightiness no power can bear man up or maintain him against the Lord so not without the Lord if he preserveth not the life of the wicked they cannot escape death and destruction though high as Cedars and strong as Oakes They cannot but perish whom God preserveth not He preserveth not the life of the wicked But giveth right to the poor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pauperes afflicti Or to the afflicted Poverty it self is a great affliction and usually the poor are afflicted by others Here is a second instance of Gods goodnesse in the exercise of his power and might As He preserveth not the life of the wicked So he giveth right to the poor as he destroyeth wrong-doers so he will do right to those that suffer wrong Every word is considerable First He giveth that 's an act of bounty Secondly He giveth right that 's an act of equity And that Thirdly To the poor that 's an act of pity and charity Further When 't is said He giveth that implyes First a present or speedy act Secondly a constant and setled course of acting As the word giveth imports that the Lord doth it now and doth not put it off to hereafter only so it likewise importeth that the Lord will do it hereafter as well as now He giveth Right to the poor The poor suffer wrong but the Lord comes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and gives them right or rights them and that in a twofold notion First He gives them that right which is due to them according to his own righteous Laws or the righteous Laws of men That 's right done which is done according to a righteous Law Secondly He giveth them that right which is due to them according to the integrity of their own hearts and wayes We may say Thirdly The Lord giveth them right not according to the strictnesse of the Law but according to the integrity of their hearts Thus David prayed Psal 7.3 Judge me O Lord according to my righteousnesse and according to mine integrity that is in me that is according to my honest meaning and the simplicity of my Soul As if he had said O Lord do me right men have done me wrong they have false and wrong apprehensions of me they raise false reports concerning me but thou O Lord who knowest my integrity wilt judge me accordingly and 't is my humble and earnest Prayer that thou wouldest He giveth right To the poor The poor in Scripture are taken two wayes First as they stand in opposition to the rich Secondly as they are opposed to the proud thus here he giveth right to the poor as well as to the rich and he will especially give right to the humble poor to the righteous poor to the poor in spirit Such the Prophet speaks of Isa 66.2 To this man will I look even to him that is poor He means not the poor in purse as such he means not those as such who wear poor cloaths the Lord doth not always look to or respect such poor for many such are both proud and wicked but he
in pleasure is dead while she lives If it be a dead life to live in pleasure how then is it here promised as a favour as a mercy to them that obey and serve God that they shall spend their years in pleasures I answer by distinguishing of pleasure pleasures are of two sorts First lawful and honest delights of such we read Gen. 49.20 where dying Jacob blessing of Asher saith Dabit deliâ—ias regis Hebr Mont He shall yield royal dainties or pleasures for a King meaning he shall give not only honest but honourable pleasures and contentments such as befit Kings Secondly There are unlawful and dishonest pleasures which the Apostle calleth Heb. 11.25 the pleasures of sin for a season A wo will be their portion who live in such pleasures Go to now ye rich men weep and howl saith the Apostle James Chap. 5.1 why so among other Reasons this is given for one vers 5. Ye have lived in pleasure wantonizing and gluttonizing and Epicurizing in such base pleasures you have lived therefore wo to you To live in sinful or unlawful pleasures is death and misery or a life worse than death but to live a life of lawful and honest pleasure is a mercy the mercy here promised and the very life of our lives Secondly We may distinguish of pleasures thus they are either first Corporal pleasures pleasures of the body of which we read Job 21.25 One dyeth in his full strength and another dyeth in the bitterness of his Soul and never eateth in pleasure that is he hath had no contentment in the body or no bodily contentment but was alwayes sickly crazy pining languishing and ill at ease his life was tedious even a burden to him for he could never eat in pleasure scarce last what he did eat Secondly There are Spiritual pleasures Psal 36.8 They shall drink of the Rivers of thy pleasures David speaks there of Saints what enjoyments and Joyes they have in the Church or House of God attending upon him in holy Ordinances Thirdly There are eternal pleasures Psal 16.11 In thy presence is fulness of jâ—y and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore Such are all the joyes of Heaven or of a glorified state Now when Elihu saith they shall spend their years in pleasures we are not to take it meerly for honest corporal pleasures for such a life at best is but the life of a Beast but we are to take these corporal pleasures either as heightned by better that is as spiritualiz'd by the sense of the love of God and mixed with spiritual pleasures or for those purely spiritual pleaâ—ures which the soul finds in communion with God alone having nothing to do or no intercourse with creatures drinking at the River of his pleasures in Prayer in Hearing in Meditation in breaking Bread in Singing Now to spend our dayes either in these purely spiritual pleasures taking in also those corporal pleasures so qualified as before and duly circumstantiated is a high a very high blessing and mercy indeed So then here is nothing to feed the fancy of Epicures here is no promise of sensual though of sensitive pleasures these only are pleasures sit for the Servants of God these pleasures only become Saints as for those other pleasures Christ saith of them in the Parable of the Sower Luke 8.14 They choak the Word of God and God will not feed his people with such pleasures as a reward of serving him as shall choak the Word and unfit them for his service No we are to watch against and deny our selves such pleasures as our Lord Jesus caution'd his Disciples Luke 21.34 Take heed least at any time your hearts be over-charged with surfetting drunkenness and the cares of this life and so that day come upon you unawares As if he had said Take heed of carnal pleasures as much as of worldly cares for as they are alike destructive to the present purity of the Soul so they alike endanger our future peace and lay us open to the surprize of Judgment And as such pleasures ruine the state of the soul so of the body too with which they have nearest cognaâ—ion Hence that of Solomon Prov. 21.17 He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man There pleasure is opposed to work or labour He that is all for taking his pleasure and will not follow his Calling this man comes quickly to poverty and will dye a Beggar Suppose the pleasure be lawful yet if he loves pleasure and is at his pleasure when he should be at his labour he will soon be reduced to a morsel of bread and become a poor man But he that loveth unlawful pleasures shall not only be a poor man but will prove a wicked man Thou that art given to pleasures Isa 47.8 is the Character of Babylon God gives good men pleasure but 't is the mark of an evil man to be given to pleasure They that love pleasure are lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God 2 Tim. 3.4 and such must needs be the worst of men And therefore we are not to understand this Text of any sinful pleasure nor of a life meerly lead in lawful pleasure that a man should be all upon his pleasure and lay aside his Calling Elihu doth not oppose pleasure to work labour or business but to trouble sorrow and affliction They that obey and serve the Lord shall spend their years in pleasures in honest pleasures that is they shall live not only contentedly but joyfully The Lord alloweth us to take any honest pleasure while we live but not to live in pleasure he alloweth us to take our delights but our delights must not take us There is yet another Query for it may be said Is this a truth that they who obey and serve the Lord shall spend their dayes in prosperity and their years in pleasures I answer to that First If we take it absolutely and universally we cannot affirme that every one who serveth and obeyeth God shall alwayes have pleasure that is outward comforts and contentments in this world many of the Lords faithfull servants have lived in paine and sorrow so that if as David spake in this case Psal 73.5 we should speak thus we should offend against the generation of his servants Some flourish in grace who wither in worldly comforts There is no certain connexion between these two Grace and outward peace or pleasure the providences of God vary in this poynt as himself pleaseth Neither is it true that the true servants of God do uninterruptedly or alwayes enjoy inward pleasures comforts and contentments for he that feareth the Lord and obeyeth the voyce of his servants may walk in darkness and trouble of spirit and see no light Isa 50.10 We are therefore to understand this Scripture as others of like nature of that which is commonly done or of that which we may upon good ground expect from God and in faith wait for that if we serve and obey him he will
make our lives comfortable to us I answer Secondly This promise or promises of a like nature were fitted to the time wherein Elihu spake he spake of the times long before Christs appearing in the flesh when the Lord did as it were lead on his people very much by promises of temporal and outward prosperity of which the Scripture is more sparing in the new Testament where we are come to the fulness of Christ and the riches of the grace of God to us in him of which there is but liâ—tle comparatively spoken in the old Testament And therefore under that darker dispensation of spirituals the Lord saw it good to encourage that people to obedience by a multitude of very particular outward promises as we may read Deut. 28. He would bless their basket and their store the fruit of the field c. These promises were suted to the state of that under-age people who were led on and enticed by visible and sensible blessings as we do children with toyes and Gaudees and indeed all visible enjoyments are but such in comparison of spirituals Believers under the Gospel being come to a higher state to fuller attainments the promises made to them run not much in that channel yet it cannot be denied that the Gospel also holds out promises for temporals as well as the Law and this latter dispensation of the Covenant as well as the former hath provided sufficiently for our outward comforts Thirdly For answer let us consider the drift of the Spirit of God in this promise of pleasure Job had often complained of his own sorrowfull condition and concluded himself a man of sorrow for all the remainder of his dayes though his faith was strong for the resurrection of his body after death yet he had little if any faith at all that he should be raised out of that miserable estate wherein he was in this life He also had spoken somewhat rashly and amiss concerning the dealings of God with his servants in general as if nothing but trouble and sorrow did attend them and that the wicked went away with all the sweet and good of this world Now Elihu to take him off from these sad and almost despairing thoughtâ— as to the return of his own comforts and to rectifie his judgement in the general poynt as to the dealings of God with others he assureth Job that if righteous men being bound in fetters c. hear and obey God will break those bonds and cut the cords of their affliction and they shall spend the remainder of their dayes in prosperity and the rest of their years in pleasures So that Elihu in holding out this promise to Job would rather clear his judgement from an error concerning the lastingness or continuance of his pains and sorrows than heat his affections in the expectation of joyes and pleasures in this world Fourthly I answer Though the people of God have nor alwayes dayes of such outward prosperity nor years of such sensitive pleasures yet they have that which is better and if they have no pleasures they do not want them The Apostle could say Phil. 4.11 I have learned in what state scever I am therewith to be content What is pleasure if content be not We may have outward pleasures yet no content but he that hath content within cannot miss of pleasure A man may have riches but no contentment but he that hath contentment is very rich 1 Tim. 6.6 Godliness with contentment is great gaine and great gaine is prosperity this great gaine this heart-pleasure or soul-rest contentment is the assured portion of those who obey and serve the Lord what-ever their outward portion be in this world And he may be said to spend his dayes in good and his years in pleasure who hath these pure gaines of gracious contentment resting the soul in God in all conditions The life of man that is the comfort of his life doth not consist in the abundance of that which he possesseth Luke 12.15 or in sense-pleasures but in that sweet composure and sedateness of his soul resting by faith in the promises of God or rather in the God of the promises and so sucking sweetness from them Lastly As though a servant of God should be exercised with sorrows all the dayes of his life yet he cannot be said to spend his dayes in sorrow because he meets with many refreshing intervalls and shines of favour from the face of God in the midst of those clouds so he may be said to spend his dayes in pleasure because at least when his dayes here are spent he consummates his dayes which is one signification of the word by an entrance into everlasting pleasures So much for the answer of these questions concerning this promise They shall spend their dayes in prosperity and their years in pleasure From the promise it self Note Fiâ—st Obedience to God is profitable to man God hath no profit by our Obedience but we have God doth not call us to serve him in his work as we call servants to do our work to get his living by us or better himself no the Lord calls us to serve him and obey him for our own good They consult their own good best who do most good I may say these three things of those who do good and what is serving God but doing of good or what is doing good but serving God First they shall receive true good Secondly they shall for ever hold the best good the chief good they shall not only spend their dayes and years in good but when their dayes and years are spent they shall have good and a greater good than any they had in spending the dayes and years of this life they shall have good in death they shall come to a fuller enjoyment of God the chief Good when they have left and let fall the possession of all earthly goods Thirdly they that do good shall find all things working together for their good if they have a loss they shall receive good by it if they bear a Cross that shall bear good Outward troubles cannot disturb much less pollute our spiritual good for All things work together for good to them that love God who are the called according to his purpose Rom. 8.28 Surely then the service of God is a gainful service a profitable service though the work may be hard and the way painful yet the wages will be sweet and the end pleasant The contemplation of this put David upon putting that question Psal 34.12 13. What man is he that desireth life and loveth many dayes that he may see good that is that he may enjoy good keep thy tongue from evil and thy mouth that it speak no guile depart from evil and do good The Psalmist makes Proclamation What man is he that would have good let him do good let him obey and serve God and he shall have good Again Consider the Promise in relation to the Persons described vers 8 9 10. They
prosecuteth the admonition which he had given Job in the 21 verse to take heed of uttering any thing rashly concerning Gods dealings with him or of choosing iniquity rather than affliction And he presseth the admonition by two great arguments First From the power and wisdome of God in the 22t h verse Behold God exalteth by his power who teacheth like him Secondly He urgeth it by an argument taken from the soveraignty of God as also from his most exact Justice v. 23. Who hath enjoyned him his way or who can say thou hast wrought iniquity As if he had said Take heed how thou accusest the Justice of God in any of his dealings with thee If God be of such power of such wisdome of such soveraignty of such integrity then consider well what thou speakest yea what thou thinkest of God beware thou speakest not a word nor conceivest a thought amiss of him Consider I say God himself his wayes and works thoroughly and thou wilt conclude with me That though many in the world have great power and have left the markes of it in many places and upon many persons yet none like God either first in doing his own work or secondly in directing or teaching us how to do ours So that Elihu by this report and commendation of the power and wisdome of God seems to comfort Job in the assurance or hope of better things Ecce deus excelsus in fortitudine sua Vulg 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 excelsus est intransitive sumi potest attollit robur suum i. e. robâ—re suo excelsus est if he would hearken to and accept his counsel for as God had mightily afflicted and broken him so he was as mighty to heal those breaches and deliver him he only waited to see him in a better frame that he might be gracious Isa 30.18 That 's the general sum of the words Vers 22. Behold God exalteth by his power Some read God is high in his own power that carrieth Elihu's reason strongly in it God is exalted in his power above all others and therefore it is no way sutable or consentaneous unto reason that the greater power should be questioned much less condemned of injustice by the lesser power There must be a parity a co-ordination or a co-equality at least if not a superiority where judgement is given That 's a great truth God is exalted in his own power David Psal 21.13 turns it into a prayer or wish Be thou exalted O Lord in thine own strength He makes a like prayer Psal 108.5 The Lord in other places declareth himself pâ—remptorily in it Psal 46.10 Be still and know that I am God I will be exalted among the Heathen I will be exalted in the Earth It shall be so whether men will or will not whether men will or no God will be exalted because he is exalted in his own power not in any derived power or power given him from the creature Men or Angels The power which God puts forth in his works exalt him or shew him to be a great a mighty God Behold God is exalted by his own power But we translate the Text and so I conceive it more fitly sutes the scope of Elihu as expressing an act of God towards others Behold God exalteth by his power So Mr Broughton Mark the Omnipotent sets up by his strength Behold As hath been shewed is a note both of attention and admiration God The strong God the potent the omnipotent God who is able to overcome all difficulties Exalteth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elevare exaltare corroborare stabilem inconcussum reddere The word which we render to exalt signifieth to set in an inaccessible height or to exalt veâ—y high and not only so but to establish in that exaltation yea so to confirme and corroborate him that is set up in such a height that no power is able to molest trouble or afflict him and therefore a word coming from this root signifieth a fortified Castle or Tower such places if any are exalted and lifted up on high Behold God exalteth As if Elihu had said God is not only exalted in himself he is not only lifted up beyond the reach of all creature-annoyances but he is able to lift up others and he doth actually exalt his when he pleaseth beyond the reach of all danger beyond the hurtfull power of those who hate them and therefore have a mind to hurt them God is so exalted above others that he can exalt others also He exalteth by His Power He hath the power in himself The word which we render power signifieth First That might and strength which is corporal the might and strength of the body Secondly Inward might and strength whether acquired or infused the might of the mind wisdome and pollicy Thirdly Civil might and power honour and riches Whatever maketh a man strong comes under the notion of this word and every way in all the Notions of power God is exalted He exalteth by his power But seeing 't is barely asserted He exalteth by his power nothing being expressed it may be questioned whom doth he exalt or what doth he exalt I answer Forasmuch as the Scripture leaveth it at large and undetermined we may apply this assertion to any either thing or person God exalteth whom he pleaseth and what he pleaseth VVe may take it distinctly these five wayes First He exalteth Himself by his power that is he exalteth his own Name and Glory which is nearest to him yea as himself Secondly He exalteth every work which he will undertake and engage upon He doth not only lay the Foundation of his work and rear up the VValls a little way but he exalteth by his power till he hath set up the Head-stone of his work as the Prophet Zechariah speaketh Chap. 4.7 all that love and fear him shouting and crying Grace Grace to it He exalteth his works of Providence as once he did his work of Creation to full perfection Thirdly The Lord exalteth those that fear him for they are most properly his Favourites and whom should he exalt but those whom he favoureth All the worldly exaltations of evill men are but depressions and abasements compared with those exaltations and advancements which God intendeth for all that fear him and some he exalteth much in this VVorld Fourthly and more specially He exalteth by his power such Job then was those that are cast down by the oppressing power of men even the poor and those that have no help Thou art he saith David Psal 9.13 that liftest me up or exaltest me from the gates of death When I am perishing when I am ready to be swallowed up with death when I am at the greatest loss even as to life it self then thou liftest me up thou liftest me up from the very gates of death Again Psal 18.48 He delivereth me from mine enemies yea thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me When they are casting me down God is