Exposition of Job 4-7, Commentary on Job · Chapter 4 · Verses 7-8

Exposition of Job 4-7 · Commentary on Job · Chapter 4 · Verses 7-8

p. 32JOB. Chap. 4. Verſ. 7, 8.

Remember I pray thee, who ever periſhed being innocent? or where were the righteous cut off?

Even as I have ſeen, they that plough iniquity, and ſow wickedneſſe, reape the ſame.

IN theſe two Verſes and the three following, Eliphaz coucheth and confirmeth his ſecond Argument wherein he further beſpatters the innocency of Job, and hopes to convince him of hypocriſie. The Argument is taken from the conſtant experience of Gods dealings in the world, Remember, I pray thee, who ever periſhed being innocent? We may give it in this forme.

Innocent perſons periſh not, righteous men are not cut off.

But Job, thou periſheſt, and thou art cut off. Therefore thou art no innocent or righteous perſon.

The major propoſition is plaine in the ſeventh Verſe; for that queſtion, Who ever periſhed being innocent? or where were the righteous cut off? is to be reſolved into this Negation, No innocent perſon ever periſhed, nor were the righteous ever cut off. And Eliphaz conceiveth this to be ſo clear a truth, that he challengeth Job to give one inſtance to the contrary, out of his own experience; he appeals to experience (which is a ſtrong way of arguing) Remember, I pray thee, who ever periſhed being innocent? ſhew me the man, and withall he profeſſeth, that he could give many inſtances or examples out of his own experience, that wicked men have periſhed and were cut off, this he doth in the eighth Verſe, Even as I have ſeen, they that plough iniquity, and ſow wickedneſſe, reap the ſame; which he inlarges in the three following Verſes, by the p. 33blaſt of God they periſh, and by the breath of his noſtrils are they conſumed, &c. This in generall for the ſumme and ſubſtance of the Argument.

We will now conſider the words, and examine the ſtrength of it in particulars.

Remember I pray thee.] He handleth Job tenderly in words, he ſpeaks gently and winningly to him, Remember I pray thee. To remember noteth often in Scripture a ſerious conſideration of things preſent, and before us, Eccleſ. 12. 1. Remember now thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth; that is, ſeriouſly bethink thy ſelfe at the preſent, of God and his wayes, and how thou oughteſt to walk holily before him. But properly to remember, is the calling to minde of things which are paſt: and ſo Eliphaz in this place directs Job to ſearch the Records; Goe and inquire into all the Monuments of Antiquity, look the Regiſters and Hiſtories of the Ages paſt, and ſee if thou canſt finde any ſuch thing as this, A righteous man periſhing.

Memory is the ſoules ſtore-houſe, there we lay up Obſervations, and from thence fetch them out, as occaſions invite. Hence Chriſt Matth. 12. 57. compareth every Scribe which is inſtructed for the kingdome of Heaven to a houſe-holder which bringeth forth out of his treaſury things both new and old. This treaſury is the memory, there holy truths and profitable examples are ſtored and reſerved. Remember I pray thee.

In that Eliphaz ſendeth Job back to former experiences, we may note, That it is our duty to lay up and record the dealings of God, whether publick or perſonall, whether with the godly or with the wicked. It is our duty to obſerve what God doth, Pſal. 111. 4. He hath made his wonderfull works to be remembred; as if the Pſalmiſt had ſaid, God hath not wrought ſuch great things in the world, whether reſpecting perſons or Nations, that we ſhould write them upon the water, or in the ſand, which the next puffe of winde defaces and blowes out; but he hath made his wonderfull workes to be remembred; hee will have them written in braſſe, with a pen of Iron, and with the point of a Diamond, that all ages may heare the judgements and loving kindneſſes of the Lord; he hath made his wonderfull workes to be remembred, or he hath made them ſo, as that they are moſt worthy to be remembred. David was a great obſerver of experiences (Pſal. 31. 35.) he telleth us, that he had (as it were) collected notes concerning Gods p. 34dealings all his dayes; and it is to the very point in hand, I have been young and now am old, yet never ſaw I the righteous forſaken; himſelfe carefully obſerved the dealing of God in this Pſalme: and in the next (Pſal. 37, 35, 36.) he gives the like direction to others; thus I have done, doe you take the ſame courſe too, I have ſeen the wicked in great power, and ſpreading himſelfe like a green Baytree; then he goes on, Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright; I have conſidered the eſtate of wicked men, let all obſerve the eſtate of the godly; Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright. The works of God expound his Word in his works his Word is often made viſible. That's an excellent expreſſion, Pſal. 111. 7. The works of his hands are verity and judgement; The acts of God are verity, that is, God acts his own truths? As the works of our hands ought to be the verity and judgements of God, (every action of a Chriſtian ſhould be one of Chriſts truths) ſo it is exactly with God himſelfe, the works of his hands are his owne verity and judgements. When we cannot finde the meaning of God in his Word, we may finde it out in his works: his works are a Comment, an infallible Comment upon his Word.

Yet we muſt take this Caution; the dealings of God in the ſurface and outward part of them, appear ſometimes contrary to his Word, contrary unto his promiſe, but they only appear ſo, they are never ſo. When a man reads a promiſe and finds much good ſtor'd up in it for the righteous, and then looks upon the ſtate of the righteous, and ſeeth it full of evill; here is a ſeeming contrariety between the Word and the Works of God, but it is onelyonly a ſeeming contrariety, as we ſhall ſee ſomewhat further anon. Therefore in that Pſalme 111. 2. where he ſaith, The works of God are verity and judgement, he addes, The works of God are ſought out: if you will have the verity or judgement that is in the works of God, you muſt not only look upon the outſide of them, but you muſt ſeek them out, ſtudie them, ſtudie them as you ſtudie the Scriptures, and then you will finde out the meaning of them, and ſee how exactly they ſquare with every part of the Word. Why doth Eliphaz ſend Job to experience? the ground is this; the works of God are like the Word of God; therefore if thou canſt not make it out by experience from his works, thou canſt hardly make it out, as a Poſition from his Word, that righteous perſons are cut off.

p. 35Remember now I pray thee, who ever periſhed being innocent? or where were the righteous cut off?

Here are foure termes to be opened, periſhed, cut off, innocent, righteous. We will conſider firſt what we are to underſtand by periſhing, and by cutting off. Secondly, whom we are to underſtand by innocent and righteus perſons. And then apply the whole ſentence, by ſhewing wherein the truth of this propoſition ſtands, that a righteous man or an innocent perſon cannot periſh or be cut off.

The word which we tranſlate periſhed, hath divers ſignifications. foreignFirſt, a returning to nothing, an utter conſumption, which is to periſh as a beaſt, Pſal. 49. 20. the Holy Ghoſt deſcribing a man who is not acquainted with God in his great eſtate, compares him thus; Man being in honour, and not underſtanding (ſc. the things of God) becommeth like the beaſts that periſh; not that he periſheth as a beaſt doth, but he is like a periſhing beaſt; the ſimilitude is not in periſhing, but in his qualities who periſheth, he hath but ſuch qualities, he is (upon the matter) even of as groſſe a temper as a periſhing beaſt.

Secondly to periſh ſignifies to dye. The diſſolution of man, or the diſ-union of ſoule and body, Iſay 57. 1. is thus expreſt, the righteous periſh, that is, they dye, as it is explained afterward, they are taken away from the evill to come, they reſt in their beds, ſc. in their graves: ſo Matth. 8. 25. Maſter ſave us we periſh, ſay the Diſciples, when they thought they ſhould all be drowned. Lord helpe us, or elſe we all dye preſently: and ſo we tranſlate Job 34. 15. where Elihu ſpeaking of the power of God, thus deſcribes it; If he ſhould but ſhew himſelfe, all fleſh (ſaith he) ſhall periſh together, that is, all fleſh ſhall dye, they are not able to ſtand before Gods power and greatneſſe: the word which he uſeth there, ſtrictly taken, foreignſignifies to expire or give up the ghoſt, yet we tranſlate it, all fleſh ſhall periſh together; that is, they ſhall all give up the ghoſt and dye, if God ſhould appear in his power and greatneſſe.

Thirdly, by periſhing we may underſtand outward afflictions and troubles falling upon, either godly or wicked: theſe are called a periſhing (Joſh. 23. 13.) Joſhua tels the people, If you will not obey and walk according to the Commandements of God, ye ſhall quickly periſh from off this good Land; that is, ye ſhall be removed by outward afflictions from your Land, you ſhall goe into captivity And ſo, if I periſh, I periſh, ſaith Eſther, Chap. 4. 17. that is, if I bring p. 36trouble and affliction upon my ſelfe, let it be ſo, I will venture it; A Syrian ready to periſh was my father, Deut. 26. It is meant of Jacob a man much verſt in trouble, as he himſelfe acknowledgeth, Few and evill have been the dayes of my pilgrimage.

Fourthly, to periſh, notes eternall miſery; as it is put for the miſeries of this life, ſo for the life of miſery, for that life which is an everlaſting death. John 3. 16. God ſo loved the world, that he gave Omnimodam rei perditionem ſignificat, o…p… ni…u… enim generationi.his onelyonly begotten Sonne, that whoſoever believeth in him, ſhould not periſh, but have everlaſting life: periſhing is oppoſed to everlaſting life, and therefore implyes everlaſting death.

Fifthly, to periſh, notes utter deſolation, and totall ruine. A cutting off, or a deſtroying the very name and remembrance of a perſon, or of a people. He that ſpeaks lyes ſhall periſh, Pro. 19. 9. that is, he ſhall be utterly deſtroyed. In this ſenſe the word is uſed for the Devill, becauſe he is a deſtroyer to the utmoſt, as Chriſt is a Saviour to the utmoſt. He is called Abaddon from Abad (the word here uſed) Rev. 9. 12. and Apollyon, his buſineſſe is to deſtroy totally and eternally. Thus alſo Antichriſt, The firſt-borne of the Devill (2 Theſſ. 2. 3.) is called the ſonne of perdition: take it actively, he is a deſtroying ſonne, one that deſtroyeth bodies and ſoules, as in Scripture a bloody man is called Iſh dammim, a man of blood; and paſſively, he is a ſonne of perdition; that is, a man to be deſtroyed both body and ſoule.

Theſe two latter ſenſes, namely, eternall deſtruction in Hell and utter deſtruction in this life, are joyned together. Prov. 15. 11. Hell and deſtruction (or Hell and periſhing) are before the Lord: and Chap. 27. 20. we have the ſame words againe, Hell and perdition or Hell and deſtruction are never full. So that to periſh (in a ſtrict ſenſe) notes even in this life an utter extirpation; ſo ſome render foreign Abſcondit, ne amplius auditur vel videatur, per metonymiam ſublatu…, doletus ſucciſus. Sublata enim è medio non apparent amplius ſed abſconduntu…. foreignit here, Who ever ſaw the righteous plucked up by the roots, ſo as there ſhould be no remembrance, no remainder of them. The other word which is joyned in the Text, cut off, carries the ſame ſenſe; though it ſignifies properly to hide a thing, yet it is ſo to hide it as it appeareth no more, or ſo to hide it, that it can neither be heard of, nor ſeen any more. Hence by a Metonymie it ſignifies to take away or to cut off, becauſe things that are taken away and cut off, are as things hidden and ſeen no more. Here then is the height of the ſenſe, either to take it, for periſhing in Hell, or for ſuch a periſhing in this life, as is joyned with totall deſolation and deſertion.

Then for the termes, innocent and righteous. The word we p. 37tranſlate innocent, ſignifieth empty. And it is therefore applyed to an innocent perſon, becauſe innocent perſons are emptied of malice and wickedneſſe, their hearts are ſwept and cleanſed, purged and waſhed; there is in ſome ſenſe a vacuum, a holy vacuum in the hearts of holy perſons: they are freed from that fulneſſe of evill which lyes in their hearts by nature, that filth is caſt out. Every mans heart by nature is brim full, top full of wickedneſſe, as the Apoſtle deſcribes the Gentiles, Rom. 1. 29. being filled with all unrighteouſneſſe; and it is a truth of every mans heart, it is a Cage full of uncleane Birds, a ſtable full of filthy dung, he hath in him a throng of ſinfull thoughts, a multitude of prophane gheſts lodging in him. Now a perſon converted, is emptied of theſe, theſe gheſts are turned out of their lodgings, the roomes are ſwept and emptied, therefore an holy perſon is called an empty perſon: Emptied; not abſolutely emptied of all ſinne, but comparatively, there is abundance caſt out; ſo that conſidering how full of ſin he was, he may be ſaid to be emptied of ſinne, and that his malice is caſt out. In the fourth of Amos, the Prophet threatens cleanneſſe of foreignteeth it is a ſuitable judgement, that uncleane hearts and lives ſhould be puniſhed with cleane teeth) or innocency of teeth; for it is the word of the Text. Famine is elegantly ſo called. Want of bread makes empty or cleane teeth.

And where were the righteous (that's the other terme) cut off? One may put the queſtion, where were the righteous? ſurely Job had very good eyes, if he could finde any righteous man upon the earth, he might ſeem to have clearer eyes then the Lord himſelfe, if he could finde any righteous; God looked downe from heaven, and he ſaw none righteous, no not one, Pſal. 53. 3, 4. Yet here Eliphaz bids Job enquire about the righteous, where they were cut off. To clear that.

By righteous here, we are to underſtand not righteous perſons in a ſtrict and legall ſenſe, but in a Goſpel mollified ſenſe: righteous with an allay, righteous by way of interpretation, and not in the ſtrictneſſe of the letter. And ſo men are called righteous, firſt in reference to the work of regeneration. There are none righteous in the root or originall, in their firſt ſetting and plantation in the ſoyle of the world; but there are righteous perſons as regenerate, and tranſplanted into the body of Chriſt, as wrought and faſhioned by the Spirit of Chriſt.

Secondly, there are none righteous, that is, none exactly, perfectly, p. 38compleatly righteous, but inchoatly, and intentionally, ſo many are righteous and are called righteous in the language of the Scripture.

Thirdly, there are none righteous, that is, none righteous by way of merit or deſert, none are ſo righteous as that they can challenge any thing at Gods hand, of right, the moſt righteous perſon is an unprofitable ſervant; he hath nothing to plead before God but free grace. Nothing to ſhew unto God but Chriſts fulneſſe, and his own emptineſſe, the riches of Chriſt, and his own poverty. Yet there are righteous in Gods acceptance, he accounteth and accepteth them for righteous, and honours them to be called righteous.

Laſtly, we may anſwer it thus, there are none righteous in themſelves, or from themſelves, none have any righteouſneſſe of their own making: but the Scripture ſhewes us thoſe who have righteouſneſſe, and are righaeous in another and from another; we have the righteouſneſſe of juſtification in Chriſt, and the righteouſneſſe of ſanctification from Chriſt: righteouſneſſe is both imputed to, and floweth into the ſoule by vertue of the union which is promiſed in the covenant of grace with Chriſt the righteous, with the Lord our righteouſneſſe. In theſe reſpects there are righteous perſons, and of ſuch we may underſtand this enquiry, where were ever the righteous cut off? The righteous by regeneration, the righteous by inchoation, the righteous by acception, or the righteous by imputation; where were any ſuch righteous in all the world of whom thou canſt ſay, they have ever periſhed, or have been cut off?

Having opened the ſenſe of the ſingle termes, we will look to the ſenſe of the propoſition, and conſider wherein we may cleare the truth of it, that innocent perſons doe not periſh, or that the righteous are not cut off.

Take periſhing or cutting off in the firſt ſenſe, namely, for annihilation and returning to nothing; and ſo, neither righteous nor unrighteous, guilty nor innocent can periſh; no man ſhall periſh ſo, man is of an everlaſting make.

Then take periſhing in the ſecond ſenſe, as periſhing is put for dying and going out of the land of the living, thus all righteous and innocent perſons periſh and are cut off, namely, by the ſword and ſithe of death: we may ſay all, God indeed hath made ſome few exceptions out of the generall rule, but the Statute is plaine, It is appointed unto all men once to dye; Enoch was tranſlated, p. 39and ſo was Elijah, and many ſhall be found alive when Chriſt commeth to judgement, who ſhall not die; they ſhall be but changed, and have a metaphoricall, not a proper death; This makes ſome ſmall abatement from, but doth not croſſe the generall rule, that all muſt die.

Take periſhing in the third ſenſe, for ſome temporall outward ſuffering in the world, either from the hand of God immediatly, or mediately from the hand of man. Thus righteous and innocent perſons may periſh too, that is, they may fall under fore and great afflictions: thus righteous Abel periſhed, and thus Jacob was a Syrian ready to periſh, and thus the godly party among the Jewes, in the time of the captivity periſhed, thoy periſhed from off the Land, as it was threatned, Joſh. 23.) with the reſt of the wicked; of which the two baskets of figgs, one bad, and the other good, were a famous type, Jer. 24. 3.

And in regard of this outward, preſent, temporall periſhing, we finde it often, that the righteous periſh, while the unrighteous flouriſh; Pſal. 73. 12. Behold (ſaith David) theſe are the ungodly, that proſper in the world; and at the fourth verſe, All the day long have I been plagued, and chaſtened every morning. As ſure, or as ſoone as I riſe, I have a whipping, and my break-faſt is bread of ſorrow, and the water of adverſity; theſe proſper, and I periſh: And the Prophet (Jer. 12. 1, 2.) expoſtulates with holy ſubmiſſion about this flouriſhing eſtate of the wicked, and periſhing eſtate of the godly: Wherefore doth the way of the wicked proſper, &c. And in the next verſe, Thou haſt planted them, yea they have taken roote, they grow, yea they bring forth fruit: What a gradation is here of the flouriſhing proſperity of wicked men, while the righteous ſeeme to wither? Thou haſt planted them; but every tree that is planted, doth not take roote, but theſe take roote,; Every tree that taketh roote, doth not grow up to any ſtrength, but theſe take roote, and they grow: there are trees that grow, yet they bring not forth fruit, but theſe bring forth fruit alſo; Yea (ſaith he) they bring forth fruit; theſe were flouriſhing trees indeed, yet in the meane time, thouſands of righteous perſons periſhed in and by outward troubles.

Sometime (we find on the other hand) that the wicked periſh in outward troubles, while the righteous are delivered, and have Arkes provided to ſave them in a common deluge. God makes that difference ſometime, even in this life; he pulled Lot out of Sodome, p. 40while Sodome periſhed by fire: And righteous Noah was ſaved in the Arke, while the world of the ungodly periſhed by water.

And laſtly, Both the righteous and the wicked, may be wrapped up in the very ſame outward periſhing condition, yet alwayes with a difference; though both alike periſh, yet their periſhing is not alike. As it is with the righteous and wicked in regard of ſinne, ſo of ſufferings: they may both commit the ſame ſinne for the matter, as it is a tranſgreſſion of the Law, but a righteous man can never ſinne as the wicked; he ſins not, with ſuch formalities of ſinning, he hath not ſuch a heart, ſuch a temper and bent of ſpirit, as a wicked man hath in ſinning: to ſinne ſo, is utterly inconſiſtent with the new nature. Thus alſo it is with the periſhings, afflictions, and troubles which they fall into; God ſometimes ſends the very ſame affliction for the matter, as ſuppoſe poverty, want, impriſonment, captivity, and the like, upon the one, as upon the other: But are the righteous ſmitten, as God ſmites thoſe that ſmite them? Surely no, in meaſure he debateth with them. Iſa. 27. 7, 8. They ſinne not againſt God with the ſame heart, or at the ſame rate as the wicked doe: and God never ſtrikes them with the ſame heart, or at the ſame rate as he doth the wicked; he cannot doe it, the ſtrength of his love to them, makes this impoſition for him. Therefore, though as the Preacher reſolves the caſe, Eccleſ. 9. 1. No man knoweth either love or hatred, by all that is before him: In the matter of events, love or hatred are not viſible; yet in the manner of events there is much love and hatred viſible: and the ſpirits of ſuch as are under thoſe events, may diſcerne love or hatred, when no eye can: One ſeeth hatred, and another ſeeth love, aboundance of love mixed in his cup of ſorrow. God never gives his own, a cup of pure wrath to drinke; there are alwayes ſome ingredients of comfort and ſweetneſſe put into it. This is the third ſenſe, how righteous ones may, or may not periſh.

Take periſhing, in the fourth ſenſe, as periſhing is an eternall deſtruction; and ſo the propoſition of Eliphaz is true throughout, ſtrictly true; That no righteous, ever periſhed, or were cut off; an innocent perſon is, in that ſenſe, paſt periſhing; a righteous man is paſt cutting off. Joh. 10. 28. I doe give unto them eternall life, and they ſhall never periſh. Rejoyce in this, ye righteous, ye are beyond periſhing, ye are paſt periſhing, while ye live in a periſhing world.

p. 41Laſtly, Take it in the fifth ſenſe, and ſo you may have a further truth, which I conceive, is that which Eliphaz purpoſely aimeth at; take periſhing, for outward preſent deſtruction, joyned with a totall deſertion; and in that ſenſe the propoſition of Eliphaz is true alſo; No righteous man, no innocent man ever periſhed, or was ſo cut off with any temporall judgement: The Apoſtle is direct for it, (2 Cor. 4. 8, 9.) We are in trouble on every ſide, (we ſee trouble which way ſoever we turne) but we are not diſtreſſed, we are perplexed (we are in the bryars as well as ungodly men) but not in deſpaire, (we are in hope ſtill, and if there be hope for us, God is for us:) We are perſecuted, but not forſaken, (God is neere us, though all the world ſtand aloofe,) we are caſt downe, but not deſtroyed, we ſhall up againe. So that while he admits of periſhing in the former ſenſe, reſpecting outward afflictor, yet he denies it conſtantly in this latter ſenſe, ſo as to be cut off quite from the comforts and ſupports of God. That obſervation of David, may be thus underſtood, (Pſal. 37. 25.) I have been young, and now am old, yet have I not ſeen the righteous forſaken, (he doth not ſay, in my experience I never ſaw the righteous afflicted, but, I never ſaw him left or forſaken in his afflictions) and I never ſaw his ſeed begging their bread: he puts in that, becauſe begging of bread, eſpecially in the Common-wealth of Iſrael, and in the ſtate of the Jewes, was a note of utter dereliction; for though God had told them, that they ſhould have the poore alwayes with them, yet he had given an expreſſe Law, that there ſhould be no beggar among them; therefore, ſaith he, I have not ſeene the righteous ſo forſaken, that they ſhould be forced to live by begging.

If any ſay, that David himſelfe begged, he asked bread of Abimelech Caſus tranſitorii non reddunt mendicum.and of Nabal. I anſwer. It is a good rule, and it reſolves the caſe; Tranſitory caſes, and ſuddaine accidents, make no beggars: we muſt not ſay, David was a beggar, or begged his bread, becauſe once he was in a ſtraite, and asked bread of Abimelech; and in a ſecond ſtraite, ſent to Nabal; In ſuch ſudden caſes, the richeſt man in the world, may be put to aske a peece of bread. A good man may fall into ſuch wants, but good men are rarely, if ever or at all left in them.

Now to apply it particularly to the intent of Eliphaz in this place. We have given three interpretations, in which we have ſhewed, how righteous men may periſh; and two, wherein the righteous cannot poſſibly periſh; in both which, the words here p. 42ſpoken by Eliphaz, are a truth. And concerning the fifth and laſt, I conceive, Eliphaz is particularly ro be underſtood: For he ſpeakes not here of the eternal eſtate of Job (though that be involved) when he concludeth him a wicked man; but he ſpeakes of the dealings of God in temporals: He look't upon Job as a loſt man, a man utterly forſaken of his God; as a man of a forlorne hope, cut downe, and pluckt up, root and branch; when he ſaw his ſtocke conſumed, his children ſlaine, his body diſeaſed, and his ſpirit ſo diſtempered. And ſo the minor, or the aſſumption onelyonly is falſe, the propoſition true; Righteous men doe not periſh thus, innocent perſons are not thus cut off; but thou Job periſheſt and art cut off: Hold there, that's falſe; Job in the ſenſe Eliphaz intended, periſhed not, was not cut off; for in the ſequell, God gave him both comfort and deliverance: Love was mingled with the affliction, ſtrength was miniſtred to beare the affliction: and at laſt a gracious way was made out of the affliction. The bleſſing of God, cauſed him to ſpring out againe: though his goodly branches were broken, and his fruit pluckt off, yet his roots were not pluckt up.

It will not be unneceſſary, for the clearing of this Scripture, to ſubjoyne a reaſon, why in the Old Teſtament, or under the old Covenant, there was ſo much ſtumbling at the afflictions and troubles of the righteous; for it put even a David, a Jeremiah, and a Habakuk Pſal. 73. Jer. 12. 1.Ps 73Jer 12:1hard to it, for an anſwer, when they ſaw ſuch under ſufferings; the reaſon was this, becauſe God in thoſe times, made more ſpeciall temporall promiſes to his people, in caſe of obedience, than he hath done in the time of the Goſpel. Reade Deut. 28. Levit. 27. and other places, where you ſhall finde, how all the promiſes runne upon things, that concerne the outward man; they ſhall be bleſſed in their basket and in their ſtore, they ſhall have this and that, and all outward things aboundantly; and the curſe threatned, was the loſſe and deprivation of thoſe outward bleſſings in caſe of diſobedience: For God did winne and carry them on, in that non-age of the Church, by outward and temporall promiſes; hence they were much troubled and offended, when they ſaw righteous men under heavy preſſures and breaking afflictions. Now ſince the comming of Chriſt in the fleſh, and the pouring out of thoſe ſpeciall ſpirituall bleſſings upon his people, by the Holy Ghoſt, he doth not feed us ſo much with theſe outward hopes, or enjoyments. Therefore in the Goſpell, we read what hard meate he giveth his people: foretelling them plainly, If any will follow me, let him deny himſelfe, p. 43and take up his croſſe: There is ſcarce ſuch a word in all the old Teſtament as that: he which will follow me, ſhall finde a croſſe, and be ſure of perſecution; They were but children, ſuch words and ſights might terrifie them; therefore they were (as it were) dandled on the knee, and allured by ſenſible comforts, a land flowing with milke and honey, if they did obey; and they heard of rods and ſtripes in caſe of ſtubbornneſſe and diſobedience; Say to the righteous, it ſhall be well with him, for they ſhall eate the fruite of their doings: Woe to the wicked, it ſhall be ill with him, &c. Iſa. 3. 10, 11. David ſaith (indeed) many are the troubles of the righteous, but (it is not put among the termes of their ſtate or ſervice) It is not ſaid, if ye will be righteous, ye ſhall have trouble. Moſes never told them, If any will be my diſciple, let him taka up his croſſe, &c. So then, Gods dealings and diſpenſations being moſt in outward things at that time, they were very apt to ſtumble at the croſſe. And there is greater reaſon why they ſhould ſtumble at a molehill, then we at a mountaine of trouble: God having told us, that ſeeing he hath given us ſuch excellent things in Chriſt, ſuch glorious mercies, and tranſcendent priviledges in the Goſpel, we may well take afflictions and troubles into the bargaine, and never ſhrinke or ſtraine at them, but rather take them well. So much for that verſe, The righteous are not cut off, neither doe innocent perſons periſh.

Eliphaz having given Job his turne to ſearch his experiences, brings forth his own, in the next words: Even as I have ſeene, Verſ. 8.they that plow iniquity, and ſow wickedneſſe, reape the ſame; As if he ſhould ſay, Job, I know you are not able to give me one inſtance of a righteous mans periſhing, but I could give you many and many inſtances, I could write whole books concerning wicked men periſhing, and of the ungodly cut off; This he carries under a metaphor, and by continued metaphors, makes up an elegant allegorie, in thoſe termes of plowing, ſowing, reaping.

Even as I have ſeene.] That word notes, a curious obſervation; foreign Significat non ſimpliciter videre, ſed curieſe inſpicere.not a light tranſitory glance of the eye, but a criticall conſideration of any thing. As it is ſaid, Gen. 1. 4. God ſaw the light that he had made, God ſaw it diſcerningly, for he found it was very good: And ſo it is ſaid, Gen. 34. 1, 2. that Dinah went forth to ſee the daughters of the land, that is, curiouſly (though vainely) to obſerve the manners and faſhions of the people; and in the fame verſe, Hamor the ſonne of Sechem ſaw her, he ſaw her ſo p. 44exactly, as to be taken with her beauty, his eye entangled his heart, and both entangled his life. So here, Even as I have ſeene, that is, by a diligent inſpection, and judicious conſideration of what I ſaw. And what was that? Myſticall Husbandry.

They that plow iniquity and ſow wickedneſſe, reape the ſame.

They that plow iniquity.] The word which we tranſlate to foreign F…dit fundam, …ravit. Pe… metaphoram fodit cogitatione, vel intentus fuit rei ali…ui conficiendae ſicut arator praeparat terram ante ſemina…orem▪plow, ſignifies the uſe of any kinde of art or manufacture; as the worke of a Smith, or of a Carpenter, in Iron, wood or timber; And as the art, ſo the Artiſt or handicraftſ-man (Iſa. 44. 12.) is expreſt by this word: The Smith with his tongs, worketh in the coales. And Zech. 1. 20. It is put for a Carpenter, The Lord ſhewed me foure Carpenters: Now here it is applyed to the Plowman, and to his plowing. So Hoſe. 10. 13. Ye have plowed wickedneſſe, ye have reaped iniquity, ye have eaten the fruit of lies▪

And this plowing of iniquity, or plowing of wickedneſſe, takes in both the outward act of ſinne (to plow iniquity, is to commit and practiſe iniquity) and the inward act of ſinne, to plow iniquity, is as much as to deviſe and meditate iniquity. Prov. 3. 29. Deviſe not (Heb. plow not) evill againſt thy neighbour. So Prov. 6. 18. A heart that deviſeth, or ploweth, wicked imaginations. And Prov. 21. 4. The plowing of the wicked is ſinne; That is, whatſoever they deviſe, or whatſoever they doe, inſide and outſide, the cloath and linings of their garments are all ſinne.

Likewiſe this word denotes, not onelyonly ſpeculative evils, but alſo ſecrecie of practice; or a plot carried and acted ſecretly. Thus (2 Sam. 23. 9.) it is ſaid, David knew that Saul ſecretly practiſed evill againſt him; The Hebrew is, he knew that Saul plowed evill againſt him. So that it may be taken, either for the meditating of evill, or for a politick cloſe way of effecting any evill or wicked deſigne.

And the Scripture elegantly calls the muſing or meditating of ſinne, plowing, becauſe a man in meditation, (when he would accompliſh any wickedneſſe) turnes up (as it were) all the corruptions that are in his heart, and all the conveniencies that are in the world, to attaine his end. As a man that meditates upon any holy thing, upon Chriſt, or Free-grace, &c. turnes up all the graces and abilities, that are in his ſpirit, he plowes up his heart, that he may fetch up the ſtrength, and enjoy the ſweetneſſe of them.

p. 45So then this ploughing noteth two things chiefly; Firſt, the pains and labour which wicked men take in ſinfull courſes, every one that ſinnes doth not plough ſinne, or is not a worker (which is an equivalent phraſe) of iniquity. Secondly, it implyes the black Art and helliſh skill of wicked men in ſinning. To plough is a skill, & ſo is ſome kinde of ſinning (though to ſin in generall, be as naturall as to ſee, and needs as little teaching as the eare to heare (ſome men (…s we may ſay) are bunglers in ſinning, others are their crafts-maſters at this plough, and can lay a furrow of iniquity ſo ſtrait, do an act of filthineſſe ſo cleanly, that you can hardly ſee any thing amiſſe in it; Thoſe words in the New Teſtament, To commit ſinne, to worke iniquity, an abomination, or a lye, Rev. 21. 27. &c. are anſwerable to this in the Old Teſtament, a plougher of iniquity.

And ſome tranſlate this Text ſo; the vulgar reades it thus, They Qui operantur iniquitatem.who worke iniquity; all which expreſſions ſet forth and elegantly deſcribe ſuch, who ſinne reſolvedly, induſtriouſly, cunningly, curiouſly, ſuch as have the art (and will ſpare no pains) to do wickedly. Theſe have ſerved an apprentiſhip to their luſts, and are now as Freemen of Hell, yet ſtill Satans Drudges, and active Engineers to plot and execute what God abhorres.

Note this further, that ploughing in Scripture referres both to good actions and to bad; there is a plowing for good, the Metaphor is ſo applyed, Prov. 4. 27. Doe not they erre that deviſe evill? (that plough evill) but mercy and truth ſhall be to them that deviſe good, (to them that plough good) the ſame word is uſed in both; and it intimates (as before) both the paines and the skill which a godly man beſtowes and ſhewes about holy things: the great work of repentance is often allegorized by ploughing, Breake up the follow ground: and our obedience to the Goſpell, whether in the profeſſion or preaching of it, is called ploughing, Luk. 9. 62. He that putteth his hand to the plough and lookes backe, is not fit for the kingdome of God. Grace is as active and as accurate as Luſt can be.

It followes, And ſow wickedneſſe, reape the ſame. Eliphaz goes on with the Metaphor, after plowing comes ſowing, and after ſeed time, reaping time or harveſt. Sowing in Scripture is divers wayes applyed unto the actions of men.

Firſt, there is a ſowing which is the work of charity, when we diſpenſe and drſtribute to the helpe of the poore, eſpecially to the Saints; ſo 2 Cor. 9. 6. He that ſoweth ſparingly; that is, he that giveth unto the poore ſparingly.

p. 46Secondly, ſowing is applyed to the preaching of the Goſpel, to the ſcattering of the Word in at the eares, and into the hearts of men, Luke 8. 5. A ſower went out to ſow.

Thirdly, ſowing is applyed unto the buriall of the dead, 1 Cor. 15. 42. that which is ſowne in weakneſſe, the bodies of men are as ſeed in the earth, they ſhall ſpring up againe.

Fourthly, ſowing is applyed to repenting teares, they that ſow Pſal. 126. 5.Ps 126:5in teares; that is, they that goe on repenting and mourning, ſhall reape in joy; they ſhall have ſheaves of comfort.

And fifthly, it is applyed generally unto any action good or bad, Gal. 6. 8. He that ſoweth to the fleſh, ſhall of the fleſh reape corruption, and he that ſoweth to the ſpirit, &c. Sowing (as ploughing) is uſed in regard of doing good and evill, ſow to your ſelves in righteouſneſſe, ſaith the Prophet; and here on the other ſide, They that plough iniquity and ſow wickedneſſe. Here is the progreſſe of ſinne: ſinne goeth on gradually, there is not onelyonly a ploughing but a ſowing; ſinne is the ſeed, and there is a ſeminall vertue in every ſin, it will ſpring up againe and bring forth an hundred fold more in miſery, to the whole man, fleſh and ſpirit, then ever it gave in delights unto the fleſh.

The word which we tranſlate [wickedneſſe] ſignifies wearineſſe, foreign Seminant dolo res. Vulg.labour, perverſeneſſe; becauſe wicked perſons weary and toile themſelves in ſerving and ſatisfying their luſts. Numb. 23. 21. I have ſeen no perverſeneſſe in Iſrael. God did not finde them laboriouſly and induſtriouſly wicked at that time. To do wickedly is a weariſome imployment, a hard labour. The vulgar Latine renders it by ſorrow; and ſow ſorrowes.

Reape the ſame.] The Apoſtle 1 Cor. 15. 37. telleth us, That the Husbandman ſoweth not the ſame body, that ſhall be, how then is it ſaid, they ſow wickedneſſe and reape the ſame? when they come to the harveſt, what ſhall they have? The ſame ſaith Eliphaz. It is true, A man that ſoweth, doth not reape the ſame, individually, or numerically; that is, the very ſame particular ſeed; but he reaps the ſame ſpecifically, the ſame in kinde; that's the meaning here, their crop or harveſt ſhall be like their ſeed time, Gal. 6. 7 Whatſoever a man ſoweth, that ſhall he alſo reape, the ſame in kinde, not the ſame in number. Prov. 22. 8. He that ſoweth iniquity ſhall reape vanity. It is not the ſinne it ſelfe, which is reaped, but the fruit, the product of that ſinne; that, they ſhall reape; the puniſhment of ſin is the fruit of ſin, and it is called the ſame: Puniſhment is a p. 47viſible ſinne. Thy way and thy doings have procured theſe things unto thee, this is thy wickedneſſe, Jer. 4. 18. The bitter things procured by wickedneſſe, are called wickedneſſe. As the ſweet fruits of our good workes, are called our works. Rev. 14. 14. Bleſſed are the dead that dye in the Lord, for they reſt from their labours, and their workes follow them: their workes follow them, how? Not their workes in kinde, the very ſame individuall workes, which they have done here follow them not (for they are tranſient acts and have no ſubſiſtency) but the fruits of thoſe workes, and the bleſſings, which lie in the promiſe for ſuch as doe thoſe workes, theſe fruits, theſe bleſſings follow them: the bleſſings annexed to faith, obedience, and holineſſe, theſe follow them. So now, when it is ſaid of a wicked man, what he ploweth and ſoweth, he reapeth the ſame, it is to be underſtood of the ſame thing in the iſſue and conſequents of it, thoſe curſes, thoſe treaſures, that harveſt of wrath, which lie in the threatnings againſt him, theſe are rained downe upon him▪ and are made the portion of his cup.

Againe [the ſame] that is, the ſame in degree; if he have ſowne much, he ſhall reape much, if he have ſowne but little, he ſhall reape but little, he ſhall have his due proportion. The juſtice of God doth neither commute nor compound penalties with wicked men: as it will not wrong or overcharge, ſo neither will it favour or ſpare them in their ſinnes. God ſpared not his Sonne, when he was in the place of ſinners, Rom. 8. 32. much leſſe will he ſpare any ſinner, who is not in his Sonne. So much for the opening of theſe words. We ſhall now obſerve ſome things from them.

Even as I have ſeen, they that plough iniquity. Hence we learne, firſt, That to be a wicked man is no eaſie taske; he muſt goe to plough for it: It is plowing, and you know plowing is laborious, Beli…l, de luci poteſt à foreign q. e Non & foreign q. e. lugam, ut ſignificatur impatien…ia Jug…. Hie…on.yea it is hard labour. Wicked men in Scripture are called Sonnes of Belial, that is, ſuch as will not endure the yoke; they will not endure Gods yoke, or the yoke of Chriſt, though it be an eaſie yoke: but they are content ſlaviſhly to yeeld their (otherwiſe) proud and delicate necks to Satans yoke, to tugge and ſweat at his plough all their dayes. There is a promiſe in the Prophet of a time, when Swords ſhall be turned into plough-ſhares, and ſpeares into pruninghooks; that is, men ſhall leave fighting and goe to working, they ſhall have peace: and it is but too too diſcernable, that many would break their ſwords, into theſe myſticall plough-ſhares, and their ſpears into ſinning-hooks; they would have peace, why? that they p. 48might leave fighting and goe to ſinning, that they might worke wickedneſſe more quietly, and keep cloſe to their trade, the plowing of iniquity without diſturbance.

Secondly obſerve, That there is an art in wickedneſſe; it is Plowing, or as the word imports an artificiall working. Some are curious and exact in ſhaping, poliſhing, and ſetting off their ſin: ſo the Holy Ghoſt intimates, Rev. 21. 27. Whoſoever worketh abomination foreignand maketh a lye; there is but one Verbe in the Greek, and ſo we may reade it fully enough in our language, Whoſoever worketh abomination and a lye; to worke an abomination or a lye, is more then to doe an abomination or tell a lye. As when we ſay ſuch a man is a Clockmaker, it notes art, as well as action. So to ſay ſuch a man is an Abomination-worker, or a Lye-maker, notes him not only induſtrious, but crafty, or (as the Prophet ſpeaks) wiſe to doe evill.

Thirdly, note from theſe metaphors of plowing and ſowing, That wicked men expect benefit in wayes of ſinne, and look to be gainers, by being evill doers. They make iniquity their plough; and a mans plough is ſo much his profit, that it is growne into a Proverbe, to call that (whatſoever it is) by which a man makes his living or his profit, His plough. And when we ſay, there are many candles burning and never a plough going. It is to tax unthriftineſſe or careleſſe ſpending, without honeſt care of getting. Every man tils in expectation of a crop; who would put his plough into the ground to receive nothing? The Apoſtle argues from this as a dictate of nature, (Cor. 9. 10.) He that ploweth, ploweth in hope. And James 5. 7. The husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, having beſtowed his labour, he doth not count it labour loſt. It is even ſo with wicked men, when they are ſinning, they think themſelves thriving, or laying up that in the earth a while which will grow and increaſe to a plentifull harveſt. What ſtrange fancies have many to be rich, to be great, by wayes of wickedneſſe. Thus they plow in hope, but they ſhall never be partakers of their hope: yea, they ſhall be aſhamed of their hope, their ſin will deceive them. And that which will make their poverty moſt burthenſome, is their hope of riches, the expectation they had to gain, will make their loſſe, their breaking, and their undoing intollerable.

Fourthly, obſerve from theſe Metaphors, That every ſinfull act perſiſted in, ſhall have a certaine ſorrowfull reward, it ſhall aſſuredly p. 49be anſwered with judgement, tribulation, and anguiſh. Aſſuredly it ſhall. Are not plowing and ſeed-time an aſſurance of the harveſt? They that goe forth vainly rejocing, bearing that poyſonous ſeed, ſhall doubtleſſe come againe, and bring their ſheaves of ſorrow with them. That which God promiſed (Gen. 8. 22.) in regard of naturall husbandry, he hath threatned in regard of this myſticall husbandry: after the flood he promiſed, that while the Earth remained, Summer and Winter, Seed-time and Harveſt ſhould not ceaſe. So it is here, onelyonly with this difference, the Lord uſeth all means to diſſwade and prevent the ſeed-time of ſinne. But when notwithſtanding all thoſe threatnings, men will be ſowing iniquity, he hath made an everlaſting Decree (as firme in its kinde, as that about the waters of Noah) that Harveſt ſhall follow, and every ſuch ſoule ſhall both reape and eat, the fruit of his plowings and ſowings.

Fifthly, obſerve, That the puniſhment of ſinne may come long after the committing of ſinne; the one is the ſeed-time, and the other a reaping-time; there is a great diſtance of time between ſowing and reaping. The ſeeds of ſin may lie many yeares under the furrowes. A man may commit a ſinne in his youth, and not finde the harveſt of it, till his old age. How many (as Job complains, but in a worſe ſenſe then he) in their old age, are made to poſſeſſe the ſins of their youth, and feele that which they have forgot. The Huſbandman (in that place before mentioned, James 5. 7.) waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it: and through the long patience of God, ſome wicked men (though they thought their ſins not ſowed, but buried for ever, and never deſire to ſee or heare of them, yet) in a ſenſe ſome wicked men (I ſay) wait long for the noxious fruit of their owne hearts.

Sometimes indeed the ſeed-time and harveſt of ſin, are found in the ſame houre: and while a man hath ſcarce ended his ſin, his puniſhment begins. The Prophet deſcribing the plenty and proſperity of the Church in the latter dayes, tels us, That the ploughman Amos 9. 13.Amos 9:13ſhall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes, him that ſoweth the ſeed. The returnes of ſinne are to ſome as quick and plentifull, judgement rides poſt after them, the reaper overtakes the ſower, or the man reapes, as ſoon as he hath ſowed: wrath arreſts him in the very act of ſinning. And we may ſay as Eliſha in another caſe, is 2 King. 6. 32.2 Kgs 6:32not the ſound of his Maſters feet behinde him? The ſound of puniſhment is at the very heels of ſin. That black Oxe comes as ſwift p. 50as a Leopard, treading upon his heeles: And though ſometimes it comes ſlowly as an Oxe, yet alwayes it treads hardeſt, when it comes ſloweſt. A wicked man may commit evill an hundred times, Eccleſ. 8.Eccl 8and his dayes (of peace) be prolonged, for his harveſt of wrath (like Habbakuks viſion of mercy) is for an appointed time, but in the end it will not lye, (though he would tarry for it) it will not tarry. The naturall harveſt belies (ſc. failes) ſome mens hopes, but Spem menitia ſeges.this myſticall harveſt, ſhall not bely his feares (if he have any,) it ſhall bely his preſumption, how much ſoever he hath.

Sixthly, obſerve, That the puniſhment of ſinne ſhall be proportionable to the degrees of ſinne. He ſhall reape, the ſame, ſaith the Text, the ſame in degree. So the Scripture ſpeakes, and ſo experience teacheth concerning naturall ſowing; a mans harveſt is gradually ſuch, as is his ſeed-time, if he have ſowne much (in an ordinary courſe) he ſhall reape much; The Apoſtle alludes to this, where he ſpeakes of the ſeed of charity, If ye ſow ſparingly, ye ſhall reape 2 Cor. 9. 6.2 Cor 9:6ſparingly; on the other ſide, if ye ſow plentifully, ye ſhall reape plentifully. Sometimes through the judgement of God, (which can eaſily breake through the principles of nature) it commeth to paſſe▪ as it is, Hag. 1. 6. Ye ſow much, and reape little; God makes the harveſt thinne and leane, when the ſeed-time was thick and plentifull; but in regard of ſinning (I ſpeake of ſuch as goe on impenitently in their ſinnes, and have not Chriſt to take off their ſinne from them) ſuch perſons as ſowe much, ſhall be ſure to reape much; They ſhall be beaten with many ſtripes, who impenitently multiply their tranſgreſſions.

Seventhly, obſerve, Puniſhment ſhall not exceed the deſert of ſinne. They reape the ſame; The ſame, equall in degree or quantity, not beyond the degree of ſinning. In nature, the corne …eap't, is more then the corne ſowne; ſometimes a hundred fold, ſometimes ſixty, ſometimes thirty; as Chriſt ſpeakes, in the Parable of the Sower, Math. 13. But the puniſhment of ſinne reaped, is not a graine more then the ſin committed. All the puniſhments of this life, are leſſe then ſin, as Ezra confeſſes, After all that is come upon us for our evill deeds, and for our great treſpaſſe, ſeeing that thou our God hast puniſhed us leſſe then our iniquity, &c. Chap. 9. 13. And in the life to come, the damned ſhall not be puniſhed more then ſin deſerveth; yea I may ſay (with reverence to his Almighty power) God cannot puniſh a ſin, beyond that proportion which it deſerveth; and the reaſon is this, Infinite p. 51power, cannot inflict a puniſhment, beyond that which infinite Juſtice doth require; Infinite Juſtice is offended, and muſt be ſatisfied (if not ſatisfied by Chriſt) then by the perſon himſelfe offending: therefore infinite power, cannot lay upon a man, more then his ſin doth deſerve, though it may eaſily lay more upon him then his nature can endure. So then, all that wicked men beare in this life, is leſſe, and all they ſhall beare in hell, will not be more, then the deſerts of ſin, or the demands of Juſtice.

An objection may ſeeme to lye againſt this, from that award of judgement againſt Babylon: Double to her double, according to her works, it may ſeeme that her harveſt of puniſhment muſt exceed in Rev. 18. 6.Rev 18:6double proportion, her ſeed time of ſinning; The Pſalmiſt ſpeakes yet higher, Render unto our neighbours ſevenfold into their boſome, their reproach, wherewith they have reproached thee O Lord. Render Pſal. 79. 12.Ps 79:12ſevenfold, that is, manifold: That number in Scripture, multiplies the ſenſe into any number; To render ſevenfold, may be rendred the greateſt number.

I anſwer, Babylons puniſhment ſhall be double, reſpecting what Babylon ſhall have acted, but not double, reſpecting what Babylon ſhall have deſerved; Give to her double; if it be poſſible, let her have as much blood more to drinke, as ſhe hath ſpilt, for ſhe deſerveth to drinke an hundred times more. The blood of Saints, is precious blood; one drop of the blood of Sion, is more worth than a whole ocean of the blood of Babylon, therefore give her double; though it be more in quantity, it is not ſo much in value. And ſo, reward our neighbours that have reproached thee ſevenfold, it is not ſevenfold beyond their deſerts; for one ſcorne that a wicked man powreth upon a childe of God (and ſo upon God, for that's the meaning of the Pſalme) cannot be recompenſed with ten thouſand reproaches, powred upon wicked men: Reproach is the due of ungodly men here, and everlaſting reproach, ſhall be their portion hereafter. But the leaſt reproach caſt upon God, is an infinite wrong; and the reproach of his people is ſo much his, that he reckons it as his own: And will therefore take away all reproach from his people, and render to their unkinde neighbours, their reproach ſevenfold (and that's but equall) into their boſomes.

Laſtly, When it is ſaid, They ſhall reape the ſame: We are taught, That the puniſhment of ſinne, ſhall be like the ſinne in kinde; It ſhall be the ſame, not only in degree, but alſo in likeneſſe. Puniſhment p. 62often beares the image and ſuperſcription of ſin upon it. You may ſee the fathers face and feature in the childe. Whatſoever a man ſoweth, that ſhall he alſo reape, ſaith the Apoſtle, Gal. 6. 7. If a man ſowe wheate, he ſhall reape wheate; the harveſt tells you what kinde of graine was ſowed in every feild: if a man ſowes wheate he, ſhall not reape tares, and if a man ſowe tares, he ſhall not reape wheate. Thus God often returnes the ſin of man upon him; ſin comes to him in its own likeneſſe, and he may reade the name of it, ſtampt upon the affliction; or by the judgement inflicted, interpret the wickedneſſe committed; This was openly confeſs'd by Adonibezek, (Judg. 1. 7.) As I have done, ſo God hath requited me, juſt ſo; and what was that? He ſpeakes out in the former words: Threeſcore and ten Kings, having their thumbes and their great tooes cut off, gathered their meate under my Table; there was his ſowing, his reaping was the ſame, They caught him (ſaith the Text) and cut off his thumbes, and his great toes. The very firſt Law that was formally made and publiſhed after the fall, was a Law of retaliation, or of counterpaſſion, Gen. 6. 9. Whoſoever ſheddeth mans blood, (what ſhall he reape?) by man ſhall his blood be ſhed; he muſt reape the ſame: The Judicials of Moſes are plaine for this, Exod. 21. 24. Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth, &c. They have moved me to jealouſie, ſaith the Lord, by that Deut. 32. 21.Deut 32:21which is not God, and I will move them to jealouſie, by thoſe who are not a people. Like as ye have forſaken me, and ſerved ſtrange Gods in your Land, ſo ſhall ye ſerve ſtrangers in a Land which is not yours, Jer. 5. 19. God payeth them in their owne coine. Who ſo ſtoppeth his eares at the cry of the poore, he alſo ſhall cry himſelfe, but ſhall not be heard, Prov. 21. 13. And ſo concerning the preaching of the word, contemned, (Zech. 7. 13.) Therefore it is come to paſſe, that as he cryed, and they would not heare, ſo they cryed, and I would not heare, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts: They reape as they ſowed, they would not heare, that was their ſin; they ſhall not be heard, that's the puniſhment; they ſhall ſee how good it is, to be wilfully deafe, when God commands, by his being judicially deafe, when they complaine. The Sodomites, had a fire of unnaturall luſt among them, and God ſent a ſhowre of fire unnature) to deſtroy them. The Egyptians killed the Iſraelitiſh children, that was the ſeed they ſowed, they reape the ſame; God ſlew their children, even all their firſt-borne in one night. Nadab p. 53and Abihu, offered ſtrange fire, there was their wickedneſſe, they reaped the ſame, God by fire from Heaven, in a ſtrange manner, ſlew them in a moment.

Yea, we find the Lord ſometimes dealing thus with his own deare ſervants, he will cauſe them to reape that, which they have ſowen, in kind; David had defiled his neighbours wife, therefore, ſaith the Lord, I will take thy wives from before thine eyes, 2 Sam. 12. 11.2 Sam 12:11and give them to thy neighbour, and he ſhall lye with thy wives, in the ſight of this Sunne. Againe, The Lord tells him, Thou hast ſlaine Ʋriah with the ſword of the children of Ammon, therefore the ſword ſhall never depart from thine houſe. You ſee, here was ſword for ſword, and defilement for defilement; even holy David reaped the ſame, which he had ſowed. It is very remarkeable, which is reported in the hiſtory of the Church, by Socrates, concerning Valens the Emperour, who was a great perſecuter Socrat Hiſtor. Eccl. l. 4. c. 3.Sir 50:4of the orthodox Chriſtians, and a maintainer of Arianiſme; The ſtory tells us, that in his warres againſt the Gothes, he was overthrowne, and hiding himſelfe in a little cottage, the enemy came by, burnt it, and him together; Now ſee, how God in this, gave him to reape, what he had ſowen: for when fourſcore of the orthodox ſayled from Conſtantinople to Nicomedia, to treate with him, about the points of Arrianiſme, and to ſettle the matter by way of diſpute; the Emperour hearing of their approach, while they were in the haven, and before they could come on ſhore, cauſed the Ships to be fired wherein they were, and ſo conſumed them all; here was burntng for burning. And it is obſerved (in the French Hiſtorie) that Charles the ninth of France, who was the Anno 15 72.contriver of that great Maſſachre in Paris, wherein ſo many thouſand Proteſtants were forced through a Red ſea, a ſea of blood, to their reſt in Canaan: this bloody King, at laſt dyed himſelfe, by a ſtrange eruption of blood from all the paſſages of his body; thus he alſo reaped what he had ſowne, he had powred out blood, and his blood was powred out. It were eaſie to give you plenty of inſtances, bearing witneſſe of this accurate juſtice of God. Examples were frequent in Jobs time, you ſee Eliphaz had ſtore of theſe in his note-booke, Even as I have ſeene, they that plow iniquity and ſow wickedneſſe, reape the ſame.