Exposition of Job 4-7, Commentary on Job · Chapter 4 · Verses 9-11

Exposition of Job 4-7 · Commentary on Job · Chapter 4 · Verses 9-11

p. 54JOB. Chap. 4. Verſ. 9, 10, 11.

By the blaſt of God they periſh, and by the breath of his noſtrils are they conſumed.

The roaring of the Lion, and the voice of the fierce Lion, and the teeth of the young Lions are broken.

The old Lion periſheth for lack of prey, and the ſtout Lions whelps are ſcattered abroad.

ELiphaz having given an account of his obſervation, in generall, that he had often ſeene wicked men periſh, ver. 8. In theſe three verſes, he illuſtrates his obſervation, by an elegant deſcription of the manner how, or the power by which wicked men periſh and are cut off; namely, by the blaſt of God, ver. 9. By the blaſt of God they periſh, and by the breath of his noſtrils are they conſumed; and leaſt any ſhould think, that this blaſt of God carries away onelyonly ſtrawes and feathers, light and weake perſons into perdition; he adds the weightieſt and the ſtrongeſt; The roaring of the Lion, the teeth of the young Lions are broken: God by his blaſt can take away or breake, the ſtrongeſt, the mightieſt; Lion-like men, men fierce like Lions, and ſtout like the Lions whelpe. Under the ſhadow of which alluſions, he cloſely ſtrikes at Job, who was once a great man, the greateſt of all the men in the Eaſt; a fierce ſpoiling Lion (in the apprehenſion of his friends) and yet God brought him downe. This in briefe, is the illuſtration of the argument, in theſe three verſes, By the blaſt of God they periſh, &c.

Eliphaz (having in the former verſe, by the metaphor of plowing, ſowing, and reaping, ſet forth the actings and expectations, the iſſues and ſucceſſes of wicked men) here (as ſome conceive) continues the metaphor or the Allegory by this expreſſion of blahing, which (we know) is often uſed in reference to the ſeed ſowne; As if Eliphaz had ſaid, when theſe men have plowed and ſowed, when they are in expectation of a fruitfully and plentifull harveſt, then God blaſteth the ſeed and the ſeedſ-man too; he ſendeth forth his rough winde, which drieth up and withereth ſtalke and eare, the counſell and the counſellours: And though blaſting ſpoile or prevent reaping in an ordinary ſenſe, yet blaſting may be reaping (as here) in a figurative ſenſe: They who ſow iniquity, are often puniſhed by reaping diſappointments, which is the blaſting p. 55of their hopes, and the conſumption of their confidences.

Blaſting of corne and fruits, is often ſpoken of in the old Teſtament (as 1 King. 8. 37.) If there be in the Land blaſting and mildew. Amos 4. 9 I have ſmitten you with blaſting and mildew: And a people ſpoiled by the ſword, and conſumed by warre, are compared, to corne blaſted before it be growne up, Iſa. 37. 27. foreign Herba percuſſa uredine eſt percuſſio ſementis vento orientali ingrediente ſpicas. Adeo ut non perficiant ma…u…ita…em ſuam, Rab David. in lib. rad. from foreignBut the word in the Originall, for blaſting corne, is different from this in the Text: The roote of that, ſignifies to dry up or cauſe to wither: This to breathe, as a man breathes with his noſtrils: By the breath of his noſtrils, or (as we tranſlate) by the blaſt of his noſtrils; So in the deſcription of mans creation, Gen. 2. 7. Moſes ſaith, God breathed into his noſtrils the breath of life, or, the blaſt of life.

This blaſting, or blaſt of God, is ſometime put for a ſtorme or mighty tempeſt, ſuddenly raiſed up, by the power of God. Thus (Exod. 15. 8.) Moſes relating the ſudden deſtruction of the Egyptians in the Red-ſea, ſaith, With the blaſt of thy noſtrils, the waters were gathered together, the ſloods ſtood upright as an heap, &c. That is, with the wind, which God ſent out, as his inſtrument, he gathered Anhelavit.the waters to ſwallow up the Egyptians, and ſave his own people. And we find the word, (Iſa. 25. 4.) uſed to denote the furious blaſting violence of wicked men, in the day of their rage and madneſſe againſt the Church. When the blaſt of the terrible ones is as a ſtorme againſt the wall, thou ſhalt bring downe the noiſe of ſtrangers, as the heat in a dry place, &c.

By the blaſt of God.] God in this act of vengance againſt the plowers of wickedneſſe, is preſented to us in his Name, Eloah; which ſignifies, the mighty or puiſſant God; So M^r Broughton tranſlates it, By the breath of the puiſſant they periſh. The ſtrong God, or God in his ſtrength, comes armed againſt ſtrong tranſgreſſors. The effect ſhewes the ſtrength of this blaſt, For

By his blaſt they periſh, ſaith the Text, it is the word uſed before, they are not onelyonly a little wither'd or ſcorched, but they are utterly conſumed, they are deſtroyed, roote and branch, head and taile as in one day.

The next words in the Text, by the breath of his noſtrils they are foreignconſumed, are but the repeating of the ſame thing; yet there is a conſiderable difference in the expreſſions. By the breath of his noſtrils.] The word (Ruach) which we there tranſlate breath, ſignifies generally, ſpirit, ghoſt, breath or wind; ſometime the p. 56Holy Ghoſt, who is breathed from the Father and Sonne; The breath of God put alone, notes the wrath of God, Iſa. 30. 33. Tophet is prepared of old, &c. The breath of the Lord, (ſc. the wrath of the Lord) like a ſtreame of brimſtone, doth kindle it. This phraſe alſo, The breath of Gods noſtrils, ſignifies the anger and wrath of God. And the anger of God, is called the breath of his Animalia commota ſpirant vehementiùs, & narium flatu iram indicant.noſtrils, after the manner of men and other creatures; becauſe anger breathes out at their noſtrils: The naturaliſts obſerve that anger inflaming the ſpirits, and heating the heart, frequent breathing followes (as it were) to coole the fire, and to eaſe that inflamation; an angry man breathes quick and ſhort: When Saul was enraged and mad with malice againſt the Saints, he is ſaid, To breath out threatnings and ſlaughter, Act. 9. 1. therefore alſo, anger is called, the breath of Gods noſtrils.

Further, it is conſiderable, that the word noſtrill, is put alone, for the wrath of God: Pſal. 95. 11. He ſware in his noſtrill, that In naſo enim i…ra apparet▪ ex vehementiore ſpiratione, & potiſſimum ex remiſſione aut dila…atione narium ira conſpicitur.is (as we tranſlate it) he ſware in his wrath, that they ſhould not enter into his reſt. Likewiſe Pſal. 2. 12. If his wrath be kindled but a little; the Hebrew is, if his noſe or noſtrill be kindled but a little; the noſtrill, being an organ of the body, in which wrath ſhewes it ſelfe, is put for wrath it ſelfe. Paleneſſe and ſnuffing of the noſe, are ſymptomes of anger. In our broverbials, to take a thing in ſnuffe, is to take it in anger. Againe, in Scripture we finde, that ſlowneſſe to anger, and haſtineſſe to be angry, are expreſt by the different frame of the noſtrils; as namely, when the Lord is ſaid to be ſlow to anger, the Hebrew is long of noſtrils: (Pſal. foreign103. 8.) The Lord is ſlow to anger, or, (Exod. 34. 6.) Long-ſuffering. In both places, the Originall is, long of noſtrils, that is, of anger, or long ere he be angry. On the other ſide, a paſſionate, cholerick man, a man ready to conceive anger, is ſaid to have a ſtraite or a ſhort noſtrill; He that is ſoone angry, dealeth fooliſhly, Prov. 14. 17. The Hebrew is, he that hath a ſhort or a narrow noſtrill, foreign Brevis narium. i. e. praeceps ad iram. foreign. Sept. Spiritu furoris ejus deficiunt.dealeth fooliſhly, becauſe ſuch men are moſt apt to conceive anger; So then, while Eliphaz ſaith, by the breath of his noſtrils they are conſumed, it is, as if he had ſaid, by the wrath and diſpleaſure of God they are conſumed; and the Septuagint tranſlate it, directly by anger, They are conſumed by the breath, or ſpirit of his anger; ſo others in the Latine, They are conſumed by the ſpirit of his fury. And both theſe words, breath and blaſt, are found together in one place, 2 Sam. 22. 16. At the blaſt of the breath of p. 57his nostrils; the whole verſe runneth thus, The channels of the ſea appeared, the foundations of the earth were diſcovered, at the rebuking of the Lord, at the blaſt of the breath of his nostrils, that is, at the great diſpleaſure of the Lord.

So, we ſee, what we are here to underſtand, by the breath and by the blaſt of the Lord. And in this paſſage, Eliphaz ſeems to hint at the manner of the death of Jobs children, who were deſtroyed by the ſtrength of a mighty winde, ſmiting the foure corners of the houſe ſo, that it fell upon them: that winde may well be called the breath and the blaſt of God, both in regard of the wonder and ſtrangeneſſe of it, as alſo becauſe (though Satan was the inſtrument) he had the ordering and diſpoſing of it. Satans breath, all the winde he can raiſe, cannot blow away a feather, unleſſe the Lord give and continue leave and ſtrength, to doe it.

Obſerve firſt, God can eaſily deſtroy wicked men. He doth it by a blaſt, or by a breath. Though, to themſelves and others, they appeare as great Mountains, yet before God they are but as duſt, or chaffe of the Mountains; by a blaſt or by a breath he ſcatters and conſumes them: So David compares them (Pſal. 1. 4.) The ungodly are not ſo, (not ſo, how? they are not as a tree planted by the waters ſide, that is the portion of the righteous; how are the ungodly then?) they are as the chaffe, that the winde ſcattereth or driveth away, the beſt of them, the moſt ſolid of them are no better. And (Iſa. 17. 13.) The Nations ſhall be chaſed, as the chaffe of the mountaines before the winde, and as a rolling thing before the whirlwinde. Though Nations, mighty ſtrong powerfull Nations, come out againſt God, and his people, Fear them not: For if God ſet himſelfe againſt them, they are no more before him, then a little chaffe, he ſcatters them by the breath of his diſpleaſure.

You know it is no trouble for a man to breath, or to make a blaſt with his mouth; and this phraſe is uſed, to ſhew with what eaſe and facility God deſtroys all the plots and counſels of wicked men; it putteth him to no paine, no ſweating, no travel or labour to doe it; men are put to much expence of paines, and run many hazzards, to oppoſe the wickedneſs of men; but God doth it with a breath. (2 King. 19. 7.) When God ſent to Hezekiah, to aſſure him that he would deliver him from Senacherib, he not onelyonly promiſeth to doe it, but ſhews him how he will do it, even as in this Text, Behold I will ſend a blaſt upon him: that's all, I will doe, I will not trouble my ſelf much about the buſineſſe; you muſt gather armies p. 58and make great preparations againſt the enemy, but I will doe it with a blaſt.

And which is yet more ſpeedy. Some underſtand this blaſt to note only the will and pleaſure, the intent or purpoſe of God, by the blaſt of God they periſh; that is, if he doe but will it, it is done, it is no more for him to act it then intend it. The Septuagint tranſlate foreign.near this ſence, by the command of God they periſh; as if Eliphaz had ſaid, it is as eaſie for God to doe it, as to ſay it ſhall, or to command it to be done. Men can command great things, and talke much, what they will doe; and all proves but talking and commanding: one man may command more in an houre, then a Million can doe in a year, but with God it is all one, to command & accompliſh. It is noted for a high ſpeech, that of Caeſar to Metellus, who oppoſing him, when he came into the Roman Treaſury, to take the money there heaped together. Caeſar (whoſe great ſpirit could not bear oppoſition) ſaith to him, Let me alone, or I will lay thee dead upon the ground. And preſently, at once to quallifie that threat and magnifie his owne power, addes, Young man it is harder for mee to ſpeak this, then to doe it. It is moſt certainly ſo with God, he can as eaſily doe any thing as ſpeak it. Yet further, we finde the eaſineſſe of Gods deſtroying his enemies ſet forth a degree higher, He doth it by a looke; as by a blaſt of his noſtrils, ſo by a caſt of his eye; that's a ſmall trouble, and that's all, that it needs coſt God to deſtroy the ſtrongeſt, the vileſt and violenteſt foe in the world: thus he conſumed the Hoaſt of Pharaoh, even with a look, (Exod. 14. 24.) It came to paſſe that in the morning watch, the Lord looked unto the hoaſt of the Egyptians, through the pillar of fire, and of the cloud, and troubled the hoast of the Egyptians. If God hide his face from his people they are troubled, and if he look upon his enemies they are troubled. He darts out both beams of life, and beams of death from his eyes. When a godly man is afflicted, if he can but get the Lord to look upon his trouble, he is delivered. And when wicked men proſper, if God do but look upon their glory they are withered. With ſuch eaſe doth the Scripture expreſſe the deſtruction of wicked ones, it is by a breath, by a word, by a command, by a look; An intimation from the eye of God, is execution.

Secondly note; God can ſuddenly destroy the counſels and the plottings, the ploughings and the ſowings of wicked men. In proverbial ſpeaking, to doe a thing ſuddenly, and to doe a thing with a breath, are the ſame: God can as ſoon deſtroy his enemies, as a man p. 59can breath; Pſal. 73. 10. How are they brought into deſolation in a moment! A blaſt, you know, is gone in a moment: Iſaiah 42. 9. Theſe two things ſhall come upon thee in a moment, loſſe of children and widow-hood. God can with one breath, blow away both the husband and the children. So (Jer. 4. 20.) the Church of the Jewes ſpeaks thus, Destruction upon destruction is cryed, for the whole land is ſpoyled, ſuddenly are my tents ſpoyled, and my curtains in a moment: God doth but blow upon the Tents, and preſently the coards break, and the ſtakes thereof are looſened. If man be angry, he muſt ſit downe and conſult, he muſt lay his plot and contrive a way of revenge; but no ſooner is God angry but he can revenge; That wrath cannot want an inſtrument, which can make one. Infinite wiſdome ſees all means at once, and infinite power can uſe them at once. As the grace of God knowes not long delayes, it comes ſwiftly, as a ſweet blaſt or holy breath, Neſcit tarda molimina Spiritus ſancti gratia.Grace is ſpeedy and upon the wing; ſo likewiſe the wrath of God knows no tedious long delayes: They who doe wickedly and ſtand out impenitently, ſhall periſh ſuddenly. And though the Lord be ſlow to anger before he ſtrikes, yet when he ſtrikes, he can do it at once, it is but a blaſt of his wrath, and a breath of his diſpleaſure, and the ſtouteſt of the ſons of men are dryed like a leafe.

Thirdly note, That God destroyeth wicked men ſecretly and inviſibly. To deſtroy by a breath, is a cloſe way of deſtroying. So (Hag. 1. 9.) his anger is expreſt againſt his own people, for neglecting his Ordinances and Temple, Yee looked for much, but loe it came to little, and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it, that is I ſent an inviſible and ſecret curſe upon it.

Laſtly, we may obſerve from the manner of this deſtruction, That the deſtruction of wicked men, the plowers of iniquity, is unavoydable; it is done by a breath, now the winde bloweth where it listeth, no man can countercommand or ſtop the winde. The winde is ſwift, as well as ſtrong, no man can out-run the ſtrome of Gods diſpleaſure. He that fleeth of them, ſhall not flee away (for it is a Amos 9. 1, 2.Amos 9:1Amos 9:2winde that followeth them) and he that eſcapeth of them, ſhall not be delivered, it is a blaſt that is gone out after them: they cannot deliver themſelves by art or cunning, by wit or policy; they cannot deceive or cozen the winde: they cannot deliver themſelves by power or ſtrength, they cannot conquer or overcome this winde: It comes ſuddenly, inviſibly, irreſiſtibly; who can ſtand before God when he is angry, yea, who knoweth the power of his wrath or blaſt.

p. 60This Eliphaz goes on to ſhew, in the tenth and eleventh Verſes, and therefore takes his inſtance, from thoſe creatures which are mightieſt, which are ſtrongeſt▪ The roaring of the Lion, and the voyce of the fierce Lion, and the teeth of the young Lion are broken; the old Lion periſheth for lack of prey, and the ſtout Lions whelps are ſcattered abroad.

The expreſſions are very various. Here are five words in theſe Leonum nomina plura ſun…, & ſecundum ae…atis gr…dus diſtinguuntur. Buxt. lex 1 Arieh, 2 Shacal, 3 Cephir, 4 Laiſh, 5 Labi.two verſes ſignifying the Lion, yet with a difference and ſpecial reference to the ſeveral ages, and conditions of the Lion. 1 The Lion, 2 the fierce Lion, 3 the young Lion, 4 the old Lion, 5 and the ſtout Lion: we have theſe five ſeverall words in our tranſlation, and we give Epithites to foure of them; whereas in the Hebrew they are all ſingle termes, as we ſhall ſee in a briefe touch upon them.

Firſt, the Lion (Arieh) which name is given the Lion, to note foreign from foreign ca…pſit decerpſit, alii deducunt ab foreign Leo & foreign vid…t, quaſi Leo videns, quia ſemper eſt oculis intentue ad praedam.his power in renting and tearing: and Maſter Broughton renders it ſo, the roaring of the renting Lion, putting the etymologie or notation of the word into the tranſlation. Others derive it, from Arie, a Lion, and Raah which ſignifieth to ſee, and then it is as much as the Lion-ſeer; and the reaſon of this derivation is given, from the Lions watchfullneſſe, he is ever intent upon his prey, and as ſome Naturaliſts obſerve, ſleepes with his eyes open. So that this word entitles him, either from his watchfulneſs, The Lion-ſeer, or from his ſtrength, The Lion-renter.

The ſecond is a primitive, ſignifying ſometime a Leopard, and foreign Leo ferox vel immanis mediae aetatis.ſometime a Lioneſſe, or ſhee-lion. We render it a fierce Lion: which may well refer to the former, becauſe a ſhee-lion, eſpecially when ſhe hath young ones, is exceeding fierce.

The third word it is (Cephir) a young Lion, and it is ſometime uſed as an epithite (Cephir Arieth) a young Lion roared on Sampſon, Judg. 14. 5.

The fourth word is (Laiſh) ſignifying a Lion, that is grown in years, which periſhes for hunger, not being able to hunt and get prey. So the Text, the old Lion periſhes for lack of prey.

And the fifth word is (Laby) which ſignifies a Lion in greateſt ſtrength and fierceneſs. And the Critticks tells us, it is derived from Quaſi leonem cordatum & animoſum dicas Buxt.(Leb) which ſignifieth the heart, as noting a ſtrong hearted and a couragious Lion; and ſo Maſter Broughton tranſlates, for ſtout Lion, the heart-ſtrong Laby. Judah being compared to this Lion by dying Jacob, is ſet forth by his majeſtick ſtoutneſſe; Judah is a p. 61Lions whelp, &c. and as an old Lion, who ſhall rouze him up? Gen 49. 9.

Theſe ſeverall ſorts of Lions ſhadow out unto us, mighty, ſtrong and powerfull wicked men, or plowers of wickedneſſe, with all related to them; they, and their families, they, and their wives, they, and their children, all theirs are uſually full of Lionlike qualities, and all theſe ſhall be deſtroyed and periſh, by the blaſt, by the breath of God.

For, as the Apoſtle puts the queſtion in another caſe, about Oxen, Doth God take care for Oxen? So if any ſhould queſtion here, is God angry with Lions? doth he oppoſe himſelf againſt Lions, that he ſaith here, the Lion ſhall periſh, the young and the old Lions ſhall be deſtroyed?

No, there is a further meaning in it, ſomewhat elſe is ſhadowed under the name or notion of Lions. Firſt, in Scripture the Lion ſignifies any one in authority, eſpecially in kingly authority, (Gen. 49. 10.) the tribe of Judah (which was to have the Scepter and the rule, the Magiſtracy or government being ſetled in that Tribe) is compared to a Lion, Judah is a Lions whelpe, from the prey my ſon thou art gone up, he ſtooped downe, he couched as a Lion, and as an old Lion, who ſhall rouze him up? As Lions are chiefe, the moſt eminent among the beaſts of the field, ſo Kings and Magiſtrates are chiefe, the moſt eminent among the ſons of men. Chriſt is called the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, from the prerogative of his power and the excellency of his Kingly condition above all others, his name being King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. Secondly, the Devil is compared to a Lion, he is called a roaring Lion, becauſe of his cruelty and devouring nature, He goeth about like a roaring Lion ſeeking whom he may devoure. And the Lions here in the Text how old ſoever they be (are whelps of this old Lion) the Devil: not great men in general, but wicked great men, men mighty in power, and mighty in ſin, mighty ſinners. It is frequent in Scripture to ſhadow out powerfull, wicked, tyrannicall men by the name of Lions, and the reaſon is, becauſe they imitate the qualities and conditions of the Lion. A man acts by reaſon, and a beaſt acts by ſence or paſſion: reaſon is the difference between a man and a beaſt: therefore when man either acts againſt reaſon or without reaſon, the name of a beaſt is juſtly put upon him: and the name of that beaſt moſt fitly, whoſe qualities & paſſions he moſt reſembles: man in regard of his headſtrong unrulineſſe, is compared unto a Horſe and to a Mule, p. 62Pſal. 32. 9. Be not as the Horſe or as the Mule which have no underſtanding, whoſe mouth muſt be held in wit with bit and bridle. Be not unruly. For ſubtilty, man is called a Fox; for flattery or filthineſſe, a Dog or a Swine; and here for rapine and cruelty a Lion. Thus the Prophet Nahum elegantly, Chap. 2. 11, 12. Where is the dwelling place of the Lions, and the feeding place of the young Lions? that is, where is the dwelling place of oppreſſors and cruell tyrants? And Ezek. 19. 1, 2. Take up a lamentation for the Princes of Iſrael, and ſay, what is thy mother? a Lioneſſe, ſhe lay down among Lions, ſhe nouriſhed her whelps among young Lions; the tyrannicall Princes in Iſrael, were thus deſcribed. And ſo is tyrannicall Pharaoh (Ezek. 32. 2.) Take up a lamentation for Pharaoh King of Egypt, and ſay unto him, thou art like a young Lion of the Nations. In generall Solomon (Prov. 28. 15.) telleth us, That as a roaring Lion and a ranging Beare, ſo is a wicked Ruler over the poore people. And the Apoſtle Paul ſpeaking of his eſcape from the jawes of that perſecuting Emperour, ſaith (2 Tim. 4. 17.) I was delivered out of the mouth of the Lion; that is, out of the mouth of Nero, who was ready with open mouth to devoure and deſtroy me: or as ſome (taking it for a proverbiall ſpeech noting any eminent danger) I was delivered from the extreameſt hazard of death: even as a man reſcued out of a Lions mouth, and pull'd from between his teeth.

And it will not be amiſſe, for the clearing of this a little further, to give you ſome ſpeciall things, wherein the reſemblance may be taken, between the Tyrant, the oppreſſing Ruler, or any oppreſſing great one, and the Lion; we may draw the picture of a Tyrant by a Lions face in theſe reſpects.

1. In regard of his pride, ſtatelineſſe, and diſtance which he affects to hold, towards others. The Lyon is a proud and ſtately creature.

2. Tyrants reſemble Lions in regard of courage and animoſity. Couragiouſneſſe in any noble or good way (in which ſence Prov. 28. 1. the righteous are bold as a Lion) is the courage of Saints. But to be valient and couragious in doing miſchiefe, in wronging and oppreſſing the weak or innocent, is the courage of a Beaſt. Courage out of the way of truth and juſtice, is Lionlike cruelty.

3. They are Lions in regard of their ſtrength. Lions are the ſtrongeſt of creatures: what is ſtronger then a Lion, ſay they, in reſolving Sampſons Riddle: and Prov. 30. 30. a Lion which is ſtrongeſt p. 63among beaſts: tyranny muſt have ſtrength to back it. Hence they who meane to oppreſſe, fortifie themſelves with titles and priviledges, with honours and relations. Solomon conſidering the oppreſſions that were under the Sun, obſerves tears on the one ſide, and ſtrength on the other; On the ſide of the oppreſſors there was power, Eccleſ. 4. 1.

4. They are Lions too, in regard of their ſubtilty; The Lion is a ſubtle creature, as well as a ſtrong creature, he hath a great ſtock of policy, as well as power: though we uſually oppoſe the Lions skin, and the Foxes skin, yet many times they both meete in one; Some are double skin'd as well as double cloath'd: Hence we have that phraſe, Pſal. 10. 9. (comparing a wicked man to a Lion) he lieth in waite ſecretly, as a Lion in his den; which teacheth us, that the Lion waites and watches for his prey; And ſo doe theſe wicked men, (Pſal. 17. 12.) Like as a Lion that is greedy of his prey, and as it were a young Lion, lurking in ſecret places.

5. They are like Lions eſpecially in their cruelty, in blood-ſucking cruelty; the Lion is a devouring beaſt, therefore when the Devill is called a Lion, it is ſaid, he goeth about to devoure. And God himſelfe (when he would be expreſt in his reſolutions of judgement, ſo as he will not have mercy upon a man, or upon a nation) is pleaſed to take upon him this name too, Hoſ. 5. 14. I will be unto Ephraim as a Lion, and as a young Lion to the houſe of Judah, I, even I, will teare and goe away, and none ſhall reſcue him; that is, I am reſolved to execute judgement, to the uttermoſt upon him; So Chap. 6. 1. The Lord hath torne, which is (properly) the act of a Lion: And Job (Chap. 10. 16.) complaines thus to God, Thoa hunteſt me like a fierce Lion: And (Iſa. 38. 13.) Hezekiah fearing, that God would not ſhew him that mercy, to raiſe him from ſickneſſe, cries out, as a Lion, ſo will he break all my bones. So that when the Lord would expreſſe himſelfe in ways of judgement, and reſolvedneſſe to goe on in judgement, he takes upon him the name of a Lion; But ſuch is the very nature of wicked men: Such the Prophet Micha beſpeaks (Chap. 3. 2.) Heare this O heads of Jacob, and ye Princes of the houſe of Iſrael, it is not for you to know judgement? who hate the good and love the evill, who pluck off their skins from off them, and their fleſh from off their bones; noting Lion-like cruelty in thoſe, who ſhould have been as ſheapheards to feed and protect the people.

6. They are compared to Lions, in regard of their terrible roaring, p. 64the Lyon roareth terribly; ſo terribly, that when the Lyon Animalia fortia vocem edunt gravem ut Leo & Taurus. Ariſt. Tanta illi v… cis eliciendae natura praeſtitit inſtrumenta ut animalia lon gè ipſo celeriora ſolo ſaepe rugitu capiantur Baſil. Hexam. Homil. 9. Leo aliquid nubu habet circa ſuper cilia, ſc. aſpectum minimè ſerenum. Ariſt.roareth, the beaſts of the forreſt tremble. The Naturaliſts obſerve, that though many creatures are ſwifter of foot, then the Lion, yet when he roareth, they fall downe, and he overtakes them with his aſtoniſhing voyce; ſo tyrannicall men, with their roaring words, their loud threatnings, often affright and daunt the poor.

7. They reſemble Lions, in the ſowreneſſe and ſterneneſſe of their countenance, and cloudineſſe of their browes. Much of mans heart is ſeene in his face; frownes are as blowes; hence we call it, brow-beating: The love of God, is expreſſed by the pleaſantneſſe of his face, and the light of his countenance; So alſo is the love of man; and we may ſee what the intent of another is, in his very lookes: Many are in this reſpect, Lion-like men, they have (as Aristotle ſaith of the naturall Lion) clouds and ſtormes hanging about their eye-browes. It was a threatning againſt the Jewes, in caſe of diſobedience, that God would ſend againſt them, a Nation of a fierce countenance, which ſhould not regard the perſon of the old, &c. Deut. 28. 50.

Laſtly, they are like Lions, in regard of their greedineſſe after prey; They have ſet their eyes bowing downe to the earth, like as a Lyon that is greedy of his prey, Pſal. 17. 11, 12.

Thus you ſee, both who are here meant by Lions, and likewiſe, how the reſemblance or picture of a wicked man, may be taken from a Lion.

Now when it is ſaid, that, the teeth of the Lions are broken, that the old Lions periſh, and the young Lions are ſcattered abroad: By all theſe expreſſions of ſcattering, periſhing and being broken to peeces, the Holy Ghoſt ſhewes us, the utter, full and finall conſumption of wicked men; they are not only touched, troubled and rouſed up out of their dens; but theſe Lions, old and young, are ſcattered and conſumed, They periſh.

There is an opinion currant among the Jewiſh writers, that this verſe is to be underſtood, as a deſcription of the means or inſtruments by which God deſtroyes wicked men, and not (as we) of wicked men themſelves, whom God will deſtroy: Junius agrees with this interpretation of the Jewes, tranſlating the two verſes in this ſence; By the blaſt of God they periſh, and by the breath of his nostrils they are conſumed; by the roariag of the Lion; and by the voyce of the fierce Lion, and by the teeth of young Lions they are conſumed; As if when wicked men (ſo he giveth the gloſſe) p. 65are not deſtroyed immediately by the breath, and by the blaſt of God, then God ſtirres up the creatures againſt them, and will deſtroy them by Lions: We know it was a ſpeciall judgement threatned in the Law, againſt the diſobedient, (Levit. 26. 22.) that God would ſend evill beaſts among them: The Prophet numbers this, among Gods ſore judgements: Sword, famine, peſtilence and evill beaſts are put together. In the hiſtory of the Kings, we have a famous 2 King. 17. …2 Kgs 17record, how the Lord ſent Lions, who ſlew ſome of thoſe Idolaters, whom the King of Bahylon had tranſplanted into the Cities of Samaria.

But I rather conceive the former expoſition of the words, to be the truth, and moſt ſutable to the context; and there is this reaſon to be given, becauſe it agrees beſt with the purpoſe of Eliphaz, whoſe worke was, ſo to deſcribe the deſtruction of wicked men in generall, that he might particularly intimate the deſtruction, fallen upon Job and his family, with the reaſon of it. Job was a great man in his time; he was among men, as the Lion among beaſts, a chiefe. His friends thought him a cruell Lion too, and ſo he is told to his face afterward, by one of them, that he (like a greedy Lion) had taken away the pledge, and the garment from the poore; This Eliphaz would hint at leaſt to Job, and that God had found him out in his Lion-like qualities; that he being a Magiſtrate, and a man in authority, having dealt hardly and cruelly with others, now the Lord had meaſured to him, the ſame meaſure he had given others; He, the Lion; and ſhe, the fierce Lion or Lioneſſe his wife; they, the young Lions, his children, were all broken, and either periſhed or periſhing. So much for the cleering of the words; I ſhall now adde ſome obſervations from them.

Firſt, Wicked men, how powerfull, how ſtrong ſoever, ſhall fall before the wrath and indignation of God. The day of the Lord ſhall be againſt every one that is high, and that is lifted up. God deſires in a ſpeciall manner, to be dealing with theſe, for they, in the pride of their ſpirits, think themſelves a match for God; though indeed, their ſtrength be but weakneſſe, and their wiſdome fooliſhneſſe; yet in their own conceits they are ſtronger, and wiſer then God himſelfe. Hence (like Pharaoh) they ſend defiance to Heaven, and ſay, Who is the Lord, Exod. 5. 1. When God ſees the hearts of men ſwolne to this height, of inſolent madneſſe, he delights to ſhew himſelfe, and graple with them, that the pride of man may be abaſed, and every one that is exalted may be laid low: p. 66that he only may be exalted, and his Name ſet up in that day; David was much troubled, at that murther of Abner, yet he could not take vengeance preſently, upon the fierce Lion, that had ſuckt his blood. Why? his power did not reach it, ye ſonnes of Zerviah (ſaith he) are too hard for me, (2 Sam. 23. 3.) But there are no ſonnes of Zerviah too hard for God, no Lions ſo ſtrong, but he can teare them, with infinitely more eaſe, then a Lion can the tender kid.

This ſhould comfort us, when we ſee great and potent enemies riſing up againſt the Church, what are theſe before the great Lion, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. If the Lord doe but roare, if the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, come againſt theſe Lions, they will run like a heard of fearfull deare: The Kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chiefe Captaines, and the mighty men, are deſcribed, trembling at the preſence of Chriſt, when he appeared but as a Lambe, Rev. 6. 15, 16. They cry to the mountaines and the rockes, to fall upon them, and to hide them from his face; If when Chriſt appeares like an angry Lambe, the greateſt in the world fall before him; what then will theſe doe, when Chriſt ſhall appeare as a roaring Lion.

Secondly obſerve, how gradually the Holy Ghoſt expreſſes the deſtruction of wicked tyrants; All is not done at once; Firſt the roaring of the Lion doth periſh, then their voice, then their teeth are pulled out, next, their prey is taken away, laſtly, their whelps are ſcattered. Note hence, That uſually God deſtroyes wicked men by degrees.

Here are five ſteps or degrees of Gods juſtice, againſt theſe Lions.

Firſt, He ſtops the roaring of the Lions, they ſhall not be able to make ſuch a dreadfull noiſe as heretofore; their roaring may be ſtopt, when their voice is not, though they can ſpeake, yet they ſhall not yell.

In the ſecond place, He breakes the very voice of the Lions; they ſhall not only not roare, but they ſhall not ſo much as ſpeake, either againſt the lambes, or againſt the ſheepe, or for themſelves, the voice of the fierce Lion ſhall be taken away. God is able to ſilence Lions, and ſtop their mouths, not only from devouring and roaring, but from ſpeaking.

Thirdly, When their voice is taken away and their roaring, yet their teeth may remaine: and there will be biting and tearing ſtill, though they have done roaring and yelling; therefore with a third p. 67ſtroake God breakes out their teeth, the teeth of the young Lions are broken. So the Pſalmiſt prayes, Pſal. 58. 6. Breake their teeth in their mouthes, breake out the great teeth of the young Lions O Lord: that is, take away the inſtruments, by which they oppreſſe, the meanes by which they teare and rend, as Lions with their cruell teeth.

Fourthly, Chriſt deales further with theſe Lions, he not only breakes their teeth, by which they uſed to hurt others, but he takes away their prey and their meate, they ſhall not have wherewith to live themſelves; they were wont to ſuck the blood of the ſlaine, and to eate the fleſh of the poore; but now the Lord will pluck away their prey, they themſelves ſhall be ſtarved or pincht with hunger.

Laſtly, Not only ſhall their meate be taken away, but they themſelves ſhall be ſcattered and diſperſed, that is the laſt ſtep of their calamity. Their dens ſhall be broken up, and their lurking places ſhall be opened; they ſhall run from place to place▪ from Nation to Nation. This is the judgement of the Lord upon Lions, and the portion of the cruell enemies from our God.

Who hath not ſeen the truth of all this in our dayes; we have had Lions, roaring Lions, rending, tearing Lions amongſt us: It was uſuall among the Heathens in their perſecutions, to cry out, Away with the Chriſtians to the Lions: This we have often Chriſtianos ad Leones.ſeene, in the figure, poore Chriſtians ſent to the Lions, put under the power of men, as cruell, as bloody, as inſatiable as Lions: Many a one might ſay (as David, Pſal. 57. 4.) My ſoule is among Lions: When the watch-man (in the Prophet) was asked, Watch-man what of the night? he anſwered. A Lion my Lord (Iſa. 21. 7.) Our ſorrowfull watch-men, ſtanding upon their Towres, (conſidering thoſe ſad times) being asked, what of the day? have anſwered, We ſee a Lion, a company of Lions. tearing and rending in many parts of the Nation; not bodies and eſtates only, but ſoules and conſciences. God hath wonderfully delivered his darling from the Lions, his Daniels from the Lions den: He hath already delivered us ſo farre, that the Lions dare not roare, as they were wont, the teeth of many of the young Lions are broken, many of the old Lions are ready to periſh for want of prey, and not a few of their whelps are ſcattered abroad; God hath raiſed up Sampſons to teare theſe Lions, which roared upon us; he hath ſtirred up Davids to ſmite theſe Lions, and reſcue the prey out of their teeth: p. 68And though many Lions are amongſt us, yet they dare not roare, much leſſe, teare as they have done; though the beaſts be alive, yet (for the moſt part) the Lions are dead: they are beaſts ſtill, as baſe, and vile, and bloody in their natures as ever, but their powerfull Lion-like ſtrength is abated: That glorious prophecie, is in ſome ſenſe, and in ſome part, fulfilled at this day; The wholfe dwels with the lambe, the leopard lies downe with the kid, and the calfe and the young lion, and the fatling together, and a little childe may leade them; they cannot, they dare not, hurt nor deſtroy in all our mountaine, Iſa. 11. 6, 8. I am ſure, we may ſet our ſeale to this truth of Eliphaz, we have ſeene Lions, and fierce Lions, old Lions, and young Lions, even the ſtout Lions whelps, ſome ſcattered abroad, ſome deſtroyed, ſome conſumed by the mighty power of God.

Further, It is here ſaid in the text, That the old Lion ſhall periſh for want of prey: It is a ſtrange expreſſion, Lions have the greateſt power to get proviſion, to ſatisfie their hunger, yea their appetites and humour, yet theſe ſhall want; theſe Lions, who have all their life time, preyed upon the eſtates of other men, even theſe ſhall want. Note hence the juſtice of God; Such as have made others want, ſhall at last come to want themſelves, they ſhall periſh for want of prey, they ſhall have nothing to eate: when thou ceaſeſt to ſpoile, thou ſhalt be ſpoiled, ſaith the Prophet; and when Iſa 33. 1.Isa 33:1thou ſhalt make an end to deale treacherouſly, they ſhall deale treacherouſly with thee: We muſt not underſtand it, as if wicked men doe ever give over ſinning, ſinne, and their deſire of ſinning, is in a kinde infinite: they never ſay, now we have done, and will ſin no more; but the meaning is, when thou canſt ſin no more, nor deale treacherouſly any more, when thou haſt done thy utmoſt, and ſpent thy ſtrength in ſpoiling others, or taken all their ſpoile, ſo that thou haſt done ſpoiling, becauſe there is no more to ſpoile, then others ſhall ſpoile thee; And thou Lion, who haſt preyed upon others a long time, ſhalt not have a bit thy ſelfe, but ſhalt periſh for want of prey.

It is the promiſe of God unto his own people (Pſal. 34. 10. That the Lions ſhall lack and ſuffer hunger, but they that feare the Lord, ſhall not want any good thing: He expreſſes it by Lions, to note, that certainly they that feare him ſhall not want, for if any creatures in the world can preſerve themſelves from hunger, Lions can; if they doe but roare, the very beaſts will fall downe as a p. 69prey before them, but yet (ſaith God) theſe even theſe ſhall rather periſh for hunger, than any one that feareth me ſhall want. God provides for his lambes, for innocent perſons, for thoſe who feare him, though they have no ſtrength to provide for themſelves; but the wicked who have greateſt power, and have been moſt active to provide for themſelves, ſhall pine with want; they who have cauſed ſo many to be bitten with hunger, ſhall at laſt be hunger-bitten, and for want of meate, gnaw their tongues.

Laſtly, Where it is ſaid, that the Lions whelps are ſcattered abroad, Obſerve, God will not onelyonly deſtroy the perſons of wicked men, but their families and poſterities, they and their whelps ſhall all be ſcattered; he will not leave them ſo much, as a name or a remembrance, (Pſal. 36. 6.) I ſought his place (ſaith the Prophet) and he could not be found; there was no print of him, no man could remember, that there was ſuch a man in the world, unleſſe to curſe his memory.

I ſhall only give one caution reſpecting this, and ſo conclude the point. That which is here affirmed in the generall by Eliphaz, concerning the deſtruction of wicked men, Lions and fierce Lions, is not to be taken as a truth in the univerſall experience of it; we are not to underſtand it thus, as if all perſons, all Lion-like perſons at all times, periſh, and are deſtroyed, and ſcattered abroad: But Eliphaz ſpeaks of what is uſually done: or he ſpeaks of what God can eaſily doe at any time, and of what God may juſtly doe at all times. Lions, fierce Lions, tyrants, oppreſſors, he both may and can ſcatter when he pleaſeth. Yet we find, that God hath permitted ſome Lions, to live fully, and to die quietly; they ſpend all their dayes in roaring and rending, in tearing and devouring, and yet themſelves are not devoured: God often ſuſpends this Juſtice, but it is for weighty reaſons; for, in a word,

Firſt, If God ſhould deſtroy all Lion-like men, the joynts of the world would be unlooſed, and the bands of humane ſociety broken aſunder. God forbad the children of Iſrael, to deſtroy all the Canaanites, leaſt the beaſts of the field ſhould multiply, &c.

Secondly, If God ſhould hunt all theſe Lions out of the world, his own people would live by ſenſe, rather then by faith; and ſeeme to be terrified by the viſible actings of wrath, rather then allured by the promiſes of mercy, or tenders of free-grace.

Thirdly, He deferres them, untill they have ſucked blood enough, rent enough, and done evill enough, even fill'd up the p. 70meaſure of their ſin, and fulfill'd the righteous purpoſe of God, by their unrighteouſneſſe. As theſe Lions fill their own bellies, ſo they fulfill Gods counſels, therefore he lets them alone, that they may doe his worke, though they little thinke of it, and leſſe intend it.

Laſtly, Eliphaz ſpeaks of what God did frequently, in thoſe times of the world, wherein they lived; for then God dealt more by outward judgements, then in theſe Goſpel times. As his mercies are now more ſpirituall, ſo uſually are his judgements.