Exposition of Job 4-7, Commentary on Job · Chapter 5 · Verses 3-5

Exposition of Job 4-7 · Commentary on Job · Chapter 5 · Verses 3-5

p. 185JOB. Chap. 5. Verſ. 3, 4, 5.

I have ſeen the fooliſh taking root, but ſuddenly I curſed his habitation.

His children are far from ſafety, and they are cruſhed in the gate, neither is there any to deliver them.

Whoſe harveſt the hungry eateth up, and taketh it even out of the thorns, and the robber ſwalloweth up their ſubſtance.

TWo parts of the fourth argument were cleared in the two former verſes. In theſe three Eliphaz argues further, to the ſame effect. His argument is grounded upon his own experience, which had ſhewed many examples of fooliſh men, like Job (as he ſuppoſed) both in his riſing and in his falling, in his good days and in his evill. I have ſeen the fooliſh taking root, and ſuddenly I curſed his habitation, &c. The argument may be thus framed.

Fooliſh men flouriſh a while and then come to certaine and ſudden deſtruction, they and their children and their eſtates are all cruſhed and ſwallowed up.

But thou didſt flouriſh a while, and grow up like ſome goodly tree, yet ſudden deſtruction came upon thy children and upon thy eſtate, the robbers have conſumed and ſwallowed all up.

Therefore thou art fooliſh, &c. I have ſeen the fooliſh taking root, but ſuddenly I curſed his habitation; I have ſeen thee taking root, and I obſerve thy habitation curſed; Thy outward condition is ſo paralell with theirs, that I know not how to diſtinguiſh thee, from them, in thy inward and ſpirituall condition.

I have ſeen the fooliſh taking root.

Eliphaz urgeth experience. He urged experience in the fourth Chapter, v. 8. Even as I have ſeen they that plow iniquity and ſow wickedneſſe, reap the ſame, &c. He urgeth experience here againe, and this ſuperadded experience ſeemes to anſwer an objection which might be made againſt that former experience: For ſome might ſay, many wicked men plow iniquity enough, and ſow wickedneſſe abundantly, yet they reap comforts and the contentments of this world: they have what their hearts deſire, a full harveſt of riches, pleaſures and honours.

It is true (ſaith Eliphaz) I grant it, I have obſerved the like p. 186alſo I have ſeen the fooliſh taking root; yea, but I can anſwer quickly and remove this objection: it doth not at all weaken my former aſſertion, grounded upon that experience, for as I have ſeen him take root, ſo, ſuddenly I curſed his habitation, his children are far from ſafety, &c. He flouriſheth, but he withers quickly, he takes root, but he is ſoon puld up by the roots.

I have ſeene] Experience is the miſtreſſe of truth. Truth is called the daughter of time, becauſe experience bringeth forth many truths; and the word of God is made viſible in the works of God. I have ſeen (ſaith he) This truth hath run into my eye. In experiences the promiſes of God ſtand forth, and in experiences, the threatnings of God ſtand forth, and ſhew themſelves: all the experiences that we have in the world, are onelyonly ſo many exemplifications of the truths contained in the promiſes or threatnings of the word.

The fooliſh] I ſhall not ſtay to open that terme, for we met foreign Levem hominē notat, qui ſine conſilio agit, vul… & facit nullam que facti rationum habet, niſi quia ita ven… in mentem Goc.with it in the former verſe, wrath ſlayeth the fooliſh one. OnelyOnly in a word, this fooliſh man is one, who acts without counſell, and whoſe will is too hard for his underſtanding. He hath no reaſon for what he doth, but becauſe he hath a mind to doe it. A fooliſh man is a wicked man, and here the fooliſh man is a wicked man at eaſe, a wicked man in his fulneſſe and aboundance of outward comforts: A foole is ever worſt, when he is at eaſe. And as he more abounds in comforts, ſo, he abounds more in ſin. All mercies are to him but fuell for his folly, and meat and drink for his madneſſe. That rich man who pleaſed himſelfe ſo in his worldly ſucceſſes is cal'd a foole, Thou foole, this night ſhall thy ſoule be taken from thee, and then whoſe ſhall all theſe things be which thou poſſeſſeſt? (Luke 12. 20) All wicked men are fooliſh, and wicked rich men have ever the greateſt ſtock of folly. And they are therefore more fooliſh then others, becauſe they think themſelves wiſer then all. If a man can get riches, if his root be well ſetled in the earth, and his branches ſpread fairely out, he accounteth himſelfe very wiſe, and ſo doe many others account him too. A thriving ſinner is a fooliſh and an unproſperous man, but he that plots how to thrive by ſin, is the moſt fooliſh man in the world, and therefore in all his proſperity moſt unproſperous. As the fooliſh take roote, ſo, that by which they take root is often times their folly.

Taking root] Wicked men under the outward curſe are compared to trees not taking root, Iſa. 40. 24. He bringeth the Princes p. 187to nothing, yea they ſhall not be planted, yea they ſhall not be ſowne, yea their ſtocke ſhall not take root in the earth; And Pſalme 129. 6. Let them be as the graſſe upon the houſe (having no earth to take root in) which withereth afore it groweth up, whereof the mower filleth not his hand, nor he that bindeth up the ſheaves his boſome. Wicked men proſpering, are compared to a tree well rooted. I have ſeen the fooliſh taking root; that is, confirmed and ſetled in their outward proſperity. A root is to the tree as a foundation is to the houſe, the eſtabliſhment of it; when a tree is well rooted, it takes in the moiſture of the earth freely, then the body or trunk growes big, the branches ſpread forth, the leaves are green, and it abounds with fruit. So that with the welrooting, we muſt take in all that concernes the flouriſhing of a tree. Hence, other Scriptures expreſſe the men of the world by trees, not onelyonly ſecretly taking root in the earth, but putting themſelves forth and appearing in their viſible beauty and verdure. (Pſ. 37. 35.) David produceth his experience, I have ſeen the wicked in great power (how? taking root, yea) ſpreading himſelfe like a greene bay-tree. They are deſcribed by their boughs, branches and leaves. And in Iſa. 2. 11. The day of the Lord, ſhall be upon the Cedars of Lebanon, that are high and lifted up, not onelyonly upon the Cedars of Lebanon that are deeply rooted, but upon the Cedars of Lebanon that are high and lifted up, and upon all the Oakes of Baſhan; In the 14. of Hoſea v. 5. The proſperous eſtate of the Church (under the dew and influence of heavenly bleſſings) is held forth to us under the notion of a tree taking root. I will be as the dew to Iſrael, he ſhall grow as the Lilly, and caſt his roots as Lebanon (that is as the trees in Lebanon) his branches ſhall ſpread, and his beauty ſhall be as the Olive tree, and his ſmell as Lebanon.

In the fourth of Daniel, the ſtate, glory and magnificence of the kingdomes of this world are ſhadowed by a tree: Nebuchadnezzar in a viſion hath a tree preſented before him, he knew not what to make of it, and therefore calls for the Wiſe-men to expound the viſion, which he thus relates, ver. 4. I ſaw and behold a tree in the middeſt of the earth, the height thereof was great, and the tree grew and was ſtrong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the ſight thereof to the ends of the earth, and the leaves thereof were faire. When Daniel comes to interpret it, (ver. 22.) he ſayes to the King, Thou art this tree, &c. Nebuchadnezzar p. 188in all his worldly pomp, is ſet forth by a goodly tree. In the 53. of Iſa. v. 2. Where the birth of Chriſt is prophecied, it is ſaid, That, he ſhall grow up before him, as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground. As a very flouriſhing eſtate, whether in ſpirituals or temporalls, is expreſt by a tree planted by the water ſide: So a mean, low eſtate is ſignified by a tree in a dry ground. Our Lord Jeſus, in regard of any outward glory, was like a tree in a dry ground, as the words following expound it, He hath no forme nor comelineſſe, and when we ſhall ſee him, there is no beauty that we ſhould deſire him. His kingdome was not like the kingdome of thoſe great Monarchs, ſtrong, and high, and beautifull with any created luſtre. Hence obſerve,

Firſt, That wicked men may flouriſh in great outward proſperity. I have ſeen the fooliſh taking root. The Prophet Jeremiah in the twelfth of his Prophecy (a Scripture touched before, Chap. 4. v. 7. to this purpoſe) being ſomewhat ſcandalized at the proſperity of treacherous dealers, deſcribes them thus, ver. 2. Thou haſt planted them, yea they have taken root, they grow, yea they bring forth fruit. Here are four degrees; firſt they are planted, there is many a tree planted that takes not root, but (ſaith he) thou haſt planted them, yea, they have taken root: There are ſome trees which are both planted and have taken root, yet they doe not grow, eſpecially not to any height or greatneſſe, though they live, yet they doe not thrive; Theſe are planted, and they take root and they grow; but there are many trees planted, rooted and growing, which yet are fruitleſſe; theſe have all, they are planted, they take root, they grow and they bring forth fruit; And who are theſe? Surely the worſt of men, as the very next words evidence, God is neare in their mouthes, but he is far from their reines; God is neare in the mouth of ſuch, that is, they may ſpeak of him ſometimes, but he is far from their reines, there is nothing of God in their hearts; and ſurely they that have nothing of God in their hearts, have nothing of goodneſſe in their hearts, or in their lives.

This preſent glory and proſperity of wicked men, lifts up the glory of Gods patience. How is the glory of the patience of God exalted, in letting them have eaſe, who are a burthen unto himſelf? in letting them proſper, who are (as God can be pained) a paine unto himſelfe? in ſuffering them to flouriſh who vex his people, in ſuffering them to laugh, who make his people mourne.

p. 189Further, He gives them leave to take root and flouriſh (whom he could blaſt and root up every moment) that all may ſee what is in their hearts. If God did not permit them to take root, yea and ſometimes to grow up and flouriſh, we ſhould never ſee what fruit they would bring forth: we ſhould never ſee thoſe grapes of gall, thoſe bitter cluſters; if theſe vines of Sodome, and fields of Gomorrah, were not watered with the dew, and warmed with the Sun of ſome outward proſperity.

Laſtly, The proſperity of wicked men, is a great tryall of good men; The flouriſhing of the ungodly is as ſtrong an exerciſe of their graces, as their own witherings. Obſerve ſecondly,

That wicked men may not onelyonly flouriſh and grow, but they may flouriſh and grow a great while. I ground it upon this, the text faith, that they take root, I have ſeen the fooliſh taking roote, and the word notes a dcep rooting. In the Parable of the ſower foreign(Matth. 13. 21.) it is ſaid, that the ſeed which fell into ſtony ground withered, becauſe it had no root, noting, that the cauſe of a ſuddaine decay or withering in any plant, is the want of rooting; whereas a tree well rooted, will endure many a blaſt, and ſtand out a ſtorme. Some wicked men ſtand out many ſtormes, like old Oakes, like trees deeply rooted, they ſtand many a blaſt, yea many a blow; ſpectators are ready to ſay, ſuch and ſuch ſtormes will certainly overthrow them, and yet ſtill they ſtand: but though they ſtand ſo long, that all wonder, yet they ſhall fall, that many may rejoyce; and take up this proverb againſt them (as of old againſt the King of Babylon) How hath the oppreſſor ceaſed? The Lord hath broken the ſtaffe of the wicked, and the ſcepter of the Rulers: He who ſmote the people in wrath, with a continued ſtroake, he that ruled in the Nation with anger is perſecuted, and none hindreth. Therefore many ſhall breake forth into ſinging, yea the Fir trees ſhall rejoyce at him, and the Cedars of Lebanon, ſaying, ſince thou art laid down no feller is come up amongſt us, Iſa. 14.

Thirdly obſerve,

Outward good things are not good in themſelves. The fooliſh take root. The worſt of men may enjoy the beſt of outward comforts. Outward things are unto us, as we are. If the man be good, then they are good. And though the Preacher tells us, Eccleſ. 9. That all things come alike unto all, yet all things are not alike unto all. There is a great difference between the flouriſhing of a wiſe man, and the flouriſhing of a fool; all his flouriſhing and faſtning p. 190in the earth is no good to him, becauſe himſelfe is not good: Spirituall good things are ſo good, that though they find us not good, yet they will make us good: we cannot have them indeed, and be unlike them. But worldly good things find ſome really good, and make them worſe; others who had but a ſhew of goodneſſe, they are occaſions of making ſtark nought; Rooting in the earth, never helpt any to grow heaven-wards: Many deeply rooted in the earth, have grown down, and gone down to the depths of Hell.

Fourthly obſerve, as a conſequence from the former; That the enjoyment of outward good things, is no evidence, can be made no argument that a man is good. I have ſeen the fooliſh taking root. And yet how many ſtick upon this evidence; bleſſing themſelves becauſe they are outwardly bleſſed. Yea, though they meet with a diſcovery of their ſins, and ſinfull boſomes in the word, though they find thoſe ſins threatned, yea curſed with a grievous curſe in the word, yet they bleſſe themſelves and ſay, we are rich and flouriſh, we have a good eſtate and credit, we take root and ſtand, but they forget that all this may be the portion of a foole. I have ſeen the fooliſh man taking root.

And ſuddenly I curſed his habitation.

The word here uſed, to curſe, ſprings indifferently from two roots, which yet meet and are one, in ſignification: Namely, to ſtrike through or to pierce, as a man is ſtruck through with a ſtaffe foreign deducitur, vel à foreign vel à foreign fodit, perfodit, terrebravit, & per me taphoram maledixit, execratus eſt; eſt metaphora tranſlata ab his qui gladio aut pugione aliquem-tranſverberant, tanquam ſi aliquis Dei aut hominis maledictione trajiceretur. Cartw. in Prov. 11. 26.Prov 11:26or ſword, or ſtabd with a dagger; Thus Hab. 3. 14. Thou didſt ſtrike through with his Staves the head of the villages. And Iſa. 36. 6. The piercing of a reed into the hand of him that leans upon it, is expreſt by this word. So then it carries a metaphoricall alluſion to the effect of a curſe, the curſe of God alwayes, and the curſe of man upon due grounds, is as a ſword or a dagger, piercing a man thorough and thorough, through both ſoule and body. I have curſed his habitation, that is, I have ſmitten his habitation quite through with a curſe.

I curſed his habitation.

Some read, I abhorred or I abhominated his habitation. I was ſo far from envying this flouriſhing, ſpreading tree, or from being in love with his goodly ſeat and brave habitation, that I loathed and could not abide it. The cottage of an honeſt man was more delightfull to me, then the tents or pallaces of wickedneſſe.

But the word beares rather to curſe; which is firſt to wiſh p. 191evill unto another: And ſecondly to fore-tell, to pronounce or denounce evill againſt another. Often in the Pſalmes, Davids curſes upon his enemies, are predictions from the Spirit of God, not maledictions or ill wiſhes from his own ſpirit; Good men know not how to wiſh evill; their curſings are Prophecies not prayers: they fore-tell or fore-ſee evils, but they deſire them not. I have Pium non decent dirae.not deſired the woefull day, Lord thou knoweſt, ſaid that Prophet, who had denounced many woefull dayes, Jer. 17. 16.

In Scripture, many are ſaid to doe that which they declare to Id fieri ab aliquo dicitur in Scriptura quod faciendum denunciatur.be, or fore-tell that it ſhall be. As (to give an inſtance or two) Levit. 13. in the caſe of the Leper, the text ſaith, that when the Prieſt makes up his judgement concerning the Leper (having found the tokens of Leproſie upon him) he ſhall defile him (ver. 3. and ver. 8.) or make him uncleane, ſo the Originall gives it; which we tranſlate, The Prieſt ſhall pronounce him uncleane. In that ſence the Miniſters of the Goſpell (whoſe buſineſſe is to cleanſe) defile many; yea, one way to cleanſe men, is thus to defile and pronounce them Lepers. So Iſa. 6. 8. the Lord ſends the Prophet againſt that people, and ſaith to him, Make the heart of this people fat, and make their eares heavy, and ſhut their eyes; Praedic excaeeanaos o…ulos, & aures aggravandas.Now, the Prophet did not act this himſelfe, he did not deafen their eares, or blind their eyes, but onelyonly fore-told or denounced that this, judgement ſhould fall upon them; becauſe they had ſo long ſtopped their eares, at laſt their eares ſhould be ſtopt and made heavy enough; and becauſe they had ſo long winked and ſhut their eyes, at laſt they ſhould be blind, and their eyes ſhut faſt enough; How faſt are thoſe eyes and eares lockt up, which are thus double lockt. Once more, Jer. 1. 10. The Lord gives the Prophet a ſtrange commiſſion, See (ſaith he) I have this day ſet thee over the Nations and over Kingdomes, to roote out, and to pull downe, and to deſtroy, and to throw downe, and to build and to plant. One would think this commiſſion, more fitting for a Caeſar or an Alexander, for great Commanders attended with numerous Armies, than for an unarmed Prophet; what could he doe? could he roote out Kingdomes, and deſtroy Nations? Yes, by denouncing the deſtroying judgements and conſuming wrath of God, due unto them for their rebellions and provocations: Thus a poor weak Prophet can overturne a whole Kingdome, and roote up the ſtrongeſt Nations. And the truth is, that, never was any Nation or Kingdome rooted up by the ſword, but it was firſt rooted up by the word; p. 192firſt God hewed them to pieces, and ſlew them by his Prophets, and then let in Armies of cruell enemies to doe it.

So here in the text, I have ſeen the fooliſh taking root, but ſuddenly I curſed his habitation; The clear meaning is, I foretold a curſe, I knew what would ſhortly become of his habitation It Non per invidiam & iram dira imprecacarer, ſed animus p…aeſagiret, male ipſi fore. Coc.was not anger againſt his perſon, or envy at his eſtate, that moved me to curſe him; but it was an eye of faith, which ſhewed me him markt with a curſe in the juſt threatnings of God: I ſaw a curſe hanging over his family and dwelling, over his riches and honours: And though he then flouriſhed, that, yet he ſhould quickly wither and be deſtroyed root and branch. The curſe of the Lord is in the houſe of the wicked, Prov. 3. 33. Man doth but ſee it there, the Lord ſent it there.

The word is conſiderable which we traſlate Habitation. It ſignifies foreigna quiet, a ſetled, a peaceable, a beautifull habitation: And ſo carries an aggravation of the judgement upon this fooliſh man; his judgement is the worſe upon him, becauſe he thought himſelfe ſo well, ſo well ſeated, ſo well ſetled, ſo ſecured and accommodated that he ſhould never be removed: They are moſt troubled with removings, who thought themſelves ſetled; troubles afflict them deepeſt, who ſuppoſed themſelves beyond trouble. When David thought God had made his mountaine ſo ſtrong, that it could not be moved, how was he troubled, as ſoon as God hid his face? Pſ. 30. 6, 7. And if they are ſo troubled with ſhakings, who look upon their eſtates as ſetled by the favour of God, how will they be troubled to meet with totterings and ſhakings, much more with ruinings and deſtructions, whoſe eſtates at beſt, are bottom'd onelyonly upon their policies, often upon their ſins? We may obſerve from hence;

Firſt, The eſtate of ſome wicked men, is out of the prayers of Gods people. When they goe by their dwellings, they cannot ſay, The bleſſing of the Lord be upon you, we bleſſe you in the name of the Lord, Pſal. 129. 8. It is a great mercy to ſtand under the influences of prayer, and for a man to have his eſtate, land, dwellings watered with ſhowers of bleſſings and hearty good wiſhes from the mouths of Saints. Their bleſſings or their curſings, are next to the bleſſings and curſings of Chriſt, nay, they are his; It is an argument that Chriſt hath bleſſed or curſed a man, when the ſpirits of his people generally are carried to either. It is one of the ſaddeſt preſages in the world, for a man to be caſt out of the prayers of the p. 193Saints, or to be caſt by their prayers; that is, when their prayers are againſt him, and he preſented naked to the diſpleaſure of Chriſt: It ſhewes that the ſin of a man is a ſin unto death, when the faithfull ceaſe praying for him, 1 Joh. 5. 16. What can it prognoſticate then but approaching ruine and deſtruction, when they bend the ſtrength of prayer againſt him? There was never any habitation of wickednes, ſo firmly founded or ſtrongly fortified, but that Great and Holy Ordinance hath or may ſhake, and batter it to the duſt. The fair Towers and walls of Babylon, the ſeate and ſtate of Antichriſt, have long been under this curſe; All the Saints, whoſe eyes God hath unſcaled and brought out from Egyptian darkneſs, have ſeene That fooliſh man taking roote, and have curſed his habitation. Secondly obſerve;

A wicked man in proſperity is under the curſe of God. He is often under the curſe of man, but ever under the curſe of God. Eſau have I hated (ſaith God, Rom. 9. 13.) yet even at that time the fatneſſe of the earth was his dwelling, and of the dew of Heaven from above, Gen. 27. 39. While the meate was in the mouthes of the murmuring Iſraelites, the wrath of God was upon them. They did at once eate their luſt and their death, wrath was mingled with their meate; and while he gave them their requeſt, he ſent leaneneſſe into their ſoules, (Pſal. 106. 15.) This is the moſt dreadfull curſe of all, To have a fate eſtate, a well fed body, with a leane ſtarven ſoule.

Thirdly, Obſerve a vaſt difference between godly and wicked men, between the fooliſh and the wiſe. When a godly man withers in his outward eſtate, and is pluckt up by the rootes, yet God loves him; when a godly man is poore, God loves him, when he is ſick, God loves him, when he is in priſon, God loves him, when he is in diſgrace, God loves him, and when the world hates him moſt, then God uſually ſhewes, that he loves him moſt; The world cannot caſt a godly man into any condition, but he meets with the love of God in it; his eſtate may vary and vary, change and change a thouſand times, but the love of God towards him is unchangeable. On the other ſide, we ſee in the text, when a wicked man takes roote, and the branches of his outward eſtate beare fruit abundantly, God curſeth him; when he is at eaſe, God is angry with him. That place is very obſerveable (Zech. 1. 15.) I am very ſore diſpleaſed with the Heathen, that are at eaſe; the Heathen were at eaſe, yet God was extreamely diſpleaſed with them. p. 194When a wicked man is in health God curſeth him, when he is rich God curſeth him, when all men honour admire and flatter him, God abhorreth, hates and deteſts him; he can be in no condition, but he is ſure to meet with the curſe of God. As a fooliſh man, a wicked m…n, gives God many things, but he never gives God his love, or his affection; A wicked man may give God prayers, but he doth not give him his love; he may give him praiſes, but he never gives him any love; he may give God his purſe, but he gives not his love or his heart; whether ſuch a foole praiſeth God, or prayeth to God, or giveth unto God, he hateth God. So likewiſe, whatſoever God gives to a wicked man he hates him, whatſoever he beſtowes on him he curſeth him: This ſhould awake men rooted in the earth, to conſider whether they are under the influences of Gods eternall love, as well as under the influence of temporall bleſſings: This is the ground of Davids concluſion, Pſal. 37. 16. A little that the righteous hath, is better than the ricehes of many wicked: the reaſon is this, becauſe many ungodly ones, ſwimming in a full ſea of riches, have not ſo much as one drop of the love of God, nor one beame or ray of the light of his countenance ſhining upon them: but a godly man, if he have but a ſmall eſtate, he hath much love mixed with it, if he have but a little purſe, he hath a large portion of the favour of God in it, and this makes it ſo out-worth and out-value a wicked mans eſtate, this puts the price and ſtamps an excellency upon his little. The love of God doth ſo farre exceed the fatneſs of the earth, in the eſteeme of Saints, that they in rating their eſtates, reckon not upon earthly things at all, they ſee nothing to value themſelves by, but their intereſts in the love of God. As when God gives his people their portion, he lookes upon outward things, as meere additionalls, or as an overplus given in by way of vantage. All other things ſhall be added (Mat. 6. 33.) when a man caſts in a handfull of wheate after the buſhell is full, or gives a fingers bredth after the due meaſure of the cloath; So it is in the caſe of all temporals beſtowed upon the Saints: Then fourthly note;

Outward good things, are no argument of the favour of God.

As we ſhewed before, that, they are no evidences of the goodneſſe of a perſon, ſo neither are they any evidences of the grace and favour of God unto a perſon. A man cannot find an evidence of Gods love in his purſe, in his land, in his honour, in his credit: Yea a man may flouriſh in better things then theſe I ſpeake of, p. 195and yet have no evidences of Gods love to him; A man may flouriſh in knowledge, be deeply rooted in learning, may have extraordinary branches of parts, and wonderfull fruits of gifts, yet notwithſtanding all this while, his habitation and his perſon too under a curſe. And therefore, be ſure that you looke for your evidences of the love of God in the right boxe, doe not looke for evidences of the love of God in your cheſts, or in your purſes, but looke into your hearts, and ſee what Chriſt hath done there, looke into your lives, and ſee what light ſhines there from the Spirit of Chriſt; Looke whether grace flowes from the Spirit of Chriſt, and is rooted in your ſpirits. If grace be rooted in thee there, if it ſpring up and bring forth fruit in the life, this is an evidence indeed. They that are thus rooted, God never curſeth, Grace and holineſs were never under any curſe.

Obſerve one thing further, As theſe words hold forth the judgement or opinion of a godly man, concerning the wicked in proſperity. I have ſeen the fooliſh taking root, and preſently I curſed his habitation.

A godly man ſees the wicked of the world to be miſerable in their beſt and moſt flouriſhing condition.

When thouſands ſtand about the great ones of the earth, admiring, applauding, making little gods of them, envying their happineſſe, and thinking none happy but they, or ſuch as they are; then a godly man pitties them, mournes over them, ſees them, and all ſuch as they are, miſerable; He lookes through all their outward glory and beauty, riches and honours, and ſees them curſt through all, hated of God through all; He ſees nakedneſſe through their cloathing, emptineſs and want through all their plenty and aboundance: neither is this unhappineſſe confined to their own perſons, but derived to all, to whom they derive life, or ſtand related. So it followes;

His children are farre from ſafety, and they are cruſhed in the gate, neither is there any to deliver them, &c.Secundum genus calamitatis quod Deus imp…obisimmit…it, poſteritatis exitiam deplo…a…ū, & quidem acclamante pub…ico conſenſu

Theſe words containe a further effect of this curſe. I curſed his habitation, and what then? was it an ineffectuall curſe? was it but wind and words, returning and doing nothing? or did it ſpend all its ſtrength upon this fooliſh man in his own perſon? No, His children are farre from ſafety, they are cruſhed in the gate, &c. One of the Rabbins conceives that theſe words and the verſe following, p. 196are the forme wherein the curſe was pronounced upon the habitation of the fooliſh man; As if Eliphaz had ſaid, I curſed R…bbi Salomon, for…am maledictionis eſſe vult.his habitation thus, Let his children be far from ſafety, and let them be cruſhed in the gate, neither let there be any to deliver; as for his harveſt, let the hungry eate it up, and let the robbers ſwallow up their ſubstance. And we find ſuch a forme, Pſal. 109. David pronounces the curſe upon thoſe wicked enemies, in language very ſutable to this (ver. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11.) Set thou a wicked man over him, and let Satan (an adverſary) ſtand at his right hand. When he ſhall be judged, let him be condemned: and let his prayer become ſinne. Let his children be fatherleſſe, and his wife a widdow; let his children be continually vagabonds and beg, let them ſeeke their bread alſo out of deſolate places, let the extortioner cath all that he hath; and let the ſtranger ſpoile his labour.

But we may rather take it, as the matter, then as the forme of a curſe. I curſed his habitation, and the curſe brake forth upon his children, and upon his eſtate, upon the branches, and the fruit of that goodly tree: much like that in the viſion, Dan. 4. 13, 14. I ſaw in the viſions of my head upon my bed, and behold a watcher, and a holy One, came downe from Heaven, He cryed aloud and ſaid thus; Hew downe the tree, and cut off his branches, ſhake off his leaves, and ſcatter his fruit, &c. This Allegory may be rendred in the plaine words of Eliphaz, I curſed his habitation, his children are far from ſafety. The Maſter of the Family is the tree, His children are either fruit or branches, His leaves are riches and honour, the beauty and pleaſantneſſe of his habitation.

Some things in the letter of the text are to be opened, but I ſhall firſt obſerve one thing in the generall, from the connection of this fourth verſe with the third, I ſuddenly curſed his habitation (verſe 3.) Then follows, his children are far from ſafety. Obſerve from it; That

Creatures cannot ſtand before the curſe of God. How ſtrongly ſoever they are rooted, the blaſt of the breath of Gods diſpleaſure, will either blow them downe, or wither them ſtanding. The curſe comes powerfully, ſuddenly and ſecretly, it is often an inviſible ſtroake. When we ſee neither axe nor ſpade at the roote, nor ſtrome at rhe top, yet downe it comes, or ſtands without leafe or fruit. When Chriſt in the Goſpell curſt the fruitleſſe figg-tree, his Diſciples paſſing by that way, wondred ſaying, how quickly is p. 197this figg-tree whithered? it was but onelyonly a word from Chriſt, Never beare fruit more, and the fig-tree which had no fruit, loſt its life. Some are ſuch tall Cedars, ſuch mighty Oakes, that men conclude there is no ſtirring of them, no Axe can fell them, or blaſt looſen them; yet a word from the Lord will turne them up ſide downe: or if he doe but ſay to them, never fruit grow upon your actions or out of your counſels, preſently they wither. The curſe cauſleſſe ſhall not come, but when there is a cauſe, and God ſpeaks the word, the curſe will come; Neither power nor policies, neither threatnings or entreaties can hinder or block it up. It is ſaid of the water of jealouſie in the booke of Numbers, that when the woman dranke that water, if there were cauſe of her husbands ſuſpition, preſently her belly ſwel'd, and her thighes did rot, the effect was inevitable. So, if God bid judgement take hold of a man, family or Nation, it will obey. A word made the world, and a word is able to deſtroy it. There is no armour of proofe againſt the ſhot or ſtroake of a curſe.

Suddenly I curſed his habitation, and the next news is, His children are far from ſafety; If God ſpeake the word, it is done as ſoone as ſpoken; as that myſterious Letter ſaid of the Gun-pouder plot, As ſoone as the paper is burnt, the thing is done. Surely God can cauſe his judgements to paſſe upon his implacable enemies, ſuch horrid conſpiratours againſt Churches and Commonwealths, truth and peace, with as much ſpeed, as a paper burns; with a blaze and a blaſt they are conſumed. That in the generall from the connexion of theſe two verſes: Aſſoone as he was curſed, his children and his eſtate, all that he had went to wrack, and ruine. I ſhall now open the words diſtinctly.

His children are far from ſafety,] Some reade, Were far from ſafety, (and ſo the whole paſſage in the time paſt) becauſe he ſpeaks of a particular example, which he himſelf had obſerve… in thoſe daies, as is cleare v. 2.

Having ſhewed the curſe upon the eoot, he now ſhews the withering of the brauches.

Some of the Rabbins underſtand, by Children; the Followers or Imitators of wicked men, ſuch as aſſiſted them, or ſuch as were like them. Theſe are morall children; but take it rather in the letter, for naturall children, ſuch as were borne to them, or adopted by them, theſe come under their fathers unhappineſſe. They are far from ſafety.

p. 198The Hebrew word is commonly rendred, ſalvation. His children are farre from ſalvation. But then we muſt underſtand it for temporall ſalvation, which our tranſlation expreſſes clearely by ſafety. His children are farre from ſafety. It is poſſible that the children of a wicked man, may be neare unto eternall ſalvation; Though godly parents have a promiſe for their ſeed, yet grace doth not runne in a bloud, neither is the love of God tied or entayl'd upon any linage of men. Election ſometimes croſſes the line, and ſteps into the family of a reprobate father. Therefore, it is not ſaid, His children are farre from ſalvation, in a ſtrict, but in a large ſence. We find the word ſalvation, frequently uſed for ſafetie (2 Kings 13. 17.) when Eliſha bad Joaſh the King of Iſrael ſhot the arrow, he called it, the arrow of the Lords ſalvation, which we render, the arrow of the Lords deliverance. So Moſes beſpeakes the trembling Iſraelites a… the red Sea, Stand ſtill and behold the ſalvation of the Lord, that is, behold what ſafety the Lord will give you from all theſe dangers, what deliverance from the hand of Pharaoh. The Prophet repreſents the Jewes thus bemoaning their outward judgements. We roare all like Beares, and mourne ſore like Doves, we looke for judgement, but there is none, for ſalvation, but it is farre off, Iſa. 59. 11.

They are far from ſafety.

To be far from ſafety, is a phraſe importing extreame danger; As when a man is ſaid to be far from light, he is in extreame darkneſſe; and when a man is ſaid to be far from health, he is in extreame ſickneſſe; and when a man is ſaid to be far from riches, he is in extreame poverty: So here, His children are far from ſafety, that is, they are in extreame danger and perill, they walk (as it were) in the regions of trouble, in the valley of the ſhadow of death continually. That phraſe is uſed alſo, reſpecting the ſpirituall eſtate of unbeleevers, They are far off from God, far off from the Covenant, Iſa. 57. 19. Epheſ. 12. 13. that is, they have no benefit by the Covenant, no intereſt in, no favour at all or mercy from the Lord. To be far off from mercy is to be neare wrath, and to be far from ſafety is to dwell upon the borders of danger.

And they are cruſhed in the gate.

In the forth Chapter Eliphaz deſcribes man, as cruſhed before p. 199the moth, to ſhew how ſuddenly, how eaſily man is deſtroyed. This mans children are cruſhed in the gate, as a man would cruſh a flie or a moth between his fingers.

They are cruſhed in the gate.

That notes two things.

Firſt the publikeneſſe of their deſtruction, they ſhall be deſtroyed in the ſight of all men; for the gate was a publike place (Pro- 31. 31.) her workes praiſe her in the gates, that is, ſhe is publikely knowne by her good works. To doe a thing in the gate is oppoſed to the doing of a thing ſecretly. To ſuffer in the gate is to ſuffer publikely.

Secondly, to be cruſhed in the gate, is to be cruſhed or caſt in judgement; for The gate was the place of old, where juſtice was Inportis judicia exercebantur. Merc.adminiſtred and judgement given; and for a man to be cruſhed in the gate, is as much as for a man to be overthrowne in his ſure, when he hath any controverſie or tryall before a Judge, whether for his eſtate or for his life. So this phraſe, They are cruſhed in the gate, implies that all buſineſſes ſhall goe againſt them, if they have any controverſie in law, or if they be charged with any crime they ſhall certainly be condemned.

I need not ſtay to prove that judgement was given in the gate; onelyonly take a few texts. Firſt, in this booke (Chap. 29. 7.). Job deſcribes his owne proſperity thus, When I went out to the gate, that is, to ſit in judgement; And Chap. 31. v. 21. the word is uſed in the like ſenſe; So Gen. 23. 17. Chap. 34. 20. Ruth 4. 1. Iſa. 29. 11. Thoſe words of the curſe, Pſal. 109. 7. when he is judged, let him be condemned, are the full Expoſition of this, They are cruſhed in the gate.Ne agricola litis cauſa veniens, civitatis frequentia & novo terreretur conſpectu nec u…bi habitator, longè ab urbi properaret & ſubvectionem. quaereret jumen. torum Jerom in Amos c. 5. v. 10.Amos 5:10

And the reaſon given by one of the Ancients, why juſtice was uſually adminiſtred in the gate, is the accommodation and convenience both of ſtrangers and Citizens: For ſtrangers, who lived far off in the country, that they might have juſtice, before they entred into the city, whoſe pompe and throngs of people might poſſibly occaſion either ſome terrour or diverſion in the minds of poore country-men. And then likewiſe, that the Inhabitants of the City, might not be either charged or tired with long journies into the country; To which we may adde, that judgement was therefore adminiſtred in the gate, becauſe gates are places through which all paſſe in and out, and therefore the declaring of judgement p. 200there, was the making of it more publike, that all might take notice of what paſſed, in ſuch and ſuch caſes, as the ſentence and reſolution of the Judges.

Neither is there any to deliver them.

This is the third degree of evill falling upon the fooliſh mans children. Though a man be brought to and caſt in judgement, yet An ſummis malis reminem habebunt aſſe…to…è Ʋe injuſti con…un…ibuntur & contundebuntur in judi iopub…i…e co…am tribuna…ibus.he may have a friend to help and deliver him; but theſe ſhall have no help, none to ſpeak a good word for them, none to mediate either for reprieve or pardon. Some give the ſenſe thus, His children ſhall neither finde a Judge to give a favourable ſentence, nor an Advocate to pleade for them, and make the beſt of their cauſe; This alſo anſwers another part of the curſe, Pſa. 109. 12. Let there be none to extend mercy to him, neither let there be any to favour his fatherleſſe children; None ſhall be found either able or willing to reſcue or pluck them out of the hand of danger.

Hence obſerve, firſt,

That a wicked man and his children are often wrapt up in the ſame deſtruction.

I curſed his habitation and his children are far from ſafety, they are cruſhed in the gate. A godly man is a defence for his children; Liberi paren…ū poenis ſaepe implicantur.It is a great bleſſing to be born of holy parents, and it is a curſe to be borne of oppreſſing wicked parents. As, the bleſſing of God deſcends from the father, upon the children; ſo, the curſe of God many times deſcends from the father, upon the children, and they inherit their judgements, as well as their lands. Though the juſtice and goodneſſe of God, will make that Proverbe ceaſe in all the families of the world for ever, which was once taken up by the Jews, Ezek. 18. 2. The Fathers have eaten ſowre grapes, and the childrens teeth are ſet on edge. The Naturaliſts obſerve, and experience teacheth, that when a man eats very ſowre grapes (and ſo makes a ſowre face) another ſtanding by is affected with a ſympathy, foreign dicatur a philoſophis. Ariſtot. Sect …. prob queſt 5.and his teeth are ſet an edge or pained with the very ſight or grating of anothers teeth, though himſelfe taſte not the grape. The preſent Jewes thought themſelves but bare lookers on upon their fathers ſin, and yet they ſuffered. But the Lord found the ſowre grapes in their mouths alſo, or them riſen up in their fathers ſtead, an increaſe of ſinfull men to fill up the fierce wrath of the Lord againſt them. Now (I ſay) though the Lord will make that proverbe ceaſe, in their ſence: For no child is puniſhed meerely p. 201in contemplation of his fathers ſin. Yet when a ſonne is wicked, the wickedneſſe of a father, whether immediate or further off, may come in remembrance againſt him, and at once aggravate his ſin, and encreaſe his ſorrow. Secondly, note this from it,

Whom God will deſtroy, no creature ſhall be found able to deliver out of his hands.

God can take away the help, and ſtop up the pity of all creatures, None ſhall deliver them. And though themſelves ſhould endeavour to eſcape, they ſhall not eſcape (Amos 9. 1.) They that flie ſhall not flie away, and they that eſcape ſhall not be delivered, that is, by endeavouring to eſcape, they ſhall not be delivered, they ſhall attempt it in vaine. If God will not deliver, none can, If a Lot be taken priſoner He bids Abraham arme and reſcue him. If a Paul be in the mouth of a Lyon, the Lord will deliver him. It needs not trouble us, who is our enemy, if God will be our deliverer: nor can it availe what friends ſo ever we have, if God ſaith, ye ſhall not be delivered; A wicked man (when the Lord appeares againſt him) either hath none to deliver him, or none ſhall. Salvation is farre from the wicked, for they keep not thy ſtatutes, Pſ. 119. 155. From the children, judgement proceeds to the eſtate of this wicked man.

Verſe 5. Whoſe harveſt the hungry eateth up, and fetcheth it even out of the thornes, and the robber ſpoyleth all his ſubſtance.

Whoſe harveſt the hungry eateth up.

By his Harveſt, we are to underſtand not only the return of that which he hath ſown, as corn and other fruits of the earth; but all the goods or proviſions, which he hath gathered or laid up for his Meſſis nomine parata bona omnia to…elligitur condenda & reponenda in annos plurimot.ſupport and accommodation. A mans harveſt is the improvement of his whole eſtate. And this mans harveſt is all he hath gotten, by right or wrong, by induſtry or by injury, by ſweat or by deceit, by ſecret practiſes or open violences. To eat up a harveſt, is as much as to devoure a houſe, with which Chriſt charges the hungry Scribes and Phariſees (Math. 23. 14.) who made Beggars as faſt as they made Prayers, Ye devoure widdows houſes and under pretence make long prayers.

The greatneſſe of his affliction is ſet forth by the loſſe of thoſe things, which coſt much paines to get. A harveſt is not had with idleneſſe. The earth muſt be broken, plowed and ſowed before we reape. The law of Nations (I am ſure of this Nation) is very p. 202tender in this point, providing, that they who till and ſow the Land, ſhall alſo enjoy the crop. But this wicked man ſhall not reape what he ſowed. The labour ſhall be his, and the benefit another mans. The hungry ſhall come and eate up his harveſt. Whence obſerve in generall.

It is a great evill when we cannot enjoy the thing we labour for.

What greater diſappointment to the husband-man; then to deprive him of his harveſt. Poets have ſung this in mournfull verſe. And we find this threatned in the law, as the very ſting of thoſe Impius haec tam culia novalia miles habebit? Barbarus has ſegetes? en que is conſev…mus agros? Virg. Egl. 1.evills, which ſhould come upon a diſobedient people, Deut. 28. 33. The fruit of thy land and all thy labours, ſhall a Nation which thou knoweſt not, eat up; All thy labours, that is, The fruits for which thou haſt laboured, ſhall be eaten up by ſtrangers. And (Levit. 26. 16.) Yee ſhall ſow your ſeed in vaine, for your enemies ſhall eat it. The ſloathfull man reſteth not that which he tooke in hunting, ſo we tranſlate, Prov. 12. 26. But it ſeemes not ſo proper to the ſence of this proverb. A ſloathfull man is not uſually a hunter, That ſport requires an active ſpirit. And uſually men that are ſlow at worke, are quick at meat, and will not looſe their veniſon for the roaſting. Therefore more properly (I conceive with others) to the originall, and fully to the point in hand, it may be tranſlated thus, Deceit or the deceitfull man ſhall not roaſt his hunting, or▪ that which he hath taken in hunting. That is, he ſhall Non aduret fraudulentia, (ſive vir doloſus) venationem ſuam. Ari…s Mont. Pagn.not take pleaſure in that, which he hath got by extreame pains (as all hunters doe) or by craft and ſtealth, as ſome hunters doe. Somewhat comes between his mouth and his morſell, his cup and lip, either he cannot get his meat to his table, or he riſes hungry from it. Therefore Salomon puts a great bleſſing in this, when a man enjoyeth his labour, Eccleſ. 2. 10. My heart rejoyced in all my labour, and this was my portion of all my labour, namely, the fruit and benefit which God gave me by my labour; I enjoyed it, and this was my portion. Againe (Eccleſ. 3. 13.) And alſo that every man ſhould eat and drinke, and …oy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God; He puts the Emphaſis upon this, when a man hath taken pains to lay in proviſions for a comfortable ſubſiſtence, that then he may ſit downe quietly and enjoy it, It is the gift of God. Therefore on the other hand, not to eate and drinke, and enjoy the good of our labours, but to have all violently ſnatcht from our mouthes. It is the judgement of God. This judgement the Prophet alſo threatens (Iſa. 1. 6.) Your land ſtrangers ſhall devoure p. 203it, in your preſence; when you are looking on, ſtrangers ſhall devoure it, Thou prepareſt a Table before me in the preſence of my enemies, ſaith David, Pſal. 23 5. As it is one of the greateſt outward mercies, to eat at a Table, prepared in the preſence of an enemy, ſo, it is one of the greateſt afflictions, to have an enemy eat up what is prepared for our Table, in our preſence, (Mic. 6. 15.) Thou ſhalt ſow, but thou ſhalt not reape, thou ſhalt tread the Olives, but thou ſhalt not anoint thee with oyle, and ſweet wine, but ſhalt not drinke wine. Obſerve how he puts in their labour to aggravate their ſorrow. If they had not ſowne, it had not been ſo troubleſome, not to reape, if they had not trod the Olives, it had not been ſo grievous to have had no oyle; but this was their calamity, they ſowed, but reaped not, they trod the Olives, but had no oyle to annoint themſelves. The miſery of that rich man (Lu…. 12.) is thus deſcribed, when he had made larger barnes, and got in his harveſt, when he had made proviſion for many yeares, then the Queſtion is, Whoſe ſhall all theſe things be that thou haſt provided? The rich man was not unprovided of an anſwer to the Querie long before. Whoſe ſhall they be? Mine own I warrant you. I am not ſuch a foole to take pains for others. Little did he thinke his grave was a making while he was making his barns: Or, that all his providence and care ſhould redound to ſtrangers. How will it cut the heart to ſee all thoſe things taken away, in and about which, a man hath laid out his whole ſtrength, and laid up his whole heart. This Job imprecates as the extremity of all outward evils, in caſe he were an hypocrite, and dealt falſely with God (Chap. 31. 8) If any blot hath cleaved to my hands, that is, if this blot of inſincerity (Job did not thinke himſelfe to be without all blot of ſinne, but, if ſuch a blot as I am charged with) cleave to my hands, then let me ſow, and let another eat. This judgement which Eliphaz hints at in another perſon, as already fallen on Job for his hypocriſie, Job, in his own perſon cals for, if he were an hypocrite. Let me ſow and let another eate, yea let my off-ſpring be rooted out.

Whoſe harveſt the hungry eateth up. The hungry.

There is ſome difference in opinion, who are to be underſtood by the hungry. Some take this hungry one for the Devill; He is a hungry one indeed: but his hunger is not after our riches but after our ſoules, 'tis them he goes about like (a hungry) roaring Lyon, ſeeking to devoure. (2 Pet. 5. 8.) It is a truth alſo, that Satan goes about as a hungrie one to devoure our eſtates, ſo he did Jobs, His p. 204harveſt that hungry one did eat up, but, it was not becauſe he deſired Jobs harveſt, but becauſe he gaped for Job Himſelfe. He thought if God would but give him leave to rob Job of his riches, Job would quickly let his ſoule lapſe into his hands. A ſoule is the dainty morſell, which That hungry ſpirit waits for. The moſt delicate things in the world are meate too groſſe for a ſpirit, though an uncleane one.

Others, by the hungry one, underſtand the Heire of this rich worldling; His heire whom he had kept low, and bare and ſhort, as long as he lived, now, when he is dead and gone, comes hungry to the eſtate, and quickly conſumes it; he eats it out, drinks it up and laviſheth it away. It is often ſeen that the heires of great, rich men come very hungry to their inheritances, and as quickly ſwallow them downe. They have been kept ſo ſhort, that like empty and ſharpe ſet ſtomackes they waſte all, when they come where they may have their fill. That eſtate which is got by the oppreſſion, and kept by the baſe covetouſneſſe of parents, is uſually ſpent out in riot and luxurie. A hungry heire devours the harveſt.

Thirdly, The hungry, may be taken for thoſe poore oppreſſed ones, whoſe eſtates thoſe Nimrods of the world had unjuſtly and cruelly raviſht from them. They, whom wicked men make hungry and leane by their exactions and cruell dealings, come at laſt (though unbidden and unwelcome gueſts) to eat the bread from their Tables. And theſe poore Hungry-ones are conceived by ſome to be Wiſedomes children, the people of God, whom thoſe wicked fooles had ſtript of their eſtates, and would have eaten them too like bread, Pſal. 14. So the Septuagint renders it, The juſt or foreign.the godly ſhall eat up or devoure the harveſt of this rich worldling. Put both theſe together, and this may be the ſenſe, The hungry eateth up his harveſt, that is, the godly poore, whom this man had unjuſtly oppreſt, and even put to ſtarving, God, by his juſt judgement ſhall ſend in, to take free Quarter, to eat their fill of his harveſt, and never reckon with their hoſt.

From that ſence take this note,

That God doth ſometimes give the riches of wicked men to poore godly men, whom they have oppreſt.

Job himſelfe, Chap. 27. v. 16. gives us this truth in expreſſe termes, where ſpeaking of a wicked man, he ſaith, Though he heap up ſilver as the duſt, and prepare raiment as the clay, he may prepare it (let him prepare it, let him ſcrape it together as faſt as he p. 205can) but the juſt ſhall put it on, and the innocent ſhall divide the ſilver, that is, thoſe juſt and innocent perſons whom he had wronged, ſhall by a divine retaliation enter upon his eſtate. The wicked grind the faces of the poor, to make themſelves bread, but at laſt the poore ſhall make bread of their corn and grieſt.

We may ſee the tract and foot-ſteps of this judgement in our dayes; How many ſons of violence, who have made many perſons, yea, families hungry, naked and deſolate, are now made deſolate and naked? God hath ſo wrought, and anſwered us by terrible things in righteouſneſſe, that Oppreſſed Innocents have been put into the houſes, and have fed upon the fatneſſe of Ʋnrighteous Oppreſſours. Muſt we not ſay, verily there is a God that judgeth the earth, when we ſee this vengeance? And for the reſt, may we not ſay as thoſe ſearchers of Canaan, (Caleb and Joſhua) made their report, when the reſt complained of impoſſibilities, Numb. 14. 9. Let us not feare them, for they are bread for us, that is, we ſhall eaſily get in amongſt them, and live upon their eſtates: Let us not feare thoſe giantly ſons of Anak, who have fleec'd the poore of Gods flock, and knaw'd their bones, for (by the power and juſtice of God) they are bread for us; they have made hungry ones enow to eate up their own harveſt.

Fourthly, We may take the hungry, yet more largely; for any In communi quicun que raptor & depraedator famelicus appellatur. Pinedthat are low and poore, whom God ſtirres up and ſends in judgement as his teeth, to conſume and eate up, to devoure and deſtroy the portion of ſuch fat ones. Every ſpoiler is a hungry one; ſpoilers devoure as if they had never eaten in their lives, they ſweep all away: The word which we tranſlate to eate up, ſignifies the moſt fierce kind of eating: when a man eates, as if he could never have enough. And therefore it is applied to the eating of fire, which we know is the moſt hungry thing in the world; nothing will ſatisfie foreign Eſt acrius quam noſtrum comedere, ſignificat enim cōedē …o conſumere. Ingentem aviditatem comedentis prae ſeſert, adeo ut de igne quae omnia avidè depaſcit utatur.the appetite of that hungry element, the more it eates, the more hungry and devouring it is. Hence that adjunct of fire (Iſa. 29. 6.) A flame of a devouring fire, or, the flame (it is the word of the text) of an eating fire; a fire whoſe ſtomack is able to digeſt all the materiall creatures in the world. So (Job 1.) it is ſaid, that the fire of God, or a great fire did eate up the ſheepe, the fire came hungry and conſumed them; ſuch is the force of the word here uſed; and ſecondly, it is applied in Scripture, to the eating of the ſword; which (alas!) we know is very hungry too, My ſword ſhall devoure fleſh, Deut. 32. 42. Thirdly, it is applied to ſavage p. 206beaſts (Gen. 37. 33.) when Jacob bewaileth the loſſe of his ſonne Joſeph, he ſaith, an evill beaſt hath devoured him. Fourthly, the cruelty of perſecutors (in whom wild beaſts, and ſword and fire are all met, if not ſwallowed up.) The cruelty, I ſay, of perſecutors is expreſſed by this word, They eate up my people like bread, Pſal. 14. 4. Wild beaſts, and ſword, and fire, and above all the perſecuting ſpirits of men, are the moſt hungry and ſpeedy devourers, ſuch a devouring ſhall conſume the harveſt of theſe fooliſh men, The hungry ſhall eate it up: Here we may obſerve, That

They who conſume others ſhall at laſt be conſumed themſelves.

Such as have raiſed themſelves upon the ruines of others, ſhall raiſe others by their own ruine. God will ſend devourers to eate up the eſtate of thoſe, who have devoured the eſtates of their brethren; eſpecially, if they have devoured the eſtates of his own people. The Apoſtle, Gal. 6. 7. gives this generall law, Whatſoever a man ſoweth, that ſhall he alſo reape. He that ſowes oppreſſion, or makes his ſeed-time, to be the reaping of his neighbours harveſt, may find reapers, which he hired not, in his field at harveſt. The Prophet Iſaiah denounceth a woe againſt thoſe, that joyne houſe to houſe by oppreſſion, and what is the woe? their houſes ſhall be made deſolate; So Zeph. 3. 19. I will undoe all that afflict there. And Jer. 30. 16. They that devoure thee ſhall be devoured; and they that ſpoile thee ſhall be a ſpoile, and all that prey upon thee will I give for a prey; It is juſt with God (2 Theſ. 1. 6.) to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you. The rich man who hoards up that for himſelfe and for his children, which he hath pulled out of the bellies of others, ſhall have his meate devoured from his table, and pul'd from between his teeth.

The hungry eate up his harveſt, but where doth he find it? He takes it even out of the thornes.

There is ſome difficulty in that expreſſion. Mr Broughton reades it, The hungry ſhall eate up his harveſt which he had gotten thorough the thornes! And others thus, he ſhall fetch it out from among the foreign Spinae, aliqui deducunt a foreign unde foreign ſcutum, clipeus.armes or weapons. The Hebrew word which we tranſlate thornes, gives occaſion of theſe various readings, which ſome derive from Tſinnah, which ſignifies a ſhield, and ſo by a trope, it notes any kind of armes or weapons.

If we take the word in the firſt ſenſe, for thornes, a three-fold interpretation may be given of this clauſe.

Firſt as Mr Broughton reades it, which he had gotten thorough p. 207the thornes. This refers to the manner how a worldling obtaines his eſtate; he hath a great harveſt, and how came he by it? he got it thorough the thornes; that is, he got it thorough vexing, pricking cares, for ſo (Mat. 13.) in the Parable of the ſower, when Chriſt expounds the meaning of the thorny ground, he ſhewes, that the thornes are cares, the cares wherewith men are vexed in getting riches, or compaſſing the things of the world. Hence a man is ſaid to get riches thorough the thornes, when he gets them thorough overmuch care and vexation of ſpirit.

Secondly, As the word ſignifies thornes: ſome conceive, that Eliphaz cloſely deſcribes the perſons who ſhould take away his eſtate, as he did in the former branch; there he ſaid, the hungry eate up his harveſt; now he deſcribeth another ſort of men that ſhall eate it up, namely, Men of thornes, or Men comming out of the thornes; This rendring, is not eaſily made out of the Originall, though, it hath learned a bettors, and therefore I am not confident of it; yet it may yeeld ſome advantage to our meditation upon the words. The meaning is this: Meane or contemptible men ſhall Homo ex ſpinis exiens, ſc. abiectus & contemptus eum rapiet. Homo ignobilis qui de ſpinis naſcitur. Merc.take it away: As in our language, when we would expreſſe a vulgar perſon, a man of low birth, we ſay, he was borne under a buſh; or under a hedge, that is, he is a man of a low pedigree, none of the Gentry; and ſo it is, as if he ſhould ſay, this great, rich, mighty man, who hath ſo much honour and riches about him, and thinks himſelfe ſafe, ſhall ſee a man comming out of the thornes, ſome obſcure perſon, and take all that he hath from him. This expoſition may yeeld us a profitable obſervation, That

When God reckons with the greateſt of wicked men, hee can humble and pull them downe by the meaneſt and pooreſt of men. A very ſhrub, a man that comes out of the thornes may pull downe the talleſt Cedar; It encreaſes affliction, to be overcome by a weake, deſpiſed, inconſiderable enemy. It troubled Abimelech more to be ſlaine by a woman, than to be ſlaine; and therefore (upon the matter) he would have the paine to be twice kil'd, rather than the diſgrace to be kil'd by a woman; for having received his deaths-wound by her hand, yet, he calls haſtily to the young man his Armour-bearer, and ſaid unto him; draw out thy ſword now, and ſlay me, that men ſay not of me, a woman ſlew him, Judg. 10. 54. The Lord threatens it, both as a juſt retaliation for the ſin, and an aggravation of the puniſhment of his people, I will move them to jealouſie with thoſe that are not a people, I will p. 208provoke them to anger with a fooliſh Nation, Deut. 32. 21. The Gentiles, as Paul expounds this place, Rom. 10. 19. and Peter, 1 Peter 2. 10.) whom the Jewes ſleighted as a fooliſh people, as no people, came in and eate up the harveſt of the Goſpell, and were inveſted with greater priviledges than they. This made the Jewes mad with anger, as you may reade in that famous record of it, Acts 22. ver. 21, 22. They could not beare it, that, Thoſe men of the thornes, ſhould partake of the fatneſſe of the Olive. As Jotham ſpake in his Parable, (Judg. 9 15.) when the queſtion was, which of the trees ſhould be King, the olive or the vine, &c. at laſt it fell to the brambles lot, or to the thorne. That parable gives ſome light to this expoſition: For thoſe ſeverall ſorts of trees ſhadowed out the ſeverall ſorts of men, and the bramble ſhadowed out the meaneſt ſort of men; a man of thornes, or a man comming out of the thornes. And he adds (which further anſwers this ſenſe) Let fire come out of the bramble, and devoure the Cedars of Labanon; which in plaine Engliſh is, let there come power from a powerleſſe man, who is but as a bryer, or as a thorne, and conſume the greateſt and the mightieſt.

And it may ſupport us (while we ſee ſo many great Cedars and ſtrong Okes, with whom we have to doe) that God can ſend a man out of the thornes to ſubdue their pride; and can cauſe a bramble to conſume Cedars, when himſelfe pleaſeth, The Prophet Amos puts the queſtion, By whom ſhall Jacob riſe, for he is ſmall? The onelyonly anſwer is, Jacob hath a great God, a God that can doe great things: If we ſhould queſtion, by whom ſhall the wicked fall, for they are very great? I anſwer, haply, they ſhall fall by him, that is very ſmall, A man out of the buſhes, a man of thornes, ſome poore ſhrub, armed with the power of God, ſhall ſhake and overthrow them in the height of all their wickedneſſe and worldly glory.

Thirdly, Take it according to our reading: He ſhall fetch it out of the thornes. Which ſome interpret, to be thornes growing naturally in or among the corne; according to that generall curſe upon the earth, Gen. 3. 18. Thornes and thiſtles ſhall it bring forth to thee. But rather (if not alone) theſe are thornes platted together induſtriouſly, and wrought into a hedge, to ſave corne fields or corne-ſtackes from ſpoile. So the meaning is, that when the hungry man comes with a commiſſion from God, to eate the harveſt of the fooliſh, he will have his eſtate whatever it coſts him, p. 209or what danger ſoever he incurres for it. For, as a man is ſaid to fetch a thing out of the fire, or out of the Lions mouth, when he E ſpinis, hoc eſt, è magno periculo: ſicut nos dicimus ex ore Leonum. Druſ.gets it with much perill and hazzard; ſo, what a man gets with much difficulty and labour, he is ſaid to get it out of the thornes. And the reaſon is this, becauſe, men were wont, when they had gathered in their harveſt (take it eſpecially about that, and in proportion about any thing elſe) they were then wont (I ſay) to ſecure Quamvis inter ſpinas abdita ſit & forſan ut tutior ſit. Merc.it with a thorn-hedge, or to lay buſhes about their ſtacks, to keep off cattle or any other annoyances. We read among the Lawes given by Moſes, ſomewhat anſwerable to this practice, Exod. 22. 6. If fire breake out and catch in thornes, ſo that the ſtacks of corne, or ſtanding corne, or the field be conſumed therewith, he that kindled the fire, ſhall make reſtitution. This Law intimates it for an ancient cuſtome, to make fences of thornes about corne brought home or ſtackt up; And that fields while the corne was ſtanding, were hedged about with thornes. To either of which, the alluſion may be made by Eliphaz: So that, to fetch his harveſt out of the thorns, is to fetch it through the fences made to ſecure his harveſt, to fetch it, though it coſt (as we ſpeak proverbially) a ſcratcht face, or ſcratcht fingers. We ſay, hunger breaks through ſtones walls, certainly then theſe hungry ones, will break through a thorne hedge.

When the Lord would keep his Church from wandring in ſinfull paths, he reſolves thus, Hoſ. 2. 6. I will hedge up her way with thornes: there are pleaſures that ſhe would goe fetch, but as men fence their ground and paſtures with thornes, ſo will I doe with her, I will hedge up her way with thornes, ſhe ſhall pay dear, ſhe ſhall ſmart for her pleaſures, ere ſhe come at them. And therefore, as it ſhewes the extreame intenſiveneſſe and reſolvedneſſe of a man to ſin; when a man will ſin, though God hath hedged up his way with thorns, that is, when a man will break thorough many dangers, and run hazzards to ſatisfie his luſts; ſo here in this place, the hungry mans taking it out of the thornes, notes a reſolvedneſſe and eagerneſſe of ſpirit, to have the eſtate of this rich man, let him ſecure it by all the power and policies he can.

From this Expoſition, we may obſerve firſt, the practice of worldly wiſe men; when they have gotten riches, they doe not leave them looſe and open to ſurpriſall, they keep them among the thornes; they will ſecure their eſtates as much as they can. As they get riches with thorns, ſo they will keep riches with thorns, p. 210that is, they will beſtow care to keep, as well as to get: A godly man takes great care to get more of Chriſt, more riches of grace, he improves all means, and makes this his buſineſſe night and day; theſe ſpirituall cares are his thornes: and when he finds his ſtock of holy things increaſing, his next care is to preſerve his ſtock, to maintaine communion with Chriſt, and to keep up his graces to their height; The care of a godly man, is as much to preſerve grace and comforts from the power of that hungry one the Devill, as it was to fetch them in. And Satan is ſo hungry after our ſpirituall harveſt, that, he would fetch it out of the thorns and fences of all our prayers and holy cares, were it not that Chriſt himſelfe keeps it for us, His care over his peoples ſpirituall welfare is ſuch a thorn hedge, as the Devill can never break thorough; We are kept by the power of God as with a garriſon, 1 Pet. 1. 5.

Such alſo, is the wiſdome of that generation, about worldly things: they fence in, and fortifie their riches, ſo that if any man will have them, he muſt have them through the thornes, or come upon the pikes.

Secondly, Though he lay up his eſtate within the thorns, yet, the hungry man will fetch it out. Note then,

That all the care of worldly men, all the thorne-hedges they make about their eſtates, ſhall never ſecure them from ſpoyle and ruine. The hungry will preſſe and venture through the thorns to take them.

Further, As the word ſignifies a Buckler (or any kind of arms, whether offenſive or defenſive) as the text is by ſome tranſlated, He ſhall fetch it out of their Armes, or from among their weapons. De Armis …ollet eam, ſc. meſſem. Et ipſum rapiet armatus. Vulg.And then, the ſence may be thus conceived (which agrees fully with the former Obſervation)

Though, this wicked man in his high eſtate, ſhould get many armed men together to defend it, yea though he ſhould get an Army of men, with ſword and buckler, with pike and ſhot to defend it, yet none of them ſhall be able. The wrath of God, by the man out of the thornes, the meaneſt inſtrument of his wrath, ſhall break through all And in alluſion to this, the vulgar (more truely then as a tranſlation) reads it,

The armed man ſhall take him away, that is, he ſhall carry him away priſoner, and ſpoyl him of his harveſt: Which, though it doth not comply with the letter of the Original, yet it implies the ſence of it. For when Armed men come to take any thing away, it intimates, p. 211that the thing was, or was ſuppoſed to be protected with armes. The Chaldee paraphraſe ſaith the ſame: Souldiers with Quod juxta tex…um Hebraicum extaret, de armis rapiet, vertit vulgaris Biblia, rapier armatus, non enim niſi armatus prſſit de medio armorum eam rapere. Bold. Milites armis ſivi inſtrumentis bellicis abducent eos. Chald. Erunt exercitus vos cingentes. Chald. Bibent f…ientes divitias eju…s. Vulg. foreign vel à foreign ſ…ire, vel à foreign quod eſt capillus aut caeſaries Praedo ſic dictus, quod more ferino capillos nutriet, ut mos eſt in terra Iſmael. Rab. Dav. Kinchi in lib Rad. Tſammim, praede, quem ſic appellarum exiſtimant, à coma, quam alit, vel quod ſanguinem humanum fitiat. Druſ.weapons and warlike inſtruments ſhall carry them away. This word is in other places rendred An Army, in the Chaldee. So Joſh. 23. 15. That which we tranſlate, They ſhall be thornes in your eyes: The Chaldee gloſſeth thus; They ſhall be an Army beſieging or compaſſing you round about. And ſo much for the ſecond branch of this verſe. He taketh it even out of the thornes.

There is a third branch: And the robber ſwalloweth up their ſubſtance.

It is the ſame in ſubſtance with the former, and we may ſay here as Joſeph about the dreams of Pharoah, The dreames are the ſame, and they are doubled, onelyonly to note the certainty of the thing: The matter here is the ſame, onelyonly the words are doubled (as the Holy Ghoſt often doth) to note the certainty of this thing, that the fooliſh mans eſtate ſhall be conſumed.

Yet, there is ſomewhat very conſiderable in the phraſe here uſed, and therefore I ſhall open it a little; The robber ſwalloweth up his ſubſtance.

The robber.] Some tranſlate, the thirſty ſhall drink or ſwallow up their ſubſtance; Mr. Broughton, the thirſty ſhall ſwill up their wealth; And it ſuites fairely with the former words, there the hungry ſhall eate up his harveſt, and here, the thirſty ſhall ſwill up their wealth; ſo you have both the hungry and the thirſty to make riddance of all; neither his corn, nor his wine, his bread nor his drink, neither wet nor dry, ſhall eſcape, where both hungry and thirſty come to conſume.

We render it, The robber ſwalloweth up their ſubſtance. The reaſon of this difference is from the Originall word, which may have a double derivation: Firſt from a root, ſignifying to thirſt or to be thirſty: Secondly from a root which ſignifies the haire of the head, or the locks, or extraordinary ruffian-like long haire and locks. And the reaſon, why we tranſlate Robber, is given from both: From the firſt, becauſe robbers and ſpoylers are commonly Toſſe pots and drunkards, men that love their liquor, a thirſty generation in that ſence; and they alwayes thirſt for a prey, they thirſt for the eſtates or lives of others: From the latter, becauſe robbers, plunderers and ſpoilers, uſually wore very long haire, either to diſguiſe or make themſelves the more terrible; So that a robber may be denominated, both from his unnaturally naturall p. 212thirſt after the pot, and from his uncivilly civill thirſt after a purſe, or from his long, ſhaggy, buſhy haire: To this latter ſence, one of Abſorbea… pilcſ… divitias eorum. Rab. Mordo…hai. Horridus. H…ſpidus. foreign Propriè a… traxit per nares, aut os: trax it aërem ad os; Per Metaphoram, inhiavit, ardenter cupijt, qui enim ardenter aliquid cupiunt; pre deſiderij magnitudine, ad os ae…em frequentius …r…hunt ſeu reſpirant.the Rabbins tranſlates, The hairy man, or the man with long haire, ſhall ſwallow up their eſtates; Hence ſome expreſſe him by a Latine word, which ſignifies a man all overgrown with haire; This Ruffian or Robber ſhall ſwallow up his ſubſtance.

Swallow up] The word notes an utter exhauſtion, he ſhall exhauſt his ſubſtance: As we ſay, when a ſpender or an unthrift is deſcribed, He hath exhauſted his eſtate, he hath, as it were ſuckt it up, guzl'd or ſwallowed it down his throat; the radicall word may import, drawing or ſucking up with a pipe; properly it ſignifies, to fetch wind, or draw breath; and by a metaphor to ſwallow down, to ſup or ſuck up; as alſo, with fervency and pleaſure to deſire, becauſe vehement deſires are often expreſt by quick breathings, yea, to breath after a thing, is to deſire it; or it notes a mind to ſwallow it up, either from the delight we have in it, or hatred of it. In which latter ſence Daved applies it to his enemies (Pſal. 56. 2.) Mine enemies would daily ſwallow me up. They breath after me, to devoure me. So then the meaning is; This robber, this hairy ſpoyler or thirſty one, will be ſo dry that he will ſwallow all up, he will ſoop and drink up the fooliſh mans eſtate to the very bottome; he will draw it down to the very dreggs or lees, and not leave a drop behind him.

The robber ſwalloweth up their ſubſtance.

In the firſt chapter we read Job deſcribed, A man of a very foreign Non magis ad corporis quam ad ingenij vires pertinet: & tres ſere virtutes continet, fortitudinem, juſtitiam, prudentiam.great ſubſtance, Job's ſubſiſtance in cattle was thus and thus: Here alſo it is ſaid, The robber ſhall ſwallow up his ſubſiſtance; but the word in the Hehrew, is very different from that in the firſt chapter; there the word ſignifieth properly ſubſtance in cattle; but here it ſignifies, ſubſtance in any kind of wealth or riches whatſoever; And it notes three things.

Firſt, and moſt properly, ſtrength, either ſtrength of body or of mind, namely, valour, activity and courage, alſo wiſdome and induſtry to get or defend our ſubſtance; So Gen. 47. 6. Pharoah tells Joſeph, that if among his brethren, there were any men of activity, he ſhould make them rulers over his cattell.foreign

Secondly, It notes riches and wealth, or any worldly ſubſtance; becauſe much activity, wiſdome and ſtrength, is uſually imployed in obtaining them; or becauſe both wiſdome and ſtrength are requiſite p. 213for the keeping and retaining of them, (Prov. 11. 16.) Strong men retaine riches: as if he ſhould ſay, though a man have aboundance of riches, yet if he have not ſtrength, he ſhall hardly hold them, they will be wreſted out of his hands. Once more, Riches are thus expreſt, becauſe men, uſually account their riches to be their ſtrength, a man naturally puts confidence in his riches; Prov. 13. 15. The rich mans wealth is his ſtrong City; Riches are call…d ſtrength, from that corrupt opinion which the world hath of them, making them Idols, and truſting to them, as they ſhould unto God alone. Though yet, there is a truth in it, that Ariſtoteles divi…ias appellat vires re…um, quia per ipſas o…nia poſſumus. lib 1. Polit. cap. 8.riches have much ſtrength in them, a rich man, and a powerfull man, are mutually put for each other.

Thirdly, The word ſignifies an Army of men, Pſal. 33. 16. There is no King ſaved by the multitude of an hoſt: We may take it either way, this hungry man, this robber, ſhall come and ſwallow up his ſubſtance, his riches, his ſtrength, or he ſhall come and ſwallow up his very Army, by which he thought to defend his ſubſtance; All ſhall be loſt, neither the eſtate, nor the means uſed to protect the eſtate, ſhall ſtand before this hungry, thirſty, hairy robber. In this deſcription of a totall deſolation brought upon the eſtate and family of the fooliſh man, together with the character of the perſons, who ſhall make him deſolate, queſtionleſſe Eliphaz would repreſent to Job, the deſolation brought upon his eſtate and children, by thoſe troops of hungry, hairy, thirſty robbers, the Chaldeans and the Sabeans, who ſwallowed all his ſubſtance at one morſell, ſoopt up his eſtate at one draught. Whence obſerve;

It is a great point of wiſdome, to ſhew a man his condition, in anothers, and to ſeem onelyonly relating the Hiſtory of our forreign obſervations, when we meane the perſon to whom we ſpeak; what is propoſed as ſeen in others, works the heart to ſee it ſelfe; and doth at once mitigate the ſharpneſſe of the reproofe, and open the ſpirit, to let it in. As we ſee in the inſtance of Nathans Parable to David, 2 Sam. 12. Eliphaz ſaid onelyonly, I have ſeen the fooliſh taking root, &c. He doth not lay it boyſterouſly and directly upon Job; I ſaw thee taking root &c.

Thus we have opened the context of theſe five verſes, wherein Eliphaz argues Job of wickedneſſe and inſincerity, becauſe God had dealt with him, as he uſually doth with the wicked and infincere, whoſe habitations are curſed, their children cruſhed, their p. 214ſubſtance ſwallowed up, by thirſty, and eaten up, by hungry robbers, who take it out from the very thorns of their own cares, in getting, or means in ſecuring, what they have gotten.