Exposition of Job 4-7, Commentary on Job · Chapter 5 · Verses 13-16
JOB Chap. 5. Verſ. 13, 14, 15. 16.
He taketh the wiſe in their own craftines; and the counſell of the froward is carried headlong.
They meet with darknes in the day time; and grope in the noon day as in the night.
But he ſaveth the poor from the Sword, from their mouth, and from the hand of the mighty.
So the poore hath hope, and iniquity ſtoppeth her mouth.
IN theſe foure verſes Eliphaz proceeds in, & finiſhes the former argument, by a further & fuller clearing of the power and wiſdome of God, in catching and over-matching crafty ones, in their wayes and counſels. Having ſhewed before (in the 12th verſe) that their devices are diſappointed, he ſheweth now, that they are intangled in their devices. There, we ſay they could not performe their enterpriſes; and here we ſhall ſee them ruined in their enterpriſes. It is a ſore trouble to ungodly men, when they cannot doe the miſchiefe; which they intend to others; but is a farr ſorer trouble, when their counſels recoyle, and when their own projects promote their own ruine: when their own actions effect that, which they had rather die, then ſee done, when that miſchiefe falleth upon their own heads, which they intended others; That's their calamity in this text.
He taketh the wiſe in their own craftines.
Theſe wiſe men, are no better then the crafty, before mentioned, for we ſee their wiſdome is but craftineſſe. We had the Crafty in the former verſe; and here we have their craft or craftines. The Apoſtle in 1 Cor. 3. 19. quotes this text of Eliphaz; The wiſdom of this world is fooliſhnes with God; For it is written, He taketh the wiſe in their own craftines. The Greeke word there uſed hath foreign, quaſi di…as, ad quodlibet opus promptus, qui dexteritate ingenij valet ad quodlibet agendum.ſomewhat more in it, then the Hebrew word, opened at the 12 v. For it notes a fitneſs for all purpoſes, a dexterity to ſerve any turn be it never ſo ſiniſter or evill. Such a man can be on any ſide, and is for any purpoſe, you will turne him to. A godly man hath but one worke, and he can doe but one worke, that is, one worke in kind, Every worke he doth (as a godly man) hath a ſtampe of goodneſſe, or godlieſſe, of holineſſe, or juſtice upon it. But theſe crafty ones are for any worke, for various works, you may turn them looſe to any ſervice; they are ready to do good for a need, to ſerve their owne ends, and they will not ſticke at any evill, for their owne ends. Their byas is not within them, but upon them, and they can clap it to which ſide they pleaſe, or may be moſt pleaſing to, or taking with others; yet this Turn-coat Craſtines ſhall not ſerve their turne; For ſaith the text, He taketh the wiſe in their own craftines.
The word which we tranſlate [He taketh] is very ſignificant. It imports a taking by force or ſtrength, and it imports a taking by skill or ſtratagem. God will have them both wayes: If theſe cunning men worke by their wits, He can take them: The Lord hath more ſtratagems to take them, then they have had to take others: Or if they worke by power and by plaine ſtrength, he can take them. The Lord hath more ſtrength to take them, then they have had to take others.foreign C…pi…, apprehendit de …o…o aut urbes expugnavit in opinatu & violenta expugnatione.
The word is applied to the taking in of Cities or Forts, places ſtrengthned both by art and nature, and to the taking of them (which includes both ſences) either by ſiege or ſudden ſurpriſall; Reade Numb. 21. 32. Joſh. 6. 2▪ Deut. 2. 34. And ſo the ſenſe may be that, although theſe men think, they have ſo intrenched & fortified themſelves by their wits, policies and counſells (as it were in a ſtrong City or Caſtle) that they ſeem impregnable, and laugh at all oppoſite power: Yet, then God beſieges, batters and takes them preſently; he takes in, and ſleights their works with eaſe, he levels to the ground their great thoughts, even the high Tower of their imaginations; That may be the force of the word [He taketh them.] For as every naturall man labours to ſecure himſelfe and his inſts, againſt the power of the word of God, by carnal reaſonings and pleadings for them. All which the Apoſtles cals ſtrong holds (2 Cor. 10. 4, 5.) The weapons of our warfare are not carnall: but they are mighty thorough God to the caſting downe of ſtrong holds. Now (I ſay) as naturall men ſecure themſelves (a… it were in ſtrong-holds) by their carnall reaſonings; ſo wicked Politicians thinke to ſecure themſelves, and fortifie their deſignes by plots and platformes of craftie counſell. But as God in the miniſtery of his word, caſteth downe all the arguments which a man frames in his heart, to protect his luſts. So the Lord in the adminiſtrations of his providence, throwes down all the fortifications, which crafty men frame in their hearts, to protect their law-leſſe practiſes, and takes them in
Secondly, The word may imply the taking & binding of a man in bonds or in fetters. He takes the wiſe in their own craftines, that is, he takes and binds them as with a chaine, or he fetters them in their own craftineſſe, ſo the word is uſed (Prov. 5 22.) His own iniquities ſhall take the wicked himſelfe, and he ſhall be holden with the cords of his ſinnes.
Thirdly, The metaphor may be carried in an alluſion to Hunters of wild beaſts, or to bird takers; who ſet nets and gins, traps or toyles to take them: Theſe wiſe, crafty men, are cunning hunters, their trade and buſineſſe is, to ſet nets to catch, and toyles to intangle, they dig pits and lay ſnares for others to fall into; So the Prophet deſcribes them (Jer. 5. 26.) They lay waite as he that ſetteth ſnares, they ſet a trap, they catch men: But at laſt, God takes the wiſe in their owne craftineſſe, that is, the pits they have digged, and the ſnares they have layed, and the nets they have ſet ſhall catch themſelves.
Fourthly, The word is applied in Scripture, to a taking, or a diſcovery by a lot; So (Joſh. 7. 15.) The rule was thus given, He that ſhall be taken with the accurſed thing ſhall be burnt; and verſ. 18. Achan was taken, that is, taken by a lot, the lot diſcovered and catcht him. Achan had hid the Babyloniſh garment, and the wedge of gold ſafe enough, as he thought: and one would have thought, that in ſuch a multitude, in ſuch an huge hoſt and throng of people, he might have been hidden too; but God ſends a lot, and takes out Achan from the middeſt of all the multitude, he calls him out by name, this is the man. There may be a like meaning and uſe of the word in this place, He taketh the wiſe in their own craftines, that is, men who think to ſhelter themſelves amongſt the multitude, or to walke in the clouds of craft; men who hide and ſhadow themſelves from the eye of the world, as if none ſhould ſee who they are, or what they doe; even theſe God will take, he will direct a divine lot. one time or other to apprehend and lay hold on them; he will diſcover Achans, the troublers of his Iſrael in their wicked counſels; and bring to light their ſtoln wedges of gold, and their Babyloniſh garments.
There is one thing further conſiderable, from the ſenſe of that Greeke word, which the Apoſtle uſes (1 Cor. 3. 19.) *foreign, Manu capio & firmiter teneo fugientem in curſu deprehendere …anu que injecta capere, quicquam ut n…n elebatur; unde foreign manipulus pugillus, Eraſm.He taketh the wiſe, &c The Apoſtles word ſignifies properly to take, or a taking with the hand, a laying hold upon one that is flying: As in a battell, when the enemy flies and runnes, the purſuer takes hold of him, and will not let him eſcape: And ſo the ſenſe is, that though theſe crafty ones think to make an eſcape, when they have done miſchiefe to out run the juſtice of men, yea, to get out of the reach of God, yet he taketh them, as flying enemies or malefactors, that would make an eſcape; he catcheth them by the back, takes them by the ſhoulder, layes faſt hold on them, ſo that they ſhall not be able to get away. He takes the wiſe in their owne craftineſſe.
Laſtly, It is obſerveable, that the Prepoſition [in] he takes them [in] their craftineſſe, may be underſtood inſtrumentally; Pleroſ que aſtus illorum facit Deus inſtrumentum ad arcendum ab ijs quod cogitant. Rab. Levi.and ſo it as much as the Prepoſition [by:] He takes them in, that is, he takes them by their devices; That prepoſition is often put inſtrumentally (Gen. 32. 10.) Jacob ſaith, In my staffe I paſſed over this Jordan; we tranſlate, with my ſtaffe, or, by my ſtaffe I paſſed over this Jordan. And ſo Heb. 1. 1. God who at ſundry times, spake in time paſt to the fathers [in] the Prophets, ſo the Greek; we tranſlate by the Prophets, becauſe they were the meanes or the inſtruments, which God employed to ſpeak by. Thus here, He takes the wicked [in] their craftineſſe; or [by] their craftineſſe, their craftineſs is the very meanes and inſtrument by which God apprehends and takes them. So much for the opening of the firſt clauſe. We may note hence, firſt, That
No wiſdome or craftineſſe of man, can ſtand before the wiſdome and power of God. He not only takes them in their fooliſhneſſe, but in their craftineſſe; He ſtayes not, till they begin to dote and doe weakely, before he takes them; but when they are in their height of wit, and in the depths of worldly wiſdome and policie, when they put forth the quinteſſence of craft, and give counſell like the Oracle of God (2 Sam. 16. 23.) then God takes them. He takes them in their craftineſſe. (Pro. 21. 30.) There is no wiſdome, nor underſtanding nor counſell againſt the Lord. No counſel againſt the Lord. How is it then ſaid in the ſecond Pſalme, The Kings of the earth ſet themſelves, and the Rulers take counſell together, againſt the Lord, and againſt his anointed? There are many counſells oppoſed againſt the Lord, but there are none prevailing againſt the Lord. The meaning of that holy Proverbe, is, That no wiſdome, not the moſt ſublime and refined wiſdome; no counſell, not the moſt machivilian or Achitophelian counſell, can prevaile againſt the Lord. Men, uſually catch others, when they are at a fault, or take them upon ſome advantage, and error in their counſels. Moſt ſucceſſes of men, are made out of the ſlips and defects of their adverſaries: They take, upon miſtakes, either in adviſing or acting; but after the moſt deliberate and grave debates, the choiceſt and beſt grounded reſolves, the Lord takes them. For (1 Cor. 1. 25) The fooliſhneſſe of God is wiſer than man: And if the wiſdom of man cannot match the fooliſhneſſe of God, how ſhall it contend with the wiſdome of God? As the Prophet Jeremiah ſpeakes in another caſe, If I have runne with footmen and they have wearied me, how can I contend with horſes? ſo if theſe men are not able to deale with the fooliſhneſſe of God, how ſhall the, deale with his wiſdom? Not, that there is any, the leaſt imaginable fooliſhneſſe in God, for as God is light, and in him there is no darkneſſe at all, ſo God is wiſdome, and in him there is no fooliſhneſſe at all; but the holy Ghoſt ſpeakes thus, to put God as low as the fooliſheſt thoughts of man can put him, which is to think there is fooliſhneſſe in God, yet in that, or then, he is wiſer than they. Secondly obſerve;
That God turneth the counſels of wicked men againſt themſelves: He taketh the wiſe, not only in, but by their craftineſſe; He beates their own weapon againſt their heads; He wreſts their weapons out of their hands, and with them wounds their hearts. Thoſe counſels and contrivements, by which they thought to ſecure themſelves are their deſtruction. He deſtroyes them in their counſels and by their counſels.
This wonderfully magnifies and commends the wiſdome of Qui ſcipſerunt de arte militari, di unt ſummum genus demicandi, quoties calcato u…b…me adverſarij, ſe in hoſtilem cly…eum e…ig…t m…les & …a contra ſtan…is vulnerat te…ga. S…v. in V…rg. Aen. 1 ….God: He doth not trouble himſelfe to deviſe ſome new way or ſtratagem to take theſe men, but he makes uſe only of that which they have deviſed. It is the nobleſt way of conquering, to conquer our enemy with his own weapon; ſuch was that victory of David over Goliah: and that was a type of Chriſts victory over the Devill and all ſpirituall wickedneſſes. And ſuch will his victory be over all the wickedneſſes of this world. The Lord is (and ſhall …ver be) known by the judgement which he executeth, the wicked is ſnared in the work of his own hands, Higgaion Selah *Rem medit… dam ſum…è, Jun. in loc., Marke and meditate, Pſal. 9 16.
It was the plot of Satan, to tempt man, who was made in the image of God (for the doing of good and avoiding evill) to deſire to be as God, knowing good and evill; he tempts man to affect a Ditty, or a God ſhip, and his plot was to ruine man below the beaſts, by aſpiring to an equality with God; or to make man leſs then he was made, by ſeeking to be, as much as his maker. Now the Lord takes (as it were) this weapon out of Satans hands, and deſtroyes him by it. Satan would have man aſpire to be a God, that he might be ruined; and God becomes man to ruine Satan; This was the greateſt counterplot that ever was. God took the Devill in and by his own craftineſſe. As if God had ſaid; Satan, thou ſhalt ſee what a fine device thou haſt deviſed I will meete thee in thy owne way, and turne it upon thee. Thou wouldſt have man become God, ſo to ruine him; now God ſhall become man, and by that I will at once ruine thy counſels, and repaire the broken condition of man.
Joſephs brethren, had a device to hinder his prophecies, & make his dreames but phancies; Joſeph dreamed that his brethren ſhould worſhip him; they ſell him for a captive into Egypt: what more oppoſite to honour among his brethren, then captivity among ſtrangers? yet this device effected what they oppoſed; Joſeph was exalted in Egypt, and his brethren preſs'd with want, worſhipt or bowed unto him for bread.
The Jewes tooke counſell to kill Chriſt, and what was the motive? A wiſe man among them ſuggeſts this feare; If we let him thus alone, the Romans will come and take away both our place and Nation (Joh. 11. 48.) But the Lord took the wiſe in this craftineſſe; For that cruell act in killing Chriſt, brought the Romans upon them; The time cometh (ſaith Chriſt, he foreſaw what would come) that thine enemies ſhall caſt a trench about thee, and compaſſe thee round, and keepe thee in on every ſide, and they ſhall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee, and they ſhall not leave in thee one ſtone upon another, becauſe thou kneweſt not the time of thy viſitation, Luk. 19. 43. 44. And thus as the Pſalmiſt (Pſalme. 64. 8.) prophecied of his enemies, they made their owne tongues to fall upon themſelves. A ſtrange thing, that the fall of a mans tongue ſhould oppreſs his body, and whole eſtate; yet ſo it is, the weight of a mans tongue falling upon him cruſhes him to powder. The ſeventh Pſalme is the paraphraſe of this point (ver. 14.) He travelleth with miſchiefe. and hath brought forth a lye; (that anſwers the 12th verſe, He diſappointeth the devices of the crafty:) He made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made; his miſchiefe ſhall returne upon his own head, and his violent dealings ſhall come down upon his own pate: Here is the 13th verſe made good, He taketh the wiſe in their own craftineſſe.
How doth this aggravate the ſorrows of crafty men? It is ſad enough with the crafty, when they are taken by the craftineſſe of other men; That any man out-wits them, is enough to put them out of their wits; How then will they live, being taken and enſnared b… their own wit, when they ſee themſelves acceſſary to their own undoing; when they ſee they have pull'd down their eſtates with their own hands, and have put fire to their own houſes? As it greatens the ſin, ſo it greatens the puniſhment, when a man falls by his own hand; ſelf-murder is the moſt ſinfull and moſt bloody murder. Neither is their ſin or puniſhment leſſe, who die, by the craftineſſe of their own heads, then theirs, who die by the violence of their own hands.
This is a viſible truth among us, & he that runs may read it in the book of Gods later providences, I believe our age will be able to make as faire a record of this point for poſterity, as any that hath paſſed, if not as all that have paſſed for many generations; my work not admitting long confirmations, I ſhall give but three inſtances, that by them this truth may be eſtabliſhed.
Firſt, The Prelates procured a ſtinted, and (in ſome paſſages) a corrupted Liturgy, to be ſent unto, and impoſed upon the Scotiſh Nation and that occaſion'd the total ſuppreſſion of their Prelacy in that Nation.
Secondly, The Prelates who were rooted faſt enough in the Laws of the Land before, would make a Canon Oath, to ſettle themſelves in the conſciences of men to, that they being eſtabliſht both by Law and conſcience, might be like Mount Sion which cannot be removed, but ſtandeth faſt for ever: yet that very Canon Oath, hath been turned upon themſelves, and hath not only blaſted their pompe, but batter'd down their power & hath produced a Sacred Covenant-Oath, by which both Houſes of Parliament and the people of theſe three Kingdomes, are engaged for their extirpation.
Thirdly, That act of many of the Prelates proteſting againſt the validity of any proceedings in Parliament, in that their abſence from the houſe, as being againſt Law; Gave occaſion for a Law (which hath alſo paſs'd the Royall aſſent) for their abſence from that houſe (as members of it) for ever. O that men would acknowledge and praiſe the Lord in his wiſdome, and in theſe wonderfull works, which he hath done among the children of men! He takes the wiſe in their own craftineſſe, And, as it followes in the text;
The counſell of the froward is carried headlong.
The counſell.] There is ſomewhat further in that; not only are their devices diſappointed, but their counſels; Counſels are the reſults Conſilium eſt ali quid faciendi non faciendiveè excogitata ra tio, Cicer, l. …. de Invent.of ſerious and ſad debates; Craft is of one, counſell of many heads laid together. Counſell is the extract of reaſon, both about what we are to doe, or leave undone: Theſe counſels God carries headlong: There is nothing more oppoſite to counſel then precipitation, long deliberation ſhould go before determination, but their counſels ſhall be carried head long: They ſhall either be overhaſty in counſel, or their counſels being ſolemnly enough ſetled, ſhall be overhaſtily acted: Raſh headlong execution may be as dangerous as raſh headlong reſolutions. But whoſe are theſe counſels? the ſame mens ſtill, though under another notion. The counſel of the froward Before we had, the devices of the crafty; and again, the craftineſſe of the wiſe; Now here, the counſell of the froward. The Spirit of foreign à r…u…c. foreign Et in niph… Niph…, tortus, d…ortus, per Me…nyn. … luctatus fu…t, qui enim lacta…ur cum al… quo, eum varié torquet …one… eum vincat & proſternit. Notatur hic talis vel verſutia, qua quis facilè alium a…icumq▪ habium ind…i… ut nec facite cave ri, nec facile teneri poſſi… in actionib…s ſuis; vel ad luctatoes alludi…ur, Goc.God varies words, but the men are the ſame. There is ſcarce variety enough of words in all languages, to expreſſe the variety of wickedneſſes, which one heart speakes. The Hebrew word in the roote, ſignifieth to wreſt or to writh a thing, or to reſt and turne a thing as wraſtlers their bodies. Hence by a trope, it is tranſlated often, to wraſtle; becauſe a cunning man in wraſtling, turneth and windeth his body, and works himſelfe in and out every way, to get an advantage of his adverſary any way; therefore your cunning-headed men, your crafty men, are fitly preſented under this word; they are like wraſtlers, who turne, and wind themſelves in and out, and lye for all advantages; or, as we ſpeak, they lye at catch. A man knowes not where to have them, or what they meane, when they ſpeake plaineſt, or ſweare ſolemneſt: when we think we ſee their faces, we ſee but their viſards, all their promiſes and performances too, are under a diſguiſe. Such cunning gameſters or wreſtlers are here intended. One of the Patriarkes had this name (Gen. 30. 8) Napthali, and the reaſon is there given, for (ſaith his mother) with great wraſtlings have I wraſtled with my ſiſter, and I have prevailed, and ſhe called his name Napthali: The Hebrew is, with wraſtlings of God, that is divine and vehement wraſtlings; As if ſhe had ſaid, I have uſed great and earneſt endeavours, both with God in prayer, and all other meanes, as a wraſtler by might and flight, to obtaine theſe bleſſings (given before to my ſiſter) and now I have prevailed. And it foreign No …ne lite…ſ…, g…minatis, u… inſignis vafricies, & qu… ſi duplica…a ca…dit…s ſignif…etur. Con…o…tupl…catus.is obſerveable, that the Hebrews call an extraordinary cunning wraſtler, Pethalthol, which is this word doubled in the latter ſyllable becauſe he is a man of a double or extraordinary skill in wraſtling, the word is doubled: and ſo it expreſſes one that is double witted, or that hath craft enough for two or three, though not honeſty enough for one. And this word is applied to the Lord himſelf (Pſal. 18. 26.) *Ʋ …iur hoc ve…bo, ut indicetur maxima quaedam & invicta Dei quaſi diſtor…io, impl…atio & ſacra caliditas adverſus pravos, calidos, diſtortos, q. d. adverſus Cretenſès cretiz at Deus, cum vafro luctatorevare luctatur Deus, ſupplantatores ſupplanta….with the froward thou wilt ſhew thy ſelfe froward: that is, If men will be winding and turning, and thinking to catch others, or over-reach the Lord himſelfe, with tricks and turnings of wit, the Lord will meet and anſwer them in their own kind, he can turne as faſt as they, he can put himſelfe into ſuch intricate labyrinths of infinite wiſdome and ſacred craft, as ſhall entangle and enſuare the moſt cunning wraſt…er or tumbler of them all. He will Cretize the Cretians, ſupplant the ſuppla…t…rs of his people.
Some of the Greekes *Olymprodorus vertit foreign, homin…s varios, nodoſo…, im…licitos, intricatos.interpret this elegantly by a word in that language, noting a thing that hath many knots, folds or twiſts wreathes or plaits in it, as plaited haire, or a folded garment; thereby ſhadowing out men like a ſerpent, of knotted, twiſted, enfolded ſpirits, men who wreath and plaite their actions ſo cloſely and artificially that few can underſtand or tell what to make of them, or where to find them: The counſels of theſe cunning, intricate, froward men,
Are carried headlong.] It is very obſerveable (Iſa. 44. 25.) how the Prophet threatneth, that the counſels of the wiſe ſhall be turned backward; And here, their counſels ſhall be carried headlong, that is, froward. God hath wayes of all ſorts to croſſe ungodly policies: he turns them ſometime backward, and ſometime forward, by both or either they are diſappointed: Counſels, are turned backward, when the event is quite croſſe to the deſigne, or the motion of things, to the reſolutions of the mind: As if a man purpoſing to goe Eaſtward, ſhould be turned about (he knowes not how) with his face into the Weſt: Counſels are carried headlong, when Omne conſilium a…ta um in ſe…na…one eſt ſtultitia. Rab. Sol.they go… too faſt forward, and make ſo much haſte on in their way, that they tire and are out of breath, or ſtumble and breake themſelves before they can attaine their journies end.
The Originall word, ſignif…s to haſten, and thence to be precipitate, foreign a radi…e foreign Accel…rare, feſtinare, a…q inde praecipitem eſſe, impruden tem, ſtultum; tam prudentia tranquil…a…e & deliberatione gaudet. Eruto impeturuunt in ſu…m peſtem. Coc.raſh or fooliſh in counſell; Prudence uſes to goe ſoftly, wiſdome keeps a kind of ſtate in her pace, and loves to goe ſtep by ſtep, not headlong; A prudent man ſets his head before his feet; his head goes before his feet in conſultation, but he loves to goe upon his feet, not upon his head, in action: It is the curſe of the froward, their councels are carried headlong; when they ſhould go ſteddily upon their feet, they run upon their heads or run their heads againſt the next wall; The meaning (in a word) is, They ſhall make more haſt then good ſpeed: or, they ſhall go ſo faſt to their ends, that their end ſhall be their undoing: As the Lord (in mercy) makes the raſh underſtand, ſo (in judgement) he makes the underſtanding raſh. As this is here threatned, ſo the former is graciouſly promiſed, (Iſa. 32. 4.) The heart of the raſh ſhall underſtand knowledge, and the tongue of the ſtammerer ſhall speake plainly. When the Prophet would ſhew, how great a bleſſing God powres out upon his people by Chriſt, he thus expreſſes it: Chriſt, who is the wiſdome of the Father, cauſeth the heart of the raſh to underſtand knowledge; it is the word of the text, the heart of thoſe who naturally run headlong upon buſineſſes, who have no ſteadineſs nor ſtableneſs in their underſtandings, ſhall be ſtayed and ballanced with wiſdome and gravity from above. Chriſt will take them off their hurrying pace, and teach them to goe and doe, to adviſe and act with ſobriety and deliberation. The letter clauſe of the promiſe, joints fitly with this, And the tongue of the Ʋt b…ſit do l…g…ae accelerationem habet cum fitan haeſi…ia, ut nihil experite pronunciare poſſit, & quo magis prope…at eo minus proficit, citata illa ling…a votubilitate. Ita qui intelligentia feſtinus eſt. nullum profert util… & integrum conſilium ſed manca omnia & …. Bold. Bold.ſtammerer ſhall ſpeake plainly; ſuch as ſtammering is to ſpeech, the ſame is raſhneſſe to counſell; A man that ſtammers huddles his words: he that hath an impediment in ſpeech, ſpeakes faſteſt, and becauſe he cannot ſpeake one word well, he ſpeakes many words at once: This haſt is his hinderance: in making ſo much haſt to ſpeak, he cannot ſpeak at all; therefore we uſually adviſe ſtammerers, to take heed of ſpeaking haſtily, that they may ſpeak plainly. The Prophet joynes theſe ſweetly, to note the complete abilities of a Cſtriſtian, The raſh ſhall underſtand, & the ſtammerer ſhall ſpeake plainly; that is he ſhall adviſe judiciouſly, and ſpeake elegantly; depth of wiſedome, and ſweetneſſe of elocution ſhall meet in him though before rude and ruſtick. But the counſels of the froward, though men of great parts, and filed ſpeech, ſhall be crried headlong. Obſerve hence,
Haſty counſels are ſucceſſeleſſe counſels. Haſt in counſelling alwaies makes waſte, and ſo doth haſtineſſe in acting. Haſt in either may hurt, as much as ſloth, though uſually we may divide the miſcarriages that are in the world; between haſtineſs in counſell, and ſlowneſſe in action. I know not which is the greater prejudice to an honeſt deſigne, to be quick in concluding, or to be dull in executing. They who will not take time to conſult about what they a…, may have time enough to repent of what they have done. And they who will not take the time for doing what they conſult, looſe all the time they took for conſultation.
Note Secondly, That
God diſappoints evill counſels, as by ſtopping them, ſo by putting them forward. The Princes of Zoan are become fooles (ſaith the Prophet) Why? The Lord hath a mingled a perverſe ſpirit (or a headlong vertiginous …pirit) in the midſt thereof, and they have cauſed Aegypt to erre in every worke thereof, as a drunken man ſtaggereth in his vomit, Iſa. 19. 13, 14.
Verſe 14. They meet with darknes in the day time, and grope at noon day, as in the night.
Here is a further agravation of the miſery upon crafty, froward Counſellours, They meete with darknes in the day time. Some underſtand this for the darkneſſe of trouble, falling upon theſe men ſuddenly in the day of their proſperity; as if the holy Ghoſt had ſaid, In the day time of their greateſt glory, when they think their Sun at the height, then they are clouded and over caſt, they meet with the darknes of ſorrow, and are benighted in a moment, Amos 8▪ 9. I will cauſe the Sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the Earth in the clear day; (it is meant of great afflictions, as the next words interpret) And I will turn your feaſts into mourning.
But rather by darknes in the day time, we are to underſtand the Diurnae tenebrae ignorationem denotant rerum clariſſima…um.ignorance of thoſe things which are very plain and clear. They meet with darknes in the day time, that is, they are puzled to find out and diſcover thoſe things which are as cleare as the light. God often ſends ſuch a ſpirit of giddineſs and blindneſs upon the counſels of his enemies; that eaſie things are hard, plaine things, obſcure, and common queſtions very ridles to them.
They meet with darknes in the light.
There is a double light neceſſary to the ſeeing, or diſcovery of a thing. Firſt, an externall light. And ſecondly, an internall light. External light is of the Medium or place, in which we ſee: the aire muſt be enlightned: Internall light is, of the Organ or inſtrument by which we ſee; the eye muſt be enlightned. Though there be much light in the aire, a blind eye ſees nothing. So the meaning of theſe words may be explained [They meet with darknes in the day time] though theſe men have outward light, though the buſines they are about, be plaine, a clear caſe (as we ſpeak) yet they are ſo darkned in their underſtandings, that they canot apprehend or make it out. The Idoll▪ſheapheard is threatned with this woe, Zach. 11. 17. The Sword ſhall be upon his arme (his power ſhall be broken) and upon his right eye (his underſtanding ſhall be darkned) The Idol ſhepheard, ſhall be like an Idoll, having eyes, but ſeeing not; He was before a blind Seer, ſinfully, and now he ſhall be a blind-Seer judicially. A… that wicked Prieſt, ſo theſe wicked Politicians in the text, ſhall have a ſword upon their right eye, a wound in the beſt of their underſtandings, which ſhall make them alſo blind-Seers, and make the light to be darknes round about them. The latter clauſe clears it farther.
They grope at noon-day, as in the night.
To grope at noon-day.] is the deſcription of a blind-man. For what the eye is to a man that ſees, the ſame is the hand to a man Palpare in merid…e eſt caeci periphraſis▪ Caecus tentat & palpat manibus antequam pedem effe…t. Praebent manus …aecis …ulorum uſus & miniſte…ia, Sanct. in ca. …9.that cannot ſee. A man that ſees, looks his way, but a blind man feeles it, his hand is in ſtead of an eye to direct his way. They as it is ſaid in the text, Grope at noon-day, as in the night. When the Sodomites were ſmitten with blindneſſe, They wearied themſelves to find the door of Lots houſe, Gen. 19. 11. And when the Philiſtines had put out Sampſons eyes, and he was brought to make them muſick at their feaſt, he ſaid to the lad that held him by the hand. Suffer me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the houſe ſtandeth, &c. he could not ſee them, but he could grope or feel them out Groping infers either want of light or want of ſight Theſe in the text, had light enough, therefore the failing was in their eys, They grope at noon-day. This fearfull judgement the Lord threatens againſt his own people, Deut. 28▪ 29. Thou ſhalt grope at noon-day, as the blind gropeth in darknes. And it was brought upon them, as themſelves lamentably complaine, Iſa. 59 10. We grope for the wall like blind-men, and we grope, as if we had no eyes, we ſtumble at noon-day, as in the night,
In that as it is here added as a further aggravation of the judgment of God upon theſe, who thought themſelves Eagle-eyed, all eye, and all the world blind, That they ſhall meet with darknes in the day time. We may obſerve; firſt,
It is a ſore judgement not to ſee when there is light. It is like ſtarving at a full Table, or periſhing with thirſt, in the midſt of a fountaine. It is a great judgement not to have light to ſee by, but it is a greater judgement, not to ſee by the light. It is a great judgment to a people, when they have not the light of the Goſpel; when Chriſt who is the light, is not ſhiningly preached among them; but if light ſhine, if Chriſt be preached, and a people ſee it not, This is a farre greater judgement. The poore Gentiles before the light of the Goſpell came to them, ſate in darknes, and in the ſhadow of death; and in that eſtate, they could only (like blind men) grope after God, as the Apoſtle elegantly expreſſes it Act. 17. 27. He hath made of one bloud all Nations of men, &c. that they ſhould ſeek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him and find him. The Gentiles were inexcuſable, if they did not find the Lord by Feeling after him in the darke: What then are they, who find him not by ſeeing in the light? The Apoſtle ſhewes us them as loſt men, and blinded by Satan, to whom the light of the glorious Gospel doth not ſhine, when it ſhines (2 Cor. 4, 3, 4.) To grope in Goſpel-light, to be in darkneſſe, when truth is at her high-noon, is, as the ſhadow of death. It is the worſt of ſins to ſin againſt the light, and it is the worſt of judgements, not to ſee the light; by which we may avoid ſinne. The heat of divine wrath breaks out in this, when abuſed light is huniſhed with want of ſight, or when light is ſent, and eyes taken away, (Iſa. 6. 9, 10.) When the Prophet brought killing light to the Jews, he ſaith, See ye indeed; but perceive not, that is, becauſe ye have had light, and would not ſee beleevingly; Now ye ſhall have light, which ye ſhall not ſee, perceivingly, or diſtinctly: as the man in the Goſpell ſaw, but he did not perceive, when he ſaw men walking as trees, he had not a diſtinguiſhing eye, or a diſcerning ſence, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, Heb. 5. 14. But why ſhall they not perceive, when they ſee? The Prophet tels us, becauſe the Lord had ſaid, Shut their eyes leaſt they ſee. The work of a Prophet is to open eys, but when men wilfuly ſhut their eys, then
God ſhuts them judicially, and blinds them with light. The Apoſtle quoting this text, Acts 28. 27, expounds it ſo, Their eyes, have they cloſed, least they ſhould ſee; for this, God cloſed them that they could not ſee. Paul was preaching, and he preached Chriſt the true light, The Sun of righteouſneſſe: Behold the miſery ſpoken of in this text, They met with darknes in the day time. This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men love darknes rather than light. Why love they darkneſſe? Becauſe they ſee not the light: And becauſe they ſee not the light, therefore they cannot love it. It is impoſſible to ſee the light, the beautifull face of the truth, as it is revealed in Chriſt, and not to love it. A Heathen ſaid, if vertue (much more if Goſpell truth) were ſeen, every eye would be taken, and every heart led captive by it. A great part of the world hath not this light to ſee, and the greateſt part of thoſe, who have this light, ſee it not. They muſt needs meet with darkneſſe, who are darkneſſe, in the day-time. And they muſt grope at noon day, as in the night, who are night. If men heare the law and the teſtimony, and neither ſpeake nor doe according to that word, it is (as the Prophet gives the reaſon) becauſe there is no light in them; or as the Hebrew, No Morning in them, Iſa. 8. 20. Till the day ſtarr ariſes in our hearts, the day before our eyes, is night.
Secondly, obſerve,
Plain things are often obſcure to the wiſeſt, and moſt knowing men.
They grope at noon day, as in the night.] That which a man may ſee with halfe an eye (as we ſay) theſe men, who thinke themſelves All eye, cannot ſee. Men of acute and ſagacious underſtandings, men quick-ſighted like Eagles, prove as dull as Beetles. Owles and Bats ſee in the darke, better then in the light; And (in a ſenſe) it is true of theſe, they can ſee about the works of darkneſſe, but the light of holineſſe and juſtice, they cannot ſee. The reaſon is given in that of Chriſt, The light that is in them is darkneſſe, no wonder then, if the light without them be darknes; if the inward light, the light that i… in them be darkneſſe, how great is that darkneſſe; ſo great that it quite darkens the outward light. Inward darkneſs is to outward light, as a great outward light is to a ſmall one (in regard of our uſe or benefit) it extinguiſhes and overcomes it. Hence theſe men cannot ſee, the plaineſt object, in the cleareſt light. Light ſhineth in darknes, and the darknes comprehendeth it not, Joh. 1. 5.
Chriſt breaks forth into a vehement gratulation to his Father, (Mat. 11. 25.) I thanke thee O Father, Lord of heaven nnd earth, becauſe thou haſt hid theſe things from the wiſe and prudent, and haſt revealed them unto babes. The wiſe and prudent could not ſee, ſo much as children. They were ſo wiſe in their own conceits, that they could not conceive the things of God. As it is in ſpirituals, ſo likewiſe, in regard of civill counſels. God hides wiſedome from the wiſe, and underſtanding from the prudent. They ſhall not be able to doe or ſee, what a child might have done or ſeen, they ſhall doe ſuch things, and ſo abſurdly, that a child would not do them. Myſteries are plain▪ when the Lord opens, and plaineſt things are myſterious, when he ſhuts the eyes of our underſtanding.
Thus farre Eliphaz hath ſet forth the power and juſtice of God againſt ſubtill, crafty counſellours. Now he ſhews the oppoſite effect of his power and goodneſſe.
Verſ. 15. But he ſaveth the poore from the Sword, from their mouth and from the hand of the mighty.
But he ſaveth the poor.] It is very obſerveable in Scripture, that uſually, if not alwayes after the mention of judgement and wrath upon the wicked, the mercy, goodneſſe and love of God unto his own people are repreſented, leaſt any ſhould thinke, that judgement is a worke wherein God delighteth, he quickly paſſeth from it, and concludes in what he delighteth, Mercy. As he retains not his anger for ever towards his own people, ſo he ſtay …s not long upon the description of his anger againſt his enemies, becauſe he delighteth in mercy, Mich. 7. 18 A ſubject of mercy is moſt pleaſant both to the hand and pen of the Lord. He wiſhes rather to write in hony than in gall, and to draw golden lines of love, then bloudy lines of wrath. Satan is a Deſtroyer, and he doth nothing but deſtroy, and pull down. The Lord deſtroyeth and he pulleth down, he defeats and diſappointeth, but he hath another worke beſides, he ſaves and delivers, he builds up and revives the hopes of his people.
He ſaveth the poore.] Theſe poore, are Gods poore; Some may be called the Devils poore, for they have done his worke, and he hath given them poverty for their wages. Satan will give all his hirelings full pay when they die, The wages of ſin is death; while they live, many of them receive only the earneſt of it, poverty and trouble. All that are poore, ſtand not under the rich influences of this promiſe, He ſaveth the poore. Wicked poore are no more under Gods protection, then wicked oppreſſou…s or wicked rich men are. This poore man cryed, and the Lord heard. Pſ. 34. 6. Not every or any poore man. Some poor men may cry, and the Lord heare them no more, then he did the cry of Dives, the rich man in hell, Luk. 16. Forget not the Congregation of thy poore, Pſal. 74. 19 Thy poore, by way of diſcrimination: There may be a greater diſtance between poore and poore, then there is between poore and rich. There are many ragged regiments, Congregations of poore, whom the Lord will forget for ever. But his poore ſhall be ſaved. And theſe poore are of two ſorts; either poore in regard of wealth and outward ſubſtance; or poor in regard of friends or outward aſſiſtance. A rich man eſpecially a godly rich man, may be in a poore caſe, deſtitute and forſaken wanting patronage and protection: God ſaveth his poore in both notions, both thoſe that have no friends, and thoſe that have no eſtates.
The Hebrew word for Poor, ſprings from a root ſignifying deſire; foreign a radi…e foreign, quod eſt deſiderare, quaſi pauper omnia de…ideret, cum nihil habeat, inde Ebion haer…ti…us, quaſi mentis, & inteligentiae inops, Schiud. Quia omnibus indiget omnia cupit & g…ata habe…. Rab. Da.and the reaſon is, becauſe poore men are commonly rich in deſires. They that are full of ſenſible wants, are full of earneſt wiſhings. They that are empti…ſt of enjoyments are fulleſt of hopes and longings. And the reaſon why poverty of spirit, in our ſpirituall eſtate, is pronounced a bleſſing, is, becauſe the poore in ſpirit are full of deſires after ſpirituall riches. They are ever craving and ſeeking to be filled with that fulneſſe, which is in Chriſt, with grace for grace; they would have every image of every grace in Chriſt engraven upon their ſouls. Or (in a holy covetuouſneſſe) they would be as rich in grace as Chriſt is. Grace for grace: as a covetous man, would have penny for penny, pound for pound with his richeſt neighbour; or as an ambitious man would have honour for honour, title for title with his greateſt neighbour. That Chriſtian who ſees his eſtate loweſt, uſually ſet, his deſires higheſt, his affections are ever upon the wing, for ſupplies from Chriſt. Both the civill poor man, and the ſpirituall poor ſoul, would fain be enriched.
He ſaveth the poor from the Sword, from their mouth, and from the hand of the mighty.
Some reade this by appoſition, he ſaveth the poore from the Sword, their mouth, making the latter to be but an expoſition of the former, From the Sword, their mouth, that is, their mouth is the Sword, from which God ſaveth his poore. So taken it is a truth for the mouth is a ſharpe Sword, as killing as any inſtrument or engine of warre. Hence others who keepe this ſence, reade it thus, A gladio or… … orum. Vulg. Ab o…iſione oris eorum Chaſ. Ʋt … genn…ivum. foreign G…ad… oris eſt ipſa lingua mala. i. e. calumnia falſa, qu… homo tanquam g…adio ne…a…ur. Sed me…ius a gladio qui …x ore ipſo…um, i. e. a falſis Teſtimoniis Druſ.He ſaveth the poore from the Sword of their mouth, or from the killing stroake of their mouth; making the particle Mem, in the Originall, to governe the genitive caſe, The Sword of their mouth, or the Sword comming out of the mouth. There are two Swords of the mouth, two comming out of the mouth, or one double edged. 1. Slander. 2. Falſe-witneſſe, by which often the reputation and ſometime the perſon of a man is murthered,
But I conceive that the cleareſt meaning of the Originall (though both are good) is, to reade theſe as diſtinct evils from which, He ſaveth the poore, namely, 1. From the Sword. And 2 From their mouth. 3. From the hand of the mighty. That is, From Nimrods, mighty hunters, oppreſſours of the poore; or from the violent man. I returned (ſaith the Preacher, Eccleſ. 4. 1.) and conſidered all the oppreſſions that are done under the Sunne, and behold the teares of ſuch as were oppreſſed, and they had no comforter and one the ſide of their oppreſſours there was power, but they had no comforter. Oppreſſours are alwaies cloathed with power, and the oppreſſed ſeldome find ſo much pity, from men, as to be their comforters, Therefore for the oppreſſion of the poore, and the cry of the needy, the Lord ariſes, and he ſaves his poor.
From the
ſlaying Sword.
ſlandering tongue.
oppreſſing hand.
Theſe three wayes crafty, powerfull men ſeeke to deſtroy the poore. Firſt, by the Sword to cut off their lives. Secondly, by ſlander to blemiſh and blot out their good names. Thirdly, by ſtrong hand, to captivate their perſons or oppreſſe their eſtates and liberties. To be ſaved from all theſe deſtructions is compleate ſalvation. Let the wicked attempt as many wayes as they will or can, to deſtroy, the Lord both will and can find out as many wayes to ſave. The malice of man ſhall never out act or over-match the mercy of God. He ſaveth the poore from the ſword, &c.
I ſhould here more diſtinctly open theſe great evils, The Sword, The mouth, and the hand of the mighty, with the goodneſſe of God in ſaving his poore from them; But theſe particulars occurre againe, v. 20, 21. Where you may find a more diſtinct explication of them. From theſe words thus farre opened. Obſerve,
Firſt, to what all the devices and crafty counſels of ungodly Politicians tend. Here we have the iſſue or Engliſh of their counſels, the meaning of their State myſteries is interpreted, Oppreſſion. Their craft concludes in cruelty, and their witty devices, in drawn Swords, ſlandering tongues, or the hands of violence. We may ſay of them, as Jacob of his ſonnes Simeon and Levi, Gen. 49. 5, 6. Inſtruments of cruelty are in their habitations. O my ſoule come not thou in their ſecret, for in their anger they will ſlay men, and in their ſelfe will digge down a wall.
Secondly, obſerve their method. Firſt, here is the bloudy Sword, they will cut them off, and rid their hands of them, if they can: They could wiſh (as that bloudy Roman Emperor) that the heads of their ſmppoſed enemies (poſſibly their beſt friends) were ſet upon one ſhoulder, and that they might cut them all off at one blow. But if God ſave his poore from the mouth of the Sword; then, the next weapon is the Sword of their mouths▪ Slanders and defamations, lyes and falſe accuſations ſhall reach them, whom, iron and ſteele, pike and ſhot cannot. The tongue is a little member, but it is a world of iniquity, and beaſteth (often acteth) great things, Jam. 3. 5, 6.
But if God ſaves his poore from both mouth and Sword, ſo that their enemies cannot prevaile at ſharpes. Then they try at blunts, by a heavy hand, to over-loade, oppreſſe and keepe them down, in their eſtates, liberties and priviledges.
Obſerve thirdly; That
Salvation is of the Lord.
The faith of David graſped this, as his richeſt treaſure, Pſal 68. 20. He that is our God, he is the God of ſalvation; The Lord is called, the God of ſalvation, as the God of comfort, both affirmatively and negatively. Salvation is to be had in him, and there is no ſalvation to be had without him. Truly in vaine is ſalvation hoped for from the hils, and from the multitude of mountains (from Armies, or from counſels; from the power and polices of men) In the Lord our God is the ſalvation of Iſrael, Jer. 3. 23.
Fourthly, it is obſerveable againſt whom theſe crafty, cruell men muſter up and levie the united forces of ſword, tongue and hand, They are the poore. He ſaveth the poore. Why, will not God ſave the rich, will he not ſave the mighty, the Princes of the earth? Yes God will ſave all that feare him, both high and low, rich and poore. Why then is it ſaid, He ſaveth the poore? As it were, determining Salvation upon them. The reaſon is, becauſe as the poore are moſt eaſily oppreſt▪ ſo uſually they are moſt oppreſt: where the hedge is loweſt, men goe over faſteſt. And becauſe, for the moſt part, Gods people are poore, comparatively to others they are the vallies the lower parts of the earth; and wickedneſſe is commonly advanced upon the mountaines of wealth honour and greatneſſe; therefore the denomination is taken from them; He ſaveth the poore. They whom God loves moſt, the world loves leaſt, and they have leaſt of the world. The world gives moſt to its own; And God hath given his own ſo much beyond the world, that, the loſſe of a world, is not diſcerned in their eſtate, and worldly gaines are not often diſcerneable in their eſtates; therefore, though in Chriſt, they are heires of all things, and all is theirs, yet their ranke and titles are among the poore.
Fifthly obſerve: They are poore ones, yet what deviſing and plotting is here againſt them? Crafty counſels, drawne ſwords, envenom'd tongues, ſtrong hands lifted up: Againſt whom are all theſe? Againſt the poore: Note thence, That
Wicked men plot againſt the people of God, how poore and low ſoever they be.
As David ſaid unto Saul (1 Sam. 24. 14.) After whom is the Facis quod eſt tanto rege indignum, dum me tenuiſſimum tanto comi…atu perſequeris, Jun. in loc.King of Iſrael come out? after a dead dog; after a flea? As if he had ſaid, whom doſt thou purſue? thou doeſt that, which is unworthy and much below ſo great a King; wilt thou ſet thy ſtrength againſt my weakneſſe? Why doſt thou arme againſt him, by whoſe conqueſt thou canſt get no honour? Alas, I am but a poore man, a meane ſubject, no match for thee; I wonder you trouble your ſelfe ſo much in following or oppoſing me? I am (in compariſon) but as a dead-dog, or as a flea. A dead dog cannot bite, or if I bite, it is but a flea-bite; A dead dog can doe no hurt, and a living flea can doe but little. The people of God (as ſuch) never have any will to doe wrong, and it is ſeldome that they have any power to doe wrong, and yet the world is all up in purſuit againſt them; What's the reaſon of it? what's the matter? The truth is, how poore and low ſoever they are, yet there is an eye of jealouſie awake upon them: The world looks upon them as a ſuspected party, the world hath ſecret miſgivings, that one time or other, they muſt riſe upon their ruines; and therefore they will keepe them downe (yes that they will) as long as they can. What a diſtance was there between Haman and Mordecai? the one ſate in the gate, and the other ſtood at the Kings elbow, and had his eare, yea and his ſignet (upon the matter) at his command: yet this Haman muſt needs oppreſſe Mordecai, becauſe he would not bow: Haman had a jealous eye upon him, he was a ſuſpected perſon; Though he could not reach Haman yet Haman fear'd he might undermine him.
Againe there is a continuall Antipathy between the two ſeeds; and Antipathy is incureable; To oppoſe the godly, is not ſo much the diſeaſe, as the nature of wicked men: And we know, antipathies are againſt the whole kind, revenge againſt this, or that individuall is no eaſe to it; Antipathy is not ſpent, but in the conſumption of the whole kind. It is not this or that ſheepe which the wolfe hates, but every ſheepe, fat or leane, ſhorn or unſhorne, that's all one to the wolfe; he will ſuck the blood of a ſheepe that hath not a l…ck of wool upon his back, as greedily as if that ſheepe had a golden fleece. Let a godly man be poore or rich▪ low or high, their ſword ſhall be unſheath'd, and their mouth open'd againſt him; the old hatred and quarrell is againſt all. Haman thought ſcorne to lay hands on Mordecay alone, wherefore Haman ſought to deſtroy all the Jewes, Heſt 3. 6. He hated thoſe whom he never ſaw, thoſe who had never wrong'd him, haply had bowed unto him; yet, becauſe Jewes, dye they muſt.
Sixthly obſerve (But he ſaveth the poore) God delights to help the poore. He loves to take part with the beſt, though the weakeſt ſide. Contrary to the courſe of moſt, who when a controverſie ariſes, uſe to ſtand in a kind of indifferency or neutrality. till they ſee which part is ſtrongeſt, not which is juſteſt. Now if there be any conſideration (beſides the cauſe) that draws or engages God, it is the weakneſſe of the ſide. He joynes with many, becauſe they are weake, not with any, becauſe they are ſtrong; therefore Pſa. 10. 14. 18 Hoſ. 14. 3.he is called, the helper of the friendleſſe, and with him the fatherleſſe (the orphans) finde mercy; By fatherleſſe, we are not to underſtand ſuch only whoſe parents are dead, but any one that i… in diſtreſſe; as Chriſt promiſeth his Diſciples, Joh. 14. 18. I will not leave you orphans, that is, helpleſſe, and (as we tranſlate) comfortleſſe, though ye are as children without a father, yet I will be a father to you. Men are often like thoſe clouds, which diſſolve into the ſea, they ſend preſents to the rich, and aſſiſt the ſtrong; but God ſends his raine upon the dry land, and lends his ſtrength to thoſe who are weake. This poore man cryed, and the Pſal. 34 6.Lord heard him, and ſaved him out of all his troubles. Forget not the Congregation of thy poore for ever: The truth is, he never Pſal. 7. 4. 19.firgets them. They are graven upon the palmes of his hands, ſuch poore are his treaſure, his Jewels, as the ſignet upon his right hand; Therefore alwayes in his eye, yea alwayes in his heart, though they lye in the dirt, or be trodden under foot like mire in the ſtreets. The Prophet makes this report to God of himſelfe (Iſa. 25. 4.) Thou haſt been a ſtrength to the poore, a ſtrength to the needy in his diſtreſſe, a refuge from the ſtorme, &c.
Thus farre Eliphaz hath given inſtance of the great, marvellous and unſearchable works of God, in a double reference: Firſt, to wicked crafty oppreſſors; Secondly, to poore helpleſſe innocents; He ſhuts up this narration with a double effect of theſe works upon thoſe two ſorts of men. Firſt, ſhewing what effect they produce in the poore▪ namely hope: Secondly, what in the wicked, namely, ſhame and confuſion of face,
Verſ. 16. So the poore hath hope, and iniquity ſtoppeth her mouth.
Here is the concluſion or reſult of all, the Epiphonema or exulting cloſe, in which Eliphaz perfects the ſtory of thoſe admirable works of judgement and of mercy; So the poore hath hope, &c.
This Originall word for [poore] varies from the former, though a radice foreign Exhauſtus, de humo repropriè, per metaphorū de vi…ibus corporis & opibus attenuatus, tenuis fortunae homo.the perſons and their eſtate be the ſame: That word noted them full of deſire, and this (which is the cauſe of it) empty of comforts: Properly it ſignifies one, that is exhauſted or drawn dry; Poore perſons are exhauſted perſons, exhauſted of their ſtrength, exhauſted of their eſtates, exhauſted of friends and credit in the world. It is a metaphor taken from rivers, ponds or pooles, that are drawn dry, when we would take the fiſh, or take away the defence which they give to forts or Cities. Iſa. 19. 6. And they ſhall turne the rivers farre away, and the Brookes of defence ſhall be emptied and dried up: which alſo enlightens that text, Iſa. 33. 21. Where the righteous Lord will be unto us a place of broad rivers. A river that ſhall not be drawn dry or ſluced out (as Euphrates was by Cyrus when he took Babylon) but ſhall ſill its bankes and ſhoares perpetually; that is, the Lord will be there a perpetual defence: A river that ſhall never be impoveriſh'd, but ſhall keep a full ſtock and treaſure of ſtreames and waters.
Dalilah had her name from this root, and it carries an elegant alluſion to the qualities of all Dalilahs, or inſinuating laſcivious women, they drayne the ſtrength, exhauſt the purſes, dry up the credit, waſt the All, of the mightieſt Sampſons, whoſe hearts are entangled by their flatteries, or enſnared by their beauties
The poore have hope.] The word hath been opened at the 6th verſe of this Chapter, to note ſtrong and earneſt expectation; The poore man obſerving the wonders, which God doth in the world, cannot be out of hope, though he be out of poſſeſſion; And though his own ſtrength be gone, yet he lives upon the ſtrength of Chriſt; he hopes ſtrongly (that's the force of the word) when he feeles no ſtrength. When I am weake (ſaith the Apoſtle Paul, 2 Cor. 12. 10.) then am I ſtrong, that is, I am ſtrongeſt (through hope) in Chriſt, when I am weakeſt through ſenſe in my ſelfe.
More diſtinctly, this hope may be taken two wayes.
1. For the object or thing hoped for.
2. For the act or grace of hope.
In the former notion of hope, the ſenſe runnes thus; God having taken the wiſe in their own craftineſſe, and diſappointed the device of the crafty, having delivered the poore from the ſword, from their mouth, and from the hand of the mighty, now the poor hath the thing he looked for, the thing he prayed for, the thing for which he hath been ſeeking and waiting upon God: So the poore hath hope, that is, he hath the mercy, he expected, ſalvation from the ſword, &c. he is made partaker of his hope, by thoſe glorious adminiſtrations of the juſtice and mercy of God. Hence obſerve; Firſt,
Gods poore, hope for good in the worſt times. When deliverance comes, theſe poore have but that which they looked for; they looked for light, when they were in the darkeſt condition. When they were exhauſted, they knew God was not exhauſted; and when they were drawn dry, they knew the Lord was not; though their treaſure was ſpent, yet they were aſſured the treaſury of Heaven was full: When ſtrength is gone, and money is gone, and friends are gone, yet God is not gone; and therefore they know the good may come, which they hope for. Turne ye to the ſtrong holds ye priſeners of hope, ſaith the Prophet, Zech. 9. 12. The people of God (though priſoners) are yet priſoners of hope, that is, they have hope of deliverance and enlargement, in their greateſt ſtreights: The power of God is never impriſon'd, and while his people can make this out, their ſpirits are not. Secondly obſerve; It is no vain thing to hope in God.
The poore hath his hope. The Prophet brings in the Jewes thus trumphing in God, (Iſa. 25. 9.) And it ſhall be ſaid in that day? What day was that? The former verſe points it out, A day wherein death ſhall be ſwallowed up in victory, wherein teares ſhall be wiped away from off all faces, &c. And in that day the people of God ſhall thus boaſt of God, and (as it were ſhewing him to the world) ſhall ſay, Loe, this is our God, we have waited for him, and he will ſave us: This is the Lord, we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoyce in his ſalvation; vaine hopes fill our face, with ſhame; but hopes fulfilled, fill our hearts with rejoycing. The poore hath his hope; he can ſhew his hope, 'tis viſible: As Hannah, when ſhe came to preſent her Son unto Eli, For this child I prayed, as if ſhe ſhould ſay, Sir, here is my prayer, you could not heare my prayer, when I was in the Temple, you thought I was drunken, but now you may ſee my prayer, here it is, for this child I prayed, and the Lord hath given me my petition which I as…ed of him, 1 Sam. 1. 27. So the ſoule ſaith; In ſuch a time of trouble, perſonall or nationall, I was praying and ſeeking God, I was beleeving and hoping, men knew not, underſtood not the workings of my ſoule, toward Chriſt, yet now they may ſee them, here is the thing I prayed for, here is that I hoped for; So (firſt) the poore hath hope.
Secondly, The poore hath hope, that is, the grace of hope, or the gracious actings of hope; and taking it ſo, the ſenſe riſes thus: So (that is) God having done ſuch great things, in diſappointing the devices of the crafty, and in ſaving his poore, by this meanes, the poore come to have hope, the grace of hope ſtrengthned and confirmed in them. Hence obſerve, That
The experience we have of Gods power and mercy, in ſaving us out of former troubles, breeds and nouriſhes hope, againſt future times of trouble.
So the poore hath hope. Though the poore man was in a hopeleſſe condition before, yet now ſeeing the works of God, he hath hope laid up for ever. Pſal 64. 9, 10. All men ſhall feare and declare the workes of God, for they ſhall wiſely conſider of this thing: And what followes? The righteous ſhall be glad in the Lord, and truſt in him; that is, if they have fail'd in their truſt h…etofore, and not given God honour by confiding in him, yet theſe wonderfull works of God (of which he ſpeakes in that Pſalme) worke this hope. Rom. 5. 4. Tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope. Graces have a generation one from another, though all have but one generation from Chriſt at once. We have here the genealogy of hope in three deſcents. Experience is the next, or immediate parent of hope. So the poore hath hope. Thus it is begotten. 2 Cor. 1. 10. God who hath delivered us from ſo great a death, and doth deliver, in him we trust, that he will yet deliver us. An armed daring Goliah, ſhould be looked upon as vanquiſht already, when we can but remember a vanquiſht Lion and a Beare.
Againe, The poore hath hope: He doth not ſay, God having thus deſtroyed the ungodly, and ſaved his own people from the ſword, &c. now they have liberty, now they have peace, now they have aboundance of riches and proſperity; but he makes this the iſſue, now they have hope: Whence note, That
Hope is a greater and better poſſeſſion unto the people of God here, than all the great and good things which they poſſeſſe.
Put as much into their hands us you can, there is more than that put in their hearts by hope. The poore hath hope: he lookes over all his poſſeſſions, and pitcheth upon expectation as his portion. The eſtate which a beleever hath in the promiſes, is more than the eſtate he hath in poſſeſſion: Riches in the promiſe, is better than riches in the cheſt. And ſo the deliverances and protections which are laid up for the Saints in promiſes, are more than all the deliverances and protections received and enjoyed: There is no enjoyment but that in Heaven (where we ſhall enjoy all that ever was promiſed) ſo good as hope, for what is promiſed. Alexander an Heathen, had ſuch a notion about an earthly hope, which had no ground neither, but the great things his own ambition promiſed him, for when one ſeeing him give away all his preſent inheritances, Perſp…ctâ hac Dei providentia erga pauperes & humiles, maligni & nocendi ſtudioſi retrahent ſeſe, ne que inter ſe amplias ineant prava & iniqua adverſus pios conſilia Aquin.ſaid, what Sir, will you make your ſelfe a beggar, no (ſaith he) I will reſerve hope for my ſelfe.
And iniquity ſtoppeth her mouth.
Here is the oppoſite effect, iniquity; the abſtract is put for the concrete. iniquity, for men of iniquity, wicked men, theſe ſtop their mouthes. And it is obſerveable, that as before God made them active in their own deſtruction, ſo here he makes them active in their own ſilence; he ſaith not, God ſtoppeth their mouthes, but they ſtop their own mouthes; that is, the wicked ſeeing thoſe wonderfull works of God, have not a word to ſay, nor a counſell to give more againſt the godly; they are as mute as fiſhes, as dumbe as dogs, they know not how to ſlander, or of whom to complaine, and therefore they ſuſpend, and enjoyne ſilence upon themſelves. As that word of Chriſt, Friend how cameſt thou in hither, not having on a wedding garment? (Mat. 22. 12.) ſo theſe works of Chriſt ſhall make his enemies ſpeechleſſe, Iniquity ſtoppeth her mouth,
This ſtopping their mouthes, is cauſed two wayes; Firſt, from ſhame; A man is ſometime ſilent, becauſe he is aſham'd to ſpeake: diſappointments (eſpecially ſuch as theirs before noted) produce ſhame naturally, and ſhame makes ſilent. A man that bluſhes much, ſpeakes little, and he that dayes not lift up his head, will not be forward to lift up his voice. Mich. 7. 16. I will ſhew marvellous things (ſaith the Lord, and what then?) The Nations ſhall ſee and be confounded, they ſhall lay their hand upon their mouth, their eares ſhall be deafe: They ſhall ſee it, and be confounded, that is, they ſhall be greatly aſhamed; confuſion of face is but ſhame heightned, and the Holy Ghoſt puts ſhame and confuſion of face together in divers places. Now this great ſhame layes their hands upon their mouthes, and puts their fingers in their eares; they are reſolvedly both dumb and deafe, at the ſight of thoſe marvellous things.
Secondly, Admiration and amazement ſilence them: The works of God being marvellous, they ſhall ſtand admiring and wondring at them, till they cannot ſpeake. Reade the like, Iſa. 52. 15. and Pſal. 107. 42. where, when the Prophet had reckoned up many wonderfull works of God, he concludes as in the Text, ver. 42. He ſetteth the poore on high, &c. the righteous ſhall ſee it and rejoyce and all iniquity ſhall ſtop her mouth; while the Lord ſeemes to doe nothing, or to doe but little, iniquity will doe nothing, but talke, or it talkes very much, it is very talkative; but if once God begin working, iniquity has done ſpeaking, you ſhall heare no more of them, till the next ſucceſſe on their ſide. Then obſerve, Firſt,
Wicked men will never ceaſe ſlandering and cenſuring, bragging and boaſting, till ſome eminent judgement ſtops their mouthes. So iniquity ſtoppeth her mouth, they will never ſtop their mouthes before: Iſa. 26. 11. Lord, when thy hand is lifted up, they will not ſee, but they ſhall ſee, and be aſhamed for the envy at thy people; I will make the judgement bigger and greater; write my wrath in fairer, or rather in bloodier characters, that they may ſee them: As ſmall judgements will not open the eyes of wicked men, ſo ſmall judgments wil not ſtop their mouths, but when God begins to work wonders, they are dumb, they have done. Secondly obſerve, That
God will doe ſuch things for his people, as ſhall put the crafty to ſilence. The Saints ought to live ſo holily, that by well doing they may put to ſilence the ignorance of fooliſh men, 1 Pet. 2. 15. The Lord will do ſo juſtly and gloriouſly, as ſhall put to ſilence the malice of the wiſeſt men: Theſe two, the holineſſe of the Saints, and the Juſtice of God, are ſtopples in the mouthes, or the ſtop-mouthes of ungodly men. As they by unrighteous acts have ſtopped other mens mouthes, and ſilenced them, ſo God by terrible things in righteouſneſſe, will ſtop their mouthes, and ſilence them for ever: They ſhall have nothing to ſay at laſt, either againſt the juſtice of God, or a gainſt the innocency of his people; againſt both theſe their mouthes chiefly open. They impute and faſten unrighteouſneſſe on God: you talk of God, and boaſt of his promiſes, where is he? where are they? The Prophet brings them in, belching out ſuch blaſphemies (Iſa. 5. 19.) They ſay, let him make ſpeed and haſten his work that we may ſee it; and let the councell of the holy One of Iſrael, draw nigh and come that we may know it. Words filled with as high a ſenſe of ſpirituall wickedneſſe, as wit and malice can infuſe. They jeere the patience of God, as ſlackneſſe, and as if Juſtice it ſelfe were tired, or too ſlow pac'd, they ſpurre it on, to ruine themſelves. You have often told us of the Holy One of Iſrael, and what he would doe, but threatned men live long, we ſee. You are nimbler of your tongues, then your Holy One of Iſrael is of his hands: Therefore let him make ſpeed (if he can) and haſten his work that we may ſee it.
Will not the jealouſie of the Lord awake, at the noiſe of this helliſh blaſphemy? will he not ſtop the mouth of this iniquity? ſurely he will: And the Prophet aſſures us he will at the 24th verſe: Therefore as the fire devoureth the ſtubble, and as the flame conſumeth the chaffe, ſo their root ſhall be rottenneſſe, and their bloſſomes ſhall goe up as duſt. But how doth the fire devour the ſtubble? how doth the flame conſume the chaffe? even in a moment; fire needs no blowing, to make it take hold of dry ſtubble: Stubble is at once flame and aſhes. So ſpeedy ſhall the conſumption of theſe men be, who called the Lord to make ſpeed; Then (I believe) they'l no more bid him make haſte, The mouth of this iniquity will be ſtopt for ever. Our God ſhall come, and ſhall not keepe ſilence. A fire ſhall devoure before him, Pſal. 50. 3. And then the wicked ſhall be ſilent in darkneſſe, 1 Sam. 2. 9. The fire of wrath is all heate, no light.
Laſtly, all their ſlanders againſt the innocency of the Saints ſhall be ſo confuted, that the adverſary ſhall have nothing to ſay againſt them, Their innocency ſhall be made, as cleare as the light, and their juſtice as the noon-day: Yea God will ſo order it, that theſe crafty oppreſſours ſhall carry a juſtification of God, and of his people in their own hearts. Their conviction ſhall be ſo ſtrong and their light ſo cleare, that iniquity it ſelfe ſhall not be able to gain-ſay, but muſt ſtop it's mouth for ever.