Exposition of Job 8-10, Commentary on Job · Chapter 8 · Verses 16-19
JOB Chap. 8. Verſ. 16, 17, 18, 19.
He is green before the Sun, and his branch ſhooteth forth in his garden.
His roots are wrapped about the heap, and ſeeth the place of ſtones.
If he destroy him from his place, then it ſhall deny him, ſaying, I have not ſeen thee.
Behold, this is the joy of his way, and out of the earth ſhall others grow.
THe context of theſe four verſes holds forth to us the third ſimilitude, by which Bildad illuſtrates the condition of an hypocrite.
The ſimilitude is explained in the 16, 17, and 18. verſes, and applied in the 19th.
The hypocrite was firſt compared to a ruſh or a flag. Secondly, to a ſpiders web. But now to a goodly tree. This third ſimilitude grants the hypocrite the beſt of his condition, and puts him in the faireſt poſture that can be imagined, and yet all proves naught; his root is but rottenneſſe, and his bloſſome ſhall go up as the duſt; or his branches ſhall be cut down, and his root ſtubbed up. It is as if Bildad had ſaid; If you thinke I have spoken too little and too low, or have debaſed the hypocrite more then was meet, by comparing him to a poor ruſh or a flag, and his eſtate to a ſpiders web; then take him in his higheſt notion, let him be looked upon as a green flouriſhing tree before the Sunne, faſtening his roots, and ſpreading out his branches, yet you ſhall ſee, at the laſt, deſtruction is his end. Behold, this is the joy of the hypocrite.
That's the ſumme, and the generall ſenſe of the words.
Three thingt are held forth in this ſimilitude concerning the hypocrite.
Firſt, His outward happines and flouriſhing eſtate in the 16th verſe, He is green before the Sun, and his branch ſhooteth forth in his garden.
Secondly, His hurtfulneſſe, or the anoyance which he doth to his neighbours and brethren, ſhadowed out in the 17. verſe, His roots are wrapped about the heap, and he ſeeth the place of ſtones.
Thirdly, We have his ruine or cutting down, his deſtruction or pulling up, in the 18th verſe, If he deſtroy him from his place, then it ſhall deny him, ſaying, I have not ſeen thee.
His flouriſhing eſtate begins in the 16. ver.
He is green before the Sun.
The word (green) ſignifies moiſt, juicy or ſappy, proper to trees:foreign Madere humidū ſuccoſum eſse. So Mr Broughton tranſlates, He is juicefull before the Sunne. And others, He is full of ſap. In which ſenſe the word is uſed, Chap. 24.8. of this book, They are wet with the ſhowres of the mountains, or, moist and ſappy, receiving in many ſhowres from the mountains.
A tree green, juicy and full of ſap, is in the height of his ſtrength and beauty: Juice and ſap is to the tree, as bloud to the veins, and marrow to the bones of a man; and therefore as a young man in the prime and ſtrength of his age is deſcribed by having his veins full of bloud, and his bones full of marrow, ſo a tree is deſcribed in it's greateſt verdure, by having his root and branches full of ſap and moiſture. The hypocrite may be ſuch a flouriſhing tree, He is green before the Sun.
Before the Sun.
foreignThe Hebrew is, Before the face of the Sun. The word Shemeſh (the Sunne) ſignifieth a Miniſter or ſervant, becauſe the Sun is the great ſervant of the world, and miniſtreth thoſe benefits of light, heat, influence. This (by the way) ſhould have kept the Nations from adoring it as a God, which both in name and nature was their ſervant. But what means this, Before the Sun?
1. Some take, before the Sun, to be only this, openly, conſpicuouſly, and in the ſight of all; for to do a thing before the Sun, is to do it without covert or ſecrecy, 2 Sam. 12.12. Thus the Lord threatneth David, after that ſin of privacy committed with Bathſheba, Thou didſt it ſecretly, Ante ſolem, i. e. palam in oculis omnium.but I will do this before all Iſrael, and before the Sun: So the hypocrite, is green before the Sun; that is, he flouriſheth in the eye, view and ſight of all men. He hath fair leaves and branches of outward profeſſion in the Church, and of outward proſperity in the world.
2. Before the Sun, that is as a tree in Summer, when the Sunne returns to us, or turns upon us. In the beginning of the ſpring the Sun returns: having travell'd furtheſt off from us, it comes to the verticall point, and turns about to us again. So that, before the Sun, or the Sun looking towards us, is a deſcription of the ſpring. And ſo it is, as if he had ſaid, As a tree when the Sunne cometh towards it in the Spring, and ſhines hot upon it in the Summer, makes a fair ſhew: So the hypocrite is very green, joyfull, full of contentment, whileſt he hath the Sun of proſperity ſhining upon him, whilſt thoſe warm raies of outward comforts, heat and nouriſh him, ſo long he is green and flouriſhing.
3. Before the Sun, that is (according to others) before the Sun ſhines too hot upon him, before the Sun ſcorches and withers him;Antequam ſe… veniat. Bibl. Reg Ante exortum & ardorem ſolis, i. e. antequā o… inardeſcens cum adurat. q. d. priuſquā à Domino puniatur & viſitatur. Ardor eſt ira Domini. Merc. as if he had ſaid, The hypocrite is a green tree, till the heat comes upon him, till the Sun ariſeth in his ſtrength: but aſſoon as the heat of the day, or the year comes, this tree withers. An hypocrite cannot abide the extream heat of the Sun, whereas the godly have ſuch an everlaſting ſupply of moiſture and ſap, that let the Sunne ſhine as hot as it will upon them, they are green ſtill. The ordinary heat of the Sun is put for proſperity: the extream heat of the Sun, is put for perſecution. So, the meaning may be this, He is green before the Sun, that is, before the Sun of trouble and perſecution ariſeth, or (as ſome render it) before God looks angerly upon him and ſcorcheth his leaves, till then, He is green and flouriſhing. Before refers both to time, and preſence.
4.Ante ſolem, i. e. in ardore ſolis arboris more, qu… pulchrè aliqu…n…u ſ…coreſ… …ſtum non …im…, …mo calo… ſolis moder… … adjuvatur & alitur. Merc. Others take it as a deſcription of the hypocrites outward flouriſhing, which may be ſuch ſometimes as holds out before the Sunne, that is, when the Sun is very hot upon him; And then this clauſe ſtands in oppoſition to the ruſh, which whileſt it is yet in its greenneſſe withereth before any other herb. If the Sun riſe hot upon the ruſh, it withereth preſently, where it wants outward moiſture. But here Bildad ſeems to grant, or at leaſt to ſuppoſe, that the hypocrite may poſſibly riſe to ſuch a flouriſhing eſtate, that he holds his greenneſſe, even before the Sun, in a great deal of heat and trouble. Thus Before notes preſence.
Either way the ſenſe is good, He is green, before the Sun cometh with his heat, that is, he cannot endure the ſcorching time of trouble: or, he is green before the Sunne; that is, before ſome trouble or ſcorching, before ſome heat of perſecution, this hypocrite may ſtand, He is green before the Sun.
And his branch ſhooteth forth in his garden.
Branch.] The word which we tranſlate branch is derived from a root which ſignifies a little ſucking childe,foreign Significat lactātem ſeu inf… ̄ tem lac ſugentem: per Metaphorā ſumitur pro ſurculo aut tenero ramo qui ſugit arborem. Teneriores ramuſculi lactātibus pueris ſunt fimites. or an infant; and the reaſon is, becauſe branches which come from a tree, draw moiſture and ſap from the tree, as an infant doth milk from the mothers breſt: therefore we elegantly in our language, anſwering the Hebrew, call ſuch branches ſuckers, and we cut them off where we ſee many ſprouting from one fruit-bearing tree, becauſe they draw too much from the tree, and hinder the fruit, that's the meaning of the Hebrew word, His ſuckers: So M. Broughton tranſlates, His ſuckers sprout out over his orchard. By theſe branches we may underſtand either his children, or his honour, his relations, or his reputation, theſe ſhoot forth and ſhew themſelves as branches from a tree, His branches ſhoot forth in his garden.
In his garden.
Hortus foreign à radice Ganan, velavit metaphoricè protexit, quod ſepto protegi ſolet.That is, in that place which he hath fenced or taken in for himſelf; a garden is a plot ſeparated and encloſed from thoſe places which lie open and in common. So much the Hebrew word imports, comming from a root which ſignifies to protect or to fence a thing about, becauſe gardens are places fenced, hedged, or walled in, Cant. 4.12. A garden encloſed is my beloved, Eccleſ. 2.5, 6. I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all (kinde of) fruits, I made me pools of water to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees.
His branches ſhoot forth in his garden.] That is, he appears very beautifull and glorious, very green and flouriſhing in his ſtate or condition, in his dignity and honour. He lives as in a garden or paradiſe:Per hortum intellige omnes rationes, quibus ſuam tuetur & auget magnitudinom Merc. So the word is tranſlated (Gen. 2.8.) And the Lord God planted a paradiſe, or a garden of delight. The hypocrites garden is all that by which he preſerves and keeps his worldly comforts, as we do plants and flowers of profit or delight in gardens. Thus the hypocrite grows as a goodly tree, and ſhooteth forth his branches.
This is the firſt part of the deſcription of his flouriſhing eſtate. Hence note a point or two.
Firſt, In generall (which hath heretofore been obſerved, therefore I ſhall but touch it.) viz.
That a wicked man, an hypocrite may abound exceedingly in outward proſperity.
He is a tree, green before the Sun, and ſhooting forth his branches in his garden.
Secondly, Note, That the thriving of hypocrites, their greenneſſe and flouriſhing, is only outward.
The tree is green before the Sunne, but he is withered in his ſoul. Hypocrites do all before the Sunne, to be ſeen, or in the ſight of men. They are of thoſe who rebell againſt the light, which would keep them from ſinne, and they ſay, No eye ſees us, while they are ſinning. But they love the light which ſhews any good they doe; then they ſay, O that all eyes did ſee us. Phariſees pray in the markets, and blow a trumpet when they give alms, that the ears of all, as well as the bellies of the poor, may be filled with their charity. Come, ſee my zeal, ſaith Jehu. Moſes was faithfull, but he never ſaid, Come, ſee my fidelity. Joſhua was valiant in the battles of the Lord, yet he never ſaid, Come, ſee my fortitude. The upright heart cares not to be thus before the Sunne: He delights in ſecret holineſſe. His goodneſſe is not leſſe priz'd, or leſſe pleaſing to him, becauſe it is hidden. He takes infinitely more content in being and doing good, then in being known to be or doe good.
Thirdly, Taking, before the Sunne, to note the extreme heat of the Sun, we may obſerve thus much from it,
That an hypocrite may endure trouble and perſecution for his profeſſion.
He is not like the ruſh which preſently withereth, but he is ſometimes like a tree that ſtandeth it out before the Sunne a great while. We know that many have not only performed outward acts of holineſſe, but they have ſometimes ſuffered in a holy cauſe; they can be paſſive in obedience, as well as active, and yet have fallen away at the laſt. Before the Sun of proſperity the hypocrite will continue green very long; and before the Sunne of perſecution he may continue green a while. It is conceived by moſt that Alexander the Copperſmith, ſpoken of by Paul (2 Tim. 4.14.) as a man very grievous to him, Alexander the Copperſmith did me much evil, He oppoſed the Apoſtle, yet, I ſay, this Alexander is conceived to be the man of whom we read (Act. 19.32.) that ſtood to Paul, when he was in that danger at Epheſus; there he had like to have loſt his life for appearing on his ſide, the text ſaith, They dragged him out of the multitude to the market place. It is poſſible for an hypocrite to be green before the Sunne of perſecution, at leaſt before ſome ſcorching beams of that Sun, though he is not able to bear it, when it comes to the utmoſt triall, to the extreme heat of the day.
Thus we ſee the hypocrites greenneſſe in his branches, yet that is not all, for in the next verſe we finde his roots alſo, he is ſeemingly ſetled below, as well as beautifull above. And when a tree hath flouriſhing branches, and firm roots, what can be deſired more? For, as when a tree is cut down root and branch, it is then utterly taken away; ſo when a tree flouriſheth, root and branch, it is in beſt eſtate, and higheſt perfection. Both theſe meet here, not only doth he ſhoot forth his branches in his garden, But he wrappeth his roots about the heap, and ſeeth the place of ſtones.
His roots are wrapped about the heap.
The root of this hypocriticall tree, is, that by which he faſtens himſelf,Radices ſunt divitiae, liberi, a micitiae, dignitates, honores. any accommodation or ſtrength which he hath in the world, credit, riches, friends, whatſoever ſtrengthens a man, that's his root: it is as neceſſary to faſten a tree, as to moiſten and feed a tree: Now (ſaith Bildad) he ſpreads his roots, he hath not only excellent branches outwardly, but he laies his matter ſo, that he hath rooting alſo in the world; yea, he ſeems to have rooting in the Church too.
His roots are wrapped about the heap.
foreign radice foreign Volvit â ſummo ad imum.The word in the Hebrew ſignifies, to roll, or to bring things together, to put them up in a heap. Hence the Verb is uſed for that act of the ſoul in believing, whereby a Chriſtian gathers himſelf together, and all that he hath, and laies it upon the Lord, Pſal. 22.8. He truſted in the Lord; the Hebrew is, He rolled himſelf upon the Lord. Hence it is tranſlated to ſignifie; Firſt, a tempeſt wherein the windes roll and are enfolded together. Secondly, a wave of the ſea, which is a rolling water. Thirdly, as here a heap, becauſe in a heap, a great many ſtones are gathered or rolled together. As Gen. 31.47. after that conteſt and debate of Laban with Jacob about his departure, Jacob ſaid, Let us gather ſtones together, or roll ſtones together, and make an heap; and Laban gave it a name, he called it, J…ger-ſhahadutha, which is to ſay, A heap of witneſſe, becauſe theſe ſtones were rolled together for a witneſſe.
Laſtly (which ſenſe is applied by ſome interpreters to this text) The word ſignifies a ſpring or a fountain, Joſh. 15.19. becauſe ſprings and fountains are as the gathering together of waters: The ſea is called the gathering together of waters (Gen. 1.) there waters are rolled, and laid as upon a heap: and ſo proportionably every ſpring, fountain and river, is a place wherein the waters are rolled or wrapped together. Some tranſlate the word thus, His roots are wrapped about the water, or about the fountain. And that further ſets forth the ſeemingly ſure and ſtedfaſt eſtate of the hypocrite, as he hath goodly green branches above, ſo his roots are wrapped about the fountain, he looks as if he were planted by the waters ſide, as the flouriſhing tree deſcribed, Pſal. 1. A godly man is as a tree planted by the rivers ſide; ſo the hypocrite ſeems to have his roots wrapped about the waters, as if he had an everlaſting ſupply from an everliving fountain, as if his leaves ſhould not wither, or his fruit fall off from him. That's one ſenſe.
But moſt goe with our tranſlation, His roots are wrapped about the heap, they are intricated and folded about the heap of ſtones; and ſo the meaning of it may be gi…en three waies.
1. In that it is ſaid,Impius aliquā do floret inter varia impedimenta. His roots are wrapped about the heap, the heap of ſtones; it notes his thriving againſt all oppoſition, here ſhadowed by heaps of ſtones. Heaps of ſtones are hinderances to the growing of a tree, to the rooting of it: therefore we ſet or plant trees in places free from ſtones; but to ſhew that he may even overcome, conquer and ſubdue thoſe difficulties which hinder his growth, he ſaith, His roots are wrapped about the ſtones. The ſeed that was caſt in ſtony ground could not take root, the ſtones hindered it from a due depth of earth, Mat. 13.15. So that Bildad according to this ſenſe magnifies the hypocrite, and ſpeaks high of him, He wrappeth his root about the ſtones, he grows in places of greateſt diſadvantage. A wicked man may conquer oppoſitions, and prevail againſt the pull-backs which hinder his worldly, yea and his ſeeming ſpirituall eſtate; he may encreaſe when he wants encouragements and means of encreaſe, yea, he ſometimes encreaſes againſt ſtops and diſcouragements, he thrives among ſtones.
2. His roots are wrapped about the heap, notes, that he thrives,Ita latè radices diffundat ut fu…damenti ſtruem offendat in aedibus Domini ſui. Iun. In aliorum dā num propagatio denotatur. Idem or will thrive, if he can, though it be to the hinderance and damage of others: for by the heap ſome underſtand the foundation of an houſe, where ſtones are artificially heaped or laid together, not a naturall or accidentall heap. Trees that grow neer a houſe ſhoot their roots under or about the foundation of the houſe, and ſo may be dangerous to the whole ſtructure. Thus the hypocrite will grow if he can, though he inwraps himſelf about the foundation of another mans houſe, raiſing or ſecuring his eſtate upon his neighbours wrong or ruine.
Hypocrites care not whom they injure, ſo themſelves may thrive, though they undermine the foundation of another mans houſe, and looſen his eſtate, to faſten their own.
3. His roots are wrapped about the heaps, may note the firmneſſe, and the ſeeming ſtrength of his ſtanding. He is rooted, not in ſome looſe and ſandy earth, or in tougher clay, but his roots are wrapped about a heap of ſtones. As (Mat. 7.) the houſe founded upon the ſand could not continue when the ſtorms came, but the houſe founded upon the rock did; ſo a tree that is rooted only in looſe, ſleight ground, cannot ſtand againſt a great tempeſt, we ſee ſuch trees blown down; but that which is rooted among the ſtones, and wrapped about their heaps, that which interweaves and incorporates it ſ…lf (as it were) with a rock, this hath ſtrength againſt all ſtorms. Thus hypocrites pretend to Chriſt, and ſay they have wrapped themſelves about, that rock; they will ſpeak great words, and bid defiance to all the world can do, profeſſing they have laid up a good foundation, and that the munition of rocks is their defence.
And ſeeth the place of ſtones.
Domum lapidū cernet, id eſt inter lapides …iciter provenit. foreign Sept. Inter lapides commorabitur. Vulg. Domum lapidū oculis vidit. Druſ.The words may be tranſlated, He dwelleth, and he ſtaieth in the place of ſtones, or, He plants himſelf among the ſtones; and then it carries the ſame ſenſe with the former clauſe: So M. Broughton, He platteth about the houſe of ſtone. The Septuagint thus, He ſhall live in the midst of the ſtones: And the Chaldee Paraphraſt, He ſhall ſee with his eyes the place of ſtones. We are neer that ſenſe, And ſeeth the place of ſtones: That is (for all theſe rendrings of the Hebrew will come to a fair agreement, and the reſult is this) he lives, abides, converſes or dwels, even, where there ſeemes to be the leaſt probability of his ſtay, he ſtaieth in the place of ſtones.
foreign Domus vel generaliter ſedes, vel locus quo aliquid capitur, vel continetur.The Hebrew is, houſe of stones; and houſe is taken either for that ſpeciall place wherein men dwell, or generally for any place; ſo that, the houſe of ſtones, is either an houſe naturally built, Nature uſeth a kinde of art; or an houſe artificially built, art is but an imitation of nature. He ſeeth, that is, he ſeems to abide or continue in that houſe of ſtones, he is very eminent or glorious in that place: The ſame word is read (Dan. 8.5.) where Daniel ſpeaking of his viſion, ſaith,foreign Cornu aspectus eſt cornu conſpicuum & eminens, quod ſupra alià cernatur. Alij, cornu perplexitatis, id eſt, perplexum & intricatum. Merc. The Goat which he ſaw in the viſion had a notable horn, the Chaldee is, a born of ſight, he had a horn of ſight, that is, a conſpicuous or a notable horn: or, as others render it, he had a perplexed, enfolded, or enwrapped horn, a wreathed horn. So that the word ſignifies both the conſpicuouſneſſe of a thing, and likewiſe the infoldedneſſe and complication of it.
A learned interpreter gives yet another ſenſe, He looks into the houſe of ſtone; that is, he hinders the light, or darkens the houſe by perking up ſo proudly by, or neer the windows; as if he had ſaid, he anoyes his Maſters houſe both below and above, at the foundation, and at the windows.
The ſtate of the hypocrite thus ſetled and made firm among ſtones, is yet a tottering one, it will not be able to ſtand, the 18. verſe ſhews this.
Verſe 18. If he deſtroy him from his place, it ſhall deny him, ſaying, I have not ſeen thee.
There is much difficulty in giving a clear ſenſe of theſe words.
If he deſtroy him from his place, &c.
If he.] Who is that? Who is the Antecedent to this he?
There is no antecedent expreſt in the Hebrew. Some underſtand it thus, If he, that is, if the Lord, if God come to take vengeance of this man, who ſeems to be a tree, ſo highly grown, and ſo deeply rooted.
Secondly, we may carry on the ſimilitude thus, If he deſtroy him, that is, if the Gardener or the Husbandman; if the Maſter or owner of that ground or place, ſeeing a tree thus luxuriant, growing ſo near the foundation of his houſe, and ſo wrapped about the place of ſtones, hindering the light, darkning the windows of his houſe; if he come to deſtroy or cut him down, it ſhall deny him.
Or, thirdly, If he destroy him; that is, if the Sunne deſtroy him: So M. Broughton tranſlates, If the Sunne root him up from his place. But can the Sun root a tree up from his place? Yes, the Sun roots up a tree, when the Sun, before which a tree flouriſhes a while, caſts his beams ſo hot upon it, that it is ſcorched. Extreme heat draws out all the moiſture of a tree and kils it. In that ſenſe the Sun may be ſaid to root up a tree, the Sunne killing the tree, cauſeth it to be rooted up. Thus we ſee divers Antecedents anſwering the he, the agent in the Text.
If he deſtroy him from his place.
foreign Abſorbuit, devoravit, Met… phoricè, corrupit, deſtruxit, conſumpſit, quia quod deglutitur perditur, abſumitur,The word which we tranſlate deſtroy, ſignifies properly to ſwallow down, as a man ſwallows down meat and drink: And it ſignifies to ſwallow as a man ſwallows, when he is very hungry; a man that is very hungry eats his meat greedily; he throws it down whole into his throat rather then chews it. Now, becauſe when meat is ſwallowed down, the meat is conſumed and ſpent, and is deſtroyed and comes to nothing, therefore the Hebrews elegantly tranſlate that word, which properly ſignifies to ſwallow up,Pereleganter qui vinum multum degiutiunt, àvino abſorberi dicuntur, Pined to deſtroy; to deſtroy is to ſwallow up: And in that ſenſe (Iſa. 28.7.) wine is ſaid to ſwallow up a man, that is, to deſtroy and conſume him. Intemperate perſons ſwallow up wine, and at laſt wine ſwallows up them: The wine drinks up their eſtates, their wits, their healths, their lives, their all at laſt. It is a metaphor taken alſo from cruell and ſavage beaſts, who devour men; as Jacob ſaith of Joſeph, Surely a wilde beaſt hath devoured, or ſwa…owed him up: And (Pſal. 35.25.) vve have that word, applied to wicked men, conſpiring againſt the Saints, they ſay, We have ſwallowed him up, ah, ſo would we have it; that is, we have utterly deſtroyed him, this pleaſes, this goes well on our ſide.
Then the meaning is, Though the tree be in this ſtate, yet if the husbandman come, he can quickly deſtroy it from his place: Yea, though it be thus fairly grown, and firmly rooted, the Sunne is able to kill this tree, and to draw out all it's moiſture, and ſo leave it dry and feared, fit only to be ſtubbed up for fewell. Or take it for an hypocrite to whom the ſimilitude referreth, If God come to deſtroy him out of his place, to ſwallow him up, ther's an end of him quickly, It ſhall deny him, ſaying, I have not ſeen him.
From this conſideration, that the deſtruction of the tree is ſpoken of ſo immediately after the flouriſhing of it; That word, He is green &c. is no ſooner out, but he adds, If he deſtroy him, &c. We may note,
That the deſtruction of hypocrites and wicked men cometh often upon them, in the height of their prosperity.
Even in the time of his greenneſſe, he ſhall be deſtroyed, and when his roots are wrapped about the heap. Trees ſtand ſo long ſometimes, that they wither of themſelves, and then we cut them down for the fire, but this man ſhall be cut down like a tree in his prime, in his flouriſhing, when affliction and withering ſeem fartheſt off, when he thinks leaſt of deſtruction, then it ſhall come upon him; when his eſtate is like Jonah's gourd, a very pleaſant plant, and a great rejoycing to him, a worme ſmites the roots and kils it.
That of Job (Chap. 20.22.) is full to this point, In the fulneſſe of his ſufficiency he ſhall be in straits: A ſtrange thing that a man ſhould be in ſtraits, when he is in his greateſt enlargement, that a man ſhould be emptied when he is full, that a man ſhould be nothing, when he hath all ſufficiency about him, yet thus it ſhall be, In the fulneſſe of his ſufficiency he ſhall be in ſtraits. As a godly man hath a ſufficiency in his wants, yea a fulneſſe of ſufficiency in his wants: So on the other ſide, an hypocrite, whoſe heart is falſe with God, hath want in his ſufficiency, yea want in the fulneſſe of his ſufficiency. Which may be underſtood two waies; either that his fulneſſe in the greateſt ſufficiency of it is unſatisfying; or that his fulneſſe in the greateſt ſufficiency of it, is upon decaying and abating. (Pſal. 78.13.) Whileſt the meat was in their mouths, the wrath of God fell upon them; while meat is in the mouth, rich clothes upon the back, while ſtore of money is in the purſe, while the land brings forth abundance of encreaſe, even in all theſe ſufficiencies a man may be in ſtraits. As it was with Agag (1 Sam. 15.) Surely (ſaith he) the bitterneſſe of death is past; he thought himſelf ſafe, and that the ſtorm was quite blown over, but then, in that nick of time comes Samuel, and cutteth him in peeces. The Apoſtle Paul ſaith (2 Cor. 1.9.) I had the ſentence of death in my ſelf; that is, I concluded, I could not ſurvive thoſe ſufferings, I thought my ſelf a loſt man: yet the Lord delivered him, and fetched him from the grave. But when hypocrites (like Agag) have the ſentence, yea the ſweetneſſe of life in themſelves; When they ſay peace and ſafety, then ſudden deſtruction comes, as pain upon a woman in travell, and they ſhall not eſcape: God cuts them off. It follows,
If he destroy him from his place; what then? It ſhall deny him, ſaying, I have not ſeen thee.
Here is a further aggravation of his miſery, when he is deſtroyed, It ſhall deny him; What ſhall deny him? Some read it thus, his place ſhall deny him. Can a place ſpeak, affirm, or deny? No, it cannot; but it is uſuall in Scripture, by a Proſopopeia, a fiction of a perſon to aſcribe ſpeech to beaſts, to trees and places too, things not only without reaſon, but without life. Such an elegancy is here, It ſhall deny him; that is, when he is deſtroyed, if any man ſhall ask the queſtion, where is this man? Where is this goodly tree that ſtood here before? The place ſhall anſwer, He is not here now.
foreign …ontietur ei foreign. Sept. er proſopope ā tribuit ſermonē & mendacium rei inanimae; quod inſolens non eſt in his libris Ita è loco ſuo excidetur & interibit, ut nullus jam agnoſcat eum ibi unquam fuiſſe. MercThe Hebrew is, The place ſhall lie; the place ſhall feign and ſay, we have not ſeen him; we know not what is become of him: So men uſe to anſwer, when they are either afraid or aſhamed to own one that is asked for.
Some underſtand it of a perſon, Then one may deny him: I ſee then no more, ſo M. Broughton. Suppoſe a traveller, who oftentimes paſt by, and ſaw this goodly tree, when he commeth to the place again, ſees it no more, the tree is down: So he, who hath paſt by ſuch a mans houſe, and beheld his goodly ſeat, when he comes another time, there is no ſuch man there, the man is gone, It, or, he ſhall deny him, ſaying, I have not ſeen thee.
I have not ſeen thee.
We have neer the ſame words, Pſal. 37.35, 36. where the flouriſhing eſtate of a wicked man is ſhadowed under the notion of a tree, I have ſeen the wicked flouriſh like a green bay-tree, &c. (yet) he paſt away, and he was not; as much as to ſay, if it be asked, what's become of him? A man ſhall anſwer, he hath not ſeen him; yea, I ſought him, but he could not be found. Such a ſenſe hath been ſhewed (Job 7.18.) upon thoſe words, The place thereof ſhall know him no more; A clear riddance ſhall be made of all men out of the world, eſpecially of wicked men. In that deſcription (Dan. 2.35.) of the four Monarchies, under the ſimilitude of a great Image, whoſe head was of gold, his breſt and arms of ſilver, his belly and thighs of braſſe, his legs of iron, and his feet of iron and clay; the text ſaith, Then was the iron, the clay, the braſſe, the ſilver and the gold broken to peeces together, and became like the chaff of the Summer threſhing floors, and the winde carried them away, that no place was found for them; or, as the Chaldee, They were found in no place: A time will come when all Monarchies and worldly Kingdoms, which have ſtood up in ſo much luſtre, which have dazled the eyes of all beholders with their ſplendour, and kept all their neighbour nations under by their power (a time ſhall come) when this clay, and iron, and braſſe, and ſilver, and gold ſhall be all beaten to peeces, ſo that if a man ask, where are the four Monarchies? What's become of the pomp and ſtate of thoſe great Empires? The places of them ſhall know them no more; no man can tell where they are. There is ſuch a meaning here, this green tree. This hypocrite ſhall have his branches ſo pull'd off, his roots ſo ſtubbed up, that it will be hard to give an account what's become of him.
We finde the happy and flouriſhing eſtate of the Church and people of God deſcribed, as if no place were large enough for them to dwell in (Zech. 10.10.) I will bring them again out of the land of Aegypt, and gather them out of Aſſyria, &c. that is, I will gather my Saints, my Church together from all the parts of the world where they have lived (while they could not live, but ſculking in corners) I will bring them together, ſo conſpicuouſly, that there ſhall be no place found for them; that is, no place capacious enough to receive them and their families. We have the ſame promiſe of enlargement (Iſa. 49.) They ſhall ſay, The place is too ſtrait for me, give place to me that I may dwell. Now, as the Saints ſhall be gathered together ſo eminently and abundantly, that no place ſhall be found big enough to hold them; ſo the hypocrite with all his greenneſſe and verdure ſhall be ſo blaſted and rooted up, that the place where he was ſhall not be viſible, as his; he ſhall be ſo farre from filling all places, that he ſhall fill none, The place where he dwelt ſhall ſpue him out, and by any remaining ſymptome it ſhall not be known, where that man was.
So then, the ſumme of all may be given thus, taking the compariſon from the tree to this wicked man;
That as a tree highly grown and deeply rooted, may be ſo cut down and ſtubbed up, that it ſhall not be known whether ever it grew upon that place or no; ſo a wicked man though for a while he flouriſheth and overcommeth all impediments that hinder him, in the eye of the world, yet at laſt himſelf and his family ſhall be ſo clean removed and ſwept away, his name and memory ſo blotted out, that there ſhall not be any print or foot-ſtep of his being upon the face of the earth.
Whence note, That the memory of wicked men ſhall periſh for ever, none ſhall own them.
If they be asked about them, they ſhall ſay, We have not ſeen them. Peter in his temptation denied Chriſt, Mat. 27. when they asked him, ſaying, Art not thou one of his Diſciples? No, ſaith he, I know not the man. As the Saints under temptation, and as hypocrites in their daily converſation deny Chriſt: ſo the time will come when hypocrites and wicked men ſhall be denied themſelves, their places ſhall ſay, We know them no more. They ſhall be remembred only as Pilate is remembred in that, which is called the Apoſtles Creed, who ſtands there upon record for his wickedneſſe, cowardize and injuſtice in condemning Chriſt, whom he knew to be innocent. Wicked men are either forgotten, or elſe remembred with a brand of diſgrace. They who have been adored and flattered, and crept to like little gods, ſhall not be owned by the meaneſt men. Even their paraſites who have hung about them, will fall off from them, and ſay, Who, we know them? we know no ſuch men. It is propheſied (Zech. 8.23.) of the Jews, who are now a deſpiſed and ſcattered people (yet ſtill a people in the heart of Chriſt) that God will bring them forth at laſt, and they ſhall be a people ſo much honoured, that ten men out of every Nation ſhall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, ſaying, We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you. The deſpiſed Saints, ſuch as the world hath caſt out, and ſaid, We will not ſee or take notice of them, ſhall be honoured or envied of all. Men will be glad to take hold of their skirts, and ſay, Come, let us go with you; O that we might have a part and a portion with you, for we know that God is with you! O that we had lived the lives, and might die the deaths of the righteous! O that our beginnings had been, and that our later ends might be like theirs! Likewiſe a time will come, when hypocrites and wicked men ſhall be deſpiſed by their admirers, and caſt out, as not worth the looking on by their groſſeſt flatterers. It was a great honour which the Oratour gives Homer, Cic. in Orat. pro Arch. poet.a Heathen Poet, who was a man of ſuch reputation, that many great Cities ſtrove for him. One ſaid, he was born here; another ſaid, he was born there; a third, among us was the place of his birth. All deſired to own him, becauſe he was a man highly honoured for his learning in thoſe times: So on the other ſide, every place ſhall be aſhamed of ſome men; this place ſhall ſay, we have nothing to do with him; and that place ſhall ſay, we have nothing to doe with him; one ſhall diſclaim him, and another ſhall diſclaim him, all ſhall refuſe him. It ſhall be the honour of Saints to be deſired of all; and it ſhall be the ſhame and puniſhment of wicked men, to be caſt out and diſregarded by all. They who deſpiſe God, ſhall at laſt be lightly eſteemed among men.
Bildad having thus enlarged his ſimilitude, in all the parts of it, and at laſt laid the hypocrite as low as forgetfulneſſe, ſo low that no man will own him, as he is alwaies ſo low that God will not own him, he concludes tryumphantly againſt him.
Verſe 19. Behold, this is the joy of his way, and out of the earth ſhall others grow.
Here's his concluſion.
This is the joy.] The word which we tranſlate joy, ſignifies the higheſt joy, a kinde of leaping for joy.foreign Dicitur quando gaudio geſtimus, ut canes ſolent quando peregre advenienti Domino adulantur. En haec eſt exultatio viae ejus ironic…s dictum Haec eſt laetitia qua ſibi placebit in magnitudine ſuâ. Ʋiam appellat ſtatum in quo erat, q. d. en quo redeat ejus gaudium dum ita ſeſe efferret. Merc. It is an alluſion to dogs or ſpaniels, who (you know) when their Maſters come home, leap about them for joy, and in their language bid them welcome. Such a joy is here meant, a joy lifting up the heart, a leaping, an exulting joy. The word is often applied to the joy of the Saints, they rejoyce, and (as it were) leap about Jeſus Chriſt, they triumph in the favour of God. The leaping, the exulting joy, the beſt joy, all the joy which an hypocrite hath, is but this, vvhichwhich hath been deſcribed; Is it not a deſirable joy? a goodly joy ſure? the words are ironicall, This is the joy of his way.
Of his way.] Way is taken for the courſe, purpoſe and inſtitution of a mans life, for the tenour of his converſation, which he holds in the world, This is the joy of his way: This is it. The particle is demonſtrative, This is it which I have told you; as if he had ſaid, caſt up all the comfort and happineſſe of that flouriſhing tree, of the hypocrite, this is all that it comes to, his end is to be rooted up, and not ſo much as to be owned by thoſe that knew him before.
There are three things which I ſhould obſerve from this, This is the joy of his way.
Firſt, That an hypocrite may have much joy in his way. He may rejoyce much in his condition, and thinke all's well. Falſe hopes can produce falſe joyes. Falſe faith brings forth a comfort like it ſelf, a fading comfort, a ſhadow of comfort, as that is, but a ſhadow of faith. The fancy of faith is uſually fuller of joy then true faith. Satan helps forward this joy, and God for a time will not hinder it. Faith (though feigned) gives the ſoul a ſight of ſuch things as are worth the rejoycing in, and a ſuppoſed title to them will move joy, as well as a reall title doth. The ſtony ground received the word with joy. The promiſes are delicious to the ſenſitive and rationall part, as well as to the ſpirituall and regenerate part. Hence (Heb. 6.) they that fall away are ſaid to have had taſtes of the joyes of the world to come. An hypocrite may thinke himſelf in heaven ſometimes, and then like one in heaven, he cannot but rejoyce. He may have a glimpſe of heaven upon earth, all whoſe heaven is earth. This is his joy.
Secondly, This, may be demonſtrative, and anſwers the queſtion; what is his joy? It is this, His worldly comforts, his flouriſhing outward condition is his chiefeſt joy. Then note, The joy of hypocrites is chiefly bo…tomed upon outward things. It is not the joy of the Lord, no, nor joy in the Lord, Rejoyce in the Lord, and again, I ſay rejoyce, is the Goſpell-command. An hypocrite cannot rejoyce thus. When he rejoyces in the Lord, ſomewhat beſides the Lord cauſeth his joy. He rejoyces in his green boughs, in his goodly branches, in his ſuppoſed ſtrong root; but to rejoyce in God as God he knows not how. Davids joy was the oppoſite of this (Pſal. 4.6.) Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon me, and that will put gladneſſe in my heart, more then in the time that their corn and wine encreaſed. Let me have the Sun-ſhine of thy love, and then though I have nothing but darkneſſe and clouds from the world, I ſhall rejoyce. But what ſaith the hypocrite? let my corn and wine encreaſe, let the Sunne of outward proſperity ſhine warm upon me, let me have my greenneſſe of creature-contentments, let me have credit and fair repute among men, theſe will put gladneſſe in my heart. Theſe glad his heart, when he hath not a dram of grace or goodneſſe there.
Thirdly, The joy of an hypocrite is but for a moment. It is a periſhing joy. This is the joy of his way; you ſee what it amounts to, how well it laſt. His greenneſſe is turned into withering, his root rots, and his fruit fals off. This is his joy. He is like thoſe ſpoken of in the Epiſtle of Jude (verſ. 14.) Trees twice dead, and plucked up by the roots. That's the concluſion of the hypocrite: he hath a name to live, but he is dead, twice dead, naturally dead in ſinne, and judicially dead under wrath: he was born ſpiritually dead, and his whole life is a paſſage to eternall death. He hath rejoyced a while, but he muſt mourn for ever. The portion of hypocrites is weeping and gnaſhing of teeth (Mat. 24.51.) Their joy is but for a morning or a day, weeping comes at night, & that night hath no morning after it.
And out of the earth ſhall others grow.
Some read, Out of the earth ſhall ſomewhat elſe, ſome other thing grow: We, out of the earth (when theſe are removed) other perſons ſhall grow, who ſhall inherit the place, and poſſeſſe the dwelling of theſe proſperous trees. For he follows the ſimilitude of a tree, when, or where one is pulled up, another is planted and grows up in it's room. Or, others ſhall poſſeſſe what he hath gotten. In which ſenſe Job ſpeaks (Chap. 27.16, 17.Alij, qui alieni erunt ab eo, & quaſi è terra alia germinabūt, in bona ipſius ſu cede…tes juxta illud, repoſit…e ſunt juſto opes peccatoris. D…l.) Though he heap up ſilver as the duſt, and prepare raiment as the clay, he may prepare it, but the juſt ſhall put it on, and the innocent ſhall divide the ſilver. Which words may be a Comment upon theſe, Out of the earth ſhall others grow; that is, others ſhall riſe up, God will bring a new generation to enjoy his ill-gotten ſubſtance, and eat the ſweet of all his labours. Solomon (Eccleſ. 2.18.) was much afflicted, becauſe he knew not who ſhould grow up after him. I hated (ſaith he) all my labour which I have taken under the Sunne, becauſe I ſhall leave it to a man, and I know not what he ſhall be, whether a wiſe man or a fool. It is a part of the vanity which lies upon man-kinde, that after all a mans labour and pains, he muſt leave all unto ſome body, he knows not certainly who. But there is a greater and ſorer vanity upon the hypocrite; he ſeldome ſtaies to take his part, He ſhall not roſt that which he hath tak…n in hunting (Pro. 12.) that is, he ſhall not have the benefit himſelf of what he hath, but others (unthought of) ſhall come out of the ground and grow in his place, This is the upſhot or ſumme of all his miſery, he hath laboured for others in temporall things, and he hath got nothing for himſelf in spirituall things.
Further, the words may carry this ſenſe. That
When wi…ked men are taken away, the righteous ſhall grow in their roome.
Pull up the bryars and thorns, and then vines and fig-trees, lilies and roſes will grow the better. When wicked men are removed, good men will proſper.
Again, Out of the earth ſhall others grow; they were not worth the ground they went upon, though they were worth a great deal of ground, therefore out of the ground ſhall others grow. God will raiſe up a generation which ſhall be more faithfull and ſerviceable unto him.
There is a fourth ſenſe of this expreſſion, Out of the earth ſhall others grow; that is, out of the meaneſt and loweſt condition others ſhall grow: and ſo it carries an oppoſition between the condition of an hypocrite, and of a godly man. The hypocrite in his flouriſhing greenneſſe ſhall be cut down to the ground, but they whoſe hearts are ſincere and upright, though they are as low as the ground, though they are upon the earth, and are trodden down as mire in the ſtreets, yet they ſhall grow up. They who were growing high ſhall be cut down, and they who were below ſhall grow up; ſuch as they feared not, nor ſuſpected, ſhall prevail over them. They who are lowest, even as low as the earth, ſhall be raiſed, built up and ſet on high in the world, when God speaks the word.
There is an Expoſition of this whole context, about which (becauſe many cloſe with it) I ſhall give a brief account. Divers of the learned underſtand this third ſimilitude, not as deſcribing the ſtate of an hypocrite, but as an inſtance in oppoſition to the ſtate of an hypocrite, ſet forth by the ruſh and by the ſpider in the former verſes.
Hence it is that the Italian verſion begins the ſixteenth verſe thus, But the perfect man is green before the Sun, &c. And ſo the ſenſe may be given to this effect. As if Bildad had ſaid, Though hypocrites wither like a ruſh, or like a flag, though they are ſuddenly ſwept down like a ſpiders web, yet a godly man is a green tree before the Sunne; he is not like a ruſh without water, but like a tree planted by the rivers ſide, which is able to endure the heat of the Sunne, yea the hottest Sunne of perſecution: [His branches ſhoot forth in his garden] he is no wilde tree, no tree of the foreſt, or of the wilderneſſe, he is a tree of the incloſed garden, which if it want the water from the clouds, the Gardener will take care to water it with his hand. Or [his roots are wrapped about the heap, about the fountain;] he is ſtrongly ſet, and he hath water continually to feed and ſupply his branches; Thus the Church is ſo deſcribed by Balaam (Numb. 24.6.) How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Iſrael! as the valleys are they ſpread forth, as gardens by the rivers ſides, as the trees of Lign aloes, which the Lord hath planted, and as Cedar-trees beſides the waters. Thus the godly mans roots are wrapped about the fountain, and there he is fruitfull; though the Sunne ſhine hot upon him, yet it cannot exhale his moyſture faſter then the river can ſupply him with more. And he ſeeth the place of ſtones, he will live upon a flint, having a lively root of faith continually ſucking in refreſhings from Chriſt, under whoſe protection and favour he remains ſtrong and abounding in the worke of the Lord. [But if he deſtroy him from his place, it ſhall deny him] that is, if the wicked of the world attempt to root the godly man up: the place, that is, the men of the place ſhall take part with them, own him, and deny to give him up into the hands of thoſe who would deſtroy him. But if the place ſhould not ſecure him, if the power and violence of the enemy deſtroy and pluck him up, yet this is his joy, a godly man may be deſtroyed, but none can deſtroy the joy of a godly man. [This is the joy of his way] he delights in perſecution, he is as ſorrowfull, but alwaies rejoycing, even in death it ſelf, [And out of his earth ſhall others grow] He ſhall have a bleſſed poſterity to ſtand up in his ſtead, in whom he ſhall live, when he is dead. Or, if the power of the adverſary root him out of this earth, in which he lived, and drive him from this ground, from houſe and home, he ſhall grow in another earth (The originall may bear that ſenſe.De terra alia germinabunt. Pagn.) If he be removed from this place, he ſhall grow in another place; if you take him from his owne Countrey, he can grow in any Countrey, and if he be plucked from all Countreys, he will grow up to, and in Heaven.
Thus the whole Context may be made out as a ſimilitude of a godly man, in oppoſition to the hypocrite. But I rather acquieſſe and ſettle in the interpretation before, that it is a third deſcription of the condition of an hypocrite. The originall and our tranſlation fairly carry it ſo.
Bildad having thus farre proſecuted the point, vindicated the juſtice of God, and illuſtrated his former proof by a threefold ſimilitude, ſhuts up and ſtates the point for God, that He is just, For he will not hurt the innocent, neither will he help the evil doers, &c.