Exposition of Job 8-10, Commentary on Job · Chapter 8 · Verses 20-22
JOB Chap. 8. Verſ. 20, 21, 22.
Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, neither will he help the evil doers.
Till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with rejoycing.
They that hate thee ſhall be cloathed with ſhame, and the dwelling place of the wicked ſhall come to nought.
THeſe three verſes are the epilogue or cloſe of Bildads diſcourſe with Job having in the former parts of the Chapter aſſerted, and with great clearneſſe illuſtrated the juſtice of God in his dealings againſt impenitents and hypocrites; he now concludes in a mollifying language, with the aſſurance of his favour and goodneſſe unto thoſe who return and humble themſelves. Yet this he interweaves with threats of the diſpleaſure of God ſeen in the effects of it, againſt the wicked, in the twentieth and two and twentieth verſes.
It is, as if Bildad had thus ſaid, Behold, God will not caſt away a perfect man. Job, thou maiſt perceive, by what hath now been ſpoken, that God is no enemy to the righteous, nor no friend to wicked men: Thou ſeeſt what the portion of a wicked man is from God, and how juſt God is in giving him ſuch a portion; yet know, that mercy ſhall act as gloriouſly in the hand of God, as juſtice doth; as God is not unjuſt to favour hypocrites, ſo neither will he be unjuſt to forget the righteous and the perfect man: the hypocrite ſhall periſh, but he will fill the mouth of a godly man with laughing, and his lips with rejoycing.
Or, if we conſider his ſpeech more diſtinctly, we may ſee two negative acts of juſtice, one toward the perfect, the other toward the hypocrite, with the effects of both.
His juſtice acts towards the perfect man, in that, He will not cast him away. The effect whereof is, The filling of his mouth with laughing, and his lips with rejoycing.
His juſtice acts againſt the hypocrite, thus, He will not help the evil doers. The effect whereof is, That evil doers ſhall be cloathed with ſhame, and that their tabernacles ſhall not be.
We may caſt all into a form of argument. Firſt, to the generall; and then to the particular caſe of Job.
He that doth not caſt away a perfect and a good man, is juſt and righteous in his dealings and adminiſtrations.
But God doth not, will not caſt away a perfect, and a good man.
Therefore he i… juſt and righteous in his dealings and admiministrations.
Then, to the particular caſe of Job.
He that doth not caſt away any perfect man, will not cast thee away, if thou art perfect.
Therefore, Job, return, make thy way perfect before God, and He will not caſt thee away. Or take this inference. God will not caſt away a perfect man: therefore ſurely thou haſt a great deal of imperfection or inſincerity in thee, becauſe God hath thus caſt thee off, and laid thee aſide.
The like arguments may be framed upon the other part of his juſtice, in his dealings with the wicked.
From the generall ſenſe of the Context thus given, I come to open the particulars, as they here lie in order.
Behold, God will not caſt away a perfect man.
Behold.] Is here a ſtrong affirmation. This is a certain truth.
God will not.
The ſtrong God, or the puiſſant, will not caſt away a perfect man. foreignGod hath infinite power, but he putteth none of it forth,Deus fortis non abutitur potenti… ſua ad conterendun ſimplicem. Pined. to this purpoſe: he never laies out himſelf in oppoſing thoſe who are perfect and righteous, The powerfull God doth not cast away a perfect man.
Caſt away.
The word which we tranſlate, cast away, foreignwas opened at the 14th verſe of this Chapter, and in the fifth Chapter, verſ. 9.Faſti divit reprobavit. There it was tranſlated by deſpiſing, Deſpiſe not thou the chaſtening of the Lord, caſt not away, or caſt not off the chaſtening of the Lord. And in the 14th verſe of this Chapter, The hypocrites hope ſhall be cut off, he ſhall caſt away his hope, or his hope ſhould caſt away and abhorre him, for ſo the word bears.Non reprobabit innocentem. 7… The Seventy tranſlate it to that ſenſe, He will not cast off; that is, he will not reprobate, or diſapprove, he will not reject or diſcountenance a perfect man. And M. Broughton, Loc, the omnipotent will not loath the perfect. Either of the ſenſes are full enough to the Text.
Only take notice that in the words there is a figure; for when it is ſaid,Meiofis. That God will not caſt away a perfect man; this is not all the meaning, as if God made no other reckoning of perfect men then thus, that he would not caſt them away; more is intended then expreſt, namely, that the Lord doth highly eſteem and prize righteous men; he laies them, as it were, in his boſome and next his heart: thus the Lord deals with the righteous, His not caſting away, is a near embracing.
There is a two-fold caſting away; Firſt, Temporall. Secondly, Eternall: and in neither of theſe ſenſes doth God caſt away a perfect man. Not only ſhall he not periſh eternally, but not temporally. He doth not reject or caſt him away for a moment; his love is an everlaſting love, and there can be no breaches or gaps made in it, ſo as to cut off his love to the perſon, although he often ſignifies diſpleaſure againſt his ſin.
The perfect man.
foreignThe word we had in the firſt Chapter, where it is uſed to expreſſe Jobs compleatneſſe in ſpirituals: A compleatneſſe, not in degrees, but in parts; ſincerity fill'd up his ſoul, and ſo perfected all the limbs and members of his inward man. Obſerve hence,
Firſt, A gracious ſoul ſhall never be rejected of God.
Whatſoever God doth in the world, he will never doe this, Heb. 13.5. He hath ſaid, I will never leave thee nor forſake thee. If God doth not leave a perfect man, he will not caſt him away. The Apoſtle puts the queſtion, (Rom. 11.1.) Hath God caſt away his people? God forbid. God hath not cast away his people whom he fore-knew.
Perfect men are Gods jewels, not the rubbiſh or off-ſcouring of the world, though the world count them ſo. A wiſe man will not caſt away jewels.
Perfect men are Gods ſervants, his faithfull ſervants; all the willing ſervice he hath done him in the world (on this ſide Angels) is done by theſe men. A wiſe man will not caſt away ſuch as are truly ſerviceable unto him.
Perfect men are Gods children; they are borne of God, and ſonnes of the moſt high. Naturall love will not caſt away a childe.
Perfect men are Gods portion, the lot of his inheritance, his revenue comes in, he hath his in-comes of glory, by them. A man will not deſpiſe his own glory, he will not reject his own inheritance.
Further, They who are perfect come to him in his Sonne; and he hath pawned his truth for it (Joh. 6.37.) He that commeth to me, I will in no wiſe caſt out: As if he had ſaid, this thing is furtheſt from my heart of any thing in the world. God cals after many who goe away from him, but he caſts away none who come to him. None come to him till he draws them, therefore he will not drive them away who come.
Again, Perfect men have the Spirit of God, God cannot caſt away, or ſtop his ears at the voice of his own Spirit. They have the earneſt of his Spirit; if God ſhould go about to put them off, or lay them aſide, they will ſhew God thoſe tokens and pledges of his love, the earneſt he hath given them to aſſure their hearts.
Laſtly, He hath tied himſelf to them in the bond of a Covenant, they are faſt to him in the everlaſting bonds of his own love; therefore they cannot be caſt off. So he promiſes his people (Levit. 26.44.) though they ſhould provoke him to afflict them, yet he would not reject them utterly; he might put them into the hands of their enemies, but he would never ceaſe to be their friend, For all that, when they be in the land of their enemies, I will not caſt them away. (Many think when the Saints are caſt into trouble, that God hath caſt them away: no, there is no ſuch matter, when they are in their enemies hand, God holds them ſtill in his hand, yea, in his heart.) I will not caſt them away, neither will I abhorre them to deſtroy them utterly, and to break my Covenant with them, for I am the Lord their God. The Covenant holdeth God and his people ſo faſt together, that they ſhall never part.
We finde the Church complaining grievouſly, as if ſhe were caſt away (Pſal. 44.9.) Thou haſt caſt us off, and put us to ſhame, and goest not forth with our Armies: and verſe 23. the Church praies, Ariſe, O Lord, caſt us not off for ever. So (Pſal. 60.1.) O God, thou haſt caſt us off: and verſ. 9. Who will bring me into the ſtrong City? Wilt not thou, O God, which hadſt caſt us off? God (to ſenſe) caſts off his own people, when he caſteth them into dangers: but even then their faith takes hold of God, and Gods love takes hold of them. Though all this be come upon us, yet have we not forgotten thee, nor dealt falſely in thy Covenant (Pſal. 44.17.) neither had God forgotten them, or dealt falſly in the Covenant: they were his people ſtill, and as near unto him, as when they were furtheſt from thoſe troubles.
God caſts away ſome indeed, but they are ſuch as he never had within the bonds of his Covenant. He caſts away wicked men, as rubbiſh, as filth and dirt; ſuch the Prophet ſpeaks of (Hoſ. 9.15.) My God will cast them away, becauſe they did not hearken unto him. Theſe were imperfect, not perfect men. God caſt theſe away, not from any intereſt they had in him, but becauſe they never had any. Such as will not hearken unto the Word of God, God will caſt away; why? They caſt God away, when they caſt the Word of God away. They caſt the Covenant behinde their backs (Pſal. 50.) no wonder God caſts them behinde his back; he throws them o…t of doors, when they throw his truth out of their hearts. Perfect men love the truth of God for ever, and the God of truth loves them for ever.
Secondly, (For, as was ſaid, theſe words expreſſe leſſe then is meant.) Obſerve,
That perfect men are highly eſteemed by God.
He prizes them greatly, he delighteth in them, They that honour me, I will honour, ſaith God; not only will I not caſt them away, or abhorre them, but I will honour them. God eſteems and prizes them, though the world diſeſteem and reject them. There is many a ſoul which the world tramples under their feet, as the mire in the ſtreets, which at that time God laies in his boſom. Chriſt imbraceth ſome in his arms, whom the world, yea, whom their brethren hate, and ſmite with their tongues (Iſa. 66.5.) Your brethren that hated you, that caſt you out for my Names ſake, ſaid, Let the Lord be glorified (Not only the wicked world may doe this, but brethren, even thoſe that are brethren indeed in the main, may poſſibly hate a perfect man, and caſt him out) your brethren that hated you, and caſt you out for my Names ſake; but the Lord at that time loved them, as it follows, But he ſhall appear to your joy, and they ſhall be aſhamed.
And if God doth not only not caſt away perfect ones, but eſteem them, then take theſe three cautions.
Firſt, Ye that are perfect, be ſure ye keep cloſe to God, doe not caſt him off; doe not caſt away the word, any one truth or command of God. Caſt not the waies of God away, for he will never caſt you away.
Secondly, Ye that are perfect, Caſt not away your confidence, Heb. 10.35. The Apoſtle had ſhewed how cloſe God would ſtick to his people; now, ſaith he, if it be ſo, if he will bring his promiſes to paſſe, then caſt not away your confidence. There is a great ſtrength of engagement in it, when we read that God will not caſt away his people, that they ſhould not caſt away their confidence in God, which hath great recompence of reward.
Thirdly to all, take heed of caſting of caſting off or ſleighting any perfect man; we ſhould act towards men, and thinke of them as God doth. It is beſt to love where God loves, and to love moſt where he loves moſt. Negative promiſes, and negative threatnings have greateſt force in them. God holds them faſteſt; and loves them deareſt, of whom he ſaith, I will not caſt them away. God will not caſt away a perfect man. There's a negative promiſe. Now ſee the portion of the wicked, that's given out in a negative threatning: God ſaith not what he will doe againſt them, but what he will not do for them, Neither will he help the evil doers.
He will not help them.
Some read it, He will not put forth his hand to evil doers. Non perrigit manum malignis. Vulg. Ad a…tiae foedus pertinere videtur.So the letter of the Hebrew imports. And there may be a three-fold ſenſe given of that reading. Putting forth the hand, notes, firſt, our taking men into ſociety, fellowſhip and familiarity with us: when we would ſhew a man how we love him at our hearts, we put forth a hand, and take him by the hand. Now (ſaith he) God will not take an evil doer by the hand, to welcome or entertain him, to countenance and reſpect him (Exod. 23.1.) Put not thy hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witneſſe: Be not of the ſame ſide, communion and fellowſhip with him, in giving witneſſe.
Secondly, (As the Septuagint gives the ſenſe) He will not put forth his hand; that is, to receive a gift or an offering from wicked men. When a gift or a preſent is brought, the receiver (if he would teſtifie his liking and acceptance of it) puts forth his hand and receives it.Nec ullum munus impij accipier. Sept. q. d. Non porriget manus, accepturus manus, impiorum dona non ſunt Deograta. Pined. Now (ſaith Bildad) God will not put forth his hand to receive any offering or gift from wicked men; the oblations of wicked men are an abomination unto the Lord, The good deeds of evil doers are evil in his ſight. He had no reſpect to Cain and his offering. He did not put forth his hand to receive Cains offering, but he put forth his hand to receive Abels offering. This is a profitable ſenſe.
Thirdly, It rather refers to Gods not aſſiſting wicked men. So Mr Broughton renders it, He will not maintain the hand of the miſchievous. To put forth or ſtretch out the hand, according to this Hebrew phraſe,foreign Denotat fortiter apprehendere, aut potiùs apprehendendo conſortare, & roborare hoc eſt praeſtare auxilium. Improbis non favet nec eos juvat. Merc. implies ſtrong holding, or the taking of ſtrong hold upon any thing, ſo as by taking hold of it to ſtrengthen and confirm it, to give it help and aſſiſtance. A man that would give aſſiſtance to another in any buſineſſe or work, puts forth his hand to him. When we want help, we uſually beſpeak a friend, Pray lend me your hand. Now here, The Lord will not put forth his hand to evil doers; that is, the Lord gives them no aſſiſtance or help in their wickedneſſe. If wicked men ſay, Lord, lend us thy hand: no, ſaith he, I will not lend you my hand. We finde this phraſe frequent in Scripture. That (Gen. 19.16.) illuſtrates it fully; where Lot being warned to go out of Sodome (verſ. 16.) while he lingred the men (that is, the Angels) laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters, the Lord being mercifull unto him, and they brought him forth, and ſet him without the City. They laid hold upon their hands: It is the word of the text. When the Lord ſees wicked men, in any diſtreſſe or danger (as Lot was in Sodome) or when they want help and aſſiſtance in any buſineſſe, he will not be mercifull to them in taking them by the hand, or in laying his hand ſtrongly upon them, either to pull them out of the danger, or to give them help in difficulties. The ſinne of Jeruſalem is charged upon her in this language by the Prophet, in a parity with that of filthy Sodome. (Ezek. 16.49.) Neither did ſhe ſtrengthen the hand of the poor and needy: that is, ſhe did not relieve, comfort or help them. The ſinne oppoſite to this is charged upon the falſe Prophets by Jeremy (Chap. 23.14.) They ſtrengthen the hands of evil doers, either by counſell or by countenance, by flatteries or connivence. We read (Nehem. 6.) how often the enemies ſent falſe alarms to Nehemiah, and the people that were with him, to terrifie and affright them: Nehemiah ſhews the enemies deſign in it, verſ. 9. They all made us afraid, ſaying, their hands ſhall be weakned from the work that it be not done; therefore in the cloſe Nehemiah praies, Lord, ſtrengthen mine hands (it is this word) as if he had ſaid, Lord, help me, put thine hands to mine. So (Iſa. 35.3.) ſtrengthen the weak hands, put your hands to their hands, Pſal. 73.23. David acknowledging how he had almoſt fallen at the riſing of the wicked, ſhews yet what kept him up, Nevertheleſſe, I am continually with thee, thou haſt holden me by my right hand: the hand of providence is the power of God upholding our being, as the hand of Creation was the power of God giving us our being, Iſa. 42.6. I the Lord have called thee in righteouſneſſe, and I will hold thine hand and help thee. So, Iſa. 41.13. that is, by holding of thine hand I will help thee. The ſame word in the originall is uſed for hardening the heart (Exod. 9.12.foreign) becauſe hardneſſe of heart ſtrengthens it to doe evil. A hard heart is armed for any ſinne.
So then we ſee, when the Lord refuſeth to put forth his hand, or to take ſtrong hold (as the word imports) upon the hand of evil men, the meaning lies in one of theſe three things,
1. That he bears no favour to them, he doth not approve their cauſe or buſineſſe.
2. That he gives them no aſſiſtance nor encouragement in their buſineſſe.
3. That he will not deliver or reſcue them out of their diſtreſſes; when they are ſinking and falling he will not put forth his hand to hold them up, or to keep them from ſinking. God is hot a Patron or a Protectour, an Adjutor or Aider of evil doers.
Evil doers.
We muſt not take theſe evil doers for all and every one that doth evil, for then whom would God help? foreignWe may then ſay (with reverence) God help us indeed: what a miſerable condition were we then in, if God would not put forth his hand to help any that do evil? The evil doer is a man notoriouſly, profeſſedly, ſtudiouſly wicked, one that acts and deviſes evil againſt God and his waies. Every one who doth evil is not to be reckon'd an evil doer. A man doth evil in any one act: but one act doth not make him an evil doer. A Magiſtrate muſt count him an evil doer, who doth evil; and therefore he muſt take vengeance (in many caſes) of him that doth evil (though but once) Rom. 13.4. and though he repent. The Angels were caſt as evil doers for one act, and ſo was man in innocency: but now the evil doer is one who multiplies and continues in evil deeds; to ſuch as theſe the Lord will not put forth his hand, or give them his help. Obſerve then,
Firſt, That God is no friend, no aſſiſtant unto men in ſinfull waies.
He will not ſtrengthen the hands, or help forward the work of wicked men. God is the puniſher and judge of evil doers, therefore not their helper.
Evil doers oppoſe not only Gods law, but his nature, therefore he will not help them. He cannot exerciſe one Attribute againſt another; his power will not work againſt his holineſſe, or againſt his will.
There is a two-fold help which God giveth,
Firſt, A common help.
Secondly, A ſpeciall help.
We grant that God ſtrengthens the hands even of evil doers in regard of a common help: For no man could put forth his hand to any evil, as a ſinner, if God did not give him a generall aſſiſtance, as a creature. In this ſenſe the ſtrength by which men rebell and ſinne againſt God, comes from God. But he doth not ſtrengthen their hands, or give them help by any ſpeciall aſſiſtance. In the doing of good, we have a common aſſiſtance to the act, as there is a naturall motion in it, which God gives his people with the reſt of the world: but this will not carry them out to doe good compleatly. To bring forth any gracious act, they muſt have a ſpeciall aſſiſtance. Hence Chriſt ſaith, Without me ye can do nothing; he means it not of that generall ſupport which Chriſt gives to man, by which all live and move, and have their being in him (in that ſenſe no man is able to doe any thing without Chriſt, for in him all things conſ ſt) but when he ſaith, Without me ye can doe nothing, he means, without my ſpeciall aſſiſtance and ſtrength ye cannot perform holy and ſpirituall duties, acceptable unto God. So the Apoſtle, We have no ſufficiency of our ſelves, ſo much as to thinke a good thought. We have no ſufficiency to thinke any thought without ſome aſſiſtance; but to thinke a good thought, we have not any ſufficiency without a ſpeciall aſſiſtance. Wicked men are not able to doe evil, without a common aſſiſtance; but they have no ſpeciall aſſiſtance from God to do evil. He doth neither ſtir up and excite then luſts to the act, nor ſupply their luſts while they are acting. Wicked men have aſſiſtance enough in both from their own hearts, and from Satan. Though man hath no ſufficiency in himſelf to thinke one good thought, yet he hath a ſufficiency in himſelf to thinke all evil thoughts; As he is a creature he acts, and as he is a corrupt creature he ſins. Man hath full power and free-will to do evil therefore the Lord doth not put forth his hand to help the evil doer.
But it will be neceſſary for the underſtanding of this and other like Scripture, to conſider ſomewhat more diſtinctly, what God doth in reference to evil acts, or the acts of evil doers. He concurs, but not with ſuch a concurrence, as amounts to the helping of evil doers, or the ſtrengthening of their hands.
The firſt help which God gives evil doers, is privative, or negative, the calling in, or not giving out of that power, by which they might do good, or avoid evil. Thus he departed from Saul and then Saul went on, worſe and worſe againſt David. God hath ſomewhat to doe with evil doers, when he with-draws that help from them, by which they might be kept from doing evil. Or, when he doth not aſſiſt them againſt the evil of their own hearts, and the pollutions of the world. This deſerting and leaving them unto themſelves, laies them open to ſin. Yet the ſin which a man thus deſerted commits, can no more be charged upon God, then the darkneſſe of the night can be charged upon the Sunne for going down; ſinne follows divine deſertion, not as an effect doth the cauſe, but as a conſequent doth it's antecedent.
Secondly, He delivers or gives them up, firſt, to Satan: And ſecondly, to their own counſels, to a reprobate minde and vile affections, Pſal. 81.12. Rom. 1.24, 26. This tradition is an act beyond deſertion; there is a greater ſpirituall judgement in it, when God makes a mans own wickedneſſe active againſt him, then when he doth not make his Spirit or grace active in him. It were better to be put into the hands of all the tyrants in the world, yea, better be put into the hands of the devil, then into the hands of our own luſts and paſſions. God doth not give a reprobate minde or vile affections, but he gives up to them.
Thirdly, Evil doers in their doing evil are ordered by God. Wicked men (in every ſinfull act) runne beyond the line of obedience, but they cannot runne beyond the line of providence. God limits and circumſcribes the acts of wicked men, for otherwiſe every wicked man would be a monſter, a none-ſuch in wickedneſſe, if he could; every one would be a Cain, an Ahab, a Nero, a Cal… gula, &c. The ſinfulneſſe of men would be, not only out of meaſure ſinfull intenſive, in regard of the quality of it, but out of meaſure ſinfull extenſive, in regard of the quantity of it, it would break all bounds, carry all down before it, did not the Lord order and direct the diſorders and confuſions of it. There is a ſea of wickedneſſe in the heart of a wicked man, which is as boyſterous and unruly as the naturall ſea, and if the Lord did not ſet bounds to that ſea of wickedneſſe, and ſay, Hitherto ſhalt thou come and no further, it would overwhelm all. Thus farre alſo God hath to doe in the ſinfulneſſe of men, to limit and ſtay them, to reſtrain and keep them in compaſſe, while they ſinne. Every ſinne goes without the compaſſe of that law which God hath given, but no ſinne can get beyond the compaſſe of that leave which God gives.
Fourthly, We may ſay, God aſſiſts the motions of ſinne, but not the motions to ſinne, or the ſinfulneſſe of the motion. The ſtrength of a wicked mans hand, while he ſins is from the Lord, but the Lord doth not ſtrengthen his hand to ſinne. A ſinner hath naturall help from God, but he hath no morall help from God; he hath all that from himſelf, from his own wicked heart, or from Satan. To eat was a naturall act in our firſt parents, this was from God; but to eat againſt the command was a morall act, and that was from man, and the ſerpent. As ſuppoſe that a Muſician ſhould touch or play upon a Lute that is out of tune, his touching the Lute is an artificiall act, but the ſounding of it comes from the nature of the inſtrument: the ſounding of the inſtrument is from the hand of him that plaies upon it, but, that it ſounds untuneably, is, becauſe the inſtrument is out of tune. So the Lord by naturall aſſiſtance puts the hearts and hands of wicked men into motion, but that they move irregularly, that they make ſuch harſh muſick, that there is ſo much diſcord in their actions, that's from the diſorder and untuneableneſſe of their own ſpirits, not from the hand of God. They have not any morall aſſiſtance from God in ſinne, but a naturall only.
Or, take it negatively, God doth not help the evil doers.
Firſt, He doth not help the evil doers, by inſtilling the leaſt motion of evil into them. He caſts in, or infuſes holy thoughts and motions into the hearts of his own people, to prepare them for holy performances, but he never dropt the leaſt motion of evil into the heart of man, to fit him for wickedneſſe.
Secondly, The Lord doth not excite or ſtir up that naturall inherent corruption that is in wicked men; he doth not provoke or blow up their luſts. He excites the graces of his own people, when they are to doe any good: they have a principle of grace in them, and this God breaths upon, moving and acting it by freſh aſſiſtances. Neither of theſe waies doth the Lord aſſiſt evil doers.
Further, Taking the words (as they muſt) in a figure, when it is ſaid, God doth not help the evil doers; the meaning is, he doth oppoſe and reſiſt them. Hence obſerve,
Wicked men are reſiſted and oppoſed by God in their evil doings.
God is ſo farre from giving them any help, that he ſets himſelf againſt them. Underſtand this with a diſtinction.
There is a two-fold reſiſtance or oppoſition that God makes againſt the evil doings of men. There is,
1. A morall oppoſition.
2. A naturall oppoſition.
Or there is,
1. A declarative reſiſtance.
2. An operative reſiſtance.
When it is ſaid, that God doth reſiſt (as this phraſe imports or ſuppoſeth) wicked men in doing evil, we are to underſtand it, that he ever oppoſes them morally; that is, he ever laies a morall impediment in their way, and he ever oppoſes them declaratively, he declares his oppoſition in his Word. He never ſhews the leaſt liking of wicked men in their waies. For when he ſaith, He that is filthy, let him be filthy ſtill, and he that is unjust, let him be unjust ſtill (Revel. 22.11.) he doth not at all approve, but threatens theſe ſinners. This ſeeming admiſſion is the higheſt rebuke of ſinne. But take it for a naturall oppoſition, which is the bringing out of ſtrength and power to ſtop men in the waies of ſin: Thus the Lord doth not alwaies reſiſt evil doers. For if he did, it were impoſſible that any wicked man ſhould move one hairs breadth in doing evil; if God would put forth his power againſt man, he could not ſtir to ſin againſt God: but God doth not ſo, neither is he bound to lay a naturall impediment in the waies of wicked men. It is enough to acquit him in his holineſſe, that he ever laies a morall impediment in their way. He declareth his law againſt, and his diſlike of their ſins: and in this ſenſe he alwaies reſiſts them. All the ſinne of man is againſt the will of God, yet no man ſins whether God will or no. The declarative will of God is often reſiſted, but his operative will cannot be reſiſted. As (which may illuſtrate this) in the civill State, the laws of this Kingdome lay a morall impediment in the way of thievery and robbery, &c. It is perpetually declared by the law, that no man ought to take another mans eſtate from him violently; but yet the Kingdome doth not ever ſet a naturall impediment againſt, robbers, &c. That is, we doe not place a power of men to guard all high waies or houſes, to ſee that no paſſenger ſhall be robbed, or houſe broken open: So the Lord laies a morall impediment in the way of wicked men alwaies, but he doth not alwaies ſet his power againſt them, whereby he is able (if he pleaſe) to diſable wicked men from doing evil. Thirdly, Obſerve,
When wicked men are going down, down they ſhall.
Why? God will not put forth his hand to help them; they, whom God will not aſſiſt or help, cannot ſtand long. They in the Pſalm thought they had got the godly man at an advantage, Come (ſay they) let us perſecute and take him, for God hath forſaken him, and there is none to deliver him; Now we may have our wils of this man, for God ſtands by and doth not own him. If God be a neuter, his friends cannot ſtand long, how then ſhall his enemies ſtand, when he is their oppoſer? We may conclude againſt wicked men, that they ſhall be deſtroyed, for God hath forſaken them, he will not own them; and as Hamans wife told him ſadly, Eſt. 6.13. If Mordecai be of the ſeed of the Jews, before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou ſhalt ſurely fall before him. When a man is going down, nothing can ſtay him, if God doe not: his hand muſt ſupport a ſinking and tottering perſon or Nation, or elſe either fals. When wicked enemies begin to fall, they ſhall fall and periſh, for God will not put forth his hand to help the evil doers.
Now follows the effect of all. The effect firſt of Gods gracious helping of the righteous, He will not caſt away the righteous man; and is that all? Shall a righteous man be only not rejected? As mans duty ought not, ſo the mercy of God doth not ſtay in negatives. The Lord hath poſitive bleſſings in ſtore for his people; the later part of the promiſe affirms this, He will not caſt away the righteous man.
Verſe 21. Till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with rejoycing.
Till he fill thy mouth with laughing.] And is it but juſt till then? Will the Lord, when he hath ſet his people a laughing, leave them and help them no more? Will he, when he hath given them cauſe of joy, caſt them off? His people had better never laugh at all, then laugh upon thoſe terms.Particula, donec non ſignificat poſtea projiciendum eſſe à Deo ſimplicem, ſed quod immutabiliter ſervabitur à Deo. No man can laugh long, nor at all (upon any due ground) if God leave him.
We are not to underſtand this [Till] to be a terminative, or a determinative particle, as if the Lords care and favour towards his people, ſhould be only till he put them in a good eſtate, and then they muſt ſhift for themſelves. God puts no ſuch limits to his love. It cannot ſo much comfort the ſoul to know God loves us now, as it would trouble the ſoul, to thinke a time may come when he will not love us. The [till] here notes a continued act; it is as much as to ſay, He will never caſt them off. The word [untill] both in the Hebrew and Greek, often notes everlaſtingneſſe. God makes a promiſe to Jacob in this form (Gen. 28.19.) I will not leave thee, untill I have done that which I have spoken to thee of. And would he leave him then? No, the meaning is, I will never leave thee (Pſa. 110.1.) Sit thou on my right hand, untill I make thine enemies thy footstool. Chriſt ſhall not be put from the right hand of God when his enemies are ſubdued under his feet, Chriſt ſhall ſit there for ever.
Till he fill thy mouth with laughing.
Thy mouth.] Obſerve here the change of the perſon: he ſpake before in the third perſon, The Lord will not eaſt away the perfect man, now he brings it home and applies it unto Job, Till he fill thy mouth with laughing; as if he had ſaid, That which I ſpake in the third perſon, I meant it as appliable unto thy ſelf, that generall truth may be made good to thy perſon, Till he fill thy mouth. Hoc quod dixi in tantum verū eſt, ut in te ſentieris. Aquin.I doe not ſpeak ſpeculations or fleeing notions of things that ſhall never come to paſſe; If thou follow my counſell, thy own experience will quickly teach thee, That God will not caſt thee off, till he fill thy mouth with laughing.
Laughter is an act of joy flowing from reaſon.Os impleri dicitur riſu, cum aliquis tanta animi hilaritate perfruitur, ut illa cordis bilalaritas per veciferationem conclamationem riſum aut hujuſmodi exteriora ſigna valde appareat. Bold. To fill the mouth with laughing notes great joy, ſuch an income of joy, ſo much matter of joy, that the heart cannot hold it, but out it muſt at the mouth: joy begins at the heart, there's the ſeat of it: and when the heart is ſo full of it that it cannot hold, then it runs over at the mouth and lips; that is, we expreſſe the inward joy of the heart by ſome outward ſign or token, ſpeech or geſture. So then to ſay, I will not caſt thee away, till I have filled thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with rejoycing, is as much as to ſay, I will not leave thee, till thou haſt more comfort then thine heart can hold, ſo much, that thou muſt give it vent at thy lips, and be ſpeaking of it.
The word for laughter ſignifies as well inward as outward joy, heart-laughter as well as face-laughter. Beſides there is a two-fold laughter.
Firſt, A laughing of joy. And
Secondly, A laughing of ſcorn, called ſubſannation. With both theſe laughters the Lord will fill the mouths of his people.
Firſt, With laughing for joy: for joy at their own comfortable and good eſtate, for joy that the Lord hath glorified himſelf in their deliverance. Theſe things are great matter of joy to them. And then he will fill their mouths with a laughing of deriſion, they ſhall ſcorn their enemies who have ſcorned at them. God laughs at the proud oppoſers of his truth and people, Pſal. 2. He that fitteth in the heavens ſhall laugh, the Lord ſhall have them in deriſion. When the Lord hath confounded the plots of his enemies, he laugheth at them; his people alſo ſhall laugh, not inſulting in the ſinnes and miſeries of men, but in the vengeance and diſappointments which God poureth upon them. The deriſions and ſcorns of the Saints have more holineſſe in them, then the devotions and prayers of wicked men. The word in the next clauſe is conſiderable.
foreign à radice foreignAnd thy lips with rejoycing.
We tranſlate rejoycing, but the word properly ſignifies a joyfull ſound. So it is uſed (Pſal. 89.15.) Bleſſed is the people that know the joyfull found And it ſignifies to make a joyfull ſound,Perſonavit, vocifer… eſt, vocem magnam edidit. either with the mouth, which is a naturall inſtrument, or with a trumpet or any other artificiall inſtrument. Bleſſed are the people that know the joyfull ſound, that live within the ſound of the ſilver trumpet which congregated the people of God,foreign eſt laetum clamorē tollere ut ſolent homines fiducia praediti & speerecti, ut milites ante praelium. Latini Barritum vocant; clamor quem Barritum vocant, non prius debet attolli quam acies utra que ſe ju…xerit. Veget. and gave notice of their ſolemn meetings for publike worſhip. This word is applied ſometimes to that rude ſound, or confuſed noiſe, which ſouldiers make when they come on to charge in battell; they commonly make a great clamour, to ſtrike the adverſary with terrour and amazement, and to encourage and raiſe their own ſpirits. The Greeks and Latins have their ſpeciall terms to expreſſe it by, noted by the learned in the proprieties of thoſe languages.
Again, That word is uſed for the confuſed noiſe of worſted or conquer'd enemies, when they flee and runne away. So (Judg. 7.31.) when Gideon had diſcomfited the hoſt of the Amalekites, all the hoſt ran and cried they made a dolefull ſound: ſo the word bears, as well as a joyfull ſound.
Thirdly, The word is chiefly uſed to note the ſound or acclamation of ſouldiers after victory is obtained; a prevailing army ſhouts when the adverſe forces are routed and overcome. Thus, in that famous inſtance (Joſh. 6.5.) Joſhua gives command, that when they make a long blaſt with the rams horns, and when they heard the ſound of the trumpet, all the people ſhould ſhout with a great ſhout. Which ſhout is expreſſed by the word of the text, and in the tenth verſe he charges that they ſhould not ſhout or make a noiſe with their voice till the ſeventh day, becauſe that was deſigned for the day of victory, the day when the wall ſhould fall: You ſhall not ſhout nor make any noiſe with your voice, neither ſhall any word proceed out of your mouths, till the day I bid you ſhout, then ſhall ye ſhout. Balaam (Numb. 23.21.) confeſſes he could not curſe Iſrael, becauſe the ſhout of a King was amongſt them. It is this word. That ſhout of a King may be underſtood three waies.
Firſt, That it was ſuch a ſhout as Kings uſed to have in their reception and coronation; Such a ſhout, ſaith he, there is among this people, as if a King were to be received and crowned. Thus when Samuel brought Saul out, whom he had anointed for King, and ſaid, See ye him whom the Lord hath choſen that there is none like him among all the people? And all the people ſhouted, and ſaid, God ſave the King, 1 Sam. 10.24.
Or ſecondly, It noteth ſuch a ſhout as is in an army, where a King in perſon is leader or victour.
Thirdly, The ſhout of a King is amongſt them, becauſe the voice of a King ſhould be as the ſound of a trumpet, or ſome loud inſtrument, to enform and direct his people, as alſo to enourage them.
From all, we ſee this rejoycing is no ordinary joy; It is a high, a triumphant joy, I will fill thy lips with rejoycing, till thou ſhall ſing VICTORIA over all thine enemies and calamities.
Further, This alſo is in it, a rejoycing with praiſe: not a bare rejoycing in the bleſſings and deliverances, but a rejoycing in the praiſes of God, who hath given thoſe bleſſings, and wrought, thoſe deliverances. The Septuagint tranſlate it by rendring of thanks,foreign, i. e. confeſſio…e laudis & gratiarum actionis pro accepta reſti tuta que ſoelicitate. or a confeſſion of praiſe, I will not caſt thee away, till I have filled thy lips with rejoycing; that is, with my praiſes. Thus David praies (Pſal. 71.8.) Let my mouth be filled with thy praiſe, and with thine honour all the day long. Praiſe filling the heart fils the mouth; joy as well as ſorrow pent up, ſtifles the Spirit. Hence we may obſerve,
Firſt, That as joy is the portion of the people of God, ſo in good time they ſhall receive their portion.
He will not caſt off a perfect man, till he fill his mouth with joy, and his lips with rejoycing. Joy is their due, and joy they ſhall have. Hereafter they ſhall have their Maſters joy, Enter into your Maſters joy, will Chriſt ſay at laſt. Now they ſhall have ſuch a joy as befits them, whileſt they are in their Maſters ſervice. And as rejoycing is the portion, ſo the proper portion, the peculiar of godly men. Though laughing, as it is a naturall act, is common to all men, yet in the ſenſe we ſpeak of, laughter is appropriated unto godly and perfect men: They only can laugh indeed who have mourned indeed. Tibi ridet & mihi, non ſibi.A wicked man doth but feign a laugh. He laughs to thee and to me, but he doth not laugh to himſelf: He hath no true laughter, while he laughs. His laughter is madneſſe, and proceeds from his ignorance, not from his reaſon. Beſides other marks of difference which ſhall be put between the ſervants of God and their enemies, this is one, My ſervants ſhall rejoyce, and ye ſhall be aſhamed (Iſa. 65.13.) This joy ariſes two waies.
Firſt, From the greatneſſe of the bleſſing, which they receive for themſelves. We muſt rejoyce in the leaſt mercy, how greatly then in the greateſt? Our joyes take their meaſure by our mercies. When Sarah had a Son, ſhe ſaid, God hath made me to laugh, ſo that all that hear me ſhall laugh with me, Gen. 21.6. Her mercy in receiving a ſonne was ſo great, that it would ſerve a whole world to make merry with. The man that had found his loſt ſheep, laid it on his ſhoulders, rejoycing (it was a pleaſant burden to him) and when he came home, he called together his friends and neighbours, ſaying, Rejoyce with me (Luk. 15.6.) As ſome afflictions are ſo big, that all our own ſorrows are not large enough to weep and mourn over them: ſo ſome bleſſings are ſo big, that they call out more then our own affections to rejoyce over them.
Secondly, This overflowing joy ariſes from the greatneſſe of thoſe judgements, which are poured out upon the enemies of the Saints. The overthrow of Pharaoh at the red ſea, of Jabin and Siſera at the brook Kiſhon, filled all hearts and mouths with laughter, and ſo ſhall the overthrow of Babylon, Rev. 15.
Thus, when God doth great things for his people, and great things againſt his enemies, then it is time to rejoyce greatly (Pſal. 126.1.) The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we rejoyce, ſay the captive Jews in the morning or firſt dawnings of their deliverance from Babylon; and more then ſo, Then was our mouth fill'd with laughter, and our tongue with ſinging. And there is cauſe of great rejoycing in thoſe great things, becauſe then God fulfils his promiſes, and makes his Name glorious in his providences. Then God is greatly honoured, when his people are greatly delivered; then the blaſphemies of wicked men are unanſwerably confuted, and their mouths for ever ſtopped. From all theſe conſiderations the hearts of the Saints are filled with laughter, and their mouths with rejoycing in a day when God works great things. At ſuch times joy, and this degree of it, is not only our priviledge, but our duty. When we carry a meſſage of thanks to God, we muſt not come with uncheerfull countenances, or ſowr faces. It is a comely thing, when our affections keep time and proportion with the diſpenſations of God. When we cannot ſing the ſongs of Sion, or uſe our harps by the waters of Babylon, and when we cannot but ſing either in the reſtoring of Sion, or in the ruines of Babylon.
Some may object thoſe texts, Woe to them that laugh, &c. (Luk. 6.25.) It ſeems laughter is the portion of wicked men, for woe (we are ſure) is their portion. It's true, worldly laughter, a laughter in corn, and wine, and oil, a laughter in riches, and honours, and carnall pleaſures, as ſuch, is a laughter with a woe annexed. But to laugh in the ſenſe of the goodneſſe of God, giving us outward good things to expreſſe our ſelves joyfully, when God expreſſes himſelf graciouſly, is not only comely, but holy. When Gods heart comes out at his hand, and is ſeen in his actions, our hearts ſhould come out at our mouths, and be heard in our exultations.
Thus we have ſeen the effect of the goodneſſe of God upon his own people. See the effect of his juſtice upon wicked men.
Verſe 22. They that hate thee ſhall be cloathed with ſhame, and the dwelling place of the wicked ſhall come to nought.
God reſiſts, or will not put forth his hand to evil doers, then follows, They ſhall be brought to ſhame. Shame is oppoſite to laughing: he that rejoyceth, uſually holds up his head, and cares not who ſees him; but he that is aſhamed, holds down his head, and endures not to be ſeen. Some men laugh in their ſleeves (as we ſay) but all men would be aſhamed in their ſleeves.
They that hate thee.foreign Od…o habuit, contempſit. Dicitur etiam aliquando pe… comparationem alterius, quod nagis am…ur non quod propriè odio habeatur. Rab. Dav. in l. Rad.
The word hath a double ſignification.
Firſt, It imports the putting forth of bitter hatred, when a man ſets himſelf maliciouſly againſt his brother.
Secondly, It is taken comparatively for a leſſer or more remiſſe putting forth of love. He may be ſaid to hate, who wants a due heat and height of love. In that ſenſe Jacob was taxed for hating Leah, Gen. 29.31. When the Lord ſaw that Leah was hated, &c. Take hatred in the common notion, and then ſurely Jacob was not a man ſo forgetfull of a husbands duty, as to hate his wife: the meaning then is only this, The Lord ſaw that Leah had a leſſe portion of love than Rachel had, or leſſe then her conjugall relation called for. Jacob did not love her with that ſtrength of affection with which he loved Rachel. Which expoſition is clear (verſ. 30.) and he (namely Jacob) loved Rachel more then Leah; then, Leah was loved, yet Jacobs loving of Rachel more then Leah, is called, hating of Leah. Not to love another in that degree we ought, is a degree of hatred. And in this ſenſe we may take it here; for though ſuch as maliciouſly, and profeſſedly ſet themſelves againſt the righteous are chiefly intended and fitted for this veſture of ſhame; yet it is cut out alſo for them, who doe not love and eſteem the righteous, who do not prize and rejoyce in them, as the beauty and dignity which Chriſt hath put upon them, invites them to doe. Theſe haters ſhall be cloathed with ſhame; according to the degree of their hatred ſhall be the degree of their ſhame.
They ſhall be cloathed with ſhame.
foreign à radice foreignTo be aſhamed at all is a great puniſhment; what is it then to be cloathed with ſhame? To be cloathed with ſhame is a great puniſhment, and moſt proper for thoſe who are proud of their cloathing.Puduit aliquem rei vel facti. Our Engliſh word abaſht is as near it in …ound as in ſenſe.
Shame is the fruit of ſinne. When there was no ſinne in the world, there was no ſhame in the world, The man and his wife were both naked, and were not aſhamed. Innocency knew no ſhame, and glory ſhall know none. It is good to be aſhamed when we have done evil, but it is beſt to doe no evil, whereof to be aſhamed. Shame is a perturbation or trouble of minde, expreſſed outwardly by holding down the head, or by bluſhing in the face. And it ariſeth three waies.
1. From doing ſomewhat againſt common light: though every act of evil hath matter of ſhame in it, yet a man is not naturally aſhamed of it, unleſſe it be done againſt the light of nature. Not to be aſhamed of ſuch ſinnes, is to put out the light of nature. Such men are grown down into beaſts. The impudence of Jeruſalem is ſet forth in ſinning againſt the light of Scripture without bluſhing, Iſa. 3.9. Were they at all aſhamed? Some are ſo modeſt, that they are aſhamed to hear of, much more to be praiſed for the good which they have done: Others are ſo impudent, that they are not aſhamed to hear of, no, nor to be reproved for, the evil which they have done, Were they at all aſhamed? As if he had ſaid, what a boldnes or impudence is this people come to, they are not aſhamed of thoſe things, which are clearly forbidden in the Word. A good man is aſhamed of any thing he hath done againſt the light of Scripture. Every man is aſhamed of what he doth againſt the light of nature.
2. Shame ariſes from long delay, or detainments much beyond expectation. When Moſes ſtaid long in the Mount, the people were aſhamed (Exod. 32.1.) So Judg. 3.25. when Eglon ſtaid long in the inner parlour, the text ſaith, his ſervants, who waited without, were aſhamed.
3. Shame ariſeth from utter diſappointments. If hope deferred cauſeth ſhame, then much more hope deſtroyed. When a man ſees his hopes quite cut off, ſo that he can no way reach the thing he looked for, ſhame takes hold of him ſtrongly. David praies (Pſal. 119.116.) Ʋphold me according to thy word, that I may live, and let me not be aſhamed of my hope; that is, let me not loſe my hope, for then I ſhall be aſhamed; my enemies will rejoyce and hoot at me, where's the word upon which you truſted to be upholden? Read Iſa. 19.9. Pſal. 27.6. Pſal. 119.116. In all which Scriptures we finde ſhame following the totall fruſtration and diſappointment of hope.
Evil doers ſhall be aſhamed upon theſe three grounds, they have done things againſt common light. They ſhall ſtay waiting and gaping long for what they deſire. They ſhall ſee themſelves totally diſappointed and defeated in their deſires; hence ſhame ſhall fill their faces, and they ſhall be covered with it as with a garment.
Here is more then bare ſhame waiting upon them, the text ſaith, They ſhall be cloathed with ſhame. To be cloathed is applied both to ornament and diſhonour. There are three degrees of expreſſion in Scripture about ſhame.
1. Barely to be aſhamed, that's the loweſt.
2. To have the face covered with ſhame; Let not them that wait on thee, O Lord God of hoſts, be aſhamed for my ſake. Becauſe for thy ſake I have born reproach, ſhame hath covered my face (Pſal. 69.6, 7.) The Prophet complains, that his face was covered with ſhame; his enemies endeavoured to blot and aſperſe him, they poured contempt and reproaches upon his face, that is, upon his reputation in the world (to doe ſo, is to cover the face with ſhame) therefore he praies, Let not thoſe that wait on thee be confounded for my ſake. Lord, they have covered me with ſhame, but doe thou vindicate my reputation and mine honour; let not them that wait on thee be aſhamed for my ſake, becauſe I have had ſhame upon me for thy ſake: that is, let not any be diſcouraged in thy ſervice, through my ſufferings. The Apoſtle feared ſome would faint, becauſe of his tribulations, Eph. 3.13.
Indui confuſione eſt Hebraiſmus quo exprimitur omnimoda & u…di que con und…ns verecūdia. Bold. Veſtimenta dicuntur abominari, quaſi maculam contrabere timentes.3. To be cloathed with ſhame, which implies the whole man under a covering of diſgrace. Some are ſo cloathed with ſin, that their very cloaths are aſhamed of them, being unwilling to touch or hide ſuch ſinnes. Job ſpeaks that ſenſe in the ninth Chapter (verſ. 31.) concerning his own righteouſneſſe in juſtification, If I waſh my ſelf with ſnow-water, and make my hands never ſo clean, yet thou wilt plunge me in the ditch, and mine own cloaths ſhall a…horre me; that is, if I ſhould ſet my ſelf up in my own righteouſneſſe; my own cloaths would be doth to cover ſuch a piece of ſpirituall pride, as that act would witneſſe me to be.
To be cloathed with ſhame notes four things.
Firſt, The extent or abundance of it. To be cloathed with honour, is to have much honour. To be cloathed with humility, is to be very humble (1 Pet. 5.5.) He that is cloathed is covered all over with his cloathing.
Secondly, The publikeneſſe of it, that ſhame cannot be hid. A man cannot goe abroad but his cloathingis ſeen:Manifeſtè confundentur. Aqu. the filthineſſe which lies underneath may be hid, but his cloathing cannot. Their ſhame ſhall cloath them, they ſhall not put their ſhame under their cloaths, their ſhame ſhall be in ſight.
Thirdly, They ſhall be cloathed with ſhame, may be underſtood thus,Eſt quaſi praemium peccati, mercedis onim nomine Syndones olim dabantur. Shame ſhall be their reward. They have been doing the buſines of Satan, he ſet them a work, now ſee what livery they ſhall have at laſt, into what ſute the devil will put them. They ſhall goe in a livery of diſhonour. Servants are cloathed by their Maſters; Satan cloaths his ſervants, and this is their cloathing, they ſhall be cloathed with ſhame. Samſon was to give thirty change of garments to the Philiſtines for a reward, if they could declare his riddle (Judg. 14.12.Natura pudore tact… ſa…guinē ante ſe pro velamento diffund…t & obte…dit. Macr. l. 7. c 11.) Satan gives liveries and garments of ſhame to thoſe who ſtudy out his riddles, and do his drudgery.
Fourthly, If we take the letter of the Hebraiſme, to be cloathed with ſhame implies thus much, that when a man hath done a thing of which he is aſhamed; he (as it were) ſends forth bloud into the face, in a bluſh, to cover that foul act, he puts out a red garment, or a ſcarlet vail to hide his filthineſſe. Thus he is cloathed with ſhame. Modeſty commands nature, and (where it is but honeſtly natur'd) prevails with it to caſt this covering over all uncomelines in ſpeech or practice; and though this bluſh appears only in the face, yet the whole body is dipt and died with the ſame color.
Hence alſo they who are aſhamed,Solent qui erubeſcunt manum faciei, quia opprobrium ac dedecus timent admovere. Bold. either hold their hands before their faces to cover them, or hold their heads down that they may not be diſcovered. Obſerve,
That which evil men glory in, will be matter of their abaſement.
The Apoſtle ſaith, They glory in their ſhame (Phil. 3.19.) not formally, but materially. No man can glory in any thing under the notion of ſhame, but many glory in that which is in it ſelf ſhamefull,foreign Idolum cujus pudet cultorem, poſt quam ab eo in periculis deſtitutus, nec a… jutus fuerit. and will be their ſhame. The Hebrew expreſſes an Idol, by a word that ſignifies ſhame, or a ſhamefull thing (and it is the root of that in the text) becauſe Idols, firſt or laſt, make their worſhippers aſhamed, Jer. 11.13. According to the number of thy Cities were thy gods, O Judah, ye have ſet up altars to that ſhamefull thing. Idolaters ſhall ſee at laſt how fooliſh they have been in worſhipping a ſtock or a ſtone, in adoring the inventions of their own brains, which can do them no good in an evil day: every Idol is a ſhamefull thing, becauſe it deceiveth it's worſhippers: ſo every ſinfull act will be like an Idol, matter of ſhame, becauſe every ſin is a deceit, Iſa. 26. They ſhall be aſhamed for their envy at my people: They ſhall ſee their envy againſt the people of God was unreaſonable, groundleſſe and fruitleſſe, therefore they ſhall be aſhamed; and if they ſhall be aſhamed of their envy againſt the people of God, how ſhall they be aſhamed of their oppoſition and injuries, of their oppreſſion and injuſtice, Iſa. 41.11. Behold all they that were incenſed against thee ſhall be aſhamed. The Churches enemies glory in their own ſhame, and the Church ſhall glory in the ſhame of her enemies; therefore ſhe is called to behold it, as a piece of her glory.
Obſerve further, They that hate thee ſhall be cloathed with ſhame, then, wicked men are haters of the righteous. They are haters of God, therefore they muſt be haters of thoſe who have the Image of God upon them. As he that loves, ſo he that hates him that begets, hates him alſo that is begotten. Naturall men are ſuch haters of holineſſe, that they hate that which is but the image, the Idol of holineſſe, hypocriſie, they cannot endure a man, who doth but ſeem religious. It is ſaid of the Panther, that he bears ſuch hatred againſt man, that if he ſee but the picture of a man, he will tear it to pieces. Many men have ſuch an hatred againſt true, reall goodneſſe, that they cannot abide the ſhadow or appearance of it.
Olim in tentorijs habitabant, unde factum ut tentorium pro qualibet domo accipiatur. Per domum innuit familiam totam cum omnibus rebus domeſticis. Druſ. foreign ad verbum, non ipſum, ſubintelligitur eſt, vel erit.And the dwelling place of the wicked ſhall come to nought.
We have met many paſſages to this purpoſe. Dwelling place in the Hebrew is a tabernacle, becauſe they were wont to dwell in tabernacles. And when he ſaith, His tabernacle ſhall be brought to nought, The meaning is, His whole estate ſhall be brought to nought, not only the wals of his houſe ſhall be overthrown, but all his goods, his riches, his honours, his titles, his children, his relations, whatſoever is dear to him ſhall be brought to nought; the Hebrew is, It ſhall not be; it ſhall be, as if ſuch a thing had never been in the world. God will at laſt make an utter conſumption of wicked men. None who have tabernacles in the world, ſhall long have a tabernacle in the world. But the fall of theſe mens tabernacles ſhall not be according to the condition of mortality only. As Moſes ſpeaks of Corah, Dathan, &c. Theſe men ſhall not die the common death of all men, a remarkable judgement ſhall overtake them. Some take tabernacle, to note their religious duties, their worſhip and ſervice of God, and ſo their ſpirituall eſtate. Wicked men will ſerve God outwardly, they have their tabernacles as well as the Saints, they pray and hear, &c. But, be it a civill, or be it a religious tabernacle, down it muſt, all their riches and all their religion ſhall come to nought.