Exposition of Job 8-10 — Joseph Caryl

Exposition of Job 8-10 · Joseph Caryl

JOB Chap. 9. Verſ. 22, 23, 24.

This is one thing, therefore I ſaid it, he destroieth the perfect and the wicked.

If the ſcourge ſlay ſuddenly, he will laugh at the triall of the innocent.

The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: he covereth the faces of the Iudges thereof; if not, where, and who is he?

Videtur hic loc… impictatem in…ludere, quaſi apud Iob, unum & idem ſit piorum & improboru… judiciū, quo… que Deus haec inferiora non curet. Iſid. Cla….THis ſpeech of Iob cauſed a learned interpreter to tremble, when he read it, conceiving, that it ſavoured ſtrongly of impiety and blaſphemy, as if Iob had mingled the ſtate of the wicked and of the righteous in one; or, as if his minde were, that the Lord did not diſtinctively order the affairs of the world by the dictates of his wife providence, but left them to be hudled together by inexorable fate or blinde fortune; therefore he concludes that Iob rather perſonates a man void of the true knowledge and fear of God, than ſpeaks his own opinion. Thus he cenſures: but let Job be well weighed, and his diſcourſe will appear full of truth and holineſſe.

This is one thing, therefore I ſaid it.

This is one thing.] As if he had ſaid, You have ſpoken many things to me about the power, greatneſſe, juſtice and wiſdome of God, in all which I agree with you, ye and I have no difference about thoſe points, I have alwaies thought highly of God, and I deſire to think humbly of my ſelf; but here is one thing, wherein I muſt for ever diſagree from you, here we muſt part.

So that this verſe is as the limit-ſtone between Iobs opinion,Hoc unā eſt meae aſſertionis caput. and that of his friends. Here he ſpeaks out the speciall tenet which he holds in oppoſition to them. As if he had ſaid, I yeeld and ſubſcribe to your judgement in all but this one, and in this one thing I muſt be your adverſary, though I will not be your enemy, I ſay it, and ſay it again, He deſtroieth both the righteous and the wicked.

This is one thing.] This is uniform: So M^r Broughton reads it, and in this thing I am uniform, or of the ſame minde and judgment, I am not at all moved from my hold, or ſhaken by any thing ye have ſaid.

Therefore I ſaid it.] That is, becauſe I am of this opinion and judgement, therefore I will not conceal, but bring it forth, and tell you plainly what my thoughts are. The manner of ſpeech, I ſaid it, ſignifies a vehement aſſeveration, a liberty and boldneſſe of ſpeech, or a conſtant adhering and ſticking to what hath been aſſerted, I will abide by this poſition as long as I live, I cannot be beaten from it, not becauſe it is my opinion, but becauſe it is a truth.

Before I come to the aſſertion it ſelf, obſerve from the preface, This is one thing,

That truth is ever the ſame, and we ſhould be the ſame in maintaining truth.

When a man ſpeaks a thing, of which he is very ſure and reſolved to hold, he ſaith, in our language, That's once, that is, I have ſaid it, and I will not unſay it, or eat my words. As Pilate when he was deſired to change the inſcription which he had put upon the croſſe of Chriſt, anſwered, What I have written, I have written, I will not alter a letter or a title: So a confident aſſertour anſwers, What I have ſaid, I have ſaid; This is one thing, therefore I ſaid it. Truth changes not, why then ſhould I, who have born witneſſe to this truth. Truth muſt be ſtood to. We have reaſon to ſtick to truth, for truth will ſtick to us; we may ſay it, and ſay it again, for it will doe us good again and again. The declarative truth of God is like Chriſt, the eſſentiall truth, The ſame yeſterday, and to day, and for ever. Though it be very old, yet, it waxeth not old.

And becauſe this in the text was a great truth, the very hinge upon which the whole diſpute between Job and his friends turned, therefore he is ſo reſolute in it. Whence note further,

That great and fundamentall truths are to be maintained with much boldneſſe and ſtrength of reſolution.

As it is a good bargain to buy a little truth with the expence of much peace: So it is our wiſdome, as well as our duty, to maintain it with the expence of our peace. They are the worſt ſort of cowards who render up the Holds of truth upon compoſition. No tearms honourable enough can be given for the giving up of that. I grant that our peace and lives are richer commodities, then ſhould be hazarded about trifling niceties, and the crochets of Schoolmen: but we ought to contend earneſtly (and we cannot contend too reſolutely) for the faith which was once delivered to the Saints (Jude v. 3.)

Obſerve thirdly, A man that hath got one ſound principle about any point, will from that refute and repell all objections that can come againſt him.

Super hec axioma tanquam ſuper firmiſſi …ū fundamentum, quicquid ad ſuae innucentiae contra eos defenſionem alla…rus eſt, ſtab…l…at. Bold.Job bottoms himſelf upon this principle, That God deſtroies both good and bad alike with outward deſtruction. This is his great Axiome, the very foundation upon which he buildeth all he holds contradictory to his friends; the Fort-Royall in which he defends himſelf againſt all their oppoſitions and aſſaults. One truth well mann'd and mannag'd ſcatters and foils a whole Army of errours. One text thorowly underſtood, gives anſwer to all objections, and unties all the knots of a controverſie.

But what's this one thing upon which Iob makes his boaſt, and cries victoria? 'Tis this, He deſtroieth the perfect and the wicked. A harſh doctrine, yet a good one. God is to be honoured deſtroying, as well as ſaving, killing, as well as making alive.

foreignThe word which we tranſlate to deſtroy, ſignifies an utter blotting out or conſumption of a thing, noting that the outward diſpenſations of God may be ſevere and terrible to the perfect,Propriè delet, diſperdit, frequenter ad extremā conſummationem & conſumptionem refertur. as well as to the wicked. He doth not ſay, the Lord afflicts the one, and deſtroies the other; chaſtens the one, and conſumes the other; but he conſumes and deſtroies the one, as well as the other, He destroies.

The perfect.

Who is a perfect man in the language of Scripture,foreign and wherein this perfection conſiſts, hath been opened more then once already, and therefore I ſhall not ſtay upon it here. Only in generall, The perfect man is the man in the higheſt form of holineſſe; a man full of knowledge, faith and good works, one of the firſt three in grace, yea he may be the firſt of the three, yet all this is no ſecurity againſt the foreſt affliction, againſt affliction to deſtruction temporall, He deſtroieth the perfect, And the wicked.

Or the unquiet and tumultuous man.foreign Inquietum per multas hujus ſaeculi curas ſolicitudineſ que vagantem. Every wicked man is an unſetled, and an unquiet man. He hath no where to reſt, who hath not Chriſt to reſt upon: He is alwaies out of the way, who is not in him, who is the way. Wicked men reſt only in doing evil, they are never quiet but in motions unto ſinne. God ſhews us their nature in their name. Ʋnquiet is their name, and unquietneſſe is with them. Wicked men trouble and vex others as much as they can, but they trouble and vex themſelves moſt of all.

By theſe wicked ones the Septuagint underſtand mighty and rich men. Riches are ſo often got by wickedneſſe,LXX. Impium pro potente & locuplete ſumunt. Qui pietate inſignis & vita clarus. Polychr. Olymp. and are occaſions to ſo many of making them wicked, that wicked and rich may ſometimes change names, or ſignifie the ſame perſon.

One of the Greek Expoſitors underſtands the text, of thoſe who are great in goodnes, and ſtrong in faith, He deſtroies the perfect, and he deſtroies him that is moſt perfect, even the moſt eminent in holineſſe, the talleſt Cedars in grace. As if the words implied only a gradation of good men, and not a diſtinction of good and bad.

But the letter of the text hath no ſhew of reaſon at all for ſuch an interpretation, and therefore I ſhall paſſe it by, and take the words as our tranſlation renders them, holding forth that grand dichotomy of man-kinde, He deſtroieth the perfect and the wicked.

This Job affirms againſt Bildads aſſertion (Chap. 8.20.) who there gives his judgement thus. God will not caſt away a righteous man; which (though it may have a true ſenſe, yet Bildads meaning being, that God will not caſt a godly man away in this life, or totally deſtroy him in temporals) Job denies, affirming that a godly man may not only be afflicted, but afflicted all his life, and die under that affliction, which in Bildads ſenſe is to be caſt away. For though Bildad did not hold (as Eliphaz) that every man who is afflicted, is afflicted for wickedneſſe (he thought a good man might be afflicted for the triall and exerciſe of his graces) yet he was very confident, that God never ſuffered a righteous man to be overwhelmed with affliction: but after fome ſhort, though ſharp aſſaults reſtored him again. And therefore Bildad numbred them alſo with the wicked, who were deſtroied as well as afflicted. This Job refutes and argues againſt all along, conſtantly holding the contrary principle, that a godly man maybe ſo afflicted, as to be deſtroied, that he may be utterly and for ever ſtript of worldly comforts. Hence obſerve,

Good and bad, righteous and wicked are often involved in the ſame outward evils.

The ſpiritual eſtate of a righteous man is ſo ſtrong, and ordered in all things, that he can neither totally nor finally fall from it, or loſe it, Grace is above theſe hazards. But the temporall eſtate of a righteous man may be loſt, both totally and finally. Riches, and health and honour, are like themſelves, whoſoever is their maſter, fading and periſhing. A righteous man hath a higher tenure of things below, and holds them upon better terms then a wicked man doth; yet he holds them but for a terme, they are not enduring ſubſtance to him, as not to others. A little that a righteous man hath is better then the riches of many wicked (Pſal. 37.16.) But the righteous may be deprived of what he hath, as ſoon as any of the wicked. (Eccleſ. 9.1.) No man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before him; all things come alike to all, there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked; as is the good ſo is the ſinner, and he that ſweareth as he that feareth an oath. Externals diſtinguiſh not internals. No mans ſpirituall eſtate is knowable by the view of his temporall. Say to the land of Iſrael, Thus ſaith the Lord, Behold, I am against thee, and I will draw forth my ſword out of his ſheath, (Ezek. 21.3.) And what will the Lord doe with it? Will he not bath it in the bloud of his enemies, and ſheath it in the bowels of wicked men? he will: but ſhall it be bathed in the bloud of none elſe? The next words reſolve the doubt, And I will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked. It is a terrible ſentence: ſword, famine, peſtilence make no difference of men or manners; they know neither faces nor hearts. The beſt in a Nation may taſte the bloudy cup, and feel the cold iron in their bowels, together with the worſt. The green tree, and the dry tree may be devoured by the ſame fire, as the Prophet ſhadows good and bad, or, as ſome thinke, good and better, falling into the ſame calamity (Ezek. 20.47.) with which that of Chriſt (Luk. 23.31.) ſeems more agreeable. The basket of good figs goes into captivity with the basket of evil figs, under which the good and bad among the Jews were typed, Jer. 24.1, 2, 3.

But though they fall under the ſame deſtruction, yet their caſe under it is as different, as the perſons are. Faith and holy reaſon diſtinguiſh where ſenſe cannot.

Judgements upon … wicked men,Poena ſatisfactoria & medicinalis. are for fatisfaction to the juſtice of God. They who are heirs of eternall death receive part of their inheritance in this life. All their puniſhments are paiments. The fore-taſtes and beginnings of further ſorrows. Theſe judgements upon the Saints are only corrective or purgative. Their hopes are not deſtroied, when their bodies or eſtates are. Their afflictions are medicinable, and heal while they kill. We muſt not wrap up the diſpenſation of God to different perſons in the ſame apprehenſions; though his act be the ſame to both, yet his meaning is not. How the afflictions of the wicked and righteous differ, the Reader ſhall finde more diſtinctly opened, Chap. 5.17.

Job goes on to confirme his opinion by a further argument, in the 23^th verſe. For if any ſhould deny his minor propoſition, That the Lord deſtroies the righteous and the wicked, he proves it thus, If the ſcourge ſlay ſuddenly, he laugheth at the triall of the innocent, that is, he carries himſelf (ſo farre as the eye can judge) toward the innocent in their trials, as he doth toward the wicked under greateſt judgements, He laugheth at the one, and he laugheth at the other; which words are at once a confirmation and an aggravation of what he ſpake before.

Verſe 23. If the ſcourge ſlay ſuddenly, he laugheth at the triall of the innocent.

The former words gave offence to ſome mindes, conceiving them inconſiſtent with grace and holineſſe. Others are more offended with theſe. And in the letter it is ſtrange language to ſay,Nullum eſt ver bum hac ſententia & illa, elegit anima mea ſuſpendiū, durius at que asperius in hoc libro. Philip. The Lord laughs at the triall of the innocent. This verſe, with the fifteenth of the 7^th Chapter: So that my ſoul chooſeth ſtrangling, are concluded by a learned Writer, the ſharpeſt and moſt queſtionable paſſages in the whole book. Hence his conceit, that in the 40^th Chapter, verſ. 5. Iob aims at theſe two ſpeeches, Once have I spoken, but I will not anſwer; that is, I will never ſpeak ſuch a word again, that, I chuſe ſtrangling, yea twice, but I will proceed no further, I ſaid alſo, That thou laugheſt at the triall of the innocent, but I will never ſay ſo any more. I am aſham'd that ever I opened my lips ſo unadviſedly; tis too too much that I have ſpoken twice ſo ſinfully, I will not ſpeak ſo thrice. The conceit is witty, but the charg lies too heavy. The ſenſe of the former hath been made out fair for Iob, and I doubt not but his meaning may be ſo cleared in this later, that he will need neither reproof nor apology for ſaying, If the ſcourge ſlay ſuddenly, &c.

foreign Plagedum à circumeundo vel circumdando dicitur, quod videatur circumcingere hominem.The verb ſignifies to encompaſſe or incircle a thing, to twine round about it. And ſo it alludes to the faſhion of a ſcourge, which begirts the offender, & at every blow winds about his body.

The ſcourge in Scripture is put for any affliction, plague, ſword or famine are called ſcourges, Iſa. 10.26. The Lord of hoſts ſhall ſtirre up a ſcourge for him; what ſcourge? the next words expound it, a ſcourge, not of cords or wiers, but of ſwords and ſpears, a ſcourge, according to the ſlaughter of Midian at the rock Oreb, that is, the Lord will ſend a ſword upon him: So Gideon ſlew the Midianites, Judg. 7. commanding his ſouldiers to make that terrible ſhout, when they fell on upon their Camp, The ſword of the Lord and of Gideon. That great warriour Attila king of the Hunnes, who haraſſed a great part of Chriſtendom with fire and ſword, was called, Flagellum Dei, Flagellum inundans, i. e. omnes ſine delectu involvens & proculcans.The ſcourge of God. The unbelieving Jews having made a Covenant with death, and an agreement with hell, were very full of faith, ſuch as it was (Iſa. 28.15.) When the over-flowing ſcourge ſhall paſſe thorow, it ſhall not come unto us. An over-flowing ſcourge ('Tis an elegant metaphor taken from waters) is a common, ſpreading, ſweeping judgement, which like an over-flowing river encompaſſes, circles about, and fetches in all.

Slay ſuddenly.

Every ſcourge doth not ſlay,foreign Subito, ſtatim, ita ut non ſentiatur donec res fiat. and many which ſlay doe not ſlay ſuddenly. We uſually hear the claſhing of the ſcourge before we feel the ſmart of it. The Lord ſhews the ſcourge, and threatens it before he ſmites with it, he lets judgement hang like a black cloud over the heads of ſome, long, before it fals upon them. But others He ſlaies ſuddenly.

Some take this ſuddenneſſe of the ſcourge in ſlaying for a mittigation of the judgement, and others for the heightning of it. In the former ſenſe ſuddenneſſe doth not imply the ſudden comming of it, but the ſudden killing of it, a ſcourge which doth it's work quickly; ſo that a man doth not hang long as it were upon the rack of an affliction. The Church of the Jews (Lam. 4.6.) complains of their afflictions, as if the judgement of Sodome and Gomorrah had been more eaſie and eligible then that which the Lord brought upon Jeruſalem; not that they thought God had dealt worſe with them then with Sodome and Gomorrah, but as to this particular, becauſe Sodom was overthrown in a moment, but Jeruſalem was pined away by degrees with famine. A ſudden ſcourge is a kinde of mercy. Better die once then die alwaies: Or, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks concerning the afflictions of the Saints (Rom. 8.36. To be killed all the day long. When one under torture petitioned Tiberius the Roman Emperour, a bloudy cruell tyrant, that he might be quickly diſpatcht, he deſired not life or pardon, but a ſpeedy death; the Emperour ſent him word,Nondum tecum in gratiā redij. That as yet he was not reconciled to him, or become his friend. His cruelty would neither ſuffer the man to live longer, nor to die ſpeedily. And ſome obſerve, that as the Prophet expreſſes his trouble at the proſperity of the wicked in their lives, ſo at this kinde of proſperity in their deaths, There are no bands in their death, Non ſunt nodi in morte eorum.but they are lusty and ſtrong, (Pſal. 73.4.) that is, when they die, they die in their ſtrength, they are not pined away with long and tedious ſickneſſes: They live in pleaſure, and die with eaſe. They are not bound to their beds, and tied down with the cords of chronicall lingring diſeaſes. It is ſome favour (if the ſcourge muſt ſlay) to be ſlain, in this ſenſe, ſuddenly.

But here the ſcourge ſlaying ſuddenly, is a judgement comming unexpectedly, They who ſleep in ſecurity, ſeldom dream of ſcourges. Obſerve hence,

God can ſend death and affliction in a moment.

When they ſhall ſay, Peace and ſafety; then ſudden destruction commeth upon them, as travel upon a woman with childe, and they ſhall not eſcape (1 Theſſ. 5.3.) Wicked men are never ſo neer deſtruction, as when they are moſt ſecure. And that (by the way) is the reaſon why we have leaſt cauſe to fear thoſe men, who fear God leaſt: Security ſprings from infidelity, and both from ſleighting, if not contemning the Word of God; no marvell then if the Lord haſten his wrath to juſtifie his truth, and ſlay them on a ſudden, who would not believe, no not at leiſure. But to the point. The Prophet deſcribes it elegantly (Iſa. 30.13.) This iniquity ſhall be to you as a breach ready to fall; that is, this iniquity ſhall produce a judgement, which ſhall be to you as a breach ready to fall, Swelling out in an high wall, whoſe breaking commeth ſuddenly at an instant. If once a high built wall doe but ſwell, down it comes. Such a ſwelling wall fell upon, and ſlew twenty and ſeven thouſand of Benhadads ſcattered Army (1 King. 20.30.) And ſuch a tower in Siloe fell upon eighteen, and ſlew them (Luk. 13.4.) The Prophet Jeremy at once imprecates and fore-tels a ſpeedy ſcourge upon the gain-ſaying Jews, Let a cry be heard from their houſes, when thou ſhalt bring a troop ſuddenly upon them, Jer. 18.22. This hath been the caſe of many among us, who thinking of no danger have been ſurprized by a troop, themſelves made priſoners, and their houſes ſpoil'd in one hour. Such was the condition of our Brethren in Ireland; it is almoſt incredible how ſuddenly that ſcourge ſlew them: there was ſcarce a Proteſtant that had ſo much as a ſuſpition of the danger; nay, ſome would not believe it, when a great part of the countrey was on a flame, and the enemy had butchered thouſands. That ſcourge (if ever any) ſlew ſuddenly the perfect and the wicked. As mercies may come ſo ſuddenly to our ſenſes, that they overcome our faith, ſo may judgements. Some have been ſurprized with mercy (Pſal. 126.4.) When the Lord turned our captivity as the ſtreams in the South: that is, gave us ſudden deliverance (rivers in the South, riſe not from a conſtant ſpring, but from accidentall raines, which make violent land-floods on a ſudden.) At the approach of this ſudden mercy, the Jews were like to them that dream. So when the Lord ſends ſudden judgements, rivers of calamity, rivers of bloud, as rivers in the South, when he brings in captivity, as rivers in the South, then are we in a dream too, and are not only deſtroied, but diſtracted and amazed. But how faſt ſoever judgements come, t…y come not ſuddenly upon them, who are awake, much leſſe on them who are watching for them when they come.

If the ſcourge ſlay ſuddenly; what then?foreign Vel à radice foreign diſſolvit. Vel à foreign tentavit.

He will laugh at the triall of the innocent.

M. Broughton reads it thus, He ſcorneth at the melting away of the innocent. The reaſon of the different reading is, becauſe the Hebrew word may ſpring either from a root, ſignifying to tempt and try, or from another, To melt and diſſolve, He ſcorneth at the melting away of the innocent. Afflictions are meltings, They diſſolve our comforts; yea, our very hearts, in the ſame ſenſe that godly ſorrow breaks our hearts. Pity ſhould be ſhewen to him that is melted (Cha. 6.) but ye forſake the fear of the Almighty; ſo M. Broughton tranſlates there, The Lord tempted Abraham (Gen. 22.1.) that is, the Lord tried his faith, to finde out of what ſtrength it was, and how much he could truſt him in that great buſineſſe of ſacrificing his ſon.

He will laugh at the triall of the innocent] At their melting or trying by afflictions. The difficulty is,foreign Ridere eſt irredere, ſubſannare, ut fit ab hoſtibus, cum eos quos captivos detinent, diuturnis malis conficiunt. Pined. Significat deriſionem quae fit externo corporis geſtu. LXX. vertunt per foreign. Piſc. in 1 Cor. 14.21. How God laughs at this triall? The word notes deriſion or ſcorn (Pſal. 2.4.) He that ſitteth in heaven will laugh, there he uſes the ordinary word for laughter, and he will have them in deriſion, That's the word in the text. So that properly and ſtrictly it ſignifies to ſcorn and deride, and that either by words or geſtures, as putting forth of the finger, ſhaking the head, or gnaſhing the teeth, which are Scripture expreſſions of higheſt ſcorn by geſture.

But how ſhall we fit this to the buſineſſe in hand? Will the Lord thus ſcorn and deride at the triall and probation of the innocent?

The Vulgar was it ſeems ſo much ſtraitned to make out the ſenſe that he reads it negatively, If the ſcourge ſlay ſuddenly, he will not laugh at the triall of the innocent. Others, though they put not in a negation formally and in terms, yet they doe it equivalently, and therefore they render it by an interrogation, If the ſcourge ſlay ſuddenly, Will he laugh at the triall of the innocent? No, he will not, that's their meaning: the Lord will not ſleight or neglect the triall of the innocent, though he deſtroies them, yet he will not deride them. But we, and moſt of the learned Hebritians, keep cloſe to the affirmative, If the ſcourge ſlay ſuddenly, he will laugh at the triall of the innocent.

Suppoſitum verbi ridendi daemon eſt, qui gaudet videns homines diuturnis malis cruciari. Cajet.There is a di…te, whom we are to underſtand by this He, for ſome taking this laughing and deriding in the broadeſt ſenſe, think it too low and diſhonourable to be aſcribed unto God, and therefore they carry it down low enough, aſcribing it to the devil, If the ſcourge ſlay ſuddenly, then the devil laugheth to ſee the upright tried, He makes merry with the ſorrows of the Saints: the devil hath no great cauſe (how much minde ſoever he hath) to laugh, conſidering his condition; but the meaning is, that which gives the devil moſt content, is to ſee righteous perſons vexed. And that's a truth. As there is joy in heaven, when good men ſorrow for ſinne; ſo there is a kinde of joy in hell, when good men are enwrapt with the ſorrows of ſuffering.

Others make the antecedent to He, a wicked man (ſuch are within one degree of Satan his children) If the ſcourge ſlay ſuddenly, Impius juſtum ſubſannat malis implicitum.then the ungodly, who yet thrive and proſper, rejoyce and make ſport at the triall of the innocent; See what theſe good, honeſt, innocent men have got, they thought by their prayers and faſtings, by their zeal and ſtrictneſſe to exempt themſelves from theſe common afflictions, they preſumed they ſhould be spared, though all the world were conſumed, but ſee they are destroied as well as others, they ſmart under the laſh, as well as we their neighbours, whom they looked upon, as the only whipping ſtocks, when a ſcourge ſhould come, That, wicked men laugh and deride the innocent under affliction, and jeer them with, Where is your God now? what's become of all your praying and faſting? Where are the hopes and confidences, the priviledges and protections ye talked of? is a truth.

But thirdly, We need not eaſe the text thus, nor relieve it out of this difficulty, by faſtening the interpretation upon wicked men. Let us take the relative to be God himſelf, and ſee how we can make the ſenſe out, with a ſaving to his honour. If the ſcourge ſlay ſuddenly, He, that is, the moſt holy and gracious God, laugheth at the triall of the innocent. How ſo?

Firſt, I premiſe this, God doth not laugh or deride properly at the afflictions of his people. No, the Lord is a tender, a gracious and a mercifull father to his people at all times, and moſt tender of them, when they are in their afflictions, when they are in their ſoreneſſe, and in their ſorrows: he is more tender then the moſt tender-hearted mother (Iſa. 49.15.) Can a mother forget her ſucking childe, that ſhe ſhould not have compaſſion on the ſon of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Will a mother laugh and deride a poor infant, when it lies ſprawling and wants her help? No, much leſſe will God laugh at his people: therefore as laughing noteth hard-heartedneſſe, or unnaturall harſhnes of ſpirit, the Lord doth not laugh at his afflicted Saints, it is againſt his nature, againſt his practice and all experience.

What is it then he laughs at?

Firſt, Poſitively, thus, Job would here expreſſe that the Lord carries himſelf in outward things, with an equall hand both to the good and to the bad, as was touched before. The Lord laugheth at, and derideth the wicked (Prov. 1.28.) I will laugh at their deſtruction, and mock when their fear cometh. The carriage of God to his own people is ſuch, as if he did mock and laugh at them alſo.Dicitur ridere, quia ſic judicāt hominum vulgus. He that laugheth and derideth at a mans affliction, doth not regard what he ſuffers, he gives him no help, nor delivers him out of his ſufferings. Nay, a man that laugheth at another in affliction, will lay more affliction upon him. Even thus in regard of outward diſpenſations, God deals with his own people, that is, when innocent ones are in affliction and cry unto him,Ridere dicitur, cum contemnere videtur orationem poſtulantis opem. he makes as if he did not hear or regard them, but lets them lie crying it may be day after day in their pains and wants, yea ſometimes in ſtead of eaſing them, he laies more afflictions upon them; poor ſouls, ſince they ſought the Lord they finde an encreaſe of their ſorrows. God ſeems to deal with them, as Pharaoh did with the Iſraelites in Egypt, who crying to him for releaſe of their burdens, are anſwered only with, Ye are idle, ye are idle; let more work be laid upon theſe men, Exod. 5. Or like Rehoboam, who threatned his people to make their yoke heavier, while they petitioned he would make it lighter, and told them of ſcorpions, while they complained of whips. David gives us this in his own experience (Pſal. 77.2, 3.) In the day of my trouble I ſought the Lord, my ſore ran in the night, and ceaſed not (or, my hand was ſtretched out in praier, and bedewed with tears) my ſoul refuſed to be comforted (David ſought for comfort, but his troubles encreaſing, he could not take in the comforts adminiſtred) I remembred God, and was troubled, I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. If any thing in the world can eaſe a troubled heart, thoughts of God can. Thus David once relieved himſelf, When the people talked of ſtoning him, he encouraged himſelf in the Lord his God (1 Sam. 30.6.) Yet ſometimes God ſeems to think of us leaſt, when we think of him moſt. A ſoul complaining may be over-whelmed, in ſtead of being helped. Now, he that laies on further afflictions,Poſt orationes meas, ita me ſemper in miſeriis reliquit, ac ſi me derideret. ſlights and laughs at the former. And this is the firſt way, in which it may be made out, how God laughs at the triall of the innocent. When they complain he doth not preſently relieve them, nay, he laies heavier burdens of affliction upon them, and makes them more matter of complaining, before they have any matter of rejoycing.

Deus ex virorū fortium, ſc. piorum conflictu non levem capit voluptatem.Secondly thus, The Lord is ſaid to laugh, in regard of the pleaſure He takes in the fruits, effects and iſſues of thoſe troubles, wherewith his people are exerciſed: He laugheth, not at the affliction it ſelf, but at the effects and ſucceſſe of it: he knows the iſſue will be matter of high contentment to himſelf, and benefit to the Saints. He laughs at their triall, becauſe he knows they will honour him in their trials. He laughs not becauſe they are pained, but becauſe himſelf is glorified. As a father who puts a childe upon a very hard task, which yet he is aſſured the childe is able to go thorow with, takes content to ſee him ſweat at it, to pant and blow at it: Or, as a Commander in warre, rejoyces when he puts a party, of whoſe valour and skill he is confident, upon ſome dangerous ſervice: Though he knows many of them muſt bleed for it, and ſome of them (perhaps) die for it, yet it pleaſes him to ſee ſuch engaged in it. Thus God laughs at the trials and moſt deſperate adventures of the innocent, for he ſees they are men who will bide a triall, they will neither ſhrink in the wetting, nor will their ſpirits conſume in the burning.

And thus a believer is exhorted to laugh at his own triall, My brethren (ſaith the Apoſtle James, chap. 1.2.) count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations or trials. The more trials, the more joyes. And thus one believer may laugh and rejoyce at the triall of another, becauſe he knows that the trial of our faith, being much more precious then of gold that periſheth, though it be tried with fire, ſhall be found unto praiſe, and honour and glory at the appearing of Jeſus Chriſt, 1 Pet. 1.6, 7.

Hence obſerve,

Firſt, The Lord may bear himſelf toward his own people in their affliction, as if he mockt at their afflictions.

As he laughs at wicked men in earneſt, and hath them in deriſion: So he puts out an appearance of deriſion in what he doth to his own people.

Secondly, To ſee good men tried is a delight unto God.

Laughter is an expreſſion of our inward content and joy. Though the word of the text is ſcarce uſed for laughter in a good ſenſe, yet here it may. The Prophecy ſaith of Chriſt (Iſa. 53.10.) It pleaſed the Lord to bruiſe him; God the father was delighted to bruiſe his Sonne, not that he delighted in afflicting or ſtriking him, he was tender and dear to him, as the apple of his eye. But with reſpect to the iſſue and fruit of it, the Lord was pleaſed; His father laughed to ſee him cast down and ſuffering, whom he fore-ſaw conquering and triumphing: So it is here. A man delights to ſee wreſtlers ſhew their ſtrength, as alſo to behold men ſtriving for maſteries in fencing or running a race, which are but trials of activity, and contendings for honours. Thus when the Lord bringeth his innocent ſervants into affliction, he doth but bring them to a wreſtling, to a running or a fencing, to ſee how they can make uſe of their hands and legs, how they can make uſe of their ſpirituall armour, how they can weild the ſword of the Spirit, how they can defend themſelves with the ſhield of faith, how they can bear a knock upon the helmet of ſalvation, how they can walk upon thorns and ſharp ſtones, himſelf having before ſhod their feet with the preparation of the Goſpel of peace. This is the ſpectacle which God delighteth in and laughs at, and it is a glorious ſpectacle. The Roman triumphs were but childiſh plaies to theſe of the Saints, called out and clad with the armour of righteouſneſſe, which makes them more then Conquerours, over tribulations and diſtreſſe, over perſecution, famine, nakedneſſe, peril and the ſword, yea over principalities and powers, over things preſent and to come; The Saints in their trial conquer not only all preſent evils, but all that are poſſible.Non video quid habeat in terris Iupiter pulchrius, ſi convertere animum veli…, quam ut ſpectet …atonem, jam pantibus non ſemel fractis, ſtamen nihilominus inter rui… ra… pu…ieas rectum. Sinec. l… de provid. They are reall victours over thoſe evils, which they ſhall never feel or ſee. As in doing, ſo in ſuffering all is reckoned to us, which we are willing to engage in, though actually we doe not; no marvell if God laugh at the triall of ſuch Champions and Chriſtian Hero's. It is the obſervation of Seneca, a Roman Moraliſt and Philoſopher, in his book of providence, ſpeaking of ſome of the ancient Worthies of Rome, I ſee not (ſaith he) what Jupiter hath on earth more contentfull to him, or to which he would rather turn his eye, then to behold Cato ſtanding firm in the midſt of publike ruines, and that, though (after all his wreſtlings, as a noble Patriot for the ſaving of his Countrey) he found both his honeſt counſels broken, and his unwearied labours loſt, yet he did not loſe his Spirit, nor was his heart broken. Now, if an Heathen could ſay, that to ſee ſuch a man conteſt with all manner of troubles, was, he thought, a delight for Jupiter, and laughter to the idol-gods: May not we changing the perſons make his ſenſe the comment of this text, and a proof of this obſervation? It is a holy delight to the holy God to ſee his faithfull ones, his Abrahams in a triall, to ſee his Jobs in a triall, his Pauls in a triall, to ſee thoſe Grandees in graces ſhew ſuch admirable skill, ſuch courage, ſuch zeal, ſuch faith, ſuch patience, ſuch ſubmiſſion of ſpirit, to ſee Saints play the men thus in ſuch ſpirituall trials and hotteſt ſervices, is not this juſt matter of laughing and rejoycing to the Lord?

And if the Lord take a kinde of pleaſure in the trials of his Saints, then ſurely the Saints ought not to be diſpleaſed at their trials. Hence the holy Ghoſt bids the Saints laugh, as well as the Lord laugheth, Jam. 1.2. My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations. Chriſtians, never look upon a triall with ſuch ſad and ſowr faces; the face of God is full of ſmiles to ſee you at it: ſhall that make you ſad, which makes God rejoyce? Never grieve, but when ye fear ye have grieved God.

Further, note, That the afflictions of the Saints are trials of the Saints.

They are occaſions to ſhew forth their vertues and their graces. They give proofs both to God and the world, what manner of men they are. Tried ones are precious ones; many others are ſo, but theſe appear what they are, they have ſhewed their metall. All true faith is good, but tried faith is beſt (1 Pet. 1.7.) That the triall of your faith (that is, that your tried faith) being much more precious then of gold that periſheth, may be found unto praiſe, &c.

Prudens futuri temporis exitū Caliginoſa nocte premit Deus. Ridet que ſi mortalis ultra Fas trepidat, &c. Horat l 3. Car Od. 29.Beſides theſe two interpretations, I ſhall adde, for a cloſe, two more, which may further illuſtrate the meaning of this laughter aſcribed to God, at the triall of the innocent. Firſt, or

Thirdly, He laughs at the fears and ſad fore-caſts of his people, who not being able to look thorow ſecond cauſes, and ſee the ends of things in their beginnings; preſently judge all's loſt, the Church muſt be ruin'd, and the Saints undone, becauſe thus tried. Now God knowing the end of all actions, not only at their beginning, but from the beginning (yea, from eternity) he looking thorow the blackeſt clouds and darkeſt nights, upon the iſſues of all things, derides the ſimple conjectures of men about them. The very Heathens have given us ſuch a notion of God in laughter. Secondly, or

Fourthly, God laughs at the laughter, and derides the joies of wicked men, who ſee his innocent ones tried. For they ſay in their hearts, and it may be with their tongues, Happy we, who have ſcaped ſuch a ſcouring, we would not have been in their coats for a world: better die then live to bring our ſelves into ſuch troubles. Or thus, Now the day is ours, we have prevailed, Theſe men are catcht and entangled, we ſhall doe well enough with them now. The Lord hearing ſuch language at the triall of the innocent, laughs, to thinke how thoſe wretches ſhall ſee themſelves deceived, when they ſee theſe who were fallen riſing again, or God by their fall raiſing others, and ſetting his King upon his holy hill of Sion.

Laſtly, As God laughs at the triall of the innocent; ſo let the nocent and impenitent remember and tremble at it, that God will laugh at the approach of their torments, and mock when their fear commeth, when their fear commeth as a deſolation, and their deſtruction as a whirlwinde.

Job having thus ſhewed how the innocent are afflicted, ſhews in the next verſe how the wicked are exalted, from both he infers, that there can be no judgement made of any mans inward ſtate, whether he be innocent or wicked, upon his outward ſtate, whether he be proſperous or afflicted: The innocent are under the ſcourge, and the wicked are upon the throne, and who doth theſe things, but God himſelf? that's the ſum of this 24^th verſe.

Verſe 24. The earth is given into the hand of the wicked, he covereth the faces of the Judges thereof; if not, where and who is he?

The earth is given into the hand of the wicked.

The earth,] Earth may be taken ſtrictly for the element of earth, as it is oppoſed to fire, water and air. Not ſo in this place; But more largely, earth is put for all earthly things, as, Pſal. 115.6. The heaven of heavens is the Lords, but the earth hath he given unto the children of men, that is, he hath divided all earthly comforts as a portion or inheritance among men: their lot falleth there.

Thirdly, Earth is put for the inhabitants or people of the earth, Pſal. 100.1. Praiſe him all ye earth; ſo the Hebrew, which we tranſlate, Praiſe him all ye people of the earth, Iſa. 24.4. The earth mourneth and fadeth away; that is, they who dwell on the earth.

Fourthly, By the earth we may underſtand ſpeciall Countries or Nations, tracts or parts of the earth.

Fiftly, The earth is put for earthly minded men, and for the falſe Church, Revel. 14.3. The Saints are redeemed from the earth; that is, God hath fetcht them out from amongſt falſe worſhippers and impure ones, he hath reſcued them from the world of Idolaters, and from the ſuperſtitious multitude.

In this place earth is to be underſtood in the ſecond, third or fourth notion, namely, for all earthly comforts; or for the Provinces and Kingdoms of the earth; or for the inhabitants and people of the earth. Theſe are given into the hand of the wicked.

Given.] The Lord makes (as it were) a deed of gift of theſe things unto wicked men. So in the 15^th of this book, ver. 19. Ʋnto whom, alone the earth was given, and no ſtranger paſſed among them; which ſome expound of the righteous, No ſtranger paſſed among them; that is, none came in to invade them: Or, as others render it, No ſtrange thing, that is, no unjuſt thing came in amongſt them, they had the earth in their own power and rightfull poſſeſſion.

Nihil alienum, ſc. injuſtum. Jun.To be given, noteth two things; or there is a double act of giving.

There is a gift by providence, and a gift by promiſe. When the Lord is ſaid to give the earth into the hand of the wicked; we are to underſtand it of that common providentiall gift, whereby he diſpoſeth of all things to all men; no man hath any thing but by the gift of God. Thus wicked Jeroboam had the Kingdome of Iſrael given him, and ſo had hypocriticall Jehu for four generations, They ſerved the providence of God, and the providence of God exalted them. (Act. 17.26.) He hath made of one bloud all Nations of men, for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; that is, he hath (as it were) chalked out, and drawn a line where the bounds and habitations, whither the dominions and poſſeſſions of ſuch men ſhall be extended, and where they ſhall be confined. That's a gift of providence.

There is a ſpeciall gift of promiſe peculiar to believers (Ro. 8.32) He that spared not his own Son, but gave him to die for us, how ſhall he not with him alſo freely give us all things? that is, all worldy things; or we may take in whatſoever elſe concerns our ſpirituall eſtate, beſides Chriſt: All the things of Chriſt, yea and all worldly things come in to the Saints, as a gift by Chriſt, who is himſelf the greateſt gift that ever man received, or that God could beſtow. How ſhall he deny us any thing, when he hath given us him who is above all things? 1 Cor. 3.22, 23. Whether Paul, or Apollos, or the world, all is yours (for) ye are Chriſts. Believers enjoy earthly things by an heavenly title. Chriſt is their conveiance. In this ſenſe the earth is not given to the wicked: the Lord gives them nothing in Chriſt, or for Chriſt as a Saviour in the Covenant of Grace, Chriſt as a Lord hath bought the wicked (2 Pet. 2.1.) and he gives them what they have, as they are his creatures: as he hath given them a ſubſiſtence, and a breathing in the world, ſo he allots them maintenance in the world.

So then, to receive by donation from God, may note any way of poſſeſſion. What wicked men inherit by ſucceſſion and deſcent from their anceſtours, is a gift of God.

Yea, what they get and hold by violence and oppreſſion, is a gift of God. The earth which wicked men tear out of the hands of the godly; the earth which they ſtain with the bloud of lawfull owners, that they may enjoy it; even this is ſaid to be given unto them by God, in that common way of providence. Nebuchadnezzar was a cruell oppreſſour, yet he had the earth given him by God, Jer. 27.6. Now have I given all theſe lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the King of Babylon my ſervant, and the beaſts of the field have I given him alſo to ſerve him. God gave him the land, yet Nebuchadnezzar invaded it, and got it by violence. God ſent him (Iſa. 10.6.) but he went of his own errand, verſ. 7. He had no thought of ſerving the will and commands of God, but of ſerving his own ambition and covetouſneſſe: yet of this cruell oppreſſour the Lord ſaith, I have given him all theſe lands &c. Thus, The earth is given, Into the hand of the wicked.

There is a queſtion, whom we are to underſtand by theſe Donees, or the receivers of this gift? Some expound the text (with a ſpeciality of the devil) The earth is given into the hand of that wicked one, foreign.who is, us, the Prince of the air, ſo, the Prince of this world, and hath great power upon the earth. But take it of wicked men, who are the ſervants and heirs of Satan; as the Saints are the heirs of Chriſt, and receive all things from him; ſo wicked men are the heirs of Satan, his children, and what they receive as a common gift from God, they receive by a ſpeciall gift from Satan. The devil boaſted to Chriſt (Mat. 4.) All theſe things will I give thee; if thou will fall down and worſhip me. Though the devil be a very beggar, and hath not a ſhoe-latchet of his own to give, yet for ſuch ſervices and homages he gives out large poſſeſſions of the world (common providence ſo ordering it) to wicked men, his vaſſals.

Hence theſe words are interpreted, as a reaſon of that confuſion before ſpoken of.Si flagellatur innocens quid mirum, cum mundi judices corruptiſſimi ſint? Terrae poteſtas permiſſa eſt impiiſſimo daemoni, qui dicitur mundi rector, ide efficit, ut reges, principes, judices quaſi obvelatos haberent oculos caecè & ſine diſcrimine de rebus judicantes. Eugub. No wonder if innocent men are under the ſcourge, for the earth is given into the hand of the wicked. When they have moſt power, who have leaſt honeſty, things muſt needs be turned up-ſide-down, and all put into diſorder. What can be expected from ſuch a tyrannous Prince as Satan, from ſuch wicked inſtruments as rule under him, but continuall diſturbance amongſt the children of men: eſpecially that good men ſhould goe by the worſt. Godly men are like to have but little peace, while theſe have the preeminence. The devil clouds the underſtandings and vails the eies of thoſe Princes and Judges, whom he (in this ſenſe) advances: And juſtice is equally wounded and distorted, when Judges cannot ſee Things, as when they ſee Perſons in judgement. The bounty of God to the wicked, is an occaſion of their injury to the righteous.

But rather take the words (which was hinted before) as an argument whereby Job further proves, that there can be no ground of judgement upon any mans ſpirituall eſtate by the appearances of his temporall; for as righteous and innocent perſons are under the ſcourge, and laid low in the world, ſo wicked men have the earth given them, and are exalted.

I finde ſome reading the text as an expoſtulation, Wherefore is the earth given into the hand of the wicked? Wherefore doth he cover the faces of the Judges? As if Joh did chide with God about this unequall carriage of things in the world, and called him to give a reaſon of it. But we have found Job (in other places) acquitting himſelf from the ſuſpitions of ſuch a charge, and therefore I cannot joyn with theſe in laying it upon him here.

Job doth not complain, but affirm, That the earth is given into the hand of the wicked. Whence obſerve,

Firſt, Wicked men may abound in earthly things.

They may have the earth and the fulneſſe of it; The earth, and all that is earthly; their bellies are filled by God himſelf with hidden treaſure (Pſal. 17.14.) Precious things are uſually hidden, and all that's named treaſure (though it be but earthly) hath a preciouſneſſe in it. Hidden treaſures of the earth fill their bellies who ſleight the treaſures of heaven, and whoſe ſouls ſhall never have ſo much as a taſte of heavenly treaſures: riches and honour are the lot of their inheritance, who have no inheritance among thoſe whoſe lot is glory. They have the earth in their hands, who have nothing of heaven in their hearts: they bear ſway in the world, who are ſlaves to the world: they govern and order others at their will, who are led captive by Satan at his will. Be not offended and troubled to ſee the rains of government in their hands, who know not how to govern themſelves, or to ſee them rule the world, who are unworthy to live in the world. Remember, the earth is given into the hand of the wicked. We muſt ſubmit to the judgement of God, though it leave us under the injuſtice … men. And we have little reaſon to envy them a great portion … his life, who have all their portion in this life.

The moſt wiſe God, who hath all things to diſpoſe, diſpoſes them with infinite wiſdom: He gives good things to thoſe that are evil, but he gives better things to thoſe who are good. He hath a Benjamins meſſe, a rich portion for his own children, after all theſe disburſments to the children of diſobedience. Their portion lies not in earth and duſt, or in the rubbiſh of the world: Heaven is given into the hand of the Saints: Spirituall bleſſings in heavenly things are given into the hand of the Saints: The pardon of ſin, the love and favour of God, the bloud of Jeſus Chriſt, peace of conſcience, joy in the holy Ghoſt, are gifts worth the having. Theſe are given into the hand of the Saints. As for the earth, He giveth that into the hand of the wicked; and, yet all that is not given into their hands. Wicked men have not all the earth, and ſome wicked men have none of the earth. The Lord often makes the portion of his own people fat and plenteous, and the portion of his enemies lean and poor. Heaven hath not all the earthly-poor, nor hell all the earthly-rich. God doth not give wicked men all the earth; but all the earth which they have, is of his giving. Moſt of the earth is given to be their poſſeſſion; and all the poſſeſſion which is given them, is of earth; therefore it is ſaid, He giveth the earth into the hand of the wicked.

And ſeeing, God giveth the earth into the hand of the wicked, we may obſerve alſo,

That wicked men have a juſt title to the earthly things which they enjoy.

They are not meer uſurpers, neither ſhall they be dealt with as meer uſurpers. They have no ſpirituall title, no title by Chriſt, they claim not by promiſe, which the Saints doe. They have forfeited their title by ſinne, all is lapſed and eſcheated into the hand of the great land-Lord. Their goods are forfeited, and ſo are their lives into the hand of God, and he gives both back for a while into their hands. He gives them their lives back, and reprieveth them, for which time of their reprieve, he giveth them the earth to live upon, or to maintain their lives: and ſo farre as they uſe earthly things for the continuance of life, they ſhall not be accounted or reckoned with as uſurpers. They ſhall not be charged for uſing the creatur… but for abuſing it, for making the earth ſerve their luſts, not … making it a ſupport of their lives. And ſeeing as the Lord hath given them back their forfeited lives, ſo alſo their forfeited lands by a deed of gift, ſealed with generall providence, this is enough to ſecure them in thoſe worldly poſſeſſions (which they have neither got nor hold by injuſtice) from the brand of uſurpation,Dominium non fundatur in gratia. and from the violence of diſpoſſeſſion. As what God hath joyned no man may put aſunder; So what God hath given, no man muſt take away. Neither riches nor rule are founded in grace. He hath given the earth into the hand of the wicked.

He covereth the faces of the Judges thereof.

He covereth.] There is ſome Queſtion whom we are to underſtand, as the antecedent to this relative. He, who is, he that co-covereth? Tegit ne videant quod aequū & juſtum eſt. …ruſ.Some make the antecedent, a wicked man. Others ſay 'tis God. The earth is given into the hand of the wicked, and he, that is, the wicked one covereth the faces of the Judges thereof. Or, He, that is, God covereth the faces of the Judges thereof. I ſhall a little open this expreſſion, it needeth ſome uncovering, for it is dark in both relations.

Firſt, Look upon that interpretation, which refers it to wicked men. He covereth, namely, That wicked man, who is preferred and exalted, covereth the faces of the Judges; that is, he ſtops the courſe of juſtice. And there are four waies by which wicked men cover the faces of the Judges.

Munera caecos reddunt judicesFirſt, By gifts and rewards. Bribes vail, yea put out the eyes of a Judge, that he cannot ſee to give every one his due. Hence that charge (Exod. 23.8.) thou ſhalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wiſe, and perverteth the words of the righteous.

Secondly, The faces of the Judges are covered by threatnings; Fear of loſſe blindes as well as hope of gain. Some ſend terrible meſſages to the judge; Will not you doe as we would have you? Will not you give your ſentence and opinion thus? at your peril be it. Now the Judges face is covered, his eyes are put out by a threat; the miſt and cloud of a Princes diſpleaſure, of a great mans indignation is before his eyes, His face is covered.

Thirdly, The Judges faces are covered by actuall putting them to ſhame, by caſting them out of favour, and clouding them with diſgrace, by taking away their commiſſions, or ſending them a Quietus eſt, laying them by as unfit for ſervice; any of theſe is, a covering of the Judges face.

There is a fourth way of covering the Judges face, to which the ſecond and third are often made a preparatory. And that is, by putting the judge to death. So much that expreſſion implies in the 40^th of this book of Job, verſ. 13. where the Lord with infinite wiſdome and holineſſe, inſulting over Job to humble him, bids him ariſe, and doe ſome great thing, ſomewhat which might ſpeak him a man of might. Deck thy ſelf now with majeſty and excellency, and aray thy ſelf with glory and beauty; caſt abroad the rage of thy wrath, and behold every one that is proud and abaſe him, look on every one that is proud, and bring him low, and tread down the wicked in their place, Hide them in the duſt together, and binde their faces in ſecret; that is, cover their faces as men prepared for death, as men ready to goe out to execution. We may expound it by that (Eſth. 7.8.) where as ſoon as ever the word went out of the Kings mouth, They covered Hamans face. And by that (Mark 14.65.) where when Chriſt was judged worthy of death, the text ſaith, They ſpit on him, and covered his face: The covering of the face was a mark of a condemned man, held as unworthy to behold and enjoy the light of the Sunne, or the light of the Princes countenance. Thus to cover the faces of the Judges is to condemn the Judges, and to take them out of the world by ſufferings, rather then ſuffer them to doe right. I finde that of Elihu (Job 34.29.) interpreted to this ſenſe, When he giveth quietneſſe, who can make trouble? That is, when the Lord doth abſolve and acquit a man, giving him a diſcharge, then he is free, no man can ſue him or trouble him, much leſſe condemn him; but if he hide his face, who then can behold him? So we tranſlate it, meaning thus, If the Lord hide his own face. But this expoſition ſaith, If the Lord hide the face of that man, that is, If the Lord condemn that man, or paſſe ſentence of death upon him (of which covering or hiding the face was a ſymboll) then,Qu… rei faciem poterit amplius videre, quaſi abſolutus ſit. Bold. I lictor, colliga manus, caput obnubito, in foe lici arbori ſuſpendito Cic. in orat. pro Rabir. who can behold him? That is, who then can ſee his face, or have ſociety with him, whom God hath ſeparated to death? It was a cuſtom alſo among the Romans, when ſentence was pronounced upon a malefactour, thus, to command the executioner, Take him away, binde his hands, cover his face, hang him up. And uſually with us, malefactours, who are ready to ſuffer the pains of death, put a covering upon their faces. This alſo may be a good ſenſe of the words, He covereth the faces of the Judges, that is, a wicked Prince oppreſſeth and putteth the Judges to death. And whereas good Princes ſay, Let juſtice be don…, though the world periſh: he ſaith, Let the Judges periſh, rather then juſtice ſhould be done.

foreign Iudices vel officio, vel apti tudine. Nomen judicis apud Hebraeos latius patet quam apud latinos, non enim ille tantum vocatur judex qui controvertiis vacat, ſed etiā qui rempublicā armis tuetur. Bold. Vidi ſervos, i. e. ſervire dignos, & principes, i. e. dignos imperio.Yet further, the word, Iudges, in the originall, notes not only ſuch as are in actuall office to determine controverſies, whether criminall or civil; but any man that is worthy to be a Judge, or is fit to govern and mannage publike affairs, whether in peace or warre. And ſo it implies a ſuppreſſing and keeping down of thoſe that are moſt able, and beſt qualified to undertake any ſervice for States and Kingdoms (Eccleſ. 10.7.) I have ſeen ſervants upon horſes, and Princes walking as ſervants upon the earth; that is, I have ſeen men who are worthy no better imploiment then that of a ſervant, to rub horſe heels, or doe the meaneſt offices, ſuch as theſe I have ſeen in the ſaddle, and in their trappings. And, I have ſeen Princes walking upon the earth on foot; that is, men who deſerve to bear rule and to govern Kingdoms, who both for ability and integrity, are worthy to have the rains of authority in their hand, and to ſit at the helm, theſe I have ſeen walking upon the earth, or tugging at an oar, as common men: that's an evil which Solomon ſaw under the Sunne: So here, He covereth the faces of the Judges, may have this meaning, Evil Princes keep down and hold in obſcurity men of parts and gifts, of ſpirit and courage, of honeſty and uprightneſſe, and preferre only thoſe who are baſe and corrupt, who will ſerve turns, and comply with times.

Hence note, That it is the policy of wicked Princes to corrupt and blinde Judges, or to employ ſuch as are blinde and corrupt.

They take away power from thoſe who would uſe power well, and give power to them who are ſlaves to their wils.

Secondly, It is the character of a wicked man to bribe a Judge, to put out the eyes, and cover the face of a Judge with gifts. A good cauſe fears not the eye of the Judge, and a good man had rather loſe his cauſe, then pervert the Judge.

So much of mans covering the faces of the Judges: now ſee how God covers them. He who opens the eyes and uncovers the faces of the Judges, that they may diſcern between cauſe and cauſe, doth alſo cover the faces of Judges,Tegit, ne videant quod bonum & aequum eſt. Druſ. that they cannot diſcern between cauſe and cauſe. As the Lord hardens the heart and blindes the eye in ſpirituall things, ſo alſo in civil, not by taking away the ſight which man had, but by with-drawing or denying his own light. The Lord covers the faces of the Judges, when he doth not give them light, nor ſhew them the path of juſtice. If God ſuſpend his light, the greateſt lights are preſently in darkneſſe. God doth not hood-winke or muffle up the Judges by putting any thing before their eyes, but by hiding his own eyes from them. The Pſalmiſt ſpeaks of Judges thus covered (Pſal. 82.5.) They know not, neither will they underſtand, they walk on in darkneſſe, all the foundations of the earth are out of courſe. We have here the character of evil Judges, and what the conſequents of it are, They know not, neither will they underſtand, they walk on in darkneſſe (theſe three expreſſions explain this text) and what follows? Then all the foundations of the earth are out of courſe; Law and juſtice are out of courſe, no man knoweth where to have right, or by whom to be protected againſt wrong.

Hence obſerve,Hinc elicimus malos judices etiā a Deo eſſe. Druſ. Ignorant and evil Judges are ſent by God as a ſcourge. I gave them a King in mine anger, Hoſ. 13.11.

Laſtly, (for the clearing of this) The covering of the faces of the Judges, notes three things.

Firſt, Ignorance and blindeneſſe, or an inability to judge.Iudex oculatiſſimus eſſe debet.

Secondly, Inhumanity and cruelty, The faces of the Judges being covered, they will not look upon the caſe of a poor man.Solebant judices intra cortinas ſe co…tinere cum contra reum capitis ſententiam pronunciabant. Fined. It is uſuall for an oppreſſed petitioner to ſay to the Judge, Look upon me, good my Lord, caſt an eye upon me; the Judge who will not ſee, is covered with incompaſſion.

Thirdly, Covering of the face imports the affected partiality of Judges; many doe as if they could not ſee, as if their faces were covered. Affection blindes the judgment, and none are ſo blinde as they that will not ſee. The reaſon why the Heathen pictured their Fortune blinde, was, becauſe ſhe diſtributed things, as if ſhe affected blindeneſſe, giving good to thoſe that were evil, and evil to thoſe that were good;Antiqui fortunam caecam pingebant, quòd malis bona ma la bonis indiſcriminatim conſerrentur. when Judges give rewards to thoſe that ſhould be puniſhed, and puniſh thoſe that ſhould be rewarded, their faces are covered, they are blinde. Judges were anciently pourtrai'd or pictur'd, without hands and without eyes; without hands, as noting that Judges muſt not receive or take gifts: And without eyes, becauſe they muſt not ſee friend or neighbour, great or ſmall, kinſman or ſtranger; they were to diſtribute juſtice according unto every mans cauſe, and not with reſpect to any mans ſtate or relation. It is ſaid of Chriſt (Iſa. 11.3.) where his Kingdome is deſcribed, that he ſhall not judge after the ſight of his eyes; that is, by what appears to the eye, but he ſhall judge righteous judgement. In this ſenſe it is the Judges duty and honour to have his face covered. But the covering here meant, is either of ignorance and inability, or of corruptneſſe and partiality. All which hinder the Judge from doing his duty, and are blemiſhes of his honour.

But ſome may object, Shall we attribute this to God? Doth he cover the faces of the Judges? God is pure from all ſinne, while he leaves men in their impurity. He is juſt in giving man over to his own injuſtice. So we anſwer, and the next words challenge all to make another anſwer.

If not, where, and who is he?

foreign Si non, ubi ille? Dagn. Si non, ergo Quis ille? lingua ſancta conciſa valde, Si non (ſupple, Deus qui hoc faciat) ergo quis eſt, ſupple, qui faciat.If it is not the Lord who doth this, tell me who is it? as if he had ſaid, Some may be offended and ſcandalized at my doctrine, that I aſſert, The earth is given into the hands of the wicked, that be covereth the faces of the Iudges; If any man ſhall deny or ſcruple this, let him ſhew me whence theſe things are, and who is the cauſe of them?

There is a three-fold underſtanding of theſe words: Some make the antecedent to be the wicked; As if he had ſaid, Who but a wicked man will cover the faces of the Iudges, and hinder the execution of juſtice? And ſo they acquit God, accounting it blaſphemy to attribute the act of covering unto him: The Lord is a God of juſtice, he loves judgement, he opens the minde, and clears the eye, he doth not caſt clouds and miſts before it. It's true, ſo farre as the act is ſinfull, God forbid we ſhould aſcribe it unto God. But (as was ſhewed before) we need not uſe this ſubterfuge, left we ſhould lay any aſperſion upon his juſtice and holineſſe. God can leave men to their injuſtice without any thought …, or touch of injuſtice in himſelf.

Others interpret this Queſtion as a challenge; It is thus, Si non, ubi eſt, ſcil qui me falfi arguat? prodeat ſi quis me poteſt falfi arguere. Merc. Ʋbi eſt, qui mentiri me cenſet? Pagn.If it be not, where and who is he? Who and where's the man that will argue or implead me of falſhood in what I have aſſerted? Who is it that undertakes to convince me of errour in the doctrine I have delivered? This is my opinion; theſe poſitions I have laid down for truth, That the Lord deſtroieth the perfect and the wicked, that he laugheth at the triall of the innocent, that he gives the earth into ohe hand of the wicked, that he covereth the faces of the Judges; If it be not thus, if any one hold otherwiſe, Let me ſee the man, Let him appear as my Antugoniſt, or Opponent. Where, and who is he that dares charge me with errour? I am ready to anſwer him.

But rather take it in the ſenſe before given, If it be not the Lord who doth this, then ſhew me who it is, Where, and who is he? There is an elegant conciſeneſſe in the Hebrew, which ſpeaks only thus, If not, where he? or, who he? The ſenſe is, If it be not God who doth this, ſhew me, tell me, Who is it? And ſo the words are an excluſion of any other power, ordering and diſpoſing the things of the world. When old Iſaac was diſappointed in his intention of giving the bleſſing to Eſau, he trembled exceedingly, and ſpake in the language of this Text, Who, where is he? (Gen. 27.33.) As if he had ſaid, I thought thou my ſonne Eſau hadſt brought me veniſon before, and if it was not thou, I know not who it ſhould be, I was never ſo deceived in my life, if it was not thou. Such a broken ſpeech Job uſes here, If it be not God who doth theſe things, I am much deceived, for I know not any in the world to whom I might probably aſſign them, but only unto him. You muſt be wiſer then I, if you finde any thus powerfull beſides God. If not, where, and who is he? Whence obſerve,

Firſt, That, The greateſt confuſions in the world are ordered by God.

What greater confuſion then this, to ſee the earth given to thoſe who deſerve not to live upon the earth? that they ſhould rule the world who are unworthy to breathe in the world? Yet even theſe things are diſpoſed of by the Lord, and are the iſſues of his counſels, That wherein we ſee no order, receives order from the Lord.

Secondly, Obſerve,

The very confuſions that are in the world are an argument of the power of God.

For ſeeing the world continues in the midſt of ſuch confuſions, it ſhews there is a mighty power, balancing theſe confuſions ſo exactly, that they cannot ruine the world, If there were not an over-ruling power in God, wicked men ruling would ſoon ruine all. There are myſteries of providence, as well as of faith. And many are as much puzzl'd to enterpret what God doth, as what he hath ſpoken. I finde Heathens often ſtumbling at this ſtone, and ungodding their Idol gods at the ſight of ſuch diſtributions among men.Cum rapiunt mala fata bonos, ignoſcite faſſo, Sollicitor nullos eſſe putare Deos. Ovid. Marmoreo Licin… tumulo jacet, & Cato parvo, Pompeius nullo: quis puter eſſe Deos? When evil takes away good men, this is my next thought (ſaith one of them) I am ſollicited to thinke there are no gods. Another obſerving how unequally men were buried, buries God in that obſervation. Licinus a cruell oppreſſour lies interred in a ſtately monument. Cato, a ſober, grave, wiſe, and juſt Senatour hath a mean and poor ſepulchre, ſcarce looking above the ground. Pompey the great, that famous Commander and Conquerour had no tomb at all, he was buried no man knoweth where. When we ſee (ſaith he) things go thus, who would thinke that there are any gods?

Thus they ſtumbled at the ſuppoſed uneven diſpenſations of their idol gods. And we finde great offence taken, and an horrible blaſphemy belched out againſt the true God, upon the ſame occaſion, and almoſt in the ſame terms (Mal. 2.17.) Ye have wearied the Lord with your words, yet ye ſay, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye ſay, Every one that doth evil is good in the ſight of the Lord, and he delighteth in them, or where is the God of judgement? Though they fell not directly into the former blaſphemy, to conclude there was no God, becauſe wicked men proſpered; yet they fell into a blaſphemous opinion, that God delighted in, and loved wicked men, becauſe they proſpered; Wherein have we wearied the Lord? Yes, ye have. Not that the Lord is at all moved or troubled in himſelf with the contumelious ſpeeches of men, but thus, if any thing would tire, and weary him, this may, to hear himſelf arraigned and judged by the world, as a lover of evil men, becauſe he doth not preſently ſmite them with the viſible marks of his diſpleaſure, that becauſe the earth is given into the hands of the wicked, therefore the Lord muſt needs be a friend to the wicked.

Thirdly, Obſerve, That

No creature is maſter of his own waies or ends.

The Lord giveth the earth into the hand of the wicked. Man cannot get the earth into his own hand, let him be as wicked as he will: The Lord covers the faces of the Judges: If he enlighten them, no man can cloud them, if he open, no man can ſhut.

No creature can doe good without the directing and enabling hand of God.

No creature doth any evil without the ſupporting and over-ruling hand of God. (Iſa. 41.23.) Shew the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods, yea, doe good or evil, that we may be diſmaied, and behold it together. Let us ſee you doe any miſchief, if ye can. Man is ſet upon miſchief, but he cannot act miſchief, unleſſe God (at leaſt) permit. We were in an ill caſe, if man could doe all the evil he hath a minde to.

It is matter of comfort,☜ to conſider that the waies and iſſues of good and evil, are in his hand, who is good, and doth no evil.

Exposition of Job 8-10, Commentary on Job · Chapter 9 · Verses 22-24