Exposition of Job 15-17, Commentary on Job · Chapter 15

Exposition of Job 15-17 · Commentary on Job · Chapter 15

p. 169JOB, CHAP. 15. Verſ. 31, 32, 33, 34, 35.

Let not him that is deceived truſt in vanity; for vanity ſhall be his recompence.

It ſhall be accompliſhed before his time, and his branch ſhall not be greene.

He ſhall ſhake off his unripe Grape as the Vine, and ſhall caſt off his flower as the Olive.

For the Congregation of Hypocrites ſhall be deſolate, and fire ſhall conſume the Tabernacles of bribery.

They conceive miſchiefe, and bring forth vanity, and their belly prepareth deceit.

ELiphaz layd downe his Doctrine, at the 20. Verſe of this Chapter, That a wicked mans life is a miſerable life, he travells in paine all his dayes; and having inſiſted long upon the proofe, he now gives us the application of it, in a uſe of dehortation.

Verſ. 31. Let not him that is deceived truſt in vanity.

He inforceth this dehortation by a ſummary repetition of the Doctrine before delivered; which he doth:

Firſt, Plainly in the cloſe of the 31. and in the beginning of the 32. Verſes, For vanity ſhall he his recompence; it ſhall be accompliſhed before its time.

Secondly, He doth it allegorically, in the cloſe of the 32. Verſe, and in the 33. His branch ſhall not be greene: He ſhall ſhake off his unripe Grapes as the Vine, and ſhall caſt off his flower as the Olive.

Having thus preſſed his Doctrine by this powerfull motive, he concludes his whole Sermon, with a freſh aſſertion of his Doctrine, againſt two ſorts of wicked men in particular, which yet may comprehend all wicked men.

Firſt, Hypocrites, who corrupt the worſhip of God, or are corrupt while they pretend to worſhip God. Verſ. 34. For the congregation of Hypocrites ſhall be deſolate.

p. 170Secondly, Of oppreſſors, who pervert Juſtice, or deale falſly among men; The fire ſhall conſume the Tabernacles of bribery.

Under theſe two heads, we may reduce all ſorts of ſinners; ſinners againſt God, under the notion of Hypocrites: And ſinners againſt men, under the notion of Oppreſſours, who pervert Judgement by giving or taking Bribes: All which Eliphaz concludes, by a deſcription of their evill actings (the cauſe of all their ſufferings) under that elegant metaphor of Child-bearing; They conceive miſchiefe, and bring forth vanity, and their belly prepareth deceit: Thus you have the reſolution and ſcope of the latter part of this Chapter.

Verſ. 31. Let not him that is deceived truſt in vanity.

Theſe words containe the dehortation; here are three termes to be explained.

Firſt, What is meant by being deceived.

Secondly, What by truſting.

Thirdly, What we are to underſtand by Vanity.

Let not him that is deceived.

The Originall word ſignifies, either the turning of the foot, or the turning of the heart, or both out of the way (Pſal. 119.176.foreign Deceptus uſurpatar, de errore cordis & pedis.) I have gone aſtray, like a loſt Sheep: That is, I have been deceived, and ſo have gone out of the way of thy holy Commandements. Satan is an ill guide, and our hearts are no better: He that follows either, quickly looſeth himſelfe: And untill God ſeeketh us up (as David prayes in the next words) wee cannot finde our way when wee are once out of it (Ezek. 44.15.) The Prieſts, the Levites, the Sonnes of Zadock that kept the charge of my Sanctuary, when the people of Iſrael went aſtray from me, they ſhall come neere to me: When the people walked in by places, and were intangled in the bryars of their owne corruptions; then the Prieſts kept the charge of the Lord: It was a great mercy, that when the people were deceived, the Prieſts were not; that when the Sheep went aſtray, the Shepheards did not? If Prieſts and people goe aſtray together, who ſhall reduce them? But to the poynt, Iſrael went aſtray. They who led them did not p. 171cauſe them to erre (once they did as the Prophet complaines) Who then did? Many goe aſtray, when none lead them aſtray: Man can deceive himſelfe faſt enough, if none elſe doe; yet the word implyes alſo the cunning activity, of an externall agent, to lead poor ſoules out of the way. We may take in both here; Let not him that is deceived, whether by the fallacious arguings of his owne heart, or by the ſubtlety of any other, whether Men or Devills.

Truſt in vanity.

Or, Let him not beleeve in vanity: Truſting is an act of faith,foreign Credet, ne credat in vanitatem. and though a man may beleeve, and not truſt; yet no man can truſt, who doth not beleeve. We tranſlate the word not as ſignifying onelyonly bare beleiving, but as it reaches that higher act of truſting: He that is moſt deceived, is moſt apt to truſt that which will deceive him more; and gives not onelyonly his conſent, but confidence to that which either is not at all, or is that leaſt which it pretends to be, fit to be truſted, Vanity.

Let him not truſt in vanity.

The word which we render Vanity, foreign Temeritas falſitas menda cium eadem eſt vis vocis quae apud Latinos vocabuli Vani quod tam pro mendacio qua pro re …dicu… accipi ſolet.is not Habel uſed by Solomon (Eccleſ. 1.2.) Vanity of vanities, which ſignifies onelyonly a light thing, ſuch as is a vapour riſing from the earth, a bubble ſwelling out of, and floating a little upon the water, or more ſtrictly, a puffe or breath of the mouth; but it ſignifies raſhneſſe, falſeneſſe, a lye, a deceite; vaine things are falſe, lying, and deceiveable; therefore, one word ſerves for both.

Againe, Vanity may be here taken two wayes, either for the ſ…n, or deceit, with which a man is miſlead; and then the meaning is, Let not him that is deceived by ſin, truſt in ſin: Or ſecondly, Vanity may be taken for any creature comfort, and contentment, eſpecially thoſe which are the revenue, or income of ſinfull practices. Sin leads to profit, to pleaſure, to honour, to theſe fraile and tranſitory things ſin leads us, in hope of ſatisfaction by them, and then the meaning is, Let not him that is deceived, truſt in that which ſin promiſeth, and profeſſeth it will doe for him, or advance him to: Sin in its nature p. 172is vanity, and all the fruits or iſſues of it are vaine too. Therefore, as nothing, and nothing, added together, make nothing, ſo vanity and vanity put together, make but vanity: The totall ſumm cannot exceed the Items or particulars; Let not him that is deceived truſt in vanity, for vanity ſhall be his recompence.

Hence Obſerve.

Firſt, Man is very apt to be deceived; ſo apt to be deceived, that he is ſcarſe ever undeceived: Eliphaz ſpeakes here, not onelyonly of a poſſibility to be deceived, but of being actually deceived; and this ariſeth two waies, firſt from the impotence and weakneſſe, from the blindneſſe and ignorance that is in man; he that is blinde and weake, is eaſily miſlead; every man naturally, how ſtrong, how wiſe, how knowing ſoever he ſeems to be, is yet weak, blind, and ignorant in a very great meaſure; and therefore very deceivable: Man is full of craft, this makes him deceitfull; he is empty of true wiſedome, this renders him deceiveable.

Secondly, As man may quickly be deceived, by reaſon of the ignorance which is in him, ſo alſo by reaſon of thoſe ſubtle enemies, who are alwayes about him, yea and within him. We live (as I may ſo ſpeake) among Cheaters, and Cozenners, and there is a great Cheater lives in us; how hard is it then not to be deceived? If a man be in a Croud among many Cut-purſes, and Cheaters, he is in danger to loſe his Money every moment; it is ſo with us: though carnall men are not at all aware of it, nor they who are moſt ſpirituall, ſo much aware of it as they ſhould It is dangerous to live among deceivers, though we know them, and are aware of them; it is moſt dangerous to live among deceivers, and not to know them, for then we cannot be aware of them; but it is madneſſe to know we live among deceivers, and yet not to be aware of them.

There are three notorious Deceivers, who labour to enſnare us; we need not wonder though ſome who are watchful againſt them, are deceived by them: but it would be a wonder, and ſuch a wonder as yet was never ſeen, if they ſhould not be deceived, who never watch againſt them.

Firſt, Our owne hearts which have not onelyonly an impotence p. 173or weakneſſe (as I noted before) whereby they are apt to be deceived, but there is in our hearts an activeneſſe, yea an efficacy to deceive; we are not onelyonly paſſive, but active; we are ſeldome, if at all, deceived, till wee deceive our ſelves: And as ſome men are very active in deceiving others, ſo all men are active in a degree to deceive themſelves. (Jer. 17.9.) The heart of man is deceitfull and deſperately wicked: The heart is deceitfull in reference to a threefold object.

Firſt, The heart would deceive God himſelfe, and impoſe upon the All-wiſe: Thats the deſigne of a Hypocrite, his buſineſſe is to deceive God, though the iſſue be the deceiving of himſelfe.

Secondly, The heart of man is deceitfull in contriving wayes to deceive, and ſupplant other men. The complaint of the Prophet goes very high upon this (Mich. 7.2.) The good man is periſhed out of the Earth, and there is none upright among men; they all lye in waite for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net. To lye in waite, is the act, and a Net is the inſtrument of a Deceiver, The Propheſie of Chriſt goes yet higher (Matth. 24.24.) For there ſhall ariſe falſe Chriſts, and falſe Prophets, and ſhall ſhew great ſignes and wonders; inſomuch that (if it were poſſible) they ſhall deceive the very Elect. Deceit workes to its utmoſt poſſibility, when it puts hard to deceive thoſe, whom to deceive is impoſſible. If Elect men could be deceived, God ſhould be deceived in his Election; But this is impoſſible, and therefore that is; the man who is elect is deceiveable, but becauſe he is an elect man, he cannot be deceived: And though an elect man may be deceived in ſome things (for even he is ſubject to errour, becauſe he is ſtill (while in this World) the ſubject of ſin) yet he cannot be ſo farr deceived in any thing, as to null or fruſtrate his election. How reſtleſſe is man to deceive man, ſeeing he ceaſeth not his endeavour to deceive, where he cannot prevailingly deceive.

Thirdly, (Which I conceive the Text in Jeremiah ſpecially aymes at) the heart of man is very buſie to deceive himſelfe. 'Tis bad enough to deceive others, but to deceive our ſelves is worſe, and that not onelyonly becauſe it makes us more miſerable, but more ſinfull: Selfe-deceit is the moſt ſinfull deceit. The heart of man is deſperately wicked, there is no hope that, p. 174it will leave off to doe wickedly, ſeeing it is of counſell againſt its owne peace. And ſurely, man is not onelyonly under a poſſibility to be deceived, in regard of the impotence and blindneſſe of his heart, but alſo under an impoſſibility, not to be deceived, in regard of the skill and unwearyed activity of his heart to deceive himſelfe.

Secondly, Man hath another deceiver continually about him, The World, and all that is in the World, The luſt of the fleſh, the luſt of the eye, and the pride of life; all theſe are but as ſo many ſnares and juggels to cozen, and deceive poore man.

Thirdly, The Devill, who is The Deceiver; of whoſe devices we are not ignorant (ſaith the Apoſtle) he is full of tricks and plots; he hath his methods, his arts to deceive. Ever ſince the Devill deceived himſelfe, he hath been ſtudying how to deceive man; he doth not onelyonly goe about like a roaring Lyon, but like a ſubtle Serpent, and a cunning Fox, ſeeking whom he may devour; or he is a Lyon to devour thoſe whom he hath firſt deceived as a Fox, or as a Serpent: Man is a perſwadable creature (Gen. 9.27.) God ſhall perſwade Japhet to dwell in the Tents of Shem: The Originall word there uſed to perſwade, ſignifies alſo to deceive, becauſe perſwaſions are often made as Engines, or baytes to deceive.

There is alſo a kind of holy fraud in the Goſpell, and man is as it were deceived into the obedience of it, Being crafty I caught you with guile (I fetcht you over, did I not?) ſaith Paul (2 Cor. 12.16.) Now as man is ſomtimes deceived for his good, ſo he is often and eaſily deceived for his hurt, by theſe three deceivers. Satan, the World, and his owne Heart, perſwade him by an unholy deceit to dwell in the Tents of ſin.

foreign Bis poteſt ſumi & cum foreign credet, ne credat in vanitatem, & cum foreign deceptus, deceptus inquam per vanitatem, ne in eam fida▪Againe, Some who by vanity underſtand ſin, read the word Vanity twice, Let not him that is deceived by vanity, truſt in vanity; that is, Let not him that is deceived by ſin, truſt in ſin; which interpretation yeelds us this truth, Sin is deceitfull, or thus, Sin doth nothing but deceive.

The Apoſtle, (Heb. 3.13.) chargeth ſin with deceit to its very face, Exhort one the other, while it is called to day, leaſt any of your hearts be hardned through the deceitfulneſſe of ſin; there are three eminent evils in ſin,

p. 175Firſt, There is a pollution in ſin, it defiles.

Secondly, There is baſeneſſe in ſin, it diſhonours.

Thirdly, There is a deceitfulneſſe in ſin, it would make us beleeve we ſhall be, and receive, that which it is not able to performe.

Hence the Apoſtle (Rom. 6.21.) puts the queſtion to thoſe who were once the ſervants of ſin, What fruit had yee then in thoſe things whereof you are now aſhamed? He asketh them, and bids them aske their owne hearts, what fruit had you? as if he had ſayd, I know when you were ſervants of ſin, your ſins promiſed you great matters, great rewards: the Tree of ſin ſeemes to be loaded with fruits, the bowes of it looke as if ready to break with goodly fruits; fruit pleaſant to the eye, ſweet to the taſte, and deſireable to make one wiſe; but I beſeech yon tell me what fruit had you in thoſe things wh reof you are now aſhamed? If you be aſhamed to tell me; I will tell you, The end of thoſe things is death; that's all the fruit which the Tree of ſin beares. Sin deales with us, as Jaell with Siſera (Judges 4.18.) Shee ſtood at the Tent doore, when he came panting from the Battell, and ſaid to him, Turne in my Lord, turne in; ſhee took him into her Tent, and layd him downe, covered him warme, and when he asked her for Milke, ſhee gave him Butter, Butter in a Lordly diſh; here were fine words, and ſeeming promiſes: yet ſhee honeſtly deceived him, Shee put her hand to the Naile, and her hand to the workmans Hammer, and nayled his temples to the ground. Thus ſin bids us turn in, promiſes to cover us warme, gives us Butter in a Lordly diſh, but never tells us of that wofull end, and wretched cataſtrophe which it intends unto us: Sinne deales with us as Dallilah with Sampſon, takes us into its boſome and embraces; but then it hath a plot to cut the lock of our ſtrength, to deliver us over to the Philiſtims, to call in Legions of Devills to ſeize upon us, and make us grinde at the Mill of their baſeſt drudgery.

More diſtinctly, ſin deceives by a threefold promiſe.

Firſt, By a promiſe of profit (Prov. 1.13.) Come caſt in thy lot with us, let us lye in waite for blood, &c. We ſhall find all precious ſubſtance, we ſhall fill our houſes with ſpoyle: but this precious ſubſtance, proves onelyonly a pernicious ſhadow, and theſe ſpoiles taken, ſpoyle thoſe who take them.

Secondly, Sin deceives by promiſing content, and ſweet p. 176delight; what thoughts had Ahab concerning Naboths Vineyard? If he could but get it, he were a made man; what pleaſure ſhould he have in thoſe ſhady walkes? what Grapes and Wine from thoſe fruitfull Vines? Sin promiſeth as largely as God doth, to give us not onelyonly delight but ſatisfaction; that we ſhall not have ſo much as an empty corner in our ſoules; all ſhall be filled: whereas in truth there is nothing but emptineſſe, and diſſatisfaction in any creature, eſpecially when ſin leads or helps us to the enjoyment of it.

Thirdly, At leaſt, ſin promiſeth and gives its word for it, that we ſhall be free from trouble, and feele no evill; That we ſhall have peace, though we walke in the imagination of our heart (Deut. 29.19.) That as they flattered themſelves in the Prophet, wee ſhall not ſee Sword, nor Famine: Theſe vaniſhing dreames of plenty, of good things, and immunity from evill, carry thouſands of ſoules captive to the baſeſt bondage of ſin.

Further, This vanity, from truſting which the deceived ſoule is called off by Eliphaz, is conceived to be worldly riches, and the fulleſt poſſeſſion of the creature; theſe are vanity: That they are, is a common theame, and yet though it be much ſpoken of, it is very little beleived; we are apt to over-rate the things of the World, and under-rate the things of Heaven. The creature is vanity, not onelyonly in regard of the nothingneſſe of it, but vanity in regard of that which we call the ſomthingneſſe of it, or the beſt of it.

The Prophet Jonah makes the word which we here tranſlate vanity,foreign Vanitates mendacii ſive mendaces. the Epethite of that which is commonly tranſlated vanity (Jon. 3.8.) They that obſerve lying vanities: Idolls are vanity, and a lye, becauſe though they can doe no good at all, yet they promiſe much: Riches are vanity, and a lye, becauſe they cannot doe ſo much good as they promiſe. Solomon ſaith in his Eccleſiaſtes, That Money anſwereth all things (Chap. 8.10.) And ſo it doth as the value of all earthly things is made by Money, and as Money is the price of all earthly things. But though Money anſwereth all things, by ſatisfying our engagements, yet it anſwereth nothing to the ſatisfying of its owne engagements. Money and riches have payd many a mans debts, and enough of them will pay any mans debts; but they have never payd their owne debts, no more then p. 177Idols have, and therefore they juſtly beare the brand of this reproach, Lying vanities: That they are ſo, appeares clearely in two particulars.

Firſt, In the report which they make of themſelves.

Secondly, In the promiſes which they make to us.

Firſt, In the report which they make of their owne worth; if you look upon the bil of the creature, it puts down, not only a hundred for fifty, but a million for a mite: For, how much ſoever it is worth, yet it beares no proportion to that which it would be eſteemed worth: As ſome rich men are not halfe ſo rich as they deſire to be reckoned; ſo riches themſelves are not ſo rich by thouſands of thouſands as they would be reckoned.

There is indeed a created worth in the creature, for it is the work of God; but ſince the ſin of man hath (as to us) both imbaſed, and imbittered the creature, it is worth nothing comparatively to that at which it is rated, both in its owne, and our Books.

Secondly, The creature (in this notion) is a lying vanity, while it perſwades us; that in the enjoyment thereof we ſhall be happy; whereas our happineſſe doth not conſiſt in any creature-enjoyment; unleſſe God himſelfe be our portion, we are both poor and miſerable in the fulleſt poſſeſſion of the creature. God is the living ſtreame, the creature at the beſt was but a Ciſterne, and now it is but a broken Ciſterne which leaks out all the waters that paſſe into it, unleſſe God ſtop the chinks, and mend the cracks of it, by Jeſus Chriſt.

Againe, The creature promiſeth to eaſe us of our cares, yet it doth but multiply them: The creature promiſeth to ſatisfie our deſires, yet it doth only encreaſe and enrage them. Riches are not food, but fewell to our deſires; they doe not allay our appetite, as bread doth, when received into the ſtomack, but enflame our appetite, as wood doth, when it is caſt into the fire.

Further, The creature promiſeth to protect us; hence that of Solomon (Prov. 10.15.) The rich mans wealth is his ſtrong Citie: That is, it promiſeth to be ſo, and tells him, it will doe that for him, which a ſtrong City doth for its Inhabitants, defend him againſt all Commers and Invaders; yet the ſame Solomon aſſures us in the next Chapter (Verſ. 4.) That riches p. 178profit not in the day of wrath. And Ezekiel threatens the Jews, That their Silver and their Gold ſhall not deliver them in the day of the wrath of the Lord.

Laſtly, The Creature promiſeth to continue with us. Riches tell us, that though Father and Mother forſake us, yet they will not, though Wife and Children forſake us, yet they will not; they make us beleeve that they will ſtick cloſer to us, then Chriſt himſelfe, and yet they are upon the wing preſently, they flye away as the Eagle, and are gone out of ſight, they doe not onelyonly periſh in the uſing, but periſh from our uſe.

Is not all this and a thouſand times more, which might be ſayd of their lying, and vanity, enough, and more then enough to juſtifie thoſe titles which the Spirit of God hath beſtowed upon them, that they are vanity and a lye, or as Jonah calls them, Lying vanities.

And yet (to cloſe the point) we muſt remember that creature-riches are not a lye, nor deceitfull in themſelves. There's no more deceit in the greateſt abundance of Gold and Silver, then there is in a wholſome ſavory peece of bread. Riches are not vaine and deceitfull, as our hearts are ſayd to be deceitfull (Jer. 17.9.) nor as luſt is ſayd to be deceitfull (Eph. 4.22.) for theſe things are deceitfull onelyonly through the deceitfulneſſe of our hearts, and luſts: Or they are deceitfull Objectively, not Actively; we are deceived about them, not by them. They doe not deceive us till we are deceived; nor doe they deceive us either as poſſeſſed or uſed, but as adored and truſted. Let not him that is deceived truſt in vanity.

Thirdly Obſerve,

Man muſt and will have ſomewhat to truſt to, or leane upon. And therefore rather then fayle, he will truſt that which cannot but fayle, Vanity. Like one that's ready to drowne, he catcheth at any thing, a rotten ſtick, or a ſtraw, and would ſupport his whole body, by that which is not able to beare the weight of his little finger. Man is a weak creature, ſenſe and nature are enough to make him ſenſible of his naturall weakneſſe; and theſe alſo are enough to prompt and provoke him to ſeek helpe without himſelfe, though they are utterly inſufficient to direct him whither to goe for the ſureſt helpe; It is the priviledge of God alone to have nothing to truſt to, or to be above p. 179truſt: He who is all ſtrength needs not truſt. As he doth not put truſt in his Saints (Verſ. 15.) becauſe he knows they are frayle and mutable: ſo he hath no need to truſt them, becauſe he knows himſelfe not onelyonly ſtrong, but immutable. God is all that he is from himſelfe, and therefore he ever continues to be what he is, by himſelfe. But man who is not a ſpring to himſelfe of Being, cannot be a ſupport to himſelfe for the continuance of his Being; much leſſe for the continuance of his well-being. And as mans neceſſity calls him to truſt, ſo his duty calls him to truſt God: Man fell at firſt by his deſire to ſtand alone, he would be independent; and men fall every day, becauſe they deſire to ſtand by that which cannot ſtand alone. It is a ſpeciall part of that worſhip which we owe to God, to truſt him; and whatſoever we truſt beſides God, we make a God of it. He that truſts not in the God that made him, makes many Gods (ſuch as they are) by truſting them. While Job puts that negative ſuppoſition (as to his owne caſe) Chap. 31.24.) If I have made Gold my hop…, or have ſayd to the fine Gold, thou art my confidence: He more then implyeth that many had. Man ought to truſt God, but few will; many will truſt in Creatures, but none ought: Man will be truſting in ſomewhat, and he is ſo forward to truſt in vanity (which indeed is nothing) that it is the hardeſt thing in the World to take him off. We cannot preſſe either our ſelves or others too much, to truſt God, and we cannot repreſſe them enough from truſting vanity: Man is very ready to exerciſe and put forth an act of truſt, and he is as ready to miſtake the object of truſt.

Laſtly Obſerve.

Man is apt to truſt that which hath deceived him; or man being once deceived, truſts that which will deceive him againe. Let not him that is deceived truſt in vanity: We ſay, Such a man hath deceived me once, but he ſhall not deceive me the ſecond time: But carnall hearts being deceived once by ſin and vanity, are willing to be deceived a thouſand times; being once deceived, they care not how often they are deceived: That of the Prophet is an eminent Teſtimony to this too much experimented truth (Iſa. 44.20.) He feedeth on aſhes; that is, he is as much deluded as a man is, who eates aſhes, thinking it to be bread or other good cheare; or his Idoll which promiſed him great p. 180matters and much joy, hath given nothing but aſhes, ſorrow, and miſery; of which, aſhes, and eſpecially feeding upon aſhes, was an embleme: Now though it were thus with him, yet (ſaith the Prophet) A deceived heart hath turned him aſide that he cannot deliver his ſoule, nor ſay, is there not a lye in my right hand? that is, Though he ſees himſelfe deceived, yet he hath no power to withdraw from the deceiver, nor to queſtion the deceit; he is ſo bewitched with the ſorcery of ſin, that he cannot deliver his ſoule from the ſnares of it; but being deceived, he is willingly deceived, and looks upon his deceiver as his truſty Friend.

God never deceived, no nor fayled any man that truſted in him (Pſ. 9.10.) yet the hearts of the moſt will not be perſwaded to truſt God; ſin and the creature deceive all that truſt in them, yet we can hardly call or beat the heart off from truſting them. Sin ſeldome looſes its credit; ſin hath broken and undone thouſands, yea all who have truſted it; yet ſtill it hath credit among thouſands, and can be truſted with more then this World is worth, the precious ſoule of man, for the asking. But let not him that is deceived, truſt (any longer) in vanity, if he doe, he ſhall never be a gainer, no nor a ſaver by it.

For vanity ſhall be his recompence.

Vanity fills both parts of the Verſe, and meets us at every turne, yet with a difference: In the former part by vanity was ſignified either ſin, or the creature; in this latter part, vanity notes miſery,Vanitatis nomen variè hic ſumitur, quam ob rem ſorſan & varie ſcribitur priore loco ſig. vanas res quibus fidebant, ſcopes: gloriam, poſteriori loco vanitatem in quam haec omnia redigenda ſint dum ex his decidens miſer ſiet. Merc. or the effect and fruit of ſin.

Hence Obſerve.

The vanity of miſery overtakes all thoſe who are deceived by the vanity of ſin.

Vanity is their recompence.

There are two ſorts of recompence.

Firſt, Of wrath.

Secondly, Of favour.

Evill deeds have their recompence, as well as good. To me (ſaith the Lord, Deut. 32.35.) belongeth vengeance and recompence; that is, the recompence of vengeance; as the Apoſtle expounds it (Heb. 10.30.) For we know him that ſayd, Vengeance p. 181belongeth unto me, I will recompence ſaith the Lord: God will not live long in any mans debt: As holy Goſpell-confidence hath a great recompence of reward (Heb. 10.35.) So every diſobedience of the Law received a juſt recompence of reward (Heb. 2.2.) And God is ſo exact in giving the recompences of puniſhment, that he will not ſpare his owne, when they are ſo fooliſh as to truſt in vanity (Prov. 11.31.) Behold the righteous ſhall be recompenced in the earth, much more the wicked and the ſinner: that is, A righteous man ſhall be corrected, though he ſin of infirmity; how then ſhall the wicked be puniſhed who ſin with preſumption and delight. As a wicked man hath all his recompences of good on the earth (Matth. 6.2.) They have their reward; ſo a righteous man hath all his recompences of evill or affliction in the earth; he hath none beyond. But, we may ſtrongly argue, that the wicked, who truſt in vanity ſhall be recompenced with ſorrow for ever; ſeeing the righteous, if they doe but a little turne aſide to vanity, ſhall be recompenced with ſorrow here: That's the Apoſtle Peters way of reaſoning (1 Epiſt. 4.18.) If the righteous ſcarcely be ſaved, where ſhall the ungodly and ſinner appeare? Surely, as the Prophet concludes (Iſa. 59.18.) According to their deeds accordingly he will repay fury to his adverſaries, recompence to his enemies, to the Iſlands he will repay recompence.

Secondly, as vanity in the former clauſe is taken for the Creature. Obſerve.

The Creature is moſt vaine to thoſe who truſt it.

The Creature is a vaine thing in his hand, who beleeves and truſts in God, but it is exceeding vaine in his hand, who truſts on it; and the more it is truſted, the more vaine it is. If we make it our ſtaffe, it will be our ſcourge: if we leane upon it as our rock, it will run into our hands like a broken Reed: The beſt way to keep up our comforts in the Creature, is to keep our diſtance from the Creature. And they ſhall finde moſt content in the World, who live furtheſt off it, and expect leaſt from it. God is good, and the more we truſt him, the better he is to us, yea he is not good at all to us, unleſſe we truſt him: But the beſt of creatures truſted to become evill, yea an Idoll to us. Truſt not in vanity (ſuch are all creatures in their beſt eſtate) for vanity ſhall be your recompence.

p. 182Againe, The word which we tranſlate recompence, ſignifies a change, or the exchange which is made of one thing for another: While Job exalts the value and excellency of wiſedome above all created excellencies, he ſaith (Chap. 28.17.) The Gold and the Chryſtall cannot equall it, and the exchange of it ſhall not be for jewells of fine Gold.

So ſome render it here, Let not him that is deceived truſt in vanity, A radice foreign mutavit foreign commutatio vanitas erit; commutatio ejus, i. e. in nihilum redigetur.for vanity ſhall be his change: Whenſoever he changeth, he ſhall change into vanity, or when he hath driven a trade in ſinfull vanity, to the higheſt; the beſt exchange which the Merchandize thereof yeelds him, is miſerable vanity: Vanity can produce nothing to us but vanity: The effect is not better then the cauſe, nor the fruit then the Tree; and that which we receive in exchange, though it may be of another kinde, yet it is of no better value then that we give in exchange.

Hence Obſerve.

That a wicked mans ſtate never changeth for better, but from good to bad, or from bad to worſe. Till the man himſelfe be changed from bad to good, his ſtate can never change from bad to good: And ſuppoſe his outward ſtate be good, then the worſt thing that can befall him, is this, that his ſtate ſhould not change. His ſetledneſſe in that which is civilly good, doth but more ſettle him in that which is morally evill. They have no changes, therefore they feare not God (Pſal. 55.19.) What can be worſe for man then this, n…t to feare God, who is the chiefeſt good? Who would not feare to be without changes, when he heares that being without them, keeps out this feare?

Suppoſe further. That the wicked mans outward eſtate be evill, then it is worſe to him, when he changes to outward good: if he change from ſorrow to joy, from povery to riches, from ſickneſſe to health, from a priſon to liberty, in all theſe, or in any other of like nature with theſe, he changes to his loſſe: That man can never change for good, who continues evill. Such a mans outward eſtate often changes from bad to worſe; if it change from bad to good, that is bad for him; and if being good, it change not at all, that is worſt of all.

It is a part of the miſery of man, that his ſtate is changeable, but that is incident to the beſt of men: We ſhall not p. 183be unchangeable in our ſtate, till we come into the preſence of God, who is unchangeable in his nature. We may ſay alſo (conſidering the many troubles which we are ſubject to in this life) that it is a part of our happineſſe, that our ſtate is changeable. Thoſe changes which are from evill to good, or from good to better, are to be numbred among our bleſſings; ſuch are the changes of the Saints, all their changes are for the better: yea thoſe changes of the Saints which are from joy to ſorrow, from riches to poverty, from health to ſickneſſe, from liberty to a priſon, from life to death, in a word, their changes from any kinde of outward temporary good, to outward temporary evill, are yet for their good. He cannot change but for his good, who is good, and who abides alwayes under this promiſe, that all ſhall work together for his good.

An evill and a good man differ in nothing more then in their changes; nor ſhould any ſelfe-conſideration provoke an evill man more to deſire that he may be changed to good, then this, that his changes may be for good. Who would continue or truſt in vanity, were he perſwaded that vanity ſhall be his change?

Secondly, Obſerve.

That ſuch as our way is, ſuch will our end be: If we walk and truſt in vanity, we ſhall have vanity for our recompence, or our change. Every mans end is virtually in his way: So the Apoſtle argues ellegantly (Gal. 6.7.) Be not deceived, God is not mocked; whatſoever a man ſowes that ſhall he reape, he that ſowes to the fleſh, ſhall of the fleſh reap corruption; he that ſowes to the ſpirit, ſhall of the ſpirit reap life everlaſting: If the Huſband-man ſow tares he muſt look to reap tares: A ſeed time of tares, and a Harveſt of Wheat, were never heard of in the ſame ground: As the ſeed is, ſuch is the crop (Iſa. 3.11.) Woe to the wicked, it ſhall be ill with him, for the reward of his hand ſhall be given him. There is nothing worſe for ſome, then to have their reward brought in, and all that is owing to them payd: The very receiving of their debts and rewards, is their undoing for ever.

All the miſery of a wicked man is ſummed up in this, He ſhall have the reward of his hands. Wrath, and death, and Hell, are his rewards, and all the wages which the work both p. 184of his hands and heart can earne, and theſe he ſhall have fully payd to him: Vaine he hath been, and vanity ſhall be his recompence.

Some read this Verſe, not as a dehortation, Let not him that is deceived truſt, or beleeve in vanity; but as a negative propoſition (for that particle in the Hebrew, which ſometimes carryeth a prohibition,foreign Malo ſimpliciter negare quam prohibere Merc. Non credet qui vanitate errat quod vanitas erit permutatio ejus. Merc. Non credet fore ut ejus faelicitas permutetur & ad me…am vanitatem deveniet. Vat…bl. notes alſo a bare negation; ſo here) He that is deceived with vanity will not beleeve (the ſame word ſignifies both to beleeve and truſt) that vanity ſhall be his recompence: He will not beleeve a change, much leſſe ſuch a change; This is a cleare ſenſe, and it hints us this Obſervation.

That a wicked man is full of infidelity or unbeleife, that his eſtate is evill, or ſhall ever be worſe then it is.

The unbeleife of man is as ſtrong againſt the threatnings, as againſt the promiſes: The Saints are hardly brought to beleeve, that glory ſhall be their recompence, that the purchaſe which Chriſt hath made of Heaven, and eternall happineſſe belongs to them. A wicked man will not beleeve that tribulation and anguiſh ſhall be upon him, or that the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven againſt his unrighteouſneſſe, he will not beleeve that he ſhall goe to Hell and be damned, or that everlaſting fire ſhall burne him, or the worme that dyes not, feed upon him; he that is deceived will not beleeve theſe things, and the Devill hath as great an advantage upon men, by making them ſtrong in unbeleife: As God hath, by making his people ſtrong in Faith.

The firſt aſſault that ever the Devill made againſt man, was to weaken Faith, or ſtrengthen unbeleife about the threatnings: While he laboured to deceive the Woman, he laboured as much to perſwade her, That vanity ſhould not be her recompence: God had ſayd peremptorily, In the day that ye eate thereof, yee ſhall ſurely dye: The Devill denyed as peremptorily, Yee ſhall not ſurely dye (Gen. 3.4.) The people were commanded to ſay Amen to every branch of the Curſe (Deut. 27.16, 17, &c.) Though it be the loweſt way of obedience to obey, becauſe we beleeve the truth, and certainty of the Curſe; yet it is a high act of obedience to beleeve it: And Satan is as buſie againſt our faith, in the threatnings, as he is againſt our faith in promiſes. This unbeleife opens the way to the committing of ſin, and ſweetens ſin while we are committing it: Were it not p. 185for this unbeliefe ſin could not be bread, much leſſe (as it is to many) pleaſant bread. Sin would be Gall and Wormewood in the acting of it, did we beleeve, that it will be bitterneſſe in the end. Who would doe the worke of ſin, did he beleeve that vanity ſhould be his recompence? Becauſe this threat is not beleeved, therefore the Law which forbids ſin, is not obeyed. As Faith is a ſheild to the new Man, ſo unbeleife is a ſheild to the old Man; as Faith quenches the fiery darts of the Devill, or his allurements to ſin; ſo unbeliefe quenches all the fiery darts of God, or his threatnings of puniſhment. Tuſh ſay they, We ſhall never ſee Sword nor Famine, we need not feare (which is ſo much talked of) death or Hell: Vanity ſhall not be our recompence.

There is a third reading of the Text:Rab. Kimchi exponit Sheve, pro aequali ſeu aequalitate. q.d. Ne credat qui deceptus eſt aequalem ſemper & ſui ſimilem fore ſibi ſtatum, vel eodem ſemper modo res ſibi ceſſuras. Merc. The former word which we render Vanity, is tranſlated by ſome of the Rabbins, Equality, or a thing that is equall, the latter, as we, a lye, or Vanity. This varies the whole ſtraine of the Verſe, and yet the Expoſition given upon it is cleare, both to the generall ſcope, and to the ſenſe given immediately before. Let not him that is deceived, beleeve that he ſhall be alwayes equall, or of the ſame eſtate, for vanity ſhall be his recompence. He thinkes to carry it ſmoothly, and with an even thred, but he is deceived. Things will not alwayes ſtand at the ſame point and poyze with him, and therefore let him not feed himſelfe with groundleſſe ayery hopes, that they will: His affaires will not alwayes have the ſame face, nor beare the ſame aſpect toward him; now they ſmile and looke pleaſantly, but annon they will frowne and look ſowre.

Laſtly, Keeping neer the ſame ſenſe ſtill;Non credet verbo aequo qui errat ſed mendacium erit loco ejus. Pagn. q. d. qui errat non credet verbo recto; ſed ponet mendacium loco illius & hoc pacto credet. the words are thus tranſlated: He that is deceived, will not beleeve the right word, or the word of truth, but he will beleeve a lye in ſtead of it: As if Eliphaz had thus ſchool'd and caution'd Job, I have told you this as from God; but I know he that is (as you are) miſled, and deceived, will not beleeve the word of God, who cannot lye; he will beleeve a lye rather. As the carnall heart changes the glory of God into a lye, ſo the truth of God into a lye, or embraceth a lye for truth; he that beleeved not the right word, will ſoon beleeve that which is wrong. As they who receive not the love of the truth, are (by the juſt judgement of God) given up to ſtrong deluſions, to beleeve a lye: So alſo are they, p. 186who receive not the truth. As the not doing of good, is not onelyonly it ſelfe an evill, but leads us alſo, or layes us open to the doing of many evills, yea of any evill: So the not receiving of truth is not onelyonly an error, but it leads us alſo, or layes us open to the receiving of many, yea of any error.

Eliphaz having thus preſſed his dehortation upon Job, not to truſt in vanity, leſt he finde vanity the reward and recompence of that unholy faith and truſt; proceeds yet further to preſſe his dehortation by the ſame argument for the matter, though varyed in the manner of expreſſion, in the beginning of the next Verſe.

Verſ. 32. It ſhall be accompliſhed before his time, &c.

Theſe words are a ſtrong enforcement of the motive layd downe in the former Verſe, Let not him that is deceived truſt in vanity: Why, what if he doe? Vanity ſhall be his recompence: That's the firſt part of the motive. The ſecond is,

In non die ſuo complebitur. Mont.Verſ. 32. It ſhall be accompliſhed before his time: What ſhall be accompliſhed? There is no expreſſe Antecedent in the Hebrew; we may underſtand, either firſt, the life of the wicked man himſelfe, of whom Eliphaz had before diſcourſed. Or ſecondly,Compleri ante diem, &c. eſt potius perire quam ullum complementum & perfectionem accipere. Pined. Antequam dies ejus impl…antur, peribit▪ ut ſit foreign a foreign ſuccido. Morte immatura praev…nietur vel gladio, vel morbo, vel aliqua alia violenta cauſa In die non ſuo implebitur ſepulchrum ejus. Ta…g. the eſtate of the wicked man. Or thirdly, the deſignes and plots of the wicked man. Taking in all three, the meaning is, That himſelfe, and all that he hath gotten, and all that he hath projected, Shall be accompliſhed before his time; and what's this but vanity for his recompence?

To be accompliſhed before the time, is not to be accompliſhed at all, it notes rather perdition then perfection. The word which we tranſlate to accompliſh, ſignifies alſo to cut off, as we put in the Margin of our Bibles, It ſhall be accompliſhed, or cut off before his time: The Vulgar tranſlation fills up the ſenſe thus, Before his dayes can be filled, he ſhall periſh.

As the Relative lookes to the wicked man himſelfe, Obſerve.

An untimely death is the portion of a wicked man. He ſhall be accompliſhed in a day that is not his, or before his proper day. In oppoſition to which, Eliphaz had promiſed, Chap. 5. That a godly man ſhall come like …ſheafe of Corne into the Barne, fully rype: Now ſaith he, This wicked man ſhall be like untimely fruit, accompliſhed, cut off, and periſhing before his p. 187time. We have ſuch an Expreſſion (Eccl. 7.17.) Be not righteous over much, neither make thy ſelfe over-wiſe; why ſhouldeſt thou deſtroy thy ſelfe? Be not over much wicked (not that there is any mediocrity in wickedneſſe, or that a man can be wicked in due proportion, but ſaith he, take heed of high actings in wickedneſſe) why ſhouldeſt thou dye before thy time? Some wickedneſſes lye cloſe, men live and continue in them long unſeen; others are ſo open and abominable, that their actors are abnoxious to the hand of Juſtice: He that is wicked overmuch, that is, extreamely wicked, ſhall be cut off ſome way or other before his time.

Quarrellers dye by the Sword, Drunkards dye by ſurfet, Adulterers decay into filthy diſeaſes, Sorcerers are killed by the Devill, Malefactors of all ſorts are cut off by the ſentence of the Magiſtrate. Moſt deſire to live long, and yet they take a courſe to make their lives ſhort; they forget that ſhort way to long life (Pſal. 34.12.)

That promiſe (Iſa. 65.20.) ſtands oppoſite to this threatning, There ſhall be no more there an infant of dayes, Implere dies ad longam faelicemque ſenectam pertinet vel denotat illam aetatis maturitatem, quae non annorum numero; ſed pietatis perfectione definitur.nor an old man that hath not filled his dayes: A good man fills his dayes, a wicked man ſhall be accompliſhed, or there ſhall be an end of him before his day; both, before that day which he would live to, according to the courſe of his deſire, and before that day which he might live unto, according to the courſe of nature.

Beſides, a wicked man never fills his dayes, though he be full of dayes; he that is not prepared for death (how old ſoever he is) dyes before he is rype: he is rype for deſtruction, but he is neither rype nor fit for death: The youngeſt Saint that dyes, dyes rype, though he dye before he come to that eſtate,Pii licet aetate juvenes, ſenes ſunt moribus. wherein nature uſeth to crop men off; yet, he (as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, Epheſ. 4.13.) is come to the fulneſſe of the ſtature of Chriſt.

Secondly, Referring theſe words unto the eſtate of a wicked man, it ſhall be accompliſhed, or cut off before the time; that is, his pomp, and greatneſſe, all that he hath gotten together (of which he ſpake in the precedent part of the Chapter) ſhall be ſcattered ſuddenly.

Hence Note.

Wicked men often outlive all their worldly enjoyments: Some p. 188live to be their owne Executors; they diſpoſe, or rather diſſipate all; they leave nothing when they dye, for others. The pride of wicked men ſhall have a fall, their preſent poſſeſſions and future hopes ſhall come to nought (Prov. 3.16.) Solomon tells us, that Wiſedome hath length of dayes in her right hand, and in her left hand riches and honour: We may ſay of ſin, Shortneſſe of dayes is in its right hand, and in its left hand, poverty and diſgrace. The former point ſaith, that a wicked mans dayes are ſhort, he ſhall be cut off before his time, death cuts him off. The latter ſaith, his pomp, his riches and honour, all theſe ſhall be cut off before the time. We have ſeen ſome who have raiſed great eſtates by ſin, and they have ſeen an end of all in miſery.

Thirdly, Taking the Antecedent to be the deſignes and contrivements of the wicked man.

Hence Note.

The counſells, deſignes, and contrivements of wickedmen, doe often prove abortive: They are accompliſhed before their time. Their plots break out before they are ripe, and then all's ſpoyled. So it was with the Powder Plot, it was accompliſhed before the time; it was diſcovered before it could be acted; we have often ſeen grand deſignes layd in the duſt, cruſht in the ſhell, and nipt in the very bud. As the Prophet reproves ſome for ſtaying too long, in the place of breaking forth of Children (Hoſ. 13.13.) That is, they have let their purpoſes dye under tedious conſultations, or irreſolutions for acting: So we may deride others for ſtaying too little in the place of breaking forth of Children. God in judgement haſtens them to action before their deſignes are fully matured by conſultation, It is accompliſhed before his time.

And his branch ſhall not be greene.

In the cloſe of this Verſe, and in the next, Eliphaz in ſeverall metaphors, proſecutes the declining condition of wicked men, His branch ſhall not be green.

foreign Sig. & manum & ramum, rami ſunt veluti brachia & manus arboris.His branch.

Or his hand ſhall not be green; ſo the word ſignifies properly: And, that ſome underſtand in a figure, his hand ſhall not be green; that is, himſelfe ſhall be unapt, and unfit for p. 189work. When an arme is dryed up, or a hand palſied, it is unſerviceable: The hand of a godly man is green, he is laborious, and fit for labour; the hand of the wicked man, as it is alwayes ſinfully dried up, in reference to the doing of any good, ſo it is often judicially dryed up leſt it ſhould do hurt: his hand ſhall not be green, that is, he ſhall not have power to do that evill which he would: When Jeroboam put forth his hand from the Altar, &c. his arme dryed up, ſo that he could not pull it in againe to him (1 Kings 13.4.) His hand, his arme, was not green, he could not uſe it to hurt the Prophet (Zech. 11.17.) The wicked Idoll Shepheard is threatned, His arme ſhall cleane be dryed up, and his right eye ſhall be utterly darkned: that is, He ſhall neither have counſell, nor ſtrength, he ſhall neither be able to adviſe, nor to act; his eye ſhall be darkned, ſo that he ſhall not be able to ſee his way; his arme ſhall be dryed up, he ſhall not be able to attaine his end (Pſal. 75.5.) None of the men of might have found their hands; as we ſay of a man that goes lamely or lazily, He cannot finde his feet; ſo of a man that acts lamely and lazily, or of a Souldier that fights faintly and cowardly, He cannot finde his hands; or in the language of the Text, His arme or hand is not green.

We tranſlate metaphorically, ſo the word ſignifies not a hand, but a branch; becauſe a branch or bough of a Tree puts forth from the body of it, as the hand or arme is ſtretcht from the body of a man; by this branch we may underſtand, either of thoſe two things noted before;

Firſt, The eſtate of the wicked man; for that is as a branch ſhooting and growing out from him;

Or ſecondly, The deſignes and counſels of the wicked man; they alſo are branches ſprouting from the corrupt ſtock of his heart: and ſo this clauſe is of the ſame ſenſe with the former, It ſhall be accompliſhed before his time, his branch ſhall not be green: That is, he ſhall not proſper in any thing he poſſeſſeth, or undertaketh.

But thirdly, There is a diſtinct ſenſe,Priuſquam impius ſeneſcat, interibit; & liberi ejus ſub aetatis flore morientur. Paraephr. and ſo the branch is the Poſterity, the Children of this wicked man. As he, and his plots, ſhall faile, ſo his Children likewiſe. Children are compared to branches (Pſal. 128.) His Children ſhall ſtand like Olive plants (or branches) round about his Table.

p. 190His branch ſhall not be green.

Greenneſſe, notes flouriſhing (Cant. 1.16.) where the Spouſe and Chriſt ſpeak one to another of their ſeverall excellencies, ſhe ſaith, Verſ. 16. Behold thou art faire my beloved, yea pleaſant, alſo our bed is greene. By bed ſome underſtand holy Ordinances, wherein the Lord communicates himſelfe to his people, Our bed is greene; that is, Ordinances are pure, flouriſhing, and fruit-bearing. In the ſame ſenſe the word is uſed (Luke 23.31.) If they doe theſe things in a green Tree, what ſhall be done in the dry, that is, If they doe theſe things in a vigorous, ſtrong, and flouriſhing tree, meaning Chriſt himſelfe, who was like a tree full of ſap and life; what ſhall be done in thoſe that are dry? The beſt of men compared to Chriſt, are but dry trees, how feare and rotten then are the worſt? And if Chriſt ſuffered theſe things for ſinners, himſelfe being without ſin, what ſhall thoſe ſinners ſuffer, who are without Chriſt? They like dry Trees will ſoon be conſumed by the fire of Gods wrath. So that, when he ſaith, They ſhall not be green, it is as much as to ſay, They ſhall have no ſtrength, vigour, life, nor beauty.

Taking the branch in this laſt ſenſe for Children: Obſerve.

A wicked Father brings a curſe, and withering upon his whole Family: His branch ſhall not be green. Though they walke not in the wayes of their Fathers, nor inherit their ſins, yet they may receive temporall fadings, and outward decayes upon their Fathers account. It is a miſery to be the branch of a wicked ſtock (for though an evil ſtock may have good branhecs, they who are evill, not onelyonly (as all are) deſcending from a common evill ſtock, but alſo from a particular evill ſtock (as moſt are) even ſome of theſe are made good by tranſplantation into Jeſus Chriſt, yet (I ſay) it is a miſery to be a branch of an evil ſtock) many Children have fared the worſe for the wickedneſſe of their Parents, even good Children may fare ſomewhat the worſe for their Parents wickedneſſe. Though God will not lay eternall judgement upon them for the wickedneſſe of their immediate or remoter Parents, yet they may feele declinings, and loſe much of their greenneſſe, and beauty. It is a diſadvantage to be in any relation to a wicked man, Servant, Wife, p. 191Children, his whole Family, may groane and ſmart for his ſake, His branch ſhall not be green. That's not all yet,

Verſ. 33. And he ſhall ſhake off his unripe Grape as the Vine, and ſhall caſt off his flower as the Olive.

That is, His unripe Grapes and Flowers ſhall be ſhaken and caſt off. By whom? Some ſay by God. He (that is, God) will ſnap off his ſoure Grape as the Vines, ſaith Maſter Broughton; and indeed whatſoever is the winde that ſhakes them, it is God who blowes and ſends the winde.

Theſe words are a gradation to what went before, here are two ſimilitudes to ſet forth one thing, the certaine and ſudden deſtruction of all the hopes of a wicked man, His branch ſhall not be green; his Children and Poſterity, eſpecially they that follow his ſteps ſhall wither; and, which is yet a greater judgement, He ſhall ſhake off his unripe Grapes as the Vine, &c. Though his branch be green a while, though he hath leaves and buds, yet before 'tis perfect fruit, and gives a pleaſant taſt, it ſhall be deſtroyed: This he ſhadows under theſe metaphors, of the Vine, and the Olive, ſhaking off his unripe Grapes, and caſting off his Flowers.

The Naturaliſt Obſerves,Eodem ſere tempore vitis & oleoe floreſcunt, Plin. l. 17. c. 25. Aliquando vites maritantur oleis. id. ib. c. 4. Peſſimus eſt inter omnia, quum deflorentem vitem & oleam imber percuſſit; quoniam ſimul deſluit f…uctus. Plin l. 17. c. 25. that theſe Trees flouriſh neer about the ſame time, and that the Vine and the Olive joyne, and are (as it were) ſpouſed together; and if ſtormes, or blaſts of winde ſmite the Olive and the Vine, while they put forth their flowers, the hope of the Husbandman is utterly diſappointed, We may ſum up the meaning of theſe two ſimilitudes into this breife concluſion.

That God will utterly deſtroy the very appearing hopes of wicked men. Their boughs and branches may be green, ſome flowers, ſome unripe Grapes may appeare; here is hope; but, He ſhall ſhake off; that is, God ſhall ſhake off (by ſome terrible ſtorm which he will raiſe, by ſome ſudden judgement which he will ſend) their unripe Grapes, and their faireſt Flowers.

Hence Obſerve.

Violent judgements ſtorme wicked men out of all their comforts. Thus the Aegyptians are threatned (Iſa. 18.5, 6.) Before the Harveſt, when the bud is perfect, and the ſoure Grap… is … in the Flower, he ſhall both cut off the ſprigs with pruning … o…s, and take away, and cut downe the branches. They ſhall b… …f… …her, p. 192unto the Fowles of the Mountaines, and to the Beaſts of the Earth, and the Fowls ſhall Summer upon them, &c. The Bud is perfect, while the fruit is imperfect, while God takes away their Buds he deſtroyes their hopes. And as God hath his winds at hand, to ſhake the fruit off from the branches; ſo he hath his Pruning-hooks to cut off the branches alſo.

De immatura morte filiorum duas ſimilitudinesaffert.Some interpret theſe unripe Grapes of the Vine, and Flowers of the Olive, as the branch before, for Children, as if Eliphaz would here re-minde Job, how his Poſterity, the Grapes of his Vine were ſhaken off, before they were ripe, and the Flowers of his Olive blaſted in the Bud;Odioſe Eliphaz ut acerbos filiorum Jooi mores notaret, ipſos oniphaci contulit. or as if he would upbraid him with the ſowre manners, and ill taſted converſation of his Children, under this Alluſion of unripe Grapes, which in ſtead of pleaſing the palate by a ſavory reliſh, doe only by their ſharpneſſe, ſet the teeth on edge.

Hence Note.

It is an affliction upon the beſt, and a judgement upon many, to have their Children, their Grapes and Flowers, rent from them, and taken away unripe: And then eſpecially it is ſo, when God leaves no Grapes on the Vine, no Flowers on the Olive. To loſe a hopefull Childe is an affliction, what is it then to loſe them all?

Eliphaz having dehorted the wicked man from truſting in vanity, upon theſe conſiderations; gives in the ſtrength of his whole diſcourſe in the two laſt Verſes of the Chapter.

Verſ, 34. The Congregation of Hypocrites ſhall be deſolate, and fire ſhall conſume the Tabernacles of bribery.

35. They conceive miſchiefe, and bring forth vanity, and their belly prepareth deceit.

Epilogus eſt totius loci. Merc. Apodoſis ſuperioris allegoriae Jobum perſtringens cui iſta obvenerant. Jun.As if he had ſayd, Here is the ſumm of all, of all the ſins, and of all the puniſhments of a wicked man. Here are two ſorts of wicked men deſcribed, and theſe two (as was toucht before) by a Senechdoche, include all.

The firſt are ſuch as worſhip God falſely, or with falſe hearts: they draw neer to God with their lips, but their hearts are farr from him, theſe are Hypocrites, The congregation of Hypocrites ſhall be deſolate.

As theſe are falſe with God in his worſhip, ſo others are falſe with men in their commerce and dealings: Theſe are compriſed in the ſecond branch, Fire ſhall conſume the Tabernacles p. 193of bribery: Bribery is put for all ſins againſt our Neighbours, and hypocriſie for all ſins againſt God. So that here we have ſinners againſt the firſt Table, and ſinners againſt the ſecond; ſinners againſt God, and ſinners againſt men; in the compaſſe of this diviſion all ſins and ſinners are contained.

The Congregation of Hypocrites.

That is, Hypocrites how many ſoever there be of them, though they be a full Congregation: Hypocrites, how ſtrongly ſoever they are conjoyned and cemented, yet they ſhall be deſolate.

The Hebrew word ſignifies, not onelyonly to Congregate,foreign Significat non ſolum congregari; ſed in faedus & pactum aut amicitiam convenire. and gather together ſeverall perſons into one place, but to aſſociate them into a Covenant, League, or confederacy one with another: as if he had ſayd, Though hypocrites combine, and Covenant together, yet this covenanting Congregation, or theſe unholy Leaguers, ſhall be made deſolate.

A ſecond interpretation gives it thus,Illa quae congregantur ab hypocrita, Aquin. The Congregation of hypocrites; that is, all that Hypocrites doe congregate; whatſoever they gather together, whether things or perſons, their Riches, their Honours, their Relations, all ſhall be deſolate.

Shall be deſolate:

Or barren; the word ſignifies both; that which is deſolate brings forth no fruit, and that which brings forth no fruit will quickly be deſolate.

What an Hypocrite is, hath been ſhewed before, Chapter 8. therefore I will not ſtay upon it, but refer you thither, where Bildad told Job, The hope of the Hypocrite ſhall periſh: OnelyOnly note two things from the whole, The Congregation of Hypocrites ſhall be deſolate.

Firſt, An Hypocrite is under a curſe. Of all men in the World Hypocrites are deepeſt under a curſe: They are moſt curſed, who are moſt wicked, Hypocrites are therefore more wicked then others, becauſe they would ſeem not onelyonly ſomewhat, but much more holy then others. It is bad enough to be bad; but it is worſe to appeare good when we are bad. They who delight in the ſhews of morall goodneſſe, when they hate, or care not for the reality of it, ſhall ſurely meet with, not p. 194ſhewes, but realities of penall evill. Their painted feigned fire of zeale ſhall be puniſhed with the true fire of Divine wrath.

Secondly, Obſerve.

Hypocrites, how many ſoever they are, how ſtrongly ſoever they are confederate, how much ſoever they have gotten together, ſhall be made deſolate. It is not poſſible to make any power to withſtand the power of God. Though like thoſe uncircumciſed Nations, Gebal, and Ammon, and Amaleck, the Philiſtims, and thoſe of Tyre, they all conſult, and lay their heads together, to make a Congregation, yet God will break them all. How long ſoever their traine be, how many ſoever their attendants be, and how ſtrong ſoever their correſpondency be, yet the Congregation of Hypocrites ſhall be deſolate.

And fire ſhall conſume the Tabernacles of bribery.

Fire may be taken two wayes.

Either litterally, and ſtrictly, for the element of fire, or for ordinary fire.

Or it may be taken figuratively, and metaphorically, and ſo it ſignifies:

Either firſt, The wrath of God.

Or ſecondly, Any effect of the wrath of God, any revenge, or judgement which God powres forth on wicked men. And ſo, what judgement ſoever God ſends, we may call it a Fire, even that deluge of Water (as hath been noted) which drowned the old World, was (in this ſenſe) a fire.

Divine judgements are repreſented by fire, upon theſe three grounds.

Firſt, Becauſe as fire, they break forth ſuddenly, and unexpectedly; they are not like the fire that is for uſe, which we are long preparing and blowing, before it will burne; but the judgements of God are like an accidentall fire, which breaks out, when no man looks for it, in a moment.

Os & lingua tribui ſolet igni nam dicitur lambere & depaſcere.Secondly, They are fire, becauſe of their deſtroying nature, ſo the Text ſpeaks, it eates up, or devoures. Fire is a great eater, fire hath a ſtrong ſtomack; what will not fire digeſt? Fire will digeſt the whole ſublunary World at laſt; The Element ſhall melt with fervent heat: Fire will digeſt Stones, Adamant, and iron. Such is the wrath of God, nothing can ſtand p. 195before it, it will ſubdue the hardeſt materials, and tougheſt peices. The hot ſtomack of the Oſtrich (as ſome affirme) concocts Iron; what will not the heat of Gods anger concoct, and conſume to aſhes?

Thirdly, There is a mercileſneſſe in the judgements of God, as in fire: We ſay, Fire, and Water have no mercy; there is no intreating them, they are not onelyonly hard, but impoſſible to be intreated. Such (in reference to wicked men) is the wrath of God; as good ſpeak to fire not to burne, or to water not to drowne, as to the wrath of God not to conſume wicked men; it muſt and will doe it (Jer. 15.1.) Though Moſes and Samuel ſtood before me, &c. to intreat, yet the ſentence ſhall not be taken off, wrath muſt burn. Though prayer hath in many caſes quenched wrath, yet ſometimes the wrath of God cannot be quenched by prayer, nor intreated downe, there is no ſpeaking to it; and ſometimes that it might burn quietly, the Lord hath ſayd, Pray not for this people.

Fire ſhall conſume the Tabernacles of bribery.

Tabernacles of bribery, may be taken two wayes: Either for the Tabernacles of thoſe who have taken bribes: Or the Tabernacles of thoſe who have given bribes; for there goes (as we ſay) but a paire of Shears between him that gives, and him that takes bribes; both are of a peice,foreign Proprie munus quod datur ad corrumpendum judicem. Druſ. and both are alike miſcheivous and wicked. Some take bribes to pervert Juſtice, and others give bribes to pervert Juſtice: Fire is prepared for both their Tabernacles; that is, for their whole eſtates, or for all that belongs unto them. Yet Eliphaz may ſeem rather to ayme at bribe-takers, or unjuſt Judges (among whom he ſecretly numbers Job) who ſuffer themſelves to be corrupted with gifts, and to have their eyes put out by rewards: The Septuagint is expreſſe in that ſenſe,foreign, munera accipientum. 70. Fire ſhall conſume (ſay they) the Tabernacles of bribe-takers. And indeed, if there were no bribe-takers, there would be no bribe-givers: as we ſay, There would be no Theeves, if there were no Receivers. The Receiver makes the Theife; and corrupt Judges, who take bribes, make ſo many bribe-givers.

Further, The word which we tranſlate Bribery, ſignifies properly a gift; and the Text may be rendred thus, Fire ſhall conſume the Tabernacles of gifts. There are many gifts which p. 196are farr from bribes. There are five ſorts of gifts.

Firſt, Gifts of charity to the poore.

Secondly, Gifts of freindſhip between equals.

Thirdly, Gifts of duty from inferiours to thoſe above them, to teſtifie either thankfulneſſe or obedience.

Fourthly, Gifts of bounty and grace, from Superiours to thoſe who are below them, to teſtifie their favour to them, and that they are wel-pleaſed in them, or in their ſervices; There is no hurt either in giving or receiving theſe gifts. Theſe are onelyonly teſtimonies of reſpect from man to man, and tend onelyonly to maintaine humane ſociety.

But there is a fifth ſort of Gifts, which we may call gifts of injury, or in the language of the Text, Gifts of Bribery: Theſe are given, either to pervert, or delay Juſtice, and to overthrow a man and his cauſe.

The Hebrew expreſſeth a gift in generall, and a bribe, by the ſame word,Quid eſt foreign? qu…d facit, foreign unum, dantem ſcilicet & accipientem quam primum accipit munus ab ipso, tunc accedit anima ejus ad ipſum, & fit ſi cut ille ipſe. Rab. Becei. &c. Buxtorf. Lex. becauſe, as all bribes are gifts; ſo very many gifts are bribes. Gifts of charity, of freindſhip, of duty, of favour, are but few in compariſon of bribing gifts. And 'tis exceeding hard for any man that is intereſſed in affaires of Judgement between man and man, to receive a gift from either of them, and not be brib'd by it, to tranſgreſſe the rules of equity and righteouſneſſe. A gift transformes the Judge into a party, or makes (as the Hebrew criticks tell us upon that word) the Judge and party to be but one perſon.

Laſtly, The tabernacles of bribery, may be taken, not onelyonly in generall for the eſtates of thoſe who have given or taken Bribes; but particularly for the very Houſes which have been built by giving, or taking Bribes. Some have built houſes, with what they have gotten by giving Bribes, and many by taking Bribes, have got enough to build houſes: While ſuch look on their houſes, and dwellings, they may ſay, if they will ſay the truth, Injuſtice hath built us theſe houſes; theſe are the Tabernacles of bribery.

A Traveller comming to Rome, and viewing many famous ſtructures,Haec ſunt peccara Germanorum. and goodly houſes there, asked who built them? It was anſwered, Theſe are the ſins of Germany; the meaning was, that the Money brought for Pardons out of Germany, built thoſe Houſes. So we may ſay of many faire places, and goodly dwellings, Theſe are Bribes and Oppreſſions, ſuch p. 197a man built theſe by iniquity. Bribes may build houſes, but bribe-takers cannot protect them: The Tabernacles of bribery ſhall be conſumed.

Hence Obſerve.

Firſt, Bribery is an odious ſin: That ſin which is put to expreſſe all ſins againſt our neighbours, muſt needs be a very odious, as well as a very comprehenſive ſin. God loves judgement, bribery oppoſeth what God loves. God commands charity, as well as judgement; and delights to ſee men bountifull as well as righteous: Yet charity without judgement, and bounty without righteouſneſſe, are an abomination to God. God is a God of judgement, they that are againſt judgement, act not onelyonly againſt the rule which God makes, but againſt the example which God gives. It is as much the honour of God, that he is a God of judgement, giving all their due; as, that he is a God of mercy, giving to all his, what they have not at all deſerved.

Secondly, Obſerve.

That which is ſinfully gotten, ſhall be miſerably loſt. Fire ſhall conſume the tabernacles of bribery. There is nothing gained, though much be gotten by injuſtice. Many give bribes to undoe others, and all who receive bribes, undoe themſelves. what is the advantage of any ſinfull gaine, when the fire of Gods wrath conſumes the gainer? What ſhall a man give in exchange for his ſoule? And as the loſſe is infinite, that comes by ſin, in reference to the next life; ſo at beſt, the gaine is little, in reference to this preſent life: Either the actor of injuſtice, or his Heire, ſhall finde a fire in the foundation, a fire in the Stones and Timber of his Houſe, and downe 'twill come; Bribery never bought any laſting materialls to build with. Woe be to him (ſaith the Prophet, Hab. 2.9, 10, 11, 12.) that coveteth an evill covetouſneſſe; or (according to the Hebrew) that gaineth an evill gaine to his houſe, that he may ſet his neſt on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evill: Thou haſt conſulted ſhame to thy houſe, &c. For the Stone ſhall cry out of the wall, and the beame out of the Timber ſhall anſwer it. What ſhall the ſtones cry? Or what ſhall the beame anſwer? The ſtones ſhall cry, that the morter in which they were layd, was tempered with the blood of innocents, and the beame ſhall anſwer, that it was ſet up by pulling downe the poor.

p. 198Thoſe are crying ſins indeed, which cauſe ſtones (that cannot ſpeak) to cry: And what anſwer can be given for thoſe iniquities which provoke Timber beames to anſwer? Such is the iniquity of oppreſſion and injuſtice, which are the fruits of bribery. See a paralell place (Jer. 22.13, 14, 15, 16, 17.) the ſumm of which may be drawne up into this concluſion, given by Eliphaz, Fire ſhall conſume the Tabernacles of Bribery.

Eliphaz having thus deſcribed the periſhing eſtate of wicked men, as an argument to deterr and ſtave them off from wickedneſſe, concludes his whole diſcourſe with an Allegoricall recapitulation both of their ſin and miſery, in the laſt words of this Chapter.

Verſ. 35. They conceive miſchiefe, and bring forth vanity, and their belly prepareth deceit.

They conceive miſcheife.

The Scripture is frequent in this metaphor; we have it (Pſal. 7.14.) almoſt word for word, Behold he travelleth with iniquity, and hath conceived miſcheife, and hath brought forth falſhood. (Iſa. 59.4.) They conceive miſcheife, and bring forth iniquity. The Apoſtle James (Chap. 1.15.) ſpeaks the ſame language, When luſt hath conceived, it bringeth forth ſin, and ſin when it is finiſhed, bringeth forth death. All alluding to the naturall conception, formation, and production of Children. We have theſe three in the Text before us, the order of the words being a little altered.

Here is firſt, Conception, They conceive miſcheife.

Secondly, Formation, Their belly prepareth deceit.

Thirdly, The birth, Bring forth vanity.

More ſtrictly to the method of Eliphaz; we have firſt, The conception; ſecondly, the birth of ſin: And as if one birth were not enough, they returne to their work, providing for a new birth of the old man, Their belly prepareth deceit.

They conceive miſcheife.

The word which we tranſlate Miſchiefe, ſignifies properly, labour,foreign Labor, moleſtia, perverſitas. hard labour, or labour accompanied with a great deal of paines and ſorrow; it ſignifies alſo wickedneſſe, perverſneſſe. We tranſlate miſcheife, They conceive miſcheife, or ſome p. 199miſcheivous deviſe to the diſhonour of God: and the wrong of man.

They conceive.

Conception is here the worke of the minde, we ordinarily ſay, We conceive ſuch a thing; that is, We take it in, or apprehend it by an act of the underſtanding.

Here's the trueſt character of a wicked man, he is one that conceives miſcheife. The alluſion teacheth us:

Firſt, That a wicked man ſins with much freedome of ſpirit, or he ſins freely. He conceives miſcheife. The conceptions of the minde cannot be forced, nor can the conceptions of the body; and therefore the Law reſolves it, That there is no rape, where conception follows. Theſe conceptions are the joynt actings of the will and underſtanding, both concur in them. an unregenerate perſon is free to doe evill, he needs not be forced to it, he cannot be forced from it; and every evill is the more evill, by how much the more freely it is done. The more voluntarily we ſin, the more wickedly we ſin.

Againe, The conceptions of the minde, are deliberate, there is a collecting of one thing from another, a debating in conceiving.

Hence Note.

Secondly, Wicked men ſin with deliberation. They ſit downe and meditate, they lay the frame of wickedneſſe in their hearts, and then ſet it up, or act it with their hands.

Note thirdly.

All the conceptions of wicked men are wickedneſſe. They are very fruitfull in wickedneſſe, and they beare no other fruit. Miſcheife is not onelyonly that which he conceives, but all that he conceives; he conceives nothing elſe. A wicked man cannot think or conceive one good thought; he may think of that which is materially good, but he conceives no good (Gen. 6.5.) All the thoughts of the imaginations of his heart are onelyonly evill, and that continually. All the Creatures which he formes in his minde, all the children of his underſtanding are deformed and monſtrous; He conceives miſcheife, which as it notes a continued act, ſo an act continued about, or upon the ſame object.

p. 200Fourthly, Obſerve.

To be a contriver, a plotter, a conceiver of miſcheife, is worſe then then to be an actor, or a doer of miſcheife. It is ill to have a hand in any ſinfull evill, it is worſe to have a head in it, but worſt of all to have a heart in it. Conceivers of miſcheife alwayes have their hearts and heads in miſcheife; and if they are not ſtopt, will have their hands to it too: they who are plotters, and deſigners, would be actors. Hence they are called, Workers of iniquity. They have an inward Shop, and an outward Shop: firſt they work it in their thoughts, and mould it there, and then it comes out. To conceive miſcheife is properly, the Devils trade, he rather deviſeth then acts wickedneſſe. There are many wickedneſſes in the World which he cannot act; but he is or would be the plotter, ſetter, and contriver of them all: This is the wickedneſſe of the Devill: and every conceiver and deviſer of miſcheife is of the Devils trade. A good man may (poſſibly) doe evill, but a wicked man deviſeth evill. As it notes the ſpiritualneſſe of a man in holineſſe, when he doth not onelyonly act that which is good, but his heart is upon it, he conceives and frames it in his minde. So it notes a man ſpiritually wicked, when his minde frames wickedneſſe. The Apoſtle concludes of himſelfe (Rom. 7.25.) So then with my minde I ſerve the Law of God, but with the fleſh, the Law of ſin. Not that he willingly gave up his fleſh to ſin, but that he was carryed through the infirmity of the fleſh to ſome ſinfull actings, while his minde, his deviſings and contrivings, were according to the Law of God, and he delighted in the Law of God concerning the inward man. This is the ſpiritualneſſe of holineſſe, and without this, there is no outward act of any account with God. It is what the minde moves to, not what the mouth ſpeaks, or the hand doth, which commends us to God. What is it to God that we ſerve his Law with our fleſh, if with our minds, we either ſerve the Law of ſin, or doe not ſerve the Law of God? Man is not what he acts, but what he conceives, unleſſe he act what he hath conceived. They conceive miſcheife.

And bring forth vanity.

Now they come to the birth; they are in travell after conception; they bring forth, and the Childs name is Vanity.

p. 201The Originall word is rendred three wayes.

Firſt, We ſay Vanity.

Secondly, Another ſaith Lyes.

A third ſaith Iniquity.

The word will beare any of, or all the three tranſlations.foreign Vanitat mendacium perverſitas. They bring forth vanity, a lye, iniquity. They who conceive miſcheife, may bring forth any thing but what is good. Thoſe three words may ſerve the ſame thing; every vanity is a lye, and any lye is vanity, and iniquity is both lye and vanity. The perſons of whom Eliphaz diſcourſeth are ſayd to bring forth vanity, on theſe three grounds.

Firſt, Becauſe they ſomtimes bring forth no fruit at all; they are conceiving miſcheif, but they can make nothing of it, their conceptions end in abortions; they deviſe and plot, but all is hatching of winde: The Church is ſo expreſſed, though in a different caſe (Iſa. 26.17, 18.) Like as a Woman with Childe neer the time of her delivery is in paine, and cryes out in her pangs; ſo have we been in thy ſight O Lord; Wee have beene with childe, we have been in paine: The Church had conceptions for good, ſhee hoped that the Lord would have done ſome great thing for her; yet after her conception, and travell, ſee what ſhee brings forth, We have beene in paine, and brought forth winde; that is, nothing at all, it proved a meer timpany; for ſo he explaines it, We have not wrought any deliverance in the earth, neither have the Inhabitants of the World fallen; that is, we have not obtained that deliverance that we hoped for in the earth, neither have our Enemies (who are called by the Prophet, The Inhabitants of the World) been ſubdued under our power; they have not fallen. Now as the Church and people of God ſometimes are diſappointed in their expectations; they conceive, yet bring forth winde, not that Man-childe of mercy which was expected: So, much more doe wicked men, after all their pleaſing conceptions, and pangs of travell, they bring forth vanity; and their veſſell is mar'd upon the wheele.

Secondly, They are ſayd to bring forth vanity,Parturium montes. &c. or a vaine thing; becauſe what they bring forth, is not proportionable to their expectation. Their Mountaine proves a Mole-hill or (as it was ſayd of old) a Mouſe.

Thirdly, Becauſe the birth is not onelyonly alwayes below, p. 202but often quite croſſe to their expectation; they conceive miſcheife againſt others, and bring forth miſcheife upon on themſelves: this is vanity, yea and vexation of ſpirit, They bring forth vanity.

Obſerve from this alluſion.

Wicked men cannot but act evill: They who conceive, muſt doe their utmoſt to bring forth conceptions. As a Woman with Childe, cannot but bring forth when her time is come, and her paines are on her; if you would give her all the World it is impoſſible to divert or delay the birth. So it is with a wicked man, when he hath miſcheivous conceptions in his heart; He ſleepeth not unleſſe he doe miſcheife (Prov. 4.16.) What ever comes of it, fall back or fall edge, he muſt doe it. He cannot forbeare an attempt to doe it, though it coſt him his life; many have been at that coſt, in attempting to doe it but could not.

Obſerve ſecondly.

Wicked men are oft put to much paine in fulfilling their luſts, or in acting their conceived miſcheifes. It is with ſuch men as with the Woman in child-bearing, on whom the Lord hath layd that heavy burthen, In ſorrow ſhalt thou bring forth Children (Gen. 3.16.) wicked men feele this to the full, In ſorrow they bring forth: The wicked man travelleth in paine all his dayes, verſ. 20. It is their delight to ſin, but for the moſt part they ſmart in ſinning, and run through many ſorrows to accompliſh their ſin. They are ſo mad upon ſinning, that the ſweetneſſe of doing miſcheife pleaſeth them more, then all the troubles they goe through in doing it diſcourageth them. Many evils cannot be done with eaſe, it coſts ſinners deare to effect what they deſigne; they often have, as we ſay of Women, after long and ſore travell in child-bearing, A very hard bargaine of it, and pay very deare for that which is worth, or worthy of nothing but repentance or greater paine.

Thirdly, Taking vanity for iniquity, which ſenſe was given in opening the termes.

Obſerve.

Such as our thoughts and conceptions are, ſuch are our productions. They conceive miſcheife, and bring forth iniquity; ſuch as we plow and ſow in the minde, ſuch is the Harveſt of our actions: The very forme, the lineaments and portraiture of a p. 203mans ſpirit is drawne upon the things he doth; his works are the image of his heart. As it is ſayd of Adam in nature, He begat a Son in his owne likeneſſe; ſo doth every man in morals. Our actions are as our ſelves are, they are begotten and brought forth in our owne likeneſſe, whether good or evill, onelyonly with this difference, Good actions are borne in our ſupernaturall likeneſſe, evill actions in our naturall likeneſſe.

Fourthly, As to bring forth vanity, imports, as was interpreted, either no fruit, or that which is not ſutable to the deſignes and deſires of wicked men;

Obſerve.

Sinfull conceptions often prove abortive, and miſcarry; they bring forth nothing, or nothing as they would have it, who have conceived them. The birth is ſometimes ſhort in degree, and not ſeldome contrary in kinde; they have not what they expect, yea they have what they leaſt expect (Pſal. 2.1.) Why doe the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vaine thing? Why a vaine thing? Becauſe they cannot obtaine their deſire: it is vaine to imagine the pulling downe of Chriſts Kingdome, which muſt ſtand for ever. Pharaoh deſigned miſcheife, Let us worke wiſely; (here is the language of conceivers) but hee brought forth vanity, in all the notions ſpoken of: vanity, as it was a ſinfull and wicked act, vanity, as he fayled in the thing he did expect; he thought to bring deſtruction upon Iſrael, but he could not; he thought to ſubdue the people of Iſrael, and make them ſlaves for ever, but he could not: He brought forth vanity alſo in the worſt ſenſe, the iſſue was contrary to his expectation, himſelfe and his Army were ſwallowed in the Red Sea, and Iſrael was ſaved. Haman deviſed miſcheife againſt the Jewes, but he brought forth vanity; he did not effect what he intended againſt them, this was vanity; nay it wrought the contrary way, himſelfe was hanged on the Gibet he had prepared for Mordecay, this was vanity and vexation too;Perſeverante allegoria venter ſumitur ex conſueto loquendi modo ſacri ſermonis pro intelligendi facultate. foreign every wicked man brings forth vanity in ſome one if not in all theſe notions of it, after all his conceptions of miſcheife.

And their belly prepareth deceit.

The belly is taken here metaphorically, for the underſtanding, p. 204or minde; becauſe naturall conception, is in the belly wrought; therefore Eliphaz proſecutes the Allegory in ſuitable expreſſ…ons, Their belly prepareth deceit.

The word ſignifies, To prepare

Accurately,

Strongly.

Their belly prepareth deceit: They expreſſe a kinde of curioſity in working, they are very exact in every point; they prepare with art, they will not have their work like a Copweb, curious, yet weak; but they muſt have it ſtrong too; they prepare for eſtabliſhment, and plot as if it were for everlaſting. So the word is uſed (Pſal. 37.3. Pſal. 89.14.) Righteouſneſſe and judgement are the habitation of Gods Throne. It is this word, The eſtabliſhment or ſtrength of Gods Throne is righteouſneſſe and judgement: Righteouſneſſe and judgement, are the baſſis and eſtabliſhment of all Thrones; That which hath made Thrones to totter in all Ages, hath been the want of righteouſneſſe and judgement.

The wicked man in the Text prepares not onelyonly curiouſly, but ſtrongly; as he likes no bungling, ſo he is not pleaſed with toyes and and bables; he would lay his deſignes ſo cunningly and ſo firmely, that as they ſayd of the Pouder-Plot, All the Devills in Hell ſhall not diſappoint it: He hopes to catch and hold, not the weak Flyes onelyonly, but the ſtrongeſt Eagles, in his deceits and ſnares.

Their belly prepareth deceit.

That is, they prepare to deceive and enſnare: The Prophet denounceth judgement againſt the Prieſts, againſt the houſe of Iſrael, and againſt the houſe of the King, becauſe they had been a ſnare upon Mizpeh, and a net ſpread upon Tabor (Hoſ. 5.1.) that is, becauſe they had prepared nets and ſnares to entangle and deceive the people. Their bellies prepared deceit; and ſo did theirs, who ſayd (Jer. 18.18.) Come let us deviſe deviſes; let us contrive ſomewhat to enſnare the Prophet (Jer. 18.18.) Their belly prepareth deceit: He ſpeaks in the preſent tenſe, as if they were alwayes doing it; they know neither vacation nor ceſſation from this wicked worke. It is a continued act, Their belly preparetb.

p. 205Hence Obſerve.

A wicked man is conſtant in conceiving and contriving wickedneſſe. He doth it not by ſtarts and fits, his belly is ever preparing; when one deceit is wrought off, he goes to work upon a ſecond, and then he projects for a third. Some ſpeak of a perpetuall motion, we finde it here; what a man doth naturally, he doth conſtantly. Though there be much art in preparing deceit, yet it is the work of ſinfull nature; the frame, the engine of a wicked mans heart moves perpetually, He prepareth deceit, he is alwayes at it. As David profeſſeth (Pſal. 45.1.) My heart is inditing a good matter, I will ſpeak of the things which I have made touching the King. David had ſome holy work ready made, but he had more a making; he ſaith not, I have endited, but my heart is enditing, I am upon it, it is my continuall ſtudy. So alſo the wicked mans heart is alwayes preparing and deviſing unholy work, or that which is evill.

Againe, Their belly; that is, their minde prepareth.

Hence Note.

The minde of man is the Shop wherein deceit is framed: Yea, the minde is not onelyonly the Shop, but the Artificer; and it is not onelyonly the Shop and the Artificer, but the very Tool that frames it: The underſtanding and wit of a wicked man, hammer out and ſhape all his deceitfull wares.

The hand and tongue begin where the minde ends; The tongue publiſheth, and the hand executes what the minde prepares, and the heart ſuggeſts. That which one of the old Poets ſayd of the belly, under the notion of Appetite and Hunger, the ſame we may ſay of the belly, in the notion of this preparing; This belly is the Maſter of all ſinfull Arts, and that which gives out and furniſheth man with all the cunning deceits of wickedneſſe. Out of the heart proceed evill thoughts, Artis magiſter ingeniique largitor venter. Perſ.murders, adulteries, fornications, theft, falſe witneſſe, blaſphemies (Matth. 15.19.) theſe are the wares which are not onelyonly layd up in the heart, as in a Store-houſe, but made in the heart as in a Worke-houſe, and from thence they proceed ready made. The belly prepareth deceit.

Laſtly, Mark how Eliphaz deſcribes the wicked man in his actions, He conceiveth miſcheife, and brings forth vanity: And yet againe, he is preparing deceit.

p. 206Note from it.

An evill heart is never diſcouraged by any diſappointments from going on in evill.

One would have thought, after he had conceived miſcheife, and brought forth nothing but vanity, that we ſhould have heard no more of him; that he would now ſit downe and be quiet, but his belly prepareth deceit preſently, he will to it againe, he will try once more; if he faile in one plot, he hopes to thrive in another; he will ſow his ſeed of ſin in the morning, and in the evening he will not withhold his hand, and though he ſee neither of them proſper, yea though he ſee both of them blaſted, yet he will to his ſowing againe. As a gracious heart receives many diſappointments and diſcouragements, but ſaith he, I will not give over, My belly ſhall prepare ſtill, holy, and juſt, and righteous things; and the more he is diſappointed the more holily he acts. So doth a wicked man more ſinfully; for he acts as ſtrongly and naturally in his ſtate, as a godly man doth in his; and therefore he will not be put off by diſappointments. He ſaith in the words of Solomon (Prov. 23.35.) They have ſtricken me and I was not ſicke; they have beaten me and I felt it not, when I awake, I will ſeek it yet againe. Wicked men in generall, as well as Drunkards in particular, of whom Solomon there ſpeaks, meet with many blows, and are often ſick in following their ſin; yet (becauſe they are never ſick of ſin) as ſoone as ever they awake, and recover a little, they forget all their wounds and ſickneſſes, and reſolve to ſeek it yet againe. They pleaſe themſelves ſo much with what is to come, that they ſleight all that hath been done, and reſolve with thoſe (Iſa. 56.12.) To morrow ſhall be as this day, and much more abundant: They are preparing for ſin, even while they are ſinning: It is ſaid (Revel. 6.) that he on the Red Horſe, went forth conquering, and to conquer: he had not onelyonly a preſent Conqueſt, but a project to conquer; he was actually a Conquerer, and having conquered, hee had freſh deſignes in his eye. As Chriſt goes out thus conquering, and to conquer; ſo wicked men goe out doing evill, and to doe it; deceiving, and to deceive. Their belly prepareth deceit: Though they have brought forth vanity once and againe, yet they prepare, as aſſured of victory.

p. 207This ariſeth three wayes.

Firſt, From the extreame love and good affection which a carnall heart beares to ſin: as the love which beleevers beare to Chriſt, is not onelyonly a motive provoking them to doe for Chriſt, but alſo to perſevere in doing for Chriſt, though they ſuffer much in doing for him; he that loves Chriſt will not onelyonly ſweat at his worke, but bleed at his worke, if his work cannot be carryed on without bleeding. Thus alſo the love of wickedmen to their luſts, is not onelyonly a motive provoking them to fulfill their luſts, but to endure any thing for the fulfilling of them; Love is the the ſpring of labour, actions are affections put forth, and made viſible: Love is alſo the ſpring of valour, as well in a bad cauſe, as in a good cauſe: What is it that love dares not attempt, towards the attainement of what we love? Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drowne it: Love is ſuch a vehement flame, that though you caſt the waters of ſorrow, yea floods of trouble upon it, yet theſe cannot extinguiſh it; much more then will it keep alive after many deferrs and diſappointments. It is the Obſervation of one of the Ancients, that Love built the two Cities; Holy Love built the City of God, and unholy Love built, or is daily building the City of Satan: And though it be much hindered and oppoſed in building this City; yea though the materials with which it would rayſe and fortifie this City be often ſcattered and broken, yet theſe Builders will provide more materials, Their belly prepareth deceit.

Secondly, This their unwearyed projecting and acting after diſcouragements and diſappointments, ariſeth from the extreame deſire they have to attaine their end. It is a true Axiom, that, The appetite of the end is infinite. Whatſoever a man propoſeth to himſelfe as his end in any undertaking, will carry him on without end till he doe attaine it: As reſt is the naturall end of motion, ſo till man hath reached his civill (though ſinfull) ends, he cannot reſt. A wicked man propoſeth an end to himſelfe in evill actions, as well as an honeſt man doth in good: and therefore till that profit, or pleaſure, or honour, or revenge, which he propoſeth to himſelfe be enjoyed, he is unſatisfied; let God or Man put as many ſtops as they will in his way, let his firſt and ſecond and third conceptions of miſcheife, conclude in the bringing forth of vanity, yet he p. 208is not concluded by it, he will try a fourth and a fifth time too, His belly againe prepareth deceit.

Thirdly, His hope to ſpeed at laſt, put him forward to new experiments, when former ones have fayled; he perſwades himſelfe he ſhall obtaine, if he continue. As the Saints having prayed, and wayted long without an anſwer from God, yet goe on praying, their belly prepareth new prayers, becauſe they have a good ground to hope that God will heare at laſt: So ungodly men perſevere in plotting miſcheife, becauſe they have ſtrong hopes (though but the ſhadow of a ground to hope) that they ſhall one day accompliſh their deſires. As the heart would breake for ſorrow; ſo both heart and hand would breake off from labour, were it not for hope. But where hope of attaineing lives, eſpecially where it is lively, there, ſuch will labour as long as they live: Though they have hitherto been deceived in their expectation, yet their belly prepareth deceit.

Thus Eliphaz proſecutes his dehortation; and though he ſaith not to Job, as Nathan did to David, Thou art the man; yet Job was the man he meant, the man, who (in his opinion) had conceived miſchiefe, and brought forth vanity; yea the man whoſe belly was even then preparing deceit. How much Eliphaz was deceived, appeares upon the whole matter; what Jobs belly, his minde, his inward man was preparing, will appeare by his owne anſwer in the two Chapters following.