Exposition of Job 15-17, Commentary on Job · Chapter 15
JOB, CHAP. 15. Verſ. 21, 22.
A dreadfull ſound is in his eares, in proſperity the deſtroyer ſhall come upon him.
He beleeveth not that he ſhall returne out of darkneſſe, and he is waited for of the Sword.
ELiphaz having layd downe this poſition, That paine is the portion of a wicked man, goes on to the proofe, and illuſtration of it; firſt, in reference to the terrours of his conſcience; and ſecondly, in reference to the troubleſomeneſſe of his outward ſtate, and the ſad changes that are incident to him. That a wicked man travells with inward paine, or terrour of conſcience; the firſt words of this context tell us.
Verſ. 21. A dreadfull ſound is in his eare.
The Hebrew is, A voice of dreads; the word is Plurall,foreign Sonnitus terrorum, numerus multitudinis ſignificationem auget, i. e. ſonitus maximè terrificus, vel non unius ſed multiplicis terroris. Merc. becauſe, not one ſingle terrour, but a multitude of terrours, an Army of terrours incamp about the ſpirit of a wicked man: and theſe charge him without intermiſſion; as ſoone as one hath done, another draws up againſt him.
And he ſaith, A ſound of terrour, becauſe a ſound carryes feare with it; Feare is a perturbation of the minde, ariſing from an apprehenſion of ſome approaching evill: Now, by how much the nearer evill draweth to us, by ſo much doth feare increaſe upon us; and then an evill may be ſayd to be very neare us, when we hear the ſound of it. We quickly ſee and feele an Enemy, when once he is come within our hearing. When the King of Iſrael ſent a meſſenger to take off the head of Eliſha, Shut the door (ſaith Eliſha) and hold him faſt at the doore, is not the ſound of his Maſters feet behind him? (2 K. 6.33.) That is, is not his Maſter neer. And when Eliah ſaw the raine at hand, he thus beſpeaks King Ahab, Get thee up, eate, and drinke, for there is a ſound of abundance of raine (1 Kings 18.41.) So here, The ſound of terrour, notes the ſpeedy approach of it; the Prophet (Jer. 4.19.) complaines lamentably, My belly, my belly, I am pained at my very heart, my heart makes a noi e within me (and why all this?) becauſe thou haſt heard O my ſoule, the ſound of the Trumpet, and the alarum of Warre; that is, becauſe now it appeares that the enemy is at hand. When once we heare the ſound of the Trumpet, Warr is not farr off, yea it is even at the door, and death is ready to climbe up at our windows. Uſually the care receives the firſt blow; we firſt heare, and then feele the Sword.
When Diphaz ſaith, A dreadfull ſound is in his eare, we may underſtand it two wayes; either firſt, that a wicked man hearing the ſad reports of approaching evill, is greatly troubled; or ſecondly, that a wicked man frames to himſelfe an imaginary ſound of evill. His fanſie makes a noiſe, he thinkes he heares the ſound of Drums and Trumpets, the clattering of Armour, and the claſhing of drawne Swords, he heares (as the Prophet Nahum elegantly deſcribes it) The noyſe of the whip, and the noyſe of the ratling of the Wheels, and of the pranſing Horſes, and of the jumping Clarrets. Now, whether we underſtand it of the approach of reall dangers, the ſound of which, are a terror to him, or whether we take it for thoſe fantaſtick, pannick feares and Satanicall deluſions, both or either of them render his life uncomfortable, and are the effects of an unquiet, or of a guilty conſcience.
Hence Obſerve.
A wicked man is alwayes ſubject to feare; he that is a ſervant to ſin cannot but be a ſlave to feare: And he that hath done much evill, ſuſpects much.
While we have Peace within, Warr without doth not much trouble, though it much afflict us. And while our hearts, toucht by the ſpirit of God, make us muſick, a ſound of terrour to the eare is not terrible.
Impius tantum metuit, quantum nocuit.It is ſayd of a godly man (Pſal. 112.7.) No evill tydings ſhall make him feare (though there be a dreadfull ſound in his eare, a ſound of danger, yet) his heart is fixed, truſting in the Lord. A wicked man is terrified with conceited danger; a godly man is not afraid when there is reall danger. A godly man hath a witneſſe for him in himſelfe; a wicked man carryes a witneſſe againſt him in himſelfe;Nemo ſe judice nocens abſolvitur. and this witneſſe is alſo his judge to condemne him, yea his executioner to torment, and vex him; as ſoone as our firſt Parents had ſinned (Gen. 3.8.) They heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the Garden, in the coole of the day, and Adam and his Wife hid themſelves from the preſence of the Lord: Here was no appearance of terrour, it was the voice of God walking as a freind, not marching as an enemy, and it was in in thr coole, not heat of the day; theſe circumſtances argue the guiltineſſe of Adam and his Wife, who fled and hid themſelves at this appearance of the Lord. The voice of God walking, was a dreadfull ſound in their eares, becauſe they had not hearkned to the voice of God commanding. Wicked Paſhur, who oppoſed the good Prophet, is branded with a new name (Jer. 20.3.4.) The Lord ſayd, his name ſhall no more be called Paſhur, but Magor-Miſabib; that is, Feare round about, and in the next Verſe, the reaſon is given why this name was given him, For I will make thee a terrour to thy ſelfe: He that is a terrour to himſelfe, can no more be without terrour, then he can be without himſelfe. Nor can any thing be a comfort to him, who is his owne terrour. And therefore a guilty conſcience heares a dreadfull ſound, what ſound ſoever he heares: he ever expects to heare bad newes, and he puts fearefull gloſſes and comments upon that which is good.
A wicked man interprets all reports in one of theſe two miſchievous ſenſes, either To the diſcredit of others, Peſſimus in dubiis Augur timor — Stator to the diſquiet of himſelfe: Bring what text of providence you can to him, he corrupts it with one of theſe gloſſes. Yea, the faithfull counſells of his owne Friends, are dreadfull ſounds unto him for he hath a ſuſpicion that while they are counſelling him for good, it is but a contriving of evill againſt him, or a ſetting of ſnares to catch him.
Againe, ſometimes God creates a ſound, or cauſeth the wicked to heare a dreadfull ſound (2 Kings 7.6.) The Lord made the Hoaſt of the Syrians to hear a noyſe of Charriots, and a noyſe of Horſes, even the noyſe of a great Hoaſt, &c. Upon this dreadfull ſound, they aroſe and fled. Sometimes a wicked heart creates a ſound, and what the Prophet threatens, he heares, the ſtone out of the Wall, the beame out of the Timber crying againſt him. The Story tells us of one who thought that the Swallowes in the Chimney ſpake, and told tales of him. We ſay in our Proverbe, As the Foole thinketh, ſo the Bell clinketh; much more may we ſay, As an evill conſcience thinketh, ſo every thing clinketh. As he that hath a prejudice againſt another, takes all he heares ſpoken of him, and all that he heares him ſpeak in the worſt ſenſe, and moſt diſadvantageous conſtruction to his reputation; ſo he that hath a pre…udice againſt himſelfe, conſtrues all that he either heares or ſees againſt his owne Peace: Hence it is that he doth not onelyonly flee when he is purſued, but when none purſue (Prov. 28.1.) The wicked flies when none purſueth (except his owne feares) but the righteous is as bold as a Lyon: This terrour was threatned in the old Law (Levit. 26.36.) They that are left alive of you in the time of your Captivity, I will ſend fainting in their hearts, in the Land of their Enemy, and the ſound of a ſhaking leafe ſhall chaſe them; What poore ſpirits have they who are chaſed by the motion of a leafe? The ſound of a leafe is a pleaſant ſound, it is a kind of naturall muſick. Feare doth not onelyonly make the heart move,Homines tui non expectato adventu hoſtis, velut tranſſoſſi examinantur metu. Jun. As the Trees of the Forreſt are moved with the winde (Iſa. 7.) but it makes the heart move, if the winde doe but move the Trees of the Forreſt. The Prophet Iſaiah tells Jeruſalem, Thy ſlaine men are not ſlaine with the Sword, not dead in Battell (Iſai. 22.2.) With what then were they ſlaine? And how dyed they; a learned Interpreter tells us how: They were ſlaine with feare, and dyed with a ſound of Battell before ever they joyned Battell. This anſwereth the judgement denounced by Moſes in another place (Deut. 28.65.) The Lord ſhall give thee there a trembling heart, and fayling of eyes, and ſorrow of minde, and thy life ſhall hange in doubt before thee, and thou ſhalt feare day and night, and ſhalt have no aſſurance of thy life.
But here ſome may object, Is this the portion of wicked men? Doth a dreadful ſound in their eares afflict their hearts? Have not many ſuch, much peace? and doe they not either ſmile or wonder to heart others complaining of an afflicted ſpirit, and beg prayers for the appeaſing of their troubled conſcience? which are matters they have no acquaintance with, nor knowledge of.
I anſwer,
Firſt, We are not to underſtand the propoſition, as if all wicked men have, or that any wicked man at all times, hath this dreadfull ſound in his eare; but thus it is very often, and thus it may be alwayes: thus it is with many, and thus it may be with all wicked men. A wicked man hath (as we ſay) no fence for it, no priviledge nor promiſe to ſecure him from it.
Againe, though ſome wicked men have not this dreadfull ſound in their eares; yea though they have pleaſant ſounds in their eares, like them who ſang to the Viall, &c. (Amos 6.) yet firſt, their peace is not a true peace; ſecondly, it is not a laſting peace; thirdly, that which they have, ariſeth from one of theſe two grounds; either from neglect of their conſciences, or from ſome defect in their conſciences. The neglect of conſcience from whence this ariſeth is twofold, either firſt, when they neglect to ſpeake to conſcience; conſcience and they never have a word, much leſſe any ſerious conference, or diſcourſe; either concerning the ſtate of their hearts, or the courſe of their lives, and then all's peace with them. Secondly, when the ſpeakings of conſcience are neglected, conſcience hath a double voice of direction, and correction; conſcience tells a man what he ought, and what he ought not to doe: conſcience checks a man for not doing what he ought, or for doing what he ought not. Yet many over power and reſtrain conſcience from this office, and never leave oppoſing, till they have ſilenced, yea conquered it: Such as theſe have peace, ſuch a one as it is, and heare nothing but a ſound of delight in their eares, while this ſilence laſteth.
Againe, this may ariſe from ſome defect diſabling conſcience, to doe its ordinary, or naturall duty. (the conſcience of an evill man may have ſome goodneſſe in it) Conſcience may be conſidered two wayes, either morally, or naturally; that onelyonly is a morally good conſcience, which is pure and holy, a conſcience cleanſed from the guilt of ſin by the blood of Chriſt; thus no wicked man can be ſayd to have a good conſcience. That is a naturally good conſcience which performes the office or duty to which conſcience is appointed; conſcience is ſet up in man to performe certaine offices: if the conſcience of a bad man performe them, his conſcience (in that ſenſe) is good.
The firſt office or work of conſcience is to obſerve, and take notice of what we doe, conſcience ſhould, as it were, keep a Day-Book, and follow us up and downe with Pen and Inke, to write all our motions.
A ſecond worke of conſcience is to teſtifie what we have done, and which way we have moved.
A third, is, to accuſe us when we doe evill, and to acquit us when we doe well: Now as a wicked mans conſcience is alwayes morally evill, becauſe ſtained, and polluted with ſin: So many times his conſcience is naturally evill too; that is, it will neither take notice of, nor check him for his ſin. When the wicked mans conſcience is in this evill ſtate, he thinkes his ſtate good enough, and ſo he is at quiet.
Caſuiſts tell us of foure ſorts of evill conſciences, all which may live out of the hearing of theſe dreadfull ſounds.
Firſt, A blind ignorant conſcience that cannot diſcerne between morall good and evill.
Secondly, A ſecure conſcience, which thinkes not of any penall evill.
Thirdly, A dull, lazy, ſleepy conſcience, which hath little or no ſenſe, either of what is done or ſuffered.
Fourthly, A feared conſcience, which is altogether ſenſeleſſe.
A conſcience thus diſabled to performe its worke, being either blind, ſecure, ſleepy, or feared, is tame and quiet with the worſt of men. But all this while, though this wicked man hath ſome eaſe, yet he hath no peace; his conſcience while ſeared, is farr enough from being ſetled; his conſcience while aſleep is farr enough from reſt. It is with ſuch, as with ſome ſick men, aske them how they doe, they will ſay, Very well, when as indeed they are ſo ſick, that they know not how ill they are; they take death it ſelfe for health, and their not feeling of paine for the curing of their diſeaſe.
But when the conſcience of a wicked man is once enlightned, ſoftned, and awakned, he cannot but have theſe dreadfull ſounds, which will neither give nor let him receive any reſt. Conſcience will awake at laſt, and ſpeak terrible things, conſcience will be a Bounnerges, a terrible Preacher, thundring out, not only a chiding reproofe, but a ſentence of condemnation, and then the wicked will even gnaſh their teeth, becauſe conſcience did no ſooner uſe its teeth, they will gnaw their tongues for ſorrow, becauſe conſcience had no tongue to ſpeak, or they no eares to heare what it ſpake, till it was too late: A dreadfull ſound is in his eare.
In proſperity the deſtroyer ſhall come upon him.
foreign In pa…e.The Hebrew is, In peace the deſtroyer ſhall come upon him. Peace is ſo neer allyed, and ſo great a freind to proſperity, that one word may well ſerve both. The wicked mans deſtroyer ſhall be to him like Joab to Abner, and Amaſa, ſhedding the blood of Warr in Peace, and putting that blood upon the Girdle about his loynes, &c. 1 Kings 2.5.
But ſome may demand, How doth this ſuite with the former Verſe? Where Eliphaz told us, that A wicked man travells in paine all his dayes: How is he in proſperity, if he travells all his dayes in paine? I anſwer, The denomination is given from the greateſt part of a wicked mans life, and that is trouble and paine. Or ſecondly, if an inſtance can be given of any wicked man, that hath had more good dayes then evill, or that hath had no ill dayes at all, in regard of any outward trouble and paine, then we may reconcile the Text thus; his proſperity is beſide his ſtate, yea,Eſt amplificatio malae cujuſdam impiorum ſecuritatis q. d. ſi contingat impium nihil timere ſed ſecure agere tunc & inopinato opprimetur. Pined. in his very proſperity he is in paine: In the midſt of laughter his heart is ſorrowfull, and the end of his mirth is heavineſſe (Prov. 14.13.) His is but a ſeeming, not a reall proſperity.
Further, theſe words are an aggravation of his miſery, becauſe if at any time he appeares proſperous, and free from feare, then ſudden deſtruction overtakes him.
Or laſtly, The deſtroyer may be ſayd to come upon him in proſperity, becauſe in his beſt dayes he feares the deſtroyer: he ſuſpects danger, when he ſees none; and is therefore never out of danger. Who this deſtroyer is, is left here at large;Et cum pax ſit ille inſidias ſuſpicatur. Vulg. Omnia etiam tuta tyranni & impii timent. Merc. no particular one is ſpecified, but any terrible one is intended; Eliphaz doth not ſay, A Deſtroyer, but The Deſtroyer. One both powerfull and skilfull to deſtroy ſhall come upon him. He ſhall not onelyonly come to him, but come upon him; to come upon, is to invade or to aſſault: A freind comes to a man with kindneſſe and embraces, to viſit or ſalute him, an Enemy comes upon a man with blowes, and violence to wound and deſtroy him. In proſperity the deſtroyer ſhall come upon him.
Hence Obſerve.
When wicked men thinke themſelves moſt ſafe, they are neereſt to deſtruction. 'Tis ſeldome that they thinke themſelves ſafe, and when they doe, they are furtheſt from ſafety. When the wicked ſpring as the graſſe, and when all the workers of iniquity doe flouriſh, it is that they ſhall be deſtroyed for ever (Pſal. 92.7.) Their temporall, ſhort ſpring, is not onelyonly an antecedent, but an argument of their eternall Winter. And their Winter is not the going downe of the ſap to the root, but the pulling of them up by the roots; they ſhall be deſtroyed.
(Job 20.22.) In the fulneſſe of his ſufficiency hee ſhall be in ſtraits: When it is full Sea with him, his Channell ſhall be dryed up. It was ſayd to that Foole (Luke 12.20.) This night thy ſoule ſhall be taken from thee: The deſtroyer came upon him, indeed in his proſperity, when he ſang himſelfe aſleepe, with Soule thou haſt goods layd up for many yeares, he could not keep his ſoule one night. (1 Theſ. 5.3.) When they ſhall ſay peace and ſafety, then ſudden deſtruction commeth upon them, as travaile upon a woman with Childe, and they ſhall not eſcape: The generall deſtruction of wicked men in the day of judgement, ſhall come as a theefe in the night. We have a repreſentation of this, in that wofull tragedy which the Lord acted upon the Egyptians (Exod. 12.30.) At midnight there was a grevious cry (he came upon them as a theefe in the night) for the Lord ſmote all the firſt borne of the Land of Aegypt; they dyed in their warme beds, in proſperity the deſtroyer came upon them. This is bad enough, yet not the worſt of the condition of wicked men:
For,
Verſ. 22. He beleeves not that he ſhall returne out of darkneſſe, he is waited for of the Sword.
This is a further account of the inward miſery or paine which afflicts the ſpirit of a wicked man.
He beleeves not that he ſhall returne out of darkneſſe.
Hee looketh not that he ſhall eſcape from darkneſſe. So Maſter Broughton. There are five interpretations given about this darkneſſe, out of which the wicked man beleeves he ſhall not returne.
Firſt, Some underſtand it of the darkneſſe of ſin; but a wicked man cannot be ſayd to deſpaire of that about which he never had any hope,Pii ſpe ſe armant & in ſpem contra ſpem ſperant. Merc. or deſire.
Secondly, Some underſtand darkneſſe litterally, and plainly of the darkneſſe of the night, and interpret thus, He beleeves not that he ſhall returne out of darkneſſe; that is, he is ſo haunted with feares every night, when he lyes downe, that he thinks he ſhall never live till the morning: This is a good ſenſe.
Thirdly, Others underſtand this darkneſſe, to be death, he hath a perfect ſound of dread when death comes, becauſe he beleeves not that he ſhall returne out of that darkneſſe. The reſurrection is the conſolation of the Saints, in the midſt of greateſt dangers and thickeſt darkneſſe; becauſe, though they dye, yet they beleeve they ſhall returne out of darkneſſe. But a wicked man, who beleeves, or hopes for nothing beyond the time of this life, if he be once caſt into the Grave, either thinkes he ſhall lye there for ever, or if he beleeves he ſhall riſe, yet he doth not beleeve that he ſhall riſe out of darkneſſe, for he ſhall riſe in darkneſſe, and goe downe to everlaſting darkneſſe.
Fourthly, A fourth expounds it of internall darkneſſe, the darkneſſe of his ſpirit, or of thoſe miſts and clouds which hang about his minde. A godly man falling into this darkneſſe, doth not actually beleeve he ſhall returne out of it (for ſuch a faith were his returne out of it) but a wicked man as he hath no ground, ſo no poſſibility (continuing in the ſtate he is) to beleeve it. Saul had a wofull dark ſpirit, and beleeved not that he ſhould returne out of it, by the helpe of God; therefore he went to a Witch (a Counſellour of the Prince of darkneſſe) for helpe.
But fifthly, I rather conceive, as often elſewhere, ſo here, by darkneſſe is meant, outward affliction. When the deſtroyer comes upon him, and he is caſt into a ſad darke condition, he hath no faith for himſelfe, that he ſhall returne out of it, or be delivered from it. This is an extreame agravation of the miſerable ſtate of a wicked man, who either hath no outward proſperity, or his proſperity is nothing to him, he enjoyes it not; but if ever he fall into outward miſery, how great is his miſery, ſo great that he gives himſelfe for gone, a loſt man for ever: He beleeves not that he ſhall returne out of darkneſſe.
Obſerve hence.
That a wicked man neither doth, not can beleeve deliverance from evill.
Firſt, He hath no ground to beleeve, promiſes are the foundation of faith. A wicked man may be under promiſes of converſion from his ſin, but he is not under any promiſe of mercy while he continues in his ſin; the whole Book of God yeelds him not (in hat ſtate) any ſpeciall promiſe, for ſo much as a bit of bread; when he hath bread, he hath it from providence, not from a promiſe, or but from a generall promiſe. He is fed as a Beaſt is fed, the Lord being the preſerver of Man and Beaſt: He cannot have a ſpeciall promiſe himſelfe, not being an heyre of promiſe: Therefore when he falls into darkneſſe, he hath no ground to beleeve. Whereas a godly man never hath ſo much ground to beleeve, as when he falls into darkneſſe, becauſe then he hath more promiſes then before; his outward loſſes gaine him the advantage of many ſweet promiſes, which till then he could not plead, for the ſuccour and nouriſhment of his faith. As a wicked man hath no promiſe of God (in the ſenſe explained) at any time; ſo a godly man hath moſt promiſes of God in evill, yea in the worſt of times.
And as a wicked man hath no ground to beleeve, ſo he uſually hath no heart to beleeve: as he hath no reaſon to hope for better things, ſo he hath no courage, his ſpirit ſinks and fails, when his ſtate doth. Abigall had no ſooner told Nabal that the deſtroyer was comming upon him in his proſperity, but his heart ſunke within him, like a ſtone, and he dyed away preſently.
Secondly, The beſt of a wicked mans faith (that he ſhall returne out of darkneſſe) is but a preſumptuous fanſie, or meer Foole-hardineſſe. A good man is like a Childe in his Fathers houſe, who takes no care, but caſts all upon his Parents; in the greateſt ſtorme, he commits the helme to Chriſt as Pilot; he can ſay as David (Pſalm. 42.) when he is in trouble, Why art thou diſquieted O my ſoule? He cals his ſoule to queſtion, and would have his ſoule give him a reaſon, Why art thou troubled, my ſoule? hope in God, for I ſhall yet praiſe him: But a wicked man hath no God to hope in, therefore he cannot ſay, I ſhall yet praiſe him: That man cannot caſt his burden of cares upon the Lord (Pſal. 55.22.) who cares not how he burdens God with his ſins; therefore he muſt beare and ſinke under both burdens himſelfe: He cannot beleeve that he ſhall returne out of the darkneſſe of trouble, who delights and ſports in the darkneſſe of iniquity.
Againe, Conſider, this is brought as a proofe of the wofull condition of a wicked man. It is miſery enough, that the deſtroyer ſhall come upon him; but this is more miſerable, he cannot beleeve deliverance from deſtruction.
Hence Obſerve.
That want of faith in time of affliction is more greivous then affliction: It is worſe not to beleeve deliverance, then to fall into trouble; as the life of faith is the beſt life, ſo the life of unbeleife is the worſt life. Deſpaire of good is the greateſt evill: Faith is not onelyonly the ſupport and reliefe of the ſoule in trouble, but it is the victory and tryumph of the ſoule over trouble. Faith doth not onelyonly keep the ſoule alive, but lively; Faith keeps the ſoule fat and in good plight: Faith is a ſheild, both againſt temptation, and affliction. But every blow falls upon the bare skin of an unbeleever; Faith is a ſheild both againſt the fiery darts of the Devill, and (with a difference) againſt the fiery darts of God alſo. Let God himſelfe caſt his darts at a Beleiver, Faith ſecures him from hurt, though not from wounds, yea his very wounds, through a worke of faith, ſhall worke his good.
It is the comfort of a man that feareth God, and obeyeth the voyce of his Servants, that while he walketh in darkneſſe and hath no light, he is bid to truſt in the name of the Lord, and to ſtay upon his God (Iſa. 50.10.) But while a man that doth not feare God, walkes in darkneſſe and hath no light, his miſery is, that he can neither truſt in God till light comes, nor that light will ever come. How happy are the righteous, to whom light ariſeth in darkneſſe? How unhappy are the wicked, who being in darkneſſe, conclude that the light will never ariſe.
Faith makes all evill good to us, and all good better; unbeleife makes all good evill to us, and all evill worſe. Faith (like the Horſe, Job 39.19.) laughs at the ſhaking of the Speare; unbeleife trembles at the ſhaking of a leafe. Faith findes food in Famine, and a Table in the Wilderneſſe. In greateſt dangers, faith anſwers, I have a great God; when outward ſtrength is broken, and all lyes a bleeding, faith anſwers, The promiſes are ſtrong ſtill, they have not loſt a drop of blood, nor have they a skarre upon them. When God himſelfe apreares angry, faith anſwers, I know how to pleaſe him, and I can goe to one in whom he is, and will be wel-pleaſed for ever. Thus faith pulls out the ſting of trouble, draws out the gall and wormwood of every affliction. But where faith is wanting, every affliction is full of gall and wormwood, and every trouble vexeth with a double ſting. It ſtings ſuch, as it is a trouble, and it ſtings them more, as they ſee no comfort in, nor way out of trouble. The darkneſſe of darkneſſe is this, Not to beleeve, that we ſhall returne out of darkneſſe.
And he is waited for of the Sword.
This clauſe is neer in ſenſe to the latter part of the former Verſe, and yet in this variety of expreſſion, there is ſome variety of intention. For the clearing of it, two things are to be enquired:
Firſt, What is meant by the Sword.
Secondly, What is meant, by, waited for of the Sword.
The Sword is taken two wayes in Scripture.
Firſt, litterally for That weapon of Warr, and by a Synechdoche the Sword is put for all weapons of Warr; as alſo by a Metonymie, for Warr it ſelfe: When the Sword is threatned in Scripture, Warr is threatned.
Secondly, The Sword is taken for the power of the Magiſtrate, who beares not the Sword in vaine: Chriſt is deſcribed as a King armed with his Sword. (Iſa. 11.4.) By the Sword (that is with the Word) of his mouth he will ſlay the wicked: Nempe ſua ſententia tradens eum juſtitiae miniſtro.Chriſt will pronounce a ſentence of condemnation, and deliver them up to execution: Thus the Judge ſlayes the Malefactor by the ſword of his mouth.
Further, by a Synechdoche, the Sword is taken for all manner of evill and trouble;Quicquid pungit & percutit, & torquet, & cruciat, in ſcripturis ſanctis gladius appellaturs Hieron. in cap. ult. Iſa. whatſoever hurts or afflicts is comprehended under the notion of a Sword (Luke 1.35,) Old Simeon tells the holy Virgin in his ſong, Alſo a Sword ſhall paſſe through thy ſoule; his meaning is not, that ſhe ſhould be cut off in Warr, by the hand of the Souldier, or in peace, by the ſentence of the Judge, but that ſore troubles and afflictions like a ſharpe Sword ſhould pierce her ſoule.
Here the Sword may be taken either for the Sword of War, or of Peace, or for any evill, that befalls the Wicked Man.
But how is he waited for of the Sword; the Originall word is rendered two wayes.
Firſt, Actively,
Secondly, Paſſively.
Some render actively, Hee is waiting for of the Sword: He ſtands expecting the Sword, and that in a double ſenſe;Circumſpectans undique gladium. Vulg. Sc. vel quo pereat vel quo ſe defendat. Tanquam exſpecula expectat. Tigur. Hebraizantes tenent eſſe participium paſſinum: hinc Rab. Levi. exponit. Conſpicitur a gladio. Aſpectus gladio Vatabl. Eſt Hebraiſmus, ut videeri a gladio ſit ab hoſtibus obſervari per inſidias. Decretus in manu ferri. Sept. Conſpectus ipſe ad gladium. Mont. Nempe a Deo conſpectus & deſtinatus ad gladium. Praeviſus enim eſt ad gladium. Sym. he waits for the Sword which he feares will deſtroy him, or he waits for a Sword, which he deſires to defend him. Mr. Broughton gives this ſenſe, Having watch, hee thinketh upon the Sword.
Againe, others render it paſſively, He is waited for of the Sword, when he thinkes not of it: The Sword lies in ambuſh to ſurprize him. A man is ſayd to be waited for by an Enemy, when he intends to aſſault him unawares, To be thus waited for by the ſword, is to be waited for by ſword-men. And it is as great a diſadvantage to be ſeen of the Sword, before we ſee the Sword; as it is (according to the old Proverb) to be ſeen of the Wolf, or of the Crocodile, before we ſee either.
The wicked is waited for of the Sword, not for any ſervice, but for the revenge it owes him, the Sword lyes behind the doore, or under a buſh to ſnap him as he paſſeth.
The Septuagint in ſtead of, he is waited, or watched, or looked for by the Sword, render thus, He is decreed into the hand of the Sword; leading us to the appointment and deſtination of God, who hath ſet him out, and marked him for judgement. Hee is appointed to the Sword: Such a decree the Prophet ſeems to poynt at (Jer. 15.2.) where he brings in the Lord, as reſolved to proceed in judgement againſt all prayers and intreaties, though made by his greateſt Favorites; Though Moſes and Samu…l ſtood before me, yet my minde could not be into this people, but ſuch as are for death, to death, and ſuch as are for the Sword, to the Sword: That is, ſuch as are decreed into the hand of the Sword, let the Sword take them; the decree ſhall ſtand, the ſentence is irrevocable.
Taking the Text actively, Obſerve:
That a wicked man thinks every one his enemy: He dreames of danger when he ſleeps, and where ever he comes, he waites for the Sword, He that hath a minde to hurt others, feares it is in the minde of every one to hurt him: He that is harmeleſſe is feareleſſe;Nunquam non divin…m ultionem expectat vel metuit. Merc. Ex omni parte inimicos ſibi imminere videns. Aquin. Qui de nullo confidit de omnibus timet. id. and while we goe about doing good, we are free from the ſuſpicion of evill. Cain having murthered his Brother, complaines of the Lords ſentence againſt him, Thou haſt driven me out this day from the face of the earth, and from thy face ſhall I be hid, and I ſhall be a fugitive and a Vagabond on the earth, and it ſhall come to paſſe, that every man that finds me ſhall ſlay me, (Gen. 4.14.) Cains complaint is the Comment of this Text, Every one that findes me ſhall ſlay me, is, I wait for, or I expect the Sword: Cain ſpeaks as if an Army were continually purſuing him, or as if the avenger of blood, were alwayes ready at his heels. And that which aggravates the wonder of this jealouſie, is, that we can give account but of one man alive in the World beſides himſelfe at that time, and that was his owne Father Adam; we read not of any Son that Abel left behind him, nor had Cain any Son (upon record) at that time; and yet he cries out as if the World had been full of Inhabitants, and every one of them his Enemy; Every one that meets me will ſlay me. What is ſaid of Iſhmael, is true of Oppreſſors, Their hand is againſt every man, and therefore they have cauſe enough to ſuſpect that every mans hand is againſt them, they are ever waiting for the Sword.
Secondly, from the paſſive ſenſe, He is waited for of the Sword.
Obſerve.
That a wicked man is in danger whereſoever he is: He cannot ſet his foot over the threſhold but miſchiefe may arreſt him; the Lord ſayd to Cain, If thou doeſt ill, ſin lyes at the door; that is, (according to the ordinary interpretation) puniſhment lyes at the door, it lyes at the door, yea it will draw the latch, or turne the Key and come in at the doore; There is no evill but a wicked man is ſubject to it; as there is no good, but is the inheritance of a godly man, who is therefore called an heire of the promiſe. He that is an heire of the promiſe, hath all the good things of this life, and of the next for his inheritance. When he goeth forth, mercy hath him by the hand, yea mercy lyes under his feet, and holds a canopy of protection over his head. A wicked man is an heyre of the curſe, and therefore he alwayes ſtands under the droppings of Divine anger; his breaſt is the Butt or Mark at which God levells the deadly Arrows of his indignation, and he is waited for of the Sword.
Thirdly, Obſerve.
That the expectation of evill is more afflictive then the feeling of evill; He doth not ſay, he is ſlaine with the Sword, or cut off with the Sword; but he is waited for, or he waites for the Sword: All evill attends him who is thus attended, or who gives ſuch attendance. He that is alwayes looking for evill cannot enjoy the good which he ſees. For as the aſſured hope of approaching comfort ſwallows up our preſent ſorrows, ſo the continuall expectation of approaching ſorrow ſwallows up our preſent comforts.
Fourthly, It is not ſayd either by what Sword or by whoſe Sword he is waited for, but he is waited for of the Sword; here is the Sword, but here is no hand named, neither the hand of God, nor the hand of man, drawing and weilding this Sword.
Hence note.
That the deſtruction of a wicked man is inevitable. When we neither know, whoſe the Sword is, nor whence the Sword is, how ſhall we prevent it or provide againſt it.Cum Supplicium dicitur & non dicitur a quo inferendum ſit, inevitabile ſupplicium ſignificatur. Sanct. When the Lord would aſſure us that an unavoydable overthrow ſhall come upon the Kingdomes of the earth, which oppoſe the Kingdome of Chriſt; he ſaith, A Stone cut out without hand, ſhall doe this; it ſhall be done no man knows how or which way; and therefore no man can know how or which way to hinder the doing of it. As there is a Stone cut out without hands, ſo here is a Sword to cut without hands. The judgement of Babylon is thus expreſſed by the Prophet (Iſa. 47.11.) Therefore ſhall evill come upon thee, thou ſhalt not know from whence it ariſeth; and miſchiefe ſhall fall upon thee, thou ſhalt not be able to put it off. The former words expound the latter: Why ſhould not Babylon be able to put off the miſchiefe? Becauſe it comes upon her, ſhee knowes not from whence. We ſay in our Proverb, when we threaten a miſchiefe, from which there is no eſcaping, You ſhall never know who hurt you: He that knows not who hurts him, ſhall never know how to help himſelfe; and while the hand that ſtrikes us is not ſeen, how ſhall we ſee to defend our ſelves againſt the ſtroke. He that waites for the Sword is alwayes in feare, and he that is waited for by the Sword, is alwayes in danger. Either of theſe is bad enough; and he that is under both, cannot be worſe.