Exposition of Job 15-17, Commentary on Job · Chapter 15
JOB, CHAP. 15. Verſ. 17, 18, 19, 20.
I will ſhew thee, heare mee, and that which I have ſeene, I will declare.
Which wiſe men have told from their Fathers and have not hid it.
Ʋnto whom alone the earth was given, and no ſtranger paſſed among them.
The wicked man travelleth with paine all his dayes, and the number of yeares is hidden to the oppreſſour.
ELiphaz having argued againſt Jobs ſuppoſed opinion, of Selfe-cleanneſſe, and perſonall righteouſneſſe, proceeds to the confirmation of his owne poſition, to which he leads us, by a new Exordium, or Preface, in the 17, 18, and 19. Verſes of this Chapter: Secondly, he largely handles, and illuſtrates it from the 20. to the 31. Verſe: Thirdly, hee applyeth the whole Doctrine to Job by way of dehortation, at the 31. Verſe and ſo forward to the end of the Chapter.
The generall argument which he brings to confirme his Tenet, may be thus formed up; That is true which continued experience, and the conſent of wiſe men in all ages have taught and delivered to us:
But the experience, and conſent of wiſe men in all ages, have taught and delivered this, that a wicked man travels with paine all his dayes, that he is puniſhed outwardly by want and ſickneſſe, and inwardly by the gripes and ſcourges of his owne conſcience:
Therefore this is a truth. The major propoſition is the ſum of the Preface contained in the 17, 18. and 19. Verſes; The minor, or ſecond Propoſition, is held forth in the 20. Verſe, and is proſecuted to the one and thirtieth.
I will ſhew thee, heare thou me, and that which I have ſeene I will declare.
So the Preface begins: He layes downe a double proofe in this Preface; a proofe firſt from his owne experience, ſecondly from the conſent of others. From his owne experience, in this Verſe, I will ſhew thee, heare thou me, that which I have ſeene I will declare; the conſent of others, is expreſſed in the 18.19. Verſes, Which wiſe men have told me from their Fathers.
I will ſhew thee, heare thou me; as if he had ſayd, Thou art out of the way, thou art in the darke, and therefore in charity, Caecutienti tibi & in maximis tonebris verſanti, veriſſimae doctrinae lumen praeferam. Accipe a me. Targ.I will lend thee a thread of true Doctrine, to lead thee, out of that laborinth of errour, wherein I ſee thou art intangled; I will ſhew thee, and all that I deſire of thee as a reward of my paines, is but this, Heare thou me, be attentive, or (as the Chalde Paraphraſt renders) receive it, take it of me; he that ſpeakes truths, deſerves to be heard, and that is all I deſire.
I will ſhew thee, heare thou me:
But what will Eliphaz ſhew him? Not that which he had phanſied, but that which he was aſſured of.
That which I have ſeene I will declare:
Seeing is a ſure and particular ſenſe; yet as the act of one ſenſe, is often put for the act of another; ſo Seeing, which is the moſt noble of the ſenſes, is often put for all. That which I have ſeene; is, that which I have learned, that which I have fetched in, or collected by the helpe of all my ſenſes; yea, by my reaſon and underſtanding, That doe I here declare unto thee. More ſtrictly, Seeing may be taken two wayes: Firſt, as noting experience; I have not onelyonly heard ſome reports about theſe things, but I have ſeen, and obſerved them my ſelfe; there is a ſtronger conviction in this, becauſe the ſenſe of ſeeing is leſſe fallible then that of hearing; and we ſay, One eye witneſſe, is better then ten eare witneſſes: Secondly, as I have ſeene, Certius eſt, vidi, quam audivi, oculatus teſtis potior eſt aurito. Druſ.may be taken for common experiences among men: ſo for ſpeciall revelation from God. Some Divine revelations were made in viſions; and all Divine Revelations were ſo cleare and evident, that they were or might be called Viſions, as if the matter of them had been repreſented to the eye; and hence ſuch as God honoured and truſted with thoſe Revelations were called Seers (1 Sam. 9.9.) He that is now called a Prophet was before time called a Seer: And hee was called a Seer, becauſe the cleareneſſe of thoſe meſſages and manifeſtations was ſo great, that they might be judged as objects of the eye, rather then of the eare, or of the underſtanding. Thus the whole Book of the Propheſie of Iſaiah is called, A Viſion, or a thing ſeene; The Viſion of Iſaiah the Prophet, which he ſaw concerning Judah and Jeruſalem, (Chap. 1.1.) Yet the Prophet did not receive all the Doctrines which he Preached, and Propheſies which he publiſhed in that Book, by viſion: but the manifeſtation from God, was ſo full of light to his underſtanding, that it was as if he had ſeene it with his eye. Some expound ſo here, That which I have ſeene; that is, that which I have had a ſpeciall revelation about. As if hee referr'd to the fourth Chapter, where Eliphaz reports to Job what a dreadfull Viſion he had, and what the matter of it was, even much like that which is repreſented in the following part of this Chapter. A learned Interpreter agrees, that it was a Viſion; but, ſaith he,Mihi non videtur improbabile aut deluſum fuiſſe a diabolo, vel ipſum ſomnium aliquod aut inſpirationem commentum eſſe, ut ſibi conciliaret authoritatem. Sanct. it was either a fained, artificiall Viſion (ſuch are frequent in Popery) or it was a deluſion of the Devill. I doe not at all admit, this latter branch of his opinion; but I muſt reject the former, as altogether unworthy of Eliphaz, who was ſurely a man of integrity, and fearing God, and was therefore above ſuch affected falſhoods, and ſtudied deceits, to gaine reſpect and credit among men.
I ſhall therefore inſiſt upon the former ſenſe, That which I have ſeene; that is, by common experience, that will I declare unto thee.
Hence Obſerve.
Firſt, What we declare, or communicate to others, wee ſhould be well aſſured of our ſelves; That which I have ſeene, declare I unto thee: while we declare, either by way of inſtruction, to teach true Doctrine, or by way of information, to report the truth of action, 'tis our duty to declare upon knowledge. So the Apoſtle John, in his firſt Epiſtle, Chap. 1.1. That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have ſeene with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled of the word of life, that which we have ſeene and heard, declare wee unto you: He brings in the operations of three ſenſes, Seeing, Hearing, and Feeling, as witneſſes to avouch for, and aſcertaine that which he had declared; we muſt take heed of declaring upon ſurmiſes, and probabilities, upon a bare Heare-ſay, or I thought ſo: That which we have clearely learned, we may teach confidently, and nothing beſides that.
Obſerve,
Secondly, As we muſt have a ground for what we declare to others, ſo when we have a good ground we muſt declare; That which we know, we ſhould make knowne; That which I have ſeene I declare unto you; holy knowledge muſt be communicated, ſuch light muſt not be put under a buſhell, nor muſt ſuch a Talent be wrapt up in a Napkin: He that is taught ſhould teach. When thou art converted (ſaith Chriſt to Peter) ſtrengthen thy Brethren: Let others partake of thy experiences. Come (ſaith David) and I will tell you what God hath done for my ſoule: Philip (John 1.43.) being found by Chriſt, finds Nathaneel, and ſaith unto him, We have found him of whom Moſes, and the Prophets did write, Jeſus of Nazareth, the Son of Joſeph: He quickly declared what he had ſeen, and ſo ſhould we. This is the firſt proofe, That which I have ſeene, I declare, experience is my ground.
The ſecond proofe, is from the conſent of others, from the authority of the Ancient.
Which wiſe men have told from their Fathers, and have not hid it.
Eliphaz treads the ſame ſteps, as in his firſt diſcourſe with Job. For after he had there delivered the contents or ſum of his Viſion, he appeales to the judgement of the Saints, Chap. 5. So here, having told Job that he would declare what he had ſeene, he referrs him alſo to the judgement of others, That which wiſe men have told their Fathers, and have not hid it. I referr you to men, and thoſe not men of a meane ranke, but to godly wiſe men; in which, Eliphaz ſeemes againe to anſwer what Job had objected, that the points he had offered were of common and vulgar obſervation (Chap. 12.3.) Who knowes not ſuch things as theſe? Eliphaz replyes, theſe things are no common diſcourſe, they are ſuch as wiſe men have told from their Fathers; as if he had ſayd, Doe not deſpiſe what I ſay, as ordinary, or as a novelty, no, nor as received from corrupt antiquity, for beſides what I have ſeen,Rambam ſubtitius a patribus ſuis exponit, a patribus eorum. Ʋt hic tres aetates conſiderentur una ſapientum haec indicantium, altera patrum tertia majorum & atavorum. Merc. I have good authority for what I ſpeake: the ancient and the wiſe vote with me; Wiſe men have told it from their Fathers, here is the conveyance.
Wiſe men:
He doth not meane worldly wiſe men, Philoſophers and Polititians; but godly wiſe men, theſe hauehave told it from their Fathers; their Fathers told it them, and they told it me; ſo that this poſition claimes by two deſcents at leaſt. One of the Rabbins gives it three, if not more: for by the Fathers of the wiſe men he underſtands, not their immediate Fathers onelyonly, but thoſe who were more remote and further off; yea, poſſibly thoſe who were furtheſt off, even as far as Adam.
Hence Obſerve:
Firſt, It is an ingenuity to acknowledge by whom we profit, wiſe men have told me this, I received it from others, as well as collected it by my owne experience.
Secondly Note:
Truth ſhould be conveyed downe to our Poſterity: Truth is a more precious inheritance then Land or Money; if Parents are carefull to ſecure (as much as they can) earthly things to their Children, how much more ſhould they be carefull to ſecure heavenly? In the firſt Ages of the World, till the Law was given on Mount Sinai, faithfull men were in ſtead of Books, and Tradition ſupplyed the want of Scripture: But now, our recourſe muſt be to what God hath commanded to be written, not to what men have ſaid. No Tradition is of any force, but as conſentient with Scripture, and none of ſo much force as Scripture. The Councill of Trent, in the fifth Seſſion, thunders out Anathemaes againſt thoſe who receive not Tradition with the ſame godly affection, and devotion, with which they receive the Scripture it ſelfe; Bellarmin in his controverſie about Tradition, entitles his Book thus, Of the Word of God not written; as if the Word of God were to be divided into theſe two orders, The Word written, and the Word not written: Tradition with him is the Ʋnwritten word, and muſt be held of as much authority as the Word written; This is (as Chriſt taxeth the Phariſees) to make the word of God of none effect, through mans Tradition: It is ſtill a wiſe mans duty to to tell Poſterity what the Word and Truth of God is, but we muſt not receive any thing, as a truth of God, upon the bare Word of the wiſeſt men, Wiſe men have told their Fathers.
And have not hid it.
There is a twofold hiding; firſt, a hiding to keep a thing ſafe, that we looſe it not; ſecondly, a hiding, that we keep it cloſe, and not communicate it: In the former ſenſe, we muſt hide the truth of God, but we may not in the latter. When David ſaith, I have hid thy Commandements in my heart: when Mary hid the ſayings of Chriſt in her hart; and when the man that found the treaſure (Ma. 13.44.) Went away and hid it, and for joy thereof ſould all he had, and bought the field: All theſe hid it, that it might be forth-comming for their owne uſe, they did not hide it, as unwilling to bring it forth, for the uſe of others; ſo the idle Servant hid his Talent, and was juſtly condemned for hiding it, Matth. 25.
Hence Obſerve:
Truth muſt not be hid from others: Truth is a common good, no man hath the ſole property of it; every one may challenge his part of this poffeſſion; and the more we part with it to others, the more we increaſe our owne poſſeſſion. Truth multiplies in its degree to us, while we make diviſion of it to thouſands. A Candle gives not the leſs light to the owner, becauſe many ſtanders by, ſee by it, and this Candle gives a clearer light to us when we let many ſee by it: Our knowledge is perfected while it is communicated. This Candle therfore is not to be put under a buſhell, but muſt be ſet upon a Candleſtick, that all may ſee by the light of it. Shall I (ſaith the Lord, (Gen. 18.) hide from Abraham the thing that I am about to doe? No, I will not, For I know Abraham will not hide it: Hee will command his Children and his Houſhold after him, and they ſhall keep the way of the Lord. The Iſraelites were charged to communicate the wonders which God wrought for them, and the Ordinances which he appointed them, when they were delivered out of Aegypt, Exod. 12.
I will open my mouth in a Parable (ſaith the Pſalmiſt) I will utter darke ſayings of old, which wee have heard and knowne: And our Fathers have told us, we will not hide them from their Children, ſhewing to the Generations to come, the praiſes of the Lord, and his ſtrength, and the wonderfull works which hee hath done (Pſal. 78.2, 3, 4.) 'Tis our duty to preſerve memorialls of the workes of God, and to declare his word to all that are about us. What wiſe men know from their Fathers, they will not hide.
Eliphaz yet goes on to deſcribe the men whoſe conſent, in opinion he had received about the controverſie in hand.
Verſ. 19. To whom alone the earth was given, and no ſtranger paſſed among them.
If any man aske who were theſe wiſe men? He anſwers, They were wiſe men, To whom alone the earth was given.
In theſe words Eliphaz ſeemes to remove a prejudice that might lye in Jobs Spirit againſt the teſtimony of thoſe Ancients: For ſuppoſe they were Wiſe men, yet he might ſay, 'tis like they were but meane men, men of no ranke or quality, men of ſmall credit or authority, and (we know what Solomon ſaith,Affertur hoc ad amplificandum authoritatem horum ſapientum, q. d. hi tales & tanti fuerunt ut &c. Merc. Eccleſ. 9.16.) A poore mans wiſedome is deſpiſed, and his words not heard: Therefore ſaith Eliphaz, you ſhall not put me off thus, nor diſable my witneſſes upon a ſuppoſition, that theſe wiſe men were meane men, for theſe were Cheifes and Princes in their Generation; And he advanceth their honour two wayes; Firſt, in regard of their riches and power, To whom alone the earth was given: Secondly, in regard of their righteous and juſt adminiſtrations, No ſtranger, or ſtrange thing paſſed among them; as if he had ſayd, Job, I ſpeake of men that were fit to ſit at the helme of a Kingdome, and governe Nations; yea, to have the raines of the World put into their hands; I ſpeake of wiſe men who by their wiſedome, and the bleſſing of God, have kept the earth quiet, and ſo have poſſeſſed it alone.
But it may yet be ſaid, who were theſe Monarchs of the world, and ſole poſſeſſors of the Earth? To whom alone the earth was given: Some conceive that Eliphaz meanes it of Noah and his Sonnes, who indeed had the World to themſelves; for the Flood having ſwept away all mankinde, except that Family, to him and his Sons the earth was given alone; theſe were the wiſe men (ſaith this opinion) from whom Eliphaz received the Doctrine which he communicated to,Iſta ph…aſi circumlo …uitur mihi patriarcham Noe cum tribus ejus filiis. Bold. Methodius, aliique patres antiqui vocant Noe tres filios, Mundi chiliarchos. and preſſed upon Job; there was never ſuch a Monarch (except Adam the firſt man) as Noah was, he had the whole World given him: Hence the Ancients ſtile Noahs three Sonnes, The Commanders and Colonels of the whole World: But I conceive, we need not determine it upon thoſe, though poſſibly Eliphaz might have an aime at them. Moſt Interpreters take it in generall, of the old good Princes, of whom it may be ſaid, The earth was given to them, and to them alone; Abraham was a great Prince, and to him, The earth (in one ſenſe) was given alone. But who made this great deed of gift, even the moſt high God, whom Abraham calls (Gen. 14.) The poſſeſſor of Heaven, and Earth: He it is that then gave, and ſtill gives the earth, and he gives it two wayes; firſt, by an act of common providence, thus (as Job expreſſeth it (Chap. 9.24.) The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: Secondly, he gives the earth by an act of ſpeciall providence, or by vertue of a promiſe, ſo Canaan was given to Abraham and his ſeed, the people of Iſrael; and thus the Kingdome of Iſrael and Judah, was given to David and his ſeed.
When it is ſaid here, that the earth was given to ſuch alone,Sapientibus ſolis terra data eſſe dicitur, quia bonorum terrenorum, ipſe ſunt domini, utentes iis ad ſuum bonum. Aquin. in loc. the meaning is not that none had any of the earth given them but they, but none had the earth given them as they, by peculiar promiſe, and ſpeciall providence. Further, the giving of the earth may be conſidered, either as the giving that which is good, or as the giving it for good; as a gift of bounty, or as a gift of mercy; in the latter conſiderations, the earth is given to good men alone: None have it for good but they who are good, and they onelyonly make a good uſe of it.
Hence Obſerve:
That the earth, or earthly things, are diſpoſed to the Sons of men, by a deed of gift from God:
Secondly, Wiſe, holy men, receive the earth and the things of the earth, by ſpeciall gift.
Theſe alone receive the earth from a Fathers hand and good will; it comes to them in the Covenant of grace, to which the promiſe of the earth belongs, as well as of Heaven, Godlineſſe hath the promiſe of this life, and of that which is to come; Optimorum principum circumloqutio eſt, quorum adminiſtratio reſpublicas ſuas tuebatur, omnemque hoſtium injuriam propulſabat. Pined. Authoritate ſua uſi ſunt ad jus bonum & aequum tuendū, & ad injuſtum quodvis & alienum propulſandum. Jun. in loc.Saints have the earth and all earthly things given to them, in reference to their being in Covenant with God; and thus the earth is given to them alone.
Againe, we may expound that terme Alone, by the next clauſe, To whom alone the earth was given; that is, as they had great poſſeſſions in the earth, ſo they had thoſe poſſeſſions to themſelves without any to trouble, vex, or moleſt them, which Eliphaz thus expreſſeth:
And no ſtranger paſſed among them.
Some read, No ſtrange thing paſſed among them; Both readings are a deſcription of wiſe and godly Princes, who having the earth given them, No ſtranger, or no ſtrange thing paſſeth among them.
Strangers are here taken under a double notion: Firſt, no ſtranger, that is no enemy: To cleare which notion of the word Stranger, we muſt remember that as the Grecians (conceiting themſelves the beſt bred people in the World) called all other Nations Barbarians; ſo the people of Iſrael, the ſtock of Abraham (being Gods peculiar Covenant-people) called all other Nations aliens, or ſtrangers, and becauſe they were hated and maligned by all other Nations, therefore they called all profeſſed ſtrangers enemies; ſo the word is uſed (Iſa. 1.7.) Your land ſtrangers ſhall devoure; that is, enemies ſhall invade and prevaile over you (Pſalm. 144.7.) Deliver me out of the hand of ſtrange Children, or out of the hand of ſtrangers; that is,Alienus hoc loco idem eſt qui hoſtis. Sanct. Hoſtis apud majores noſtros, quem nunc peregrinum dicimus. Cic. lib. 1. Offic. out of the hand of mine enemies: The Latine word Alienus, is often put for Hoſtis, and the Roman Oratour telleth us, That he who is now called a ſtranger, was called an enemy by our Anceſtors. The reaſon was, becauſe ſtrangers proved unkinde to, yea turned enemies againſt thoſe that entertained them: As formerly Kings were called Tyrants, but becauſe many Kings oppreſſed their people, therefore now oppreſſing Princes onelyonly are called Tyrants. So then, to ſay no ſtranger paſſed among them, is as much as to ſay, no enemy, none to moleſt or afflict, paſſed among them.
Satis apparet non de hoſte temporali; ſed de eo qui alteri quam verae religioni addictus eſt, vel qui numina extranea …olit. Bold.Againe, the word Stranger is taken for one that is erroneous, or idolatrous; for a man unſound in Doctrine, or ſuperſtitious in Worſhip: Wiſe men to whom alone the earth was given, had no ſuch ſtranger paſſing among them; they were not mixed with idolatrous and uncircumciſed Nations, they did not communicate with them in worſhip, as in after times the people of Iſrael did.
This notion of the ſtranger, is an advantage to Eliphaz; as if he had ſayd, The wiſe men whoſe authority I produce in this cauſe, were ſound in judgement, and pure in worſhip they did not mingle themſelves with Idolaters and Hereticks, they neither learned their workes, not received their Doctrines, and are therefore witneſſes worthy of credit, and againſt whom there lyes no juſt exception. No ſtranger paſſed among them.
If we take ſtranger in the firſt ſenſe for an enemy, then the word Paſſed ſignifies as much as invaded, and may well be tranſlated to a military motion: No ſtranger or enemy paſſed; that is, none matched among them, or through their Land, to diſturbe, or plunder them; when God is ſayd to give Laws to the Sea, or ſet it bounds which it ſhould not paſſe; this imports that the Sea like an enemy would march through the earth, and overwhelme all, unleſſe bridled by a Divine decree.
But if we take Stranger in the ſecond ſenſe, for an Idolater, or a man of unſound Principles, then, No ſtranger paſſed among them, is, ſuch were not received, and embraced by them, nor admitted among them.
From the firſt Obſerve.
That it is (as the honour of a people to releive oppreſſed ſtrangers, ſo) the happineſſe of a people to be freed from the oppreſſion of ſtrangers.
From the ſecond Obſerve.
That it is the happineſſe of a people to be free from the mixture of evill men, whether ſuch whoſe worſhip is impure or Doctrine untrue: The Lord made frequent promiſes of this happineſſe to his people (Iſa. 52.1.) From henceforth there ſhall no more come into them, the uncircumciſed, and the uncleane; which is as much as to ſay, The ſtranger (for all uncircumciſed perſons were ſtrangers) ſhall not come into thee. We have the like promiſe (Joel 3.17.) So ſhall yee know that I am the Lord your God, dwelling in Sion, my holy Mountaine, then ſhall Jeruſalem be holy, and there ſhall no ſtranger paſſe through her; Why not any ſtranger? Forget not to entertaine ſtrangers, ſaith the Apoſtle (Heb. 13.….) Jeruſalem in her beſt dayes ſhall have ſtrangers, to be viſited and releived by her, but Jeruſalem ſhould have no ſtrangers in thoſe dayes to defile and pollute her (Na. 1.15.) Behold upon the Mountaine the feet of him that bringeth good tydings; for the wicked ſhall no more paſſe through thee, for he is cutt off: The Hebrew is, Belial ſhall no more paſſe through thee. Belial is he that cannot endure to ſerve; he will not yeeld obedience to the holy commands of God, he caſts off the yoak of Chriſt, and pulls the ſhoulder from his burden. This Belial ſhall no more paſſe through thee. The pureſt times of the Goſpel are preſented under a like promiſe (Zach. 14.21.) In that day there ſhall be no more the Cananite in the houſe of the Lord of Hoaſts; That is, the ſtranger and uncircumciſed, the wicked and ungodly, ſhall no more be mixed with his people.
Thirdly, in that he puts ſuch under the notion of ſtrangers, we learne, That wicked and Idolatrous perſons ſhould be as ſtrangers to us; we muſt not lay ſuch in our boſome, to maintaine any ſpiritual ſociety with them, though in ſome caſes, we may have civill ſociety with them. (2 Cor. 6.13, 14.) Be not unequally yoaked together with unbeleevers, for what fellowſhip hath righteouſneſſe with unrighteouſneſſe, and what communion hath light with darkneſſe, and what concord hath Chriſt with Belial: &c. Theſe can never agree together: Let no ſuch ſtranger paſſe, or be approved among us in the fellowſhip of the Goſpel; there is not onelyonly ſin in letting ſuch paſſe with our approbation, but danger; and that a double danger. Both which are aſſigned as reaſons why wee ſhould come out of Babylon (Revel. 18.4.)
Firſt, we are in danger of partaking of their ſins, and that both by contracting the ſpot of their ſins, as alſo the guilt of their ſins.
Secondly, we are in danger of partaking of their puniſhments, as it there follows, That yee receive not her plagues. There is no ſafety in being neer thoſe, who are under the curſe of God: The companion of fooles ſhall be deſtroyed (Prov. 13 20.) though poſſibly he be not a foole in any other reſpect, but becauſe he is in ſuch company.
Fourthly, Taking it for a ſtrange or wicked thing.
Note:
That, It is the honour of Magiſtrates, when no evill paſſeth quietly in their Territories: When neither Idolatry in the things of God, nor injuſtice, nor oppreſſion in the things of men, finde any favour with them, this is at once their duty, and their glory.
Eliphaz having by way of preface, given proofe of what he was about to preſſe upon Job, both from his owne experience and the conſent of Antiquity: He now propoſes the point it ſelfe.
Verſ. 20. The wicked man travels with paine all his dayes, and the number of yeares is hidden to the Oppreſſour.
In this generall Poſition, Eliphaz intends Jobs perſonall conviction, that he was wicked, whom he had heard appealing to God (Chap. 2.10.) Thou knoweſt that I am not wicked.
As if he had ſayd, Thou wouldeſt make us beleeve that God will be thy compurgator, and give witneſſe for thee upon his owne knowledge that thou art not wicked: But we who are but men may know the contrary, for we ſee all the markes and brands of a wicked man upon thee: The wicked man travelleth with paine all his dayes, and ſo doſt thou: Theſe ſoares and ſorrows ſpeake who thou art, though we ſay nothing.
Maſter Broughton reads, The wicked killeth himſelfe all his days; he is a ſelfe murtherer; that was the report which Eliphaz made of him at the fifth Chapter, Verſ. 2. Envy ſlayeth the ſilly one. Both Job and his Freinds repeate the ſame thing often, yet with ſuch variety of illuſtrations, that though for the matter it be the ſame, yet it is new for the manner: Such repetitions doe not onelyonly delight, but profit.
The wicked man travelleth with paine all his dayes:
Who is a wicked man, hath been opened at large, Chap. 10.7. where Job affirmes, Thou knoweſt that I am not wicked; There ſee the temper of a wicked man, I will not ſtay upon it here. OnelyOnly conſider how his appellation and condition ſuit one with the other, The wicked man travells: the Originall word for a wicked man ſignifies an unquiet motion, and ſo one whoſe life is a continuall, not onelyonly motion, but unquietneſſe. Ʋnquiet is the name, and unquietneſſe is the ſtate of a wicked man; he is alwayes raiſing ſtirs, and acting Tragedies, His life is alwayes in a hurry, he travells with paine all his dayes.foreign a foreign Proprie ſignificat cruciatum, languorem, pavorem vel dolorem parturientium, vel enitentis & molientis facinus aliquod. Omnis vita impii in ſolicitudine. 70. in dolore. Aquila. Dolet ut parturiens. Pag.
He travelleth with paine.
This ſentence is but one word in the Hebrew; the word ſignifies any griefe, or ſorrow, any torture or torment: The tranſlations are various, but all meet in this one ſenſe, that a wicked mans life is a miſerable life; All the life of a wicked man is ſpent in carking care: So the Septuagint. Another renders, It is ſpent in ſorrow. But all may be reduced to that which is moſt proper to the word: He is in paine as a woman in travaile; and whereas we have heard of ſome Women in travaile many dayes; here is a man in travell all his dayes.
The wicked man travelleth in paine all his dayes; his whole life is nothing elſe but continuall paine, or painefull throes towards the birth of ſome filthy Monſter-ſin, which ſin when it is finiſhed, brings forth death: Somewhat he hath conceived, the Pſalmiſt tells us what; He hath conceived miſchiefe, and hee would bring forth iniquity.
Cunctis diebus ſuts impius ſuperbit. Vulg.The Vulgar Latine tranſlates, The wicked man is lifted up with pride all his dayes; which is as much as to ſay, He travelleth in paine all his dayes; for though as ſome ſay, Pride feels no cold, yet there is nothing feels ſo much paine as pride doth: And becauſe a wicked man is proud all his dayes, therefore he travelleth with paine all his dayes.
Hence Obſerve:
The life of a wicked man is a very painefull life; or thus, The paine of a wicked mans life is the greateſt paine: It is like the paine of a Woman in travell; when the holy Ghoſt would ſet forth great paine, he expreſſeth it by the paine of a woman in travell. But what kinde of paine is it, with which a wicked man travells? He hath two ſorts of paine.
Firſt, externall:
Secondly, internall.
His externall paine is of two ſorts:
Firſt, Such as God layes upon him, or caſts him into; for though many are the afflictions of the righteous, from the hand of God, yet the righteous have not all the afflictions, wicked men have ſome: They are not onelyonly beaten with ſcourges, but ſmitten with ſcorpions; God raines downe upon them ſnares, fire and brimſtone, and an horrible tempeſt; this is the portion of many of their cups, even in this life.
Secondly, Such as a wicked man brings upon himſelfe; Maſter Broughtons reading aymes at theſe paines. The wicked kills himſelfe all his dayes. A wicked man is often very active, ſometimes extreamly malitious againſt others, ſo malitious that he murders them; and yet it may truely be ſayd he onelyonly kils himſelfe all his dayes. The ſelfe-love of a wicked man deſtroyes him, and his very earneſtneſſe to avoyd trouble, tumbles him into it: And this is cleare, if we conſider eyther the way which a wicked man takes, or the end which uſually he comes unto; his way is a very ſad way: A godly man is deſcribed (Pſal. 118.2.) Eating the labour of his hands; that is, the very work which he doth, feeds him; and before he hath any reward for his worke, he finds a reward in his work, in which ſenſe, he may well be ſayd, to Eate the labour of his hand: On the other ſide, the labour of a wicked man eates him, the labour of his hand, and the labour of his head, eate him out. The way of ſin is a weariſome way (Jer. 9.5.) They weary themſelves to commit iniquity (Ezek. 24.12.) Shee hath wearied her ſelfe with lyes: A Lye is not taken ſtrictly there for an untruth told to deceive others: A Lye is any ſin, for every ſin is a Lye. Sin tells us a faire tale, but it will deceive us at laſt.
Againe, (Iſa 47.13.) Thou haſt wearyed thy ſelfe, in the multitude of thy counſells. (Iſa. 57.10.) Thou art wearyed in the greatneſſe of thy way. Thoſe counſels were ſinfull counſels, and theſe waies were ſinfull waies, both were a wearineſſe, and tyred their undertakers. The Lord challenges the Jews (Mic. 6.3.) To ſhew wherein he had wearyed them; O my people what have I done unto thee, and wherein have I wearyed thee, teſtifie againſt me. God is very tender in laying burdens upon us, but we are very cruell in overburdening our ſelves.
And whereas the paine of a wicked man is compared to the paine of a Woman in travaile; it is not onelyonly like it, but exceeds it: For though when her paine comes upon her, ſhee hath ſorrow becauſe her houre is come, yet when ſhee is delivered, ſhee remembreth her anguiſh no more, for joy that a Man is borne into the World (John 16.21.) The Womans paines end in joy, but the paine of a wicked man is ſo farr from ending in joy, that it hath no end at all, and therefore he is ſayd to travell in paine all his dayes. A wicked man hath the paine, but not the deliverance of a travailing Woman; a Son ſhall not be borne to him. And though he ſometimes ſeemes to proſper, and attaine his end, yet there is ſomewhat or other, that ſticks ſtill in the birth, and paineth him in the middeſt of all his proſperity. The Author of that uſefull Hiſtory, The Travels of the old Patriarks, Kings, and Prophets, when he comes to write the motions of Antiochus Epiphanes, who was a great King, but of a moſt malitious ſpirit, againſt the people of God, hee obſerves that this Antiochus in purſuance of his bloody deſignes, had run more hazzards, and taken more tedious journeys to ſatisfie his malice, and reach his ambitious ends, then any of the Saints had done, upon any command or ſervice of God; upon which conſideration, he makes this excellent concluſion, That wicked men take more paines to goe to Hell and eternall deſtruction, then godly men doe in the way to eternall life, and ſalvation. A wicked man cannot goe to Hell with eaſe; he goes with paine to eternall paines. Thoſe wayes of ſin which have moſt pleaſure in them, have much vexation in them. (Prov. 23.29.) Who hath woe, who hath ſorrow, who hath wounds without cauſe? The anſwer is at hand in the next words, They that tarry long at the Wine, they that goe to ſeek the mixt Wine: The Wine is ſweet, but it bites like a Serpent, and ſtings like an Adder, Verſ. 32. The voluptuous man drinkes larger draughts of ſorrow then he doth of Wine; and while the Adulterer goes to the Harlots houſe, he goes as a foole to the ſtocks, or as an Ox to the ſlaughter (Pro. 7.) As pleaſure is the Epicures God, ſo gaine is the covetous mans God, yet to get it, he pierceth himſelfe through with many ſorrowes, and falls into a ſnare (1 Tim. 6.) Further, as a ſinfull converſation among men, ſo a ſuperſtitious ſervice of the true God, and the ſerving of falſe Gods is full of trouble.
The falſe worſhipper travelleth in paine all his dayes: All falſe worſhip hath a tang of baſeneſſe and ſlavery in it; they that worſhip the Devill, in what a wretched ſervitude doe they live? In Popery, what vexatious penances doe they put upon their blinded Votaries? The Goſpel is noble, and the ſervice of it ingenuous, as well as pure or ſpirituall: Chriſt hath not called us to drudgerie, but to liberty. They are moſt free, who ſerve him moſt.
What paine the Jewes travelled in when they Apoſtatiz'd from God to Idols, Tophet, and the Valley of Hinnon, where they offered their Children in the fire to Moloch, are abundant witneſſes. Did God put them to ſuch paine in his ſervice? God called them to offer their Beaſts in Sacrifice to him: But they offer their Children in Sacrifice to that abominable Idol. Wicked men live under a hard task-maſter.
Now beſides all theſe outward paines which either are concomitants, or conſequents of wickedneſſe: There is an inward paine farre worſe then theſe. Inward paine ariſeth ſometimes upon the diſappointment of his hopes. A wicked man is exceedingly pained with labour in the attaining of his end, but he is much more pained with griefe, when he cannot attaine his end; he hangs betweene hope and feare, while he is at worke (for he that cannot walke by faith to his end, ſhall meet with feares enough before he comes at it) but when his ſenſe tells him that he cannot come at it, he fals into the gulfe of deſpaire. Beſides this paine of feare that he ſhall not, and that of deſpaire, when he cannot compaſſe his deſignes or ends: He is often afflicted with a feircer paine then either of theſe, even with the gripes and gnawings of his owne evill conſcience for the evill he hath done. This paine followes ſome wicked men all the dayes of this life; and it ſhall be the portion of all wicked men after death. Eliphaz aymes at this in the next Verſe, while he ſaith, A dreadfull ſound is in his eares; there I ſhall further inſiſt upon it. We have yet another very conſiderable part of the wicked mans miſery held forth in the cloſe of this Verſe.
And the number of yeares is hidden to the oppreſſour.
The word which we render, Oppreſſor, foreign Violentus, crudelis, robuſtus tyrannus, qui ſuis nititur opibus, & aliis terribilis eſt.ſignifies a man exceeding powerfull and terrible, or by his power terrifying others; He that oppreſſeth muſt have power, and ſome deſire power for no other end, but to enable them to oppreſſe. Solomon ſpeaks of a poore man that oppreſſeth (Prov. 28.3.) but he oppreſſeth onelyonly thoſe who are leſſe powerfull then himſelfe. A poore man that oppreſſeth the poore, is, &c. One poore man may be as much above another poore man in power, as ſome rich men are above the poore. Equalls in power cannot oppreſſe.
But who is this Oppreſſor to whom the number of yeares are hid? The Oppreſſor in this part of the Verſe, is the wicked man in the former part; Eliphaz ſpeakes ſtill of the ſame perſon, though under another name, whom he there called wicked, he calls here an Oppreſſor.
Hence Note:
That to oppreſſe is a very great wickedneſſe; For an oppreſſor and a wicked man are the ſame man.
Againe, in that the word which ſignifies an oppreſſor, ſignifies alſo a mighty man, or a man of great ſtrength; we may further Note:
That men who have much power are apt to abuſe it for the oppreſſion of others; it is in the power of my hand ſayd Laban to Jacob, to doe thee hurt; And Laban had hurt Jacob, if God had not ſtopt him; They that have much power in their hands, need much holineſſe in their hearts, Pauci anni reconditi ſunt violento. Jun.that they may uſe it well; much power is a temptation to doe much hurt.
Nume…us annorum i. e. facile numerabi…es.The number of yeares is hidden to the Oppreſſors.
The number of yeares, ſay ſome, is an Hebraiſme, for few yeares, or yeares that are eaſily numberable; a Childe may tell the yeares of an Oppreſſor, they are ſo few: Hence the words are alſo rendered thus, Few yeares are layd up for the Oppreſſor. Maſter Broughton tranſlates plainely to the ſenſe, Soone numbred yeares are ſtored to the Tyrant.
Hence Obſerve:
Firſt, That wicked Oppreſſors are often ſpeedily cut off by the hand of God (Pſal. 55.23.) Blood-thirſty and deceitfull men, ſhall not live out halfe their dayes; If God ſhould lengthen out the lives of men ſet upon miſchiefe, who could live? 'Tis a comfort for us, as well as a curſe on them, that Soone numbred yeares are ſtored to the Tyrant, his treaſure is not great in dayes, who dayly treaſures up wrath againſt himſelfe.
Another reſuming theſe words, Hee travelleth with paine; out of the former part of the Verſe, reads it thus, And in the whole number of yeares which are layd up for him, he travelleth in paine: That is, his whole life is miſerable: As if that which is a truth of all wicked men, were more ſpecially applicable to oppreſſors; That they travell in paine.
Hence we may note.
Qui vult a multis metui. multos tirre a oportet.They who love to trouble others, ſhall be ſure to meet with trouble themſelves. He that deſires to be feared, ſhall be often affrayd. Oppreſſors and Tyrants in all ages have experimented this truth; which flowes both from the nature of their unjuſt actions towards men, as alſo from the juſt retaliation of God.
Our reading leads us to a further conſideration; The number of yeares is bidden to the Oppreſſor: That is (as ſome expound) they are determined, or defined in the ſecret counſell of God. It is under a hidden decree how long his oppreſſing power ſhall continue, and when he ſhall receive the reward of his oppreſſions: Or rather thus, The number of yeares of his owne life is hidden to the oppreſſor; that is, he knows not how long he ſhall liue.
But is that any ſpeciall judgement upon the Oppreſſour, that the number of his yeares, or how long he ſhall live is hidden to him? Is not the number of a good mans yeares hidden to him? Are not the number of every mans yeares hidden to him? Doth any man know how long he ſhall live? David indeed prayes, Teach me to number my dayes (Pſal. 90.) and Make me to know mine end, and the meaſure of my dayes, what it is, Pſal. 39.4. Yet he doth not deſire to know preciſely the number of his dayes, or time of his end, he onelyonly deſires to know their generall number, or utmoſt extent ſpiritually; namely, that at the moſt they were not many, that ſo he might make a wiſe improvement of his life, and a holy, preparation for his death.
Seeing then the number of every mans yeares is hidden to him, how is this reckoned as the peculiar puniſhment of a wicked man, that the number of his yeares are hidden to him? I anſwer, It is true, the number of yeares is hidden from all men, both from good and bad, the Lord hath made that a ſecret. Two numbers are ſecret.
Firſt, The number of the yeares of the World, when that ſhall end; Of that day and houre knowes no man, no not the Sonne of man, but the Father onelyonly.
Secondly, The number of the yeares of a mans owne life, or the day of his death is a ſecret which no man knowes, though many have been buſie to pry and inquire into it. But though godly men know not the number of the yeares of their owne lives, yet this is no affliction to them, under which notion it is here ſayd of the Oppreſſor; The number of yeares is hidden to him.
A wicked man is thoughtfull about this, how he may live long, not how he may live or doe well; he would fulfill many dayes and yeares in the World, that ſo he might have his fill of worldly profits and pleaſures. He is therefore troubled to thinke his life hangs upon uncertaine tearmes, becauſe he is uncertaine of any good beyond this life. A godly man knowes not the number of his yeares, but he knowes by whom they are numbred; that ſatisfies him, be they longer or ſhorter, more or leſſe. But a wicked man would have the account in his owne hand, he would be Lord of all, even of time too, but he cannot, The number of yeares are hidden to the Oppreſſor.
Obſerve hence.
That the number of the yeares of mans life is a ſecret which none knowes but God himſelfe: And as it is ſo, ſo it is beſt for man, that it ſhould be ſo, The certaine knowledge when our lives ſhould end, would hinder us in many duties and ſervices of our lives. Men would be at a ſtand in their worldly callings, if they were acquainted with the preciſe date of their ſtanding in the World. Our not knowing this, is not ignorance, but neſcience; and were it not for this neſcience, we ſhould be taken off from the ſtudy of much profitable knowledge. Beſides, our not knowing the number of our dayes, ſtirrs up in us a care of improving every day, and to pray with David, Lord teach us to number our dayes. Our not knowing which day ſhall be our laſt, ſhould provoke us to ſpend every day ſo, that we may have comfort if it prove our laſt. It is beſt for us not to know that, the not knowing whereof is a motive to be alwayes doing good.
Secondly, Obſerve.
That it is a great vexation to the oppreſſor, or wicked man to thinke of the uncertainty of his owne life: The Vulgar makes this Obſervation from the Text, his tranſlation of the Text, The yeeres of his Tyrannicall power are uncertaine. Numerus annorum incertus eſt tyrannidis ejus. Vulg. Ex iſta incertitudine, ſequitur ſuſpicio & timor. Aquin. in loc. Cum ait numerum annorum abſconditum eſſe, intelligit annos quibus victurus, aut regnaturus ſit improbus tyrannus. Druſ.If ſuch could but live long enough, what worke would they make? Yea what a world would they make? The Jeſuits ſay, Take time and you may doe any thing. So alſo ſaith the oppreſſor, If I had but time enough, I could doe any thing; though I am diſappointed now, yet I ſhall have a day to act what I project, and to pour out my revenges, But this cuts the oppreſſors heart, he doubts his life may end before he can accompliſh his ends. A wicked heart is not more pleaſed in doing evill, then troubled when he is but under a ſuſpition that he ſhall want either opportunity, or time to doe it. This is added to the painefull travell of a wicked man, that he knowes not how long he ſhall travell in this paine; for though all his be painefull dayes, yet he had rather continue in paine, then not continue his dayes. But the number of yeares is hidden, or a hidden thing to him.