Exposition of Job 15-17, Commentary on Job · Chapter 15
JOB, Chap. 15. Verſ. 27, 28, 29, 30.
Becauſe he covereth his face with his fatneſſe, and maketh collops of fat on his flankes.
And he dwelleth in deſolate Cities, and in Houſes which no man inhabiteth, whi…h are ready to become heaps.
He ſhall not be rich, neither ſhall his ſubſtance continue, neither ſhall he prolong the perfection thereof vponupon the earth.
He ſhall not depart out of darkneſſe, the flame ſhall dry up his branches, and by the breath of his mouth ſhall he goe away.
AS the two former Verſes ſhewed ſin the cauſe of thoſe evills which befall a wicked man, ſo here Eliphaz ſhewes us two cauſes of their ſin.
Firſt, Their riches.
Secondly, Their power.
The firſt is here deſcribed tropically by Fatneſſe.
Verſ. 27. He covereth his face with fatneſſe, and maketh collops of fleſh on his flanks.
Both parts of the Verſe meane the ſame thing, ſhewing the wicked mans worldly proſperity by the uſuall viſible effects of it; a fat face, and fleſhy flanks.
He covereth his face with fatneſſe.
… prae a… pe oculus eorum. i. e. exiſſe videntur prae genarum tumore & pinguedine. Bold.That is, he is exceeding fat; a phraſe like that (Pſal. 73.7.) Their eyes ſtand out with fatneſſe: The Hebrew is, Their eyes are gone out of their heads through fatneſſe: that is, They ſeem as gone or going out of their heads. 'Tis uſuall in the language of the Holy Ghoſt to deſcribe wicked men by fatneſſe, (Pſal. 78.31.) He ſlew the fatteſt of them; that is, the worſt of them, thoſe who were moſt rebellious, longing after dainties,Singula…i quodam infamiae titulo impii & iniqui in ſcriptura vocantur pingues. when God had given them bread from Heaven. David ſets forth his Enemies (and ſo the Enemies of Chriſt, of whom that Pſalme is a Propheſie) under this notion (Pſal. 22.12.) Strong bulls, or fat bulls, came about me: By the fat Bulls he meanes the Scribes and Phariſees, the high Prieſt, and Rulers, who (as it were) beſet Chriſt with continuall conſpiracies. More plainely (Pſal. 17.9, 10.) Keepe me from mine Enemies that oppreſſe me: They are incloſed in their owne fat, with their mouth they ſpeake proudly. Againe (Pſal. 119.70.) Their heart is as fat as greaſe, but I delight in thy Law.
The Scripture ſpeakes thus, not as if fatneſſe had any morall evill in it, or as if leaneneſſe had any morall good in it. Fatneſſe doth not diſcommend us, nor doth leanneſſe commend us to God; yea a man leane in body, may have the worſt fatneſſe, he may be proud, ſwolne and puft up in ſpirit; and … man fat in body, may have the beſt leanneſſe, much ſelfe-emptineſſe, and poverty of ſpirit. But becauſe they who have abundance, and grow fat with the Creature, are tempted to forgetfulneſſe of, and rebellion againſt God; and becauſe a body overburdened with fleſh and fat, renders the minde more indiſpoſed to holy and ſpirituall activity; and uſually they who beſtow moſt care and coſt in pampering their bodies, goe with pined, ſtarved, and leane ſoules; therefore fatneſſe heares ill in Scripture.Hoc Aegyptii inuere videbantur, dum ſ… cerdotes Iſiaci ſolerent dare Api Bovi quem colebant potum ex quodam puteo non autem ex Nilo, quia ejus aqua pota creditur pinguedinem carniſque magnum facere incrementum. Plutarch. Tract. de Iſide, &c. Iberi etiam & Galli antiqui zonae menſuram habebant, quam ſi mulier, quae gravida non eſſet capere non poſſet probro magno afficiebatur. Alex. ab Alex. l. 2. c. 25.
It is obſerved by Plutarch, that the Aegyptian Prieſts gave their Apis (a Deity which they worſhipped in the forme of an Oxe) the water of a Pit, or Well, not the water of Nilus to drinke; the reaſon was (not as ſome aſſigne it, becauſe they thought thoſe waters were prophaned by the Crocodile, for the Aegyptians had that River in high veneration, but) becauſe the waters of Nilus, were fatning, nouriſhing, waters; therefore their Apis, whom they adored as a God, and from whom they expected continuall helpe, muſt not drinke of it, leaſt the groſneſſe of his fleſh ſhould diſable him for their aſſiſtance. Fat corpulent men are, in common experience, unweildy, ſleepy, and (comparatively) unfit for action. It was a cuſtome, as my Author reports, among the ancient Spaniards and Gaules, to keep a conſtant meaſure, which if a Woman (ſhee not being with Childe) did exceed in the compaſſe of her waſte, ſhe fell under diſgrace, and loſt much of her reputation, by having got ſo much of fat and fleſh about her: And doubtleſſe it had ſomewhat of diſrepute in it, in Jobs time, elſe Eliphaz (a man of experience) had not given this as a peice of a wicked mans deſcription. He covereth his face with fatneſſe.
And maketh collops of fleſh upon his flanks.
Which Maſter Broughton renders thus, And maketh plaites upon the panch. Maſter Calvin Tranſlates it thus, He hath larded his guts.Eſt deſcriptio ſummae abunddamiae. Jun.
This latter clauſe of the Verſe is of the ſame intendment with the former: And that which both reprove as ſinfull, is the intentneſſe of mans Spirit about the pampering of his Fleſh.
He covereth his face with fatneſſe, he makes collops, &c.
He doth not ſay, Becauſe he is fat, but becauſe he covers his face with fatneſſe, &c. That is, he ſets his heart upon his belly, and makes it his buſineſſe to pamper his body. He is active, yea full of activity in getting this cover, or mask of fatneſſe upon his face; and this mask diſcovers the naughtineſſe of his heart.
Hence Obſerve.
That it is a ſigne of an evill heart, or a leane ſoule, to intend the fleſh, or to ſtudy the ſatisfying of the bodily appetite. A carnall man gives himſelfe to deliciouſneſſe; his greateſt labour is about that, for which Chriſt forbids our labour, The meat that periſheth (John 6.27.) This covering of our ſelves with fatneſſe, and makings collops of fat, the Apoſtle reproves in thoſe, Whoſe God was their belly (Phil. 3.19.) and in thoſe who ſerved not the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, but their owne belly (Rom. 16.18.) They who ſerve their belly, as they ſhould ſerve God, make a god of it; and they who ſerve their belly at all doe not ſerve Chriſt at all. We may provide for the belly, but we muſt not ſerve it; and they who doe ſo, deſerve rather to be called Epicures then Chriſtians. That's ſinfull fatneſſe which is got upon termes of ſlavery, or ſervice to the belly: yea, a man that is intentive upon that queſtion, What ſhall I eate? and carefull how to feed his fleſh, though he doe not grow fat by it, yet he ſhewes himſelfe full of ſin by it. The deſigne of ſuch is for the fleſh, though their fleſh doe not thrive under that deſigne. As a man may be very covetous though he continue poor and leane in purſe; ſo a man may be very luxurious, and a great ſervant to Bacchus, and Belly-cheare, though he continue leane and poore in body.
The bleſſing of God fattens ſome, and ſuch fat ones bleſſe God. David Propheſies, that when The Kingdome ſhall be the Lords, and he the Governour among the Nations (which is very paralell with what thoſe great voyces ſayd after the ſeventh Angel had ſounded (Revel. 11.15.) The Kingdomes of this World are become the Kingdomes of the Lord, and of his Chriſt, and hee ſhall reigne for ever and ever; and when this ſhall be, ſaith David (Pſal. 22.30.) Then all they that be fat upon the Earth, ſhall eate, and worſhip; that is, the great ones ſhall ſubmit to Chriſt; his Kingdome ſhall be inlarged, and not onelyonly the poore, who are deſcribed in the latter part of that Verſe in the Pſalme, under the name and notion of ſuch, as goe downe to the duſt, but the rich ſhall receive the Goſpell. Kings and Queens, perſons of Authority and wealth, ſhall come to the participation of the grace of Chriſt (Iſa. 60.3.10) They who have their bellyes full of the meat that periſheth, ſhall have their ſoules full of that meat which endures to everlaſting life. (Pſal. 45.12.) The rich among the people; What people? The firſt words of the Verſe tell us, he meanes the Tyrians who were a wonderfull rich people (Iſa. 23.8. Ezek. 27.) and the Tyrians are here put by a Synechdoche for all other Heathens; for though Tyre, were a City in the Tribe of Aſer (Joſh. 19.29.) yet it was at that time poſſeſſed by Heathens. Now, ſaith the Pſalmiſt, The rich among theſe people ſhall intreat thy favour: That is, the Churches favour. God will work their hearts to an earneſt deſire of admiſſion into the ſociety of the Saints, and to live under a profeſſed ſubjection to the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt, who have abounded in worldly poſſeſſions, and hold the World in ſubjection to their power: Theſe rich and fat ones among the people ſhall intreat thy favour. This Propheſie was in part fulfilled (Mark 3.8.) where we read of great multitudes from Tyre and Sidon flocking after Chriſt: So that it is not riches and fatneſſe preciſely conſidered, but the intending of our skin, or our ſtudiouſneſſe to fill our ſelves with earthly delicates, which ſhewes we have weak appetites to, or rather a loathing of the things of Heaven.
Secondly, This covering the face with fat, is here preſented by Eliphaz as a cauſe or occaſion at leaſt of the wicked mans arming himſelfe againſt God.Bonorum abundantia vitiorum omnium materiam ſubminiſtrat.
Hence Obſerve.
That an evill heart turnes the bleſſings of God, into rebellion againſt him: The Jewes were thus charged (Deut. 32.15.) Jeſurun waxed fat, and kicked. The Lord complaines of this, as of a ſin, which he ſcarſe knew how to pardon (Jer. 5.7.) How ſhall I pardon thee for this? Thy Children have forſaken me, &c. When I had fed them to the full, they then committed Adultery, and aſſembled themſelves by troops in the Harlots houſes. Thoſe are great ſins indeed, which put the Lord (whoſe title is, The God pardoning ſin, and ready to forgive) into a querie about their pardon and forgiveneſſe. Such kind of ſinning made Jeruſalem a Siſter to Sodom; that is, as like Sodom, yea and Samaria too, as if they had been one Mothers Daughters, or as if they had been of one and the ſelfe-ſame blood, and ſtock (Ezek. 16.49.) Behold this was the iniquity of thy ſiſter Sodom, pride, fulneſſe of bread, and abundance of idleneſſe was in her, and in her Daughters: Plenty of the Creature, and plenty of ſin, went together, and whereas Jeruſalem ſhould have ſerved God, ſhee ſerved her luſts in the abundance of all things. We have a ſaying, when men are lifted up upon the enjoyment of outward good things (in alluſion to Beaſts) Provender pricks them. They act more like Beaſts then Men, who kick againſt God, who feeds them, and turne his bread of bleſſings into the ſtones of diſobedience. What outward good thing will not an evill heart abuſe, and wax wanton with, when it is ſo apt to abuſe ſpirituall things, and to turn the grace of God into laciviouſneſſe, that is, to grow wanton and lacivious, becauſe God is gracious?
Thirdly Obſerve.
They take little care for their ſoules, who take over-much for their bodies: They who deſire to pleaſe appetite, cannot endeavour to pleaſe God. When the Apoſtle exhorts to put on the Lord Jeſus, he dehorts from providing for the fleſh (Rom. 13.14.) Put yee on the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and make not proviſion for the fleſh to fulfill the luſts thereof: As if he had ſayd, Unleſſe you forbeare providing for luſts, you will have little leaſure, and leſſe deſire to put on Chriſt. (Epheſ. 5.18.) Be not drunke with Wine wherein is exceſſe (that is, be not inordinate in the uſe of the creature) but be filled with the ſpirit; as if he had ſayd, You will never be filled with the ſpirit, if overfilled with Wine, if you give up your ſelves to ſatsifie carnall appetite, you wil not have any appetite at all to ſpirituals. There is an inward gluttony and drunkenneſſe, when the thoughts run upon dainty Diſhes, and full Cups, or when men chew their meat and Wine in their thoughts, before they eate or drinke. Now as well they (or rather they more) who are inwardly drunken with exceſſive deſires of Wine, as they who are viſibly drunken with the exceſſive taking downe of Wine, are farr enough either from the deſire or attainement of a filling with the Spirit. The ſpirit of the Buttery, and the ſpirit of God have no more agreement then the fleſh and the ſpirit, yea that ſpirit is the groſſeſt part of ſinfull fleſh, and therefore can neither take care for, nor beare with, the things of the ſpirit. So farr of the firſt cauſe of the wicked mans exceſſive ſinning; his exceſſe in the uſe of the Creature, ſet forth by the ordinary effect of it, Fatneſſe, He covereth his face with fatneſſe: The ſecond follows.
Verſ. 28. He dwelleth in deſolate Cities, and in houſes wherein no man inhabiteth, which are ready to become heaps.
This Verſe ſhews a ſecond cauſe of the wicked mans fierceneſſe againſt God, His power over men; which is deſcribed (as the former) by the effect of it, He hath made Cities deſolate. It requires much power to overthrow whole Cities; that which is ſtrong cannot be deſtroyed without ſtrength; ſuch was the power of the man whom Eliphaz deſcribes, ſuch his ſtrength: He ſubdued ſtrong Cities, he conquered men, and he thought he could conquer God too. But though to deſtroy and pull downe intimate ſtrength, yet to build and ſet up Cities requires grater ſtrength.
This ſtrength alſo is here aſcribed to the wicked man, who,
Firſt, either comes to Cities already overthrowne, or overthrowes Cities.
And then ſecondly, builds the Cities which are overthrown, that himſelfe may dwell in them. He will not dwell in Cities built to his hand, or in Palaces ready made, but he will make goodly Palaces out of deſolate places; a City waſted by Warr, by Fire, and Sword, ſhall revive out of the rubbiſh, and recover to its ancient ſplendor, if he undertake it.
Maſter Broughton renders clearely to this ſenſe, Though hee makes dwellings of Cities ruinated, of houſes undwelt, which were comming to heaps of ſtone: Heres the compleatneſſe of his worldly power. He makes flouriſhing Cities deſolate, and deſolate Cities flouriſh; he dwells in deſolate Cities, in Houſes where no man inhabiteth; that is, in Cities which he himſelfe once made deſolate (having caſt out their proper Inhabitants) but hath now re-edified and enlarged for his owne uſe and honour.
Hence Obſerve.
Firſt, That a wicked man cares not wohm he ruines, ſo he may raiſe himſelfe: Downe with Kingdomes, downe with Cities, downe with all, ſo he may ſtand, or have his owne ends.
Secondly Obſerve.
(Which is the ſcope of Eliphaz) A man that hath great power among men, begins to thinke himſelfe ſtrong enough for God alſo: He made earthly Cities deſolate, and none was able to reſiſt him, therefore he hopes to make Heaven deſolate, and diſturbe the throne of God; He runs upon his neck, &c.
Againe, Some expound this Verſe not of the cauſe of this mans ſin, but of the puniſhment of his ſin; He dwells in deſolate Cities, Terrores de quibus nuper dictum eſt, non patiuntur impium in familiari hominum conſortio vivere ideo deſolatorum urbium ruinas & latibula quaerit. Pined.in places where no man dwelt: that is, He ſhall dwell alone, he ſhall either refuſe, or be refuſed by all good company. For this miſerable ſolitude may ariſe two wayes.
Firſt, From trouble of minde; he having oppreſſed others, ſhall finde himſelfe at laſt ſo oppreſſed with the witneſſe of his owne conſcience, that to avoyd it, he retires into deſolate places, into waſte Wilderneſſes, into old ruinous buildings, where none dwell but the Owle, and the Screech-owle (Iſa. 34.) He that findes not his owne conſcience good company, never finds any.
Secondly, This wicked man is caſt out from the company of men, he hath been a ſcourge to many, and now all are a ſcourge to him. Tyranny growes intolerable to mankinde (Dan. 4.33.Hujuſmodi tyranni eiiciuntur in exil…um.) Nebuchadnezzar was the greateſt Monarch in the World and a proud Tyrant; at laſt he was turned out to graſſe: his Nobles, Lords, and Subjects forſook him, and he who ruled men, lived among Beaſts; or as the ſame Propheſie of Daniel reports it (Chap. 5.20.) When his heart was lifted up, and his minde hardned in pride, he was depoſed, or (as the Chaldee) made to come downe from his Kingly throne, and they tooke his glory from him, and he was driven from the ſons of men, &c. Which we may anſwer with Jobs text, He was forced to dwell indeſolate places.
The Roman Story tells us of Nero, that perceiving himſelfe a loſt man, by the revolt of ſome Provinces, and the generall complaint of the people againſt his inſolent Government, he wandered up and downe, and crept firſt into a thicket, by and by into a Cave with Sporus his filthy Favorite, and at laſt when he heard of the ſentence of death given againſt him by the Senate, and that their Officers were haſting to attach him, he with a little helpe of one of his Servants, cut his owne Throat.
Thirdly, Others interpret theſe words, as noting the wicked mans worldly decay; he ſhall not have a Houſe to put his head in: His ſtrong Cities and goodly Palaces, ſhall goe to ruine; or he ſhall be forced to dwell in a ruinous Houſe, a Houſe ready to fall about his eares, who before lived in ceiled Houſes; He hath pulled downe other mens houſes, and now he dwels in houſes ready to fall downe; he impoveriſht others, and now himſelfe is turned out among the poor.
Hence Obſerve.
That God often makes the puniſhment of man ſuitable to his ſin: The Lord is known by the judgement which he executeth, the wicked is ſnared in the work of his owne hands (Pſal. 9.16.) The judgements of God are alwayes juſt, and ſometimes their juſtice is viſible. As the wicked feel them, ſo all may ſee them, and ſay, Righteous art thou O Lord. The Prophet deſcribes this retaliation of Divine judgement (Iſa. 5.8, 9.) Woe to them that add Houſe to Houſe, and lay Feild to Feild, till there be no place (that is, no place for others to dwell in) that they may be placed in the midſt of the earth: What is the danger of this? In mine eare ſaith the Lord of Hoaſts, of a truth, many Houſes ſhall be deſolate, many and faire without Inhabitant: Here is deſolation, the reward of deſolation; and as they took bread from others, and puld the cup from their mouthes, ſo their bread ſhall be taken away, and their cup left empty. Thus it followes in the Prophet (Verſ. 10.) Yea ten Akers of Vineyard ſhall yeeld one Bath: A Bath was a meaſure among the Jews, of Liquids, containing, as is conceived, about eight Gallons; So that when he ſaith, Ten Akers of Vineyard ſhall yeild one Bath; the meaning is, there ſhall be a great ſcarcity of Wine: An Aker of Vineyard ſhould not yeild a Gallon of Wine, that's a miſerable Vintage. And the ſeed of an Homer, ſhall yeild an Ephah; An Homer was a meaſure for dry things, containing ten Ephahs: So that when it is ſayd, The ſeed of a Homer ſhall yeeld an Ephah, the meaning is, they ſhall reape but the tenth part of the ſeed ſowne, which is a miſerable Harveſt, and the higheſt threat of enſuing Famine. Thus the Lord puniſhed them as they had ſinned; they ſtarved the poore, and God threatens to ſtarve them. Hunger never pinches ſo terribly as when it is a puniſhment ſent at the cry of the hungry.
Againe (Iſa. 33.1.) When thou ſhalt ceaſe to deal treacherouſly then they ſhall deale treacherouſly with thee: When the deceiver is deceived, and the trecherous dealer ruined by treacherous dealing men, then the truth and faithfulneſſe of God are eminently exalted. And as it is in puniſhments, ſo often in rewards, God doth us good in the ſame way wherein we have done good. The Midwives ſaved the Males of the Iſraelites in Aegypt, and by this act of pitty built the houſe of Iſrael, which the Lord took ſo well at their hands, That he built their houſes, or made their houſes flouriſh (Ez. 1.21.) As the deſtroyer ſhall be deſtroyed, ſo the builder ſhall be built; mercy loves to be exact as well as judgement.
Againe Eliphaz tells us of Cities and Houſes, ready to become heapes.
Hence Note.
The moſt flouriſhing Cities, the ſtrongeſt ſtructures in the World, are ſubject to ruine: Art cannot prevent the decayes of nature, much leſſe the decrees of divine Juſtice. Materiall Jeruſalem was threatned, that one ſtone ſhould not be left upon another, which ſhould not be caſt downe; the event anſwered that prediction. Myſticall Babylon is under a more dreadfull doom, and the event will in due time anſwer that prediction, Babylon is ready to become heaps, and one ſtone ſhall not be left upon another: There is no cement can hold that together, to which God ſaith, Fall.
Eliphaz having ſhewed the cauſes of the wicked mans impudent oppoſition againſt God, and (according to the two latter Expoſitions of this Verſe) ſome part of his puniſhment, proceeds further to ſhew his puniſhment.
Verſ. 29. He ſhall not be rich, neither ſhall he prolong the perfection thereof upon the earth.
Verſ. 30. He ſhall not depart out of darkneſſe, the flame ſhall dry up his branch, and by the breath of his mouth ſhall hee goe away.
Here is compleat miſery in externalls. The judgement is layd downe two wayes.
Firſt, Negatively.
And ſecondly, Affirmatively.
Negatively, what the wicked man ſhall not be, what he ſhall not attaine to; and then affirmatively, what the wicked man ſhall be, or what ſhall come upon him; the Negative part hath a gradation of four ſteps.
The firſt is this, He ſhall not be rich.
The ſecond is, His ſubſtance ſhall not continue.
The third is, He ſhall not prolong the perfection thereof upon the earth.
The fourth is this, He ſhall not depart out of darkneſſe.
Thoſe are the Negative parts of his puniſhments, the Affirmative are two.
Firſt, The flame ſhall dry up his branch.
Secondly, By the breath of his mouth he ſhall goe away.
1. He ſhall not he rich.
The words ſeeme to carry an oppoſition all along to the wicked mans purpoſes and projects. The wicked man ſaith in his heart, if not with his mouth, He will be rich; to which God anſwers, He ſhall not be rich. The Apoſtle (1 Tim. 6.9.) ſpeakes of ſuch a ſort of Rich Will-bees, They that will be rich fall into temptation, &c. When a man comes to this hight of reſolvedneſſe, He will be rich what ever comes of it, or who-ever ſtands in his way, he will be rich and aske no mans leave, no nor Gods leave, then God riſes to his high reſolves, Hee ſhall not be rich: Let it come to tryall whoſe word ſhall ſtand, his, or mine: And when once this word is gone out of Gods mouth, then he, and all his trees which ſhould beare him that golden fruit, are blaſted and mildew'd. Then, though he lay the ſtrongeſt projects for riches, yet he ſhall not be rich, though he ſweat and toyle to be rich, though he digg deep into the ground, and turne every ſtone above ground, to finde riches, yet he ſhall not be rich; though he cares not whom he makes poore, yea though himſelfe live poorly all his dayes, that he may dye rich, yet he ſhall not be rich.
Hence Obſerve.
It is not in the power of man to get riches: A man may make it his deſigne to be rich, but he cannot make himſelfe rich. Moſes (Deut. 8.18.) gives it in charge to the people of Iſrael, Thou ſhalt remember the Lord thy God; for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, &c. Man is very apt to forget the author, not onelyonly of his ſpirituall, but of his temporall good things, and is readier to aſcribe his riches to his owne getting, then to Gods giving. Temporall good things lye more levell to the power of nature and humane induſtry, then ſpiritualls, yet we can no more attaine temporalls then ſpiritualls without the power of God. Chriſt teacheth us, that our care can no more add a penny to our eſtate, then a cubit to our ſtature (Matth. 6.27.) How often have we ſeen experience ſealing to this truth? Many have endeavoured after, and reacht at riches, in good and hopefull, in faire and probable wayes, yet they have not reacht to riches. Others have ſtriven for riches in baſe and unwarrantable, in unjuſt and ſinfull wayes, yet they could never get a ſtep beyond beggery.
The Lord gives them a ſtop, and ſaith, Yee ſhall not be rich; evill men doe not alwayes thrive,Ex quocunque piſcatu non evadet ditior. Peter fiſhed all night, but got nothing, till Chriſt bid him put downe the Net. Some have caſt their Net in all ſorts of waters, yet could never catch the great fiſh of worldly wealth. It is the bleſſing of God that makes good men rich; and it is a permiſſion from God that makes evill men rich. Godlineſſe is profitable for all things, having the promiſe of this life, and of that which is to come, yet every godly man meets not with the profit of this life; ungodlineſſe is profitable for nothing, having neither the promiſe of this life nor of that which is to come, yet ſome ungodly men meet with the profit of this life. Though ſinners are never on the thriving hand, yet they often thrive in their way; and though Saints are ever on the thriving ſide, yet they doe not alwayes thrive in their way: Neither the one ſort nor the other thrives, if the Lord ſaith, They ſhall not be rich: When he ſaith ſo to the Saints, it is to humble them; but when he ſaith ſo to a wicked man, it is to puniſh him; He ſhall not be rich, that's the firſt ſtep of his miſery.
But ſuppoſe he get riches, yet he cannot keep them; The wages which he earnes is put into a bagg with holes, or pierced through, all's gone (Hag. 1.6.) Carnall men are like leaking Veſſells to the Word of God, they (as the Apoſtle cautions Beleevers leſt at any time they ſhould (Heb. 2.1.) alwayes let it run out. Now as they let out what they have heard of the Word of God, ſo God lets out what they have got of the World: He makes all the Veſſells which hold their earthly ſubſtance leaky: So it follows.
2. Neither ſhall his ſubſtance continue.
This is his ſecond woe:foreign robur, pro opibus ſaepe ſumitur. Latine copias poſſis vertere. Merc. The word which we render Subſtance, ſignifies alſo Power, and ſtrength; becauſe riches impower and ſtrengthen men to doe great things; but how ſtrong and ſubſtantiall ſoever they are in the opinion of men, their time is but ſhort, They ſhall not continue; and this ariſeth two wayes.
Firſt, From the nature of the things of the World, which are all frayle and momentany,Summis negatum eſt ſtare diu. and though we call them Subſtance, yet indeed they are but a Shadow, there is no continuance in them.
Secondly, This ariſeth from the judgement and curſe of God, both upon ſuch rich men, and upon their riches; if the Lord doth not ſtop them from getting riches, yet he can ſpeak a word, and blaſt all that they have gotten.
Hence Note.
That the moſt ſubſtantiall of earthly things are of ſmall or no continuance: More particularly,
That ill gotten goods are not laſting, or long-lived: Sometimes they melt away, and dye in the ſame hands that got them; they alwayes dye and melt away in ſome of their hands, for whom they were gotten. There is no tack in their eſtate, in whom there is no Juſtice. That which is gathered by the unrighteouſneſſe of man, ſhall be ſcattered by the wrath of God. As the little which a righteous man hath is better, ſo it is ſurer then the great riches of many wicked. Sin makes no proviſion at all for the ſoule, and it makes very ill-proviſion for the body. The title by which we hold worldly things, is more conſiderable then worldly things themſelves. To hold in Capite from Chriſt is as the pureſt ſo the ſtrongeſt Tenure: OnelyOnly he who continues the ſame for ever, and changes not, can give continuance to that which is changeable.
But ſuppoſe the wicked mans ſubſtance doth continue long for bulke and matter, yet the beauty and comfort of it ſhall not continue for a moment, which is the third ſtep of this Gradation.
3. Neither ſhall he prolong the perfection thereof upon the earth.
Riches are one thing, the perfection of riches is another; as in ſpirituall things there is the ſubſtance of them, and the perfection of them; ſo in temporalls: The word ſignifies, the conſummation of any thing,foreign perfectio eorum a foreign perfecit, alii Minlam vincam, dictionem perinde ac ſi duae eſſent exponunt, qu…ſi foreign ex eo quod eſt illorum, i. e. res illorum non extendentur per terram. Merc. or the bringing it to its perfective end (Iſa. 33.1.) When thou ſhalt make an end to deale treacherouſly, they ſhall deale treacherouſly with thee: The Prophet doth nor meane it of making an end by way of ceſſation, as if hand, heart, or tongue, did ceaſe dealing treacherouſly (for ſo wicked men will never make an end of wickedneſſe, if they might have an eternity to act evill in, they would act it eternally) but he meanes it of making an end by way of conſummation, as if he had ſayd; When they are come to a full ſtature in treachery, and have compleated their conſpiracies againſt goodneſſe, and good men, then they ſhall be dealt with in their kind, and as they beſt deſerve. Now as a wicked man would compleat his ſin, and often reaches the very perfection of it, ſo he would compleat his eſtate, and doth ſometimes reach to the perfection of it. The wicked man would be perfectly rich, he is not ſatisfied to have a compleat eſtate, or enough for meat, drink, and cloathing, he muſt have a great eſtate, enough for pride, pompe, and glory; Manna pleaſes him not, he muſt have Quailes, ſuperfluities as well as neceſſaries: He thinkes a little, too much in ſpiritualls, but a great deale is not enough for him in temporals: His internall imperfections trouble him not, his aime is at perfection in externalls. That is perfect onelyonly in a ſtrict ſenſe, to which nothing can be added, and from which nothing can be taken away; The wicked man would attaine to ſuch perfection, but he cannot; his owne heart forbids the firſt, for how much ſoever he hath, he would have more added to it; he ſaith not it is enough, though it be too much; God forbids the latter, his portion ſhall be abated, or (in the words of the Text) He ſhall not prolong the perfection thereof.
The utmoſt perfection he can attaine unto, is but the ſhadow of perfection, and though ſhadows towards the ſetting of the Sun, grow longer and longer, yet no ſhadow can be prolonged, they quickly paſſe and flye away. Solomon tells us (Prov. 12.3.) A man ſhall not be eſtabliſhed in wickedneſſe, Nec mittet in terra radicem ejus. Vulg.but the root of the righteous ſhall continue: A wicked man may be ſet in the ground, but he hath no root in the ground; Their ſtock ſhall not take root in the earth, and he (that is, God) ſhall blow upon them, and they ſhall wither (Iſa. 40.24.) A tree not rooted, falls by a puffe of winde, or withers while it ſtands. The tree of a wicked man may have a great body, but he hath no good root, he is not rooted in Chriſt, he hath no hold of the Covenant, therefore his perfection cannot continue.
Hence Obſerve.
That as there is no worldly perfection of any long continuance, ſo the perfection of wicked men is of ſhorteſt continuance: Athenaſius ſayd of Julian the Apoſtate, when he was in the height, in the very zenith and perfection of earthly felicity, having aſcended the Impereall Throne, and giving the Law to a great part of the then knowne World, He is but a little cloud, Nubecula eſt, cito tranſibit.he will ſoon vaniſh. And indeed his glory and the perfection of it did not continue, for when he was but thirty yeares old, in that prime of his naturall courſe and conſtitution, he was out off; his power could not protect his Perſon, nor prolong his perfection on the earth.
David profeſſeth; as from his owne experience (Pſal. 119.96.) I have ſeen an end of all perfection: The terme of univerſality, All, doth not compaſſe in every kinde of perfection, but all the perfections of one kinde. The end of Divine perfections cannot be ſeen: when we have ſeen the moſt of them, there is more of them unſeen; but the end of all humane perfections may be ſeen. There is a twofold ſight.
Firſt, Of the eye.
Secondly, Of the underſtanding.
Davids eye had ſeen the end of many humane perfections, and his underſtanding ſaw the end of them all; he had ſeen ſome ending, and he ſaw all muſt end. Never dream of prolonging your perfection here. No worldly thing can continue long, for the World it ſelfe ſhall not continue long: If the Scaffold or Stage upon which theſe perfections are ſhewed or acted, muſt fall, the perfections themſelves cannot ſtand. There have been but few that ever advanced ſo farr as to an earthly perfection, but there was never any one that prolonged his perfection on the Earth. Adam did not continue in that created perfection, which had no imperfection in it, how then ſhall any of his Children continue in an imperfect (ſuch is their beſt) perfection.
As Eliphaz hath ſhewed us the wicked mans miſery in the not prolonging of his perfection; ſo now he ſhewes us a further degree of it, by the prolonging of his affliction.
Verſ. 30. He ſhall not depart out of darkneſſe.
Here is the fourth ſtep of this gradation. The wicked mans miſery in miſery: He cannot ſtay in a good, nor get out of an ill eſtate. Eliphaz ſeems to take off an objection, for ſome might ſay, What if the wicked man doe not grow rich for the preſent? What if his ſubſtance doth not continue? What if he prolong not his perfections, or fall from the top-ſtayre of his high condition? Yet we hope at laſt he may outgrow all this, and get riches which he had not, or regaine thoſe which he had? No ſaith Eliphaz, Either the wicked man ſhall not riſe to riches, or if he riſe he ſhall fall, and when once he is fallen, he ſhall riſe no more; eith… he ſhall not get into the light, or if he doe, he ſhall be ſoon overtaken with darkneſſe, and when once he is in the dark, he ſhall come out no more, Hee ſhall not depart out of darkneſſe.
When the wicked man is in the light, he ſings, Loth to depart, but he muſt, and when he is caſt into darkneſſe, he crys, Haſt to depart, but he cannot: The wicked man, like the evill Angels, is held in chaines of darkneſſe, which he is neither able to break off, nor to file off: He hath ſayd to God, who is light, (yea becauſe he is light) Depart from me, and God ſaith to him, Thou ſhalt not depart out of darkneſſe.
There is a twofold darkneſſe.
Firſt, Inward.
Secondly, Outward.
Both metaphoricall. By darkneſſe, ſome underſtand inward trouble, or griefe of ſpirit, others expound it of outward troubles and calamities upon his eſtate: 'Tis true of both, for he ſhall depart neither out of the one nor the other; but rather take it here for outward trouble; and then, Not to depart out of darkneſſe, imports abiding miſery, irrecoverable ſickneſſe, decayes and loſſes, which ſhall never bee repayred.
Hence Note.
Wicked men falling into trouble, ſhall not know the mercy of a reſurrection out of trouble. The juſt man falleth ſeven times, and riſeth againe (Prov. 24.16.) The juſt man is ſubject to take falls of two ſorts, and both of them Seven times; that is, often.
Firſt, He falls into ſin.
Secondly, He falls into trouble.
He riſeth from both theſe falls: He riſeth from the firſt by repentance; he riſeth from the ſecond by deliverance. Solomons Text is to be underſtood of this ſecond ſort of falls, and may therefore be expounded by the direct words of David, (Pſal. 34.19.) Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth them out of them all: The righteous have as many reſurrections as falls, But (as Solomon makes the Antitheſis in the place fore-cited) the wicked ſhall fall into miſchiefe. Solomon doth not tell us expreſſely, what the juſt mans fals into, but he tells us he ſhall riſe againe: He tells us expreſſely what the wicked man ſhall fall into, but he doth not tell us, that he ſhall riſe againe; nay, he tells us implicitely, that he ſhall never riſe againe. He that riſeth againe, did not fall into miſchiefe, how great ſoever the evill was which he fell into; and he that doth not riſe againe, fell into miſchiefe, how little ſoever the evill was which he fell into. Nothing makes our falling either into ſin, or trouble, a miſchiefe to us, but our continuing in it. He goes farr (we ſay in our Proverbe) who never returnes; ſurely, he fals low, who never riſeth, and he ſtayes long in darkneſſe, who never departs out of it. Darkneſſe is the portion of a wicked man, and he ſhall never depart out of darkneſſe; neither out of that darkneſſe of ſin, nor miſery; he hath no deſire to depart out of the former, and he hath no promiſe to depart out of the latter. Thus we have ſeen the negative puniſhment of a wicked man, what he ſhall not be, what he ſhall not receive; this is enough to make him miſerable, but poſitive evill will make him outright miſerable. This Eliphaz proſecutes in the next words.
The flame ſhall dry up his branches.
The flame is taken two wayes: either,
Firſt, For the wrath of God which goeth forth, cauſing judgement to take hold of ſinners: or,
Secondly, For the judgement it ſelfe, which is an effect of his wrath.
The wrath of God burneth againſt the wicked as a flame, and then judgements burne up the wicked; there is no heat to the heat of Divine wrath, neither is any thing, punitively hot, till Divine wrath heats it.
Sunt qui eius liber…s intelligunt ſed no… allegori…è intelligimus omnem ejus ſplendorem opes, &c. Me…c.The flame ſhall dry up his branches; Some, by his branches underſtand his Children, they ſhall dye, Children are branches, they ſtand, ſaith the Pſalmiſt, like Olive plants, or branches round about the Table of a man fearing God: Such branches Job had, but they were dryed up, and probably Eliphaz might give him a rub upon that ſoare, in this expreſſion.
Secondly, Others by branches underſtand His followers and flatterers, who live upon him as branches upon a Tree; but to paſſe theſe reſtrained Interpretations:Flamma exurens, in Heb. eſt vehementiſſimi ſupplicii atque adeo aeterni ſymbolum. Duci videtur tranſlatio a more hoſtium vaſtantium regionem aliquam qui ſege… & arberes ſuccendunt. I conceive we may take the Branch in generall, for all that belongs to a wicked man, his Children, his Freinds, his followers, his flatterers, his Honour, his Riches, his Power; all theſe look green, and are his beautifull branches; and all theſe the flame dryeth up. The Prophet complaines (Joel 1.19.) O Lord to thee will I cry, for the fire hath devoured the paſtures of the Wilderneſſe, and the flame hath burnt all the Trees of the Field: The flame, of which he cryes out, and which did not onelyonly dry the branches, but devour the Trees of the Feild, was the extreame heat of the Sun; which as it uſually ſends out refreſhing beams, ſo when God is angry, it can ſend out ſcorching flames, and thoſe beames, which tempered with ſhowers of raine, nouriſh the Earth, in the long withholding of raine ſcorch the Earth. And what then befell the Trees properly taken, and their branches, doth often befall both Trees and branches taken in the metaphoricall ſenſe, as herein the Text, a flame dryes them up. A godly man is compared to a Tree flouriſhing and growing by the water ſide; wicked men are compared ſomtimes to flouriſhing Trees, but they grow by the fire ſide: The flame dryes up their branches.
Hence Note.
Firſt, The wrath of God is a drying, yea a devouring flame, the flame of Gods diſpleaſure, puts all into a flame. That flame will burn up branches, how goodly, how ſtrong, how high ſoever they are growne; though as ſtrong as the Oakes of Baſhan, though as high as the Cedars in Lebanon, yet this flame will dry them up. The Prophet Zechariah ſpeaks this point, while he thus beſpeaks Lebanon (Zech. 11.1.) Open thy doores O Lebanon, that the fire may devoure thy Cedars: 'Tis interpreted as a Propheſie of the deſtruction of Jeruſalem, and Judea, by the Roman power; as Chriſt after threatned them for rejecting him and his Counſell: The words of the Prophet may be underſtood two wayes, either litterally, for the deſtruction of that Forreſt of Lebanon, which the Romans cut down for the ſervice of their Seige againſt Jeruſalem; or figuratively, for the flouriſhing eſtate of Jeruſalem, whoſe branches, though like the branches of the Cedars in Lebanon were dryed up by the flame of that dreadfull War. In which ſtile and figure the Prophet Iſaiah denounceth the judgements of God (Ch. 2.12, 13.) The day of the Lord ſhall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, &c. And upon all the Cedars of Lebanon. And the Prophet Ezekiel puts forth this Riddle and Parable (Chap. 17.3.) Thus ſaith the Lord, A great Eagle (that is, Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon) with great wings, long winged, full of feathers, which had diverſe colours, came unto Lebanon (that is, unto Judea and Jeruſalem) and tooke che higheſt branch of the Cedar; Namely, Jehojakim the King of Judah, and carryed him Captive to Babylon.
The Lord can make any affliction a conſumption to the moſt beautifull branches of a ſinfull people, or perſon: Whatſoever he uſeth as an inſtrument of his indignation, is his flame: In this ſenſe, the very waters which drowned the old World, were the fire and flame of God: He can by poverty, as by a flame, conſume and dry up riches; by diſgrace, as by a flame, conſume and dry up honour; by ſickneſſe, as by a flame, conſume and dry up health; God hath ſpeciall flames for every ſpeciall branch, nothing can continue to doe us good, when God gives Warrant or Commiſſion to any of his flames to ſcorch and conſume it, The flame ſhall burne up his branch.
And by the breath of his mouth ſhall he goe away.
We have the flame of God in the former clauſe, and the breath of his mouth in this: Some Interpreters conceive that Eliphaz mentions theſe two, The flame, and the breath, purpoſeſy to put Job in minde, what God had done to him; for we read in the firſt Chapter of this Book, of the flame of God, a fire from Heaven conſuming that branch, his flocks of Sheep, and a breath from God, namely, a mighty ſtrong winde, deſtroying a more precious branch, his flock of Children: Eliphaz cloathes this diſcourſe in ſuch termes as might eaſily reminde and repreſent to Job, what God had done to him, in the day of his calamity.
And by the breath of his mouth ſhall he goe away.
There is yet a difference among Expoſitors about the Antecedent to his: His mouth, whoſe mouth? Moſt underſtand it, of the breath of Gods mouth, as hath been hinted already: Some expound it of the breath of the wicked mans owne mouth; I ſhall touch upon both.
Firſt, By the breath of Gods mouth he ſhall goe away; the breath of God may be taken two wayes.
Either firſt (as the flame before) for his anger, which is often expreſſed by puffing the breath.
Secondly, It may be taken for the decree, or determination of God.
Both theſe wayes a wicked man goes away by the breath of God; firſt, by the anger of God, if God doe but breath angerly upon him, he is blaſted and gone, His glory and greatneſſe lang…iſh before the leaſt puff of Divine diſpleaſure: God needs not make great preparations of Armies, or Forces, to contend with wicked men, he needs not raiſe Mounts and Batteries, to overthrow their beſt Fortifications of Riches and Honour. The Channels of waters were ſeen (ſaith David, Pſal. 18.15.) and the foundations of the World were diſcovered, at thy rebuke O Lord, at the blaſt of the breath of thy noſtrils. The Prophet tels thoſe, who neglected to build the Houſe of the Lord (Hag. 1.9.) Yee looked for much, but loe it came to little, and when yee brought it home, I did blow upon it: God did but blow upon it, and by the breath of his mouth all their expected encreaſe went away. When Pharaoh purſued the Iſraelites in the height of pride and preſumption, the Text ſaith, It came to paſſe in the morning watch, the Lord looked upon the Hoaſt of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire, and of the cloud, and troubled the Egyptians, and tooke off their Chariot wheeles, that they drave them heavily (Exod. 14.24, 25.) God confounded them by a looke; how eaſily can the Lord riſe up and deſtroy all the power that riſeth up againſt his people? Hee can doe it with a breath from his mouth, With a caſt of his eye. When Chriſt was apprehended by the Officers armed with Staves and Swords; he ſayd, Whom ſeek you? They anſwered, Jeſus of Nazereth: He ſaith, I am he. (Chriſt was not afraid to confeſſe himſelfe) As ſoon then as he had ſayd unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground (Joh 18.6.) What a ſtrange power was here, that Chriſt could caſt them down with a word, and that not an angry word, not a word of conviction but confeſſion; he did not chide them, and ſay, Yee wretches, how dare you lay your hands upon me, who am an innocent perſon; how dare you carry me to judgement, who ſhall one day be your Judge; Chriſt ſpake no ſuch terrible language, but onelyonly ſayd, I am he, and downe they fell. If theſe words of ſubmiſſion had ſuch a force in them, as overthrew thoſe Officers to the ground, how ſhall his Enemies ſtand before the thunder of his ſevereſt increpations, and finall ſentence? As the Lord needs not make great proviſions for comforting of his people, if he ſpeaks a word, it is done; if he give but a good look, their hearts revive; Lord lift up the light of thy countenance upon me, thou haſt put gladneſſe in my heart (Pſal. 4.6, 7.) So if God doe but darken his countenance againſt wicked men, and frowne upon them, if he doe but breath at them, he puts ſorrow enough into their hearts, even conſuming killing ſorrow; By the breath of his mouth they goe away.
Againe, take the breath of God, For the decree of God: Verbo vel mandato ex ore Dei procedente. Jun.for the word or command which goethout of his mouth, by this breath of God, they goe away. The deſtruction of the wicked is under a Decree; God hath ſpoken in his holineſſe (Pſal. 108. 7, 8, 9.) That is, he hath given out his word from Heaven, the habitation of his holineſſe, and of his glory; or, He hath ſpoken it certainely, there is nothing but holineſſe in his word (and that's the ſtrength of words) David having received this word, ſtands aſſured, That as Shechem, and Succoth, Gilead, and Manaſſeh, Ephraim, and Iudah, would willingly ſubmit to him, and yeild obedience: So alſo, that Moab, Edom, and Philiſtia, who were his profeſſed Enemies, ſhould be ſubdued to him. He expected to conquer and tryumph over them, to put them to the baſeſt offices, as his Vaſſals, becauſe God had decreed and ſpoken it in his holineſſe. God hath ſpoken the word (ſaith he) therefore it ſhall be done, yea 'tis done; and therefore David cryed, All's mine, Gilead is mine, Manaſſeh is mine, Moab and Edom are mine, as ſoone as God had ſpoken the word. All that ever was done in the World, hath been done by the breath of Gods mouth; that is, by the word or decree of God: So ſome underſtand that of the Apoſtle (2 Theſ. 2.8.) And then ſhall that wicked one be revealed, whom the Lord ſhall conſume with the ſpirit, or breath of his mouth, and deſtroy with the brightneſſe of his comming: Antichriſt hath ſtood long, and he hath been for ſome time declining; his downfall haſtens; the breath of God will leave him breathleſſe: As he hath ſtood by the flattering breath of men; ſo he ſhall fall by the conſuming breath of God.
This conſuming with breath, notes either (as before) the eaſineſſe of that conſumption, 'tis done with a breath, or the way and manner of doing it; 'tis done by the command and decree of God, or by the Preaching of the Goſpell, which indeed gives Antichriſt his fatall blow, and ſhakes all the Towres of myſticall Babylon, and is called by the Prophet, The rod of his mouth,Spiritu oris, ſc: ipſius impii, credo potius referrendum▪ eſſe ad impium quaſi ille ſibi ipſi fuerit mortis cauſa dum contra Deum loquitur confidenter & libere. Sanct. and the breath of his lips (Iſa. 11.4.) He ſhall ſmite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips ſhall he ſlay the wicked. Life and death ſit upon the lips of Chriſt, he hath a reviving breath, and a killing breath; he quickens the deadeſt heart, and deads the quickeſt, the proudeſt heart with a word ſpeaking. By the breath of his mouth the wicked goe away.
Further, The breath of his mouth, ſay ſome, is the breath of the wicked mans owne mouth; By the breath of his mouth ſhall he goe away: That is, by the words which breath out of his mouth. His paſſionate diſtempered ſpeeches ſhall undoe him, while he ſpeaks, either outragiouſly, and blaſphemouſly againſt God, or falſely and ſeditiouſly towards man, his ruine enters at the opening of his lips.
The motion of the breath is the preſerver of life,Spiritu oris ſui. i. e. ſuis verbis quae ſpiritu & halitu in ore ormantur. and while breath laſts, life laſts; yet many a mans life had laſted longer had it not been for his breath. The wicked mans breath proves his death, and his tongue which hath been a ſcourge to others, becomes a Sword to himſelfe. His words poſſibly have wounded, and his breath hath been the death of many: But now he is wounded by his owne words, and cruſht to death by the weight of his owne breath, or by the fall of his owne tongue upon him: So the Pſalmiſt gives it (Pſal. 64.8.) They ſhall make their owne tongues to fall upon themſelves; that is, Their owne words ſhall be brought as a Teſtimony againſt them, and condemne them. The tongue is a little member (ſaith the Apoſtle James, Chap. 3.5.) and therefore a light member; yet it falls heavy, as heavy as lead. A man were better have his Houſe fall upon him, then that (in this ſenſe) his tongue ſhould fall upon him. Some have been preſſed to death, becauſe they would not ſpeak, but ſtood mute before the Judge; but more have been preſſed to death by their ſinfull freedome, or rather licentiouſneſſe in ſpeaking; this hath brought them to judgement, and caſt them in judgement: Their tongue hath fallen upon them, and by the breath of their mouth, they have gone away.
Laſtly (but I will not ſtay upon it, becauſe the Originall doth not well beare it) theſe words are caſt into the forme of a ſimilitude, deſcribing the manner how the wicked man, and all his glory ſhall goe away; even as a breath, or as his breath; As the breath of his mouth he ſhall goe away; that is, he ſhall go ſpeedily, he ſhall goe ſuddenly: A breath is ſoon fetcht, it is both come and gone in a moment; A breathing time, is a Proverbiall, for a little time (much like that, In the twinckling of an eye.) Thus man comes and goes, is come and gone (eſpecially a wicked man who is driven by the wrath of God) as ſoon as ſeen by others, as ſoon as he hath breathed himſelfe: It will not be long ere he goes, and he will not be long a going. For as the breath of his mouth he ſhall goe away.
The breath of man goes continually, and ſo doth the life of man; while man ſleeps, his breath goes, and ſo doth his life; while man ſtands ſtill, his breath goes, and ſo doth his life: The breath, indeed, is ſometimes in a hurry, and goes faſter then it doth at other times; but though the life of man doth not goe faſter at one time then at another, yet it alwayes goes.
Or if at any time our life may be ſayd to goe faſter then at another, it is when our breath is (by ſome ſtop in its paſſage) at a ſtand; and when ever our breath comes to a full ſtop, our life is not onelyonly going, but quite gone.
The life of man hath ſo much dependence upon his breath, that it is called Breath, and the breath of life: When God formed man out of the duſt of the ground, he breathed into his noſtrils the breath of life, and man became a living ſoule (Gen. 2.7.) And as ſoon as God calls back this breath of life, man becomes a dead body, or a carkaſſe: The life of man muſt needs goe as his breath, for it goes with his breath; and when the life of a wicked man is gone, all (that he called his) his worldly glory, goes with him: In that day all his thoughts periſh: For, As the breath of his mouth he ſhall goe away.
Eliphaz having layd downe the wicked mans ſad condition, and the cauſes of it, concludes with a uſe or application of the whole Doctrine, at the 31. Verſe, Let not him, that is deceived truſt in vanity, &c.