Exposition of Job 35-37, Exposition on Job · Chapter 36 · Verse 7
JOB, Chap. 36. Verſ. 7.
He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous: but with Kings are they on the throne, yea, he doth eſtabliſh them for ever, and they are exalted.
THis verſe contains a further confirmation of Gods righteous and gracious dealing with the righteous and gracious poor, yea, with all that are righteous and gracious. The words may be taken, either in a ſtricter or in a larger ſenſe.
Firſt, Strictly, as an Expoſition of the latter part of the former verſe, He giveth right to the poor, that is, He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous: We may put both together, He is ſo ſet to give right to the righteous poor, he takes ſuch care of them, that he cannot take his eye off from them.
Secondly, In a larger and more general ſenſe, as a Concluſion upon the whole matter, that, God will not deſert any righteous perſon, whether poor or rich, high or low, God will take notice of piety and godlineſs, whereſoever he finds it, He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous.
foreign minuit, diminuit, ademit, ſubſtraxit.The word which we tranſlate withdraweth, and is here uſed negatively, He withdraweth not, ſignifies, ſtrictly in the Noune, any kind of abatement or diminution, and in the Verb, to diminiſh, or abate, or take ſhort in any kind that which was before. When Pharaoh (Exod. 5.8.) gave out a freſh Charge for burdening, or indeed oppreſſing the Children of Iſrael in their bondage, the Order ran in this ſtile; The tale of bricks which they did make heretofore you ſhall lay upon them, you ſhall not diminiſh or withdraw any, you ſhall not abate them a brick. And Moſes ſhewing how ſacred a thing the Word of God is, (Deut. 9.2.) gives a double check or prohibition to all medlers with it: Firſt, to medlers by way of addition, Ye ſhall not add unto the Word: Secondly, by way of abate…ent, or abſtraction, Ye ſhall not diminiſh, or withdraw from it: it is this word; As if the Lord had ſaid, Every tittle of my word ſhall ſtand by it ſelf, and every Iota be eſtabliſht; be ſure that ye put nothing to it, that you withdraw nothing from it. Further, this word which we tranſlate withdraw, is rendred alſo to clip, as the hayr of the head or beard is clipt, (Jer. 48.37.) It is indeed high treaſon againſt the King of Heaven, to clip his coyn, his word, which bears the royal ſtamp and ſuperſcription of his truth and holineſs. Thus here, he withdraweth not, that is, the Lord doth not abate, leſſen, diminiſh, or take off his eyes from the righteous, his eyes are fixed on them for good alwayes, and they are alwayes fixed in the ſame ſtrength and vertue; He withdraweth not His eyes.
God is a Spirit without parts and paſſions, yet often in Scripture parts and paſſions are aſcribed to him in alluſion to man, here eyes, He withdraweth not his eyes, that is, his ſight,Oculos domini eſſo ſuper aliquem, niſi aliquid additur ſemper in bonum ſumitur & peculiarem ejus favorem et curam importat. Bold: or his providence. And we may take notice, that in Scripture, where this expreſſion is uſed without any further addition, it is alwayes taken in a good ſenſe. When we read either of Gods keeping his eyes upon his people, or of his not withdrawing his eyes from his people, it alwayes reſpects their priviledge, benefit and comfort; He withdraweth not his eyes From the righteous.
He doth not ſay, from this or that righteous man, but from the righteous, implying the whole kind or generation of the righteous. The indefinite is univerſal; we may render it thus; he withdraweth not his eyes from any that are righteous. The righteous here may be taken in a two-fold notion, Firſt, for the righteous, as to their ſtate, or who are in a ſtate of righteouſneſs. Man wanting a righteouſneſs of his own, hath the righteouſneſs of another aſſigned and imputed to him. Juſtified perſons through faith in our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, are righteous perſons, as hath been ſhewed heretofore. Secondly, We may take righteous here, with reſpect to the righteouſneſs of their wayes and actions: They who do righteouſneſs are righteous, ſaith the Apoſtle John. To a righteous ſtate, there belongs a righteous way, a righteous walk, righteous acting; not that the righteous do not ſin, but they would not, nor do they ſin at all as the unrighteous. It is a high blemiſh or ſtaine to the Goſpel, when any that pretend to a righteous ſtate, or to righteouſneſs by Jeſus Chriſt, are not righteous as to their wayes and courſe, as to their walkings and workings, whether towards God or man. 'Tis true, in a ſtrict legal ſenſe, none are righteous, no not one; but in a Goſpel ſenſe all juſtified and fanctified perſons are righteous; and they are called ſo, not only poſitively as to what themſelves are, but comparatively, as to what the men of the world are, who live in a ſtate or walk in a courſe of ſin and unrighteouſneſs. The Lord withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous.
But ſome may here object or queſtion, Is this true only of the righteous? Doth the Lord at any time withdraw his eyes from the unrighteous? truly that would be very good newes to many unrighteous perſons, they would be glad that they and their way might be hid from God, or that God would not look upon them.
I anſwer, This Scripture is not to be ſo underſtood, as if God did behold the righteous and not the wicked, for (Prov. 15.3.) The eyes of the Lord are every where, beholding the evil and the good, whether things done or perſons doing them. The Lord doth not withdraw his eyes from the moſt unrighteous perſons, nor from any of their acts or wayes of unrighteouſneſs. And when it is ſaid here, The Lord withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous, it is meant of a peculiar eye, which the Lord hath upon the righteous; he beholds both the righteous and the unrighteous, yet he doth not behold the unrighteous, as he beholds the righteous; which I ſhall clear further by giving in a five-fold diſcovery, what that eye of the Lord is which is upon the righteous, foure of which are diſtinct and totally differing from that eye with which he beholdeth unrighteous men, and from every one of them I ſhall give you an obſervation for our further profiting by this general aſſertion, that the Lord withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous. There is a five-fold eye of God ſpoken of in Scripture.
Firſt, There is a diſcerning eye, that eye by which be unerringly knoweth what every man is, and what every man doth.
Hence note; The Lord taketh exact and full notice of, he clearly diſcerns the righteous in every condition.
This is true alſo of the unrighteous; therefore David puts it univerſally, (Pſal. 11.4.) His eyes behold, his eye-lids try the children of men, that is, his ſight diſcovers and diſcerns what they are, of what ſort ſoever they are. We may ſee many men, yet not diſcover what they are, they may have a faire outſide to our view, whileſt within they are foule and full of rottenneſs; they may appear in Sheeps cloathing, yet inwardly be ravening Wolves. But the Lords eye is a trying eye, he doth not only know who men are, but he knows what they are. Such is the importance of that Scripture, (Heb. 4.13.) All things are naked and manifeſt to his eyes, with whom we have to do; that is, the Lord doth ſo behold things and perſons, that he hath a clear underſtanding of them. And though the Lords eye be thus upon all men, yet this is ſpecially affirmed of righteous men, (Pſal. 33.18.) Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, and hope in his mercy. Again, (Pſal. 34.15.) His eye is over the righteous. Both texts teach us, that God conſiders not only what they do, but as I may ſay, how they do, whether it be peace with them, or whether it be trouble with them, whether it be joy with them, or whether it be ſorrow with them, the Lords eye is over them, to diſcern, not only whether, and how they go, but how things go with them.
Secondly, The Lord hath a directing or a counſelling eye.
Hence Note; The Lord with his eye favourably guides, directs, and counſels righteous men.
This eye of the Lord, as it denotes favour, is peculiar to the righteous. We have that expreſly, (Pſal. 32.8.) I will inſtruct thee, and teach thee, (how?) I will guide thee with mine eye. We put in the Margen, I will counſel thee, that is, thee a Godly man, a David, ſpoken of (v. 6, 7.) mine eye ſhall give thee counſel. Men can give direction by the eye, and they that are acquainted with them, underſtand what they mean when they look this way or that way, thus or ſo. Solomon ſaith, A naughty perſon winketh with his eyes, he ſpeaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers, (Pro. 6.12, 13.) that is, all the poſtures and geſtures of his body, ſhew what he is, ſtark naught, and ſilently teach others to be naught. The holy God alſo teacheth by his feet and fingers, his goings and doings, his workes and wayes teach us the work which we ſhould do, and the way wherein we ſhould go; he hath a providential eye; the looks of providence give counſel to thoſe who know how to look upon them, and interpret them. The Lord hath a providential eye upon the righteous, not only to foreſee their dangers, but to direct their courſe; he ſheweth them their way, and their work by this eye; he tells them what pleaſeth him, and what diſpleaſeth him, by this eye; this eye the Lord doth not withdraw from the righteous; He will guide the feet of his Saints, (1 Sam. 2.9.) 'Tis poſſible for a righteous man ſometime to be without counſel, he may neither know what counſel to give himſelf, nor what to take from others; as Jehoſhaphat ſaid in his ſtreight (2 Chron. 20.12.) He knoweth not what to do; yet (as Jehoſhaphat ſaid then) his eyes are towards the Lord, and the Lords eyes are towards him. When he is thus counſelleſs, there is a counſelling, a directing eye of God upon him; though he at that preſent know not his way, yea, be out of his way, yet he is not out of Gods eye, and that will in due time ſhew him his way, or bring him into his way again: though God ſuffer him to go out of the way, yet the eye of God is upon him, even when he is out of his way, and that eye will reduce and bring him back to his right way. There is a directing, a counſelling eye of God.
Thirdly, The Scripture ſpeaks of a pitying and a compaſſionating eye of God. It is ordinary with us to hear thoſe that are in diſtreſs cry out to thoſe who paſs by, caſt an eye upon us, look upon us, and that is as much as to ſay, pity us, have compaſſion upon us; this eye of pity the Lord doth not withdraw from the righteous.
Hence note; The righteous are under the compaſſionating, the pitying eye of God.
When the people of Iſrael were in Egypt, the Lord ſaid to Moſes, (Exod. 3.7.) I have ſurely ſeen the affliction of my people; and what kind of ſight was that? what eye of God was it which was upon them? the words following, and the whole ſeries of Gods dealings alſo clear it, that it was an eye of compaſſion; I have ſurely ſeen, or ſeeing I have ſeen the affliction of my people that are in Egypt, &c. and I am come down to deliver them. We read in that notable place, (Gen. 16.14.) when Hagar was in a very ſad and diſtreſſed condition, being caſt out of Abrahams family, God had compaſſion on her, and ſhewed her a Well, where ſhe might have water for her ſelf and child, and the text ſaith, She called the name of the Well Beer-la-hai-roi, that is, the Well of him that liveth and ſeeth me: As if ſhe had ſaid, God hath ſeen me in my afflicted condition, and he hath alſo had compaſſion on me. That's another great priviledge, the righteous are under this pitying and compaſſionating eye of God; and from thence follows,
The fourth eye of God, his providing eye, his caring eye.
Hence note; The Lord doth ſo eye the righteous in their ſtraits and afflictions with compaſſion, that he alſo provides to deliver them out of their affliction, out of their ſtraits.
There is a providing eye of God continually beholding his people; Of this providing eye Abraham ſpake, (Gen. 22.14.) when he was put upon that hard task, the ſacrificing of his own ſon, his Iſaac, the Lord had compaſſion on him, and provided another ſacrifice, and therefore he called the name of that place, Jehovah Jireh, the Lord will ſee or provide; that is, as the Lord hath ſeen and provided for me, ſo he will ſee and provide for all his in their greateſt exigents and extremities. What Abraham ſaid, all the ſeed of Abraham may ſay in the day of their diſtreſs, Jehovah Jireh, the Lord will ſee and provide. And as the Lord hath a ſeeing and a providing eye for his in times of diſtreſs, ſo at all times. Moſes ſaid of the Land of Iſrael, (Deut. 11.12.) It is a Land of hills and of vallies, a Land which the Lord thy God careth for: The eyes of the Lord thy God are alwayes upon it, from the beginning of the year, even unto the end of the year. The eyes of the Lord are upon the land, that is, upon the people of the land, or upon the land for the peoples ſake who dwell in it: What to do? the text anſwers, to care for it, that is, to provide all things for their good, to give raine in ſeaſon, and the fruits of the earth, not only for the ſupport, but comfort of his people. We read of the ſame eye promiſed to the people of Iſrael in the Land of their captivity, (Jer. 29.6.) I will ſet mine eyes upon them for good, and I will bring them again into this Land; I will not only give them a look, or a glance, but fix or ſet mine eyes upon them for good, that is, to do them good. It is a proverbial ſaying amongſt us, The Maſters eye fattens the Horſe: The Maſters eye is a caring, a providing eye, he will take care that the Horſe ſhall be well fed. Certainly, Gods eye is a ſattening eye; they ſhall be fat and flouriſh, from whom God will not withdraw his providing eye, at leaſt they ſhall have neceſſaries, or food convenient, both for ſoul and body.
Fifthly, The Scripture ſpeaks of a delighting eye, or of an eye of complacency; and thus alſo the Lords eye is upon the righteous, he beholdeth them with high content, he is, as I may ſay, taken with them, (Iſa. 66.1.) To him will I look that is poor. Among all objects, none ſo pleaſant or pleaſing to God as the poor. What poor doth he mean? ſurely the righteous poor, or the poor in ſpirit, (as was ſhewed upon the former verſe) let ſuch a one be whom he will, to him will I look, mine eye is greatly pleaſed to behold ſuch a one. The word uſed by Elihu in this Text, doth further clear it, while he ſaith, He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous. How pleaſant is any object to our eyes from which we cannot withdraw or take them off, but muſt be continually feeding them upon it! Some cannot take off their eyes from unlawfull wanton objects, becauſe they are ſo delighted in them, they have as the Apoſtle Peter ſpeaks, eyes full of adultery, and ſuch can never glut their eyes with adulterous objects. Now certainly the Lord is exceedingly taken with the beauty, the ſpiritual beauty of a righteous perſon, with the comlineſs, the ſpiritu…ll comlineſs of thoſe that are godly, when the Text ſaith, He withdraweth not his eyes from them, but carries them (as it were) alwayes in his eye. Among the Latines, to carry one in our eye is an expreſſion of ſingular high content, delight and pleaſure taken in ſuch a perſon. We may ſay of all the righteous, the Lord carrieth them in his eye, and therefore he is highly pleaſed and delighted with them.
In oculù oliquem geſtare, eſt eum vehementer amplecti & diligere.Thus you have this five-fold eye, which the Lord doth not withdraw from the righteous; and, in that the text ſaith, he doth not withdraw or abate or diminiſh his eye from them, but looks fully upon them, it gives us this fixth note; The inſpection of God upon, his compaſſion towards, his care of, his delight in the righteous is perpetual.
Though God doth afflict, yet he never ceaſeth to love or care for his people. Elihu was much upon that, induſtriouſly to remove the ſcandal of the croſſe, which 'tis like then did and ſtill doth offend many, and cauſeth them to ſtumble, when they ſee the righteous afflicted; therefore he would aſſure us, that God never withdraweth his eye from them: but his care of, and pity to,Non ſolum Satagentem attentam que curam denotat haec phraſis, ſed perſeverantem, continuam minime que deflectentem. Bold: yea pleaſure in them is everlaſting. That eye of his which carries all this in it, is never ſhut towards them. The Lord ſaith of the Church, (Iſa. 49.16.) Thy walls are continually before me. As the walls of Sion, ſo the walls of every righteous perſon in Zion, or of every true Sioniſt, are continually before the Lord, he withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous; He that keepeth Iſrael ſhall neither ſlumber nor ſleep, (Pſal. 121.4.) he that neither ſlumbers nor ſleeps, needs not withdraw his eyes from us, and he that hath a tender regard to us, will not. The Prophet (Iſa. 27.3.) ſpeaking of the Church under the Allegory of a Vineyard, brings in the Lord giving this aſſurance, I will water it every moment, I will keep it night and day. He that waters a Vineyard every moment, never withdraws his eyes from it; now by watering is meant the ſupply of whatſoever good the Vineyard or Church of God ſtood in need of; to be ſo ſupplyed is to be well watered. The providence of God, as to our ſpirituall and temporall eſtate, watcheth over us continually to water us.
But ſome may queſtion here, Doth not the Lord withdraw his eyes from the righteous? are his eyes continually upon them? what then is … meaning of that Scripture, (Pſal. 44.23.) and of ſeveral others of like importance; Awake Lord, why ſleepeſt thou? That was at once the voyce of the Church, and her complaint; ſurely the Lords eyes were withdrawn from the Church when he was aſleep. I anſwer, The Lord ſleeps, with reſpect to his Church, as the Church ſleeps with reſpect to the Lord, (Cant. 5.2.) I ſleep (ſaith the Spouſe) but my heart waketh. Indeed the Lord doth act ſometimes ſo towards the righteous, or lets things go ſo with the righteous, as if he were aſleep, as if he took no notice of them, yet ſtill his heart waketh towards them: So that his ſleeping doth not imply an intermiſſion of his care, but only a ſuſpenſion of the effects of his care. For while the Lord lets things go ſo as if he were aſleep, he then wakes and watches as much over the righteous, over his Church and people, as at any other time, when they have the higheſt actings of his providence for their outward peace and preſervation.
And if that other ſort of Scriptures ſhould be objected againſt his perpetual watching over the righteous, or that he never withdraws his eyes, which ſay, he hideth his face, and turns himſelf away from them. I anſwer, Thoſe Scriptures are all of them to be underſtood according to the former interpretation, the Lord hideth himſelf, as to ſenſe and preſent appearance, but he never hideth himſelf, as to the real continuance of his love and care towards his Church or People. This Objection ſome made to one of the Ancients; the Lord (ſaid they) may ſeem to withdraw his eyes from the righteous, becauſe he ſuffers them to fall under the oppreſſion of the unrighteous.Famulos ſuos nunc m gis, reſpicit, nam jam praevidet, quid eis miſerecorditer recompenſet. Greg: in loc: No, ſaith he, The Lord beholds the righteous, though they periſh by the hand of the unrighteous; yea, when it is worſt with them, the Lords Eye is upon them for good, both to ſee how they carry it, or behave themſelves in their Sufferings, and likewiſe to provide a full reward and recompence for them after all their ſufferings.
Before I paſs from this part of the verſe, let me make theſe two Inferences.
Firſt, If the Lord never withdraweth his Eyes from the righteous, then let the righteous know their own Priviledge and Mercy. How happy are they upon whom the Eyes of the Lord abide alwayes for good! The Lord cannot endure to have good men out of his Eye, as Parents ſay of their darlings, and Princes of their Favourites. If we were aſſured, that the Eye of a great …, who loveth us, were alwayes upon us, if he ſhould promiſe to have an eye to us, (That's an ordinary Promiſe among men, I will have an Eye to you, that is, I will take care of you; if we have (I ſay) but ſuch a word from a man in Power) we think we have got a great revenue; ſuch a great Lord will have an eye to us, we have his word, he will not take off his care from us. How much then ſhould we boaſt and rejoyce in ſpiri…, that the Lord hath ſaid, I will alwayes have a care of you, I will never withdraw mine eyes from you, I will never leave you, nor forſake you (Heb. 13.5.) As it will be the eternal happineſs of Believers in Glory, alwayes to behold, or ſee God, Bleſſed are the pure in heart, for they ſhall ſee God; they have ſome ſight of him here in a Glaſs, but they ſhall ſee him face to face; that is, they ſhall ſee him clearly, as clearly as the creature is capable of ſeeing or enjoying him; now (I ſay) as it is the happineſs of the Saints in Heaven alwayes to behold God, ſo it is the happineſs of Saints here on earth, that the Lord doth alwayes behold them, that his eye is never withdrawn from them.
Conſider therefore, you that are in a righteous ſtate, whoſe acts and words, and walkings, are alſo righteous, conſider your Priviledge, conſider what it is to have the Lord Jeſus alwayes ſetting his eye upon you, to have the Lords directing and counſelling eye alwayes upon you, to have the Lords pitying and compaſſionating eye alwayes upon you, to have the Lords providing and caring eye alwayes upon you, to have the Lords delighting and well-pleaſed eye alwayes upon you; to have the eyes of the Lord thus upon you, and to have them alwayes upon you, what can ye deſire more! Thus 'tis promiſed, (2 Chron. 16.9.) The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to ſhew himſelf ſtrong in the behalf of them, whoſe heart is perfect with him. And whoſe hearts are perfect with him, but the hearts of the righteous? this is their priviledge. Jeſus Chriſt (Zech. 3.9.) is called, The ſtone, and ſaith the Text, upon one ſtone ſhall be ſeven eyes. There are two interpretations given of that Propheſie, Firſt, thus, upon one ſtone ſhall be ſeven eyes, that is, the eyes of all men ſhall be upon that ſtone, upon Chriſt. Seven is a perfect definite Number, put for all numbers; the eyes of all ſhall be upon the ſtone, upon Chriſt; although he be to the wicked, or to them that believe not, a ſtumbling ſtone, and a rock of offence, (1 Pet. 2.8.) yet to them that believe he is a moſt precious ſtone; and as they are alwayes beholding the beauty of that precious ſtone, ſo Jeſus Chriſt doth indeed invite all eyes to behold him (Iſa. 65.1.) Behold me, behold me; he would have us take off our eyes from all others, and look ſteddily on him. Let all eyes be upon the ſtone; that's a good interpretation. There is a ſecond, which ſuits the preſent poynt I am upon fully; Seven eyes ſhall be upon one ſtone; that is, the eyes of God ſhall be upon Jeſus Chriſt. This is a promiſe made unto him as Mediator, when he came in the fleſh, or in our nature, to do that great work for us; Then, ſaith the Prophet, upon one ſtone ſhall be ſeven eyes; which ſeven eyes note the perfect knowledge of God, and ſo the perfect care that God would have of Chri…, to bear him up through that wo…k of our Redemp…ion: Ʋpon one ſtone ſhall be ſeven eyes; I will take ca…e of him, I will p ovide for him, and I will delight in him. As Jeſus Chriſt is all eye, and Jeſus Chriſt doth enlighten all eyes, that is, all that ſee, are enlightened by Jeſus Chriſt; ſo the eyes of God, the eyes of the Father were alwayes upon him, in favour, in love, in care, when he was here in this world about that great work of our ſalvation, and he had abundunt experience of the eyes of his Father upon him. Now, mark it, this was the great promiſe made to Chriſt, the Stone, that upon him ſhould be ſeven eyes, the eyes of the Lord ſhould be alway and fully upon him. And this is the priviledge of every one that hath part and intereſt in this ſtone Jeſus Chriſt, every righteous perſon hath ſeven eyes upon him, the Lord God beholds him exactly, perfectly, and alwayes; He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous.
A ſecond inference is this; If the Lord never withdraweth his eyes from the righteous, Then let the righteous know their duty: What's that? Never to withdraw their eyes from the Lord. There is a threefold eye which a righteous man ſhould never withdraw from God. Firſt, An eye of faith: Secondly, An eye of hope: Thirdly, An eye of dependance: and that, Firſt, for direction in all his wayes; Secondly, for protection in all his dangers. I will lift up mine eyes (ſaith David, Pſal. 121.1.) unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. And again, (Pſal. 123.1, 2.) Ʋnto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwelleſt in the heavens. Behold, as the eyes of ſervants look unto the hand of their Maſters, and as the eyes of a mayden unto the hand of her Miſtreſs, ſo our eyes waite upon the Lord our God, untill he have mercy on us; that is, we never withdraw our eyes from him, while we have need of his mercy, and that is alwayes. Walk before me, that is, with an eye of faith, hope, and dependance, was the Lords charge to the father of the faithfull, (Gen. 17.1.) I have ſet the Lord alwayes before me, that is, I keep a conſtant eye upon the Lord, was the profeſſion of David, as the type of Chriſt, (Pſal. 16.8.) And as to keep an eye on God is beſt and ſafeſt for us, ſo 'tis extreamly pleaſing and contentfull to Chriſt, as he tells the Church, (Cant. 9.9.) Thou haſt raviſhed my heart, my Siſter, my Spouſe, thou haſh raviſhed my heart with one of thine eyes, that is, with a believing, a hoping, a depending look on me for all that good which thou wanteſt and wouldſt have, or with a delighting look on me as thy chiefeſt good. Let not the righteous withdraw their eyes from God, for he withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous.
But (which is yet more) with Kings are they on the Throne.
Theſe words fully clear up the ſenſe, which I have given of that negative promiſe, he withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous, namely, that the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous for good. His is not a bare beholding of them, favours flow from his eyes. When the eyes of God are upon the righteous, they find the ſweet and benefit of it. In the former verſe Elihu ſaid, God will give the poor right, here he ſaith more, he will give the poor, the righteous poor, a reward, and that no ſmall one, With Kings are they on the Throne.
The Latine tranſlation reads this part of the verſe,Et reges in ſolio collocat in perpetuum. Vulg: not of the righteous poor, but of righteous Kings; He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous, and he placeth Kings upon the Throne for ever. That's a truth, the Lord placeth Kings upon their Thrones, and eſtabliſheth them there; but that is not the meaning or truth of this place; nor will the Hebrew (with any tolerable convenience) bear ſuch a tranſlation.
Secondly, There are others, who,Quaſi foreign ſcriberetur pro foreign Merc: a little miſtaking the word which we tranſlate Kings, render it Angels; They are with Angels on the Throne. There is but very little difference in the Hebrew between thoſe two words that ſignifie Kings and Angels, (the former is Melachim, the latter Maleachim) which hath given occaſion for this reading, He placeth them with Angels on the Throne; and ſo the words are interpreted of the glorious exaltation of the righteous in Heaven, (when indeed they ſhall be like Angels, Angels Fellows, (Mat. 22.30.) and walk hand in hand with Angels.) Mr Broughton though he tranſlate (with Kings) yet ſeems to carry it in that ſenſe, giving his gloſſe in the Margen, thus; They ſhall be made fit for light with the living, with the Angels of God, his ſervants, in their degree, and be placed for ever in honour, and be high in honour and dignity; ſo ye ſhall ſit upon twelve Thrones, judging the twelve Tribes of Iſrael. But this Text will not ſerve that purpoſe neither; and therefore I ſhall take it plainly as we render it, They ſhall be with Kings upon the Throne. Cum regibu… tantum valet, anſicut reges. Bold: Ʋt foreign ſit foreign cum; ut m…meru… mutetur, ut p…lſim fit in hoc libro. Merc:There is a two-fold interpretation of the words according to this tranſlation.
Firſt, The Lord will exalt the righteous to great dignity, they ſhall be like Kings and Princes in this world, or they ſhall be in great favour with Kings, even Kings Favourites.
S…condly, They ſhall be with Kings upon the Throne, that is, they themſelves ſhall be Kings. The Hebrew ſtrictly read, is, and Kings on the Throne; they ſhall not only be like Kings, but they themſelves ſhall be Kings,foreign articulus accuſativi caſus quam verba tranſitiva ſive activa regunt; accipitur tamen non rarò pro à ex, de, & cum praepoſitionibus▪ Druſ: Obſer: ſacra: l. 9. c. 7. and ſit upon Throne…: either of theſe interpretations reach the ſcope of Elihu fully. As if he had ſaid, The righteous ſhall be greatly advanced or exalted by Kings, whoſe priviledge it is to ſit on Thrones, or they ſhall be Kings upon the Throne. Some experiences and examples have confirmed this. The Lord hath not only given righteous pe…ſons great advancement, and great favour with Kings, who ſit on Thrones, but hath even advanced them to Kingly dignity, and given them Thrones to ſit upon.
A Throne is a Seat Royal, the Seat of Majeſty; A Throne is a ſeat exalted above other ſeats, as the perſon ſitting upon it is exalted above other perſons. Solomon made him a great Throne of Ivory, and the Throne had ſix ſteps, (1 Kings 10 18.) God is repreſented ſitting upon a Throne, and there receiving honour from all that were before him, (Rev. 4.2, 9.) The whole Heaven is called the Throne of God, and the earth his footſtoole, (Iſa. 66.1.) becauſe as Heaven is high above all, ſo there are the fulleſt manifeſtations of the greatneſs and glory of God. And becauſe Thrones note power and dignity, therefore the Angels (who among all meer creatures excell in power and dignity,) a…e called Thrones, (Col. 1.16.) So then, to be with Kings on the Throne, that is, to be near them, and much accepted by them, is a very great honour; and that is the leaſt here intended. But to be Kings on the Throne, is the greateſt worldly honour; and poſſibly ſo much is here intended the righteous, while Elihu ſaith, But with Kings are they upon the Throne.
In that the righteous are ſaid here to be with Kings upon the Throne, we learn, Righteous perſons are in high eſteem with God:
He would not thus, in love, ſet them high, if he did not highly eſteem them; he would not thus prefer them, if he did not know their worth. The world uſually judges righteous perſons, as if they were fit only for the dunghill, as if they were the filth of the world, and the off-ſcouring of all things, (1 Cor. 4.13.) but God hath another opinion of them, he thinks them fit to ſerve Princes, and to be near the Throne. Take heed of judging them unworthy to be at the foo…ſtool, whom God thinks worthy to be with Kings on the Throne.
Secondly, Note; God hath exalted, and will exalt righteous perſons.
Whom he highly eſteems, he ſometimes advanceth highly in this world, they ſhall be with Kings on the Throne, (Pſal. 107.40, 41.) He powreth contempt upon Printes, that is, upon unrighteous Princes; yet (as it followeth) He ſetteth the poor on high from affliction, ſo we tranſlate and put in the Margen, He ſetteth the poor on high after affliction. He afflicts the righteous to purge them, and ſo to prepare and fit them for greateſt enjoyments. We have a like affi…mation, (Pſal. 113.7, 8.) He raiſeth up the poor out of the duſt, and lifteth up the needy out of the dunghill, that he may ſet them with Princes, even the Princes of his people. Thus ſpake Hannah in her Song, (1 Sam. 2.8.) and thus, in effect, ſpake the bleſſed Virgin in hers, (Luke 1.52.) He hath brought down the mighty from their ſeats, and hath exalted the lowly and meek. We have ſome Scripture-inſtances of ſuch exaltations. Joſeph, a righteous perſon, was caſt into bonds, yet God ſets him, not only at liberty, but on high, he was with the King on the Throne, Only in the Throne, (ſaid Pharaoh, Gen. 42.40.) will I be greater than thou; and all were commanded to bow the knee to him. David, a righteous perſon, followed the Ewes great with young, and the Lord ſet him upon the Throne, upon the Throne of Iſrael. Valentinian was committed to priſon by the command of Julian the Apoſtate, becauſe he ſtruck an Idolatrous Prieſt, that would have ſprinkled him (aqua luſtrali) with their unholy holy water, as he ſtood in the gate of the Temple, where Julian was ſacrificing to his Idol-gods; yet he eſcaped that danger, and afterwards aſcended the Throne of that Great Empire. The Lord knows both how to deliver the righteous out of trouble, and to bring them to honour.
Laſtly, We may hence infer, If the righteous are with Kings on the Throne, then righteouſneſs hath a reward. Them that honour me (ſaith the Lord, 1 Sam. 2.30.) I will honour. It is no vaine thing to ſerve the Lord; to be righteous, and to do righteouſly, cannot but iſſue well. The Lord hath all promotions at his diſpoſe, (Pſal. 75.6, 7.) And therefore he ſaith, Say ye to the righteous, that it ſhall be well with him; for they ſhall eate the fruit of their doings, (Iſa. 3.10.) With Kings are they on the Throne.
Yet, let me add, by way of Caution, that neither this Text, nor the notes given from it, are ſo to be underſtood, as if all righteous perſons might hence expect great advancements in this world, or to be the ſpecial Favourites of Kings and Princes: The word of God doth not feed ſuch humours, but mortifies them; nor doth it cheriſh any ſuch aſpiring expectations in righteous men, but teaches them quiet ſubmiſſion in their own private ſtations and callings, to thoſe who are upon the Throne. So that while Elihu ſaith of the righteous, With Kings are they on the Throne, his meaning muſt be taken ſoberly, and may be taken diſtinctly, thus;
Firſt, That God hath great reſpect to, and high favours for righteous men.
Secondly, That he brings ſome of them (as it is ſaid of Daniel with the Prince of the Eunuches, Chap. 1.9.) into favour and tender love with Kings and Princes.
Thirdly, That the Lord hath often advanced righteous perſons to Thrones and Kingly Dignities. And when-ever the Lord advanceth any of the righteous,Etiamſi id externè non fiat ſemper, tamen omnium fides & pietas quorundam piorum exaltatione honoratur. Coc. he makes good this promiſe, becauſe in the exaltation of one, the faith and piety of all righteous perſons, or the whole kind of them, is honoured and exalted.
Fourthly, To be ſure, all the righteous ſhall be with Kings on the Throne hereafter. Chriſt hath purchaſed, and is gone to prepare a Kingdome for the righteous, and will give them a better Crown, than any this world affords, an incorruptible one. As now the righteous are ſpiritual Kings, or Kings in a ſpiritual ſenſe, (Rev. 1.6.) that is, they rule over and keep in ſubjection, their own luſts and corruptions, pride, ambition, love of the world, wrath, envy, and whatever elſe in them doth rebell and exalt it ſelf againſt the knowledge of God; yea, they as Kings (in this world) conquer the world by faith, (1 Joh. 5.4.) and the Prince of this world, the devil, through the power of Jeſus Chriſt (as I ſay all the righteous are now ſpiritual Kings (in the ſenſe given) through grace here on earth, ſo they ſhall be glorious Kings and reigne with Chriſt for ever in Heaven; and then ſhall this word of God by Elihu, be fulfilled to the utmoſt, With Kings are they upon the Throne, Yea, he doth eſtabliſh them for ever, and they are exalted.
Elihu proceeds to ſhew the happineſs of the righteous yet further; The Lord doth not only advance them, but eſtabliſh them; nor doth he only eſtabliſh them for a while, but even perpetuateth their eſtabliſhment, He eſtabliſheth them for ever. foreign a radice foreign ſedere, & in hac conjugatione, ſedere fecit.The word is, He makes them ſit. We render fully to the ſenſe, He eſtabliſheth them. The Lord ſets them up on high, and then ſettles them on high. Some get on high, but they cannot keep on high, they find no eſtabliſhment there; but God can eſtabliſh For ever.
The for ever of this world is a long time. The Lord ſaith of Sion, (Pſal. 132.14.) Here will I dwell for ever, that is, long. Thus in the text, He will eſtabliſh them for ever, that is, they ſhall have long eſtabliſhment. And if we take it as to their exaltation in the other world, there God will eſtabliſh them to the utmoſt latitude of for ever, that is, to eternity. The Septuagint tranſlate,foreign in victoriam. Sept: Sic 2 Sam. 2.26. foreign. He will eſtabliſh them to victory. The ſame word in the Hebrew, ſignifies eternity, and alſo victory, becauſe eternity overcomes and triumphs over all: The Lord ſhall ſettle them to victory; and that may have a good interpretation, with reſpect to the power of God in ſetling them; He ſhall ſettle them to victory, that is, they ſhall (in his power) overcome all difficulties that ſtand in the way of their eſtabliſhment.
Hence Note; As preferment, ſo eſtabliſhment is from God.
Firſt, He eſtabliſheth all things, whether they be, Firſt, natural things, the heavens and the earth, times and ſeaſons, (Gen. 8.22.) or Secondly, Civil things, States and Nations; or Thirdly, Spiritual things; Firſt, the Goſpel, and the Church of the Goſpel, that he eſtabliſheth as a Rock, againſt which the gates of hell ſhall not prevaile, (Mat. 16.18. ſo Iſa. 44.28. Pſal. 87.5.) Secondly, Grace in the hearts of his people, (1 Pet. 5.10.) and them in the wayes of grace, (2 Theſ. 2.17. Chap. 3.3.) Thus God eſtabliſheth all things.
Secondly, He eſtabliſheth, counſels and actions, (Iſa. 44.26.) He confirmeth the word of his ſervants, and performeth the counſel of his Meſſengers; that is, he makes good, and brings to effect that word which they have given in counſel. And as for actions, Moſes prayeth (Pſal. 90.17.) Eſtabliſh thou the work of our hands upon us, yea the work of our hands eſtabliſh thou it. Whatever is in our hands quickly molders away, and (as the enemies ſaid when the Jewes built the walls of Jeruſalem, Neh. 4.3.) If a Fox go up upon it, it will fall, unleſs the Lord eſtabliſh it; but neither the Foxes with their ſubtilty, nor the Lyons with their power and cruelty, ſhall be able to overthrow that wall, or thoſe actions, which the Lord is pleaſed to eſtabliſh; for he doth eſtabliſh them For ever.
Hence Note; The Lord can eſtabliſh, not only for a time, but for alwayes; he can give a perpetuity of eſtabliſhment, not only a laſting, but an everlaſting eſtabliſhment; he can give an eternity of eſtabliſhment.
Here is compleat happineſs. What can we deſire more, than Firſt, to be in a great and good eſtate; Secondly, to be eſtabliſhed there; Thirdly, to be eſtabliſhed for ever? They that are ſet high are ſet in ſlippery places, unleſs the Lord be with them; how much more if the Lord be againſt them? (Pſal. 73.18.) But the Lord can ſet us as high as the higheſt Rock, and yet make us as firme as the firmeſt Rock. He doth eſtabliſh them for ever, And they are exalted.
Some read thus, He eſtabliſheth them for ever, when they are exalted, which makes a very clear ſenſe; when they are got high, the Lord doth eſtabliſh them fully and finally. We render it as a diſtinct act of God, They are eſtabliſhed for ever, and they are exalted; probably intending thus much; that the Lord when he will do a thing, can do it, notwithſtanding all oppoſition, that either is or can be made againſt it; he ſets them with Kings on the Throne, and doth eſtabliſh them for ever, yea, they riſe in power and dignity more and more, They are exalted.
Hence Note; What God will do, ſhall be done;
If he ſaith to a perſon, be exalted, he ſhall be exalted; if he ſaith to Jeruſalem, thou ſhalt be built, and to the Temple, thy foundation ſhall be laid, (Iſa. 44.28.) it is done; if he ſaith, pull down Babylon, down it muſt come, even to the very foundation. Ephraim ſaid, (Jer. 30.18.) Thou haſt chaſtiſed me, and I was chaſtiſed; I found the effects of thy chaſtiſement, it came home to me. What Go… …ill work, no man can lett or put a ſtop to.
Further, From the other reading, Note; Whom God ſets up, no man can pull down, till himſelf pleaſeth;
He doth eſtabliſh them for ever, when they are exalted. God is able to maintain his own acts, whether in caſting any down, or exalting them. When God laid the mountains and heritage of Eſau waſt for the Dragons of the Wilderneſs, (Mal. 1.3.) Edom ſaid at the next verſe, (well, I ſee) we are impoveriſhed, but we will return, and build the deſolate places. As if Edom had ſaid, Though the Lord hath brought us thus low, yet we doubt not to recover our former glory. But what ſaith the Lord? hear what in the next line; Thus ſaith the Lord of Hoſts, They ſhall build, (or let them build) but I will throw down. Now (I ſay) as when the Lord pulls down, none can build without his leave, ſo whom the Lord exalteth, none can pull down; He eſtabliſheth them for ever, when they are exalted. Thus Elihu ſets forth the exceeding kindneſs of God to, and his care over the righteous, not only his provident care as to their preſent condition, but as to the abiding of their exaltation and the eſtabliſhment of it for ever.