Exposition of Job, Exposition of Job · Chapter 22 · Verse 17 – Verse 18
Verſ. 17. Which ſaid unto God, Depart from us, and what can the Almighty do for them?
In the third Branch of this Argument, he inſiſts to point out the wickedneſs of theſe men, or, the old way of their ſin; Namely, that they rejected God, as needing nothing of him, nor expecting any advantage by ſerving of him. Here Eliphaz refl…cts upon what Job had ſpoken of the wicked, Chap. 21.14, 15. intending to contradict what Job had ſpoken concerning ſuch. For, whereas Job had aſſerted, Chap. 21.7.—15. that even ſuch inſolent ſinners went to their graves peaceably, as to any thing viſible in their lot; His ſcope here is to maintain that ſuch were viſibly and eminently plagued. But both their Aſſertions might be true; For, Job granted that ſome might be viſibly deſtroyed, Chap. 21.17, 18, &c. Only theſe few inſtances were not ſufficient to invalidate Job's aſſertion concerning the more general lot of the wicked.
Doct. 1. God doth not ceaſe to follow wicked men, nor do they want ſome impreſſions of his preſence, and invitations to ſeek him; as having a natural Conſcience, and the Law written in their hearts, beſide what common illumination ſome of them may have: For, ſo is here ſuppoſed, in that they deſire him to depart. So that they are ſingularly plagued, who have not ſo much as any ſuch impreſſions.
2. It is a mark of wicked men, that thoſe impreſſions of God are a trouble and vexation to them; whereas godly men do bleſs God for challenges, and that they find diſquiet in their ſin: For, ſo alſo is here imported, that the preſence of God with them is a trouble to them.
3. Albeit Gods offers, and the wickeds convictions and impreſſions thereof, be their mercy, if they would improve them; yet it is their great ſtudy to reject them, and to put out the light of their own Conſciences, and openly contemn God, being never at eaſe till the Conſcience be ſeared: For, they ſay unto God, Depart from us. Which may excite men to try their own Peace, that it be not ſuch a Lethargy as this.
4. As this contempt of God and Religion is the greateſt of evils; ſo when men reject God in his convictions and offers of mercy, they deſerve that he ſhould draw near them with judgments, however he may forbear; For, ſo is here imported, that the floud came upon theſe inſolent wicked men.
5. It is the Character of wicked men, that, as they are but mercenary in any ſervice they pretend at any time to do to God; So, for the moſt part, they ſee no profit in godlineſs as thinking themſelves well enough otherwiſe, or looking upon Piety as the way to ruine them: For, What can the Almighty do for them? ſaith Eliphaz, giving an account of their thoughts, and the reaſon that moved them to ſay, Depart from us, even (ſaith he) becauſe they ſaw not what God could do for them.
6. As wicked men ſee no advantage in godlineſs, ſo they fear no prejudice from God, though they ſleight it; For, ſo the words may alſo be read, that they asked, What the Almighty can do to them? though they bid him depart. Albeit he be the Almighty, yet they have but low thoughts of him: And as ſome dream of protection from him in their evil ways, Mic. 3.11. Others, that he will not be ſo ſevere againſt ſinners, as the word threatens, Jer. 12.4. Or that God doth not ſend his meſſſengers with all theſe hard meſſages they hear; Jer. 5.12, 13. So, others fear not him, nor his Word, at all, do what they will, Exod. 5.2. Iſa 36.20. Jer. 17.15. Iſa. 5.19. 2 Pet. 3.4.
7. When men have moſt low thoughts of God, and of the advantage of Piety, and are moſt preſumptuous, judgments may be neareſt to them; as in the like caſe it was with the old world. And it is, indeed, true that ſuch inſolency in ſin highly provokes God to plague, though yet he may ſpare, as Job cleared in the former Chapter.
8. Men may be equal in ſin, who yet meet with different lots in the World; For, thoſe who were overthrown by the floud, and theſe whom Job aſſerteth to have been ſpared, Chap. 21.13, 14, 15. are guilty of the ſame ſins.
Verſ. 18. Yet he filled their houſes with good things: but the counſel of the wicked is far from me.
In the Fourth Branch of the Argument, He ſubjoyns a caution to theſe corrupt Principles of the wicked, as Job had done before him. Chap. 25.16. And,
1. He aſſerts that, though they ſleighted God as an unprofitable Maſter; Yet, he had for a time given them proſperity, which gave the lie to the inſolent undervaluing of him.
2. Leſt he ſhould ſeem to be taken with that he had ſpoken of their impiety, he expreſſes his abhorrency thereof in theſe ſame words that had been uſed by Job. Chap. 21.16. Hereby intimating that he might more juſtly ſay, their counſel was far from him, who believed their ſpeedy ruine, than Job, who flattered them with hopes of proſperity till their death.
Doct. 1. Though wicked men have low thoughts of God, yet his bounty may for a time follow them, to refute their ingratitude and contempt of him; For, though they ſaw not what the Almighty could do for them, v. 17. Yet he filled their houſes with good things. See Matth. 5.45.
2. The things of this preſent life are not only good in the wickeds eſteem, who have no other portion; but they are good in themſelves, and ought ſo to be eſteemed of, and God praiſed for them; and (however the wicked abuſe them, which will heighten their guilt) they are given for good ends, not only to ſupply mens preſſing neceſſities, but to draw them to repentance. Rom. 2.4. Therefore are they here called good things (as alſo, Job 2.9. Luke 16.25.) though other things be, comparatively, far better. Luke 10.41, 42.
3. God may heap proſperity upon wicked men, and may fill their houſes with his good things, that ſo he may give a large proof of his bounty and long ſuffering toward them who ſin againſt ſo much mercy, and that, in his righteous judgement it may prove a ſnare, whereby wicked men harden themſelves in ſleighting of him; For, he filled their houſes with good things.
4. All the favours, that wicked men get, are but temporary; For, they are only good things filling their houſes in this life. For, they ſeek after no more, and by this the godly are warned not to think too much of theſe things, but to leave them to the wicked who have there Portion in this life. Pſal. 17.14.
5. The more kind God hath been, mens ſin in deſpiſing of him is the more hainous; As here their impiety, v. 17. is aggravated from this, that he filled their houſes with good things. See Jer. 2.2, 3, 4, 31. Mic. 6.3, 4.
6. They may receive great heaps of temporal mercies, who will be ſadly plagued ere all be done; As here, theſe who thus proſpered were overthrown with the floud,
7. In all debates, amongſt godly men, it is commendable to emulate, who ſhall be moſt oppoſite to impiety; As here he contends with Job about that, which of them put the counſel of the wicked far from them.
8. Men may pretend to be moſt againſt impiety, and for godlineſs, and may look upon others as hypocrites in that matter, when yet it is nothing ſo, but themſelves have the worſt cauſe; For, Eliphaz thinks he may better ſay, The counſel of the wicked is far from him, than Job might, who (as he judged) ſaid he hated the wicked, when yet he continued in his wicked courſe, and ſtrengthned the hands of the wicked by his principles and diſcourſes; and yet Job was a godly man, and maintained nothing but what was truth in that matter.