Exposition of Job, Exposition of Job · Chapter 22 · Verses 19-20
Verſ. 19. The righteous ſee it, and are glad, and the innocent laugh them to ſcorn.
20. Whereas our ſubſtance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire conſumeth.
The ſixt and laſt Argument (and an Amplification of the former) is taken from the eſtate of godly men, contrary to what befals the wicked. This is firſt propounded more generally, v. 19. That the righteous ſhall have cauſe of joy, and of deriding the wicked when they are afflicted.
2. The ground of this their carriage is more particularly ſubjoyned, v. 20. which is, Gods different dealing with the wicked and them; the one being preſerved from ruine, and the other conſumed, even to their very leaſt remnants. As the former Argument pointed chiefly, at the time of the general deluge; So this may point at the lot and practice of Noah, who was preſerved, and had occaſion to ſing that Song, v. 20. yet ſo as the godly may make uſe of it in all ages, when they meet with ſuch a diſpenſation. And as Eliphaz and the reſt did look upon Job as the inſtance of a wicked man conſumed by God, while themſelves were preſerved; ſo it is like he repeats this Song even in reference to that.
As for the ſtrength of this Argument, it contains a truth, of the preſervation of ſome godly men, at ſometimes, when the wicked were deſtroyed (as we ſee in Noah, Lot, &c.) yet it is not ſo univerſally or frequently true, as to contradict Job's Doctrine. And as for this joy, and laughing at the wicked, it is not to be approved, if it flow from the want of humanity, or from a ſpirit of private revenge, Job 31, 29, 30. Prov. 24.17, 18. Yet it is lawful and right, when it flows from love to the glory of God, whoſe juſtice ſhines in theſe acts of vengeance. See Pſal. 58.10, 11. & 107.42.
Doct. 1. God, when he pleaſeth, can make the plagues of wicked men remarkable; For, the righteous ſhall ſee it. So alſo Pſal. 58.10. Men ſhould make uſe of more ſecret and hid tryals, bleſſing God that they are not made Beacons, much more are they called to be fruitful when the world may ſee their calamities.
2. As the proſperity of the wicked, and eſpecially their inſolent profanity and cruelty, when they proſper, do ſadden godly men; ſo their calamities will revive and make them glad; Fot, this, in particular, is the cauſe of joy here; The righteous ſhall ſee it (or what befals ſuch inſolent profane men, as have been above deſcribed) and be glad. As the godly may find matter of comfort in all their tribulations, James 1.2. Rom. 5.3. (when they obſerve Gods love in taking pains upon them, Rev. 3.19. Heb. 12.6, 7, 8. that he vindicates the glory of his Holineſs in not winking at their faults, 2 Sam. 12.14. that he ſupports them under trouble, 2 Cor. 4.8, 9. & 6.9, 10. & 12.9, 10. that he makes their troubles uſeful to them, 1 Pet. 1.6, 7. James 1 2, 3. and ſits them thereby for his Conſolations, 2 Cor. 1.5. and, that their afflictions cannot reach their beſt things, 1 Pet. 1.5, 6) and all their ſorrows will end in joy at laſt; So in particular, the ruine of the wicked will afford them joy; When they ſee Gods juſtice, and conſequently his Providence, made conſpicuous, for their comfort, Pſal. 58.10, 11. when, in the ruine of the wicked, they obſerve proofs of Gods Truth and Power to be made uſe of in other caſes; And, when they conſider how they have been kept from the wickeds evil way, and ſo have eſcaped ruine with them.
3. Though wicked men, during their proſperity, be looked upon by many as the only wiſe men in the world; yet, in their miſery they will be found ridiculous, when all their witty projects ſhall fail them, and the courſes they have taken for their own ſecurity, ſhall be found to have tended to their ruine; Therefore it is ſaid, the innocent ſhall laugh them to ſcorn, which doth intimate that they will be found to have been ridiculous in their way, and that innocent ſtraight walkers have the advantage of them. See Pſal. 52.6, 7.
4. Not only will the godly have cauſe to rejoyce at the calamity of the wicked, but becauſe of Gods contrary dealing with themſelves, and the difference he makes between the one and the other; For, ſo much doth their Song import, Whereas our ſubſtance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire conſumeth. See Mal 3.18. Iſa. 65.12. God may ſometime make this difference, even by preſerving the righteous from common calamities, and by exempting of them, when t…ouble is moſt violently conſuming the wicked, as a fi…e; as he did to Noah, and is ſtill able to do it if he pleaſe. Yet this is not always to be expected, but there may be a difference made, even though they taſte of the outward trouble. God can moderate trouble to his own, when it conſumes the wicked as a fire, Iſa. 27.7. He can make it eaſie to their ſpirits (how violent ſoever it be in it ſelf) while the wicked ſink under it, Iſa. 33.14, 15, &c. He can deliver his own after they are afflicted, and can make them riſe after they have faln, Mic. 7.8. and not be cut down; while the wicked never recover, but their remnants are conſumed by the fire. Or (though they be cut off by trouble) he can make up all with eternal happineſs, when the wicked are ſent to the pit by their temporal plagues.
5. None can claim to the priviledges of the godly, or to be righteous perſons, who do not ſtudy Innocency in their Converſation; For, the righteous, who are glad and enjoy this priviledge, are the innocent.