Exposition of Job 22-26, Commentary · Chapter 24

Exposition of Job 22-26 · Commentary · Chapter 24

p. 508JOB, CHAP. 24. Verſ. 5, 6, 7, 8.

Behold as wilde aſſes in the deſert, goe they forth to their worke, riſing betimes for a prey: the wildernes yieldeth food for them and for their Children.

They reap every one his Corne in the field: and they gather the vintage of the wicked.

They cauſe the naked to lodge without Cloathing: that they have no Covering in the Cold.

They are wet with the ſhowers of the mountaines, and embrace the rock for want of a ſhelter.

JOb proceeds to enumerate the wickedneſſes of thoſe men whom yet God ſpared, and bare with; he had ſet downe many of their ſinfull wayes before; they removed the land-marks, they violently tooke away flocks, they ſpared not the aſſe of the fatherles, nor the widdows oxe; They turned the needy out of the way, ſo that the poore of the earth were forced to hide themſelves together. See now the further progreſſe of their wickednes, even to admiration, for ſo much the word, Behold, with which Job leads on his diſcovery of their vexatious practices, doth import.

Verſ. 5. Behold as wilde aſſes in the deſert, they goe forth to their worke.

There is a difference in opinion among Interpreters about the ſubject of this verſe, whom wee are to underſtand under this deſcription, As wilde aſſes in the deſert, going forth to their worke. Some of Note conceave that the poore are the ſubject of theſe words,Exegeſis praeordentis dicti, de intoleranda inproborum, ſev… tia in pauperes, quorum opera contra legem abutuntur. Jun: or the perſons here intended. And then they hold forth the hardſhip and miſery to which they were reduced by thoſe mercileſſe tyrants; Behold as wilde aſſes in the deſert, they goe forth to their worke. Oppreſſors did ſo vex them and ſtrip them out of all, that they who heretofore had enough to live upon, were conſtrained to goe forth to day-labour and worke for their living, at the command, or under the cruel bondage of thoſe inhumane Taske-Maſters.

p. 509Yet I conceive that wee may more clearly expound theſe words as carrying a continued ſeries of the practices of wicked men, who are here compared to wilde aſſes; and there is a word in the 5^th verſe which gives a ſpeciall reaſon why this ſhould not be underſtood of the poore or oppreſſed, but of the oppreſſor, where it is ſayd, they riſe betimes for a prey; now that word which we render a prey, cometh from a root which ſignifies to teare, foreign carpſit diſcarpſit, dilaceravit dentibus, pr…prium ferarum eſt.to rend, to pull aſſunder after the manner of wilde beaſts; and is of the ſame ſound as well as ſignificatiō with our Engliſh word, teare, therefore it ſhould rather be underſtood of oppreſſors, then of the oppreſſed; for a man that goes forth to labour, and worke for his living, cannot properly be ſaid to riſe betimes for a prey, for he goes forth to get his bread honeſtly; now a prey is that which is got by violence; and the word is never applyed to men, but in alluſion to ravenous and devouring beaſts. Jacob comparing his ſon Judah to a Lyons whelpe (Gen. 49.9.) ſaith, From the prey, my Sonn, thou art gone up. So Moſes (Deut. 33.20.) And of Gad he ſaid, Bleſſed be he that enlargeth Gad; hee dwelleth as a Lyon and teareth the Arme with the Crowne of the head. And David praying to be delivered out of the hand of his enemy, gives this reaſon (Pſal. 7.2.) Leſt he teare my ſoule like a Lyon, while there is none to deliver. So that the word noting properly the act of a ravenous beaſt who lives upon ſpoyle and prey; It is very improper to apply it to the worke of a labouring man, who lives and earnes his bread with the ſweat of his brows. Yet I finde that word ſignifying food in generall (Mal: 3.10.) Bring yee all the tythes into the ſtorehouſe, that there may be meat in mine houſe. Which the interlineral renders, that there may be a prey in mine houſe; Ʋt ſit praeda in domo mea. Mont: Ʋt ſit quod rapitis &c. P…gna.and another thus, that there may be that, which ye ſnatch, in mine houſe Surely the Lord ſtrikes at ſome miſdemeanour while he expreſſeth the food of the Prieſts & Levites, by a word ſignifying that which is torne away by violence. And (I conceave) it may either reflect upon the people who parted ſo hardly with the tythes which did belong to the Temple at that time, that they were rather torne or pulled from them by a kinde of violence, then freely payd or brought in according to the Law of God: or it might reflect upon the extreme greedines of the Prieſts that did adminiſter in the Temple, as if they did look upon the tyths, & their portiō in them, with as earneſt deſire as wild beaſts hang over & wait for a prey. So that p. 510where this word is uſed to ſignifie food, there is ſomewhat in the circumſtance of the Text, which leaves a touch of rapine and violence upon it. And therefore it is not applicable to the earnings of honeſt labourers, but to the cruel gettings of theeves and oppreſſors. The mountaines of prey, ſpoken of (Pſal. 76.4.) were eyther thoſe places where conquering Armyes devided the ſpoyle after a victory obtained; or where robbers preyed upon paſſengers. And therefore I ſhall take the ſubject of this verſe to be the oppreſſors of the poore, not the poore oppreſſed.

Behold, as wilde aſſes in the deſert they goe forth.

foreignThe particle of likenes as, is not in the Hebrew, nor yet the word Aſſes, expreſſely. And therefore M^r Broughton reads ſtrictly to the Original, Behold the wilde in the wildernes goe forth to their worke. The word ſignifies wilde at large; but becauſe wilde aſſes are extreamely wilde, therefore the word is ſpecially applyed to them.foreign Ferus homo. Thus the Angel ſayd of Iſhmael (Gen. 16.12.) And he will be a wilde man.

Behold as wilde aſſes in the deſert.

The deſert is the dwelling place of wilde aſſes: Tame aſſes or aſſes brought to hand, are about the houſe, or in the encloſed paſtures, but wilde aſſes inhabit the deſert. The word that wee render deſert, comes from a roote that ſignifies to ſpeake; and the deſert is ſo called by the figure of Contrary ſpeaking, foreign a foreign Locutus eſt per antiphraſin quaſi locus a ſermone remotus.becauſe there is little or no ſpeaking in deſerts; many words are heard onelyonly in Cities or places where many people frequent. It ſignifies alſo to lay waſt, becauſe deſerts are waſt and barren places, in compariſon of dreſt and Encloſed grounds; ſuch is the place whether theſe ſpoylers goe forth as wilde aſſes To their worke.

But wild aſſes worke not, onelyonly tame aſſes are labouring aſſes; So that the ſimilitude runs not upon that poynt; yet we may ſay, wilde aſſes have a worke, and 'tis much like that which wicked men doe in the dererts;foreign in. i. e. opere vel artificium ſuum vel artem vnde victū quaerunt. Merc: they worke there, but 'tis wilde worke, ſuch as wild aſſes are buſyed about, the getting of prey. They goe forth to their worke; and that word ſignifies not onelyonly a worke, but an art, or a Craft. Theſe ſpoylers were their Crafts-Maſters, p. 511and could doe miſchiefe cunningly, as having been brought up as apprentices to it, or ſtudyed it like Schollers, they had well learned and were verſt in their worke, and what their worke was we may learne in the next words.

Riſing betimes for a prey.

Like workemen, like worke. To take a purſe, or ſpoyle paſſengers, that's their worke; And they get up and are out betimes about this worke; For a prey, they riſe betimes. The Hebrew is,foreign a foreign Mane, ſtudioſe quaerunt vel ſummo ſtudio. Druſ: They morning it; that is, they riſe early in the morning; to doe a thing in the morning, is in Scripture language, to doe a thing diligently and with greateſt Intention of ſpirit, becauſe diligent active men are up early; ſo that to riſe in the morning is not onelyonly an Expreſſion of the time of their riſing, but of their ſpirit and diligence at their worke when they were riſen, whenſoever they roſe. The whoriſh woman ſaith to the young man, (Pro. 7.15.) Therefore came I forth to meete thee diligently, to ſeeke thy face. Verbum hebraicum delarat diluculare, vnde ſignificat praecipuo ſtudio vel cura aliquid agere.The Hebrew is, To ſeeke thee in the morning, or, to morning thee, and yet it was in the twilight in the evening, when ſhe came out to meete him, as is expreſt at the 9^th verſe of the ſame Chapter. Here indeed in the text, To morning it, notes that they tooke the firſt of the morning for their worke; riſing betimes for a prey. And that not without ſucceſſe, as the laſt clauſe of the verſe ſheweth.

The wildernes yieldeth food for them and for their Children.

Where have they their prey? The text anſwers, they have it in the wildernes. In the former part of the verſe he ſpake of the deſert, and in this latter of the wildernes, in both he meanes the ſame place, both import barrennes, wildnes and waſtnes;foreign ſolitudo idem quod foreign deſertum hinc Arabia deſerta. M^r Broughton tranſlates; The vaſt-Ground giveth him bread for his young. Wee ſay, the wildernes yeeldeth food for them, &c. It may ſeeme ſtrange that a wild wildernes, a wildernes untilled, unplanted, uninhabited, ſhould yeeld them food.

I anſwer; Firſt, The Scripture ſpeaks of many wildeerneſſes that were planted & inhabited. John the Baptiſt preached in the wildernes of Judea (Math. 3.1.) And the wildernes had many houſes if not townes in it, ſuch wilderneſſes yeeld food in plenty. Secondly, the wildernes may be ſayd to yeeld them food, not becauſe they did p. 512live upon that which grew in the wildernes, or in theſe waſt places, but becauſe in the wildernes they tooke occaſion to ſpoyle and robb thoſe that thorough it travailed to other places. Many get their livings there, where none live, and where nothing is to be had of the growth of the place to live upon. Outrages and robberyes are uſually committed in ſuch places. And therefore in the Propheſie of that great Peace which Chriſt ſhould give to his Church (Pſal. 72.3.) It is ſayd, The mountaines ſhall bring peace to the people, and the little hills by righteouſnes; He names the mountaines and the hills above other places, becauſe in or upon them violence is often exerciſed; and to ſay, the mountaines ſhall bring peace, is much more then to ſay the valleys and the Cities ſhall bring peace: when there is peace and ſafety upon hils and mountaines, we may preſume that there is peace every where. Therefore as when God promiſeth (Iſa. 60.17.) that in the latter dayes he will make the officers among his people peace, and their exactors righteouſneſſe, he meanes that he will make all ſorts of men peacefull and righteous, becauſe he will make them ſuch who are uſually moſt troubleſome and unrighteous officers and exactors: ſo when he ſaith the mountaines ſhall bring peace, the meaning is, every place ſhall, or that the peace ſhall be univerſal in all places, becauſe mountaines and wilderneſſes are the places where robbers and ſpoylers take their prey, and get their ſubſiſtence. And hence it may well be anſwered, why Job ſaith, that the wildernes yeelded them food, even becauſe that place was fitteſt for them ſo rob and ſpoyle in, who made the ſpoyle of others their dayly food. Thus the wildernes yeelds food for them And for their Children.

The word ſignifies any that are young, and is taken as well for ſervants as for Children (1 Sam. 21.5.) The veſſels of the young men are holy, ſayd David to the Prieſt concerning his followers. So (1 Sam. 25.9.) Thus here it comprehends all that are about them, even all their family and retinue. They and all theirs, all that belong to them have their food in the wildernes, that is, there they take opportunity by violence and oppreſſion to maintaine themſelves and theirs.

Here we may conſider, firſt, that Job calls theſe ſpoylers wilde aſſes, nor doth the Scripture ſpeake this in vaine.

p. 513Hence note.

Wicked men are like Beaſts or beaſtiall in their diſpoſitions and actions.

David compares the beſt of that ſort, men in honour, to beaſts (Pſal. 49.20.) Man (ſaith he) that is in honour and underſtandeth not, is like the beaſts that periſh. Davids man that underſtandeth not, is not a man without naturall, but a man without true ſpiritual capacity and underſtanding; A man who feares not God, (for to feare God that is wiſdome) and who departs not from evill, for to depart from evill that is underſtanding (Job 28.28.) Now how great and large an underſtanding ſo ever any great and honourable man hath, yet if he hath not an underſtanding in theſe things, he is like the beaſts that periſh. It is not ſayd he is like this or that beaſt, but he is like the beaſts that periſh. Take any beaſt, or all beaſts, the worſt of beaſts, he is the picture of them all, and he dayly exemplyfyes the vileſt of their qualityes in his owne. The Prophet Michah (Chap. 3.1, 2, 3.) ſaith that of them, which ſpeakes them rather beaſts indeed then like beaſts, Heare I pray you, O heads of Jacob, and ye Princes of the houſe of Iſrael, is it not for you to know Judgement? (as if he had ſayd, who ſhould if not you) who hate the good, and love the evill, who plucke off their skin from off them, & their fleſh from off their bones, who alſo eate the fleſh of my people, and flay off their skin, and break their bones, &c. How could the beaſt be more lively acted then by theſe men? Paul fought with beaſts at Epheſus (1 Cor. 15.32.) which, I grant, may be expounded properly, and poſſibly beſt ſo, It being uſuall in thoſe times of perſecution under Heatheniſh power; to caſt the Chriſtians to the wild beaſts, and for the common ſort to cry out, Away with the Chriſtians to the Lyons; yet it is as true that Paul did fight or contend with beaſts in the ſhape of men. And he ſpeakes particularly concerning bloody Nero, A man in the higheſt honour of that age. (2 Tim. 4.17.) I was delivered out of the mouth of the Lyon. The Baptiſt called the Phariſees a generation of vipers, (Math. 3.7.) And Herod is called by Chriſt, that Fox, (Luk. 13.32.) And 'tis ſayd of all ungodly men at once (Rev. 22.15.) Without are Doggs. Wolves, Lyons, Foxes, Vipers, Serpents; Doggs, the worſt of Creatures for rapine and ſpoyle, doe but expreſſe the inhumanity and cruelty of wicked men. And becauſe p. 514they are compar'd to wild Aſſes in the text, I will give you ſome paralels between them and the wild Aſſe.

Firſt, In their lawleſnes and unſubjection to command: carnal men are lawles.Libertatis ſymbolum eſt Onager. The Apoſtle calls them ſo (1 Tim. 1.9.) Knowing this that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawles and diſobedient; not that they have no law, but they live as if they had none, they who love to diſobey the law are lawles, and embrace libertiniſme in ſtead of liberty. Thus the wicked man is as the wild aſſe, for his licentiouſnes and lawleſnes; for ſo the wild aſſe is deſcribed in the 39^th Chapter of this booke, verſe the 5^th; Who hath ſent out the wild aſſe free? or looſed the bands of the wild aſſe? what's the freedome of the wild aſſe? not like that of men who have the priviledge of freedome in an order, but to be free without order. The wicked would be where they will, and doe what they liſt, this is the freedome of the wild aſſe. Now as God himſelfe there puts the Queſtion, Who hath ſent out the wild aſſe free? who hath manu-mitted him? Surely no man hath done it, but God hath planted it in the nature of the wild aſſe to be free, and to live without bands or bounds. And if we ſhould ask the Queſtion, Who hath ſent out wicked men free? and who hath looſed the bands of the wicked? The anſwer muſt be, Satan hath done it, and their own evill hearts have done it: they have broke the bands, and caſt away all coards from them, they have ſet themſelves free, in ſuch a freedome as it is, which is indeed perfect thraldome to their owne luſts, and the lawes of the Prince of darknes; they are not free by being deliverd from the bondage and condemnation of the law, but by caſting off all obedience and ſubmiſſion to it.

Secondly, Wild aſſes are extreamly violent and Impetuous in their deſires or luſts. Jeremy expoſtulating with the Jewes about their revolting from, and rebellion againſt God, compares them (Chap. 2.24.) to A wild aſſe uſed to the wildernes, that ſnuffeth up the winde at her pleaſure, in her occaſion who can turne her away? all they that ſeeke her, will not weary themſelves, in her monethmonth they ſhall finde her; there's no medling, no dealing with the wild aſſe while luſt is upon her, ſhe will have the deſire of her heart if ſhe can. Thus wicked men are given up to and tranſported with their pleaſures and inordinate affections, in their occaſion, that is, when the heate of their intemperate deſires or luſts, of any kinde, are upon p. 515them, there is no turning of them; onelyonly, in their monethmonth, when ſorrowes and paines are upon them, they may be ſpoken with. We may alſo read both this ſin and the reproofe of that people in a like alluſion (Hoſ. 8.9.)

Thirdly, The wild aſſe is an Embleme of the wicked man, eſpecially as he is an oppreſſor or tyrant in his unſociablenes; for as the aſſe refuſeth ſociety, ſo theſe are unfit for ſociety, and are indeed enemies of mankinde; They are unfit not only for ſpirituall, but alſo for Politicall, or Civill Society. God ſpeaking of the wild Aſſe (in the 39^th Chapter of this booke, v. 6, 7.) ſayth, Whoſe houſe I have made the wildernes, and the barren land his dwellings. Hee ſcorneth the multitude of the Citie, neither regardeth hee the crying of the driver; the range of the mountaines is his paſture, and hee ſearcheth after every green thing. Though the oppreſſor live in the City, yet hee is like the wild aſſe in this, he cares not to maintaine ſociety as hee ought; hee cares for the ſociety of others onelyonly for himſelfe, hee ſcorneth the multitude of the City, he is for the range of the mountaines, where he may take all he can get, he ſearcheth after every greene thing, whatſoever hath pleaſure or profit in it, he purſues it for himſelfe.

This paralel might be drawne out further; wild aſſes (as Naturaliſts have obſerved) are fearefull.Belocitas timiditalis ſubſidium. Thoſe Creatures that are moſt ſwift, are naturally moſt fearfull; and their ſwiftnes is a releefe to their fearfullnes. Thus, wicked men are fearfull. They onelyonly have true Courage who feare God, and where the feare of God is not,Timida eſt omnis Nequitia. every other feare is, or every other thing is feared. They who finde not a friend in their owne conſciences, are ready to ſuſpect every one for an enemy. So that though every wicked man would have all that he can get to himſelfe alone, yet he dares not be alone in getting it. And upon thoſe termes onelyonly he is willing that others ſhould joyne with him in the profit, becauſe he would have them joyne with him in the ſin. (Pro. 1.11.14.) Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, &c. Caſt in thy lot with us, we will all have one purſe. Wicked men are not for ſociety, unleſſe it be in wickednes, and yet theirs is not ſo much a ſociety as a conſpiracy. A wicked man, let his ſin be what it will, is glad when he hath partners in doing it, or that others doe the ſame with him, not onelyonly becauſe he hath a ſuſcipicion of the lawfullnes of what he doth, but alſo becauſe he ſuſpects ſome ſuddaine danger in doing it. And hence p. 516ſome have noted that the woman, who committed the firſt ſinne, did not like to be alone in it, and therefore having eaten her ſelfe ſhee gave the fruit of the tree to her husband to eate alſo; ſhee deſiered an aſſociate both to countenance her in the act, and to helpe beare her out in the conſequents of it. And when they had both ſinned, they ſhewed themſelves like wild Aſſes indeed, running into the thickets at the approach of God, there to hide themſelves both for ſhame and feare. Behold as wild aſſes They goe forth to their worke.

Hence note.

To wrong men, to ſin againſt God, is the worke of wicked men.

That's their buſienes. Therefore in Scripture they are often called workers of Iniquity; Implying that to doe iniquitie is their trade of life, or that which they live by and dayly ſet themſelves about. The worke of God is none of their worke, nor doe they count it ſo, being (as the Apoſtle ſpeakes, Tit. 1.16.) abominable, diſobedient, and unto every good worke reprobate. Good worke is put into the hand of man by the hand of God, but they have their worke from another hand, the luſts of your father yee will doe (ſaith Chriſt to the Phariſees, Joh. 8.44,) that is, ye will doe the devills worke; That's their worke, and they goe forth to it as the honeſt labouring man goeth forth unto his worke and to his labour untill the Evening, (Pſal. 104.23.) ſo the wicked man goeth forth to ſin as to his worke; And that he doth ſo is evident upon a foure-fold account.

Firſt, Becauſe he doth not ſtumble upon it, but intends it; a godly man falls into ſin, but to ſin is not his intendment, a godly man may ſin when he goeth forth, but he doth not goe forth to ſin, he doth not make it his buiſines. That is properly a mans worke, which he propoſeth to himſelfe to doe, and purpoſeth to doe.

Secondly, He goeth forth to it as to his worke, for he delights in it; he is pleaſed with it. It is his meate and drinke, yea his mirth and muſicke to doe evill. That is properly a mans worke, which though it be painefull to him to doe it, yet he is pleaſed in doing it.

Thirdly, Hee goes forth to it as to his worke, for he ſpends p. 517his ſpirits, his ſtrength and time in it; wee doe many things which are not our worke, they are but by-works, or beſide our worke, wee beſtow little of our time and ſtrength in ſuch things: that which a man beſtowes his time and ſtrength upon, that whereat he labours to ſweat and wearines of body, that's his worke; now the time of wicked men runs out, and their ſtrength is conſumed in ſinning, and though they are not weary of committing iniquity, yet they weary themſelves (as the Prophet ſpeakes, Jer. 9.5.) to commit iniquitie, therefore that's their worke.

Fourthly, Wicked men are skillfull to ſin, they ſin with a kinde of art, therefore that's their worke; that which is a mans proper worke, hee hath knowledge about it, and is dextrous at; He doth not bungle, but makes cleane worke (as we ſay) of that which is his worke. A Miniſter ſhould preach the Goſpel like a workman that needs not be aſhamed (as the Apoſtle ſpeakes.) The wicked ſin like workmen, though the more they doe ſo, the more cauſe they have to be aſhamed. The Prophet (Jer. 9.5.) bewayling the extreame ſinfullnes of thoſe times, ſaith, They have taught their tongues to ſpeake lies. As if they had ſtudyed the art and language of lying: while they told or made groſſe lies, they would not make them groſſely, but with a kinde of finenes and neatenes As though what a Godly man doth according to the minde of God, he doth by grace, yet he uſeth a kinde of artificialnes in doing it; and is therefore exhorted to walke circumſpectly or accurately; that is, to act all his duties with exactnes; ſo, though what an ungodly man doth againſt the minde of God, he doth it by nature, or very naturally, yet he uſeth a kind of artificiallnes in doing it, and therefore he is ſayd (Pſal. 50.19, 20.) To give his mouth to evill, and to frame deceit with his tonuge, to ſit (as an artiſt at his worke) and ſpeake againſt his brother, and ſlaunder his owne mothers ſonne. Thus, they goe forth to their worke, Riſing betimes for a prey.

Whence obſerve.

A wicked man is very induſtrious and diligent in doing his worke.

To riſe betimes, and to doe a thing diligently, are the ſame in Scripture; ro riſe betimes is to riſe ſomewhat before the ordinary time of riſing; Now, when a man breaks his ſleepe to goe about p. 518his worke, this ſhews that he is induſtrious at it. As ſome wicked men quickly throw off their ſleepe, that they may doe miſchiefe: So (which argues the ſame principle and ſpirit) Others ſleepe not unleſſe they have done miſchiefe, and their ſleepe is taken away, unleſſe they cauſe ſome to fall. (Prov. 4.16.) Their owne ſleepe is taken away, unleſſe they take away ſomewhat which is not their owne. They will defraud themſelves of reſt, rather then not defraud others of their right. They goe not more unwillingly to priſon after they have done evill, then they goe to bed before they have done it. O how are they ſet upon miſchiefe, whoſe ſleepe departs from them unleſſe they doe it, and who cannot reſt unleſſe they trouble others. The ſervants of God, when they are up in zeale cannot ſleepe unleſſe they doe good; as David ſpeakes (Pſal. 132.4, 5, 6.) Surely I will not come into the Tabernacle of my houſe, nor clime up to my bed; I will give no ſleepe to mine eyes, nor ſlumber to mine eyelids, till I have found a place for God, &c. hee was ſo zealous for God that if he could he would not ſleepe, hee would forbid his owne reſt, though hee had never ſo much minde to it, till he had finiſht that worke for God. So ſayth the wicked man, I will give mine eyes no ſleepe nor ſlumber to mine eyelids till I have done this or that miſcheife, and brought my device to paſſe. When the wicked lye wakeing on their beds, what are they about then? their wakeing thoughts in the night are to doe miſchiefe in the morning. (Michah 2.1, 2.) Woe to them that deviſe Iniquity, and worke evill upon their beds. How doe they worke it upon their beds? they worke it in their thoughts, in their inward ſhop, there they faſhion it, and when the morning is light they practice it, becauſe it is in the power of their hand; they hinder themſelves from ſleepe, that they may forward themſelves in ſin; The night is ſpent in Imagineing, and plotting, and the day in accompliſhing what they have imagined and plotted. Their morning light is ſpent in the workes of darkenes, and the text ſayth, They practice it, becauſe it is in the power of their hand. They never conſider what is Juſt for them to doe, but what they have power to doe, if they have ability they want no will for the vileſt practices.

Againe, as they cannot ſleepe ſometimes for deviſing evill, ſo when they have ſlept, their firſt waking thoughts are about evill; and this alſo is a further proofe of their extreame induſtriouſnes in p. 519doing evill. For as it is with a zealous Godly man, his firſt wakeing thoughts are with God, and Chriſt, or about his owne ſoule, how God may be honoured, & how his ſoule may be ſaved. (Pſal. 139.18.) O how precious are thy thoughts (that is, thoughts of thee) to mee O God, how great is the ſumme of them! when I awake I am ſtill with thee: that is, my thoughts and meditations are with thee as ſoone as ever I awake; here's the diligence of the ſoule after God: ſo the wicked man when he awakes hee is ſtill with ſin; And if hee cannot awake naturally ſoone enough to ſin, hee will force himſelfe to awake: And ſo he may be ſayd to awake to ſin, before he is awake; for as ſome nurſe up and feed their ſleepe when they are a little awakened, like the ſluggard, yet a little ſlumber, yet a little ſleepe; ſo others offers violence to, or breake their ſleepe, that is, as the text ſayth, they riſe betimes, even before the uſuall time of riſing, that they may get a prey. It is no wonder, if they who ſticke not at breaking the lawes of God, breake alſo the lawes of their owne reſt.

Diligence is good about that which is good; it is good to be zealouſly affected alwayes in a good matter, but zeale and diligence miſplaced, how evill are they! it is better to creep in a good way, then to run in a wrong way; Even idlenes is better then ſuch diligence; yet they who miſplace their zeale and diligence, are commonly more in both then they who place them right; and they who are in a falſe way, make more haſt then they who are in a true. The Scripture notes the extream Intenſenes of the builders of Babel upon their worke. And that's the ſtraine of moſt men in ſuch worke as theirs was, the building of a Babel, or in doing that, which will be but a monument of their owne pride and folly, or of their rebellion againſt and contempt of God. (Gen. 11.6.) This they begin to doe, and now nothing will be reſtrained from them which they have Imagined to doe; if they have but a minde to it they will doe it, let it coſt what it will, neyther difficulty nor danger ſhall reſtraine them. See alſo how Induſtrious the ten Tribes were in their Idolatrous worſhip which Jeroboam had ſet up, (1 Kings 12.30.) And this thing became a ſin; for the people went to worſhip before the one even unto Dan; that is, they went a great way to worſhip; for howſoever Jeroboam pretended the eaſe and accommodation of the people in ſetting up thoſe Calves (ver. 28.) It is too much for you to goe up to Jeruſalem; Behold thy p. 520Gods O Iſrael, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt (as if he had ſayd, thy Gods are at hand, or in thine eye, thou needeſt not toyle thy ſelfe in going ſo farre to ſerve them) yet Jeruſalem was neerer unto moſt of the Iſraelites, then eyther Dan or Bethel were. For Bethel one of thoſe places of worſhip was in the utmoſt bounds of the South (Joſh. 18.22.) & Dan the other place of worſhip was in the utmoſt bounds of the North, (Joſh. 19.47) ſo that they were willing to take more paines to follow the Idolatrous inventions of man, then to keepe to the Inſtitutions of God. Jeruſalem was neerer to moſt of the ten Tribes then either Dan or Bethel; & yet thither they would goe. All the way to ſin, whether in ordinary practice or worſhip is downe-hill to Nature, we have both the winde and tyde of the world with us, will we ſet our faces helward; and to be ſure, Satan will never checke their diligence who are doing his worke, nor take them off from their pace, who are going or Galloping his way. We have a cleare evidence of this in the caſe of the worſhippers of thoſe two Calves in Dan and Bethel; and, it is further obſerved by ſome, that the Iſraelites grew ſo zealous in a ſhort time in that abomination, that they who dwelt neer Bethel did even diſdain to worſhip at Bethel, they diſdained to ſerve their God at their owne dores, and therefore they that dwelt at or neere Bethel would goe to Dan and worſhip; and they that dwelt at or neer Dan would goe to Bethel to worſhip. The heart of man is ſo mad upon Idolatry, that he is willing to be at any coſt or paines for it; He ſcornes to ſerve a falſe God at an eaſie rate, nor is he pleaſed (which is the onelyonly thing which pleaſeth ſome who pretend to the true religion) with a cheape religion. You may lay what tax you will upon him, eyther of paynes or purſe, and he is willing, yea even ambitious to pay or performe it. Thus the blinde votaryes among the Papiſts at this day will needes goe a Pilgrimage to remoteſt places, they will travayle to Jeruſalem, and viſit the Sepulchre, &c. theſe long Journeyes they glory in, it is but a ſtep to them; hard penances, not onelyonly faſtings but whippings they glory in. The nature of man will carry him two miles at his owne bidding, rather then one at Gods. How may it ſhame Godly men for their ſloath in doing the will of God, when they heare how induſtrious evill men are in doing their owne? how may it ſhame them, that they ſhould take leſſe paines to keepe a righteous law, then many doe to ſatisfie a filthy luſt? p. 521Who like wild Aſſes goe forth to their worke, riſing betimes for a prey. And whereas it followes.

The wildernes yeeldeth food for them and for their Children.

Note.

Wicked men will have it, if it be to be had above ground.

They that live by rapine, will live any where; every mans eſtate is theirs, if they can but get it. They finde a harveſt in the wildernes, and riches in the deſert.

Againe, Note.

Wicked men lay up for theirs, as well as for themſelves by the ſpoyle of others.

The light of nature teacheth parents to lay up for their children, and they who get an eſtate by wronging others, yet thinke they are bound to provide for more then themſelves (Nahum 11.12.) Where is the dwelling of the Lyons, and the feeding place of the young Lyons? where the Lyon even the old Lyon walked, and the Lyons whelpe, and none made him afraid. The Lyon did teare in peices enough for his whelps, and ſtrugled for his Lyoneſſes. What did the Lyon? the Lyon did teare in peices! and how much did he teare in peices? not onelyonly enough to fill his owne belly, but to feed his whelps, and his Lyoneſſes; Hee filled his holes with prey, and his dens with ravine. Thus the Prophet deſcribeth wicked men, providing not onelyonly for themſelves, but for theirs, their young Lyons and Lyoneſſes; The wildernes yeeldeth food for them and for their Children.

Further, Some note the Conſent of the whole family in wickedneſſe, from theſe words; The wildernes yeeldeth food for them and for their Children; that is, they all agree together, Maſter and Servants and Children, all agree together to doe miſcheife, to ſpoyle and oppreſſe all they can. Where Parents and Maſters are evill, Children and ſervants are ſeldome good. It is rare to ſee hearts united about that which is good, but they are often and eaſily united in that which is evill. Thus the Lord ſpeakes to Jeremie (Chap. 7.18.) Seeſt thou not what they doe in the Cities of Judah, and in the ſtreets of Jeruſalem; The Children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the woemen knead their dough to make Cakes to the Queen of heaven, &c. All were at worke, p. 522buſie, very buſie they were about an Idolatrous ſervice, the Children, the fathers, and the woemen act their ſeverall parts. So here, eyther they rob'd for their children, or their children were robbers as well as themſelves. The wildernes yeeldeth food for them and their Children. Job proceeds in his narrative of their ſin.

Verſ. 6. They reap every one his Corne in the field, and they gather the vintage of the wicked.

In the former verſe Job ſpake of the oppreſſion of perſons, in this, he ſpeakes of the ſpoyling of lands and fields; They, that is, the wicked, reap, every one his Corne, that is, by their ſervants whom they ſet aworke (They reap every one his Corne) in the field.

But you will ſay, what hurt is there in that?

The meaning is, they reap the Corne which doth not belong to them.Agrum non ſuum ante tempus demeſſiverunt. Sept: Agrum non ſuum demetunt. The Septuagint give that ſence of the text expreſſely: They mowe, or reap the ground or feild which is not theirs. And ſo M^r Broughton, They reap the field that is not their owne; Or if we keepe to our reading, They reape every one his Corne in the field; the ſence is, whereſoever they finde a field of Corne for their purpoſe, they pretend ſome title or other to it, they muſt have it as if it were their owne. This is their ſin, and the affliction of thoſe who are their neighbours.

Note from it.

That it is a great ſin to reap the Corne which we have not ſowne, and a great affliction when the Corne which we have ſowne is reapt by others.

Job imprecates this puniſhment upon himſelfe, in caſe he had done, or were guilty, as his friends had charged him, then let mee ſow, and let another eate, (Chap. 31.8.) And this is threatened (Iſa. 1.7.) Your land ſtrangers devoure in your preſence; that is, they devoure the fruits of it, the Corne which ye have ſowed, and and the Cattle which ye have bred. (Micha 6.15.) Thou ſhalt ſowe, but not reap; thou ſhalt tread the Olives, but not anoynt thy ſelfe with the oyle, and ſweet wine, but ſhalt not drinke wine: others ſhall come and take it from thee. That Idle ſervant charged his Maſter (Math. 25.24.) Thou reapeſt where thou haſt not ſowne. p. 523It is the miſery of ſome, that what they have ſowne is reapt by others, and 'tis a wickednes to reap where we have not ſowne.

And they gather the vintage of the wicked.

That is, the grapes that grow in their vineyards. M^r Broughton renders, The wicked ſnap off the vineyard grapes; they were in the Corne-fields before, now they are got into the vineyards.

But how is it ſayd, They gather the vintage of the wicked? it ſeemes ſtrange that they being wicked ſhould gather the vintage of the wicked? Some take it plainly thus; they oppreſſe thoſe that are as bad as themſelves. And ſo we may take this note from it.

One wicked man will oppreſſe another.

Wicked men ſpare neyther good nor bad,Lupus lupum non edit. neyther friend nor foe; They ſpoyle thoſe that are as bad as themſelves; wee ſay a Wolfe doth not prey upon a Wolfe, nor a Lyon upon a Lyon, but it is otherwiſe with brutiſh men, they prey upon and devoure one another.

Secondly, They gather the vintage of the wicked; that is, of thoſe whom they Count to be wicked, and ſo fit to have their goods taken from them; they accuſe them of wickednes, and put their names in their blacke booke, as if they were diſhoneſt; that's a truth alſo.

Wicked men often oppreſſe the Innocent under a pretence that they are wicked.

Wee have a great Inſtance of this about the taking of a vineyard (1 Kings 21.13.15.) Naboth was Innocent and honeſt;Inter omnia ſimillimum videtur; vineā impij, ejus ſcilicet quem illi habent pro impio, & ideo opprimendum ſibi Ju…icant. Merc: V…neam ejus quem oppreſſerunt. Vulg: but Jezabel hired two men, to make Oath that he had blaſphemed God and the King, and he was preſently caſt out and ſtoned: his was the vineyard of the wicked, becauſe the wicked had a minde to it. Thus, under a pretence of ſome evill done, they really do evill: And having brought a falſe accuſation againſt a man, they proceed to condemn his perſon and confiſcate his eſtate, as if all were true.

There is yet another reading, (which wee put in the margin of our Bibles) ſo plaine in the letter, that it needs none of theſe Interpretations to make it out; The wicked gather the vintage; As they tooke away the Corne, ſo the wine alſo. Wee need not wonder, p. 524that they were ſo injuriouſly buiſie to take that which was not their owne, for they were wicked, and they that are ſo, make no bones of doing wickedly; a wicked man is ready for any ſinne, the vile perſon will ſpeake villany, and act villanouſly too.

Verſ. 7. They Cauſe the naked to lodge without Cloathing, that they have no Covering in the Cold.

Their progreſs in wickednes is further deſcribed by their incompaſſionatenes and Cruelty; when wee ſee any naked wee ſhould Cloath them; but they cauſed the naked to lodge without Cloathing. And they might be ſayd to doe this two wayes. Firſt, by not giving them Cloathing; ſecondly, by taking away their Cloathing; for by naked, wee may underſtand not onelyonly thoſe that are quite naked, but (as was ſhewed, Chap. 22.6.) thoſe alſo that have but little Cloathing; they tooke away even that little from them, and ſo Cauſed the naked to lodge without Cloathing. Wee ſee by what ſteps of wickednes they proceeded, they not onelyonly ſpoyled them of their Corne and Wine, but pulled their very Cloaths from off their backs; 'tis bad enough not to cloath the naked, but to take away their cloathing, and make them naked, that's worſe. And (which they alſo did) to let them lodge without cloathing is worſt of all. To lodge without cloathing, notes their continuance in that diſtreſſed ſtate. The Prophet rebuking the Jewes for their vaine thoughts, puts them this queſtion; How long ſhall vaine thoughts lodge within thee? Why doe ye (as it were) make ready a roome, and a bed for them? So while the naked lodge without cloathing, they continue in nakednes. It is a great injury to take away a mans day-cloaths from his back, but to take away his night-cloaths from his bed, is yet more afflictive and injuririous. If a man have not cloathing for his body by day, yet if he have cloathing for his bed he may helpe himſelfe, but to cauſe the naked to lodge without cloathing, what Cruelty is this? And therefore the Law of God provided againſt it (Deut. 24.12, 13.) Thou ſhalt not ſleepe with his pledge: In any Caſe thou ſhalt deliver him the pledge againe, when the Sunne goeth downe, that he may ſleepe in his owne rayment (that is, in his night-cloaths, or bed-cloaths) and bleſſe thee, and it ſhall be righteouſneſſe to thee before the Lord thy God; That is, God will looke upon this as a righteous act. The Lord p. 525was very tender in this poynt, he would not have the poore lodge without cloathing; but ſome wicked men care not what the poore ſuffer, they neyther regard whether they have any lodging, nor whether they have any cloaths to lodge in. They cauſe the naked to lodge without Cloathing; ſo That (as it followeth in the text) They have no Covering in the Cold.

The word ſignifies to Cover as with a vaile or with a garment. It is applyed to the pardon of our ſins, (Pſal. 32.1.) Bleſſed is the man whoſe ſin is Covered. Their condition is moſt ſad, who have no covering for their ſoules, yet theirs alſo is very ſad who have no covering for their bodyes in the Cold. To have no covering in the Cold winter nights, is not onelyonly uncomfortable, but dangerous. Death is a great cold, and it endangers life to have no covering in the cold, or in the froſt, which is the extreamity of cold. The word is uſed to ſignifie froſt, (Gen. 31.40.foreign Gelu.) Jacob tels Laban; Thus I was, in the day the drought conſumed mee, and the froſt by night.

The Septuagint tranſlate thus;foreign. Sept: They take away the Covering of their ſoule; what's that, you will ſay? in a ſpirituall ſence, Chriſt is the onelyonly covering of the ſoule, But no tyrant can take away this. Therefore by the covering of the ſoule here, wee are to underſtand that which is to a man as his life, take away that and you take away his life. The ſoule is often put for the body, and then the Covering here meant is the Covering of the body, or that covering that is neereſt the ſoule, or neereſt life, ſo that, there is a great elegancy and emphaſis in it to ſay, They take away the Covering of their very ſoule; That is, they endanger their lives by it. Some tranſlate to that ſence, They take away the covering which is next their very skin, they would not leave them ſo much as a ſhirt, that's the Covering (in this ſence) of the ſoule. And when wee ſpeake of the utmoſt rigour and cruelty of man towards man, wee ſay (proverbially) He hath not left him ſo much as a ſhirt to his backe. Yet the Prophet expreſſeth the rigorous cruelty of man to man, by taking away that which may much more be called the covering of their ſoule (Mich: 3.3.) They eate the fleſh of my people, and flay their skin from off them. Skin and fleſh are indeed the Covering of the ſoule. To ſtrip the poore to their skin, is to take away the Covering of their ſoule; How much more to ſtrip p. 526off the skin from their fleſh, and the fleſh from off their bones. But, to the words of the text; They have no Covering in the cold.

This hath in it a double Inhumanity; Firſt, to expoſe them to extreame paine, and then to extreame ſhame. Not to have a covering is to be expoſed to ſhame, not to have a covering in the cold is to be expoſed to paine. But what becomes of the poore when they are naked, and have no covering in the cold, The next verſe informes us about that.

Verſ. 8. They are wet with the ſhowers of the mountaines, and embrace the rock for want of a ſhelter.

Here's the ſhift theſe poore hearts are put to, they are wet with the ſhowers of the mountaines; that word which we render wet, is onelyonly found in this place in the old Teſtament; it notes not onelyonly to be daſht with raine, but to be ſoakt thorough with it. We uſe to ſay of thoſe who are very wet, that they are wet to the skin, but theſe being naked had nothing to wet but their skin, and their skin was (if it might be) ſoaked through with the wet, or they were thorough-wet with the ſhowers of the mountaines, that is, with thoſe ſhowers which they meet with upon the mountaines; ſhowers gather about high mountaines, there the Clouds engender raine, and there the ſhowers are bred. Travellers obſerve by the eye, how Clouds gather about the tops of mountaines,Eſt autem qualecun que nuditatis remedium ſi ille qui veſtimentorum operimentum non habet, ſaltem operimento demus non careci. Aquin: and that the raine broods there. This is a further addition to the Cruelty of oppreſſors, and the miſery of the oppreſſed; they tooke away their Cloaths, and turned them out of their houſes naked into the open ayre, and left them to contend with cold and hunger, with all varieties of weather and danger among the mountaines. It is ſome helpe to a man, if he have no Cloaths to cover him, yet to have a houſe to cover him; but to have neyther body-cloaths, nor bed-cloaths, nor houſe, nor harbour, how ſad is this! And being thus helpleſſe, the next words ſhew us what a poore ſhift they made.

They embrace the rock for want of a ſhelter.

When he ſayth, They embrace the rock, his meaning is, they p. 527make much of it, they are glad of it, for ſo we are of thoſe things which we embrace; in ſtead of ſoft warme beds, they were glad of cold hard ſtones to ſecure and ſhelter them from the raine. Againe, They embrace the rock; that is, they goe into the holes and clefts of the rock, they had houſes (poſſibly) Pallaces before, but now they are forced to dwell in the holes of the rock.

In as much as Job ſayth, they did not onelyonly goe to the rock for ſhelter, and make a ſhift with it, but embrace and hugg it, as being joyfull they had it.

Note.

Great afflictions make ſmall comforts very welcome to us.

He that is turned out naked and hath no Cloaths to Cover him, would be glad to have a thatcht houſe, or the meaneſt Cottage to hide himſelfe in; hee that hath no houſe is glad if hee can have but the hole of a rock. (Lam. 4.5.) They who were brought up in ſcarlet embrace dunghills; hee doth not ſay, they are throwne upon dunghills, but they embrace them, they that were bred up in ſcarlet, are now glad of a dunghill to ſcape in, there to finde a mouldy cruſt to eate, there to pick up an old dirty ragge to cover their nakednes with, or old ſhoes to put upon their feete. So it was in the great famine and deſolation of Jeruſalem. And ſo it was during the late warres in Germany, and the later, in Ireland. Some have fought and contended for a peece of Carrion, for a peece of a dead Horſe, nay for a peece of a dead man; that which ſtunck above ground, they contended for, and having wonne it, they embraced it and made dainty of it, as of the moſt pleaſant meate. Wee that are in our fullnes, and plenty, wee that have abundance, ſlight and make light of many good things; but we may ſoone be ſo ſtraitned and put to it, that we would be glad to embrace a rock, or a dunghill, that we would be glad of the crums that fall from our tables, and of the worſt ſcraps we leave upon our trenchers. Thus the old Saints are deſcribed (Heb. 11.36.) glad they were of Caves and Dens, they wandred in deſerts, and in mountaines, and in dens, and Caves of the earth, being deſtitute, afflicted, and tormented; they were glad to live among the wild beaſts, when they could not live quietly among men. When the winde and the Sunne beat upon the head of Jonah, the text ſaith, Jonah was glad of his gourd, a thing of little value, very meane, and fadeing in it p. 528ſelfe; yet when the Sunne ſhined hot, and the winde beat ſtrongly upon him, then hee was glad of a gourd. In times of plenty and peace, wre are ſcarſe thankfull for goodly houſes, for full tables, and rich Cloaths; But a little and that courſe food will cauſe the hungry to be thankfull. The naked will catch at old raggs, and they who have no houſe will embrace a rocke. There is a rocke, a myſticall rocke, whom the Saints embrace for a ſhelter, and rejoyce in above all the goodly houſes in the world, yea above this whole world. Chriſt is a rocke to be embraced in our beſt dayes as our beſt ſhelter, and in our bad dayes he is our onelyonly ſhelter. And while we are conſtrained by outward wants to embrace natural rocks for the ſhelter of our bodyes, let us remember, how our inward and ſpirituall wants, doe alwayes conſtraine us to embrace that myſtical rocke, for the ſhelter of our ſoules.

Laſtly, Obſerve.

The Cruelty of man to man knowes no bounds.

Wee have ſeene in this context ſeveral ſteps of cruelty, men ravening for their prey like wild beaſts, men invading the harveſt and the vintage of their neighbours, men robbing both the fatherles and the widdow, men pulling cloaths from the backes of the poore, and expoſing them naked to the cold, and to the raine, to the mercy of rocks and mountaines. Thus, man who ſhould be a God to man, kinde, mercifull, charitable, bountifull, courteous, proves himſelfe a Devill to man, churliſh, cruel, merciles, yea ſuch that even his tender mercies are cruell. How cruel are their cruelties, whoſe mercies, whoſe tender mercies are cruel!