Exposition of Job 22-26, Commentary · Chapter 24
JOB, CHAP. 24. Verſ. 18.
He is ſwift as the waters, his portion is Curſed in the earth: he beholdeth not the way of the Vineyards.
THere are foure Apprehenſions concerning the general ſcope of theſe words.
Firſt, Job is conceived here deſcribing a fourth ſort of wicked men, or the ſame men acting a fourth ſort of wickednes; for having (as hath been ſhewed from the former words) firſt drawne out the doings of the murtherer, and ſecondly, of the Adulterer, and thirdly, of the theife at land digging through houſes, he in the fourth place (as ſome Interpret the text) proceeds to diſcover the Pyrate, who is a theife upon the water, a Sea-theife; He is ſwift as the waters, or, he is ſwift upon the waters: The letter of the Hebrew, is, He is ſwift upon the faces of the waters, he moves in, and upon all waters. It is uſuall in Scripture to call the outward part of any thing, the face of it, as the face of the heavens, is that part of the heavens which doth outwardly appeare to us, or is next to our eye. O ye hypocrites (ſayth Chriſt, Math. 16.3.) ye can diſcerne the face of the skie. So the face of the earth is the ſuperficies, or upper part of the earth, and the face of the waters, is the upper part of the waters. The word in the text is plural, faces, he is ſwift upon the faces of the water; that is, when he hath murtherd, committed Adultery, and robbed at land, when the Earth is weary of him, then he betakes himſelfe to the Sea, and turnes Pyrate. There is a truth in this,Velocitêr man… ſe ad mare recipiunt. Vatab: Levis eſt ad n…tandum ſive remigandū ſuper faciens aquae. Targ: ſome men make ſuch a progreſſe in wickedneſſe; they try all trades of ſin upon the earth, and then trade ſinfully upon the water, defileing both earth and water, both ſea and ſhoare, polluting all the Elements with their abominations. And in purſuance of this expoſition the two other Clauſes of the verſe are thus expounded, Their portion is Curſed in the earth, that is, they who live at land Curſe them when they are gone to Sea, fearing leſt they ſhould take their ſhips, & ſpoyl them of their goods by pyracy. And then, he beholdeth not the way of the vineyards, that is, he will come no more on ſhoare, he will not live at land: vineyards by a ſynecdoche of the part for the whole being put for any kinde of home or land poſſeſſion, of which vineyards (in many places) are the chiefe; he who lived by dreſſing and planting the earth, now takes another courſe of life, hee beholdeth not the way of the vineyards; he will labour no more in a Country life, he will not get his liveing by the ſweat of his face, but by the face of the waters. What cares he to get wine by dreſſing of vineyards, when he can get whole Shiploads of wine upon the waters. And having got a ſmatch of the ſweetnes of robbing at Sea, he will worke no more aland. We have too much experience of it, that when a man hath once given himſelfe up to ſtealing, he cannot abide labouring. He is better pleaſed with an eaſie life that is ſinfull, then with an honeſt life that is painefull; and becauſe eaſe pleaſeth him more then honeſty, therefore he will not behold the way of the vineyards, nor the way of the Corne feilds, nor of the paſture grounds,Ad piratas referre divinare eſt ex proprio cerebro, cum hic tantum de infeſ…toribus ag…orum mentio fiat, non navium aut maris. Pined: for all theſe are wayes of labour. But I ſhall not Inſiſt upon this Interpretation, it may ſuffice onelyonly to name it. And though, as to the thing it ſelfe, as alſo to the practice of many, this be a truth, yet it is ſcarſely probable, that Job had that practice in his eye.
Secondly, Wee may here conceave, that Job is deſcribing the miſerable and unſetled Condition of the murtherer, of the Adulterer, and of the Theife; hee is ſwift upon the waters, or, ſwift as the waters (ſay wee) Mr Broughton renders, He is lighter then the face of the waters. The Hebrew particle ſerves eyther reading, as, or upon; He is ſwift, or light upon the face of the waters, that is, he is as a light thing that ſwimmeth upon the face of the waters; light things ſwim there, things which are of no worth, of no price, as ſtrawes, or chips, or feathers, or the foame (which is light and hoven) ſwim upon the face of the water. Mr Broughton tranſlates thus; He is lighter then the face of the waters. The ſence is the ſame, for as thoſe things which ſwim upon the face of the waters are light, ſo alſo is the face of the waters. Every blaſt or puffe of winde moves and toſſeth up the face of the waters.
Levitas pro velocitate ſumitur, leve enim facile movetur & quod facile movetur velox eſt.He is ſwift, or, light upon the face of the waters.
The Hebrew word which we render, ſwift, in our tranſlation ſignifieth alſo light; becauſe thoſe things that are ſwift in motion, are light; wee ſay of one that is ſlow paced, hee is heavie heel'd, and that he is a heavy man or that a heavy beaſt which is ſlow of foot; all ſwift things are light. The meaning of this Interpretation is, that a wicked man is a Contemptible Creature; what is hee when he hath done all thoſe miſchiefes before ſpecifyed and walked to wearynes in all thoſe ſinfull wayes?Proverbialis loquutio ad exprimendum aliquid quod flocci penditur & fere nihil eſt. Bold. Leves erunt ut res quae ſuper aquas natant, fluctuabunt abibant, diffluent. The beſt account which we can give of him is this; Hee is light, or as a light thing, upon the face of the water; which is a Proverbiall ſpeech to Expreſſe that which is nothing worth. Thus the deſtruction of the King of Samaria is expreſſed (Hoſ: 10.7.) As for Samaria, her King is cut off as the foame upon the water, or (as the Margin hath it) upon the face of the water, that is, though he be a great King, yet he ſhall periſh as a very light, and contemptible thing, even as a little foame and froth, or as a buble upon the water.
Hence obſerve.
Wickednes makes men Contemptible and vile, they are but as light things upon the water.
In the 21th of this booke (v. 18.) the wicked are ſayd to be as ſtubble before the fire, and as Chaff before the whirle-winde. So (David, Pſal. 1.4.) ſpeaking of the wicked in general, ſaith, They are like the chaffe which the wind driveth away. Stubble and chaffe are light things, and they are alſo worthles things; what's the ſtubble worth, or what the chaffe? What is the chaffe to the wheat? ſuch are wicked men in compariſon of the Godly. The Scripture doth even ſtrive for Expreſſions (as I may ſay) to ſet forth the lightnes, the vanity, Indeed, the nullity, the non-entity, the nothingnes of men given up to their luſts. David (Pſal. 62.9.) ſpeaking of them who truſt in oppreſſion, and become vaine in robberie, ſaith, they are vanity and a lye, and that to be layd in the ballance, they are alltogether lighter then vanity. And Solomon putting the tongue of a Godly man, and the heart of a wicked man together into the ballance, gives this determination between them (Pro. 10.20.) The tongue of the juſt is as choyce ſilver, but the heart of the wicked is little worth. The heart is there taken in the higheſt ſence, for the beſt thing that the wicked man hath; for though where the heart is nought, it is the worſt thing that a man hath, yet the ſence of the proverbe is to ſhew that the beſt thing that a wicked man hath is of little worth, and therefore the inſtance is made in that which he accounts his chiefeſt treaſure, his heart; for by the heart, all that man hath within him, all the powers and faculties of the ſoule, with their beſt and richeſt furniture are underſtood; all theſe ſaith Solomon in a wicked man are little worth; ſo that take him at his beſt, and in his beſt, he is but traſh, or as a trifle. Sin is a reproach both to perſons and nations, as honour is a mans weight in the eſteeme of others, ſo reproach abates his weight, & makes him light upon the balance. Since thou waſt precious in mine eyes, thou waſt honourable, ſaith God (Iſa. 43.4.) holynes adds honour and weight to our perſons; ſin makes us light, and then we are lighteſt, when we make light of ſin; ſin is a weight that preſſeth us downe, yet they who ſin moſt, weigh leaſt in the eſteeme of God and of all good men. Sin will quickly ſinke the ſoule like lead under water, even to the bottome of the water, yet the ſinner is as a light thing that ſwims upon the top or face of the water. This is a profitable ſence of the words.
Thirdly, Others expound theſe words, as a deſcription of the wicked mans ſhifting and running from place to place for feare of purſuers; or that being conſcious to himſelfe; or ſelfe-condemned in his owne conſcience, he is as the Lord threatned Cain (Gen. 4.14.) a fugitive and a vagabond upon the earth: ſwift as the waters of a ſtreame, which glide along and never ſtay in one place; or he is upon the earth as a light thing upon the waters, continually moved and toſſed up and downe. But I paſſe from this. And conclude
Fourthly, That wee may rather underſtand theſe words as a deſcription of the ſpirit and temper of a wicked man in reference to his ſinfull actings, or the fulfilling of his luſts; Hee is ſwift or light as the water, or, as the light things upon the water, that is, hee is a man very unſetled, he is hurryed to and fro, there is no ſtability eyther in his wayes, or in his ſpirit; He abides not in one place, nor doth he abide in one minde. He is full of Inconſtancy, he is conſtant in nothing but in his unconſtancy: and it muſt needs be ſo if we Conſider,
Firſt, his luſts within. How can he but be ſwift as the water, who hath ſuch windes blowing and ſtriving in him. A carnal man is hurryed with ſtormes and tempeſts riſing in his owne minde: as the winde toſſeth and rolleth the waters of the Sea or light things upon the water, ſo the luſts of evill men toſs and tumble them up and downe. Pride toſſeth ſome, and Covetouſneſſe toſſeth others, luxury and wantonnes toſſe thouſands into a thouſand vanities, and ſinful wayes, as the windes toſſe the waves of the Sea; Luſts are ſtrong and boyſterous, luſts are many and numerous, he that ſerveth any one of them is a ſlave to them all, and muſt goe upon their errand whetherſoever they will ſend or rather hurry him.
Secondly, Carnal men muſt needs be ſwift as the water, or light upon the water, very unconſtant and unſetled if we Conſider the temptations that blow upon them from without. For though our owne luſts are temptations, and every man (as the Apoſtle James ſaith, Chapter 1.14.) is tempted when he is drawne away of his owne luſt, and enticed, yet our luſts alſo are tempted, or our luſts are drawne away and enticed by temptation. Man is apt enough to ſin of himſelfe alone, if once God leave him, but he is ſeldome left to himſelfe alone to ſin by the Devill; and moſt uſually he is tempted with a kinde of violence unto ſinne; his luſts (which are a fire) are blowne and kindled by Satans breath, and he is driven to doe evill by vehement blaſts of temptation. Temptations blow upon Saints, they blow ſtrongly upon them; Satan breathes out a mighty wind to make them ſwift as the water unto ſin; but they have received a power to reſiſt and ſtand faſt. They are founded upon the rocke Jeſus Chriſt; Though the winde moves the water, yet it cannot move the rock: they that are founded upon Chriſt, are (in their proporion) firme as Chriſt himſelfe is firme. 'Tis true, Saints are many times grievouſly ſhaken with temptations; but the wicked are toſſed and overwhelmed by them. They are ſwift as the water, or as the lighteſt thing upon the face of the waters, when ſtrongly moved by temptation. Dying Jacob called Reuben, his firſt-borne, unſtable as water (Gen. 49.4.) though wee will not number him among the wicked, yet hee did a very wicked act, and in reference to that, though he was a great man, and a Patriarke, the head of the Tribe, yet (in reference to that act) he received this Character, unſtable as water. And if he was ſo unſtable when hurryed by paſſion and temptation, how much more are meer wicked men ſo, when they meet with ſuch temptatiōs. For as they are not fixed in any thing that is good, as was touched at the 13•h verſe, They know not the wayes of light, nor doe they abide in the pathes of it (if at any time they ſtumble upon the doing of that which is right, yet they abide not in the doing of it; they are light as the water, unſtable and unſetled in all good wayes) So though they are fixed (as to the ſubject) in doing that which is evill, yet they are extreamly toſſed and ſwiftly moved, both to and in and after the doing of it.
Againe, As this ſimilitude implyes The eaſines of evill men to be moved by temptation unto ſinne, even as eaſily as water, or the lighteſt things upon the face of the water are moved by the winde. So it implyeth alſo their ſpeedyneſs and activity in ſinning. The water moves ſwiftly, ſinners are like ſwift ſhips upon the water, they make ſpeed to doe evill, or to trade upon any forbidden coaſt, but they are very ſluggs to any thing that is good, or to trade upon any coaſt where they are bidden. A learned Interpreter inſiſts much upon the emphaſis of this Expreſſion, to ſhew not onelyonly the ſwiftnes, but the feircenes of a wicked mans ſpirit in ſinning, hee is ſwift upon the face of thoſe waters, and is carryed on with full ſayles in ſinning; hee runs ſo ſwiftly and treads ſo lightly, that he might run even upon the ſurface of the water and not ſinke. Thoſe creatures which are very ſwift, leave little Impreſſion behinde them; they that goe ſlowly, tread heavy, and unleſſe they be upon firme land, fall in. It is ſayd in the 8th of Daniel (v. 5th) Concerning the hee-goate (who repreſented Alexander the Great) That he touched not the ground. Alexander was extreame ſwift in his Conqueſts, hee Conquered the world in as little time as another could have traveld over it. His motto was, Without delay; or, I doe all by making no delay; He was ſwift upon the face of the earth.De facilitate peccandi at que velocitate ad caſtandū, quamcū que ſceleris occaſionem intelligi poſſe videtur. Tam leviter in terra figunt pedem, ut etiam ſuper aquas incedere paſſe videantur. Sanct: Thus wicked men are light upon the face of the water, that is, they are ſwift and fierce for the attayning of their ſinfull ends, they run as nimbly at it, as if they could run upon the top of a corne feild, and never preſſe a ſtraw, or as if they could run upon the water, and never wet their feete. By which hyperbolies the ancient Poets uſed to expreſſe the greateſt celerity of motion. Wee have a proverbiall ſaying among us, which reacheth this ſwiftnes of a wicked man in ſin; He (ſay we) muſt needes run whom the Devill drives. There is no doubt but evill men are Divel-driven, yea Divel-ridden, he rides them with whip and ſpurre to the doing of his blacke worke, and therefore no wonder, if they are ſo ſwift and make ſuch haſt about it. That they make haſt to doe it is too viſible, and that they make more haſt then good ſpeed is as viſible. For while they make haſt to ſin, they make haſt alſo to the curſe. As it follows in the next words.
Their portion is curſed in the earth.
Job ſpake in the ſingular number before, but here in the plural, He is ſwift &c. Their portion &c. His meaning (I conceave) may be this; That, looke how many ſoever they be of them that are thus ſwift to ſin, there's not one of them ſhall be able to outrun the curſe. They are ſwift as the water to doe evill, but the curſe will be as ſwift as the winde to make them miſerable.
Their portion is curſed.
The word ſignifieth any thing which falls to a man of right,foreign pars porti…, poſſeſſio. or is beſtowed upon him for his lot or ſhare.
Firſt, that part or portion, which comes by way of Inheritance, is ſo expreſſed (Gen. 31.14. Deut. 12.12.) The Inheritance that a father gives his ſon is his portion.
Secondly, It ſignifies that part, ſhare, or lot of food, which is given out to any man for his dayly proviſion. (Deut. 18.8.)
Thirdly, It notes that which is given to the poore by way of almes (Eccl: 11.2.) Give a portion to ſeven, and alſo to eight; (that is, give to many) for thou knoweſt not what evill ſhall be upon the earth. It is uſed alſo for a ſhare, or diſtribution of the ſpoyle to each Souldier after a victory (Gen. 14.24.) Aner, Eſhcol, and Mamre, let them take their portion, ſayd Abram to the King of Sodome, after he had reſcued his Brother Lot and the captivated Kings. In this place the word is taken in the largeſt ſence, as comprehending whatſoever they could call theirs, or was any way belonging to them; So that when Job ſayth, their portion is Curſed, his meaning is, all that they have is curſed. As they have ſinned in all they did, ſo they are curſed in all they have. The Grace of God in the Goſpel is compared to leven (Math. 13.33.) which a woman tooke and hid in three pecks of meale, till the whole was levened. As the Grace of God both in regenerating and comforting runs through the whole man,Pulchra eſt in Hebraeo paranomaſia vocū conjugatorum nam levis & maledictus ab eadem radice foreign oriuntur. Levificatio eſt maledictio. Pineds: ſo the curſe of God like leven ſowres the whole lumpe of man, it runs through all that a man is or hath.
Their portion is curſed.
There is an Elegant paranomaſia in the Hebrew between theſe two words in the text, ſwift or light, and Curſed; They being both repreſented by one radicall word, and the reaſon of it is, becauſe thoſe things that are light, or contemptible, are Curſed, or in a Curſed Condition. They that honour me (ſaith the Lord, 1 Sam. 2.30.) I will honour, but they that deſpiſe me ſhall be lightly eſteemed, or, they ſhall be curſed. There the ſame word is uſed in the Original, which in the preſent text, we tranſlate curſed. To curſe a man is to ſlight him to the utmoſt, and we never eſteeme ſo lightly or baſely of any thing or perſon, as when we curſe eyther the one or the other.
Their portion is Curſed in the earth.
Maledicere eſt leviter de aliquo ſentire levibus acerbiſ que ſcommatibus aliquum proſcindere.But by whom are they curſed? or who curſeth them? I may anſwer, They are curſed both by God and man. As if Job had ſayd, their doeings have been ſuch upon the earth, that, firſt, all men curſe them, and ſecondly, God curſeth them. Some are curſed by men, and yet God bleſſeth them, others are bleſſed or highly eſteemed by men, yet God curſeth them. But theſe men are ſuch who as they pleaſe not God, ſo they are contrary to all men (as the Apoſtle ſpake of ſome, 1 Theſ. 2.15.) and therefore God and man joyne in their curſe. Their portion is curſed In the earth.
That is, in all their earthly concernments, or they are curſed even here while they are upon the earth, where they thinke themſelves, and where, poſſibly, ſome others thinke them alſo, moſt bleſſed. For though they have gotten much in the earth, or of earthly things, yet all they have gotten is curſed, and therefore all that they have is curſed, for they have got nothing beyond the earth.
Againe, Theſe words may be read by way of Imprecation (wee read them by way of aſſertion) let their portion be curſed in the earth; Like that (Pſal. 109.8, 9, 10, 11.) Let his dayes be few, and let another take his office, let his children be fatherleſſe, &c. Appareant plantae eorum ſuper terrā aridae. i. e. cum conſeverint agros ſuos non gerimnet terra.Some of the Ancients make the Paraphraſe thus; Let the roots of what they ſow or plant appeare bare in the earth; when the root of a tree, or the roots of corne appeare above ground, both tree and corne muſt needs wither, for want of moiſture. For as the earth feeds the root, ſo the roote feeds the ſtocke, and the ſtocke the branches. That is a curſed tree which beares no fruit according to its kinde, and that tree whoſe roote is not ſuckled by the earth can beare no fruit. Every wicked man is eyther curſed in not bringing forth fruit, or elſe the fruit which he brings forth is curſed. And therefore Their portion is (every way) curſed in the earth.
There is yet another Interpretation of theſe words, which I ſhall but briefely touch and paſſe on. Their portion is Curſed in the Earth, that is, the Region, or place where they dwell is Curſed; They dwell in deſolate places, or they skulke up and downe in deſerts and wilderneſſes, having done ſo much miſchiefe among men that they dare not ſhew their faces where they are knowne. Now, deſerts and deſolate places may juſtly be called Curſed places, becauſe of their barrennes, for barrennes is the Curſe which God laid upon the earth for the ſin of man (Gen. 4.17.) As a fruitfull Land may be called a bleſſed Land, becauſe the bleſſing of God maketh a Land fruitfull (Iſaac ſaid to his Son Jacob (Gen. 27.27.) The ſmell of my Son is as the ſmell of a field which the Lord hath bleſſed; that is, as the ſmel of a fruitfull feild) So it may be ſayd that the earth or land where a man lives,Deſcribit quomodo ſeſe gerereſoleant: ut ſuae maleficia cōmodius tegant eligunt ſibi ſed…s in vaſtis locis; unde dicit, nec ſe convertit ad vias vinearum quia vineae in locis cultis ſitae ſunt non procul ab urbibus. Merc: and his portion in it is curſed while he lives in a barren deſolate land, which looks as if it were under the perpetuall curſe of God. And according to this interpretation, the later part of the verſe (and he beholdeth not the way of the vineyards) may be thus underſtood; He comes not into any fruitfull fields; Vineyards are planted in a fruitfull ſoyle, and fruitfull vines are full of the bleſſing of God. Thus as the portion of the wicked in the earth is alwayes curſed, by a decree from God, ſo it may be ſayd that their portion is ſometimes curſed by their owne Election, becauſe for the better ſecreting and hiding of themſelves from the eye of Juſtice, they ſpend their dayes in ſuch places as by reaſon of their waſtnes, and barrennes ſeeme to confeſſe themſelves under a curſe. Their portion is curſed in the earth.
Hence note.
Firſt, Sin brings a Curſe with it.
When J…b had deſcribed the wickedneſſe of theſe men, their murthers, their adulteries, and their thefts, he concludes, Their portion is Curſed. Sin calleth for a Curſe from men, and it calleth for a Curſe from God. Solomon ſaith (Pro. 12.26.) He that withholdeth Corne (that is, who hoards it up and will not ſel it at a reaſonable rate, reſolving to make a dearth when God hath made none, he who thus withholdeth Corne) the people will curſe him. Now if the people curſe him that will not let them have corne for money, then much more him that ſtealeth or taketh away their corne without money. He that deſtroyeth other mens goods, gets a Curſe in ſtead of good. Eliphaz ſaith (Chap. 5.3.) I have ſeene the fooliſh taking roote, but ſuddenly I Curſed his habitation, that is, I ſaw his habitation was Curſed, or under a curſe, I knew what would become of him ſhortly. In ſome Caſes it may be lawfull for man to wiſh a Curſe upon man, and the Curſe of man may be the Curſe of God too; and uſually it is ſo, when any man is generally curſed by men.Vox populi vox dei. The voyce of the people is the voyce of God. When a man is followed with a Curſe from the moſt of men good and bad, it is an argument that there is a Curſe gone out from God againſt him; and that his portion is Curſed in the earth. Sin is the deſerving or procuring Cauſe, and the wrath of God is the inflicting or productive Cauſe of the Curſe. Balaak hired Balaam to Curſe the people of God, but the Curſe could not take, the traine was laid, but he could not make the powder take fire, the Curſe came not, why? the reaſon is given, yea Balaam himſelfe gives it (Numb. 23.21.) He (that is, God) hath not beheld Iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he ſeene perverſnes in Iſrael. If there had been iniquity, that is, any national iniquity or publicke iniquity, perſiſted in and not repented of among them, that had brought the Curſe inevitably; but though Balaam laboured to Curſe them, though he went from hill to hill, and tryed all meanes to get an opportunity to Curſe them, yet he could not, for (ſaith he) God hath bleſſed them, and I cannot reverſe it. There is no Iniquity in Jacob, nor perverſnes in Iſrael, therefore their portion was bleſſed in the Earth. Sin in whomſoever it is hath a Curſe in the belly or bowels of it. Even Chriſt himſelfe taking our ſin upon him, was neceſſitated to take the Curſe upon him which was due to our ſin; Chriſt taking our ſin upon him, was (as the Apoſtle ſaith, 2 Cor. 5.21.) made ſin for us, that is, an offering or a ſacrifice for our ſin, yea as the ſame Apoſtle ſaith (Gal. 3.13.) He was therefore made a Curſe for us. And if Chriſt who (having no ſin in him) did onelyonly take our ſin upon him, could not avoyd the curſe, how ſhall they avoyd it, who (having no part in Chriſt) have all manner of ſin in them?
But it may be objected, All men ſin, and yet many have no appearance of a Curſe upon them, nor is their portion Curſed in the earth?
I anſwer, Firſt, This aſſertion is to be limited to unbeleevers or ungodly men. Secondly, unbeleevers and ungodly men are under a Curſe, though the Curſe doe not breake out and appeare viſibly upon them. As the portion of a godly man may be bleſſed, though there be no appearance of the bleſſing; when nothing appeares upon him but affliction and the Croſs, yet the Godly man is bleſſed. The Croſs of a Godly man is like the proſperity of a wicked man. The former hath an outward Croſs, but a Bleſſing at the bottome; the latter hath outward proſperity, but a curſe at the bottome, and bitternes in the end. Againe, the peace of the prophane, is like the grace of hypocrites, onelyonly a ſhew; hypocrites have a ſhew of grace, an appearance of holynes, yet they are but painted Sepulchres, full of rottennes within; So the wicked have a ſhew of peace and proſperity, of benefits and bleſſings, but a curſe is within them, and a curſe hangs over them, ready every moment to drop downe upon their heads. For
Secondly, His portion is curſed, that is, 'tis under a curſe, though the curſe be not actually inflicted. As the mercies of God are ſure to his people, yet many times very ſlow, they come not preſently, but they will come. So alſo the wrath and curſe of God will ſurely come upon the wicked, though, as to outward effects & impreſſions, they are ſlow and long in comming. Actings of mercy are for an appointed time; Every viſion is for an appointed time (as the Lord told his Prophet, Hab. 2.3.) The viſion of Judgement and wrath is for an appointed time, as well as the viſion of love and mercy; That is, all the love, and all the wrath, the bleſſing, and the curſe, which are revealed, (in any way of viſion, are for an appointed time) but at the end the viſion will ſpeake and not lye; if it tarry, waite for it, for it will ſurely come, and not tarry. As it is (I ſay) in the viſions of mercy and bleſſing, ſo in thoſe of wrath, and of the curſe; They are for an appointed time, in the end they will ſpeake. Sometimes the Curſe is quick, it apprehendeth the ſinner in the very act, it takes him in the manner, as Phineas did Zimri and Cozbi. And as (Pſal. 78.30.) While their meate was yet in their mouthes, the wrath of God came upon them. The ſound of the Curſe is ſometimes at the heeles of ſin, at other times the ſound of the Curſe is a great way behind the ſin, no ſight nor ſound of the curſe for a long time. As, light is ſowne for the righteous (Pſal. 97.11.) that is, They ſhall have a crop of good things, though it lye, as ſeed doth, a great while under the clods, and as dead in the furrowes; So darkenes is ſowne for the wicked, they perceive it not yet, but they ſhall be wrapt up in it for ever; yea while they perceive it not, they are in it, and they are by ſo much the more in it, by how much the leſſe they perceive it. For, this is ever true; The portion of the wicked is Curſed in the Earth, though they ſeeme compaſſed about with bleſſings. I will Curſe your bleſſings, ſaith the Lord, (Mala. 2.2.) yea I have curſed them already. The wicked may be rich, and yet curſed, honourable, and yet curſed, ſucceſſefull in buſienes, and yet curſed, bleſſed, and yet curſed, God doth curſe their bleſſings. That which is a bleſſing in the kinde and matter of it, is to ſome a curſe in the uſe and iſſue of it. So then, as, godlynes is profitable for all things, and hath the promiſe of this life as well as of that which is to come (1 Tim. 4.8.) Godlynes is compaſſed about and cloathed with promiſes of all ſorts and ſeaſons. So ungodlynes is unprofitable for all things, & makes him that is ſo, miſerable in all things. For it hath the curſe of this life, and of that which is to come; if the promiſe doe not meet a godly man in this life, or in the things of this life, yet it will in the life to come, and in the things of the life to come, yea in all things ſo farre as concernes the life to come, the bleſſing alwayes meetes him. And if the curſe doe not meet a wicked man in this life, yet it will in the life to come, and in the things of the life to come, yea in all things ſo farre as concernes the life to come, The curſe alwayes meetes him.
Then ſee the folly of thoſe, who feare the Curſe, and are not afraid of ſin; as if a man ſhould feare drowning, and yet caſt himſelfe into the water, or feare burning, and yet throw himſelfe into the fire; thus doe they who love ſin, and feare the curſe. If the beauty of holynes doth not take upon the heart, yet the curſe that attends ſin may deterre from medling with it. And did men know the terror of the Lord, (as the Apoſtle ſpeakes, 2 Cor. 5.11.) they would eaſily be perſwaded to take heed of ſin, even of every ſin, for though uſually great ſins bring the curſe, yet the leaſt ſins may. They who know what the curſe of the Lord is, cannot but know what the terror of the Lord is, that is, that the Lord is (to ſinners) very terrible. For the curſe of the Lord abiding upon a ſinner, makes him every way and alwayes miſerable. There needs no more to be ſaid to prove a man miſerable then this, that his portion is curſed, or that he is under the curſe. For as the bleſſing of God makes us happy with any portion, that's enough, the bleſſing being it ſelfe the beſt and moſt aboundant portion (Every good thing is vertually in the bleſſing) ſo the Curſe is vertually every evill thing; therefore that muſt needs make a man miſerable. When the Lord bleſſeth, it is not an empty word, but a power goes with it to make a man bleſſed; And when the Lord curſeth, it is not an empty word, but a power goes with it, to make a mans portion curſed in the earth. Job having layd downe this poſition, gives a proofe of it in the laſt words of the verſe.
Hee beholdeth not the way of the vineyards.
Some reade theſe (as the former) words,Cohaerebit cum ſuperioribus ſi haec ſit quaſi praecedentis expoſitio imprecationis. Nullam habeat impius partem in agris lociſ que frugiferis, ex quibus ullum fructum percipere poſſit. Pined: by way of imprecation; Let his portion be curſed in the earth, and let him not behold the way of the vineyards. We tranſlate aſſertively, He beholdeth not, &c.
But what is meant here by not beholding? is it onelyonly this, he commeth not within the view or ſight of them? I conceave there is more in it then ſo, and that when Job ſayth, he beholdeth not, his meaning is, he enjoyeth vineyards no more, or he dwelleth no more in a fruitfull and pleaſant land, ſuch as that land is which aboundeth in vineyards, and ſo conſequently with wine, but he ſhall live miſerably in a barren ſoyle. So that we may now interrogate wicked men, whether murtherers, Adulterers, or theeves (as Paul doth every ſinner, Rom. 6.21.) What fruit have ye of thoſe things, whereof ye are (or ought to be) aſhamed? have ye any fruit of the vine? ſurely no, For ſuch behold not the way of the vineyards. To behold is to enjoy the pleaſantnes, to taſt the ſweetnes of the fruit of the vineyards. Wine which is the fruit of the vineyard is pleaſant and delightfull, it makes glad the heart of man (Pſal. 104.15.) And vineyards are here named to ſignifie all ſorts of outward good things, they being the Chiefe of outward good things: For as ſometimes bread ſignifieth all outward good things, becauſe that ſtrengthens mans heart; ſo Wine, becauſe that cheareth and comforteth the heart of man. So that when Job ſaith, He ſhall not behold the way of the vineyards; It is as if he had ſayd, He ſhall not taſt of or enjoy any good thing. For
Againe, Thoſe words, he heholdeth not &c. are not to be underſtood as if he did voluntarily refuſe to behold, or cared not to behold the way of the vineyards, but as implying a force or conſtraint upon him, by which he was kept or hindred from looking that way.
Whence take this briefe note.
The loſſe of good is a great miſery as well as the enduring of evill.
It hath been queſtioned which is greater, the puniſhment of loſſe, or the puniſhment of paine; but without all queſtion, loſſe is a very great puniſhment; not to behold the way of the vineyards, not to returne to houſe and land, to wife and children, is a ſore affliction. What will it then be never to behold the face of God, but to be under a ſentence of eternal baniſhment from his preſence. His portion is curſed in the earth, here in this world, who beholdeth not the way of the vineyards, how then is his portion curſed in the next world, who ſhall never behold the path or way of life?
There are yet ſeveral other readings and expoſitions of theſe words.
Abſtinebit a via regia et frequē tia hominum ne cognoſcatur. Vatabl: ita feſtinat fugere, ut ne proprias quidem vineas olim tam gratas aſpiciat. Iſidor:Firſt, As if the meaning were to ſhew the wicked mans feare of being ſeene, becauſe of his guilt, and that therefore he would not behold or come neere the way of the vineyards, that is, thoſe places which many people have occaſion to frequent.
Secondly, As if Job would here ſhew what haſt men make to eſcape who are under guilt; As if he had ſayd, The wicked man will be ſo ſet upon the run, That he will not ſtay ſo much as to view or behold his owne vineyards, formerly ſo delightfull and pleaſant to him.
Thirdly, It is conceaved to be a proverbiall ſpeech, according to which it was ironically ſayd of Malefactors who were led forth to ſuffer death, They Behold not the way of the vineyards; No they behold onelyonly the way to the Gibbet or place of execution.
Fourthly, Others divide the word Cheramim, which we tranſlate,Non refluet, ſecundum conſuetudinem Aliqrum, ru…t. vineyards into two; that is, into Chi, a particle of ſimilitude or likenes, and Ramim which ſignifyes, eyther perſ…ns, or things that are high. Hence Junius tranſlates, He ſhall not returne or flow backe againe, he ſhall fall after the manner of things that are high. And he expounds the ſence of his owne tranſlation; He ſhall not returne to his former ſtate, as waters doe which ebbe and flow; but as waters which fall from a high place cannot goe backe, ſo ſhall he remaine caſt downe for ever. Water being a heavy body muſt have a deſcent, it cannot aſcend naturally, therefore the water that falls from a high place is gone, and commeth not againe. The wicked man periſheth, as waters that flow from a high place and returne no more.
Another following that diviſion of the word, renders the clauſe,Non proſpicit inceſſum ſicut excelſorum, i. e. non curabit incedere eo modo, quo ſolent in cedere illi qui dignitate vel potentia alijs praeſunt. Bold: thus; He doth not looke to (or provide for) his way or his going, as of the High ones; that is, he ſhall never goe in that pompe or equipage, in which they goe who are above others in power and dignity. As if he had ſayd, hee ſhall ever live in a low, meane, and miſerable condition; Hee ſhall no more behold the way of the high while he lives; nor (which the ſame Author cleaves to as the moſt genuine interpretation) ſhall he take care or provide to be buryed according to the way, cuſtome, or manner of the high ones when he dyeth.
But, I ſhall not inſiſt upon eyther of theſe rendrings, though they all fall into one common channel with the former, which is to ſet forth that the wicked man is under a curſe, or that his portion is curſed in the earth, yea, that a curſe is his portion. Nor ſhall I (having often obſerved from other texts of this booke the wofull end of wicked men, for this reaſon, I ſay, I ſhall not) ſtay to give any further obſervations from this clauſe, according to any of the rendrings of it: of all which I moſt embrace that of our owne tranſlaters, He ſhall not behold the way of the vineyards, not onelyonly becauſe moſt of the learned Hebricians render it ſo, but firſt, becauſe it makes no diviſion of, nor puts any ſtraine at all upon any of the Original words in the text; And ſecondly, becauſe it carryes (to my thoughts) ſo fayre a correſpondence with the words which follow in the two next verſes.