Exposition of Job 22-26, Commentary · Chapter 22

Exposition of Job 22-26 · Commentary · Chapter 22

p. 156JOB, CHAP. 22. Verſ. 17, 18.

Which ſaid unto God, Depart from us, and what can the Almighty doe for them?

Yet he filled their houſes with good things: but the counſell of the wicked is farre from me.

IN the former context Eliphaz had charged Job with impiety againſt God, and called him to conſider the diſpenſations of God in former times towards impious men, here he ſhewes us what their impiety was, It was impiety hightned into blaſphemy; The ſeven abominations which were in their hearts, brake out at their lips, and were vomited out of their mouths in blacke choler, in choler as blacke as hell.

Verſ. 17. Which ſaid unto God, depart from us, &c.

Theſe words are filled with the very ſpirit of malice againſt God himſelfe; And we have the ſame breathed out in the ſame language in the former Chapter at the 14^th verſe, there the reader may finde them explicated, and I ſhall add ſomewhat for a further explication here.

Which ſaid to God, depart from us.

To this hight of madnes doe ſome wicked men ariſe, their ſpirits being bigge with ſinne, they bring forth or belch out this monſter of words; They ſay to God, depart from us. They (as it were) ſend God a writ of Ejectment, they doe not pray or entreate God to depart from them, but with as much rudenes and incivillity as unholynes and prophanenes, Say unto God, depart from us. 'Tis a word of command, from man, but ſuch a one as breakes all the commandements of God. Moſes (Numb. 16.26.) beſeeches the people, ſaying, Depart I pray you from the tents of theſe wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs; but here we have wicked men not praying God to depart, but bidding him, they ſay depart from us. David ſpeakes to the wicked (Pſal. 119.115.) Depart from me ye evill doers, for I will keepe the commandements of my God; he bids them begone, He would p. 157not give them the leaſt wellcome or entertainment. And ſo Jeſus Chriſt is deſcribed ſpeaking to the wicked in the day of Judgement, (Matth. 7.23.) Depart from me, away, get you out of my preſence, I will not have to doe with you, I will doe nothing for you; Depart. His is a word of command, indeed, which though they have no will to obey, yet they ſhall obey it whether they will or no. Thus in the preſent text wicked men preſume to ſay to God himſelfe, depart from us, &c.

Hence note.

Firſt, That wicked or meere carnall men, have ſome appearances and impreſſes of the preſence of God upon their ſpirits.

They could not ſay to God, depart from us, had they not ſome impreſſions and notions of God, of the will and Law of God, of the truth and power of God upon them. They who are alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, doe yet feele a preſence of God with them (Act. 17.27) That they ſhould ſeeke the Lord, if haply they might feele after him and finde him, though he be not farre from every one of us. Take mankind in generall, good and bad, beleevers and infidels, there is a neereneſſe of God unto them, unto them all: and that not onelyonly a neereneſſe of God in what the Apoſtle there ſpeakes of, common preſervation (verſ. 28.) In him we live, and move, and have our being, or of naturall communications, of which the Apoſtle ſpeakes there alſo, From him we receave life, and breath, and all things (verſ. 25.) But further God is with them, by a twofold light; firſt, by a light of Direction; ſecondly, by a light of Conviction. All have a Light of direction, 1. by the Law written in their hearts. The Apoſtle is expreſſe for this (Rom. 2.14.) For when the Gentiles (he meanes it of Gentiles unconverted) which have not the Law, doe by nature the things contained in the Law, theſe having not the Law (that is formally publiſhed and preached to them) are a Law unto them ſelves: Which ſhew the worke of the Law written in their hearts, their conſcience alſo bearing witnes, &c. And as all have a light of direction from the Law written in their hearts, or in the booke of Conſcience; ſo alſo 2. they have a light of direction from the Law of the creation, or from that which is written of God in p. 158the Booke of the creature. The ſame Apoſtle makes this the ground of the righteouſnes of God in that dreadfull Revelation of his wrath againſt all ungodlynes and unrighteouſnes of men (be they who they will) who hold the truth in unrighteouſnes, becauſe that which may be knowne of God is manifest in them (or to them) for God hath ſhewed it to them. But how or where hath God ſhewed them this? The Apoſtle anſwers in the next verſe (Rom. 1.20.) For the inviſible things of him from the creation of the world are clearely ſeene, being underſtood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead, ſo that they are without excuſe. So that, though all men have not a light of direction from God ſo powerfull as to change them and make them holy, yet they have a light ſo cleare and full as is enough to make them guilty. And when they refuſe to follow this light of direction in doing what is right, then followes that other light of convictiō, their conſciences troubling them, or (as the Apoſtles phraſe is, Rom. 2.15.) their thoughts accuſing them, becauſe they have done that which is not right. This preſence of God is common to all men, to the worſt of men, and this is it which provokes them to ſay to God, depart from us. And this is argumēt enough to ſtop the mouth of the Atheiſt, who ſaith in his heart, there is no God; when as yet he cannot ſtop the mouth of his owne conſcience from ſaying there is a God, while hee ſayth (and this he alwayes ſayth, eyther in plaine termes, or in that which is equivalent) to God depart from me. And from hence wee may obſerve;

Secondly; That the preſence, and manifeſtations of God to wicked men, are a trouble to them.

None are troubled with the neerenes of God to them, but they who are farre from him: all naturall men are farre from God in ſtate and in heart, and God is neere all naturall men eyther in his word or in his works, eyther ſpeaking his minde to their eares, or ſending it in to their conſciences. This light of God is not onelyonly not pleaſing but vexing. They who love darknes cannot abide the light of direction, much leſſe the light of conviction; So that if ever God be neere in their mouth, neere in their eare, or neere in their conſcience, yet as the Prophet p. 159ſpeakes (Jer. 12.2.) He is farre from their reines; that is, though they ſpeake, heare or thinke of God, yet they delight not in him, they have no deſirings, no breathings after him, yea the more he offers himſelfe to them, the more weary are they of him. What David ſpake in a temptation, they ſpeake from their diſpoſition (Pſal. 73.3.) I remembred God and was troubled. It troubles them when they are put in minde of God, it troubles them when God comes into their minde. God is holy, and they are unholy, The holy God muſt needs be a burden to an unholy heart. The Prophet puts the Queſtion (Amos 3.3.) Can two walke together except they be agreed? they cannot. That company is alwayes unpleaſant to us, which is unſuitable to us; They who are not at one, are beſt pleaſed when they are furtheſt aſunder. The wayes of God are grievous to wicked men, much more is God himſelfe; They ſay what a weariſomneſſe is it to ſerve the Lord, they ſay his yoake is heavy, and his burden inſupportable, the very outſide of heavenly and ſpirituall worke is burdenſome to them, how then can they maintaine communion with God (in truth of ſpirit) Who is a Spirit and will be worſhipped in Spirit and in truth.

Thirdly, Note; Naturall men are blind and fooliſh, they know not wherein their owne happineſſe doth conſiſt, they forſake and throw away the mercies offered them, for lying vanities.

They who are not taught of God are full of miſtaken and falſe principles, among which, this is a principal one; They ſuppoſe they can doe well enough without God, whereas indeed there is nothing can doe us good without him who is the chiefe good. Now, that the natural man beleeves he can doe well enough without God, is plaine from this abominable and hatefull motion which ſuch make to God in the Text, Depart from us. No man would deſire God to depart from him, if this perſwaſion did abide upon his heart, That he could not ſubſiſt without him; or that he depended upon God for his ſubſiſtence. Therefore this is their opinion (though poſſibly they are as farre from acknowledging it, as they are from the true knowledge and love of God) That they can do well enough alone, that they can ſtand upon their own bottome without God, yea that they are ſelfe-ſufficient, as God is; for p. 160whoſoever doth not ſee an emptineſſe and inſufficiency in himſelfe, and ſo place his all in God, makes himſelfe a God. This is the way of wicked men, and this their way is their folly, (as the Pſalmiſt ſpeakes, Pſal. 49.13.) Though their poſterity approve their ſayings. Who but they? they can maintaine their being, yea their well-being without God; they can live, and live happily whether he will or no. Surely if they thought they were beholding to him, eyther for being or well-being, eyther for life, or a happy life, they had never been heard ſaying to God, depart from us. And if this be a truth that they have ſayd ſo, and ſay ſo ſtill every day, wee need not ſtay to prove this a truth, that they ſhew their blindnes and fooliſhnes in ſaying ſo. Is not he fooliſh who would have the Sunne depart from him, which enlightens him? or who would have the Sheild depart from him, which protects him? or who bids the fountaine be gone which gives him drinke; God is all this to all men in ſome degree or other, and he promiſeth himſelfe ſuch in the higheſt and beſt degree to all ſuch as walke uprightly, even to be their Sunne, their Sheild, their fountaine, their ſpring. Then, can folly it ſelfe utter more fooliſhnes then this, To ſay to God, depart from us? Further, how fooliſh are they to refuſe that, as if it were a hurt to them, which Saints who have the true wiſdome, have prayed for, and ſtill doe pray for, as the greateſt bleſſing and priviledge, The preſence of God with them. How fooliſh are they who aske and deſire that as a bleſſing, which God the onelyonly wiſe God threatens as the ſoareſt curſe. (Jer. 6.8.) Be inſtructed O Jeruſalem, leſt my ſoule depart from thee, leſt I make thee a Land deſolate, not inhabited: Utter deſolation is the conſequent, yea the effect of the Lords departure from a Land; and when he ceaſeth in regard of his favourable preſence to inhabit a Land, eyther none ſhall inhabit it, or none ſhall have a comfortable habitation in it. The Lord threatens this departure as the laſt and ſoareſt, or as the ſumme of all his judgements, and wicked men deſire this, as if to be without God were the chiefe or ſumme of their enjoyments. See another inſtance of this folly; among all the threatenings of God againſt ſinfull men, this is one of the greateſt, that he will take away his Goſpel, and the light of his Word from them, yet this a p. 161wicked man deſireth, let the Goſpel goe, let the light of the word goe; He wiſheth it gone, 'tis but a trouble to him, he is ſicke of it, it is a death to him. The beſt of good things is refuſed, and the worſt of evills choſen by thoſe that are evill. As their underſtanding is ſo blinded and diſtempered, that they call evill good, and good evill, that they put darknes for light, and light for darknes, that they put bitter for ſweete, and ſweete for bitter (Iſa. 5.20.) So their will and affections are ſo perverted, that they chooſe & embrace darknes for light, evill for good, and that which is moſt bitter, for that which is ſweeter then the honey and the honey-combe.

Obſerve. Fourthly.

Wicked men are not onelyonly fooliſh, but wild and furious.

See at what a rate they ſpeake, even as if they had God at their command, They ſay to God depart; As if God could not be where he pleaſed, as if God were at their limiting, and diſpoſing. Here's madneſſe, like madneſſe it ſelfe. As there is madneſſe in the heart of man in the enjoyment of the creature (I ſaid of laughter it is mad (ſayth Solomon) Some are ſo over-acted with joy, and laughter, in their creature-enjoyments, that whereas laughter is the proper paſſion of a rational creature, there is nothing more irrational then their laughter, 'Tis plaine down-right madneſſe, Now (I ſay) as ſome carnal men are mad in their manner of enjoying the creature) ſo they are more mad, in refuſing the enjoyments of God the Creator. Who can tell how mad they are who deſire God to depart from them? They are mad to purpoſe who would put God from them, yet they more who thinke they can.

Fiftly; Note.

That the godly and the wicked have quite contrary both deſires and fears.

What are the deſires and feares of a wicked man, he deſires to have God depart, he is afraid of the preſence of God: what are the deſires of a godly man, he deſires nothing more then the preſence of God, he ſayes as Moſes (Exod. 33.15.) If thy preſence goe not with mee, carry me no further, I deſire to be no where, but where God manifeſts himſelfe to be; let me ſee the p. 162day of my departure out of the world, rather then the day of Gods departure from me in the world; Let riches goe, let liberty goe, let friends and relations goe, ſo God ſtay with me. All company is ſolitarines to me, all fullneſſe is emptineſſe to me, and the moſt populous City worſe then a deſolate wildernes to me, where I finde not the preſence of God with me. I feare nothing like this, The departure of God from me. I read indeed (Luke 5.8.) that Peter once ſayd to Chriſt, Depart from mee, for I am a ſinfull man O Lord. But the reaſon was not becauſe he was weary of the preſence of Chriſt, but becauſe he thought himſelfe altogether unworthy of the preſence of Chriſt. And therefore at another time when many of Chriſts Diſciples went back & walked no more with him, and hereupon Chriſt ſayd to the twelve, Will ye alſo goe away? Then Simon Peter anſwered him, Lord to whom ſhall we goe, thou haſt the words of Eternall Life (Joh. 6.68.) He who would not go from Chriſt, could not indeed deſire that Chriſt ſhould goe or depart from him. They who have taſted how gratious the Lord is, can never totally depart from God, nor can they at all beare it, that God ſhould depart from them. Thus the Church complaines (Jer. 14.9.) Why ſhouldeſt thou be as a ſtranger in the Land, and as a way fayring man that turneth aſide to tarry for a night. Why ſhouldeſt thou be as a man aſtoniſhed, as a mighty man that cannot ſave, yet thou O Lord, art in the midſt of us, and we are called by thy name, leave us not; Whatſoever thou doeſt to us, doe not leave us; let any evill come, but doe not thou goe: let ſword come, let famine come, let plague come, but doe not thou depart; leave us not. Thus the Saints cling about a departing God, while wicked men are willing he ſhould depart. And cōſidering the opinion which theſe wicked men had of God, 'tis no wonder though they preſſe him to depart; for what ſhould God do with them, if he can doe nothing for them, or doe them no good: Such was their apprehenſion of God, as appeares in the next clauſe.

And what can the Almighty doe for them?

They ſhould rather have ſaid; What cannot the Almighty doe for them? If the queſtion be put, what the Allmighty can doe? The anſwer is at hand, he that is Allmighty, can do any thing; p. 163yet theſe wretches ſay, What can the Allmighty doe for them? Et quid operabitur omnipotens eis. Heb.Allmightineſſe it ſelfe is queſtioned as weakneſſe, and omnipotency as impotency by unbeleevers.

From the generall ſenſe of this infidel queſtion.

Obſerve.

Firſt, That worldly wicked men have low, and ſlight thoughts of God.

It is ſayd of a wicked man (Pſal. 10.4.) God is not in all his thoughts; that is, he is in none of his thoughts, or God is not at all in his thoughts. But is any man ſo voyd of God, that God is not in all his Thoughts? can any man utterly extinguiſh or blot the thoughts of God out of his heart? is not the notion of a God, written with indelible characters upon the heart of man by nature? if not, how is the Law written there by nature? I anſwer, wicked men have thoughts, and cannot but have thoughts of God. But, firſt, They like not to retaine God in their thoughts, or (which is the ſame) in their knowledge (Rom. 1.28.) Secondly, The thoughts which they have of God, are unworthy of God; while they thinke of God, they thinke below God, and ſo indeed their thoughts are not at all the thoughts of God. While we thinke of God otherwiſe then he is, and hath revealed himſelfe to be, we doe not thinke of the God that made us, but we make an Idol-God in our own thoughts. Now wicked men thinke either that God hath no ſtrength, power, goodneſſe and wiſdome, or can do little with what he hath; What can the Allmighty doe for them? They who are afarre off from God by unbeliefe, are not able to diſcerne his power, his goodnes, his wiſdome, his faithfullneſſe, his Allſufficiency; They neyther underſtand what God affirmes of himſelfe, nor give credit to what he hath promiſed unto us. We ſay of thoſe things, which appeare more then they are, that they affect more afarre off then neere at hand; but thoſe things which are more then they appeare, affect more when they are nigh, then when they are afarre off. God is infinitely more, then he appeares; And he being neere to thoſe who beleeve, affects them wonderfully. But God is farre from unbeleevers, and they are farre off or in a ſtate of fartheſt diſtance from God, therefore they are not affected with him; But ſay, who is God? what is Gods power? p. 164what is his allmightineſſe? Wee have heard much of him, but wee ſee little in him. They looke upon God, as if he were like the Idolls (deſcribed, Pſal. 115.4, 5, 6, 7.) Who have eyes, and ſee not, eares, and beare not, hands and handle not &c. All the attributes of God, that he is allmighty, unchangeable, &c. are but a ſound of words or empty titles in their eares. A beleever can make a living out of any attribute of God; for when the Scripture ſaith he lives by faith, the meaning is, he lives upon the goodnes, mercy and power of God, revealed in the promiſe, and layd hold on by faith. Thus the juſt live by faith upon God, but the wicked and unbeleevers cannot live upon thoſe termes; They ſee little or nothing in God to make a Living of, and therefore they ſay; What can the Allmighty doe for them?

Secondly, Note; That carnall men count the ſervice of God unprofitable.

What can God do for them? if they ſerve him what profit is it? His is a leane ſervice, they ſhall but ſtarve themſelves by attending upon him, and undoe themſelves by doing his worke. Thus they ſayd in the former Chapter, and ſo they ſay againe in this. The carnal man accounts nothing good but that which is outwardly good: Who will ſhew us any good? (Pſal. 4.6.) they know not that all good cometh through the hand of God, that it cometh in at the doore of the promiſe; They can looke no further then they ſee, and therfore becuſe they ſee no profit, they looke for none; They doe not ſee that God doth any thing for them, and therefore they conclude he cannot: What can the Allmighty doe for them?

Thirdly, Note; That, The ſpirits of worldly men, are meerely mercenary.

If they doe any thing for God, or at the command of God, they doe it only upon hopes of reward, they never obey commandements for the holines that is in them, but for the benefit that comes by them. What can the Allmighty doe for them? As when Judas betrayed Jeſus Chriſt, he went out with a mercinary ſpirit to doe that wickedneſſe; What will you give mee, and I will betray him? So when a carnal man ſerves Jeſus Chriſt, he ſayth, What will he give me? what can he doe for me? he p. 165cannot ſerve God for nought, that is, freely, as Satan charged Job in the beginning of this booke; Job ſerveth thee, ſayd Satan, becauſe thou haſt done ſo much for him, becauſe thou haſt ſerved his turne, and made a hedge about him; this was Satans ſlaunder upon that good man; but 'tis no ſ…under to ſay ſo of carnal men, Doe they ſerve God for nought? They doe not, they cannot; if they may gaine by godlineſſe, they will doe ſomewhat, which ſhall have a ſhew of godlineſſe; profit will make any thing paſſe with and pleaſing to a carnall minde, though in it ſelfe it be never ſo diſpleaſing. Such is the nobleneſſe of the people of God, that though there be a reward in ſerving of him, yet they are ready to ſerve him without reward, they can ſerve him upon a bare command, abſtract from promiſes and profits; They can obey God as a creator, though he ſhould not be a rewarder. Godlineſſe is profitable for all things, and hath the promiſe both of this life, and of that which is to come, yet a gratious heart loves Godlineſſe more then profitablenes, and eyes the worke of God more then his reward.

Further for the opening of theſe words; Some read thus, What can the allmighty doe againſt them? The Hebrew particle ſtands indifferently to both, and may be tranſlated for, or againſt, in which ſenſe we finde it in the 35^th of this Booke,Si peccaveris quid ei nocebis, propriè, quid ei facies. ver. 6, 7. If thou ſinneſt what doſt thou againſt him? That is, what hurt doſt thou to God? thy ſinne cannot reach, or wound him, what doſt thou againſt him? Thus here; They ſay to the allmighty depart from us, and what can the allmighty doe againſt them? Surely the allmighty is not able to hurt us; from him we expect no good, and from him we feare no evill. Were not theſe mighty men, thinke you, who thought the Allmighty could not match them? Theſe were mighty men indeed, Giants ſons of Anak no doubt they were, but Giants in wickednes. And ſo this reading gives us a further character or diſcovery of a wicked mans Spirit.

Hence Obſerve.

Some wicked men have this preſumption, that let God doe his worſt, he cannot hurt them.

I finde in Scripture a threefold falſe and preſumptuous apprehenſion, p. 166which evill men have of God while they are doing evill.

Firſt, Some preſume that God will protect them from evill while they doe evill. (Mich. 3.11.) The beads thereof judge for reward, and the Prieſts thereof teach for hire, and the Prophets thereof divine for money, yet will they leane upon the Lord and ſay, Is not the Lord among us? none evill can come upon us. Theſe were ſuch as made it their buſines to breake the Law of God, yet they thought God would not ſuffer any trouble to breake in upon them.

Secondly, Others preſume that, at leaſt, God will not be ſo ſevere as to inflict thoſe evills which he hath threatned. The old world was threatned with a Deluge, but they could not beleeve God would make good his word, they even mockt at the credulity and ſimplicity of Noah, to ſee him build that great Ship or Arke upon the dry Land, as if he meant to ſayle his veſſel without water. As for them, they neither bel…ved nor feared a flood. So they (Iſa. 5.19.) will put the Lord to a triall, Let him haſten his worke that we may ſee it; let us ſee what he will doe; as if they had ſaid to the Prophet, you told us what he would doe, how ſevere he would be, what meaneth all your talke, we would ſee ſomething done. What will the Allmighty doe againſt us? Surely nothing; he is not ſo ſtrict as you make him. The Prophet deſcribes the worſt of men, the men ſetled on their lees, ſpeaking thus (Zeph. 1.12.) They ſay in their heart, the Lord will not doe good, neither will he doe evill; that is, he will neyther reward nor puniſh, he will neyther helpe nor hurt. To ſay eyther of theſe is alike diſhonourable unto God; To ſay eyther much more both (though indeed to ſay eyther is to ſay both) is to ſay, not only that God is neyther to be loved nor feared, but that he is not at all. It is the glory of God to doe the one as well as to doe the other, and unleſſe he could doe both, he could doe neyther. (Iſa. 45.7.) I forme the light, and create darkneſſe, (the darkneſſe of trouble is of God as much as the light of comfort) I make peace and create evill; the evill of puniſhment is as much the creature of God as peace is, and God doth as much appeare a creator in the one as in the other; the doing of this kinde of evill doth as much ſhew the power, and providence of God, as the doing p. 167of good; yet thoſe in the Prophet ſayd the Lord will doe neither; He will neither doe good, neyther will be doe evill.

Thirdly, Thoſe in the Text were rayſed to a higher pitch of preſumption then both the former; For they ſayd, what can the Allmighty doe againſt us? As if they had ſayd, Let him doe his worſt, wee feare him not; To thinke that God will ſheild us from the evill which others threaten, or that he will not bring that evill upon us which himſelfe hath threatned, when we doe evill, are very high actings of preſumption; But to thinke that God can doe nothing againſt us, to thinke that the Arme of God is ſhorter then that it can reach us, or weaker then that it can over-power us; to thinke that we have out-growne divine juſtice, and are too big or too ſtrong to be dealt with by the Allmighty is preſumption to madnes; woe to thoſe ſinners who ſecure themſelves in the goodnes of God to them, more woe to thoſe who ſecure themſelves in Gods neglect of them, but above all, woe is their portion who ſecure themſelves as it were in the weaknes of God, even while in words they acknowledge his power; ſaying, What can the Allmighty doe againſt us?

Thirdly, Others read the words thus; They ſay to the allmighty depart from us, and what hath the allmighty done againſt them? That is, what hurt hath God done them? They are troubled at the preſence of God; But what cauſe hath God given them to be troubled at his preſence? And then we may connect theſe words with the words of the 18^th verſe; What hath God done againſt them? yea he filled their houſes with good things; that's all the dammage he did them? This is a fayre ſence, and conſiſtent with the Original Text: leaving the reader to his choyce; I ſhall only give the obſervation which riſeth clearely from this.

God never giveth wicked men any juſt cauſe to be weary of him.

He never doth them any wrong, and he often gives them many a bleſſing; and have they any reaſon to bid him depart? he is uſually very patient towards them, and doth never bring any evill upon them till they have doubly deſerved it; and have they any reaſon to be diſpleaſed at that? yea whenſoever he puniſheth them in this world, he puniſheth them then p. 168their ſinnes deſerve; indeed there is a puniſhment behinde adaequate and commenſurate to their ſinne, but they ſhall never be puniſhed beyond what or more then their ſin deſerves. Seeing then their puniſhment in the next life, though it will be great beyond imagining, yet ſhall not be great beyond deſerving; and all their puniſhments in this life are leſſe then the demerit of their ſinne) As was paenitentially confeſſed by Ezra in the name of the Jewes after they had been broken by the ſword, and brought into captivity for their ſinne, Chap. 9.13 Seeing (I ſay) 'tis but thus with them when 'tis worſt with them) What hath the Allmighty done againſt them? is not all their deſtruction (meritoriouſly) from themſelves?

Againe, How much ſoever God puniſheth them in this life, they have no reaſon to complaine, or ſay to God depart from us; for even thoſe puniſhments are meſſages from God to awaken them out of their ſinnes, and ſo to prevent worſer puniſhments; therefore when God perceived that ſtubborne people going on in their ſinnes, telleth them he will ſmite there no more, as implying that it was his favour to ſmite them. (Iſa. 1.5.) Why ſhould ye be ſmitten any more, ye will revolt more and more. Surely then ſuch have no reaſon to ſay to God, depart from us, when he ſmites them, as if he did them ey ther hurt or wrong, ſeing he ſmites them, that they might returne unto him; Thoſe judgements of God are a mercy, which are ſent to teach man his duty. Now if the judgements of God have ſomtime mercy in them, and never have any injury in them, what hurt or injury can there be to man in the ſervice of God? Hath the Allmighty done any thing againſt them, whom he lovingly invites to the doing of his will? And yet ſome complaine of wrong when they are onelyonly called to doe what is right, and cry out as if God hurt them, when he doth but governe them. The Lord calls his murmuring people to account about this thing, (Mich. 6.3.) O my people, what have I done to thee (that is, what hurt, what wrong have I done unto thee) and wherein have I wearied thee, teſtifie againſt mee; As if he had ſayd? thou haſt nothing to bring againſt me in evidence, unleſſe it be my kindnes, as it follows (ver. 4.) For I brought thee up out of the Lord of Egypt, and redeemed thee our of the houſe of ſervants, and I ſent before thee, Moſes, Aaran, and Miriam. O my p. 169people, remember &c. Conſider all my dealings with thee, all the deliverances I have wrought for thee, all the Statutes and Ordinances, all the Lawes and Commandements which I have given thee, and then let thy Conſcience ſpeake; What have I done unto thee, which is an evill to thee? or wherein have I wearied thee, in the things which I have required thee to doe? I have done many good workes for thee, and I have commanded thee to doe many workes, ſuch workes as are not onelyonly good in themſelves, but good for them who doe them; for which of theſe is it that thou art weary of me? There is not that wicked man in the world but God may ſay to him, what have I done to thee, or what have I called thee to doe, that thou ſhouldeſt be weary of mee? that thou ſhouldeſt deſire me to depart from thee? Thus if we reade the words in this latter ſence; What hath the Allmighty done againſt them? They carry a reproofe of their ingr… titude againſt God, who had not hurt them, yea who had done them good. If we reade the words in the ſecond ſence; What can the Allmighty doe againſt them? They carry a high contempt and ſlight of his power, as if God could doe them no hurt. If we reade the words in the firſt ſence according to our tranſlation (which I rather pitch upon) they carry (upon contrary termes) a like contempt of the power of God, as if he could doe them no Good; What can the Allmighty doe for them?

Verſ. 18. Yet bee filled their houſes with good things.

The Hebrew is, And be filled their houſes with good things; wee tranſlate yet, which better cleares the meaning and ſcope of the Text, according to our reading of the former verſe; They ſay to God, depart from us, and what can the Allmighty doe for them? yet he filled their houſes with good things; As if he had ſayd, they thought God could doe nothing for them,Horum quidem domos ipſe impleaver at bonis. Jun: q. d. Dei benificijs abuſi ſunt turpitèr & tanquam de ſpolijs dei ipſius triumphaverunt. Jun: whereas indeed he did all for them: all the good they had, they had it from God, He filled their houſes; that is, he gave them abundance; he did not onelyonly put ſome good things into their houſes, but he filled their houſes with good things, they had a plentifull ſtate, God gave them a rich portion in the good things of this world; his corne, his wine, his oyle, his flax, his gold, his ſilver, p. 170were their portion. He filled them, and they rebelled againſt him; He beſtowed many benefits upon them, which they abuſed to ſerve their luſts, and vainely triumphed in what he freely gave them, as if they had been ſpoyles forcibly taken from him.

Hence Obſerve; firſt, That God doth them good that are evill.

Chriſt perſwaded his hearers (and us in them) upon this account to love their enemies, That they and we might be the children of our father which is in heaven; For he maketh his Sunne to riſe on the evill and on the Good, and ſendeth raine on the juſt, and on the unjuſt (Matth. 5.45.) As God hath ſome peculiar people, ſo he hath ſome peculiar bleſſings, and good things, which the world in common ſhares not in; but he hath a ſort of bleſſings, and good things, which are the common ſhare of the world; raine and Sun, fat and ſweet, Gold and ſilver are ſuch good things as their hearts and houſes are often filled with, whoſe hearts and houſe are empty of goodnes. Theſe good things God gives them, who know no more why he gives them, then they did, why he did not ſuddenly bring evill upon them, of whom the Apoſtle ſpeakes (Rom. 2.4.) Deſpiſeſt thou the riches of his goodneſſe, and forbearance, and long-ſuffering, not knowing that the goodneſſe of God leadeth thee to repentance; when God doth good to thoſe that are evill, whether it be by beſtowing good upon them, or by withholding evill, He doth it uſually for one of or both theſe reaſons.

Firſt, That they might repent, and live; knoweſt thou not what Meſſage the goodneſſe of God brings? Speakes it not thus? Repent, repent; yea doth not divine goodneſſe (taking thee by the hand) leade thee to repentance?

Secondly, The Lord doth them good who continue in the evill of ſinne, that they might be left inexcuſeable when the evill of wrath and puniſhment falls upon them; every mouth ſhall be ſtopped, & all the world of wicked ones become guiltie before God, when they remember that they ſinned, and went on to ſinne againſt the God that ſed them, againſt the God that cloathed them, againſt the God that filled their houſes with good things, and protected them in the uſe and enjoyment p. 171of thoſe good things, with which he had filled their houſes.

Secondly, In that he doth not only give them good things, but filled their houſes with good.

Obſerve.

God giveth great portions of good things to wicked men.

They have not only enough to live upon, but they have enough to live comfortably upon, they have not only enough to live upon themſelves, but they have enough to lay up for their children after them; the Lord is not only good, but he is liberall and bountifull (in its kinde) to the worſt of men: they whoſe hearts are ſhut to him, his hand is open to them; he is inlarged towards them who are ſtreightned towards him; And this is added not only to render the goodneſſe of God more glorious, but the ſinne of man more ſinfull and odious in our eyes.

Whence obſerve; Thirdly.

Sin hath by ſo much the greater evill in it, by how much it is committed againſt the greater goodneſſe.

It is a horrible wickednes to ſay to God, depart from us, though he empty our houſes of all good things, but it is much more horrible wickednes, to ſay ſo when he filleth our houſes with good things. What? When God hath filled our houſes, ſhall wee kicke him out of doores? This was the ſin of Jeſurun, that when he waxed fat he kicked, as Moſes ſayth (Deut. 32.15.) Thou art waxen fat, thou art growne thicke, thou art covered with fatnes; Then he forſooke God which made him, and lightly eſteemed the rocke of his Salvation. Their fin is great who lightly eſteeme God while he makes them leane, but how ſinfull is their ſin, who ſlight God that hath made them fat. As good things received binde us ſtronger unto duty, ſo good things abuſed, binde us ſtronger under guilt.

Fourthly, As wee connect theſe words with the latter branch of the former verſe; What can the allmighty doe for them? yet he filled their houſes with good things. Wee may take this obſervation.

Though Carnal men receive many good things from God, yet then know him not as the fountaine of them.

They who are evill cannot own God purely eyther in good p. 172or evill. It is but ſeldom that they ſay, with that wicked King, This evill is of the Lord (2 Kings 6.33.) And it is ſeldomer that they ſay, this good is of the Lord They ſay, what good doth God for us? evē whil he filleth their houſes with good things. Indeed the beſt of Saints receive many good things from God which they know not of; they receive many ſecret mercies, ſecret I meane not only to others, but to themſelves; and ſo they are not able to give God the glory of them diſtinctly, becauſe they have not a diſtinct knowledge of them. But all the good things which the wicked have are to them of an unknowne original. Though they know what they have, yet they know not from whence or from whom they have what they have; they know not who feeds them, who cloaths them, who provids for them: yea though they make many formal acknowledgements of this, and will tell you of Gods goodnes to them, yet really they know it not, nor doe they cordially acknowledge it. The Lord complaines of his people about this (Iſa. 1.3.) The Ox knoweth his owner, and the Aſſe his Maſters cribb, (he upbraids them not onelyonly as below other men, but a below the beaſts, as if the reaſonleſſe creatures had acted more rationally then they) but Iſraell doth not know, my people doe not conſider: What was it they did not know, nor conſider? they knew not nor conſidered what the Ox and the Aſſe knew and conſider…d; The Ox knoweth his owner, he knoweth that his Maſter ſeeds him, as wel as works him. Thus alſo the aſſe knoweth his Maſters crib, as he knoweth that his Maſter imployeth him, ſo he knoweth that his Maſter provideth for him. The dull Aſſe takes notice of the cribb, and knowes where and by whom he receiveth Good; but yee my people know not me, ye doe not conſider him that ſeeds you; For I have nouriſhed and brought up children, and they have rebelled againſt mee, they never honoured me as the fountaine and founder of their felicity. The Prophet Hoſea reproves the ſame ſottiſhnes and blindnes in that people (Chap. 2.8, 9.) For ſhe did not know that I gave her come, and wine, and oyle, and multiplyed her ſilver and gold, which they prepared for Baal. Therefore I will returne and take away her come in the time thereof; As If the Lord had ſayd, I will make them know that I can take theſe things away, ſeing they would not know, or at leaſt not acknowledge p. 173that I am he who gave them. Carnal men attribute their good things, and the filling of their houſes with them to any thing rather then to God. They thanke their friends or their good fortune; they thanke themſelves, their policy, their induſtry, for what they have. They aſcend not up to God in thankfulnes for what they have. They who ſay, What can the Allmighty doe for them? How ſhould they acknowledge, that the Allmighty hath done any thing for them? The Prophet (Hab: 1.16.) ſpeaks of men thoſe portion was fatt, and their meate plenteous; but to whom did they referre all this? whom did they acknowledge for their benefactor, or as the cauſe of thoſe great ſucceſſes? The Prophet tells us, They ſacrificed to their nets, and burnt incenſe to their drags. The words carry an alluſion to fiſhing, in which worke or art netts and drags are the inſtruments of the fiſherman; ſo that to ſacrifice to the net or to the dragge, is to give the honour and thanks of all our attainements to ſecond cauſes, and creature helps, to our own wit, power, and induſtry, &c. To theſe ſayth the Prophet they ſacrificed; That is, they honoured them in the place or ſtead of God; Sacrifice it proper and peculiar to God, and therefore he that offers ſacrifice to any thing, makes it his God, or puts it in the place of God; They who thanke themſelves for the good they have, are a God to themſelves. And thus wee finde The Aſſyrian aſcribing all to his owne power (Iſa. 10.14) By the ſtrength of my hand I have done it, and by my wiſdome, for I am prudent, and I have removed the bounds of the people, and have robbed their treaſures, and I have put downe the inhabitants like a valiant man; he did not thinke that the Lord did it by his hand, but (ſaith he) by the ſtrength of my hand I have done it: Dextera mihi deus. Virg: 1.10. Sanct:my right hand, is my God, my wiſdome is my God. Theſe, theſe, have removed the bounds of the people, and robbed their treaſures. See how the Lord checks this inſolency (v. 15.) Shall the axe boaſt it ſelfe againſt him that heweth therewith, or ſhall the ſaw magnifie it ſelfe againſt him that ſhaketh it? Men (I grant) are living inſtruments, yet they can doe no more then inſtruments without life (the axe and the ſaw) unleſſe God act them, or act by them. An axe or a ſaw can doe as much without man, as man can doe without God; yet vaine proud man is as full of boaſting, as if he could doe, or had done all alone.

p. 174Fifthly, Obſerve.

That the portion of wicked men lyeth all on this ſide heaven, and heavenly things.

God filleth their houſes with good things, but they are the good things of this life; they have nothing that reacheth to eternal life. They have nothing that concernes pardon of ſin, or grace, much leſſe have they glory for their portion. (Acts 14.16, 17.) God did not leave himſelfe without witneſſe (among the Heathen Nations) in that he did good, and gave raine from heaven, and fruitfull ſeaſons, filling their hearts with food; and gladneſſe; ſo much they received from God, as filled them with food for their bodyes, and made their lives comfortable; but no more, that was all they had. As Abraham in the parable tells the rich man in hel (Luk. 16.25.) Son remember that thou in thy life time haſt had thy good things. And what were the good things which he formerly had? We have an anſwer at the 19^th verſe, He was cloathed in purple and fine linnen, and fared deliciouſly every day. As the Pſalmiſt is expreſſe (Pſal. 17.14.) that the men of this world have their portion in this life, ſo, his purpoſe is to ſhew, that they have their portion in the things of this life; for he adds, Whoſe bellyes thou fillest with thy hid treaſures, that is, with thoſe treaſures of corne, wine, and oyle, which are virtually hidden in the earth, and brought forth by the earth; God fills the bellyes of the wicked, but he fills the Spirits of the Godly; he fills the former with the hidden treaſures of the earth, he fills none but the latter with the hidden treaſures of heaven.

Laſtly, Note.

That the gifts of God even in temporall things are free and undeſerved.

Not onelyonly are ſpirituall gifts and graces, together with eternall life undeſerved, but even temporalls, and the things of this life. The Lord gives them unto his enemies, to thoſe that ſay to him, depart from us; and what doe theſe deſerve at his hands, but ſtripes and death? He gave Chriſt to us while we were moſt unworthy of him; when we were yet enemies Chriſt dyed for us; ſinners doe no more deſerve bread then they deſerve p. 175Chriſt; wee no more deſerve the comforts of this life then eternall life; The one is of free Grace to the Elect, and the other is of bounty and goodneſſe to the wicked.Quoniam moris erat in Egypto, ut menſura aſcendentis Ni…i fluminis ad templum Serapidis deferretur velat ad incrementi aquarum & inundationis auctorem ſubverſo ejus ſimulachro, ulna ipſa id eſt, aquae menſura, ad aquarum dominum coepta eſt in Eccleſias deferri. Caſſiod lib. 2. ad Euſeb: Hiſtor: The old Egyptians (as ſome writers report them) were carefull to confeſſe the undeſervedneſſe of thoſe outward favours, the plenty and abundance of corne and cattel, with which Egypt was ſtored; in teſtification whereof they every yeare brought into the Temple of their Idol Serapis a meaſure ſhewing how high the river Nilus roſe and overflowed its bankes (for Egypt being a flatt Country, is watered by the overflowings of Nilus) and by the riſing of thoſe waters they could (very probably) prognoſticate the plenty or ſcarſity of the yeare enſuing. And they therefore tooke an exact account how many cubits high the river ſwell'd, leaving it in the Temple of Serapis, thereby acknowledging (as ſome conceive) that their Idol God was the beſtower of all that plenty, or (as Eliphaz here ſpeakes) that he had filled their houſes with Good things.

But the counſell of the wicked is farre from mee.

Wee had theſe words before (Chap 21.16.) Job made uſe of them there, and here Eliphaz, therefore I ſhall adde but little for explication in this place. In generall know, they are a proverbiall ſpeech, Puto Vulgarem eſſe dicendi modum, quo homines aliquid execrantur & a ſe arceri longiſſime Jubent. Qualiaſunt, a page avertat. Deus. Pined:by which the abhorrence of our ſpirits concerning either things or perſons is ſet forth to the utmoſt; as when we ſay to any man, be gone, depart from me, or as Chriſt to Satan, Get thee behinde me, wee ſhew our vehement deteſtation of his perſon. So when a man ſayth, ſuch or ſuch a thing is farre from me, his meaning is he utterly deteſts it, or that the thing is the very abomination of his ſoule. Therefore while Eliphaz ſayth; The counſell of the wicked is farre from me, it is, as if he had ſayd, I cannot indure to have any thing to doe eyther with the wicked, or with their counſel. O my ſoule come not thou into their ſecret, unto their aſſembly O mine honour be not thou united (as dying Jacob beſpake his ſons Simeon and Levi, Gen. 49.6.)

But what is the counſell of the wicked? their counſell may be taken; firſt, for that diſhonorable opinion which they held of God, that he could doe nothing eyther for them or againſt them. I (ſaith Eliphaz) am of another minde, of another faith and perſwaſion. Their Counſel is farre from me who p. 176eyther deny the providence of God, or thinke they can hide themſelves from the eye of his providence; I beleeve that his eye beholdeth all, and that his hand worketh whatſoever pleaſeth him.

Secondly, Others by Counſell underſtand the ſcope of wicked men; ſo Calvin reades, the intent of the wicked is farre from me; I have other purpoſes and deſignes then they have; The ploughing of the wicked (ſaith Solomon, Pro. 21.4.) is ſin; that is, the ſtirring and plotting of his minde to get his deſires ſatisfied is ſinfull; I deſire not (ſaith Eliphaz) to put my hand to their plough. The counſell of the wicked is farre from me.

Thirdly, As the deſigne and plot, ſo the courſe and way of the wicked is farre from me. The counſel of a man is put for the meanes by which he acteth his deſignes, as wel as for the method in which he layeth them. Wee ſhall not wrong the drift of the Text in which ſoever of theſe three ſences we underſtand this proteſtation, The counſel of the wicked is farre from mee.

Againe, There is a threefold difference about the reading and relation of theſe words, which put together will give us yet a further light and underſtanding about them.

Quae conſilia illi ineunt longe ſunt a deo.Firſt, The Septuagint reade thus; The counſel of the wicked is farre from him; and the antecedent, to him (according to their ſence) is God himſelfe. As if Eliphaz had ſayd, the counſells and reſolutions which the wicked take up, God cannot abide, they are farre from him. His are holy, theirs are unholy counſels.

Secondly, Others apprehend, that Eliphaz ſpake thus in the perſon of Job, and onelyonly reaſſumed what he had ſaid (Chap 21.16.) O this is the man that ſayd even now the counſell of the wicked is farre from mee; Pray conſider, This is the man that profeſſed he would not ſo much as come neere a wicked man, he would have nothing to doe with their counſells, Quaſi Job ore tenus non reipſa impiorum conſilium improbaret, q. d. Num poteris dicere, te non ſentire eum improbis, eum tu, ut ipſi providentiam dei tollas.not be; He would be taken for a man of another ſpirit, of another frame then they; but ſee what he is, ſee how he joynes with them, how be walkes in their wayes, how he follows their counſells; though be denies them with his lips, and makes ſtrange as if he knew them not, yet indeed he is of the ſame peece and ſpirit with them: and while he ſayth, the counſel of the wicked is farre from me (behold his hypocriſie) the counſell of the wicked lieth in his boſome, and is embraced by him.

p. 177Thirdly, Which is more plaine and cleare, wee may expound theſe words not onelyonly as ſpoken by Eliphaz, but as therein ſpeaking of himſelfe; The counſell of the wicked is farre from me; that is, I am a man of another ſtraine, of another graine then they, I am a man of another mould and make then they. Therefore O Job, what you ſpake before I ſpeake againe, and I ſpeake it upon better grounds, with a better heart then you; you ſpake with your lips,Haec ſunt ipſius Eliphaſi verba, quibus ſeipſum commendat; ut qui potiori jure quam Job, & multo verius poſſit aſſerere ſe toto coelo ab impiorum ſententia diſſidare. Jun: Piſc. Eliphaz vult ex uno cum Jobo principio ijſdem que praemiſſis, contrariam elicere concluſionem. Bold. or from the teeth outward, that the counſell of the wicked was farre from you, but I have proved that you approach too neere them both in courſe and councel. I ſay, what you ſayd, but I ſay it (which you did not) in ſincerity, I profeſſe, and what I profeſſe is true, that the counſell of the wicked is farre from me. The ſame truth may be profeſſed by different perſons, upon different grounds and to different ends: the ſame premiſes doe not alwayes yeeld the ſame concluſions in the minds of mens, though in themſelves they doe. Eliphaz thought his counſel as farre from Jobs, as Job had profeſſed himſelfe to be from the councel of the wicked. When Job ſayd, The counſel of the wicked is farre from me; his purpoſe was to ſhew that though he was afflicted like wicked men, yea, that though he was afflicted while many wicked men were proſpered, that yet he was not at all ſpirited or principl'd like wicked men. And that therefore his friends aſſertion muſt needs be falſe, who numbred him with the wicked becauſe he was afflicted. Eliphaz ſeemes to retort this upon Job, and to ſay, if this be ſo, as thou affirmeſt, ſurely then God hath layd aſide the care of this world, and lets all things run at ſix and ſevens; for ſurely if he tooke notice of men, eyther what they were, or what they were doing, he would never ſuffer the wicked to proſper, no nor to eſcape unpuniſhed. And ſeing thou continueſt ſo ſtiffe in thy opinion, that thou doeſt not ſuffer theſe grievous calamities for thy ſinne, thou ſeemeſt to me plainly to comply with their blaſphemy, who querie, how doth God know? can be judge through the darke cloud? This counſel of the wicked is farre from me. And ſeeing as Job before, ſo Eliphaz here aſcribes counſel (which is the moſt deliberate act) to the wicked. We may obſerve.

Firſt, That wicked men ſinne adviſedly, or that many of their ſinfull wayes, are ſtudied wayes.

p. 178And as the more ſtudied they are, the more ſinfull they are; ſo they ſtudy moſt for thoſe which are moſt ſinfull. They are not hurried into ſinne by paſſions or thruſt on upon ſinne meerely by the violence of temptation; they ſit downe and goe to counſell how they may compaſſe their ungodly pu… poſes. A godly man doth not conſent unto ſinne, much leſſe doth he conſult about it; The ev…ll which I doe I allow not; I (faith the Apoſtle) conſent to the law of God that it is good (Rom. 7.) A godly man ſins dayly, but ſin hath not his conſent, or allowance when he hath done it, much leſſe doth he conſult or adviſe how to doe it. Sin doth not pleaſe him conſequently, much leſſe doth he project it antecedently. 'Tis the character of a wicked man, that his ſinne is his counſel, and that his art is in it as much as his nature; The counſell of the wicked is farre from me.

Secondly, Eliphaz doth not ſay how farre the counſel of the wicked was from him, but that it was farre from him, and by farre, he meanes furtheſt; as if he had ſayd, it is as farre from me as farre may be, I have no complyance with their counſels.

Hence obſerve.

That the ſpirit and way of the godly, and the wicked are as different as their end and concluſion ſhall be.

They are at furtheſt diſtance; They are like two paralel lines, which how farre ſoever they run together, they never meete together, nor touch in a poynt. The concluſion of a wicked man or his end is farre from that of the upright; the end of the one is light, the end of the other is darkneſſe; the one ends in ſorrow, the other in joy, the end of the one is peace, of the other trouble. And ſo the way of the one is ſin, the way of the other is holines; the way of the one is oppeſſion and covetouſneſſe, the way of the other is juſtice and righteouſneſſe; the way of the one is faith, the way of the other is unbeliefe. Now as darknes and light, joy and ſorrow, peace and trouble, can never comply or be united; ſo neyther can ſin and holines, oppreſſion and juſtice, faith and unbeliefe. There's no communion between theſe contraries, between theſe wayes and ends, counſel and concluſions. And unleſſe wee keepe farre from the counſels of the wicked, wee cannot p. 179goe farre from their concluſion; nor can we avoyd their end, but by avoyding their way. The ſame way brings the ſame end, whether we reſpect good or evill. And hence it is that the Spirit of God by Solomon gives ſuch a vehement admonition, to beware of the way of wicked men (Pro. 4.14, 15.) Enter not into the path of the wicked, and goe not in the way of evill men; avoyd it, paſſe not by it, turne from it and paſſe away. As in the former context, he, as a carefull father, had preſſed his Sonne to the cloſeſt purſuit of wiſdomes way, ſo here, he as earneſtly preſſeth him, to depart from the path of wickednes; He would have his ſonne not only not goe into it, but not ſo much as paſſe by it, that is, not goe neere it; as the next words intimate, turne from it, as if he had ſayd, keepe at a diſtance, keepe alooſe off; doe not ſtay ſo long within ſight of it as to looke upon it, that's his laſt counſel, paſſe away, not to returne or come neere it any more. And while we conſider whither that way leads, we ſhall eaſily grant that when all is ſayd, little enough is ſayd to lead us away from it. Where the way is ſinne, the wages is death. Therefore let him who deſires to avoyd the concluſion of the wicked, ſay, The counſell of the wicked is farre from me.