Exposition of Job 22-26, Commentary · Chapter 24
JOB, CHAP. 24. Verſ. 9, 10, 11, 12.
They plucke the fatherles from the breaſt, and take a pledge of the poore.
They cauſe him to goe naked without Cloathing, and they take away the ſheafe from the hungry.
Which make oyle within their walls, and tread their wine-preſſes, and ſuffer thirſt.
Which groane from out of the City, and the ſoule of the wounded cryeth out; yet God layeth not folly to them.
JOb ſtill drawes out the line of the oppreſſors wickednes, or diſcovers the ſeverall wayes of his oppreſſion; We have ſeene much of his bloody worke before, here we have more, even higheſt oppreſſion, oppreſſion devoyd not onelyonly of all juſtice, but of all humanity; ſuch is that which is next inſtanced in.
Verſ. 9. They plucke the fatherles from the breaſt.
They, that is, the oppreſſors before ſpoken of, doe it, eyther with their owne hands, or 'tis done at their command by their miniſters and inſtruments.
They plucke the fatherleſſe.
The word notes an act of violence, they lay violent hands upon the fatherleſſe. Who are meant by the fatherleſſe, hath been opened more then once already. Here the fatherleſſe are taken, not largely for any that are deſtitute of helpe and meanes, as the word is often uſed in Scripture, but ſtrictly, for children whoſe fathers are lately dead, and they yet in their minority, yea in their infancy, and in the firſt of their infancy, ſucking children, children hanging upon their mothers breaſts; which exceedingly hightens the cruelty of theſe oppreſſors. To uſe any violence to the fatherleſſe, though growne up, is (as hath been ſhewed) a great wickedneſſe, to uſe violence towards fatherleſſe infants is much more wicked, but to pull fatherleſſe infants from their mothers or nurſes breaſt (which is all the livelihood a childe hath) this is utmoſt wickednes. And this is not onelyonly an affliction to the children, but to the mother, a diſconſolate widdow, who having loſt her husband, is now bereaved of her childe alſo. Thus they adde affliction to the afflicted, and ſorrow to the ſorrowfull.
'Tis here enquired, what ſhould move them to plucke the fatherleſſe from the breaſts, or what their intent might be in this barbarous action?
Some anſwer, That it was their covetouſneſſe which moved them to be cruel; They pull'd the children from their mothers breaſts, that ſo their mothers might be the fitter to doe them ſervice; they would needs weane the children before they were fit, that the mother might be the more fitt to labour, and toile for them; or they pluckt the fatherleſſe from the breaſt, to ſel them and to make money of them; when they had murthered the father, and taken all from the widow, they made their markets of their children. So we may interpret that of the Prophet (Iſa. 10.2.) Woe to them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievouſneſſe, which they have preſcribed, to turne aſide the needy from judgement, and to take away the right from the poore of my people, that widdows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherleſſe. So we reade, implying that they tooke away the eſtate of the fatherleſſe, and ſo robbed them. Others give this ſence of th…ſe words, that they tooke away the perſons of the fatherleſſe, or more plainely, thus, That they ſtole away fatherleſſe children, and ſould them into ſlavery. There is a generation among us, called ſpirits, who pull children from the breaſt, or enveigle away ſuch as know not their right hand from the left, to make merchandize of them. The ſmell of gaine is ſweet to ſome from any thing, even from the ſale of poore fatherleſſe children.
foreign mamma, etiam vaſtitas a foreign vaſtavit. Rapiunt pupillo quod poſt vaſtationem relictum eſt. Tygur:Secondly, Others reade the text thus; They plucke from the fatherleſſe that which was left after the prey or deſtruction; for the word which we tranſlate breaſt, is derived from a roote which ſignifies to deſtroy or lay waſt; ſo the ſenſe is given thus; They take away from the fatherleſſe, even that poore pittance which was left after they had made havocke of all that was their fathers.
And take a pledge of the poore.
What a pledge is hath been opened (Chap. 22.6.) The words may alſo beare this tranſlation, They take that which is upon the poore for a pledge, namely, their rayment, not onelyonly the cloaths which they have by them to ſpare, (a poore man may have a little change) but the cloaths which they actually weare. How contrary this practiſe was to the Law, hath been ſhewed before, which forbad to take a pledge of ſuch things, as without which the poore cannot conveniently ſubſiſt.
There is a third reading, which ſayth not as we, they take a pledge of the poore, but, they take the poore for a pledge. Of which cruelty we read (2 Kings 4.1.) where the poore widdow complained to the Prophet, that her husband being dead, the creditors were come, and had taken her two ſonnes to be bond men. Thus here when they had gotten their cattle (as was ſhewed before) and their cloaths from their backs, then they muſt have their bodyes too, to be ſlaves and drudges. Here firſt, I might note, That the ſinne of oppreſſion is aggravated in reference to the perſons upon whom it is exerciſed. But becauſe it hath been obſerved from other paſſages both of this and former Chapters, how ſinfull it is to oppreſſe thoſe, whom we are bound to releive, and to vexe thoſe, whom we ought to comfort; I ſhall not inſiſt upon it in this place. But
Obſerve, Secondly.
That covetouſneſſe knows no bounds.
As it hath been ſaid of envy, ſo we may ſay of covetouſneſſe, Covetouſneſſe, whether wilt thou? whether wilt thou lead, or rather hurry and force worldly men? covetouſneſſe carryes thoſe who are under the power of it no man knowes whether: who can tell where he ſhall ſtopp or ſtay when he is once under the power of the ſpirit of covetouſneſſe? ſuch will not ſpare eyther the fatherleſſe, or the widdow, not the cloaths upon their backes, no nor their backes nor bodyes. If a covetous eye can but diſcerne any advantage to be made, it will have body and all. There is no ſinne ſo hainous, none ſo baſe, and ſordid, but covetouſneſſe may be both the mother, and nurſe of it. A covetous man will not forbeare eyther for the cruelty of the ſinne, or for the ſordidneſſe of it; Covetouſneſſe is a ſordid luſt; Covetouſneſſe is earthy, and mudds our ſpirits in earthly things. When the ſpirit of a man is once embaſed by covetouſnes, he is ready to doe any baſe thing. There is nothing here below, lower then that Spirit. And hence the Apoſtle concludes (1 Tim. 6.10.) That the love of money (which is covetouſneſſe) is the roote of all evill, that is, any evill of ſinne may grow up from that roote; and therefore the Apoſtle adds in the ſame place, That, while ſome have coveted it, they have erred from the faith. Covetouſneſſe is the roote of hereſie, which we may thinke farre removed from it. But (ſaith he) ſuch have erred from the faith; which may be underſtood of erring from the faith, both in regard of practice, and of doctrine; They have both acted and beleeved againſt the rule of faith for filthy lucre; and ſo have peirced themſelves through with many ſorrowes. Covetouſneſſe runneth us into all evill, and provokes many to doe ſuch things as peirce themſelves through with many ſorrowes as well as others. Covetouſneſſe peirceth the poore and needy, the widdow and the fatherleſſe with many ſorrowes, nor doth it ſpare its own Maſter, or ſlave rather, but peirceth him likewiſe through with many more and much worſe ſorrowes.
Verſ 10. They cauſe him to goe naked without cloathing.
The 7th verſe ſpake the ſence of this; They cauſe the naked to lodge without cloathing, and they have no covering in the cold. Job toucheth upon their cruelty againe and againe. They cauſe him to goe naked withoat cloathing. They will not allow him ſo much as thoſe things which are for neceſſity. The word him, is not expreſſely in the Hebrew, which runs onelyonly thus; They cauſe to goe naked without cloathing; as implying, that they were ready to exerciſe this inhumanity upon any one that came next to hand, or ſtood in their way. Our Tranſlation ſeemes to referre it to thoſe poore taken for a pledge, and ſo the difference between this 10th and the 7th verſe is this; in the 7th verſe he ſpake generally of the poore, whom they made to goe naked; here at the 10th verſe he ſpeakes of thoſe whom they had taken to be their ſlaves, and ſervants; they take the poore for a pledge, and cauſe him to goe naked without cloathing; they take his worke, but they give him no cloathing, they command his labour, but deny him releife. Which ſenſe is carried further, both in the next verſe, and in the next clauſe of this verſe.
And take away the ſheafe from the hungry.
Some render, they take away the eares of corne, that is,foreign non ſolum manipulum integrum ſed pauculas ſpicas quae meſſoris manum effugere ſolent ſignificat. the gleaneings which the poore have pickt up and gathered together; They take away the very gleaning from them, & that two wayes, eyther, Firſt, they will not ſuffer the poore to gleane after their reapers; This is to take away the eares of corne from the hungry; ſuch is the cruelty of ſome, that they will not ſuffer the poore to gleane in their fields; or, ſecondly, when the hungry have gleaned a few eares of corne, they take all away from them. Againſt which cruelty to the poore the Law of Moſes provided, Deut. 24.19, 20, 21. When thou cutteſt downe thine harveſt in thy feild, and haſt forgot a ſheafe in the feild, thou ſhalt not goe againe to fetch it, it ſhall be for the ſtranger, for thr fatherleſſe, and the widdow, that the Lord thy God may bleſſe thee in all the worke of thine hands. Now, if the forgotten ſheafe muſt be left for the poore, ſurely the ſcattered eares muſt not be raked up from them. We have an eminent inſtance of the liberty of gleaning in the ſecond Chapter of Ruth.
Againe, By the ſheafe which is taken away, we may underſtand that little corne which the poore man hath of his owne growing in his owne feild. And Job ſpeakes in the ſingular number, the ſheafe, implying that the poore man hath not many ſheaves, his corne makes but a ſheafe as it were; as the poore man in the parable (2 Sam. 11.11.) had but one lambe, he had not a flock, ſo the poore man hath but a ſheafe, he hath not many ſheaves, and ſhocks of corn, he hath not barnes full, as the rich man is deſcribed▪ Luk. 12. he hath but a ſheafe, yet they take that away.
Thirdly, The word which we tranſlate, ſheafe, Eſt autem Gomer menſurae genus quod quotidianū dimenſum & diurnū victum hominis cape…e poteſt, ergo neceſſarium victum abſtulerunt famelicis quem forte & ſpicis minutatim collectis ſibi ſumo labore collegerunt. Pined:ſignifies a meaſure which did conteine a convenient quantity for a dayes provifion; This meaſure the Jewes call An Omer (Exod. 16.16.) This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded, gather of it every man to his eating an Omer for every man according to the number of your perſons, take ye every man for them which are in his tents, ye ſhall have an Omer for every man; So that an Omer conteines a convenient quantity for one mans proviſion for a day, and then the ſenſe ariſeth thus, they take away the Omer from the hungry; that is, they take away meere neceſſary food or dayly bread from the hungry. The poore man hath but an Omer, juſt enough for a day, as our Saviour teacheth us to pray, Give us this day our dayly bread, or the bread of our neceſſity, ſo much bread as will ſuffice us for a day, our Omer; how much ſoever we have we are to aske no more, and uſually poore men have no more. The rich have food aforehand, or food for many dayes or yeares, as he ſaid to his ſoule (Luk. 12.19.) ſoule thou haſt goods laid up for many yeares, he was before-hand with the world; but the poore man hath only enough for a day, if he hath that, and that theſe oppreſſors tooke away; They take away the ſheafe, or the Omer from the hungry.
The hungry is put for the poore; and to aggravate the ſinne, 'tis ſayd, they take away the ſheafe from the hungry; That is, before the poore man hath eaten his belly full, yea before he hath broken his faſt, they finde the poore man hungry, and ſo they leave him; for they leave him nothing to appeaſe his hunger with; They take away the ſheafe (the Omer) from the hungry.
There is yet a fourth reading, and thoſe that carry their ſheaves they make to goe away a hungry. The meaning is, Their labourers in harveſt, or their harveſt-men have no proviſion made for them, they worke all day, and are ſent home hungry at night. Which ſinne is more expreſly noted in the next verſe, where Job taxeth the wickedneſſe of thoſe Maſters who are forward enough to imploy poore labourers, but are backward to give them a reward, or rather keepe backe their reward, altogether.
Verſ. 11. Which make Oyle within their walls, and tread their wine-preſſes, and ſuffer thirſt.
The laſt reading of the 10th verſe joynes fitly with this verſe; Thoſe that carry their ſheaves they make to goe away hungry, and thoſe that make oyle within their walls, and tread their wine-preſſes ſuffer thirſt, they are both hungry, and thirſty, who doe their worke.
Which make oyle within their walls.
The word which we tranſlate, to make oyle, ſignifies light or noone day in the nowne,Meridiati ſunt inter acervos. Vulg: and in the verbe to be abroad in the light or Sun about noone-day. And hence the words are thus tranſlated by the vulgar latine; They noone it among the heapes, or they are abroad among the heapes at noone. And there is a double expoſition given of the words in this tranſlation; firſt, they are expounded of the wicked themſelves who oppreſſe the poore; as if he had ſayd, They come forth to pleaſe themſelves, and take the aire, or to Sun themſelves among the heapes of thoſe things which they have taken from others by oppreſſion. But I conceave this very unſutable to that which is joyned with it in this verſe. Their treading of their wine-preſſes and ſuffering thirſt. And therefore I lay it by.
Secondly, The words in this tranſlation are expounded of the poore, They abide till noone day, or till the heate of the day among the heapes; that is, among the ſheaves, or among the oile-fats, or among the wine-preſſes; poore men labour there unto the very heate of the day, and then are turned home hungry and thirſty, without meate or drinke or any thing to procure eyther.
We tranſlate, which make oile, and the ſame word ſignifies,foreign merediati ſunt, vel oleum fecerunt tam meridies quam oleum a ſplendore & puritate dicitur Hebraice. Eſt enim foreign ſplendere. Vel quia oleum accenſum lucem facit ut meridies. Aben-Ezra. noone-day, light, and oile, becauſe of the light, and ſplendidneſſe of oyle. The eye enformes us, that oyle is a cleare body which hath much light, and purity in it; and therefore the word is applicable unto eyther, which make oile Within their walls.
There is a twofold expoſition of theſe words, within their walls, that is, ſay ſome, within their owne walls; the poore make oile within their walls, and tread their owne wine-preſſes, yet they ſuffer thirſt; that is, the poore are ſo oppreſt by the rich, that all the wine, and oile they can make for themſelves, will not ſatisfie their ordinary thirſt or neceſſity, or when the poore have made wine and oyle within their owne walls they ſuffer thirſt, that is, the rich come, and take all from them. Thus we may enterpret it of the poore making wine, & oile for themſelves; For in thoſe Countries where Vines and Olive-trees abound, the poore have their quantity, and portion of wine and oyle, as here they have of corne or any other commodity, which is of the growth of this Country.
But I rather expound the whole verſe of the poore making oile for, and treading the wine-preſſes of the rich. The poore labour for the rich, making oile within their walls, or within their rankes, that is, among their Olive trees they grow in rankes, and tread their wine-preſſes, yet they ſuffer thirſt; that is, though they labour hard for them, yet they have nothing for their labour, they make oile but they have no oile to anoint themſelves, they make wine, but they have no wine to quench their thirſt; thoſe cruell men neyther gave them wine nor oyle (in ſpecie, or) in kinde; but uſed them as Poets feine of Tantalus, who was ſet in a river of water up to his chin, but could not reach it, ſo the rich Tantaliz'd the poore, calling them to worke all day in their oyle fatts, and wine preſſes, and yet ſent them home hungry and thirſty; or they ſent them home without that which is virtually or amounts to wine and oyle, that is, their wages, or reward; they gave them not that which their ſervice deſerved. This is that ſpeciall oppreſſion, which, I conceive, Job intended in this place, both to diſcover and reprove, the unconſiderablenes and cruelty of the rich towards the poore labouring man.
Hence obſerve.
That to deteine the wages of the labouring man is a provoking oppreſſion.
When men carry ſheaves, and yet are hungry, when they make oile, and tread the wine-preſſe, and yet ſuffer thirſt, this is a crying ſinne. The Lord forbad this expreſſely (Deut. 24.14, 15.) Thou ſhalt not oppreſſe an hired ſervant, that is poore, and needy, whether he be of thy brethren, or of the ſtrangers which are in thy land, within thy gates, at his day, thou ſhalt give him his hire, neither ſhall the Sunne goe downe upon it, for he is poore, and ſetteth his heart upon it, leſt he cry againſt thee to the Lord, and it be ſinne unto thee. The Law alſo ſayth (Deut. 25.4.) Thou ſhalt not muzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corne. Which though the Apoſtle applyeth in two places (1 Cor. 9.9. 1 Tim. 5.18.) to ſhew the equity of it, that they who labour in the word and doctrine, or preach the Goſpel (which is ſpirituall food, the food of ſoules) ſhould be comfortably ſupplyed with temporall food, the food of their bodyes (though, I ſay) the Apoſtle doth peculiarly apply it to this ſort of labourers, yet it is extendible to all honeſt labourers in what kinde or way ſoever; For if the mouth of the labouring oxe ſhould not be muzled, then much more the mouth of a labouring man ſhould not be muzled, that reaps the corne, and treadeth the wine-preſſe, that is, ſuch ſhould not be ſent away hungry and thirſty. The Prophet (Jer. 22.13.) thunders out a threatning againſt thoſe who deale thus with the labourer; Woe to him that builds his houſe by unrighteouſneſſe, and his chambers by wrong, that uſeth his neighbours ſervice without wages, and giveth him not for his worke. As ſome unrighteous men build chambers and houſes with the gold and ſilver which they have wrongfully gotten from the rich, ſo ſome build their houſes by getting the labour and paines of the poore wrongfully from them, that is, by denying them the wages which is due for their worke; Woe to ſuch ſayth the Lord. And againe (James 5.4.) the Apoſtle chargeth this upon the rich, Behold (ſaith he) the hire of the labourers, that have reaped downe your fields, which is of you kept backe by fraud, cryeth and the cryes of them which have reaped are entred into the eares of the Lord of Sabaoth, or of the Lord of hoſts; As if he had ſayd, the Lord who hath all the Armies of heaven and earth in his power, even he hath taken notice how ye wrong the labourer, and he will put forth his power to avenge their quarrel; The Lord of hoſts is the poore labourers friend, and he will be his Avenger. It is a ſin crying for vengeance, that when a poore man hath ſweat out his ſtrength to doe ſervice to the rich, he ſhould not have his wages given him to renew his ſtrength, and revive his ſpirits for further labour. The Apoſtle (2 Theſ. 3.) gives a charge that they that will not labour ſhould not eate; we heare (ſaith he) that there are ſome who walke among you diſorderly, working not at all, now then, they that are ſuch we command and exhort by our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, that with quietneſſe they worke and eate their owne bread; and (ver. 10.) If any will not worke, neither ſhould he eate. But as they that will not worke have no right to eate; what they eate, they ſteale: ſo they who worke ſhould eate, elſe they are deprived of their right. Woe be to thoſe who eate, and worke not in ſome kinde or other, and woe be to thoſe who doe not give them to eate who worke; who compel or but call the poore to treade their wine-preſſes, and then let them ſuffer hunger and thirſt.
This ſin is committed not onelyonly by the totall denying of reward, and wages; that's the groſſeſt way of it; But,
Firſt, This ſin is committed, when the poore man receives not a reward proportionable to his labour, when he hath not what anſwers his worke, but his wages is ſo ſcanty, and ſhort, that he is not able to make a living of it for the comfortable (according to his degree) maintaining of his charge: many are apt in this caſe to oppreſſe the labourer while they pay him. They will give him ſomewhat, but it ſhall be ſo ſhort, and poore, that he is not able to ſubſiſt upon it. Hence that common ſpeech among us, that there is nothing cheape but poore mens labour; men care not ſo their worke be done, though the workman be undone. They care not though the ſweat of his brows will ſcarſe (as 'tis uſually phraſ'd) finde him water to waſh his hands.
Secondly, This ſin is committed when the labourer is defrauded of that which hath been agreed for, when cavills are raiſed and ſo the hire detained. This the Apoſtle James reproves, (Chap. 5.4.) ſpeaking of the labourers hire, which (ſaith he) is of you kept backe by fraud; they did not tell them plainely they ſhould have no wages, but they quarrelled with them about their worke; ye have not done your worke well, or not ſo ſoone as ye ſhould, and therefore they will not pay them, or they pay them to halves. Thus ſome by fraud and cavills detaine the labourers hire, as others doe it by open violence, or flat denyall.
Thirdly, This ſin is committed by delaying to pay the labourer. We finde in Moſes Law (the equity whereof remaines to this day) that not onelyonly the denying, or defrauding of the labourer concerning his hire, is charged as ſinfull, but the very delaying of it. Suppoſe you pay all, at laſt, yet if you cauſe the poore to waite long for what is their due, this will be reckoned an oppreſſion: therefore ſayth the Law (Deut. 24.14, 15.) Thou ſhalt not oppreſſe an hired ſervant that is poore, Minus ſolvit, qui minus tempore ſolvit.and needy, at his day thou ſhalt give him his hire, (Thou ſhalt not oppreſſe him ſo much as by deferring it for a day) neither ſhall the Sunne goe downe upon it. Conſider how ſtrict the righteous Lord, and our great Maſter is in this poynt, That Maſters ſhould deale well with their ſervants, and day-labourers, The Sun muſt not goe downe upon it, Why, for he is poore, and ſets his heart upon it. Which is not to be underſtood like that (Pſal. 62.10.) If riches increaſe, ſet not thy heart upon them, that is, doe not fix your affections upon your riches, thinke not your ſelves happy becauſe ye are rich: but when Moſes ſayth, the poore labourer ſets his heart upon it, the meaning is this, the poore labourer having wrought hard all day, thinkes of his wife, and family, for whom he is to provide, and then remembers that at the evening he ſhall have his wages. I (ſayth he) ſhall have ſomewhat at night, though I worke hard all day; therefore ſayth the Lord, give it him at his day, let not the Sunne goe downe upon it; he reckons to have it when he goeth home, therefore diſappoint him not. It may be a dangerous thing to be a labourers purſe-bearer for a night, if he deſire to have his hire, and you able to pay it; to deteine his wages upon thoſe termes is ſinfull, for he hath ſet his heart upon it, and fully expects it; therefore diſappoynt him not, doe not make him aſhamed of his hopes. This is the ſinne which Job deſcribes here, the wicked take, yea exact worke of the poore, and then take or deteine their wages alſo. They muſt make oyle for them, and tread their wine-preſſes, and ſuffer thirſt. This ſin cryeth, and this oppreſſion makes the poore groane, as it follows in the next verſe.
Verſ. 12. Men groane out of the Citie, and the ſoule of the wounded cryeth out, yet God layeth not folly to them.
This verſe ſhewes two things; firſt, the ſad effects of oppreſſion, it makes men groane and cry; ſecondly, the frequent and long impunity of oppreſſors; yet God layeth not folly to them.
Men groane out of the Citie.
They vex not onelyonly the Country, but the City too; for as before hee deſcribed Country-oppreſſors, ſo now City-oppreſſors; oppreſſion is a ſinne that filleth both City and Country;Eſt velut epiphonema ad ſuperiora. Merc: foreign clamare non quoquo modo ſignificat ſed cum ſingultu ut ſolent moribundi. Merc: and here we have, as it were, the concluſion, or a kinde of acclamation upon the whole matter. Would you know what worke theſe men make; they are ſo high in their cruelty, that men groane under it. The word which we tranſlate to groane, doth not ſignifie any kinde of groane (for ſome cry before they are hurt) but that which is cauſed by the greateſt hurt, and comes from the very bottom of the heart, even ſuch a groane as they give forth who are about to dye. Men groane from Out of the Cittie.
This ſhews the impudence of thoſe men in ſinne as well as their impunity. We might reaſonably ſuppoſe, they would not dare to doe thus in the open Citie, though they had done it in a corner of the Country, where there were but few to take notice of them. To doe thus in the Citie, in the eyes of all men, is an argument that they had loſt their modeſty, as well as their honeſty, and were reſolved not onelyonly to doe evill, but to ſtand to it, or make it good.
And the ſoule of the wounded cryeth out.
That is, the wounded cry out; the ſoule is put for the perſon, or the man; or the ſoule of the wounded is ſayd to cry out, to ſhew the greatneſſe and dolefullneſſe of the cry. As when Mary ſayd; My ſoule doth magnifie the Lord, it argues that ſhee magnified the Lord with ſtrong affections, as if ſhee had been all ſoule. Su…h alſo is the force of that paſſage in Deborahs Song (Judg. 5.21.) O my ſoule, thou haſt troden downe ſtrength; ſhee trod downe the ſtrength of the enemy with all her ſtrength. And her ſoule (which was her ſtrength in God) was in it more then her body. So here, the ſoule of the wounded cryeth out, that is, the wounded cry out moſt lamentably, they powre out their owne ſoules, while others were powring out their bloud. But what are theſe wounded? or how were they wounded? Wee may take it eyther of an outward or inward wounding. There is a wounded ſpirit as well as a wounded body, many are wounded whoſe fleſh is whole, who have not ſo much as a ſcarre made in their skin; yet here the wounded were ſuch whoſe fleſh or outward ſtate was wounded firſt, and then their hearts or ſpirits were wounded, becauſe of that, with griefe and ſorrow.
The ſoule of the wounded.
The word which we tranſlate wounded, ſignifies two things. Firſt, that which is prophane and polluted, and in the verb to pollute and prophane a thing. Idol-worſhippers are ſo called, becauſe they are polluted as wounded men with blood. And hence alſo it is uſed as a word of abomination, The Lord forbid, ſayd David, (1 Sam. 24.6.) And againe (2 Sam. 20.20.) Farre be it from me, farre be it from me, ſayd Joab; in both which places, the actions abominated,foreign polluti prophani foreign abſit, vox prohibitionis & abominationis res prophana ſ t mihi. had the defilement or pollution of blood in them. And the Jewes ſpeaking this word, uſually rent their garments, ſhewing the abhorrence and indignation of their minds at blaſphemie, or ſuch like abominations. Now becauſe wounded men are defiled in their blood, therefore this word ſignifieth the wounded. The ſoule of the wounded cryeth out, not onelyonly cryeth, but cryeth out; Which implyeth the greatneſſe of their wound, and the extreame painefullnes of it.
Hence Note.
Oppreſſion is a crying ſinne, and makes the oppreſſed cry.
The blood of Abel, who was the firſt man that ever was outwardly wounded, cryed when he was dead; how much more doe they cry whoſe blood is powring out, and themſelves under preſent feare of death. The ſoules under the Altar cryed how long Lord, how long, (Rev. 6.9.) Thoſe ſoules had ſuffered, and were paſt ſuffering, yet they cryed out for vengeance upon their adverſaryes, how much more will their ſoules cry who are under ſufferings? The wounds of the wounded are as ſo many wide mouthes crying out to God, though their owne ſoules ſhould be ſilent and ſay nothing. I have upon other paſſages in this booke met with the ſinne of oppreſſion, and the cry of the poore upon it, therefore I ſhall not further ſtay here, but a while inſiſt upon the laſt clauſe of this context, which holds out the chiefe and moſt conſiderable matter of it. The oppreſſour doth all theſe wickedneſſes, but what doth God? Surely we might expect to heare of God in the next words, healing and helping the wounded who make this cry, and wounding the hairy ſcalpe of thoſe who made them cry; had not God a fit occaſion put in his hand to ſhew himſelfe? firſt, for the releife of the oppreſſed; and, ſecondly, for the puniſhment of the oppreſſour. He that beholds ſuch actings as theſe, the fatherles plucked from the breaſts, the poore made ſlaves, the labourer denied his wages, the wounded crying, groaning, (he I ſay, that beholds all this) might ſay in his heart, ſurely now God will preſently appeare, and indeed God hath often appeared, when the wicked have been in the heate of ſuch actings, and the poore in the heate of ſuch ſufferings. (Pſal. 12.5.) For the oppreſſion of the poore, for the ſighing of the needy, now I will ariſe ſaith the Lord, I will ſet him in ſafety from him that puffeth at him. Yet here we finde no ſuch thing, nothing like the Lords ariſing for the ſaving of the poore from oppreſſion, or for the breaking of oppreſſors. Job ſaw or had ſeene the poore oppreſſed, and the needy ſighing, but did not ſee God comming eyther with deliverance or revenge? for he adds, though all this be done, Yet God layeth not folly to them.
Maſter Broughton reads; And the puiſſant marketh not the unſavory dealing. His meaning is not that God did not know that their dealings were unſavory, or that he did not obſerve and take notice of their dealings, but he did not obſerve them, ſo as to appeare preſently againſt them. God layeth not, or God putteth not, the meaning is, God imputeth not, or God chargeth not folly, or (ſtrictly to the letter of the Hebrew) that which is unſavory to them or upon them. That word which ſignifies a thing unſavory or without ſalt, in a natural and proper ſence, may elegantly be rendred folly in a moral or metaphoricall ſence; for fooliſhnes or folly is that, which hath no ſalt of reaſon, righteouſneſſe,foreign quod fit praeter omnem rationem & aequitatem. Bez: juſtice, or equity in it. Hence the word is often uſed to ſignifie that which is done beſides, without, or againſt all theſe. So it is ſayd (Chap. 1.22.) In all this Job ſinned not, neither did he charge God fooliſhly, or, neither did he charge folly upon God; it is this word. Job did not thinke that God dealt unjuſtly or unreaſonably with him, though he had taken all worldly comforts from him, and heaped all thoſe afflictions upon him. And here Job ſayth, God layeth not folly to wicked men, notwithſtanding all the unjuſt and unreaſonable things which they have done, in heaping troubles cauſeleſſely upon the poore. Though aboundance of folly and madnes was committed and acted by them, with a high and heavy hand, yet God did not lay folly to them.
Some reade the text thus; Notwithſtanding all this, God doth nothing that is unſavory; Non ponit infulſum. q. d. nihil ſine maxima ſapientia agit, vel permiſit faciendum deas.we ſupply thoſe words, to them; the Hebrew text is onelyonly this, God putteth not folly, ſo the laſt mentioned tranſlation may well ſtand; for when Job had reported all thoſe things, it might wel be queſtioned, how is it that God permits, and ſuffers ſuch wickedneſſe in the world? O, ſayth Job, God puts no folly, or he doth nothing which is unjuſt, or unreaſonable in all theſe things; as if he had ſayd, how unreaſonable and unrighteous ſoever men are in theſe actings, yet God is not unrighteous, God doth nothing unbecoming himſelfe, nothing unſeemely or unſavory in it ſelfe; Severall of the Jewiſh Doctors fall in with this tranſlation;Deus non facit hoc gratis & fruſtra. i. e. non temere & abſ que ratione. Rab: Abr: Deus non ponet imminutionem. i. e. rem deficientem aliqua vel juſtitiae vel aequitatis circumſtantia. Rab: Kimhi: Deus nihil abſurdum aut reprehenſione dignum agit, dum haec omnia permittit. Piſc: God doth not this (gratis or) without cauſe (ſaith one) He hath aboundant reaſon to let that be done, which men doe without eyther rule or reaſon. A ſecond renders thus; God doth not that which is defective or wanting in any circumſtance of Juſtice and equity. The ſence of both which rendrings or paraphraſes of the text, are given in fully in the Annotations of a moderne writer upon it. God (ſayth he) doth nothing uncomely or blame-worthy, while he ſuffers all theſe things to be done, which are not onelyonly uncomely and worthy of blame, but abominable, and worthy of the ſevereſt puniſhment.
Hence obſerve.
Whatſoever God doth, he doth it wiſely and juſtly.
God who is wiſdome and juſtice it ſelfe, and is to himſelfe and all others, the rule of wiſdome and juſtice, can no more doe any thing unwiſely, or unjuſtly, then he can ceaſe to be wiſe or juſt; and he can no more ceaſe to be wiſe or juſt, then ceaſe to be, for his wiſdome is himſelfe, and his Juſtice is himſelfe. There needs no more to be ſayd, to acquit any action of weaknes or unrighteouſnes, then to ſay, God hath done it. For (as the Apoſtle ſpeakes, 1 Cor. 1.25.) The fooliſhneſſe of God is wiſer then men, and the weakneſſe of God ſtronger then men; We may ſay alſo (and in ſaying ſo, we ſay no more then the Apoſtle ſayd before) that, The injuſtice of God, is juſter then men, that is, thoſe things which God ſeemes to doe unjuſtly and unrighteouſly: As when he ſuffers wicked men to devoure the man that is more righteous then they, this ſeemes to be an act of unrighteouſneſſe, yet this is juſter and more righteous, then the juſtice and righteouſneſſe of men. And if the very unrighteouſneſſe of God (that is, what appeares to man as unrighteouſneſſe) be righteous; Then how righteous is the righteouſneſſe of God? That I meane which appeares righteouſneſſe in the eyes of all men. This reading and ſence of the words, is ſafe, and holds out an excellent poynt of truth.
That God doth nothing which is unſavory or unjuſt.
Yet our tranſlation is both profitable and clearly ſuitable to the context, and therefore I ſhall a little inſiſt upon that.
Yet God layeth not folly to them.
As if he had ſayd, Theſe men doe moſt unſavory and fooliſh things, yet God doth not charge folly upon them. The ſence of this tranſlation riſeth by foure ſteps.
Firſt, God doth not preſently call evill men to an account, or charge their ſinne upon them.
Secondly, God doth not preſently puniſh evill men for their ſin. To lay folly to a man is not onelyonly to call him to anſwer for what he hath done, but to puniſh him as having done fooliſhly. He looks for a ſentence next who hath already received his charge, and is not able to acquit himſelfe, and wipe it off.
Non poſuit deus prohibitionem Vatabl: in Hebraeo eſt inſ…ljū i. e nihil adverſi & in grati illis accidere patitur. Vatabl: Quaſi in ſulſum ſignificet mala naturae palato malè gratas tribulationes quas deus impiorum conatibus opponere poſſit. Bold:Thirdly, God doth not preſently ſtop evill men in their worke, or make their worke like the worke of a foole, which ſeldome proſpers, or proves ſucceſſefull. The Prophet Jeremie complained of this to God (Chap. 12.1.) Why doth the way of the wicked proſper? Wherefore are all they happy, that deale very treacherouſly? As if he had ſayd, Lord, why doeſt thou not ſend out a prohibition from thy Court above, and ſtop the proceedings of wicked and treacherous men? they goe on ſmoothly, they meete no rubs in their way, but carry all before them, they meete with nothing that doth diſguſt or diſtaſt them. A ſtop in our way is to our ſpirits like hard and unſavory meate to our ſtomackes, that which we cannot digeſt. Thus (ſayth Job) God doth not lay folly to them, he doth not make them like fooliſh builders that begin but are not able to carry on their worke. God layd folly (in this ſence) to the builders of Babel, he checkt and confounded them in their worke, ſo that they left off to build the City (Gen. 11.7, 8.) But many begin a Babel, a worke of confuſion to others, but are not confounded themſelves, they not onelyonly begin to build, but finiſh; They ſet up the topſtone of their worke, while many cry, woe, woe to it, and yet God doth not lay folly to them.
Fourthly, Wee may reſolve this Negative, God layeth not folly to them, into an Affirmative, God lets them goe on as if they had done wiſely, diſcreetly, juſtly. And whereas it is ſayd to Chriſt in that prophecy (Pſal. 45.4.) Ride proſperouſly, becauſe of truth, and meeknes, and righteouſnes. God ſeemes to ſay to them, ride proſperouſly, even in deceit, and wrath, and unrighteouſneſſe; They hate righteouſnes, and love wickednes, yet God ſeemes to anoynt them with the oyle of Gladnes and ſucceſſe above their fellowes. God layeth not folly to them.
Hence note.
Firſt, The wayes of unrighteouſneſſe are fooliſh, and unſavory wayes.
Whatſoever hath ſinne in it, wanteth ſalt in it; Chriſt ſayth to his Diſciples (Mark. 9.50.) Have ſalt in your ſelves, and have peace one with another; that is, let there be a ſavour of Chriſt, a ſavour of grace, and holineſſe, and equity in your owne ſpirits, and be ye ſweetly, mildly, amiably, brotherly diſpoſed one to another. They have no ſalt of wiſdome in themſelves, whoſe converſation is unſavory and troubleſome unto others. Sin and folly are more then like one another, for they are the ſame. They have no ſeaſoning in them, who have no Goodneſſe in them. Righteouſneſſe is the wiſeſt and the moſt ſavory thing in the world, in the account both of God and good men. The wiſedome which is from above, (ſayth the Apoſtle James, Chap. 3.17.) is firſt pure, then peaceable, gentle, and eaſie to be entreated, full of mercy, and good fruits, without partiality (towards men) without hypocriſie (towards God) But the wiſedome that is troubleſome and vexatious, rough and harſh to others, is earthly, ſenſuall, deviliſh indeed, down-right madnes, abſurdnes, folly. Solomon ſayth, Oppreſſion makes a wiſe man mad; but it will appeare at laſt, that the wiſeſt oppreſſors have been mad, fooliſh, ſaltleſſe, and brainleſſe men. Such uſe to flatter themſelves, and are often much flattered by others in their projects, and policies, for the onelyonly wiſe men in the world, but in the end they dye like fooles.
Obſerve, Secondly.
God ſuffers oppreſſours to goe on long before he puniſheth them, and he ſuffers the oppreſſed to cry long before he releives them.
God is often pleaſed to winke, while the wicked ſin, and he as often ſeemes to be aſleepe while the righteous ſuffer. Hence that ſad complaint of the Church (Pſal. 44.23, 24.) Awake, why ſleepeſt thou, O Lord, ariſe, caſt us not off for ever; wherefore hideſt thou thy face, and forgetteſt our affliction and our oppreſſion. This alſo cauſed David to cry out (Pſal. 13.1.) How long wilt thou forget me O Lord, for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from mee? how long ſhall mine enemies be exalted over mee? What, under the oppreſſion of an enemy for ever! while God aſſures his people (in that parable of the importunate widdow, and the unjuſt Judge, Luk. 18.) that he will deliver them, yet he more then intimates that it may be very long before he doth it, ver. 6, 7.) And the Lord ſayd, heare what the unjuſt Judge ſaith; and ſhall not God avenge his owne elect who cry to him night and day, though he beare long with them; that is, though he exerciſe much patience towards thoſe tyrants who oppreſſe his elect, yea and much patience alſo towards his elect, in regard of their doubts and deſpondencies of their feare and unbeleefe about his comming to avenge and helpe them againſt thoſe Tyrants.
Further, Folly imports not onelyonly ſin, but the greatnes of ſin, ſo that when it is ſayd, God layeth not folly to them, the ſence (according to this notion of the word folly) is, that, though they ſin greatly, yet God makes no great matter of it, or he doth not charge their ſin upon them, nor puniſh them for their ſin anſwerably or in proportion to the greatnes of it,Non ponit ſtultitiam. i. e non imputat hoc iis tanquam graude peccatum, hoc enim ſtultitia vocatur. but paſſeth it by, as if it were onelyonly ſome infirmitie or ſmall offence; he doth not lay folly to them, nor doth he let them feele what egregious fooles they have been. The word folly is uſed often in Scripture in this ſence, to note a notorious ſinne (Gen. 34.7.) when the ſonnes of Jacob came out of the feild and heard how their ſiſter had been dealt with, they were exceedingly grieved, and they were very wrath, becauſe he had wrought folly in Iſrael in lying with Jacobs daughter; that is, becauſe he had committed a great wickednes in Iſrael. We have the ſame ſin ſo expreſt againe by folly (2 Sam. 13.12.) And ſhe anſwered him, nay my brother, doe not force me, for no ſuch thing ought to be done in Iſrael, doe not thou this folly; As if ſhe had ſayd; This is a grievous ſin, therefore doe it not. And when the Lord would ſhew Jobs three friends, the Greatnes of their error and miſtake in their diſpute with Job, he calls it folly (Job 42.9.) My ſervant Job ſhall pray for you, for him will I accept; leſt I deale with you according to your folly, in that ye have not ſpoken of me the thing that is right like my ſervant Job. Thus we ſee that great ſins whether in practice or opinion come under this cenſure in Scripture; onelyonly we may note that the three texts mentioned expreſſe folly in another originall word then the preſent text doth. There is folly enough, great folly in every the leaſt ſin, but Great ſinnes deſerve more to beare the name of folly in their foreheads.
Taking folly under this peculiar conſideration;
We may obſerve.
That, as The Lord in this life doth not puniſh any, no not the worſt of ſinners, according to the juſt demerit and dimenſion of their ſinnes, ſo he puniſheth ſome, whoſe ſins are very great, but very little.
Though he layeth their ſinne to them, yet he doth not lay it to them in the folly of it, or as it is their folly. He doth onelyonly touch them with his little finger, while it might be thought he would breake them with his iron rod. He doth but chaſtiſe them with whips, while their ſin calls for ſcorpions. The Time will come, when God will lay folly to every wicked man, and make their ſin appeare, in the puniſhment of it, what now it is in the nature of it, out of meaſure ſinfull. Every impenitent ſinner ſhall then finde that his ſin is folly, that is, that his ſin is very great.
Yet a late learned Expoſiter upon this Booke, conceaves, thar the ſence is abated and diminiſhed in the word folly, as if it were,Non ponit ſtultitam. i. e. non dico ſcelera, ſed ne foreign quidem aut faecta illepida & inſulſa iliis impatat. Coc: a terme of extenuation; God doth not lay folly, that is, the leaſt ſinne to them; he doth not ſo much as charge them to have done irrationally, vainely, childiſhly, or unhandſomely; he doth not onelyonly not deale with them as if they had ſinned haynouſly, but he doth not deale with them as if they had done fooliſhly. But whether we take the word Folly, as implying the Greatnes or the littlenes of their ſinne; whether we expound it as a terme of diminution, or of aggravation, the ſence of the text is not altered: in which Job intends onelyonly to ſhew that though men have done very wickedly, yet God doth not preſently render to them according to what they have done. This is true in the firſt ſence of the word, if God doe not lay folly to them, as it ſignifies a great ſin, and this is much more true, if God doe not lay folly to them in the ſecond ſence, as it ſignifies a little ſin. And this ſence of this latter clauſe of the verſe correſponds fully, with the generall ſcope of the Chapter, and of the whole Booke. For Job argues with his friends thus; Ye charge me with folly and wickedneſſe, becauſe I ſuffer, yet God ſuffers the wicked and doth not charge them with folly.
Laſtly,Et tamen inſulſitatem non deſignat deus Jun: i. e. pergere & confirmari non ſinit tam pravā adminiſtrationem; quae ideo inſulſ…acis nomine perſtringitur, quia nec deo nec hominibus bonis humanum al…quid ſapienabus probatur. id: I ſhall onelyonly repreſent another tranſlation of theſe words, which keepes ſtrictly to the Hebrew; in which thoſe words, To them (as we render it) are not found, but ſupplyed. And then the text runs onelyonly thus; And yet God doth not lay folly; that is, ſuch things as are uncomely, vaine, and fooliſh: As if Job had ſayd; Though I have made report to you of all theſe oppreſſive-wayes of wicked men, yet I aſſure you, God will not ſuffer theſe evill adminiſtrations to continue and be eſtabliſhed; but will at laſt beare his witnes againſt them, and eminently ſhew his utter diſlike of them, as of that which is moſt fooliſh and unſavory, not onelyonly to himſelfe, but to all men, who have any taſt or ſence of that which becommeth man. Let men doe as fooliſhly and unrighteouſly as they will, the purpoſe of God is to rule the world in righteouſneſſe, and in wiſedome. The Kings ſtrength (as the Pſalmiſt ſpeaks (Pſal. 99.4.) that is, the ſtrength of Chriſt (who is called The King of Kings, (Rev. 19.16.) both becauſe he excelleth all other Kings, and ruleth all other Kings, he I ſay) loveth judgement (or righteous dealings with all his ſtrength) and (as it followeth in the ſame verſe) he eſtabliſheth equity; he eſtabliſheth the rule by which others may doe equity, and he eſtabliſheth the acts of equity which others doe; For ſeeing Chriſt loveth judgement, and alſo (as we have it in the cloſe of the ſame verſe) executeth judgement and righteouſneſſe in Jacob. He cannot but eſtabliſh acts of equity, which are nothing elſe but the execution of judgement and righteouſneſſe. And therefore though he beare with unjuſt and unrighteous men a while in their vaine projectings and vainer actings, yet he will not eſtabliſh them in it. He will not lay folly, he will not lay it as a foundation for them to build and proceed upon. Weake and ſmall things have often been eſtabliſhed by God, but he will not long eſtabliſh wicked and ſinfull things.