Exposition of Job 22-26, Commentary · Chapter 24
JOB, CHAP. 24. Verſ. 15, 16, 17.
The eye alſo of the adulterer waiteth for the twi-light, ſaying, no eye ſhall ſee me: and diſguiſeth his face.
In the darke they dig through houſes which they have marked for themſelves in the day time: they know not the light.
For the morning is to them even as the ſhaddow of death; if one know them, they are in the terrours of the ſhaddow of death.
WEE have heard many wickedneſſes deſcribed in the former part of this Chapter, and in the foregoing verſe, The murtherer riſing with the light killeth the poore and needy, and in the night is as a Theife. Job proceeds to diſcover the practices of two other ſorts of groſſe ſinners, the Adulterer and the Theife.
Verſ. 15. The eye of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight.
Before I come to open the particular termes of this clauſe, or to raiſe any obſervations from it, I ſhall give in ſomewhat about Adultery in generall, which is the ſpeciall ſubject of the whole verſe. Adultery is the breach of the 7th Commandement. And in that Commandement a twofold Adultery is forbidden. Firſt, Mentall, or the adultery of the minde; ſecondly, Corporall, or the adultery of the body. It was the former which Chriſt intended, when he corrected the falſe gloſſe or expoſition of the Phariſees about the 7th Commandement, (Math. 5.27, 28.) Yee have heard that it was ſaid by them of old time, Thou ſhalt not commit adultery; but I ſay unto you, whoſoever looketh on a woman to luſt after her, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. By which it appeares, that the Phariſees, who were the chiefe interpreters of the Law in thoſe times, limited the commandement againſt Adultery to the outward act; but Chriſt the Law-giver who beſt knew the mind of the Law, enlarged it to the prohibition of the internal act, & told them that there is a heart-adultery, an adultery in thought, occaſion'd by a vaine or wanton glance and caſt of the eye, as wel as there's an Adultery of the body, or in the outward act.
The text in hand ſpeakes onelyonly of corporal Adultery, though the other be not excluded as being the roote of it.Latinae voces adulteri & adulterae hanc vim habent ut adulter ad alteram, adultera ad A…terum ſe conferat. Feſt: And This corporall adultery is taken in Scripture ſomtimes ſtrictly, when eyther man or woman to ſatisfie their luſt with others break their conjugal Bond; and is eyther that act of uncleaneneſſe which is committed by perſons who are both engaged by marriage-covenant to mutuall faithfulnes, or when at leaſt one of them is under that engagement. This latter is properly called ſingle adultery; the former is double Adultery, or corporal Adultery in the higheſt and ſtricteſt ſence of it. Secondly, Corporal Adultery is taken more largely, or in a lower ſence for fornication or bodyly uncleaneneſſe of any kinde between man and woman. And ſo it is intended in the Commandement given againſt it; Thou ſhalt not commit Adultery.
The foulenes and greatnes of this ſin of adultery (take it in eyther ſence) appeares many wayes. The Apoſtle puts it in the front of the workes of the fleſh (Gal. 5.19.) Now the workes of the fleſh are manifeſt, which are theſe, Adultery, fornication, uncleanneſſe, laſciviouſneſſe, there is adultery with all its retinue; and (Col. 3.5.) it is ſet as the firſt of our earthly members, which are to be mortified; mortifie therfore your members which are upon earth, fornication, uncleaneneſſe, inordinate affection. Whereas in other Scriptures fornication is included under adultery, in this adultery is included under fornication.
Adultery ſtrictly taken, hath a ſpeciall ſinfullneſſe in it. Firſt, as it is the breach of a Covenant; every ſin hath in it a breach of Covenant in generall, but there is a ſuperadded breach of a ſpeciall Covenant in this ſin. Hence Solomon ſaith of the Adultereſſe (Pro. 2.17.) that ſhee forſaketh the guide of her youth. One of the Rabbines expounds this woman myſtically for the ſenſitive appetite, and that ſhee is ſayd to forſake the guide of her youth, becauſe in youth appetite commonly forſakes reaſon, which is appoynted to be the guide of it. But we may expound this guide eyther for her father, who had the government of her in her younger yeares, or elſe for her husband whom ſhe married in her youth, and whom by marriage ſhee receaved as the guide of her youth, under God, who is indeed the guide both of our youth and old age: and what guide ſoever the wife forſaketh, ſhee cheifely forſaketh God who is her chiefe guide, and forgetteth the covenant of her God, that is, the covenant which God gave her in reference to that particular eſtate of marriage. Every beleever is in covenant with God, in reference to his ſpirituall eſtate, but a married perſon hath a covenant with God in reference to that civil ſtate; And Adultery is the breach of this covenant.
Secondly, This ſhewes the ſinfullneſſe of Adultery, that it is a ſin which cannot be committed alone, there is alwayes a double ſin, in this ſin of adultery, two are defiled with it at once. In which ſenſe it is worſe then murther, and theft; For theſe may be committed, and but one defiled with the ſinfullnes of them. He that robs is guilty of ſtealing, not he that is robbed; He that murders is guilty of blood, not he that is murdered; But in Adultery, the Agent and patient are both alike guilty of uncleanenes; The defilement reacheth both.
Thirdly, The evill of this ſin appeares, by the many and manifold evills which it brings with it. Solomon hath ſet them forth very particularly and fully (Pro. 6.26, 27, 28, 29, 30.) Luſt not after her (that is, after the ſtrange woman) in thine heart, neither let her take thee with her eyelids, (why not? Firſt, thou mayeſt be undone in thy outward eſtate) by meanes of a whoriſh woman a man is brought to a peice of bread, (that is, he is ruin'd in all he hath by it, and brought to ſo low an ebbe of poverty, that he hath ſcarce the worth of a peice of bread left) And (which is both a ſecond and a worſe evill) the adultereſſe will hunt for the pretious life, which may either be underſtood of the naturall life, (ſometimes the adulterer is murtherd by the adultereſſe) or of that which is a more pretious life then the natural, even the life of the ſoule, or the eternal good and happineſſe of the ſoule, ſhe cares not to deſtroy body, and ſoule for ever (ſo her luſt may be ſatisfied) that's the gaine which the adultereſſe purſues; ſhee hunts for the pretious life, the life of the ſoule. Thirdly, Solomon deſcribes the evill of this ſin in the 27 and 28 verſes, by the guilt which it inevitably brings with it; Can a man take fire in his boſome, and his cloathes not be burnt? can a man goe upon hot coales, and his feete not be burnt? So he that goeth into his neighbours wife, whoſoever toucheth her ſhall not be innocent, that is, he ſhall ſurely be very guilty. As if he had ſayd, You can no more retaine your innocency, while you commit this folly, then you can avoyd being burnt when you carry fire in your boſome, or tread upon burning coales. Fourthly, the ſinfullnes of this ſin appeares, by the compariſon which the Scripture makes between it and theft, (Pro. 6.30, 31.) Men doe not deſpiſe a theife, Ferenda eſt magis omnis neceſſitas quam perpetranda aliqua iniquitas.if he ſteale to ſatisfie his ſoule when he is hungry; it is a ſin to ſteale, though it be to ſatisfie hunger; no neceſſity can excuſe iniquity; and we ſhould rather chuſe to ſtarve then ſteale, if at leaſt that may be called ſtealing, which is done meerly to avoyd ſtarving; Therefore (ſaith Solomon) if he be found, he ſhall reſtore ſeavenfold, he ſhall give all the ſubſtance of his houſe; yet this ſin of ſtealing which is to ſatisfie hunger is but a ſmall ſin compared with Adultery, which is onelyonly to ſatisfie a mans luſt and beaſtiall ſenſualnes. This Solomon affirmes to us in the next words; But who ſo committeth adultery with a woman lacketh underſtanding, he that doth it deſtroyeth his owne ſoule. He that ſtealeth, upon thoſe termes doth it for want, but he that commits adultery upon any termes, doth it for wantonnes. He that ſtealeth doth it for lacke of bread, but he that commits adultery doth it for lacke of underſtanding. He that ſtealeth when he is hungry doth it to ſatisfie his ſoule, but he that committeth Adultery, (though he doth it not with an intent to deſtroy his ſoule, yet in the iſſue he) deſtroyeth his owne ſoule. But is not ſtealing a ſoule-deſtroying ſin too? I anſwer, it is; and ſo is every ſin in its owne nature, but there are ſome ſins (and among theſe Adultery is a chiefe one) which in the event prove uſually more deſtructive to the ſoule, and have oftener deſtroyed it. And as this ſin doth very often deſtroy the ſoule as to its happines hereafter; ſo it deſtroyeth it as to its abiding here. Thus the ſoule may be ſayd to be deſtroyed when the life is deſtroyed; and this deſtruction of the ſoule, Solomon ſeemes directly to ayme at, as the next words lead us to Judge (ver. 33.) A wound and diſhonour ſhall he get, and his reproach ſhall not be wiped away, for jealouſie is the rage of a man, therefore he will not ſpare in the day of vengeance.
Another Scripture to be much minded in this poynt is that of St Paul (1 Cor. 6.13, 14.) where writing to the Church of Corinth, (among which people that ſin was very common before they were called to the knowledge of Chriſt by the preaching of the Goſpel) he urgeth many arguments upon their conſciences, to prevent their relapſe into it. And we may diſcover ſix arguments which the Apoſtle uſeth in that place; I ſhall onelyonly touch them, and ſo returne to the text in hand. The firſt appeares at the cloſe of the 13th verſe, Now the body is not for fornication but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body; As if he had ſaid, you put the body to a uſe for which it was never intended, the body is not for fornication, but, for the Lord, that is, for the Lords uſe and ſervice; and the Lord is for the body, that is, for the good and ſalvation of the body. Such is the wonderfull goodneſſe of God, that looke in whatſoever we are for him, he is for us; As our bodyes are for the Lords ſervice as well as our ſoules, ſo the Lord is for the good of our bodyes, as well as for the good of our ſoules. And therefore our bodyes ought to be imployed for his Glory in every thing. The ſecond argument is taken from the reſurrection; God hath both raiſed up the Lord, and will alſo raiſe up us by his owne power, (ver. 14.) As if he had ſayd, your bodyes ſhall be raiſed againe; if they were to be loſt in the duſt, then it were no great matter how you did defile, and abuſe them, but as God hath raiſed up the Lord, ſo he will raiſe you up. Seeing then God hath promiſed, and you are ſuch as profeſſe faith in that promiſe, that your bodyes ſhall be raiſed up out of the duſt, to put on glory as a Garment in the laſt day, therefote in the meane time (while your bodyes are in your keeping) doe ye keepe your bodyes pure. Thirdly, He argues thus with the beleeving Corinthians, (v. 15th) Know ye not that your bodyos are the members of Chriſt; not onelyonly is the ſoule of a beleever a member of Chriſt, but his body too, yet it is not properly eyther the body or the ſoule that is a member of Chriſt, but the perſon; for the union is made between Chriſt and the perſon of a beleever, conſiſting of ſoule and body. But thus the Apoſtle argues, Know ye not that your bodyes are the members of Chriſt, ſhall I then take the members of Chriſt, and make them members of an harlot, God forbid. What! will ye diſpoſe the members of Chriſt to ſo baſe a uſe? will ye who prefeſſe, your ſelves joyned to Chriſt, condiſcend to ſuch a baſe conjunction? And hence he expoſtulates at the 16th and 17th verſes, What? know ye not that he which is joyned to an harlot is one body for two, ſaith he, ſhall be one fleſh, (They who abuſe marriage, are as the marryed, The Adulterer and the harlot are one fleſh as well as the husband and the wife) but he that is joyned to the Lord (by faith and love) is one ſpirit; He hath a neerer and a more noble union then that of fleſh, and therefore he ought to maintame the hight of honour and purity, both in minde and body; and as he is one Spirit with the Lord, ſo to make it good that he is guided and governed by one Spirit, and that The holy One. We have a fourth argument at the 18•h verſe, Flee fornication, why ſo? The reaſon is added, every ſin that a man doth is without the body, but he that committeth fornication, ſinneth againſt his owne body. But are all other ſins without the body? I anſwer; firſt, other ſinnes have the body as an inſtrument for the committing of them; if a man ſteale, the body is an inſtrument, if a man commit murther, the body is an inſtrument, but in this ſin the body is more inſtrumentall then in other ſins, the body is cheifely inſtrumentall, in this ſin; ſo that comparatively to this, every ſin that a man doth is without the body. And therefore this ſin is more againſt the body then other ſins are. Againe ſecondly, when the Apoſtle ſaith, every ſin is without the body, he is to be underſtood of thoſe ſinnes which are externall, otherwiſe every ſin that a man commits is not without the body, there are a thouſand acts of ſin that are done within the body, or in the ſoule, envy, wrath, malice, are ſinnes within the body, being bred and acted in the Spirit. But we may ſay of every ſin which is externall, (about which the diſcourſe there is) that comparatively to this ſin of adultery & fornication, it is without the body. I anſwer, thirdly, The body is not onelyonly the inſtrument of this ſin, but the object of it alſo; for the uncleane perſon doth not onelyonly ſin with his body, but he ſins againſt his body; Adultery leaves that blot and brand of ignominy and baſenes upon the body, which no other ſin doth, making it the member of a harlot, as was toucht before, and degrading it from that excellent honour whereunto God advanced it, even in a Naturall conſideration, much more degrading it from that honour, whereuntor God hath advanced it in a ſpirituall conſideration. And as that was the Apoſtles third Argument, ſo, upon another relation of the bodyes of beleevers, he makes his 5th argument, which is layd downe at the 19th verſe; What? know you not that your body is the Temple of the Holy-Ghoſt, which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your owne; As if he had ſayd, A Temple is a holy and ſacred thing, and will ye defile the Temple of the Holy-Ghoſt? The Jewes, how angry were they? what an uproar did they make, when they thought Paul had brought Greeks into the Temple, who by the law were looked upon as prophane perſons, and ſo not to be admitted to come there; they cry out, This is the man that hath polluted this holy place (Acts 21.28.) Much more may it be urged upon Goſpel-profeſſors, what! commit ſuch a ſin as this? what! pollute the Temple of God? Know ye not (which every beleever is bound to know) that your body is the Temple of the Holy-Ghoſt as well as the ſoule. The laſt argument concludes the 19th verſe, and is proſecuted in the 20 h; Ye are not your owne, for ye are bought with a price, therefore glorifie God in your body, and in your ſpirit which are Gods. Redemption is a ſtrong engagement, ye are bought, and dearely payd for, ye are bought with a price, ye are not your owne. Some (who take liberty in this ſin) would excuſe themſelves by the contrary argument. Our bodyes (ſay they) are our owne, and we may doe what we will with our owne. No, ſayth the Apoſtle, ye are bought with a price, ye are not your owne; ye have your bodies of God, in their natural conſtitution, It is he who hath made us (in that capacity) and not we our ſelves (Pſal. 100.3.) and ye are not your owne; for ye are redeemed or bought with a price, both body and ſoule. Yee are bought out of your owne hands, as well as out of the hand of divine juſtice and diſpleaſure. The Apoſtle ſpeaks eſpecially to beleevers; For though it be a truth concerning all, whether beleevers, or unbeleevers, that they are not their owne, none of the ſons of men are their owne, God hath a right to them by creation, as alſo by his continuall providence, proviſion, and preſervation, yet beleevers or the redeemed in a ſpeciall manner, are not their owne, and therefore they ought above others to glorifie God in their body and in their ſpirit which are Gods. Having thus opened ſeveral Scripture grounds and arguments to demonſtrate the ſoulenes and filthines of this ſin of Adultery, which is the generall ſubject of this verſe; I ſhall now proceed in the expoſition of particulars in it.
The eye alſo of the adulterer waiteth &c.
The word, alſo, referres to the murderer ſpoken of in the former verſe; implying, that the Adulterer and he, though their ſins are very different, yet agree much in taking their opportunities of ſinning. How contrary ſoever ſinners are in their particular practice, yet they have all one common principle and Spirit. The Murderer and the Adulterer are alike deſierous of privacy. They both love darkenes rather then light, or that which is neyther, Twilight. Jeb ſeemes to ſpeake of a man, that is no novice, but of one long verſt and practiced in this way of wickedneſſe.Oculus Adulteri, i. e. ipſe Adulter. The eye alſo of the adulterer waiteth, that is, the adulterer himſelfe waiteth. Job doth not ſay, the Adulterer waiteth, but the eye of the Adulterer waiteth, becauſe the eye is much in adultery; The eye hath ſo great a ſhare in that ſin,In re amatoria oculi ſunt lenones, prima amoris via. Lucian: Amoris principium. Plato. Amoris ſedes. Philoſtr: Nihil in oculis eſt quod non ſit laſcivum & petulans, nihil in oculorum pupilla in eſſe dicas, quam amicam, cum potiri non poſſunt, ſaltem conſpectu ſe ſanunt. that the whole ſin is here charged upon the eye. The Apoſtle Peter (2 Pet. 2.14.) ſpeakes of a generation of evill men, having their eyes full of adultery, or (as the Greeke Original hath it with much Emphaſis) full of an Adulteneſſe. As if he had ſayd; they are perſons ſo given up to uncleanenes, that they have no deſire to ſee any body with their eyes but an Adultereſſe, nor is any thing elſe to be ſeene in their eyes but Adultery. They are as impudent as they are uncleane, letting out the Adultery which is in their hearts at their eyes, not caring who ſees it. Adultery is ſeated in the heart, there's the fountaine of it (Math. 15.19.) Out of the heart proceed evill thoughts, murthers, adulteries, fornications, thefts, falſe witneſſe, blaſphemy; Adultery comes out of the heart, but 'tis firſt ſeene in the eye, yea the eye often gives the firſt occaſion of it to the heart. (Math. 5.28.) Whoſoever looketh upon a woman to luſt after her, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. Wanton love uſually aſcends by theſe five ſteps: Firſt, the eye ſees; ſecondly, the heart deſires; thirdly, the thoughts are plotting and contriving how to attaine what is deſiered; fourthly, there is hope to attaine what is plotted, and, fifthly, there is joy and delight in the attainement of what was hoped. Thus uſually the eye gives the occaſion and leads the dance in all the meetings of vanity. The Ancient Moraliſt (in his booke of the long-comming revenges of God) makes report that one Apollidorus being in a dreame ſaw his owne skin pull'd off by a barbarous Scythian,Plutarchus de ſera numinis vindicta. who then preſently threw him into a chaldron of boileing water, where being tormented his heart whiſpered to him, I am the cauſe of all this. The heart is the cauſe of puniſhment and miſery, remotely, becauſe nextly it is the cauſe of ſin, eſpecially of this ſin of Adultery, yet as the heart doth ſometimes ſet the eye a worke to finde out objects, ſo the eye meeting with objects ſets the heart aworke, yea it ſets the heart a fire, or all in a flame with vaine deſires and adulterous luſtings. The eyes of ſome looke out continually for the fuel of thoſe ſecret fires, and the eyes of others meete with it unlooked for. A good mans eye may meete with a vaine object, but his eye doth not goe out to ſeeke or waite for it. Againſt ſuch active wickednes Job profeſſed while he ſayd (Chap. 31.1.) I have made a covenant with mine eyes, &c. A godly mans eye hath ſomewhat elſe to waite upon, then ſuch enſnaring objects. And the Pſalmiſt tells us upon what the Godly mans eye waites (Pſal. 123.2.) Behold as the eyes of ſervants looke unto the hand of their Maſters, &c. ſo our eyes waite upon the Lord our God untill he have mercy upon us. The eye of a Godly man waiteth to receive Good, and the eye of a wicked man waiteth to doe evill. The Adulterer hath a waiteing eye, and this waiteing notes three things.
Firſt, That the Adulterer is very diligent, and intentive to attaine his purpoſe; he that waites is more then awake; He is not onelyonly awake but watchfull; both theſe are put together (Pro. 8.34.) where the diligence of the Saints is ſpoken of in their waiteing upon Chriſt in his appointments; Bleſſed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiteing at the poſts of my doores; they who waite at the poſts of wiſdome, that is, of Chriſt, watch alſo at his gates; they watch there, and they waite there. It is poſſible for a man to watch, as watching is onelyonly oppoſed to ſleeping, & yet not to waite, that is, not to be diligent or attentive upon any buſienes, but he that watcheth, as watching is oppoſed to Idling, he is alwayes waiting as long as watching, and he cannot but be watching, who is indeed waiting. Thus the Adulterer takes much paines to obtaine his forbidden pleaſures, his eye waiteth and watcheth, he is a diligent ſervant or ſlave rather to his luſt; every man that commits ſin, is a ſervant to ſin, and every ſervant muſt waite; it is the duty of a ſervant to waite for his Lord, the adulterer waites upon his luſt as upon his Lord, every luſt would be waited upon as a Lord. Saints watch at wiſedomes gates, and waite like ſervants at her poſts to know her pleaſure. Adulterers watch at whoredomes gates, and at her poſts they waite for ſinfull pleaſures.
Secondly, To waite, implyeth the exerciſe of much patience; he that waiteth, expects long, he muſt expect and ſtay till the opportunity comes, Even the wicked have patience, upon hopes of injoyment; And ſhall not the Godly? It may ſhame the Godly out of their impatience and loathnes to waite for an anſwer of prayer from God, when they heare that The husband-man waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, untill he receave the early and the latter raine (Jam: 5.7.) But it may ſhame them much more out of all their impatience in waiting for good things from God, when they heare that the Adulterer waiteth for the whoriſh woman, and hath long patience, till he receave his longing.
Thirdly, Waiteing implyeth the Adulterers fixedneſſe in and reſolvedneſſe to ſinne, his eye waiteth; he doth not ſin by a ſudden glance of his eye, or upon a vehement guſt of temptation, or upon an unthought of hurry of wanton paſſions, but he ſins deliberately, and (as it were) in coole blood. He waiteth for and watcheth his ſeaſon, he is ſerious and ſtudious about his wickednes.
Hence note.
A wicked man ſinnes with reſolution.
He that waiteth to doe any thing, hath a reſolution to doe it. A Godly man ſins, but he doth not waite to ſin; or if at any time he doe ſo, he at that time acts the wicked mans part in the godly mans ſtate, and ſo upon a ſtrong temptation Godly men have done. But uſually he is a wicked man (as to his ſtate) that waites for a temptation. Afflictions waite every where for a godly man (as Paul ſpake of himſelfe, Acts 20.23.) and ſo alſo doe Temptations. But the ungodly are every where waiteing for temptations. They are not ſurpriſed, or taken unawares, by a ſin, but they are reſolved to take their firſt opportunity of ſinning. What a godly man ſayth (when he is in a right frame) in reference to the wayes of holynes (Pſal. 108.1.) O God my heart is prepared or fixed; A godly man doth not good upon a ſudden, or by chance (as we ſay) but he ſets himſelfe to it, his heart is fixed or prepared, and his face is ſet heaven-ward, or for heavenly duties. So Daniel ſpake of himſelfe (Dan. 9.3.) I ſet my face unto the Lord God to ſeeke by prayer and ſupplications, and as a godly man is in the wayes of God, ſo the wayes of God are in him. Thus David deſcribes him (Pſal. 84.5.) Bleſſed is the man whoſe ſtrength is in thee, in whoſe heart are the wayes of them, that is, the wayes which Godly men walke in, and they are the wayes of God. Now as this is the true ſtate of godlineſſe when the heart is in it and prepared for it, ſo the true ſtate of wickedneſſe is, when a mans heart is in it and prepared for it. This is the proper character of a wicked man. The eye of the Adulterer waiteth for the twilight.
Every word hath weight in it, the twilight is the Adulterers ſeaſon; It is not ſayd, he waites for the night, or for the day, but he waiteth for the twilight, which is neither day nor night, but between both. We have ſuch a deſcription of time in reference to the mixt and uncertaine ſtate of things (Zach. 14.6, 7.) And it ſhall come to paſſe in that day, that the light ſhall not be cleare nor darke; But it ſhall be one day which ſhall be knowne to the Lord, not day nor night. Such a thing is Twilight, it is neyther cleare nor darke, neyther day nor night, but between both. There is a twofold twilight; firſt, the morning twilight; and, ſecondly,Diluculum. Crepuſculū. the evening twilight; the morning twilight begins when the night ends, the evening twilight begins when the day ends. The Latines have two diſtinct words to expreſſe theſe diſtinct twilights by, but our language is not ſo well ſtored, and therefore we muſt diſtinguiſh them by the matter ſpoken of, or the ſcope of the ſpeaker. Thus here, when 'tis ſayd in the text, he waiteth for the twilight, we are to underſtand it of the evening twilight, not for the morning twilight, and the reaſon is, becauſe the morning twilight is not for the adulterers turne or purpoſe, for then the light prevailes upon the darkneſs, but it is the evening twilight, for then darkneſs prevailes upon the light. And that this is the Adulterers twilight is cleare (Prov. 7. v. 6, 7, 8, 9.Nox et tenebrae adminiſtrae ſunt impijs ſuarum libidinum. Ipſa nox alioquin caeca infandarum tamen libidinū oculatus teſtis eſt.) At the window of my houſe (ſaith Solomon) I looked through the caſement, and behold among the ſimple ones, I diſcerned among the youths, a man voyd of underſtanding, paſſing by the way to her houſe, and he went neere her corner, in the twilight in the evening (or) in the evening of the day, in the blacke and darke night. And behold there met him a woman with the attire of a harlot, &c. His eye waited for the twilight, and in the twilight he was taken.
Hence note.
The doing of evill hath its proper ſeaſons, as well as the doing of good.
Though ſin be never in ſeaſon, yet it hath ſome times which are more ſeaſonable for it; to ſin is never in ſeaſon, as to the lawfullneſſe of committing it, but ſin hath its ſeaſons as to the conveniency of committing it. The Adulterer takes his ſeaſon, he waiteth for the twilight. Whence note ſecondly.
Evill men are very carefull to hit their ſeaſons for the doing of evill.
It were deſireable that the godly were as carefull to hit their ſeaſons, and take their times, as the ungodly are. To every thing (ſaith the Preacher, Eccl: 3.1.) there is a ſeaſon and a time for every purpoſe under the Sunne. And becauſe it is ſo (ſaith the ſame Preacher, Eccl: 8.6.) The miſery of man is great upon him. But why doth this make the miſery of man great upon him? I anſwer, The reaſon of this miſery upon man, is not becauſe there is a ſeaſon, but becauſe eyther of his ignorance or negligence to find it. There are a thouſand wayes to miſſe a ſeaſon, and but one to hit it; And were there as many wayes to hit as to miſſe, it were a thouſand to one but man would miſſe rather then hit; and therefore the miſery of man is great upon him, Becauſe if once he miſſe his ſeaſon, it cannot be recovered, and then he muſt needs be miſerable. Good men are miſerable (as to ſome caſes) becauſe they are often ſo careleſſe to hit their ſeaſon of doing good, and doe ſo often miſſe it, notwithſtanding all their care. Wicked men are for ever miſerable, becauſe they are ſo carefull not to miſſe their ſeaſon of doing evill, and doe ſo often hit it. The eye of the Adulterer waiteth for the twilight, and he ſeldome (as to his own end) waites in vaine. But why is he ſo greedy for the twilight? The next words ſay why, where he brought in Saying, no eye ſhall ſee me.
Where ſayth he this? he ſayth it in his heart, this is his diſcourſe in his owne breaſt; and to whom ſayth he this? he ſayth it to himſelfe, there is a dialogue between the Adulterer and his owne heart, and thus he concludes, I will waite for the twilight, and then no eye ſhall ſee me. And when he ſayth, no eye ſhall ſee me, his meaning is, There is not any eye that ſhall ſee me. Thus he playes the foole at All's hid.
Yet further, this no eye may have a threefold reference.
Firſt, No eye of common men ſhall ſee me, I will doe this in ſecret, I will have ſuch a cover of darkneſſe over me, that my neighbours and friends ſhall not be able to take any notice of mee.
Secondly, No eye, may referre to men in chiefe, that is,Verba quae ſequuntur exigunt ut iſta de Magiſtratus juſtitiae que miniſtris intelligantur. Bold: Quiſquis aut officio aut quovis alio modo ſuper alios inſpicit, actuſ que eorum obſervat vocatur oculus. no eye of the Magiſtrate, nor of any Miniſter of Juſtice ſhall ſee me. Magiſtrates are the eyes of a Nation, they ſhould overlooke all places, eyther by themſelves or their Officers, to obſerve what is done. As the adulterers eye watcheth, ſo there ſhould be an eye of Juſtice watching to catch Adulterers. Some interpret this Text, eſpecially of the adulterers hope, or ſelfe-perſwaſion that he ſhall eſcape the eye or knowledge of the Magiſtrate, who is appointed to overſee the manners of that people over whom he is placed, and to be a terror, yea a Miniſter of vengeance to them that doe evill; for he beareth not the ſword in vaine (Rom. 13.3, 4.) Magiſtrates ſhould ſo much marke and eye the ſtate of a people, that they are called eyes in Scripture (Iſa. 29.10.) For the Lord hath powred out upon you the ſpirit of deepe ſleepe, and hath cloſed your eyes (what or who are thoſe eyes? the next words enforme us) the Prophets and Rulers, the ſeers hath he covered. The Hebrew word which we render rulers is heads; Rulers are the heads of a people, and what is a head without eyes, or having its eyes covered. God did not cover the eyes which were in the peoples perſonal heads, but he covered the eyes which were in their publicke heads. He hath cloſed your eyes, that is, thoſe that ſhould be as heads and eyes to you, your Prophets and your rulers. Thus alſo ſay ſome, Government is expreſſed by an eye (Deut. 33.28.) Iſrael then ſhall dwell in ſafety alone, Fons vel oculus Jacob ſuum imperium habebit in terra Canaan. Bold: Apud perſarum reges. quidam fuerunt qui dicebantur oculi & aures. Zenoph.the fountaine of Jacob ſhall be upon a land of corne and wine, alſo his heaven ſhall drop dew. That which we tranſlate the fountaine of Jacob, others render as well, and as truely from the Original, the eye of Jacob, that is, (ſay they) the Magiſtracy, the ruling power, as if he had ſayd, as the people of Iſrael in generall ſhall dwell in ſafety, ſo their eye, their government or their Governours in ſpeciall ſhall be bleſſed with plenty, they ſhall be upon a land of corne and wine. It hath been obſerved alſo in antiquity, that great Princes had certaine men in office whom they called their eyes. Princes have their eyes and eares in every place, that is, their Officers. Thus we may expound this Text, the Adulterer ſayth, No eye ſhall ſee me. The ruling or Magiſtraticall eye ſhall not ſee me and if what I doe be not ſeene by that eye (let others ſee what they will, and ſay what they pleaſe) I ſhall not ſuffer at all for what I doe; and then all's well, that's as much as I care for. And here we may note, That, As ſome Adulterers have their eyes abroad, that is, agents to eſpy out Beauties for them. So moſt of them (if not all) are afraid of the eyes of others.
Thirdly, No eye ſhall ſee me, that is, not the eye of God; God himſelfe ſhall not ſee me. Thus the adulterer hopes to hide his ſin from his eye who is indeed all eye,Homines latere cupiens Dei oculum non timeus. and whoſe eye is over all. Thus the adulterer ſuppoſeth himſelfe under ſuch a vayl of darknes, that he is free not onelyonly from the eye of men on earth, and from the eye of thoſe who are gods upon earth, but even from the eye of the God of heaven.
Hence obſerve.
Firſt, A ſinner is full of vaine preſumption.
He preſumes that the ſin which he commits againſt the light of his owne conſcience, ſhall never come to light; he preſumes that the ſin which he commits in his owne eye, ſhall not come to the eye of others. I have elſewhere noted this ignorant confidence of carnal men, and onelyonly name it here.
Secondly, Note.
It is not the act of ſin, but the diſcovery of it which a wicked man feareth.
He cares not what wickedneſſe he doth, ſo he may goe unſeene; a godly man is afraid of doing evill, though he could doe it with greateſt ſecrecy, or under the darkeſt cover: he is afraid to doe evill, becauſe of the evill and unrighteouſneſſe of it, becauſe of the pollution, and unanſwerableneſſe of it, both to his owne duty, and the goodneſſe of God to him; but it is the diſcovery not the iniquity of his worke, which the hypocrite feareth.
Thirdly, As the eye is taken for the eye of the Magiſtrate.
Obſerve.
That it is the puniſhment of ſin at which a wicked man is troubled, he is not troubled at the ſin it ſelfe.
'Tis the conſequence of ſin, not the nature of it, the ſmart of ſin, and not the filth of it, which the wicked would avoyd.
Laſtly, As no eye is excluſive alſo to the eye of God.
Note.
Wicked men preſume that their ſins are ſecret even to God himſelfe.
They thinke, ſure, God can ſee no further, nor no better then man; And ſo they have hopes to hide themſelves, not onelyonly from the eyes of men, but from the eyes of God, as we may ſee plainly (Jere. 23.23.) Can any hide himſelfe in ſecret places, that I ſhall not ſee him, ſaith the Lord; This queſtion, can any? ſhews that ſome had flattered themſelves into ſuch a concluſion, that they could ſo hide themſelves in ſecret places, that God could not ſee them. The holy Pſalmiſt ſayd (Pſal. 139.12.) The darkneſſe hideth not from thee, but the night ſhineth as the day, the darkneſſe and the light to thee are both alike. But a wicked man ſayth, the darkneſſe hideth from thee, the night is night to thee. O what beggerly apprehenſions have men of God! As if he whoſe eyes are ten thouſand times brighter then the Sunne, could not ſee without Sunlight, or as if he could not ſee but in the light, who made the light.Vanus eſt qui purat ſe in tenebris eſſe tutum, cum lucem vitare non poſſit, quae lucet in tenebris & tenebrae eam non comprehenderunt. Ambroſ: Naturaliſts ſay of thoſe living creatures which have fiery eyes, that they can ſee as well in the darke as in the light, the reaſon is, becauſe they ſee not by taking in the ſpecies of the object into the eye, but by ſending out a light from their own eye upon the object. God hath fiery eyes indeed; he needs no outward light to ſee by who is nothing elſe but light. Vaine ſinner, what can be darknes to him, who is light, and in whom there is no darkenes at all? There is nothing doth more argue the blindnes of a ſinner, then this ſimple ſaying of his, No eye ſeeth me, unleſſe it be that ſimple practice of his which he uſeth to the ſame purpoſe, and which is diſcovered (as his laſt ſhift) in the laſt words of this verſe.
And he diſguiſeth his face.
The Hebrew is, He ſetteth his face into a ſecret; he muffles himſelfe, he changeth his habit, he puts on a viſard; harlots were wont to diſguiſe themſelves (Gen. 39.14.) when Tamar tooke upon her the habit of an harlot, the Text ſaith, She put on a diſguiſe; ſo here the Adulterer puts on a diſguiſe, he puts a cozzening face upon his face, and then thinkes, that though he be ſeene, yet he cannot be diſcerned, and that, though ſome may ſee where he is, yet none ſhall ſee who he is, He diſguiſeth his face. One would have thought that being in the twilight, and the darkenes of the night ready to compaſſe him about, that no eye could ſee him, he ſhould not need to have put on a viſard or a muffler, yet he doth ſo, he puts a diſguiſe upon his face.
Which may teach us▪ That when a man doth ill, he never thinks he is ſafe, or ſecret enough.
When a mans conſcience tells him he ſins, he would not have any other tell him ſo too. The Adulterer feares twilight is too light for him, and therefore while the naturall darkenes is ſo imperfect, he puts his face into perfect artificiall darkenes. Job yet proceeds to ſhew this cowardly temper of ſinners in their feare to be ſeene, eyther by a further diſcovery of the ſame ſort of ſinners, or of another ſort, in the ſame frame.
Verſ. 16. In the darke they dig through houſes which they have marked for themſelves in the day time, they know not the light.
We have all along the words, and the works of darkneſſe; In the darke, they dig through houſes; The queſtion is, who are here meant by theſe diggers; ſome underſtand the verſe of the adulterer; And whereas he ſpeaks here in the plurall number, and before in the ſingular; 'tis frequent in Scripture (ſay they) to vary the number while the ſame ſubject is continued. And that while he ſaith, They, the meaning is One and All of them are bent and apt enough to doe thus. But is digging through houſes the worke of an Adulterer? In anſwer to this, it hath been ſtoryed and remembred, that Adulterers have uſed ſuch boyſterous practices to come at their unlawfull pleaſures;Haec domorum perfoſſia, non ad latrocinia nocturna, ſed ad turpes artes penetrandi in alienas domos manifeſtè pertinet. Pined: they have digged through houſes to make private paſſages that they might not be diſcovered when they came to, or when they departed from their lovers. It hath been commonly ſayd that hunger will break through ſtone walls, and 'tis a truth that wantonnes will doe ſo too. Some have been ſo mad upon their luſts, that if they could not finde a way, they would make one to meete with their paramours. Upon this conſideration we may fayrely enterpret this verſe (as the former) concerning the Adulterer.
But I rather conceive that this 16th verſe containes a deſcription of another ſort of ſinners, Theeves or Robbers. Becauſe,Ego libentius haec de latronibus quam de Adulteris caperem; Quia hoc latrones ſaepe faciunt, Adulte…i non niſi per quam raro. Sanct: though it be true, that Adulterers doe ſometimes digge through houſes, yet this is both more frequently and more properly the buſienes of Theeves. Another reaſon to perſwade this underſtanding of the preſent Text may be, becauſe ſo we have a fuller and more particular enumeration of ſeveral ſorts of ſin and ſinners.
In the darke they dig through houſes.
To dig through houſes, is the worke of a theife. And thus Chriſt ſpeakes of the theife (Luk. 12.39.) And this know that if the good man of the houſe had knowne what houre the theife would have come, he would have watched, and not have ſuffered his houſe to have been broken through. Jacob ſayth of Simeon and Levi (Gen. 49.6.) In their anger they digged thorow a wall. Some breake thorow walls for want, or in covetouſneſſe to rob and ſteale, others for anger and in wrath to kill and deſtroy. They dig thorow houſes, Which they had marked for themſelves in the day time.
See the method and cunning of theſe robbers; here are three poynts of their ſinfull skill. Firſt; they marke houſes; the word ſignifies, to marke with a ſeale; as if they did put their ſeale upon other mens houſes for their owne uſe. Theeves goe abroad in the day time to eſpy where they may commit a robbery with beſt advantage, and they ſet their marke upon ſuch houſes as they reſolve to rob; or, which I rather take to be the meaning, they diligently obſerve the ſtrength of the houſe, the wayes to the houſe, what company is in the houſe, where they may with moſt eaſe and advantage breake into the houſe. All this they doe in the day by way of preparation, and in the darke they put their purpoſes into execution; In the darke they digge through houſes which they had marked in the day.
Hence note.
Sinners would make ſure worke, they would not miſſe.
And therefore they eyther ſet their marke upon a houſe, or exactly marke it. O how witty, and how cunning men are to doe miſchiefe!
Secondly, Whereas they went from Towne to Towne, and any houſe they ſaw and liked, they marked it for themſelves.
Learne.
An unjuſt perſon makes every thing his owne, if he can come by it, if he can but get it.
He ſayth of another mans houſe, this is mine, I will fill my own houſe with the ſpoyle and plunder of this.
Thirdly, The theife marked houſes In the day time.
He digged through them in the night, but he made uſe of the day; he would not breake open a houſe in the day, but had ſomewhat to doe towards the breaking open of a houſe in the day, he marked it in the day.
Hence note.
That time which ſuites not one wicked purpoſe, may ſuite another.
The theife makes uſe of all times, he makes uſe of the day to marke houſes, and of the night to digge them through. He is carefull to take his time; to doe the worke of the day upon the day, and the worke of the night, in the night.
They know not the light.
But why doth Job adde this? ſayd he not before, that they marked houſes for themſelves in the day? How then doth he ſay, They know not the light.
Knowing is not meant of a bare act of knowledge, as if they knew not when it was light, and when it was darke, or as if they knew not the nature of light, what kinde of creature it is. But, not to know, is not to affect; They know not the light, that is, they care not, they love not the light. In which ſence words of knowledge are often uſed in Scripture. (Nah. 1.7.) The Lord knoweth the ſoule that truſteth in him. The Lord knows thoſe that doe not truſt in him, he knows thoſe that are unbeleiveing as well as thoſe that beleive in a way of diſcerning who they are; but he knows the ſoule that truſteth in him, in a way of loving and approveing him;Non noſſe lucem eſt non ama…e. ſo here, They know not the light, that is, they have no love to the light, no delight in the light, they care not for the light. But it may be objected; It ſhould ſeeme theſe men cared for the light, and liked it well, for they made much uſe of it; In the day they marked houſes. I anſwer, When Job ſayth, They know not the light, we may reſtraine it to one part of their buſienes, and that the maine, Their digging through houſes; for this purpoſe (which was their principall purpoſe) they knew not the light, that is, they neyther loved nor liked the light, darkenes was more welcome to them. I ſhall not give any notes from theſe words here, having before (eſpecially at the 12th verſe, where it is ſayd, They are ſuch as rebel againſt the light, they know not the wayes of it, &c.) been ſomewhat large upon the ſame ſubject; As alſo becauſe the next verſe is but a further illuſtration and enforcement of theſe words.
Verſ. 17. For the morning is to them even as the ſhaddow of death, if one know them they are in the terrours of the ſhaddow of death.
This verſe gives a reaſon, why theſe theives tooke the night for their worke; or it is an expoſition of what was laſt ſayd, They know not the light.
The text may be read thus out of the Original,Ʋmbra mortis i. e. tam terribilis ut aliquem enecare poteſt. Genitivus effecti. Piſc: Cum venit mane venit umbra, dictum acutè propter ſpeciem contradictionis. As ſoone as it is morning the ſhaddow of death comes upon them. This Hebraiſme the ſhaddow of death, hath been opened at the 5th verſe of the third Chapter, whether I referre the reader. In this place, it onelyonly imports thus much in General, That theſe wicked men did equally feare the morning as death it ſelfe; they were ſurpriſed with feare, as ſoone as ſurpriſed with light. What is the reaſon of it, why doth the adulterer feare the morning, and why doth the theife feare the morning? they doe ſo upon theſe three conſiderations.
Firſt, Leſt they ſhould be hindred in their wicked workes; ſecondly, leſt their wicked workes ſhould be diſcerned; thirdly, leſt their wicked workes ſhould be puniſhed, for theſe reaſons they hate the light, and the morning is to them as the ſhaddow of death.
Hence obſerve.
That good things even the beſt things are a trouble to wicked men.
Sin makes good things evill to us, and pleaſant things troubleſome to us. What a pleaſant thing is the light? How beautifull are the eyelids of the morning? yet light is a trouble, and the morning a burden to wicked men. And if natural light be a trouble to them, much more is moral and ſpirituall light. How doe they hate the morning of truth, the dawnings of divine knowledge? Theſe lights to life, theſe enlivening lights are to them as the ſhaddow of death. In how deplorable a condition are they to whom Good becomes evill, and that which good men rejoyce in, is to them an occaſion of ſorrow. The whole courſe of nature is out of frame to us, till we are ſet into a right frame by grace. We put light for darkenes and darkenes for light, till we our ſelves are brought out of darkenes into light. Nothing is good to us till we are made good, nor doth any thing pleaſe us, except ſin or that which we uſe ſinfully, till we pleaſe God. The very morning (which gives a new life to all) is to ſome as the ſhadow of death.
If one know them, they are in the terrours of the ſhaddow of death.
Theſe words are but a further explication of the ſame thing, if one, that is, if any one, man, woman, or childe, as we ſay, know them, that is, take notice of them, in their wickedneſſe, or take notice of their wickedneſſe, they are (as we ſay) dead in the neſt.
Cum agnoſcit alius alium. Piſc:Others render the words thus, if they know one another, that is, if only ſo much of the light of the morning breakes forth, as ſerves them to ſee one anothers faces, they are afraid. So this phraſe is uſed (Ruth 3.14.) And ſhee lay at his feete untill the morning, and ſhe roſe up before one could know another, that is, before there was light enough to diſcerne each other. So theſe two readings, if one know them, or if they know one another, meete in the ſame General ſence, their unwillingnes to be diſcovered at their worke; if once there be light enough for theſe evill-workers to ſee themſelves by, they then know they may alſo be ſeene by others; And if one (any one) know them: They are in the terrours of the ſhaddow of death.
That is, they are troubled like them, who being ready to dye, are yet unwilling to dye; when death ſtands at a mans bed-ſide, when death ſtands at his back ready to attach and apprehend him, ready to carry him away, while yet he is alltogether unwilling and unready to dye, O in what a terrour is he? Juſt thus it is (ſaith Job) with thoſe wicked men, they are not onelyonly afraid to dye, but the terrours of the ſhadow of death are upon them, their terrour is ſuch as men have when death over-ſhaddows them; That's the meaning of, They are in the terrours of the ſhadow of death.
A ſhaddow in Scripture is taken two wayes. Firſt, properly, for that darkneſſe which is cauſed by the interpoſition of a thicke body, between us and the Sunne. Secondly, improperly or metaphorically, and ſo that is a ſhaddow which keepes off the heate of the Sunne, or the violence of the raine and winde; and ſo by a trope any thing of defence is called a ſhadow. (Judg. 9.9.15.) Come truſt under my ſhadow (ſayd the bramble) that is, put your ſelves under my protection. And againe (Iſa. 30.2, 3.) Therefore ſhall the ſtrength of Pharaoh be your ſhame, and the truſt in the ſhaddow (or protection) of Aegypt your confuſion. So (Iſa. 49.2.) In the ſhadow of his hand hath he hid me. And (Iſa. 51.16.) I have covered thee in the ſhadow of my hand, as birds cover or ſhelter their young ones with their wings and feathers. Thus the Scripture ſpeakes of a ſhadow. But what is the ſhadow of death? It is firſt, the appearance of death; ſecondly, the power of death. So the the meaning is (as was touched before) they are as much terrified, as if death appeared to them, as if the image of death paſſed before them in viſion, or as if the power of it had taken hold of them to bring them priſoners to the grave.
If one know them, they are in the terrour of the ſhadow of death.
I have from the former words of this context, as alſo at the 12th verſe taken occaſion to obſerve, how troubleſome both the light of the Sunne and the light of the minde are to evill men, and therefore I ſhall not ſtay upon any Inſtructions of that kinde here.
Yet foraſmuch as not onelyonly the Murderer and Adulterer, ſpoken of before, but the Theife ſpoken of here, are all for darkenes and concealement.
Obſerve.
Firſt, That ſinners have a ſecret conviction upon themſelves, that what they doe is not good.
They draw up their own enditement, and condemne themſelves before God doth. They would rocke conſcience aſleepe, but they cannot, they would blind it, but they cannot. This their delight in darkneſſe, both outward and inward, is a plaine demonſtration that they know their deedes are evill. Chriſt ſayth as much (Joh. 3.20, 21.) Every one that doth evill hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, leſt his deeds ſhould be reproved. No man feares his deeds will be reproved, but he that ſuſpects at leaſt, that his deeds are his faults, and his actings his tranſgreſſings; for as it followes, He that doth truth (that is, who acts according to the truth) cometh to the light. He that doth good, or truth indeed, yea he who is but perſwaded that he doth ſo, cares not who ſees him; ſome are ambitious to be ſeene while they doe ſo, and though any ſhould be ſo modeſt that they doe not deſire to be ſeene while they doe ſo, yet no man that doth ſo is affrayd to be ſeene; and uſually ſuch come to the light, to the light of other mens knowledge, and they would come further into the light of their own knowledg; ſuch are free to come to light of all ſorts, that their deeds may be made manifeſt, that they are wrought in God; when a man comes to the light, he gives a fayre evidence that his workes are wrought in God, how ever it argues both that he deſires they ſhould be ſuch as are wrought in God, as alſo that he is willing they ſhould come to the tryall, whether they are wrought in God or no, that is, whether they be ſo wrought, as if God did worke in him, or whether there be any appearance in them that he hath wrought them in the light and love, in the ſtrength and helpe of God. Now as when a man comes willingly to the light, it ſhewes that he hath an honeſt perſwaſion in his breaſt, that his workes are good. So when we ſee any ſeeking corners and ſhunning the light by which others may ſee them, or that light by which they may ſee themſelves, this ſhews that they have a troubleſome conviction upon their conſciences, that their workes are ſo farre from being wrought in God, that they are wrought againſt God, that is, againſt his mind and will. This, the Apoſtle teacheth in the example of the old Gentiles (Rom. 2.15.) They ſhew the worke of the Law written in their hearts, their conſcience bearing them witneſſe, and their thoughts in the meane while accuſing or excuſing one another. Were there not an unextinguiſhable light in nature, by which even a natural man may have ſome glimmerings of and diſcernings between good and evill, he would no more avoyd the ſight of others when he doth evill, then when he doth good. And ſeeing he thus naturally avoydes the view and ſight of all men when he doth evill; This doth more then intimate that there is a Judge above nature, who, without reſpect of perſons, will reward every man according to his workes. Conſcience is Gods Deputy in man, and what that (being rightly enformed) doth in man, God will doe too. Wee are ſo aſſured by the Apoſtle John (1 Joh. 3.21.) If our heart condemne us, God is greater then our heart, and knoweth all things; As if he had ſayd, this is an argument that there is a God to condemn, becauſe the heart condemnes; For God is greater then the heart. God is the ſupreame Judge, the infallible Judge, the heart is but an under-officer unto him. Why ſhould the heart of a man ſmite him? why ſhould he be troubled when he hath done evill? why ſhould he be ſo troubled to be ſeene in doing evill? were it not that there is a God, who judgeth both the hearts and wayes of men; While the foole ſaith in his heart there is no God, (Pſal. 14.1.) the heart of a foole ſayth there is a God: while he ſaith in his heart there is no God to ſee my ſin, his heart ſaith to him, cover thy ſin, that it may not be ſeene; and what Engliſh can we make of this ſaying of his heart, but this, There is a God. For though Job ſpake here of ſuch groſſe ſinners as have reaſon enough to hide themſelves and their doings from the eyes of men, leſt they ſhould bring them both to ſhame and puniſhment, yet even thoſe ſinners are fearefull to have their ſins diſcovered, who need not feare any puniſhment but from the hand of God.
Secondly, Obſerve.
Sin befools the ſinner, or ſinners are very fooliſh.
They are glad if they can eſcape the eye of man, when as their ſins are alwayes under the eye of God. What is the eye from which darkneſſe can hide us, to that eye which ſeeth through darkenes? If one ſee them (ſaith the text) they are in the terrors of the ſhadow of death, and yet they are not terrifyed that One ſeeth them. That One ſeeth them alwayes who is more then all men, and yet they are ſatisfyed if they are not ſeene of men. That which they would not doe if a little childe did ſee them, they dare doe though the Great God of heaven and earth ſee them. What the Prophet ſpeakes of feare in reference to ſuffering, wee may ſay much more of feare in reference to ſinning, (Iſa. 51.12, 13.) Who art thou, that thou ſhouldſt be afraid of a man that ſhall dye, and forgetteſt the Lord thy Creator? Who art thou? ſurely thou art ſo far from being a Godly man, that thou art leſſe then a man, in this thing, even a foole, and a beaſt. What? doeſt thou feare to ſin in the preſence of a man, or when a man, who ſhall dye ſeeth thee, and forgetteſt that the Lord thy maker ſeeth thee? that he ſeeth thee who hath ſtretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth. Well might the Apoſtle (2 Theſ. 3.2.) joyne theſe two together, unreaſonable and wicked men, and give the reaſon of both in the words which follow, for all men have not faith. Where there is no faith, there is much wickedneſſe, and he who is much in wickedneſſe, is nothing in reaſon. Faith is above reaſon, but not againſt it; wickedneſſe is not onelyonly below reaſon, but quite againſt it. They who act againſt that rule which is given by God to man, act alſo againſt that reaſō which is given by God to man. No man acts ſo much againſt faith, as he who doth not beleeve that God ſeeth him in all his actings, nor doth any man act more againſt reaſon, then he who beleeveth that God ſeeth him, and yet is more afraid to be ſeene of men, then he is to be ſeene of God.