Exposition of Job 22-26, Commentary · Chapter 22
JOB, CHAP. 22. Verſ. 15, 16.
Haſt thou marked the old way which wicked men have troden?
Which were cut downe out of time, whoſe foundation was overflowne with a flood?
foreignTHe word tranſlated to marke, notes a diligent obſervation; So it is uſed (Chap. 10.14.) If I ſin then thou markeſt me, (that is, thou takeſt exact or ſtrict notice of mee) and thou wilt not acquitt mee from mine Iniquity. (Pſal. 37.37.) marke the perfect man, Obſervare dei actiones imprimis ipſius judicia, magna pars ſcinentiae eſt.and behold the upright, that is, take ſpeciall knowledge of him, for the end of that man is peace. (Pſal. 107.43.) who ſo is wiſe will obſerve, or marke, theſe things, hee ſhall underſtand the loving kindnes of the Lord. So here, Haſt thou marked? haſt thou with diligence and ſeriouſnes of ſpirit obſerved, the old way which wicked men have troden. Senitam ſaeculorum vel ſeculi; aeternam aut aeternitatis, nam ea omnia denotat vox foreign Rab: Kimchi.The Hebrew is, The way of age, the way of ages, or as ſome read, the Eternall way, the way of Eternity. David prayeth (Pſal. 139.23, 24.) Lead me in the way everlaſting; that is, Lead me in the way of holines and righteouſnes, which leads to eternity. Which yet one of the Rabbins expounds, as a periphraſis of death; for death is called, the way of all the earth (1 King. 2.2.) the way of all fleſh (Joſh. 23.14.) As if David had ſayd, Lord, if upon ſearch thou findeſt that I walke in any way of wickednes, that is, of willfull ſinning, then deſtroy me, lead me to my grave, yea caſt mee with the wicked to hell, or to everlaſting condemnation. Maſter Broughton thus; Haſt thou marked the way of the old world?
But what was this way of the old world, about which Eliphaz queſtions Job, whether he had taken notice of it yea or no? The way of the old world may be taken two wayes.
Firſt, For the way of their ſinnes.
Secondly, For the way of their puniſhment.
Firſt, Haſt thou marked the old way of their ſinne? and the old way of their ſinne may be Conſidered under a twofold notion.
Firſt, As it was the way of their opinion. Secondly, as it was the way of their practice: Some reſtraine it here to the way of their opinion, and Interpret Eliphaz as chiefly intendding that; Haſt thou obſerved the old way; that is, the old Erroneous opinions which were in the firſt ages of the world? In thoſe times there were not a few like thy ſelfe, who eyther flatly denyed or belyed the providence of God, who ſayd (as thou doeſt) How doth God know? Surely he hath forſaken the earth, and intermeddles not with what is done here below. Thus a learned Interpreter expounds the Text,Ad eos opini… haec referenda eſt, qui vixerūt tempore diluvij cenſebant que …ollendam providentiam. Vatabl: Gigantes religionis contemptores Beroſus. with reference to their ungodly opinion; They (ſaith he) who lived in the time of the floud denyed Providence; Haſt thou (O Job) marked their opinion and Conſider'd it? And that this wicked Error did prevaile in thoſe times, may be Collected from what is reported by Beroſus of the Giants (of whom wee read in the 6th of Geneſis ver. 4th, There were Giants in the earth in thoſe dayes) Among other of their abominations, this (ſaith he) was one, or this was a Chiefe one, the roote, or ſource of them all, they blaſphemed God, and contemned Religion, they thought there was no Supream Power, none to whom man was accountable for any of his actions. Haſt thou marked this old way of Error?
In purſuance of which Interpretation,Cuſtodiendi verbum pro ſequi exponitur. Merc: the words which we render, Haſt thou marked, may be Expounded thus; Haſt thou taken up the old way? art thou a follower of that Sect, of that Tribe who have gone in that wicked way? doeſt thou alſo maintaine their blaſphemy, that God takes no notice of man? This notion holds faire with what he had ſaid before.
Secondly, As it may be referred to thoſe abominable Atheiſticall opinions which raigned in thoſe times, ſo to the wicked Practices, to the old Cuſtomes and ſinfull Courſes which were followed in thoſe times; for where a wicked opinion is lodged in the heart, what kinde of wickednes is there that they may not breake forth in the life? And ſo here the old way is the way of ſinne, the corrupt Courſe and practices of that debauched generation, eſpecially the way of pride and ambition, which appeared much in the titles given them, Mighty men, men of name, or as we render, Men of renowne. They were men of honour and name with men, but we read not of any honour they did to or received from God. It is the higheſt diſgrace, to be memorable for actings againſt grace, or for ungracious actings.
Num obſervas perpetuum, ordinem, quem in puniendis talibus impijs te…uit deus, poſt natos homines. Merc: Putat hunc eſſe perpetuum ordinem domini ut impios hic puniat, ſed fallitur. Merc:Againe, The old way may be taken for the way of puniſhment, or for that courſe of divine Juſtice which was Executed upon wicked men in thoſe elder times. There is away of Judgement which God takes, as there is a way of Sinne which man takes. Sinfull ways lead into troubleſome ways, & end in death. Haſt thou conſidered the way of juſtice which the Lord went in towards thoſe old Sinners? powring out his wrath, and emptying the vialls of his Indignation upon them, till hee had conſumed and ſwept them off as rubbiſh from the face of the earth. Haſt thou marked the old way, which eyther the luſts of wicked men have led them into, or which the juſtice of the Lord hath brought them into. Haſt thou obſerved the old way?
Which wicked men have troden?
The Hebrew is, Men of Iniquity; Which phraſe plainly imports, that he doth not ſpeake of the ordinary race, or ranke of ſinners, but of the Extreameſt ſinners, men ſo full of iniquity, that they deſerved this blacke Title, men of Iniquity. Antichriſt is called not onelyonly a man of ſin, or the man of ſin, but (which implyeth a ſinner of a higher forme, then both the former) That man of ſin (2 Theſ. 2.3.) He being indeed not onelyonly among the chiefeſt ſinners, but the chiefe of ſinners. The phraſe in the Text is a degree lower then that, yet it notes a very great degreee. And therefore when the Prophet would aſſure the greateſt ſinners repenting and returning to God, of the readines of God to pardon, he expreſſeth them in this ſtile (Iſa. 55.7.) Let the wicked forſake his way, and the unrighteous man, or (as the Original Text hath it) the man of iniquity, his thoughts and &c. As a man of Bloods notes a very bloody man, a man given up to that particular ſin of cruelty. So a man of iniquity, is one given up to ſin in Generall. Haſt thou marked the old way which wicked men, men of iniquity, have Trodden.
This word, trodden, referred both to a ſinfull and a ſuffering way, notes the frequency of their going or being in thoſe wayes. And as it is referred to their ſinfull way alone, it notes firſt their boldneſſe in ſinning; ſecondly, their reſolvedneſſe to ſin: A trodden way, is ſuch a way as a man hath often gone, and in which he is not afraid to goe. Haſt thou marked the old way.
Hence note. Firſt, The way of Sin and Error is an old way.
The Devill ſinned from the beginning, and men have ſinned from their beginning, not onelyonly have there been ſinnings, but great ſinnings from the begining; the old way is the way of ſin, though the oldeſt way be not. There was holines before there was ſinne, and truth before there was Error; So that the way of ſinne is the old way, but not the oldeſt way. God, all whoſe wayes are holy, was from everlaſting. The Angels who have been holy as long as they have been, were from the beginning. And the firſt beginning of man in his converſation, was, no doubt, like his conſtitution, holy. He quickly went out of the way, but ſurely his firſt ſtep was not out of the way, he went right before he went wrong, and ſtood before he fell. Againe, if you take the way for the way of puniſhment.
Note.
That God in all ages hath puniſhed ſinners in their ſinfull wayes.
God hath every where and every when left the tract and print of his anger and diſpleaſure upon ſinners; though ſome particular ſinners, have gone unpuniſhed in ſome age, yet there was never any age wherein ſinne was not puniſhed in ſome. The Lord gives a morall ſtopp to ſinne perpetually, that is, by his Lawes he declares againſt it, his word is expreſſe againſt all ungodlynes, both the word of his Command, and the word of his threatning. Now as the Lord doth alwayes put this morall ſtopp in the way of ſinne, ſo, he often puts a Judiciary ſtopp, or a ſtop by way of Judgement. And as in the 3d of Geneſis, he ſet a flaming ſword in the way of the tree of life, ſo he continually ſets a flaming word, that is, a threatning to keepe the way of the tree of death, that is, of ſinne. Thus he alwayes meetes ſinfull men in the way of their luſts (as the Angel met Balaam when he went to curſe the Iſrael of God) with a drawne ſword to ſtopp them in their way; the Lord hath ſet many drawne ſwords in the way of every ſinne; and he hath left the prints of his wrath upon the backs of many ſinners, that wee ſhould take heed of ſinning. The Lord hath left many ſad examples upon record againſt ſinne, nor hath he at any time favoured it, or done any thing which might indeed encourage ſinners; for though ſometimes wicked men have proſper'd, yet, ſhould wee looke into all times, wee cannot finde that wicked men were ever bleſſed; Judgement hath overtaken them ſooner or later. And if it hath at any time come too late to overtake them in this world, yet it will come ſoone enough to overtake theirs in this, or themſelves in the world which is to come. No man is bleſſed, at any time, who comes at laſt to be miſerable.
Thirdly, In that he ſaith; Haſt thou marked the old way?
Note.
It is our duty to obſerve and marke, as the way of ſinfull men, ſo the way in which God puniſheth their ſinne.
All the wayes of God are to be marked; as wee are to obſerve what the Lord ſpeakes, ſo what he doth; his works as well as his word, are remarkeable. Who ſo is wiſe (ſaith the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 107.43.) and will obſerve theſe things, even they ſhall underſtand the loving kindnes of the Lord. I may ſay alſo, that they ſhall underſtand the judgements of the Lord. And againe, the Prophet confirmes it (Hoſ. 14.9.) Who is wiſe and he ſhall underſtand theſe things prudent and he ſhall know them; for the wayes of the Lord are right, and the Juſt ſhall walke in them, but the tranſgreſſors ſhall fall therein. The wicked fall in the way of his commandements, and therefore ſurely they ſhall fall in the way of his judgements. And as the Lord hath given us Examples of this, ſo he hath given this as the uſe of thoſe Examples that wee ſhould marke and obſerve them. The Apoſtle (1 Cor. 10.) ſhewes that all the dealings of God with that his ancient People the Jewes, are written and recorded as our Examples (ver. 5, 6, 7.) With many of them God was not well pleaſed, but they were overthrowne in the wilderneſs. Now theſe things were our Examples, to the Intent that wee ſhould not luſt after evill things as they luſted, neither be Idolaters, as ſome of them were, nor fornicators, nor tempt Chriſt, nor murmure, &c. He ſhuts up all with the ſame doctrine (ver. 11.) Now all theſe things happened unto them for Enſamples, and are written for our admonition, upon whom the Ends of the Earth are come, therefore let him that ſtandeth take heed leaſt hee fall. The Apoſtle Peter alſo (2 Pet. 2.) brings in; firſt, the inſtance of the Angells that fell; ſecondly, of the old world; thi…dly, of Sodome and Gomorrah, Whom God condemned with an overthrow, making them an enſample unto thoſe that af…er ſhould live ungodly. The Scripture ſpeakes of two ſorts of Enſamples. F…rſt, for imitation; ſecondly, for caution; The lapſed Angels, the old world, theſe Cities Sodom and Gomorrah, are all left as Enſamples for caution, that all after ages marking the old way of their ſinne and puniſhment, might feare to ſinne and ſuffer as they have done.
Fourthly, From the manner of this Expreſſion (which wicked men have troden) taking the way conjunctively for the way both of ſinne and puniſhment, this troddennes of it notes the frequent paſſage which many have made through it; They have not gone it once onelyonly but often. Hence obſerve.
As wicked men offend often, ſo the Lord hath puniſhed often, as they have made pathes in ſinne, ſo God hath made pathes in Judgement.
It is eaſie to follow ſinners (as it were) by the print and tract of thoſe evills which have overtaken them. But I paſſe it here, becauſe Eliphaz proceeds more directly to deſcribe the puniſhment of wicked men in the next words.
Verſ. 16. Which were cut downe out of time, and whoſe foundation was overflowne with a flood.
At this verſe the Original hath a very conſpicuous note of diſtinction. The Jewes are very exact in obſerving the letters and the verſes of every booke in the Bible, and between theſe two verſes is the middle of the booke:foreign there being exactly the ſame number of verſes behinde as we have had before in this whole book of Job (taking the 16th verſe Incluſively) So that now wee are halfe the booke over according to the number of verſes. The whole containing 1070. The former part hath had 535. and as many remaine for the latter part. This I touch onelyonly by the way.
Which were cut downe.
The words carry an aluſion to the felling of trees; as if hee had ſayd;foreign pleri que reddunt ſucciſi ſunt; ſed verbum hoc nunquā occurrit in ea ſignificatione in ſacris literis ſed tantū apud doctores Hebraeorū id que per meta— theſin literarum a verbo foreign cum enim tantum occurrat in libro Job, ibi vertitur rugare aut corrugare aut rugas contrahere. Theſe men were like great Oakes and tall Cedars, but the Lord cut them downe. The word is Conceived more properly ſignifying to wrinckle, or to make furrowes in the face; for this word is uſed but once more in all the Bible, & it is in the 16th Chapter of this Book, ver. 8th, and there wee tranſlate, wrinckles; Thou haſt filled mee with wrinckles, which is a witnes againſt me. So ſome render it here; Who were wrinckled out of time. Now what are wrinckles? they are the markes of old age, and they ſhew that weaknes is coming upon us, or that wee are in our declining Condition; ſo that it is a very Elegant Expreſſion to ſay, They were wrinckled out of time; that is, they were old afore they were old, before they were old according to the nature of man, they were made old by the Judgements of God; They lookt as if they were worne, ſpent, and eaten out by time, whereas indeed they were ſpent, eaten, and worne out with the wrath and indignation of God which fell upon them. Thus they were wrinckled out of time, or before their time.
foreign ſine tempore, vel non tempus, i. e. antequam explerent vitae annos, ſecundam communem naturae legem.They were cut downe, and no time, as ſome render: But it may be ſayd as Solomon did (Eccl. 3.1.) There is a time for every thing; how then could they be cut downe in no time? There may be a twofold interpretation given of this Hebraiſme.
Firſt this, to ſhew that they dyed a violent not a naturall death, that eyther God by his immediate Judgements did cut them off, or that he gave them up to the Juſtice of man, who cut them off before their time. Man hath a ſet time, an ordinary time of dying (the dayes of man are threeſcore yeares and ten, this is the ordinary time of dying) they that dye before, are in Scripture ſence, Cut downe out of time, or not in time, that is, not in that time at which men uſually dye according to the courſe and cuſtome of nature.
Secondly, when 'tis ſayd, They were cut downe without time, the meaning is, they were cut downe very ſuddenly, as if it were done without any time at all; God was ſo farre from lingring or taking up long time to deſtroy theſe men, that he cut them downe (as it were) without any time at all,foreign ſine tempore, verti poteſt, ſine mora. even in a moment, in an Inſtant, as ſpeedily as a man can thinke it, farre more ſpeedily then any man can do it. He did it without delay. As uſually the grace of God, ſo often the wrath of God makes no demurres.
Obſerve from the manner of Expreſſion, Cut downe.
That, God brings ruining Judgements on the ſtouteſt of ſinners.
Hee doth not onelyonly pull off ſome of their fruit, and leaves, or lopp off their branches, but he cuts them downe, yea hee ſtubs them up by the roots, till there is nothing left, they are cut downe root and branch. Thus the Lord threatned the houſe of Jeroboam (1 King. 14.10.) Behold I will bring evill upon the houſe of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam, him that piſſeth againſt the wall (that is, every man of his houſe) and him that is ſhut up and left in Iſrael (that is, him that is moſt eſteemed, as things ſhut up are, and him that is leaſt eſteemed, as things left abroad are; or thoſe who are ſecured or have ſecured themſelves in ſtrongeſt holds, as men ſhut up are, as well as thoſe who are left naked and expoſed to the eaſieſt dangers, as men left at large are) and will take away the remnant of the houſe of Jeroboam (that is, all who have eſcaped or ſurvived the former troubles) as a man taketh away dounge till it be all gone; that is, till his houſe be utterly exterminated: for dounge being a filthy and noyſome thing, men never leave taking it away, from places where it is an annoyance, till they have taken it all away. That which is offenſive in the whole nature of it, is offenſive in the leaſt degree of it.
Againe, When 'tis ſayd, Hee cuts them downe without time, or before their time, we may obſerve.
Wicked men are often ripe for Judgement, before they are ripe in yeares.
It is ſaid in the 15th of Geneſis, Cum potuiſſent diutive perſiſtere. Tygur. Capti ſunt immaturi. Sep.The Iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full, their ſin is not come to a full ſtature; for as there is a fullnes of ſtature in holynes unto which Saints at laſt arrive in Chriſt, ſo there is a fullnes of ſtature in wickednes to which the Lord ſuffers ſinners to arrive; and as when Saints have attained their full ſtature in holynes, they are received into glory; ſo when wicked men have attained a full ſtature in wickednes, they are cut off and turned downe to deſtruction. Though the Lord ſuffer long, yet he will not alwayes ſuffer. And as ſome are but young men, yet old Saints, and have had much Experience of God, and of the wayes of grace, though but little of the world (that diſtinction which the Apoſtle gives of Saints into little children, young men, and fathers (1 Joh. 2.13, 14.) is not to be underſtood in reference to naturall yeares, but to ſtanding in grace, or to a growth and progreſs in holynes) ſo ſome wicked men, are but of few yeares, or but young in reference to their naturall age, who yet are old in ſinne, aged in wickednes they are fathers in abomination, while but children in time, and ſo are cut downe before time: Wicked men are never cut downe till they are ripe in ſinne, but they are often cut downe before they are ripe in nature.
Thirdly, Which were cut downe out of time; namely, in little time, or without delay.
Hence Note; That, God can quickly make an End of wicked men.
Hee needs not take any long time to doe it; hee tooke but very little time to make the world, it was made in ſix dayes, which in reference to the greatneſs of the worke is no time: when a great thing is done in a little time, wee may ſay it was done without any time at all. Now if the Lord could frame a world without time, ſurely he can cut downe the world, or the inhabitants of it in a little time? Ruining worke, is eaſier then building worke. He that built (in this ſence) without time, can pull downe without time; wee need not trouble our ſelves with ſuch thoughts as theſe, when wee ſee wicked men, Enemies of God and his people in their height and ſtrength, O what a length of time will it require? O how many yeares muſt be ſpent in cutting downe theſe ſtrong Oakes, thoſe tall Cedars? the Lord can cut them downe in a moment. Our late experinces have ſhewed us wicked men cut downe without time; before they thought they could be ſhaken, yea toucht, they have be…n cut downe; when they concluded they could not be reached, they have been ruined. The Jeſuites and other Matchavillian politicians have a received Maxime of State among them; Take time and you may doe any thing. If you are diſappointed in a project this yeare, waite a few yeares longer (ſay they) and you ſhall eyther finde or make a way to accompliſh it. But the Lord can doe any thing he hath a minde to at any time, or without taking time. The Apoſtle prophecying of the Antichriſt ſaith (2 Theſ. 2.6, 7.) Now ye know what withholdeth, that he may he revealed in his time; for the myſtery of iniquity doth already worke, onelyonly he who now letteth will let, till he be taken out of the way. The power and ſplendour of the Romane Empire ſtood in Antichriſts way, and he could not cut it downe without time; He was hacking and hewing, heaving and thruſting many yeares, yea ſome ages before he could remove that blocke out of his way, and ſo make way for his owne Greatnes. The wiſeſt of men muſt have time to bring about their ends. OnelyOnly God, the onelyonly wiſe God, can cut downe and remove whatſoever ſtands in his way (though it ſtand like a great mountaine) without time or without taking time, if once his time be come in which he would have it removed. The wicked of thoſe elder times were cut downe ſuddenly, without time. Eliphaz confirmes it further in the next words.
Whoſe foundation was overflowne with a flood.
In this latter clauſe Eliphaz ſeemes more clearly to hint at ſome particular wicked men, or to ſhew who thoſe wicked men were that hee Intends as the object of his obſervation, namely, thoſe, whoſe foundation was overflowne with a flood. It is uſuall in Scripture, by ſome one word to alude to great actions and changes paſt. Take two or three Inſtances for Illuſtration of this; (Pſal. 55.15.) David Imprecates vengeance upon his enemies in this Language; Let them goe downe quick into hell. Which expreſſion carrieth a plaine alluſion unto that dreadfull judgement. (Numb. 16.31, 32.) It came to paſſe as hee (that is, Moſes) had made an End of ſpeaking all theſe words, the ground clave aſunder that was under them; and the earth opened her mouth and ſwallowed them up and their houſes, and all the men which appertained unto Corah, and all their goods. They and all that appertained to them went downe alive into the pit, &c. This hiſtoricall Narration the Pſalmiſt hints at in his imprecation, as is plaine by that word quick or alive; Let them goe downe quick (or alive) into hell; that is, let ſuch wrath ſeaze upon them, as ſeazed upon Corah, Dathan and Abiram, on whom the earth cloſed and they periſhed from among the Congregation. Againe, when the Apoſtle makes promiſe to Saints in the behalfe of Chriſt what aſſiſtance they might expect from him in time of temptation, and what iſſue from it, he thus aſſures them; The God of peace ſhall tread Satan under your feete ſhortly, (Rom. 16.20.) Which plainly beares upon that firſt grand Promiſe, that (Chriſt) the ſeede of the Woman ſhould breake the Serpents head (Gen. 3.15.) for it is by vertue of that act of Jeſus Chriſt bruiſing the head of Satan, that Satan is troden under our feet. As Chriſt bruiſed him under his owne feete, ſo hee will bruiſe, or tread him under out feete; the ſeede of the woman in perſon, as well as in their repreſentative, ſhall breake the Serpents head. Laſtly, thoſe words (Rom. 9.16.) hold a cleare correſpondence with that Story (Gen. 27.) concerning Jacob and Eſau, So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that ſheweth mercy. Hee had ſayd before that God loved Jacob and hated Eſau; and concludes upon it, So then, it is not of him that willeth, &c. Wee may take notice in that famous peice of the divine Hiſtory, that much meanes was uſed that Jacob might obtaine the Bleſſing; Rebecca her heart was ſet upon it; ſhee did what ſhee could to procure the Bleſſing for her younger Sonne, her will was wholy in it; and Jacob, hee run for it too; for as ſoone as Ever his mother had given him counſell, he ran preſently to the flock and brought in a Kid to make the ſavoury meat for Iſaac; Now, the Apoſtle Paul to advance the freenes of grace, doth not only inſtance in thoſe two perſons, but uſeth a phraſe of ſpeech which ſavours ſo much of that paſſage, that though he had not named the men, yet every man who knew the Scriptures muſt needs underſtand both of whom and of what he meant it; It is not of him that willeth, &c. that is, it was neyther Rebeckaes will to have it ſo, nor Jacobs haſt (which appeared in his running to the flock) to have it ſo, that gave him the Bleſſing, but it was of God that ſhewed mercy. And as it was then, ſo it is now, though a man be as willing as Rebeckah, or though he make as much ſpeed as Jacob for his bleſſing, yet all comes freely by the grace of God. Thus the frequent uſage of Scripture ſhewes us how much the Spirit of God delights to lead our thoughts (by the light of ſome one word) a great way back into the conſideration of what hath been done and written of old for our inſtruction. The words of the text now under diſcuſſion, (Whoſe foundation was overflowne with a flood) are ſurely an alluſion to ſome particular perſons or action in the dayes of old, and they may be applyed three wayes.
Firſt, To the drowning of the whole world in the time of Noah by a flood, when the Lord opened the windowes of heaven, and overwhelmed both man and beaſt in thoſe mighty waters; which univerſal judgement is (by way of eminence) called, The Deluge, or, The Flood, unto this very day.
Secondly, They may have reſpect to the overthrow of Sodome and Gomorrah, which Cities, though they were deſtroyed by fire, yet it was with a flood of fire. The Text ſaith expreſly (Gen. 19.24.) Then the Lord rayned upon Sodome and upon Gemorrah brimſtone and fire from the Lord out of heaven, and he overthrew the Cities & all the plaine, &c. They were overflowne with a flood of fire.
Thirdly,Hunc locum a v. 15. ad v 20. omnino reſpicere ad dimerſionem Pharaones & Egyptiorum non levibus ſuadeor conjecturis. Pined: The alluſion may be carried to the deſtruction of Pharaoh and the Egyptians in the red Sea; They alſo were overflowne with a flood. The waters of the red Sea which ſtood up as a wall for Iſraell to paſſe thorow, at the Command of God returning upon the Egyptians, ſwallowed them up, them and their Chariots and their horſes. The enemy ſayd (thus Moſes deſcribes that fatal overthrow (Exod. 15.9, 10.) I will purſue, I will overtake, I will divide the ſpoyle: my luſt ſhall be ſatisfied upon them, I will draw my ſword, my hand ſhall deſtroy them. Thus the enemy raged & foamed with revenge, like a tempeſtuous Sea, and had opened all the ſluces of his will to overflow them. And when the enemy had thus breathed out his wrath in a foure times repeated, I will; Then the Lord did blow with his wind, the Sea covered them, They ſanke as lead in the mighty waters. So then the words may relate to any of thoſe three ſignall Judgements, to the drowning of the old world with a flood of water, to the deſtruction of Sodome and Gomorrah with a flood of fire, or to the overthrow of Pharaoh and his Egyptian hoſt in the red Sea.
But more particularly, for the explication of theſe words; whoſe foundation was overflowne with a flood.
Whoſe foundation.
This word foundation taken in a proper ſence, referres to a materiall building. And the foundation of any building is the ſtability and ſtrength of it; by foundation, in a metaphorical ſence,Ea omnia quae illis velur fundamenti loco erant, in quibus ſpem & praeſidium ponebant, &c. Merc: wee are to underſtand all thoſe things by which the ſtate of perſons or things is upheld; and here whatſoever wicked men ſupport & beare up themſelves by, as a building is borne up by the foundation, is to be underſtood as their foundation. So their power, their riches, their councell, their wiſdome, their friends and confederates; whatſoever, I ſay, is the ſupport of their worldly State, that's their foundation. And thus it is here ſaid, their foundation was overflowne With a flood.
In two of the former Inſtances, to which the alluſion was made, their foundation was overflowne by a flood properly taken. If wee take it more generally for all wicked men, who at any time have been overthrowne, wee may ſay, that they have all been overflowne by a flood metaphorically. For ſo
Firſt, The diſpleaſure of God, by what meanes or inſtrument ſoever put forth is called a flood; whether is be by ſword, or by famine, or by peſtilence, it is a flood. (Eſa. 8.7.) Wee read warre Compared to a flood; Now therefore behold the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river, ſtrong and many (what were theſe waters?) Even the King of Aſſyria, and all his glory; the King of Aſſyria with his Armyes, in which he gloried, or which he counted his glory, were the waters of the river, ſtrong and many) and hee ſhall come up over all his channells, and goe over all his hands (that is, the former Limits of his Dominion) And he ſhall paſſe thorow Judah, hee ſhall overflow and goe over. There The Sword is Compared to a flood, or to a mighty river, which beares downe all before it. The ſame Prophet ſpeakes againe in the ſame Language (Eſa. 59.19.) When the enemy ſhall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord ſhall lift up a Standard againſt him; as if it had been ſaid, The enemy ſhall come ruſhing in like a mighty torrent but the Spirit of God, like a more mighty winde, ſhall blow and ruſh upon him, cauſing him to recoile and give back, or (as our Margent hath it) put him to flight. Againe (Ezek. 13.) The Prophet foreſhewes the approaching calamity upon thoſe who had ſeduced the Jewes into a vaine ſecurity; which is there called, the building of a wall with untempered morter. A wall he calls that prophecy, becauſe it promiſed ſafety, and defence; but he calls it alſo a wall built with untempered morter, becauſe that falſe prophecy was a weake prophecy, and ſhould ſhortly fall. The manner how, he gives us in the notion of the Text (verſ. 13.) Wherefore thus ſaith the Lord God, I will even rent it with a ſtormy winde in my fury, and there ſhall be as an overflowing ſhower in mine anger, &c. that is, wrath ſhall be upon it (the Babylonian Army was the ſpecial judgement in which that wrath was expreſſed) and that ſhall be as an overflowing ſhower. Great and continuall ſhowers will try the ſtrongeſt buildings, and quickly overthrow the weake. A wall of untempered morter is no match for a ſtorme. As our Saviour alſo aſſures us in the cloſe of his Sermon on the Mount, (Matth. 7.27.) where all thoſe evills, troubles, afflictions, ſorrowes, and perſecutions, whether ſent upon ſuch as are really godly, or onelyonly in name and outward profeſſion, are called raine, floods, winds. So ſaith the Text, The raine deſcended, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon the houſe and it fell, and great was the fall of it. While it ſtood, it ſtood to no purpoſe but for a ſhew, but when it fell, it fell to purpoſe, The fall thereof was great. Thus it is more then evident from Scripture phraſe, that raines and floods ſignifie all ſorts of afflicting evils, and therefore we need not reſtraine the word flood in the Text to a Deluge of Elementary water, or of water in a proper ſence, but wee may Enlarge it to any kinde of afflicting Evill or trouble whatſoever that falls upon man. And the Scripture is (I conceave) ſo frequent in the uſe of this metaphor of a flood, and of waters, where great calamities are ſet forth, for theſe two reaſons.
Firſt, To note the ſwiftnes and ſuddennes of the judgements of God. Floods come often very ſuddenly, and riſe not onelyonly beyond expectation, but before there is any the leaſt expectation of them. Noahs flood was long foretold before it came, but when the time came, wherein it ſhould come, it came at once. Though God give long warning of his judgements, yet moſt men are ſurpriz…d with them, they come like a flood.
Secondly, To note the Irreſiſtablenes of the Judgements of God; who or what can ſtand before mighty waters? Great floods doe not onelyonly waſh and overflow all, but ruine and overthrow all, there's no reſiſting. Such are the Judgements of God, they are a flood both for their ſuddain riſing and breaking in upon ſinners, and likewiſe for their Irreſiſtible violence in breaking and ruining them.
Further, It is not to be paſſed by, That Eliphaz doth not onelyonly ſay, They were overflowne, but, Their foundation was overflowne with a flood. He calls it the overflowing of their foundation, to note, that they were totally or utterly ruined & overthrowne: for when the foundation is deſtroyed, all is deſtroyed; deſtruction to the foundation is the worſt of deſtructions. The cruel enemies of the Jewes cryed, Raſe it, raſe it even to the foundation thereof (Pſ. 137.7.) but to raſe the foundation it ſelfe is more cruel then raſing to the foundation. When the Lord threatned a full and final deſtruction of thoſe fooliſh Prophets who had ſeene vaine viſions for his people, he ſayd (Ezek. 13.14) I will breake downe the wall that ye have daubed with untempered morter, and bring it downe to the ground, ſo that the foundation thereof ſhall be diſcovered, &c. That is, I will deſtroy it as farre as deſtruction it ſelfe can goe. There ſhall not only not a ſtone be left upon a ſtone of this building above ground, but even the under-ground ſtones ſhall not be left. The very foundation ſhall be opened and diſcovered. That which lyeth at the bottome, or the bottome it ſelfe of thoſe flattering prophecies, all the wiles & ſecret way… of them ſhalbe revealed. David complaines of thoſe irreparable breaches made upon the civill ſtate in this ſtile (Pſal. 11.3.) If the foundations be deſtroyed, what can the righteous doe? The civill foundation of a Nation or people, is their Lawes, and Conſtitutions, the order and power that is among them, that's the foundation of a People, and when once this foundation is deſtroyed, what can the righteous doe? what can the beſt, the wiſeſt in the world doe in ſuch a caſe? what can any man doe, if there be not a foundation of Government left among men? There is no helpe nor anſwer in ſuch a caſe, but that which followes in the 4th verſe of the ſame Pſalme; The Lord is in his holy Temple, the Lords throane is in heaven, his eyes behold, his eyelids try the children of men. As if he had ſayd; in the midſt of theſe confuſions, when as it is ſayd (Pſal. 82.5.) All the foundations of the earth are out of courſe; yet God keepes his courſe ſtill, he is where he was and as he was, without variablenes or ſhadow of turning. Wee read in the viſion of the fower Monarchyes (Dan. 2.34.) That The ſtone Cut out without hands ſmote the Image upon his feete that were of Iron and Clay, and brake them to peeces: The ſtone did not ſtrike the Image upon the head, or upon the breaſt, the golden head, the ſilver breaſt, &c. but upon the feete that were of Iron and Clay. Now the feete are to a naturall body, as the foundation is to an Artificiall body; A mans feete are the foundation of his body; if the feete be ſmitten and broken to pieces, the body muſt needs fall. And therefore as ſoone as ever it was ſayd, That the Stone brake the feete to peices, The ruine of the whole Image is deſcribed in the immediately following words of the viſion (ver. 35.) Then was the Iron, the Clay, the braſs, the ſilver, and the gold broken to peices together, and became like the chaffe of the Summer threſhing floore, and the winde carried them away, that no place was found for them. The breaking of the feete, was the breaking up of the foundation, and ſo the breaking downe of all. Whoſe foundation was overflowne with a flood.
Hence note; Firſt, Wicked men thinke themſelves very ſure, they have foundations, they lay foundations.
The people of God are ſometimes over-conceited about the ſtrength and ſtability of their worldly foundations. Holy David ſayd, In his proſperity, I ſhall never be moved, Lord by thy favour thou haſt made my mountaine to ſtand ſtrong, (Pſal. 30.6, 7.) And if a godly man may, by the ſtrength of temptation, thus overreckon the ſtrength of an Earthly ſtate, what may they doe whoſe ſtate, yea whoſe minds are altogether earthly? How often doe they judge themſelves wiſe and politique enough to lay for themſelves an everlaſting foundation in things which cannot laſt? and that they are ſo ſurely bottom'd in the favour of men, that they ſhall never be removed. Babylon thinks her ſelfe ſetled at this day upon ſuch everlaſting mountaines, upon ſuch perpetuall hills of power and policy, that certainly her foundation ſhall never be overflowne. Thus ſhee ſpake her heart out, while ſhee ſayd in her heart (Rev. 18.7.) I ſit a Queene, and am no widdow, and ſhall ſee no ſorrow. Babylon is bottom'd & foundation'd upō ſo many hils, that is, upon ſo many Intereſts & advantages of ſtrength, as render her (to her ſelfe) impregnable and unremoveable. And as this vaine confidence beares up the Spirit of that Man of ſin, ſo of very many ſinfull men, who preſume they are upon a ſure foundation, when indeed none but the godly mans foundation is ſure. (Prov. 10.25.) As the whirlewinde paſſeth, ſo is the wicked no more, but the righteous is an everlaſting foundation. The wicked man ſuppoſeth himſelfe founded as on a Rock of ages an everlaſting ſtrength, ſuch as the righteous man hath in God, or ſuch as God is to a righteous man. (Eſay 26.3.) Yet as the whirlewinde bee paſſeth away but the righteous is an everlaſting foundation. Wee finde not the Copulative word, is, expreſſed in the Hebrew, there 'tis onelyonly, but the righteous an Everlaſting foundation; So that I ſhould rather read it thus; But the righteous have an everlaſting foundation: wicked men ſeeme to have, but the righteous man indeed hath an Everlaſting foundation. There is no earthly foundation everlaſting; For all earthly things paſſe away, and are fo farre from laſting for ever, that they laſt but (as it were) for a little, for a moment. What then is this everlaſting foundation? It is a foundation layd in heavenly things; The foundation which is layd in things above ſhall abide; The things which are not ſeene, and they onelyonly, are eternal (2 Cor. 4.18.) but the ſtrongeſt foundation layd in things below, endures but for a ſeaſon; The things which are ſeene, are temporal, as the Apoſtle ſpeakes in the ſame place. Such foundations are ſoone overflowne with a flood. As will appeare yet further in the next obſervation; Which take thus; The flood and ſtorme of Gods anger will overflow all the foundations, the ſtrongeſt foundations of wicked men.
Their riches, their power, their wiſdome, their Councels, whatſoever they have imagined, layd and made for a foundation to themſelves, eyther of honour or ſafety, ſhall be overflowne and ſwept quite away; yea all their refuges layd together will prove but a refuge of lyes, (Iſa. 28.17.) Judgement alſo will I (ſayth the Lord) lay to the line, and righteouſnes to the plummet, and the hayle ſhall ſweepe away the refuge of lyes, and the waters ſhall overflow the hiding place. That is, thoſe places wherein they thought to hide & ſecure themſelves againſt the overflowing ſcourge. A wicked man is in greateſt danger when he thinkes himſelfe in greateſt ſafety, and then moſt ready to fall when he ſayth in his owne heart, or boaſteth it out to others, that he is upon a ſure foundation; For whatſoever opinion he hath of it; yet the truth is, his foundation is but ſand; and (which makes his caſe more miſerable) though he be told ſo, and others have found it ſo, yet he will not beleeve it. While (as the Prophet ſpeakes, Iſa. 44.20.) He feedeth of aſhes, a deceaved heart hath turned him aſide, that be cannot deliver his ſoule, nor ſay is there not a lye, or (as the former Scripture hath it.) a refuge of lyes in my right hand. Only the righteous is, or hath (as Solomon ſpeakes) an everlaſting foundation. A righteous man hath two foundations which ſhall never be ſhaken, much leſſe overthrowne; who ſo are ſetled on thoſe foundations may be as confident as confidence it ſelfe.
The firſt of theſe two foundations is Gods Eternall Decree, his Decree of Election, that's an unmoveable foundation, and that is the foundation upon which beleevers build their hopes. The Apoſtle (2 Tim. 2.19, 20.) is proving that even in the houſe of God, that is, among the outward profeſſors of the name of God, there are of all ſorts, veſſells of gold and ſilver, veſſells alſo of wood and of Earth; Some to honour, and ſome to diſhonour; and when he had ſaid of Himeneus and Philetus, that they had erred concerning the truth, ſaying that the reſurrection is paſt already, and ſo had overthrowne the faith of ſome, verſ. 18. Hee preſently adds, What though it be thus, what though ſome men have fallen from their foundation, yet the foundation of God ſtandeth ſure, having this Seale, The Lord knoweth who are his, verſ. 19. Where we have firſt the foundation of God, namely, his decree of Election; Secondly, the Seale or aſſurance of it, as to him, even his owne certain knowledge of the Elect, The Lord knoweth who are his. So that while hypocrites or meere verbal formal profeſſors back-ſlide and Apoſtatize from the faith, yet the Elect are ſafe and ſtand faſt in the purpoſe of God; and while many diſcover themſelves to be veſſels of diſhonour in the houſe of God, wood and Earth, of baſe and britle materials; yet Saints, indeed, who are veſſels of honour made of pureſt metal, of Gold and Silver, theſe ſhall abide for ever. He that is once a veſſel of honour, ſhall alwayes be ſo; For the foundation of God ſtandeth ſure, having this Seale, The Lord knoweth who are his.
Secondly, As there is this more hidden foundation, upon which Saints are ſure, and which no flood can overflow; ſo there is another ſure foundation, and that is Jeſus Chriſt, upon which Saints are built, and therefore the holy Prophet having diſcovered that refuge of lyes which he threatens ſhould be ſwept away by the overflowing ſcourge, ſubjoynes by way of Oppoſition in the next verſe (Iſa. 28.16.) Therefore thus ſayth the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Sion for a foundation a ſtone, a tryed ſtone, a precious corner ſtone, a ſure foundation, and he that beleeveth ſhall not make haſt. Whom the Prophet means by this ſure foundation, the Apoſtle tells us expreſſely and by name (1 Cor. 3.11.) Other foundation can no man lay then that which is laid, which is Jeſus Chriſt; and they that are built on him the living Rock (as all Beleevers are) have eternal life, and ſhall never periſh. This Chriſt himſelfe teacheth us (Matth. 7.24, 25.) Who ſoever beareth theſe ſayings of mine and doth them, I will liken him to a wiſe man that built his houſe upon a Rock. And what's the Rock that theſe wife men build upon? This rock is Jeſus Chriſt, hee is the rock of Ages; Hee fayles not, nor can they fall who are in him; as it followeth; Then the raine deſcended, the floods came, the winds blew and beat upon the houſe, and it fell not, for it was founded on a rock. Saints are lively ſtones, and they comming to Chriſt (by faith) who is a living ſtone, diſſalowed indeed of men, but choſen of God and precious, are built up a ſpirituall houſe (1 Pet. 2.4, 5.) If this houſe ſhould fall, Chriſt muſt fall too, for though Chriſt and this houſe are diſtinguiſhed, yet they are not divided; Chriſt and this houſe are one; So then though the floods of angry men, & of enraged Devils beate upon it, yet they ſhall returne foaming out their owne ſhame, & when they have done their worſt, they ſhall but waſh this houſe, leaving it ſomewhat more cleane, but no whit unſetled. This is the glory and priviledge of Beleevers, that while the ſtrongeſt foundations of the Earth are overflowne with a flood, They have a twofold foundation, That of Election in the Love of God, and that of Redemption in the bloud of Chriſt, which cannot be overflowne by any the moſt violent and impetuous flood.
So then, ungodly men are miſerable, when they appeare moſt happy, and at their beſt eſtate are altogether vanity; for eyther their eſtate hath no foundation, or but ſuch a foundation as cannot ſtand, and that is as bad or rather worſe then none at all; It is better to have no appearance of ſtrength, then to have nothing but an appearance of it.
Further, may we not from the oppoſite ſtate of Godly men (at leaſt intimated in this, and toucht before) conclude, that they are happy when they appeare moſt miſerable? and that at their worſt eſtate, they are altogether above uncertainty? For as they have a foundation, ſo ſuch a foundation as will ſtand all ſtormes and weathers; What can be added to their felicity, who are in an eſtate ſo good (in the nature of it) that they need not deſire a change, and ſo ſure (in the foundation of it) that they need not feare a change, much leſſe an overflowing flood?
Eliphaz proceeds to deſcribe the particular wickednes of thoſe men, or how they did Expreſſe their wickedneſſe; Whoſe foundation was thus overflowne; They ſay unto God depart from us, &c.