Exposition of Job 4-7

THis Context, from the 9. to the 17. verse, contains the second argument, by which Eliphaz strengthens his exhortation upon Job, to seek unto God. The argument speaks to this efect. He is to be sought; and unto him our cause is to be committed, who is of absolute power, infinite in wisdom and goodness: But such is God; Therefore seek to him, and commit thy cause unto him. That God is of infinite power, wisdom, &c. was proved in general at the 9. verse, by those four adjuncts of his works, Great, unsearchable, marvelous, and without number. And now at the 10. verse he begins his proof, by an enumeration of the particular effects of God's power, wisdom and goodness. The first instance is in natural things; God doth great things and unsearchable, marvelous things without number: And would you know what those things are? You need not go far to inquire; there are things very near unto us, and very common among us, which yet if they be well looked unto; will advance the power, wisdom and goodness of God; Every shower of rain drops down this truth, that God doth great things; He giveth rain upon the earth, and sendeth waters upon the fields.

There is not any difficulty about the meaning of these words which calls for stay in opening of them. Therefore in brief, The Hebrew word for Rain, in out letters (Matar) is so near in sound to our english, water, that some think it a derivative from it.

By the Rain, we are to understand, not the showers only which fall from Heaven, but all those blessings and benefits for the support of our naurall life, which are the fruits of rain: He sendeth rain (as it were) on his errand, to bring or carry the blessings of plenty, and to drop fatness on the earth. He giveth rain to the earth, and then the earth giveth her increase. The Rabbins have a saying, that rain is the husband of the earth, because those showers foecundate the earth, and make that great mother of plenty, fruitful, in bringing forth all things useful and comfortable for the life of man.

He giveth rain upon the face of the earth, (so the letter of the Original) that is upon the earth; as the face of Heaven, and the face of the sea, so the face of the earth, is an Hebraism, for the earth it self.

It is said in the latter clause of the verse, that he sendeth waters upon the fields; We must distinguish these waters from the rain, taking them for rivers and streams of water, as the Psalmist speaks, He causeth the rivers to run among the hills; and the Prophet Habaccuk, Thou cleavest the earth with the rivers.

The word is of the Dual number it the Hebrew, and therefore by some applied to those two sorts of waters: or to the waters above, and to the waters that are beneath; So the waters are distinguished, Psal. 104. v. 3. we read of the upper waters, Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters, who maketh the clouds his chariot; and of the inferior or lower waters, Gen. 1. 9. The Lord said, let the waters under the earth, be gathered into one place: and both are put together, ver. 7. God made the firmament, and divided the waters that were under the firmament, from the waters that were above the firmament. So that the waters above, and the waters below may both here be understood.

It is added further, He sendeth waters upon the fields. The word we traslate [fiolds] signifies any place, that is without doors, as streets and high-ways; and because fields are without (sub dio) covered only with the canopie of the heavens, therefore we translare, he sendeth waters upon the fields. And it takes in all sorts of fields, whether tilled or until'd: though some conceive that here Eliphaz means, those fields especially which are untilled, unsowne or unmanured: fields where men come not; namely deserts and wildernesses; as if he should say, there is no place but God sends waters to it; Hence the vulgar read, instead of fields, all places: He moistens all places with waters.

Here first, Forasmuch as an instance of God's greatness, power and insearchable wisdom is given in the rain, a natural thing we may note; That

The common blessings of God, are not dispensed without a special providence: Nature works not without the God of nature.

He doth great things; and what; He sendeth rain. The whole course of nature moves, as it is turned by the hand of God, and directed by his connsell. It is not in the frame of nature, as in many artificial frames, which being once set up, will stand, or go alone. When the Artificer hath made a clock, and put it in frame, and hung on the weights, let him go whether he will the clock will go; and if there were room for the weights to descend, the clock (continuing in frame) would go perpetually, though no hand helped or touched it: But it is not so, in the frame and workings of natural things; God hath set all creatures in a frame and curiously ordered them, one within another, but there is no motion of the least wheel, much less of the whole fabrique, without the special hand of God: when rain comes, God saith go; rain is his gift, not the clouds; the cloud receives a commission from God to distill and dissolve upon man: The most full, spongy clouds distill no more then the rock did in the wilderness, till the Lord speaks to them. As, When he uttereth his voice, there is a multitude of waters in the Heavens, and he causeth the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth, Jer. 10. 13. So till he uttereth his voice not one single drop of all that multitude of waters, falls from heaven; nor will those vapors descend and return again to the earth, except he bid them.

Rain is the special gift of God. Special, not in that sense as grace is a special gift, for rain is a common gift: but special, because it is that, of which and about which, God takes special notice, as we read, Amos 4. 8. I caused it to rain (saith God) upon one place, or upon one City, and not upon another: There is a special discriminating work about the rain; it rains by appointment, not accident, upon one place, rather then another. And Isa. 5. 6. when God expresses displeasure against his vineyard (he saith) I will command the clouds, that they shall rain upon it: The clouds are as vast bottles full of rain, but they cannot unstop themselves, or let out one drop, until God himself commands them; He melteth the clouds (as it is in Job) and then the rain falleth down. Thou O God didst send a plentiful rain, whereby thou didst confirm thine inheritance when it was weary, Psal. 68. 9. How weary or dry soever the Earth is, unless God by a word broach those vessels of rain, the very inheritance of God cannot have a draught, no nor a drop, to quench its thirst.

Therefore though rain be a common blessing in respect of all places and persons; yet we ought to acknowledge a special hand in giving it. And this checks that natural Atheism, which reigns in their hearts, who think that they are beholding only to the motion of the winds, or change of the Moon for rain: and hence in times of drought they look most, when the wind will turn, or when the Moon will change. To confute this, the Prophet tells us by the way of question, That as Idols cannot, so neither can the Heavens give rain, Jer. 14. 22. Are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles that can cause rain? Or can the Heavens give showers? They cannot. Indeed the holy Prophet Elias speaks such language, as if he had carried the keys of the clouds at his girdle, or had been master of the rain, 1 King. 17. 1. As the Lord liveth, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word. But the Apostle James shows us what word this was, namely a word of prayer, not of command, Chap. 5. 17. Elias prayed and it rained not; again he prayed and it rained, All the power of man cannot prevail with the heavens to rain. but the prayer of faith can prevail with the God of heaven, To send rain was the work of God, though it were at the word of a man. They who deny God in one work will quickly deny him in another. And if we deny him in lesser, yea the least of his works, in a drop of rain, we are in danger to deny him in the greater. And they who deny God in his working, have but an easy step, to the denial of his being.

This should teach us to walk in dependence upon God for all natural comforts. He giveth rain. All creatures drink from Heaven, that they may have their eyes and their hearts in Heaven. And if we must walk in dependence upon God for natural comforts, how much more for spiritual; if for the rain of the clouds, how much more for the dews of his Spirit, and the rain of grace upon our hearts? Further observe, It is a great, wonderful and unsearchable work of God to send rain: For we must put the stamp of those four characters upon all these works, And so rain, is a great a wonderful, and an unsearchable work of God: so great and wonderful that (as hath been proved▪) no creature can communicate with God, or share in the honor of this work. The Rabbins have a saying, that upon every (apex or) Tittle of the Law their hangs a mountain of sense and holy Doctrine. We may say, that in every drop of rain there is an ocean of wisdom, of power, of goodness, and of bounty. If we study the ordinary works of God, we shall learn somewhat extraordinary in them; common things are full of wonder, and among all common things, none fuller of wonders then the rain; To illustrate this a little, in some particular considerations.

First, There is marvelous power seen, in causing and giving rain. Is it not marvelous power, which raises the vapors and holds (as we may so speak) A sea of water above the earth? That such mighty seas and floods of water hang in the air, and thence are distilled and sprinkled down (as Job speaks) in small drops, are acts and arguments of the wonderful power of God.

Secondly, Behold in the rain the wonderful goodness of God: who by this means cools and refreshes, nourishes, and suckles all earthly living creatures. When the ground is enapt and gapes, as it were with open mouth, the Lord opens these bottles and gives it drink. And a miracle of goodness is seen in this forasmuch as when his very enemies hunger, he thus feeds them, when they are naked he thus clothes them, when they thirst, he thus gives them drink. Mat. 5. 45. He sendeth rain upon the just and upon the unjust: They are maintained in life by the goodness of God, whose lives maintain a continual war against his justice.

And as there is a wonder of goodness in giving rain for the use of evil men: So there is a wonder of bounty in sending rain upon those places, which are not of use to any man; he sendeth waters upon the fields, that is, all over the world. Hence when Elihu would set forth the marvelous power and bounty of God, he exemplifies it in this (Job 38. 25.) Who hath divided a water course for the overstowing of waters, to cause it to rain on the earth whereno man is, and on the wilderness, where there is no man? Such an open and bountiful house doth the Lord of Heaven and earth keep, that rather then any shall want, he will (in a sense) let the water run wast, God will not have so much as an herb or a plant to want: though there be no man to come there, yet the grass and shrubs shall have drink, and taste of his bounty.

And so legible is that goodness of God, which is written with drops of rain, so wonderful his power and bounty in giving rain, that the Prophet wonders, at the stupidity of those men, who are not convinced of and taught obedience by it. They have not said, let us fear the Lord that giveth the first and the latter rain in his season, (Jer. 5. 24.) As if he should say, what a strange thing is it that sweet showers of rain have not softened the hearts of men, into the fear of God, and made them blossom with and bring forth abundantly the fruits of holiness? Hereupon it is very remarkable, how Moses makes this a motive to persuade the children of Israel to obedience in Canaan, because that country stood in much need of rain, which Egypt, from whence they came, did not, Deut. 11. Therefore shall ye keep all the Commandments, which I command you this day, ver. 8. For the land whither thou goest in to possess it, is not like the land of Egypt, from whence ye came out, where thou sowest thy seed, and wateredst it with thy foot, like a garden of herbs. That is Egypt being a flat plain country, all upon a level, when the Land wanted moisture, thou didst not stay for or depend upon the rain, to moisten it, but with thy foot, thou diggedst draines and madest sluices or water-courses, from the river side (meaning Nile that famous river, which ran quite through Egypt) and that refreshed thy lands and made them fruitful. But (Canaan is another kind of Country, verse. 11, 12.) the Land whether thou goest in to possess it, is a Land of hills and valleys, and drinketh water of the rain of Heaven. A land which the Lord thy God careth for, his eyes, are upon it, &c. As if he had said, Canaan is not a country capable of being watered by the foot, it is so mountainous and uneven. All the labor of hand or foot, cannot bring the streams upwards, to give thy thirsty land drink, it must drink from heaven, or be burnt up and parched with thirst, and if so, then, that must be the Lord's care, his eye must observe▪ when tbou wantest rain, his hand must make water-courses in the heavens, and open the sluices and cataracts of the clouds for thee. And wilt thou not serve this God in duty, who in bounty thus serveth thee, and gives thee such a sensible evidence of his care over thee? The Apostle Paul preaches this to the Gentiles, as Natural Theology, to leave them inexcusable, Though he suffered all Nations to walk in their own ways (in that he gave them not either the light or restraint of grace, yet he did give them light and restraint too in nature) Nevertheless he left not himself, without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven. As if he had said, though ye have not had the rain of the word, yet the rain of the cloud, if such a Preacher of God's power and goodness, as will leave you forever without excuse. The Lord himself seems to glory in this, as one of the chiefest of his works: (Job 38. 37.) Who can number the clouds in wisdom? Or who can stay the bottles of heaven? I challenge all creatures to a competition with me in this. And again in this book (Ch. 36. 26.) Elihu lifts up the greatness of God in this act of his providence, Behold God is great, and we know him not; (wherein doth he instance his greatness?) it follows, ver. 27. For he maketh small the drops of water, they pour down rain according to the vapor thereof. Read parallel texts, Jer. 10. 13. Psal. 65. 10, 11. Psal. 147. 8. So much of this first work of God, the rain; and of his power, wisdom, goodness, bounty visible and apparent in it.

The second instance of God's power and wisdom, &c. is in civil things, both in setting up and pulling down: First, in raising and setting up.

To set up on high those that be low, that those which mourn may be exalted to safety. As if he should say will you see another way, wherein God shows himself in his power, wisdom and goodness? It is in looking thorough the world, for such as are low that he may lift them up: in espying out mourners and weeping eyes, that he may wipe them, and more; exalt them to safety.

Some of the Jewish Writers connect this verse with the former; making this as an effect of God's bounty & wonderful work in sending rain. He sendeth rain and showers upon the earth with such plenty of blessings, that by this means, many who were poor, low, mean and sad-hearted, may be set in high estate, and exalted unto safety. And there is a truth in it, God's blessing upon the earth hath exalted many, that were low, to an high estate, to riches and prosperity.

But rather, we shall take it in a more general sense; And so Eliphaz in these words seems to comfort Job by giving him a hint, that though his estate was now very low, yet if he would apply himself unto God, as he had advised, ver. 8. By seeking unto and committing his cause to him, as low as he was, he might be set high again; and though he was now a mourner, sitting in dust and ashes, He might be exalted to joy and safety; for in this the power, wisdom and goodness of God are usually put forth and exalted.

The words carry an allusion to that custom of Princes and Magistrates, who sit in high places, upon erected thrones. As (1K. 16. 19.) it is said of Solomon, that he built him a magnificent throne or chair of state, which had an assent of six steps to it, he sat on high. And the Prophet Isaiah (Chap. 6. ver. 1.) describes the Lord in the same manner, sitting in state, I saw the Lord (saith he) sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up. The pride and arrogancy of the Assyrian is thus expressed (Isa. 14. 13.) He hath said in his heart, I will exalt my throne above the stars, I will sit also upon the Mount of the Congregation. So that to sit on high, is as much as to be preferred or advanced, whether we respect honor or riches, dignity or authority.

The word may note either those, that are low in their own eyes, or those that are made low by others, active or passive lowness. Grace in our own hearts causes the former lowness, and sinful oppression from the hand of others, causes the latter. The former are humble, the latter are humbled; The Lord sets both these on high. And

Those which mourn.] The Hebrew word signifies to be black, dark, or obscured. And the reason why that word is borrowed to note mourning or sorrow, is, because sorrow causeth blackness, or darkness of habit or countenance; Mourning and blackness usually go together (Jer. 4. 28.) For this cause shall the earth mourn, and the heavens above shall be black. And usually Mourners go in black, it is the die and dress of Mourners. As white is the color of joy, Let thy garments be always white, saith the Preacher to him, that is to eat his bread with joy, Eccles. 8. 8. Yea the very beauty of the face is obscured, the light of the countenance shadowed or clouded with tears and sorrow. Hence the Seventy render it, They whose faces are sad or sour. It is the word used, Mat. 6. 16. When ye fast be not as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance; It implies an affected, studied sadness, severity, austerity, grimnesse, gastlinesse, unpleasantnesse of countenance, proceeding from art, rather then from nature, much less from grace, as the words following imply; for they disfigure, vitiate or discolour their faces, corrupt or abolish their native complexion, so as it appears not, what it is, that they may appear, what they are not. Hypocrisy can paint the face with black, as well or rather worse then pride with red and white; and so doth real sorrow sometimes, whether for sin or outward affliction. True passion in the heart, will dim the brightness and stain the beauty of the face.

These Mourners shall be exalted to safety.] The word which we translate Exalted, signifies to set in a high place, and in a place so high that a man so placed, is beyond the reach of danger or the power of an adversary; it is to be set upon a place impregnable; Hence the word is used for a Fort, Tower, or Castle, because forts and Towers, being places of defense, were for the most part built upon some high place, upon some rock or praecipice (Prov. 18. 10.) The name of the Lord is a strong Tower; That is, we are as safe under his protection, as in a strong Tower founded on the steepest rock. And the Prophet describing the safety of him who walks uprightly, gives it in this word; The place of defense shall be the munition of Rocks, Isa. 33. 16. So Jer. 48. 1. Misgab is confounded and dismayed; That is, the high place or Castle of defense is dismayed, That word which is common to all places of safety, being supposed by our translators, as the proper name of someone place of more eminent safety.

Further although this word (Exalted) implies safety, yet in the Original, we have two words, They are exalted to safety. He that is exalted (according to the sense of that word) is safe: But to show the completeness of their safety, safety or salvation is expressed. He is exalted to safety with salvation, or he is safely exalted in safety. It is a full and a perfect safety, to which God exalts his mourners and oppressed servants. They are as safe as salvation it self can make them. That's the force of the Hebraism.

From the former clause of the verse, we may observe.

First, That advancement is the gift of God.

He setteth on high those that are low, Psal. 75. 6, 7. Promotion cometh neither from the East, nor from the West, nor from the South (neither this way nor that way, nor any way of man) but God putteth down one and setteth up another. When a man is advanced by the favor of a Prince, it is God that setteth him up. If a man be advanced by the vote of the people, yet it is God that setteth him up. Though a man be advanced by that, which may seem to have most contingency in it, by a lot, yet it is God that setteth him up, Prov. 16. 33. The lot is cast into the lap, but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. The Lord gives special direction to man's peradventure, and certainly determines, what we call contingent.

Secondly, observe;

They that are low and mourning, are nearest to exaltation and safety.

To be very low, it is to be (as it were) in a due posture and readiness to be exalted very high; He setteth the low on high (Luk. 1. 51.) He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble and meek; or, hath exalted the lowly and the meek. We are not to understand it only of those, who are low, that is, lowly in mind (that frame of heart which is wrought above in the highest heavens (is in this sense) lowest upon the earth) but we may understand it likewise of those, who are low in their estates; (many that are low in mind, may be high in place; a man may have abundance of humility in the height of outward eminency) Therefore (I say) we must take in both; Before honor goes humility, as a high mind before a fall, Prov. 15. 33. And (Psal. 113. 6, 7.) He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and listeth the needy out of the dunghill, that he may set him with Princes, &c.

And as it is in reference to particular persons, so to the Church and people of God in general; when they are low, then look for their raising up. The Scripture is frequent in this, Deut. 32. 36. Psal. 12. 6. Psal. 102. 13. And in that notable place, Isa. 33. 9, 10. The Ambassadors of peace weep bitterly, the earth mourneth, and Lebanon languisheth, and Carmel shakes off her fruit, &c. All places, every creature is brought in, mourning with that mourning people. When it was thus with them, Now will I arise, (saith the Lord) now will I be exalted, now will I lift up myself. There are three Nowes for it, to note That the special Now of their exaltation. But the text saith, God would then be exalted. Was he brought low? God is always alike exalted in himself, but he is not always alike exalted in his people; therefore when he saith, now will I be exalted, the meaning is, I will exalt this people who are low, that my name may be exalted and lifted up in the sight of all people.

Therefore our low estate should be so far from sinking, that it should lift up our faith in believing deliverance and exaltation. A low estate, is a great advantage for faith; faith hath surest footing when we lie prostrate upon the ground: There faith stands firmest, because there faith meets with most promises; Promises are the foundation of faith. The people of God have never so much of the word about them, as when they have least of the world about them. The covenant sits closest to us, when we are divested of the creature. When the river is at the lowest ebb, we are sure the tide is coming in: The night is darkest a little before day breaks: When the days are shortest, and the winter sharpest, then the spring of mercy is at hand. As the highest flourish of ungodly ones, is the immediate forerunner of their downfall (Psal. 92. 7.) When the wicked spring as the grass, what then? would you know the meaning of it? The next words are a comment upon the former: It is, that they shall be destroyed forever; So, the lowest downfall of the godly, is usually the immediate forerunner of their advancement. When the godly wither as the grass, the interpretation of it is, That they shall flourish forever.

Observe in the third place, from that word, exalted to safety That

God can set his people on high, beyond the reach of all their enemies. Beyond the reach of their heads or counsels, and beyond the reach of their hands and swords; Isa. 33. 16. The munitions of rocks shall be their place of defense: He setteth them on high, that no ladders can be found long enough to scale these rocks, nor any Artillery or engine, strong enough to batter them down; And least any should say, but we will hold the siege, till we starve them out; it follows in the text Bread shall be given him, his waters shall be sure. I remember a story in Alexanders wars, that when he came to besiege the Sogdians, a people who dwelt upon a rock, or had the literal munition of rocks for their defense, they jeered him, and asked him whether his Soldiers had wings or no? Unless your Soldiers can fly in the air, we fear you not. It is a most certain truth, when God exalts a people, he can set them upon a rock, so high, that unless their adversaries have wings, and those more then Eagles wings, to soar higher then God himself, they are beyond annoyance. He carries his own upon Eagles wings, what wings then must they have, who get above his people?

There are these two things, about which the thoughts of men are most conversant. The one is, to be set on high; the other is, to be set in safety. They both meet in the mercy here promised; He setteth on high those that are low, that's their honor; He exalts them to safety, that's their comfort. The first thoughts of men are spent to get a great estate, but their next thoughts are to keep and protect it. Experience hath often shown us the men of the world, rolling riches and Titles together into a mountain, but it hath been a mountain of snow, one hot day hath melted all down. The mountain of outward blessings, upon which God raiseth his people, shall be (if he pleases) like a mountain of Adamant, which cannot be melted, or like mount Zion, which cannot be removed. A high place is seldom a safe place: All high things are tottering, and the more high, the more tottering. Then how unsearchable is the wisdom, how great the power of God, who can set his people very high, and yet very safe? who can make a man stand as firm and steady upon the highest pinnacle of honor, as upon a level ground, or in a valley of the lowest estate and condition. He exalts to safety.

And hence we may draw down a difference between God's exaltation of his own people, and the exaltation of his enemies and wicked ones. Wicked men are oft times exalted, and God exalts them, though they know it not: but how? He exalts them to a high place, but doth exalt them to a safe place? No, the Psalmist, after a long temptation, concludes, Thou hast set them in slippery places, thou castest them down into destruction; how are they brought into desolation, as in a mement, Psal. 73. 18, 19. Haman was exalted high, but not in safety: Many are exalted, as Jezebel exalted Naboth, high among the people; but it was to stone him, rather then to honor him. It is said of Pharaoh, he lifted up the head of his chief Baker, he lifted up his head out of prison indeed, but he lifted up his head to the gallows also; he lifted him out of prison, but it was unto his death. Such is the lifting up of wicked men, they may be set on high, but they are never set in safety. How many have we seen suddenly advanced, and as suddenly depressed? We are never safe, but where God sets us, or while God holds us in his hand. Fourthly observe;

It is a wonder, a wonderful work of God, to exalt those that are low, and set mourners in safety. The 107 Psalm, is a Psalm, recounting the wonderful works of God; O that men would praise the Lord for his wonderful works! is the burden of that holy song. And all those wonders conclude in this, ver. 39. 40. Again, they are minished and brought low, through oppression, affliction, and sorrow: what then? He poureth contempt upon Princes, &c. yet setteth he the poor on high from affliction, and maketh him families like a flock. How wonderful is this, that the Lord will give Kings for the ransom of his people, and to raise his poor, will pour contempt upon Princes? The highest must down, rather then his low ones shall not be set on high. There are four things, which increase this wonder, and make it exceeding wonderful. First, These poor have no strength, (Deut. 32. 36.) He sees that their strength is gone. Secondly, Many times they have no hope, no faith, When the Son of Man comes, shall he find (among low ones) faith (this faith to be exalted) upon the earth, Luk. 18. 8. Thirdly, They have many enemies, subtle enemies, powerful enemies, confident enemies, enemies (above hope) arrived at assurance, that they shall keep poor ones at an under forever. Lord (saith David) how many are they that trouble me? So many they were, that he could not tell how many. Fourthly, They are supposed to have no friends, none to appear for them. Let us persecute and take him (say they) for there is none to deliver him. Not a man, no nor God, as they conclude, They say of my soul, there is no help for him in his God. I need not say, it is a wonder to exalt a people, upon all these disadvantages: The fact speaks; should you see a man trod upon the ground, and many there holding him down, one by the arm, another by the leg, a third laying a great weight upon his breast, were it not a wonder to see this man rise up, and rescue himself from them all? Thus it is with the Church and servants of God, when they are low, all the world is upon their backs; the world of wicked ones hang about them, one with his power, another with his policy, all with their utmost endeavors to hold them down; yet the Lord sets them on high, who were thus low, and exalts them to safety, who were thus in danger. Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and declare his wonderful works to the children of men.

And this is further cleared in the 12th verse, He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, so that their hand cannot perform their enterprise. As if Eliphaz should say, would you know, how God exalteth his people, and setteth them in safety? 'It is true, they have many enemies many that plot and devise evil against them, but the Lord breaks their plots, he out-plots them; He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, &c. And as this is a proof of the former, so it is a further instance of God's wonderful works. The first was in natural things, sending rain; The second and third were in civil things, first, exalting his own people; and secondly, in defeating the policies and power of their adversaries: so then, this twelfth verse, may be taken either as it hath reference to the former, or as a further instance of God's wisdom and power.

He disappointeth the devices of the crafty.] Or, he defeateth the purposes of the subtle (so M ^r Broughton readeth it) that their hands can bring nothing soundly to pass. The Apostle in 1 Cor. 3. 19. sets the holy stamp of divine authority, upon this whole book, by quoting this or the next verse, as a proof of his doctrine; For it is written (saith he) He takes the crafty in their own counsel; He disappoints the devices of the crafty (saith Eliphaz) and, He takes the wise in their own craftiness.

He disappointeth.] The word signifies to break, to break a thing to pieces: and by a metaphor to disappoint or to defeat, because if an engine or instrument, with which a man intends to work, be broken, he is disappointed of his purpose and cannot go on with his work: So here, He breaks the devices of the crafty, the crafty frame very curious engines and instruments, they lay fine plots and projects, but the Lord breaks them, and then they are defeated or disappointed. The word is often used for breaking or making void the law, as Psal. 119. 126. Ezra 9. 13 because wicked men, as much as in them lies, would defeat and disappoint the holy purpose & design of God, in giving those laws. They would repeal & abrogate the laws of God, that they might enact their own lusts. They would do that by the will of God, which the Lord doth with their wills, Null and disappoint it.

The devices.] The word which we translate, devices, signifies not barely cogitation or thinking, but excogitation, or studied thinking; not only a natural thought, but an artificial thought, or thoughts made up and formed after long debate of a business in our own breasts: This is properly expressed, by devising. Those pools of water in the 7 ^•h Cant. ver. 4. are called from this word, The pools in Heshbon; some take Heshbon for a City. (Numb. 21. 26.) and so it notes the place where those pools were: Others translate it thus, Pooles artificially made; And we may observe much skill and curiosity used, in making pools or water-works. So (Exod. 28. 8.) the holy girdle which was made for the high-Priest, is called, a curious girdle; it is from the same root; because that girdle was made of cunning work, and exquisite embroyderies. So that, this word notes, the very spirits and quintessence of sinful wit, drawn out for the devising of evil. In the 119. Psalm. verse. 29. David useth this word, to show the accurateness, and holy curiosity which he used in surveighing his own life. I thought on my ways, that is, I studied myself and my works, with greatest exactness, to find out every error or failing, or to frame my ways to a hairs breadth (if it were possible) according to rule; which answers the Apostles phrase, Ephes. 5. of walking circumspectly or exactly. Grace will vie it with sinful craft, for exactness, that will make as curious works or devices in holiness, as the other can in wickedness.

Of the crafty. Here the workmen are described as well as their work; their works are devices, and the workmen are crafty. As the man is, so is his employment; we are in working as we are in being. Devices are the proper trade of crafty ones. The Original word, sometimes imports holy wisdom; and sometimes corrupt and sinful wisdom: We read it in a good sense (Prov. 1. 4.) and (Prov. 22. 3.) The prudent man (a man that hath holy craft and skill in him) foresees the plague, and hideth himself; Again, Prov. 8. 12. I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions. But usually the word is taken in an ill sense, for subtle and sinful craft, for craftiness and subtlety to do mischief; therefore the vulgar translates it, He disappointeth the devices of the Malignants; noting, that it is not an honest craft, but a malignant craft, by which the counsels and devices of these men are contrived or acted: (Psal. 83. 3.) that word is used, They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones: And Gen. 3. 1. Now the Serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field; The word properly signifies to be naked; and by a metaphor, to be subtle, fly, crafty, nimble; because men, who (as tumblers, racers, ropedancers) are to do a thing nimbly and speedily, subtly and slily, often stripped themselves of all, but will never cumber themselves with many clothes. We know, that craft always puts a cloak or veil upon actions, and walks in a disguise: yet because the crafty man is so nimble to turn and wind, and vary himself a thousand ways, both for the plotting and acting of his designs, therefore he is elegantly named, from nakedness. Hence also in the Greek language , the word which signifies nimble acting or exercising the mind or body, as also places and Schools where those exercises were performed and taught, is derived from nakedness, or from being naked: And it is observable, that our first parents Adam and Eve, before they sinned, are called (Gen. 2. 25.) naked; And the serpent in the very next verse, (being the first of the third chapter) is called subtle, by one and the same word. Our first parents were naked outwardly (innocence needed none, and glory shall need no clothing) they were also (in opposition to evil) naked inwardly; they were simple, plain-hearted, without any cloak of malice or wickedness. But the serpents nakedness, notes only a fitness, slynesse, readiness or activeness to do evil: For he was double clothed with craft, cloakt and hooded with subtleties, to act mischief unseen. The naked-crafty ones of the text, are the seed of the serpent, his children, and therefore they bear their fathers name The Chaldee paraphrast tells us, that the crafty ones here meant by Eliphaz, were especially the Egyptians, who when they would oppress the people of God, said, Come on, let us deal wisely with them, least they multiply, Exod. 1. 10. A crafty man, is one, who hath not always more understanding then his neighbor but ever less conscience: Yea, how great soever his wit is, his conscience is so little, that it never stands in his light, whatsoever he is doing. He takes measure of his actions, not by what he ought to do, but by what he would have done; and yet, he can seldom do what he would, for the Lord disappoints the devices of the crafty so, that as it follows in the text,

To every business, two things are required, Invention and Action; or the electing of Means, and the pursuing of the End: The former is Head-work, the latter is Hand work. The hands are the instruments of action, as the head is the instrument of invention and consultation. These crafty heads were at work before, now their hands go to it: What they devise craftily, they would act industriously; but they cannot, Their hands cannot perform their enterprise.

The word which we translate Enterprise, signifies Being, as also reason, wisdom, and virtue; because wisdom, virtue and reason, are as it were, the being, stability & permanency of things; And therefore as in the Hebrew, this word signifying wisdom & virtue, is derived from a root, which notes Being. So the word signifying wickedness and folly, is derived from a root (as some Critics observe) which notes only a negative, or a not Being of anything: because wickedness is nothing, or it is good for nothing: Those things which want wisdom and reason, are as if they were not, and shortly will not be at all. Hence some render the words thus; Their hands cannot perform their wisdom, that is, they cannot bring to pass that enterprise, which they had determined and laid (as themselves conceived) with so much wisdom and strength of reason. M ^r Broughton to the same sense: Their hands brings nothing soundly to pass. And the Chaldee exemplifies it in the Egyptians before mentioned, who as the holy story informs us, could not effect, that which they had consulted with those depths of policy; and principles of sinful wisdom, The destruction of the children of Israel. Here then we may observe. First, That

The wisdom of natural men is nothing but craft or wit to do wickedly.

The Prophet Jeremiah gives us this character of them, They are wise to do evil (Jer. 4. 22.) And to be wise to do evil is very ill wisdom, the worst wisdom, indeed mere folly; better be a fool, than to be but so wise: And these have it from their father, it dwells and is derived in their blood, They are the seed of the Serpent (as was touched before) and his subtlety was made the instrument of the greatest evil, the tainting of that first created innocence▪ and the overthrow of man: Now they are called the serpents seed, because they are like the Serpent; the Serpent was the subtlest of all the beasts of the field, and these (as Christ speaks of the men of the world) are wiser in their generation than the children of light; yet is but in their generation, and their wisdom lasteth but for their generation, if it last so long: Elymas (Acts 13. 10.) being charged to be full of all subtlety and mischief, is called at the next word, child of the Devil. Subtill to do mischief, is the Genius or disposition of the Devils children; and they shall have the serpents, the Devils portion: For as the serpent, who was once the subtlest of all the beast of the field (applying his subtlety to mischief) became the most cursed of of all the beasts of the field; so they who are thus the subtlest among the children of men, shall be the most cursed of all the children of men, Jer. 18. 18. we find crafty men in consultation, and under a curse. Come (say they) let us devise a device against Jeremiah, and let us smite him with the tongue; Let us devise devices, it is the same word in the text, but doubled for greater emphasis: These were their craftimasters; To devise devices, notes more then ordinary skill in that black art; as to work a work (Joh. 6. 28.) notes great industry and intention of the mind in working. Some play their works rather then work their works. I must work the works of him that sent me, saith our Lord Christ, Joh. 9. 4. None ever labored as Christ labored, therefore his was working a work. As (I say) to work a work, notes great industry in working; so to devise a device, implies much cunning and skill laid out in devising. Now as these men would be witty above others in devising evil, so they are cursed above others in bearing evil. The Prophet gives them their load, ver. 21, 22. Therefore deliver up their children to the famine, and pour out their blood by the force of the sword, and let their wives be bereaved, &c. And it is most just, that they should be deepest in the curse, who are deepest in such craft; for the truth is, that, Every sinful act, the more skill there is in it, the more sin there is in it; it is best to be a dullhead, a very bungler in doing mischief. Wit commends and sets off other things, bue it makes sin the more sinful and deformed. Secondly observe; That

Satan makes use of subtle, crafty men, and abuseth their parts for his own purposes. He disappointeth the devices of the crafty. God never disappointeth those, whom he sets awork: If God disappoints the devices of men, these devices were not of God; Satan sets those awork, whose work God spoils. The Lord loves to break Satan's engines, tools and instruments. Christ came to destroy the works of the Devil, both his works within us, and his works against us. All Satan's works and workmen shall rue it, when Christ pleases. And here we see whom Satan sets awork, even men of the finest wits, of the most reaching brains, of the decepest judgments and richest endowments: these he draweth in to his pay, and makes serviceable for his ends; that's Satan's design; such as are amongst men, as the serpent amongst the beasts, the most subtle of all, these Satan makes use of: The deep policy of an Achitophel, the Great Oracle of his times for counsel, he desires to improve against a David; The high parts and learning of a Julian, he desires to improve and boil up against the Christians; such a one will not only Fire and sword, but set hard to jeer and wit them out of the profession of the Gospel.

And it is observable, that the seeds of the greatest heresies and errors, that ever poison'd the spirit of man, or vext the Church of God, have been sown in that rank soil, the wits of Philosophers. Which gave Tertullian occasion to call Philosophers, The Patriarchs of Heretics, or The Patrons of Heresies; They were men of high conceits and apprehensions, and in those fertile and rich grounds, Satan with great success cast the tares of error. When Christ came into the world, he had most opposition among the crafty Scribes and Pharisees; And Herod the Fox (as Christ himself calls him for his subtlety) was a notorious instrument of Satan, to hinder the receiving of Christ. Our Lord Christ sometimes chooseth the simplest the meanest the plainest men, fishermen to do his work. But Satan chooseth the subtilest he can find in learned Throngs, to send of his errand. The reason of this difference between Christ's choice and Satan's, is; Satan cannot make a Mercury out ef every block, he is not able to give a man understanding, wisdom or abilities for his work: neither can he increase or improve any man's parts and gifts: he must have instruments ready to his hand, he can but put them forward and tempt them on. He will give such as are strong and crafty, many motives to serve him, but he cannot furnish them with strength or craft to serve him. But Christ can give gifts to men, which they have not, and raise the parts, which they have. He can make himself a Mercury, a messenger out of any block. Christ can send a fool of his errand, and cause him to do it wisely; He can cause the stammering tongue to speak plain, and the plainest man to speak the highest Rhetoric. When a Moses complains of a slow tongue, he can say, I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say, Exod. 4. 12. If he finds us not fit to do his business, he can make us fit. If Christ please, he can make a man master of his trade, before, or as soon as ever he is a servant to it. Thus, without the wisdom of the world, Christ overcomes the wisdom of the world; And by the foolishness of preaching (as men count foolishness) saveth those that believe (1 Cor. 1. 21.) the foolishness of God is wiser then man, That is, those instruments which Christ impioyes, how foolish soever men account them, shall foil all the wisdom of man.

Therefore let no man boast of his natural parts, unless they be spiriualiz'd, and resigned up (for such Christ commonly uses, though he can make use of others) to the service of Christ. Consider to whom you are instrumental, with your parts and knowledge. All wit out of Christ's work, degenerates into craft, and wisdom into wickedness. It is Satan's work to solicit the learning of men (even as an Adulterer solicits the beauty of women) that he may commit folly with it, and beget some monstrous birth of mischief and villainy.

For, when such appear on Satan's side, they are a great credit to his cause, and by the reputation of their learning and parts draw others to it. Do ye not see (will he suggest to inferior ones) such and such wise, learned men, go this way; such learned Divines, such learned Lawyers, such deep Politicians, and do you scruple? And how many have been caught in this sna • e, and led aside by the noise of their abilities, whom Satan abuseth to his own side; what? such wise men, such learned men, think thus, and do you simple ones stand off? Hath he not reason then to say of wise men, (as it was once said of one) Seeing ye are such, I wish you would come over to me: and to brag of them, as much as ever that Persian Monarch did of Themistocles, whose revolting to him, from the Grecians transported him so, that he broke suddenly out of his sleep with these words, I have Themistocles the Athenian. I remember what Augustine observes (it is a very remarkable passage) in an Epistle unto a young noble man of great learning, who it seems had been sometimes his Scholar. Augustine having received from him a Poem or copy of accurate verses (but perceiving that he abused his wit to wantonness or useless curiosity) returns him answer to this effect. I have read this Poem, and I know not with what verses, or with what lamentation to mourn over it; because I see an excellent wit sparkling in every line, but such an one, as I cannot dedicate unto God. A little after he thus exhorts him, Give thyself unto my Lord, who hath given thee this excellent wit; If thou hadst found a golden Cup, what wouldst thou have done with it? Wouldst thou not have given it to some good public use? God hath given thee a golden wit, Thy understanding is a golden Cup, and wilt thou let thy lusts drink out of it, or wilt thou drink thyself to the devil in it? I tell thee thus much the devil would fain make thy wit his ornament, and thy parts, the oredit of his Court and Cause. Satan serves himself of the best wits, and his is the worst service of wit. Such shall be paid at last with crying. We fools. Of all fools the knowing; wise fools, will be in the saddest condition: Observe thirdly,

The crafty are full of hopes, that their devises will succeed, and full of trouble, because they succeed not. Otherwise it could not be said, that God disappointeth the devises of the crafty; Disappointment implies expectation; And it is no afflicting affliction to miss of that, which we never looked for. These thought all sure. These doubted not to over-wit and over-power all, at last. This brought them somewhat beyond hope, even to the borders of assurance at least it so endeared them their hopes, that they would rather hazard their souls, than loose their plots, they were burden'd to be delivered. Having conceived mischief, they were in travel with iniquity Psal. 7. 14. As the Lord suffers his own people to fear much, that when deliverance comes, their joy may be full: so, he suffers wicked men to hope much, that their sorrows may be full, when they cannot be delivered. A woman forgets the pains of her travel, for joy that a man child is borne into the world; And these men shall remember the pains of their travel, for sorrow that a monster (such are their designs) is not borne into the world. That their mischief comes not (in their sense) to light, leaves them in desperate darkness. Fourthly observe,

What such plot and devise, they labor to act and effect; Their hands cannot perform their enterprise; which intimates, that they put their hands to the work, as well as their heads; as soon as they have laid their plot, they fall to acting. We should in this imitate our enemies, not to stand devising and consulting, this is a good way, and toothers a good way, and then do neither; or then sit still and molder away in expectation; love to, and zeal for Christ, and his truth, should render us as full of action, as of invention, of execution as of design.

Fifthly, though they did attempt it with their hands, yet they could not effect it with their hands, Their hands did not perform their enterprise. Hence note, That

Craftie men may devise strongly, but they have not strength sufficient to accomplish their devices.

The Pharisees after all their confederacies against Christ were forced (without any rack, but that of their own consciences) to make this confession, Joh. 12. 19. Perceive ye how we prevail nothing. At this day, they have many fine devices and Idaeas ready framed in their heads, but the hand shakes, They cannot perform their enterprise. They want not counsel, nor craft, nor skill▪ nor will, nor desires, nor endeavors, only they want God with them. Hence it is, that though they gather very proper materials, and lay very strong foundations, yet they cannot rear up their building. And in the issue (Luk. 14. 29.) All that behold it shall mock, saying, These men began to build, and were not able to finish; It is the main work of God to stop evil men in their works: what they would do, he saith they shall not, and what they would not do he saith they shall. Pharaoh devised a devise against the children of Israel, but his hands could not perform his enterprise, Haman devised a devise against the Jews, but his hands could not perform his enterprise. Achitophel gave crafty counsel against David, but his hands could not perform his enterprise. Herod the Fox plotted against Christ, to hinder the course of his Ministry and Mediatorship, but he could not perform his enterprise; 'It is so all along▪ therefore (Psal. 2. 1.) it is said, Why do the Heathen imagine a vain thing; a vain thing, because a thing successelesse, their hands could not perform it, It was vain, not only, because there was not true ground of reason, why they should imagine or do such a thing, but vain also, because they labored in vain, they could not do it. And therefore it follows, v. 4. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh, the Lord hath them in derision. The Lord sees what fools they are, and men (yea themselves) shall see it. The Prophet gives us an elegant description to this purpose (Isa. 59. 9.) They weave the spiders web, but their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works. As if he had said, they have been devising and setting things in a goodly frame to catch flies, they have been spinning a fine thread, out of their brains, as the Spider doth out of her bowels, such is their web; but when they have this web, They cannot cut it out, or make it up into a garment. They shall go naked and cold, notwithstanding all their spinning and weaving, all their plotting and devising. The next broom that comes will sweep away all their webs, and the Spiders too, except they creep apace. God loves and delights to cross worldly proverbs and worldly crase.

How many visible demonstrations have we of this in our times! How many cunning, but ruining devices, lie by the walls at this day unacted! They went through the Head-work, but they could not get through their Hand-work. We may say as in the Psalm (76. 5.) None of the men of might have found their hands: The men of craft sound their heads, but the men of might (blessed be God) have not yet found their hands, to execute up to the height of the divisers, either, wit or malice.

In this we see the glorious prerogative of God. How many thousand, thousand, thousand thoughts do men loose. The thoughts of many years are lost in a moment. God never lost, nor never shall loose one thought. And therefore David puts these two together in a breath. Having said (Psal. 33. 10) The Lord bringeth the counsel of the Heathen to naught, he maketh the devices of the people of none effect. In the next verse, he subjoins, The counsel of the Lord standeth forever, the thoughts of his heart to all Generations. And as the counsel of the Lord stands so he causeth the counsel of those to stand, who consult for him. He confirmeth the word of his servants, and performeth the counsel of his Messengers, Isa. 44. 26. So that their hands shall perform their enterprise, as the Lord encourageth the ancient people (Zac. 4. 9) The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house, his hands shall also finish it: And again, Chap. 8. 13. Fear not, let your hands be strong. As if he had said, Fear not, go on with your work; For your hands shall perform their enterprise, you shall not beaten from your work, neither shall ye work in vain. The Lord himself hath no barren counsels, and he makes all the counsels which are for him, bring forth in their due time, desired fruit, the longed for and beloved issue.

Lastly, observe; That

It is a great and wonderful work of God, to disappoint the devices, and stop the enterprises of crafty men,

Eliphaz puts this among the wonders of God. This is reported in a way of admiration concerning God (Isa. 44. 25.) He frustrateth the tokens of the liars and maketh diviners mad, he turneth wise men backwards, and maketh their knowledge foolish. The wisdom of God is most seen, in defeating the wise, as the power of God is most seen, in overthrowing the strong. While we consider that Theirs are secret devices, and that they are subtle devices, that they have many devices, and that they have many ways to bring these devices to pass, it cannot fall below a wonder in our thoughts, that their thoughts, or devices are not accomplished. Therefore the Psalmist concludes (Psal. 124.) Unless it had been the Lord, who was on our side, &c. we had been swallowed up quick and taken in their snare. As if he had said, if we should have had any less then God, to help us, we had been gone, all the world could not save us. To pass through a place full of gins and snares and pits set and made on purpose, to take a man, and that man not taken, is marvelous in our eyes. Thus it is with the people of God, they walk among snares and traps; The trade of most wicked men, is to be Trap-makers, Snare makers, if not Sword makers against the Saints of the most high. They meet with devices upon devices, and plots upon plots; now, that God shall disappoint all these, and exalt his people to safety in the very face of death and dangers, how admirable!

But some may object; Yet we see that, at least some of these plots are not disappointed, at least some of these devices take, and we have seen bloody hands performing their enterprise.

I answer, in a word; First, this text and the observation bottomed upon it, are to be understoood of what is often done, not strictly of what is always done. The Lord very frequently disappoints the devices of the crafty.

But secondly, their very success is a disappointment, and their prosperity is their curse. For their cause is under a curse, and so are their persons, when both seem most successful. If outward judgments slay not wicked men, Their prosperity shall, Pro. 1. 32.

Thirdly, all the success, which the devices of wicked crafty ones have, tends to the fulfilling of God's counsels, more then their own: So that, though it be to the eye, or in the letter, success to them, yet in truth, and upon the matter, it is success to the cause of God, Craft prevails no further, & no longer on earth, then serves to accomplish the counsels of heaven, and fulfill what infinite wisdom hath devised. Therefore when you see any devices of the crafty thrive, know, that God is serving himself upon them, and that they are but acting, What his hand and counsel hath determined before to be done, Act. 4 28. As Christ himself overcame by dying, so do they who are Christ's, they have success in all their disappointments; and these are disappointed in all their successes, and die while they overcome. No sinful device of man ever did, or ever shall prevail, beyond a contribution to the just and holy purpose of God. All their prevailings are disappointments, who intentionally oppose, though they really accomplish the good pleasure and purpose of God.

IN these four verses Eliphaz proceeds in, & finishes the former argument, by a further & fuller clearing of the power and wisdom of God, in catching and over-matching crafty ones, in their ways and counsels. Having shown before (in the 12 ^th verse) that their devices are disappointed, he showeth now, that they are entangled in their devices. There, we say they could not perform their enterprises; and here we shall see them ruined in their enterprises. It is a sore trouble to ungodly men, when they cannot do the mischief; which they intend to others; but is a far sorer trouble, when their counsels recoil, and when their own projects promote their own ruin: when their own actions effect that, which they had rather die, then see done, when that mischief falleth upon their own heads, which they intended others; That's their calamity in this text.

These wise men, are no better then the crafty, before mentioned, for we see their wisdom is but craftiness. We had the Crafty in the former verse; and here we have their craft or craftiness. The Apostle in 1 Cor. 3. 19. quotes this text of Eliphaz; The wisdom of this world is foolishness with God; For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. The Greek word there used hath somewhat more in it, then the Hebrew word, opened at the 12 v. For it notes a fitness for all purposes, a dexterity to serve any turn be it never so sinister or evil. Such a man can be on any side, and is for any purpose, you will turn him to. A godly man hath but one work, and he can do but one work, that is, one work in kind, Every work he doth (as a godly man) hath a stamp of goodness, or godliesse, of holiness, or justice upon it. But these crafty ones are for any work, for various works, you may turn them loose to any service; they are ready to do good for a need, to serve their own ends, and they will not stick at any evil, for their own ends. Their bias is not within them, but upon them, and they can clap it to which side they please, or may be most pleasing to, or taking with others; yet this Turn-coat Crastines shall not serve their turn; For saith the text, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.

The word which we translate [He taketh] is very significant. It imports a taking by force or strength, and it imports a taking by skill or stratagem. God will have them both ways: If these cunning men work by their wits, He can take them: The Lord hath more stratagems to take them, then they have had to take others: Or if they work by power and by plain strength, he can take them. The Lord hath more strength to take them, then they have had to take others.

The word is applied to the taking in of Cities or Forts, places strengthened both by art and nature, and to the taking of them (which includes both senses) either by siege or sudden surprisal; Read Numb. 21. 32. Josh. 6. 2▪ Deut. 2. 34. And so the sense may be that, although these men think, they have so intrenched & fortified themselves by their wits, policies and counsels (as it were in a strong City or Castle) that they seem impregnable, and laugh at all opposite power: Yet, then God besieges, batters and takes them presently; he takes in, and sleights their works with ease, he levels to the ground their great thoughts, even the high Tower of their imaginations; That may be the force of the word [He taketh them.] For as every natural man labors to secure himself and his insts, against the power of the word of God, by carnal reasonings and pleadings for them. All which the Apostles calls strong holds (2 Cor. 10. 4, 5.) The weapons of our warfare are not carnal: but they are mighty thorough God to the casting down of strong holds. Now (I say) as natural men secure themselves (a • it were in strong-holds) by their carnal reasonings; so wicked Politicians think to secure themselves, and fortify their designs by plots and platforms of crafty counsel. But as God in the ministry of his word, casteth down all the arguments which a man frames in his heart, to protect his lusts. So the Lord in the administrations of his providence, throws down all the fortifications, which crafty men frame in their hearts, to protect their law-less practices, and takes them in

Secondly, The word may imply the taking & binding of a man in bonds or in fetters. He takes the wise in their own craftiness, that is, he takes and binds them as with a chain, or he fetters them in their own craftiness, so the word is used (Prov. 5 22.) His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins.

Thirdly, The metaphor may be carried in an allusion to Hunters of wild beasts, or to bird takers; who set nets and gins, traps or toils to take them: These wise, crafty men, are cunning hunters, their trade and business is, to set nets to catch, and toils to entangle, they dig pits and lay snares for others to fall into; So the Prophet describes them (Jer. 5. 26.) They lay wait as he that setteth snares, they set a trap, they catch men: But at last, God takes the wise in their own craftiness, that is, the pits they have digged, and the snares they have laid, and the nets they have set shall catch themselves.

Fourthly, The word is applied in Scripture, to a taking, or a discovery by a lot; So (Josh. 7. 15.) The rule was thus given, He that shall be taken with the accursed thing shall be burnt; and verse. 18. Achan was taken, that is, taken by a lot, the lot discovered and catched him. Achan had hid the Babylonish garment, and the wedge of gold safe enough, as he thought: and one would have thought, that in such a multitude, in such an huge host and throng of people, he might have been hidden too; but God sends a lot, and takes out Achan from the midst of all the multitude, he calls him out by name, this is the man. There may be a like meaning and use of the word in this place, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness, that is, men who think to shelter themselves amongst the multitude, or to walk in the clouds of craft; men who hide and shadow themselves from the eye of the world, as if none should see who they are, or what they do; even these God will take, he will direct a divine lot. one time or other to apprehend and lay hold on them; he will discover Achan's, the troublers of his Israel in their wicked counsels; and bring to light their stolen wedges of gold, and their Babylonish garments.

There is one thing further considerable, from the sense of that Greek word, which the Apostle uses (1 Cor. 3. 19.) He taketh the wise, &c The Apostles word signifies properly to take, or a taking with the hand, a laying hold upon one that is flying: As in a battle, when the enemy flies and runs, the pursuer takes hold of him, and will not let him escape: And so the sense is, that though these crafty ones think to make an escape, when they have done mischief to out run the justice of men, yea, to get out of the reach of God, yet he taketh them, as flying enemies or malefactors, that would make an escape; he catcheth them by the back, takes them by the shoulder, lays fast hold on them, so that they shall not be able to get away. He takes the wise in their own craftiness.

Lastly, It is observable, that the Preposition [in] he takes them [in] their craftiness, may be understood instrumentally; and so it as much as the Preposition [by:] He takes them in, that is, he takes them by their devices; That preposition is often put instrumentally (Gen. 32. 10.) Jacob saith, In my staff I passed over this Jordan; we translate, with my staff, or, by my staff I passed over this Jordan. And so Heb. 1. 1. God who at sundry times, spake in time past to the fathers [in] the Prophets, so the Greek; we translate by the Prophets, because they were the means or the instruments, which God employed to speak by. Thus here, He takes the wicked [in] their craftiness; or [by] their craftiness, their craftiness is the very means and instrument by which God apprehends and takes them. So much for the opening of the first clause. We may note hence, first, That

No wisdom or craftiness of man, can stand before the wisdom and power of God. He not only takes them in their foolishness, but in their craftiness; He stays not, till they begin to dote and do weakly, before he takes them; but when they are in their height of wit, and in the depths of worldly wisdom and policy, when they put forth the quintessence of craft, and give counsel like the Oracle of God (2 Sam. 16. 23.) then God takes them. He takes them in their craftiness. (Pro. 21. 30.) There is no wisdom, nor understanding nor counsel against the Lord. No counsel against the Lord. How is it then said in the second Psalm, The Kings of the earth set themselves, and the Rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed? There are many counsels opposed against the Lord, but there are none prevailing against the Lord. The meaning of that holy Proverb, is, That no wisdom, not the most sublime and refined wisdom; no counsel, not the most machivilian or Achitophelian counsel, can prevail against the Lord. Men, usually catch others, when they are at a fault, or take them upon some advantage, and error in their counsels. Most successes of men, are made out of the slips and defects of their adversaries: They take, upon mistakes, either in advising or acting; but after the most deliberate and grave debates, the choicest and best grounded resolves, the Lord takes them. For (1 Cor. 1. 25) The foolishness of God is wiser than man: And if the wisdom of man cannot match the foolishness of God, how shall it contend with the wisdom of God? As the Prophet Jeremiah speaks in another case, If I have run with footmen and they have wearied me, how can I contend with horses? so if these men are not able to deal with the foolishness of God, how shall the, deal with his wisdom? Not, that there is any, the least imaginable foolishness in God, for as God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all, so God is wisdom, and in him there is no foolishness at all; but the holy Ghost speaks thus, to put God as low as the foolishest thoughts of man can put him, which is to think there is foolishness in God, yet in that, or then, he is wiser than they. Secondly observe;

That God turneth the counsels of wicked men against themselves: He taketh the wise, not only in, but by their craftiness; He beats their own weapon against their heads; He wrests their weapons out of their hands, and with them wounds their hearts. Those counsels and contrivements, by which they thought to secure themselves are their destruction. He destroys them in their counsels and by their counsels.

This wonderfully magnifies and commends the wisdom of God: He doth not trouble himself to devise some new way or stratagem to take these men, but he makes use only of that which they have devised. It is the noblest way of conquering, to conquer our enemy with his own weapon; such was that victory of David over Goliath: and that was a type of Christ's victory over the Devil and all spiritual wickednesses. And such will his victory be over all the wickednesses of this world. The Lord is (and shall • ver be) known by the judgment which he executeth, the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands, Higgaion Selah , Mark and meditate, Psal. 9 16.

It was the plot of Satan, to tempt man, who was made in the image of God (for the doing of good and avoiding evil) to desire to be as God, knowing good and evil; he tempts man to affect a Ditty, or a God ship, and his plot was to ruin man below the beasts, by aspiring to an equality with God; or to make man less then he was made, by seeking to be, as much as his maker. Now the Lord takes (as it were) this weapon out of Satan's hands, and destroys him by it. Satan would have man aspire to be a God, that he might be ruined; and God becomes man to ruin Satan; This was the greatest counterplot that ever was. God took the Devil in and by his own craftiness. As if God had said; Satan, thou shalt see what a fine device thou hast devised I will meet thee in thy own way, and turn it upon thee. Thou wouldst have man become God, so to ruin him; now God shall become man, and by that I will at once ruin thy counsels, and repair the broken condition of man.

Josephs brethren, had a device to hinder his prophecies, & make his dreams but fancies; Joseph dreamed that his brethren should worship him; they sell him for a captive into Egypt: what more opposite to honor among his brethren, then captivity among strangers? yet this device effected what they opposed; Joseph was exalted in Egypt, and his brethren pressed with want, worshipped or bowed unto him for bread.

The Jews took counsel to kill Christ, and what was the motive? A wise man among them suggests this fear; If we let him thus alone, the Romans will come and take away both our place and Nation (Joh. 11. 48.) But the Lord took the wise in this craftiness; For that cruel act in killing Christ, brought the Romans upon them; The time cometh (saith Christ, he foresaw what would come) that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, and they shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee, and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another, because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation, Luk. 19. 43. 44. And thus as the Psalmist (Psalm. 64. 8.) prophesied of his enemies, they made their own tongues to fall upon themselves. A strange thing, that the fall of a man's tongue should oppress his body, and whole estate; yet so it is, the weight of a man's tongue falling upon him crushes him to powder. The seventh Psalm is the paraphrase of this point (ver. 14.) He travelleth with mischief. and hath brought forth a lie; (that answers the 12 ^th verse, He disappointeth the devices of the crafty:) He made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made; his mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealings shall come down upon his own pate: Here is the 13 ^th verse made good, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.

How doth this aggravate the sorrows of crafty men? It is sad enough with the crafty, when they are taken by the craftiness of other men; That any man out-wits them, is enough to put them out of their wits; How then will they live, being taken and ensnared b • their own wit, when they see themselves accessory to their own undoing; when they see they have pulled down their estates with their own hands, and have put fire to their own houses? As it greatens the sin, so it greatens the punishment, when a man falls by his own hand; self-murder is the most sinful and most bloody murder. Neither is their sin or punishment less, who die, by the craftiness of their own heads, then theirs, who die by the violence of their own hands.

This is a visible truth among us, & he that runs may read it in the book of God's later providences, I believe our age will be able to make as fair a record of this point for posterity, as any that hath passed, if not as all that have passed for many generations; my work not admitting long confirmations, I shall give but three instances, that by them this truth may be established.

First, The Prelates procured a stinted, and (in some passages) a corrupted Liturgy, to be sent unto, and imposed upon the Scottish Nation and that occasioned the total suppression of their Prelacy in that Nation.

Secondly, The Prelates who were rooted fast enough in the Laws of the Land before, would make a Canon Oath, to settle themselves in the consciences of men to, that they being established both by Law and conscience, might be like Mount Zion which cannot be removed, but standeth fast forever: yet that very Canon Oath, hath been turned upon themselves, and hath not only blasted their pomp, but battered down their power & hath produced a Sacred Covenant-Oath, by which both Houses of Parliament and the people of these three Kingdoms, are engaged for their extirpation.

Thirdly, That act of many of the Prelates protesting against the validity of any proceedings in Parliament, in that their absence from the house, as being against Law; Gave occasion for a Law (which hath also passed the Royal assent) for their absence from that house (as members of it) forever. O that men would acknowledge and praise the Lord in his wisdom, and in these wonderful works, which he hath done among the children of men! He takes the wise in their own craftiness, And, as it follows in the text;

The counsel.] There is somewhat further in that; not only are their devices disappointed, but their counsels; Counsels are the results of serious and sad debates; Craft is of one, counsel of many heads laid together. Counsel is the extract of reason, both about what we are to do, or leave undone: These counsels God carries headlong: There is nothing more opposite to counsel then precipitation, long deliberation should go before determination, but their counsels shall be carried head long: They shall either be overhasty in counsel, or their counsels being solemnly enough settled, shall be overhastily acted: Rash headlong execution may be as dangerous as rash headlong resolutions. But whose are these counsels? the same men's still, though under another notion. The counsel of the froward Before we had, the devices of the crafty; and again, the craftiness of the wise; Now here, the counsel of the froward. The Spirit of God varies words, but the men are the same. There is scarce variety enough of words in all languages, to express the variety of wickednesses, which one heart speaks. The Hebrew word in the root, signifieth to wrest or to writh a thing, or to rest and turn a thing as wrastlers their bodies. Hence by a trope, it is translated often, to wrestle; because a cunning man in wrestling, turneth and windeth his body, and works himself in and out every way, to get an advantage of his adversary any way; therefore your cunning-headed men, your crafty men, are fitly presented under this word; they are like wrastlers, who turn, and wind themselves in and out, and lie for all advantages; or, as we speak, they lie at catch. A man knows not where to have them, or what they mean, when they speak plainest, or swear solemnest: when we think we see their faces, we see but their visards, all their promises and performances too, are under a disguise. Such cunning gamesters or wrestlers are here intended. One of the Patriarchs had this name (Gen. 30. 8) Naphtali, and the reason is there given, for (saith his mother) with great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed, and she called his name Naphtali: The Hebrew is, with wrestlings of God, that is divine and vehement wrestlings; As if she had said, I have used great and earnest endeavors, both with God in prayer, and all other means, as a wrastler by might and flight, to obtain these blessings (given before to my sister) and now I have prevailed. And it is observable, that the Hebrews call an extraordinary cunning wrastler, Pethalthol, which is this word doubled in the latter syllable because he is a man of a double or extraordinary skill in wrestling, the word is doubled: and so it expresses one that is double witted, or that hath craft enough for two or three, though not honesty enough for one. And this word is applied to the Lord himself (Psal. 18. 26.) with the froward thou wilt show thyself froward: that is, If men will be winding and turning, and thinking to catch others, or over-reach the Lord himself, with tricks and turnings of wit, the Lord will meet and answer them in their own kind, he can turn as fast as they, he can put himself into such intricate labyrinths of infinite wisdom and sacred craft, as shall entangle and ensuare the most cunning wrast • er or tumbler of them all. He will Cretize the Cretans, supplant the suppla • t • rs of his people.

Some of the Greeks interpret this elegantly by a word in that language, noting a thing that hath many knots, folds or twists wreathes or plaits in it, as plaited hair, or a folded garment; thereby shadowing out men like a serpent, of knotted, twisted, enfolded spirits, men who wreath and plaite their actions so closely and artificially that few can understand or tell what to make of them, or where to find them: The counsels of these cunning, intricate, froward men,

Are carried headlong.] It is very observable (Isa. 44. 25.) how the Prophet threateneth, that the counsels of the wise shall be turned backward; And here, their counsels shall be carried headlong, that is, froward. God hath ways of all sorts to cross ungodly policies: he turns them sometime backward, and sometime forward, by both or either they are disappointed: Counsels, are turned backward, when the event is quite cross to the design, or the motion of things, to the resolutions of the mind: As if a man purposing to go Eastward, should be turned about (he knows not how) with his face into the West: Counsels are carried headlong, when they go • too fast forward, and make so much haste on in their way, that they tire and are out of breath, or stumble and break themselves before they can attain their journeys end.

The Original word, signif •• s to hasten, and thence to be precipitate, rash or foolish in counsel; Prudence uses to go softly, wisdom keeps a kind of state in her pace, and loves to go step by step, not headlong; A prudent man sets his head before his feet; his head goes before his feet in consultation, but he loves to go upon his feet, not upon his head, in action: It is the curse of the froward, their councils are carried headlong; when they should go steadily upon their feet, they run upon their heads or run their heads against the next wall; The meaning (in a word) is, They shall make more hast then good speed: or, they shall go so fast to their ends, that their end shall be their undoing: As the Lord (in mercy) makes the rash understand, so (in judgment) he makes the understanding rash. As this is here threatened, so the former is graciously promised, (Isa. 32. 4.) The heart of the rash shall understand knowledge, and the tongue of the stammerer shall speak plainly. When the Prophet would show, how great a blessing God pours out upon his people by Christ, he thus expresses it: Christ, who is the wisdom of the Father, causeth the heart of the rash to understand knowledge; it is the word of the text, the heart of those who naturally run headlong upon businesses, who have no steadiness nor stableness in their understandings, shall be stayed and balanced with wisdom and gravity from above. Christ will take them off their hurrying pace, and teach them to go and do, to advise and act with sobriety and deliberation. The letter clause of the promise, joints fitly with this, And the tongue of the stammerer shall speak plainly; such as stammering is to speech, the same is rashness to counsel; A man that stammers huddles his words: he that hath an impediment in speech, speaks fastest, and because he cannot speak one word well, he speaks many words at once: This hast is his hindrance: in making so much hast to speak, he cannot speak at all; therefore we usually advise stammerers, to take heed of speaking hastily, that they may speak plainly. The Prophet joins these sweetly, to note the complete abilities of a Cstristian, The rash shall understand, & the stammerer shall speak plainly; that is he shall advise judiciously, and speak elegantly; depth of wisdom, and sweetness of elocution shall meet in him though before rude and rustic. But the counsels of the froward, though men of great parts, and filed speech, shall be crried headlong. Observe hence,

Hasty counsels are successelesse counsels. Hast in counseling always makes waste, and so doth hastiness in acting. Hast in either may hurt, as much as sloth, though usually we may divide the miscarriages that are in the world; between hastiness in counsel, and slowness in action. I know not which is the greater prejudice to an honest design, to be quick in concluding, or to be dull in executing. They who will not take time to consult about what they a • , may have time enough to repent of what they have done. And they who will not take the time for doing what they consult, loose all the time they took for consultation.

Note Secondly, That

God disappoints evil counsels, as by stopping them, so by putting them forward. The Princes of Zoan are become fools (saith the Prophet) Why? The Lord hath a mingled a perverse spirit (or a headlong vertiginous • pirit) in the midst thereof, and they have caused Egypt to err in every work thereof, as a drunken man staggereth in his vomit, Isa. 19. 13, 14.

Here is a further agravation of the misery upon crafty, froward Counselors, They meet with darkness in the day time. Some understand this for the darkness of trouble, falling upon these men suddenly in the day of their prosperity; as if the holy Ghost had said, In the day time of their greatest glory, when they think their Sun at the height, then they are clouded and over cast, they meet with the darkness of sorrow, and are benighted in a moment, Amos 8▪ 9. I will cause the Sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the Earth in the clear day; (it is meant of great afflictions, as the next words interpret) And I will turn your feasts into mourning.

But rather by darkness in the day time, we are to understand the ignorance of those things which are very plain and clear. They meet with darkness in the day time, that is, they are puzzled to find out and discover those things which are as clear as the light. God often sends such a spirit of giddiness and blindness upon the counsels of his enemies; that easy things are hard, plain things, obscure, and common questions very riddles to them.

There is a double light necessary to the seeing, or discovery of a thing. First, an external light. And secondly, an internal light. External light is of the Medium or place, in which we see: the air must be enlightened: Internal light is, of the Organ or instrument by which we see; the eye must be enlightened. Though there be much light in the air, a blind eye sees nothing. So the meaning of these words may be explained [They meet with darkness in the day time] though these men have outward light, though the business they are about, be plain, a clear case (as we speak) yet they are so darkened in their understandings, that they cannot apprehend or make it out. The Idol▪shepherd is threatened with this woe, Zach. 11. 17. The Sword shall be upon his arm (his power shall be broken) and upon his right eye (his understanding shall be darkened) The Idol shepherd, shall be like an Idol, having eyes, but seeing not; He was before a blind Seer, sinfully, and now he shall be a blind-Seer judicially. A • that wicked Priest, so these wicked Politicians in the text, shall have a sword upon their right eye, a wound in the best of their understandings, which shall make them also blind-Seers, and make the light to be darkness round about them. The latter clause clears it farther.

To grope at noon-day.] is the description of a blind-man. For what the eye is to a man that sees, the same is the hand to a man that cannot see. A man that sees, looks his way, but a blind man feels it, his hand is instead of an eye to direct his way. They as it is said in the text, Grope at noon-day, as in the night. When the Sodomites were smitten with blindness, They wearied themselves to find the door of Lots house, Gen. 19. 11. And when the Philistines had put out Samson's eyes, and he was brought to make them music at their feast, he said to the lad that held him by the hand. Suffer me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house standeth, &c. he could not see them, but he could grope or feel them out Groping infers either want of light or want of sight These in the text, had light enough, therefore the failing was in their eyes, They grope at noon-day. This fearful judgment the Lord threatens against his own people, Deut. 28▪ 29. Thou shalt grope at noon-day, as the blind gropeth in darkness. And it was brought upon them, as themselves lamentably complain, Isa. 59 10. We grope for the wall like blind-men, and we grope, as if we had no eyes, we stumble at noon-day, as in the night,

In that as it is here added as a further aggravation of the judgment of God upon these, who thought themselves Eagle-eyed, all eye, and all the world blind, That they shall meet with darkness in the day time. We may observe; first,

It is a sore judgment not to see when there is light. It is like starving at a full Table, or perishing with thirst, in the midst of a fountain. It is a great judgment not to have light to see by, but it is a greater judgment, not to see by the light. It is a great judgment to a people, when they have not the light of the Gospel; when Christ who is the light, is not shiningly preached among them; but if light shine, if Christ be preached, and a people see it not, This is a far greater judgment. The poor Gentiles before the light of the Gospel came to them, sat in darkness, and in the shadow of death; and in that estate, they could only (like blind men) grope after God, as the Apostle elegantly expresses it Act. 17. 27. He hath made of one blood all Nations of men, &c. that they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him and find him. The Gentiles were inexcusable, if they did not find the Lord by Feeling after him in the dark: What then are they, who find him not by seeing in the light? The Apostle shows us them as lost men, and blinded by Satan, to whom the light of the glorious Gospel doth not shine, when it shines (2 Cor. 4, 3, 4.) To grope in Gospel-light, to be in darkness, when truth is at her high-noon, is, as the shadow of death. It is the worst of sins to sin against the light, and it is the worst of judgments, not to see the light; by which we may avoid sin. The heat of divine wrath breaks out in this, when abused light is hunished with want of sight, or when light is sent, and eyes taken away, (Isa. 6. 9, 10.) When the Prophet brought killing light to the Jews, he saith, See ye indeed; but perceive not, that is, because ye have had light, and would not see believingly; Now ye shall have light, which ye shall not see, perceivingly, or distinctly: as the man in the Gospel saw, but he did not perceive, when he saw men walking as trees, he had not a distinguishing eye, or a discerning sense, as the Apostle speaks, Heb. 5. 14. But why shall they not perceive, when they see? The Prophet tells us, because the Lord had said, Shut their eyes least they see. The work of a Prophet is to open eyes, but when men wilfuly shut their eyes, then

God shuts them judicially, and blinds them with light. The Apostle quoting this text, Acts 28. 27, expounds it so, Their eyes, have they closed, least they should see; for this, God closed them that they could not see. Paul was preaching, and he preached Christ the true light, The Sun of righteousness: Behold the misery spoken of in this text, They met with darkness in the day time. This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men love darkness rather than light. Why love they darkness? Because they see not the light: And because they see not the light, therefore they cannot love it. It is impossible to see the light, the beautiful face of the truth, as it is revealed in Christ, and not to love it. A Heathen said, if virtue (much more if Gospel truth) were seen, every eye would be taken, and every heart led captive by it. A great part of the world hath not this light to see, and the greatest part of those, who have this light, see it not. They must needs meet with darkness, who are darkness, in the daytime. And they must grope at noon day, as in the night, who are night. If men hear the law and the testimony, and neither speak nor do according to that word, it is (as the Prophet gives the reason) because there is no light in them; or as the Hebrew, No Morning in them, Isa. 8. 20. Till the day starr arises in our hearts, the day before our eyes, is night.

Secondly, observe,

Plain things are often obscure to the wisest, and most knowing men.

They grope at noon day, as in the night.] That which a man may see with half an eye (as we say) these men, who think themselves All eye, cannot see. Men of acute and sagacious understandings, men quick-sighted like Eagles, prove as dull as Beetles. Owls and Bats see in the dark, better then in the light; And (in a sense) it is true of these, they can see about the works of darkness, but the light of holiness and justice, they cannot see. The reason is given in that of Christ, The light that is in them is darkness, no wonder then, if the light without them be darkness; if the inward light, the light that i • in them be darkness, how great is that darkness; so great that it quite darkens the outward light. Inward darkness is to outward light, as a great outward light is to a small one (in regard of our use or benefit) it extinguishes and overcomes it. Hence these men cannot see, the plainest object, in the clearest light. Light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not, Joh. 1. 5.

Christ breaks forth into a vehement gratulation to his Father, (Mat. 11. 25.) I thank thee O Father, Lord of heaven nnd earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. The wise and prudent could not see, so much as children. They were so wise in their own conceits, that they could not conceive the things of God. As it is in spirituals, so likewise, in regard of civil counsels. God hides wisdom from the wise, and understanding from the prudent. They shall not be able to do or see, what a child might have done or seen, they shall do such things, and so absurdly, that a child would not do them. Mysteries are plain▪ when the Lord opens, and plainest things are mysterious, when he shuts the eyes of our understanding.

Thus far Eliphaz hath set forth the power and justice of God against subtle, crafty counselors. Now he shows the opposite effect of his power and goodness.

But he saveth the poor.] It is very observable in Scripture, that usually, if not always after the mention of judgment and wrath upon the wicked, the mercy, goodness and love of God unto his own people are represented, least any should think, that judgment is a work wherein God delighteth, he quickly passeth from it, and concludes in what he delighteth, Mercy. As he retains not his anger forever towards his own people, so he stay • s not long upon the description of his anger against his enemies, because he delighteth in mercy, Mich. 7. 18 A subject of mercy is most pleasant both to the hand and pen of the Lord. He wishes rather to write in honey than in gall, and to draw golden lines of love, then bloody lines of wrath. Satan is a Destroyer, and he doth nothing but destroy, and pull down. The Lord destroyeth and he pulleth down, he defeats and disappointeth, but he hath another work besides, he saves and delivers, he builds up and revives the hopes of his people.

He saveth the poor.] These poor, are God's poor; Some may be called the Devils poor, for they have done his work, and he hath given them poverty for their wages. Satan will give all his hirelings full pay when they die, The wages of sin is death; while they live, many of them receive only the earnest of it, poverty and trouble. All that are poor, stand not under the rich influences of this promise, He saveth the poor. Wicked poor are no more under God's protection, then wicked oppressou • s or wicked rich men are. This poor man cried, and the Lord heard. Ps. 34. 6. Not every or any poor man. Some poor men may cry, and the Lord hear them no more, then he did the cry of Dives, the rich man in hell, Luk. 16. Forget not the Congregation of thy poor, Psal. 74. 19 Thy poor, by way of discrimination: There may be a greater distance between poor and poor, then there is between poor and rich. There are many ragged regiments, Congregations of poor, whom the Lord will forget forever. But his poor shall be saved. And these poor are of two sorts; either poor in regard of wealth and outward substance; or poor in regard of friends or outward assistance. A rich man especially a godly rich man, may be in a poor case, destitute and forsaken wanting patronage and protection: God saveth his poor in both notions, both those that have no friends, and those that have no estates.

The Hebrew word for Poor, springs from a root signifying desire; and the reason is, because poor men are commonly rich in desires. They that are full of sensible wants, are full of earnest wishings. They that are empti • st of enjoyments are fullest of hopes and longings. And the reason why poverty of spirit, in our spiritual estate, is pronounced a blessing, is, because the poor in spirit are full of desires after spiritual riches. They are ever craving and seeking to be filled with that fullness, which is in Christ, with grace for grace; they would have every image of every grace in Christ engraven upon their souls. Or (in a holy covetousness) they would be as rich in grace as Christ is. Grace for grace: as a covetous man, would have penny for penny, pound for pound with his richest neighbor; or as an ambitious man would have honor for honor, title for title with his greatest neighbor. That Christian who sees his estate lowest, usually set, his desires highest, his affections are ever upon the wing, for supplies from Christ. Both the civil poor man, and the spiritual poor soul, would fain be enriched.

Some read this by apposition, he saveth the poor from the Sword, their mouth, making the latter to be but an exposition of the former, From the Sword, their mouth, that is, their mouth is the Sword, from which God saveth his poor. So taken it is a truth for the mouth is a sharp Sword, as killing as any instrument or engine of war. Hence others who keep this sense, read it thus, He saveth the poor from the Sword of their mouth, or from the killing stroke of their mouth; making the particle Mem, in the Original, to govern the genitive case, The Sword of their mouth, or the Sword coming out of the mouth. There are two Swords of the mouth, two coming out of the mouth, or one double edged. 1. Slander. 2. False-witness, by which often the reputation and sometime the person of a man is murdered,

But I conceive that the clearest meaning of the Original (though both are good) is, to read these as distinct evils from which, He saveth the poor, namely, 1. From the Sword. And 2 From their mouth. 3. From the hand of the mighty. That is, From Nimrods, mighty hunters, oppressors of the poor; or from the violent man. I returned (saith the Preacher, Eccles. 4. 1.) and considered all the oppressions that are done under the Sun, and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter and one the side of their oppressors there was power, but they had no comforter. Oppressors are always clothed with power, and the oppressed seldom find so much pity, from men, as to be their comforters, Therefore for the oppression of the poor, and the cry of the needy, the Lord arises, and he saves his poor.

• From the
  • slaying Sword.
  • slandering tongue.
  • oppressing hand.

These three ways crafty, powerful men seek to destroy the poor. First, by the Sword to cut off their lives. Secondly, by slander to blemish and blot out their good names. Thirdly, by strong hand, to captivate their persons or oppress their estates and liberties. To be saved from all these destructions is complete salvation. Let the wicked attempt as many ways as they will or can, to destroy, the Lord both will and can find out as many ways to save. The malice of man shall never out act or over-match the mercy of God. He saveth the poor from the sword, &c.

I should here more distinctly open these great evils, The Sword, The mouth, and the hand of the mighty, with the goodness of God in saving his poor from them; But these particulars occur again, v. 20, 21. Where you may find a more distinct explication of them. From these words thus far opened. Observe,

First, to what all the devices and crafty counsels of ungodly Politicians tend. Here we have the issue or English of their counsels, the meaning of their State mysteries is interpreted, Oppression. Their craft concludes in cruelty, and their witty devices, in drawn Swords, slandering tongues, or the hands of violence. We may say of them, as Jacob of his sons Simeon and Levi, Gen. 49. 5, 6. Instruments of cruelty are in their habitations. O my soul come not thou in their secret, for in their anger they will slay men, and in their self will dignity down a wall.

Secondly, observe their method. First, here is the bloody Sword, they will cut them off, and rid their hands of them, if they can: They could wish (as that bloody Roman Emperor) that the heads of their smpposed enemies (possibly their best friends) were set upon one shoulder, and that they might cut them all off at one blow. But if God save his poor from the mouth of the Sword; then, the next weapon is the Sword of their mouths▪ Slanders and defamations, lies and false accusations shall reach them, whom, iron and steel, pike and shot cannot. The tongue is a little member, but it is a world of iniquity, and beasteth (often acteth) great things, Jam. 3. 5, 6.

But if God saves his poor from both mouth and Sword, so that their enemies cannot prevail at sharpes. Then they try at blunts, by a heavy hand, to over-load, oppress and keep them down, in their estates, liberties and privileges.

Observe thirdly; That

Salvation is of the Lord.

The faith of David grasped this, as his richest treasure, Psal 68. 20. He that is our God, he is the God of salvation; The Lord is called, the God of salvation, as the God of comfort, both affirmatively and negatively. Salvation is to be had in him, and there is no salvation to be had without him. Truly in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills, and from the multitude of mountains (from Armies, or from counsels; from the power and polices of men) In the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel, Jer. 3. 23.

Fourthly, it is observable against whom these crafty, cruel men muster up and levy the united forces of sword, tongue and hand, They are the poor. He saveth the poor. Why, will not God save the rich, will he not save the mighty, the Princes of the earth? Yes God will save all that fear him, both high and low, rich and poor. Why then is it said, He saveth the poor? As it were, determining Salvation upon them. The reason is, because as the poor are most easily oppressed▪ so usually they are most oppressed: where the hedge is lowest, men go over fastest. And because, for the most part, God's people are poor, comparatively to others they are the valleys the lower parts of the earth; and wickedness is commonly advanced upon the mountains of wealth honor and greatness; therefore the denomination is taken from them; He saveth the poor. They whom God loves most, the world loves least, and they have least of the world. The world gives most to its own; And God hath given his own so much beyond the world, that, the loss of a world, is not discerned in their estate, and worldly gains are not often discerneable in their estates; therefore, though in Christ, they are heirs of all things, and all is theirs, yet their rank and titles are among the poor.

Fifthly observe: They are poor ones, yet what devising and plotting is here against them? Crafty counsels, drawn swords, envenom'd tongues, strong hands lifted up: Against whom are all these? Against the poor: Note thence, That

Wicked men plot against the people of God, how poor and low soever they be.

As David said unto Saul (1 Sam. 24. 14.) After whom is the King of Israel come out? after a dead dog; after a flea? As if he had said, whom dost thou pursue? thou doest that, which is unworthy and much below so great a King; wilt thou set thy strength against my weakness? Why dost thou arm against him, by whose conquest thou canst get no honor? Alas, I am but a poor man, a mean subject, no match for thee; I wonder you trouble yourself so much in following or opposing me? I am (in comparison) but as a dead-dog, or as a flea. A dead dog cannot bite, or if I bite, it is but a flea-bite; A dead dog can do no hurt, and a living flea can do but little. The people of God (as such) never have any will to do wrong, and it is seldom that they have any power to do wrong, and yet the world is all up in pursuit against them; What's the reason of it? what's the matter? The truth is, how poor and low soever they are, yet there is an eye of jealousy awake upon them: The world looks upon them as a suspected party, the world hath secret misgivings, that one time or other, they must rise upon their ruins; and therefore they will keep them down (yes that they will) as long as they can. What a distance was there between Haman and Mordecai? the one sat in the gate, and the other stood at the Kings elbow, and had his ear, yea and his signet (upon the matter) at his command: yet this Haman must needs oppress Mordecai, because he would not bow: Haman had a jealous eye upon him, he was a suspected person; Though he could not reach Haman yet Haman feared he might undermine him.

Again there is a continual Antipathy between the two seeds; and Antipathy is incurable; To oppose the godly, is not so much the disease, as the nature of wicked men: And we know, antipathies are against the whole kind, revenge against this, or that individual is no ease to it; Antipathy is not spent, but in the consumption of the whole kind. It is not this or that sheep which the wolf hates, but every sheep, fat or lean, shorn or unshorne, that's all one to the wolf; he will suck the blood of a sheep that hath not a l • ck of wool upon his back, as greedily as if that sheep had a golden fleece. Let a godly man be poor or rich▪ low or high, their sword shall be unsheath'd, and their mouth opened against him; the old hatred and quarrel is against all. Haman thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone, wherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews, Hest 3. 6. He hated those whom he never saw, those who had never wronged him, haply had bowed unto him; yet, because Jews, die they must.

Sixthly observe (But he saveth the poor) God delights to help the poor. He loves to take part with the best, though the weakest side. Contrary to the course of most, who when a controversy arises, use to stand in a kind of indifferency or neutrality. till they see which part is strongest, not which is justest. Now if there be any consideration (besides the cause) that draws or engages God, it is the weakness of the side. He joins with many, because they are weak, not with any, because they are strong; therefore he is called, the helper of the friendless, and with him the fatherless (the orphans) find mercy; By fatherless, we are not to understand such only whose parents are dead, but any one that i • in distress; as Christ promiseth his Disciples, Joh. 14. 18. I will not leave you orphans, that is, helpless, and (as we translate) comfortless, though ye are as children without a father, yet I will be a father to you. Men are often like those clouds, which dissolve into the sea, they send presents to the rich, and assist the strong; but God sends his rain upon the dry land, and lends his strength to those who are weak. This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. Forget not the Congregation of thy poor forever: The truth is, he never firgets them. They are graven upon the palms of his hands, such poor are his treasure, his Jewels, as the signet upon his right hand; Therefore always in his eye, yea always in his heart, though they lie in the dirt, or be trodden underfoot like mire in the streets. The Prophet makes this report to God of himself (Isa. 25. 4.) Thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, &c.

Thus far Eliphaz hath given instance of the great, marvelous and unsearchable works of God, in a double reference: First, to wicked crafty oppressors; Secondly, to poor helpless innocents; He shuts up this narration with a double effect of these works upon those two sorts of men. First, showing what effect they produce in the poor▪ namely hope: Secondly, what in the wicked, namely, shame and confusion of face,

Here is the conclusion or result of all, the Epiphonema or exulting close, in which Eliphaz perfects the story of those admirable works of judgment and of mercy; So the poor hath hope, &c.

This Original word for [poor] varies from the former, though the persons and their estate be the same: That word noted them full of desire, and this (which is the cause of it) empty of comforts: Properly it signifies one, that is exhausted or drawn dry; Poor persons are exhausted persons, exhausted of their strength, exhausted of their estates, exhausted of friends and credit in the world. It is a metaphor taken from rivers, ponds or pools, that are drawn dry, when we would take the fish, or take away the defense which they give to forts or Cities. Isa. 19. 6. And they shall turn the rivers far away, and the Brookes of defense shall be emptied and dried up: which also enlightens that text, Isa. 33. 21. Where the righteous Lord will be unto us a place of broad rivers. A river that shall not be drawn dry or sluiced out (as Euphrates was by Cyrus when he took Babylon) but shall sill its banks and shoares perpetually; that is, the Lord will be there a perpetual defense: A river that shall never be impoverish'd, but shall keep a full stock and treasure of streams and waters.

Delilah had her name from this root, and it carries an elegant allusion to the qualities of all Delilah's, or insinuating lascivious women, they drain the strength, exhaust the purses, dry up the credit, wast the All, of the mightiest Samson's, whose hearts are entangled by their flatteries, or ensnared by their beauties

The poor have hope.] The word hath been opened at the 6 ^th verse of this Chapter, to note strong and earnest expectation; The poor man observing the wonders, which God doth in the world, cannot be out of hope, though he be out of possession; And though his own strength be gone, yet he lives upon the strength of Christ; he hopes strongly (that's the force of the word) when he feels no strength. When I am weak (saith the Apostle Paul, 2 Cor. 12. 10.) then am I strong, that is, I am strongest (through hope) in Christ, when I am weakest through sense in myself.

More distinctly, this hope may be taken two ways.

• 1. For the object or thing hoped for.
• 2. For the act or grace of hope.

In the former notion of hope, the sense runs thus; God having taken the wise in their own craftiness, and disappointed the device of the crafty, having delivered the poor from the sword, from their mouth, and from the hand of the mighty, now the poor hath the thing he looked for, the thing he prayed for, the thing for which he hath been seeking and waiting upon God: So the poor hath hope, that is, he hath the mercy, he expected, salvation from the sword, &c. he is made partaker of his hope, by those glorious administrations of the justice and mercy of God. Hence observe; First,

God's poor, hope for good in the worst times. When deliverance comes, these poor have but that which they looked for; they looked for light, when they were in the darkest condition. When they were exhausted, they knew God was not exhausted; and when they were drawn dry, they knew the Lord was not; though their treasure was spent, yet they were assured the treasury of Heaven was full: When strength is gone, and money is gone, and friends are gone, yet God is not gone; and therefore they know the good may come, which they hope for. Turn ye to the strong holds ye priseners of hope, saith the Prophet, Zech. 9. 12. The people of God (though prisoners) are yet prisoners of hope, that is, they have hope of deliverance and enlargement, in their greatest straits: The power of God is never imprisoned, and while his people can make this out, their spirits are not. Secondly observe; It is no vain thing to hope in God.

The poor hath his hope. The Prophet brings in the Jews thus trumphing in God, (Isa. 25. 9.) And it shall be said in that day? What day was that? The former verse points it out, A day wherein death shall be swallowed up in victory, wherein tears shall be wiped away from off all faces, &c. And in that day the people of God shall thus boast of God, and (as it were showing him to the world) shall say, Loe, this is our God, we have waited for him, and he will save us: This is the Lord, we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation; vain hopes fill our face, with shame; but hopes fulfilled, fill our hearts with rejoicing. The poor hath his hope; he can show his hope, 'tis visible: As Hannah, when she came to present her Son unto Eli, For this child I prayed, as if she should say, Sir, here is my prayer, you could not hear my prayer, when I was in the Temple, you thought I was drunken, but now you may see my prayer, here it is, for this child I prayed, and the Lord hath given me my petition which I as • ed of him, 1 Sam. 1. 27. So the soul saith; In such a time of trouble, personal or national, I was praying and seeking God, I was believing and hoping, men knew not, understood not the workings of my soul, toward Christ, yet now they may see them, here is the thing I prayed for, here is that I hoped for; So (first) the poor hath hope.

Secondly, The poor hath hope, that is, the grace of hope, or the gracious actings of hope; and taking it so, the sense rises thus: So (that is) God having done such great things, in disappointing the devices of the crafty, and in saving his poor, by this means, the poor come to have hope, the grace of hope strengthened and confirmed in them. Hence observe, That

The experience we have of God's power and mercy, in saving us out of former troubles, breeds and nourishes hope, against future times of trouble.

So the poor hath hope. Though the poor man was in a hopeless condition before, yet now seeing the works of God, he hath hope laid up forever. Psal 64. 9, 10. All men shall fear and declare the works of God, for they shall wisely consider of this thing: And what follows? The righteous shall be glad in the Lord, and trust in him; that is, if they have failed in their trust h •• etofore, and not given God honor by confiding in him, yet these wonderful works of God (of which he speaks in that Psalm) work this hope. Rom. 5. 4. Tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope. Graces have a generation one from another, though all have but one generation from Christ at once. We have here the genealogy of hope in three descents. Experience is the next, or immediate parent of hope. So the poor hath hope. Thus it is begotten. 2 Cor. 1. 10. God who hath delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver, in him we trust, that he will yet deliver us. An armed daring Goliath, should be looked upon as vanquished already, when we can but remember a vanquished Lion and a Bear.

Again, The poor hath hope: He doth not say, God having thus destroyed the ungodly, and saved his own people from the sword, &c. now they have liberty, now they have peace, now they have abundance of riches and prosperity; but he makes this the issue, now they have hope: Whence note, That

Hope is a greater and better possession unto the people of God here, than all the great and good things which they possess.

Put as much into their hands us you can, there is more than that put in their hearts by hope. The poor hath hope: he looks over all his possessions, and pitcheth upon expectation as his portion. The estate which a believer hath in the promises, is more than the estate he hath in possession: Riches in the promise, is better than riches in the chest. And so the deliverances and protections which are laid up for the Saints in promises, are more than all the deliverances and protections received and enjoyed: There is no enjoyment but that in Heaven (where we shall enjoy all that ever was promised) so good as hope, for what is promised. Alexander an Heathen, had such a notion about an earthly hope, which had no ground neither, but the great things his own ambition promised him, for when one seeing him give away all his present inheritances, said, what Sir, will you make yourself a beggar, no (saith he) I will reserve hope for myself.

Here is the opposite effect, iniquity; the abstract is put for the concrete. iniquity, for men of iniquity, wicked men, these stop their mouths. And it is observable, that as before God made them active in their own destruction, so here he makes them active in their own silence; he saith not, God stoppeth their mouths, but they stop their own mouths; that is, the wicked seeing those wonderful works of God, have not a word to say, nor a counsel to give more against the godly; they are as mute as fishes, as dumb as dogs, they know not how to slander, or of whom to complain, and therefore they suspend, and enjoin silence upon themselves. As that word of Christ, Friend how camest thou in hither, not having on a wedding garment? (Mat. 22. 12.) so these works of Christ shall make his enemies speechless, Iniquity stoppeth her mouth,

This stopping their mouths, is caused two ways; First, from shame; A man is sometime silent, because he is ashamed to speak: disappointments (especially such as theirs before noted) produce shame naturally, and shame makes silent. A man that blushes much, speaks little, and he that days not lift up his head, will not be forward to lift up his voice. Mich. 7. 16. I will show marvelous things (saith the Lord, and what then?) The Nations shall see and be confounded, they shall lay their hand upon their mouth, their ears shall be deaf: They shall see it, and be confounded, that is, they shall be greatly ashamed; confusion of face is but shame heightened, and the Holy Ghost puts shame and confusion of face together in divers places. Now this great shame lays their hands upon their mouths, and puts their fingers in their ears; they are resolvedly both dumb and deaf, at the sight of those marvelous things.

Secondly, Admiration and amazement silence them: The works of God being marvelous, they shall stand admiring and wondering at them, till they cannot speak. Read the like, Isa. 52. 15. and Psal. 107. 42. where, when the Prophet had reckoned up many wonderful works of God, he concludes as in the Text, ver. 42. He setteth the poor on high, &c. the righteous shall see it and rejoice and all iniquity shall stop her mouth; while the Lord seems to do nothing, or to do but little, iniquity will do nothing, but talk, or it talks very much, it is very talkative; but if once God begin working, iniquity has done speaking, you shall hear no more of them, till the next success on their side. Then observe, First,

Wicked men will never cease slandering and censuring, bragging and boasting, till some eminent judgment stops their mouths. So iniquity stoppeth her mouth, they will never stop their mouths before: Isa. 26. 11. Lord, when thy hand is lifted up, they will not see, but they shall see, and be ashamed for the envy at thy people; I will make the judgment bigger and greater; write my wrath in fairer, or rather in bloodier characters, that they may see them: As small judgments will not open the eyes of wicked men, so small judgments will not stop their mouths, but when God begins to work wonders, they are dumb, they have done. Secondly observe, That

God will do such things for his people, as shall put the crafty to silence. The Saints ought to live so holily, that by well doing they may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men, 1 Pet. 2. 15. The Lord will do so justly and gloriously, as shall put to silence the malice of the wisest men: These two, the holiness of the Saints, and the Justice of God, are stopples in the mouths, or the stop-mouths of ungodly men. As they by unrighteous acts have stopped other men's mouths, and silenced them, so God by terrible things in righteousness, will stop their mouths, and silence them forever: They shall have nothing to say at last, either against the justice of God, or a gainst the innocence of his people; against both these their mouths chiefly open. They impute and fasten unrighteousness on God: you talk of God, and boast of his promises, where is he? where are they? The Prophet brings them in, belching out such blasphemies (Isa. 5. 19.) They say, let him make speed and hasten his work that we may see it; and let the council of the holy One of Israel, draw nigh and come that we may know it. Words filled with as high a sense of spiritual wickedness, as wit and malice can infuse. They jeer the patience of God, as slackness, and as if Justice it self were tired, or too slow pac'd, they spurr it on, to ruin themselves. You have often told us of the Holy One of Israel, and what he would do, but threatened men live long, we see. You are nimbler of your tongues, then your Holy One of Israel is of his hands: Therefore let him make speed (if he can) and hasten his work that we may see it.

Will not the jealousy of the Lord awake, at the noise of this hellish blasphemy? will he not stop the mouth of this iniquity? surely he will: And the Prophet assures us he will at the 24 ^th verse: Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and as the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be rottenness, and their blossoms shall go up as dust. But how doth the fire devour the stubble? how doth the flame consume the chaff? even in a moment; fire needs no blowing, to make it take hold of dry stubble: Stubble is at once flame and ashes. So speedy shall the consumption of these men be, who called the Lord to make speed; Then (I believe) they'll no more bid him make haste, The mouth of this iniquity will be stopped forever. Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence. A fire shall devour before him, Psal. 50. 3. And then the wicked shall be silent in darkness, 1 Sam. 2. 9. The fire of wrath is all heat, no light.

Lastly, all their slanders against the innocence of the Saints shall be so confuted, that the adversary shall have nothing to say against them, Their innocence shall be made, as clear as the light, and their justice as the noon-day: Yea God will so order it, that these crafty oppressors shall carry a justification of God, and of his people in their own hearts. Their conviction shall be so strong and their light so clear, that iniquity it self shall not be able to gain-say, but must stop it's mouth forever.

WE have finished the first branch of exhortation, begun ver. 8. wherein Eliphaz moves Job, To seek to God, and unto God to commit his cause; with the several arguments and reasons, strengthening that Exhortation. At this 17. verse. Eliphaz begins a second branch of exhortation, and it is continued to the end of the Chapter. We have the exhortation (or dehortation rather, for it is expressed in the negative) in the latter clause of the 17. verse. Despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty.

The first argument by which he quickens Job to receive this counsel, lies in the former part of the same verse, Behold happy is the man, whom God c • rrecteth: The argument may be framed thus. That condition is not to be despised, wherein a man is truly happy. But, under the correcting hand of God, a man is truly happy. Therefore that condition is not to be despised. Behold (saith he) happy is the man, whom God correcteth, therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty.

To behold, calls here both for attention and admiration: For here is a strange sight, An afflicted man, a blessed man, N •••• ll sense and reason cannot agree about this conjunction. They know not how happiness and correction should meet, and kiss the same person: Therefore raise up thy attention (saith Eliphaz) to consider this wonder. When the Angel of the Lord appeared unto Moses in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush, he looked and behold the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt, Exod. 3. 2, 3. Such a great sight, this text shows us. A bush burning, and not consuming, yea a bush burning, and yet flourishing, a bush on fire, and yet a fruit-bearing bush, a bush blooming and blossoming with the pleasantest and sweetest fruit on earth, or rather with the fruit of heaven, fruit upon which we shall feed forever in heaven, Fruit, the tastes of which, make a heaven here on earth, Happines. Well then, is this strange sight presented to us, with A Behold.

Happiness is the enjoyment of good commeasurate to all our desires. That's perfect happiness. Happiness is the sum of all our desires, and the aim of all our endeavors: And when we have attained perfect happiness, we shall be at a full point, both of our desires and endeavors.

But though all men have happiness in their eye (to be happy is their end, and this happiness is but one) Yet the ways, which men have chalked out, as leading to happiness, have been not only various, but almost infinite. Some of the learned have reckoned up two or three Centuries, or hundreds of opinions, concerning this one point. And it is well observed, that men varied thus in opinion about happiness, because they thought the enjoyment of that, wherein any of them was defective, would make them happy. He that was poor, said, I should be happy, if I had riches, and thence grew his opinion, that happiness consisted in riches: The sick man said, I should be happy, if I had my health, and thence grew his opinion, that happiness consisted in health: Another was obscure, mean and low, O (said he) how happy were I, if I were honorable, and thence grew a third opinion, that happiness consisted in honor; Thus they varied according to their particular necessities and interests. But amongst all those Opinionists; we meet not with any one, who pitched upon this in the Text. This is a Paradox to them all, A natural man cannot place happiness in correction. No Philosopher or pure Moralist ever said, happy is the man, that is sore; happy is the man, that is sick; happy is the man that is disgraced; or happy is the man, that is in prison; These are riddles, such as nature is not able to expound or make out; the Philosopher would as soon place light in darkness, the Sun in a cloud, heat in coldness, the element of fire in the water, as blessedness in sufferings. Therefore no marvel if Eliphaz usher it in, with a Behold, Behold happy is the man, whom God correcteth.

The word, Happy, is of the Plural number, or rather of the Duall in the Hebrew. Some translate it in the Abstract, Behold the blessednesses of that man whom God corrects: But it is fully rendered by the Adjective, as we, Behold happy is the man, &c.

There is much contention among the Grammarians about the word, whether it be abstract or concrete, a Nown, or an Adverb: But I will not stay on those, only consider a little what account is given, why the word is used plurally or dually.

First, it is to increase the signification, and heighten the sense; as noting the confluence of many good things in happiness. Happines is not a single good; happiness consists in the concurrence or meeting together of many good things: God, who is infinitely happy, infinitely blessed in himself, and an infinite blessing, all blessing to his people, is not a single good, or a particular good, but he is all good, both to himself, and to his people. A godly man is happy in the largest sense, in all senses; because his, is not this or that particular good, but all good. And he is not happy only at this or that particular time, but at all times. He is as happy, when he is suffering under the hand of God, as when he is serving God, as happy in his passive as in his active obedience. And therefore the same word expresses his condition, both in the one, and in the other.

Secondly, because there is a twofold happiness: First, the happiness of this life. And secondly, the happiness of the next; Temporal happiness, and eternal happiness; Corporal happiness and spiritual happiness. To note a complication of all these, the word may be given in the Duall or Plural number; He that is thus corrected, looses not temporal happiness, and he gains in spiritual, and toward eternal happiness. The present and future happiness of the Saints, the happiness of grace and of glory, differ but in degrees; It is the same state in a higher stature: The same book in a more correct edition and fairer letter. These differ as a child from a man, or as the morning light, from the light at high-noon; So then, this word includes all kinds and degrees of happiness: yet, here it is properly to be understood of the happiness of this life, which only is consistent with correction; There are no rods in Heaven, and we shall be past children, before we come thither.

Thirdly, we may answer plainly, that the word in the Hebrew is only Plural or Duall, being never read in the singular number: As in the Latin we have many the like words.

It is further observable concerning this word, that it is always applied unto man, whereas the word (Barac) blessed, is applied both to God and man. This happiness is a special and peculiar happiness of man: The Lord being infinitely above, both obeying and suffering.

Enoch, the Hebrew word for Man (of whom happiness under correction is predicated) is very suitable to this business of correction. Enoch signifies a sickly, weak, miserable man: We might render the full sense of the word thus, Happy is that miserable man, whom God corrects. That is look upon a man according to the ordinary account of the world, and calculation of reason he is a miserable man, a weak, sickly man; yet happy is this weak, sickly, miserable man in the account of God, and by the calculation of faith. Grace makes that good sense, which is a contradiction, both in nature and in reason, A miserable man, and a happy man, one and the same.

In Psal. 1. the word Ish is used, Blessed is the man, that is, Blessed is that excellent man, that holy man, that strong man, walking and delighting in the Law of the Lord. Yea blessed with the same blessedness is that miserable man (smarting under the rod of the Lord) whom God correcteth.

And yet blessedness is joined with all the words, by which man is expressed. It is joined with Adam, Psal 32. 1. Blessed is the man whose iniquity is forgiven. Adam is the general word for Man, and is therefore most fitly joined with blessedness in pardon of sin, because all men are sinners, and no man can be blessed, except he be pardoned. Blessedness is joined also with Geber, a strong, powerful and mighty man, Psal. 94. 12. Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O Lord, and teachest him out of thy Law; Blessed is (Geber) the great man, the honorable man, the highest by birth or place, whom thou chastnest.

The Chaldee Paraphrase restrains the word [Man] to an individual, to Abraham, as if Eliphaz had put the instance in Abraham, and said, Behold, happy was that holy man Abraham whom God corrected, therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty; I can give thee a famous example of a godly man corrected, Abraham (thy Ancestor) met with afflictions as well as thou, and yet he was a most happy man: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Lord. But the word is general, and so we are to understand it; though this be a truth in any or every instance among the servants of God

I must yet put in a caution for the right understanding of this proposition, Blessed is the man, whom God corrects. The meaning is not, as if happiness were the portion of every miserable man, or of every man that is afflicted, do not think so; many are at once, corrected and cursed, troubled and miserable in trouble. To many, their present sorrows, are but the fore-tastes of eternal sorrows; As Christ spake in a common case; These things are but the beginning of sorrows: So we may say to the particular cases of many groaning under sickness, poverty, disgrace, &c. Alas, poor souls, ye are so far from being happy in these, that these are but the beginnings of your unhappiness; God doth but begin to call for some arreares, due to his justice, which you must be a paying and satisfying to all eternity.

There is no happiness in affliction naturally considered; it is accidental to afflictions, that happiness is associated with them. Affliction in it self is grievous and it would be only so to us, did not the over-ruling, admirable dispensations of God, temper, order, dispose, and work it to an end above its own nature; it is the art and wisdom of the Physician, which corrects poisonous simples and ingredients so, as to make them medicineable. And did not the wisdom and goodness of of God, correct our corrections, they would not be medicine to us, but poison. It is not correction, but the hand of God with it, and in it, which makes us happy.

The word, which we translate correct, signifies to reprove or to convince, by arguments or dispute; To argue a man down from his error, by the strength and clearness of reason or divine authority. So Levite. 19. 19. Thou shalt not suffer sin upon thy brother; thou shalt surely rebuke him. Thou shalt rebuke him, it is the word here used, that is, thou shalt bring such arguments, as may convince him of his sin, and lay his wickedness open before him. This word is applied to corrections and afflictions in Scripture, because with convictions, we feel corrections frequently joined; The Lord argues the matter, and (as it were) disputes with some very long, who yet will not let in divine truth, nor be persuaded, though they are persuaded; What doth he then? Then he sends correction with his redargution, he clothes his words with blows, disputes with a God in his hand, and brings an argument from feeling, when reasoning prevails not. In this book of Job, Elihu shows it, Chap. 33. 16, 19. Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction, he is chastened also with pain upon his bed.

Hence observe, First,

That afflictions to the children of God at sorest, are but corrections.

Blessed (or happy) is the man whom God corrects. You will say, but what is a correction? And how (in a strict sense) differenced from judgments and punishments, and wherein do they agree?

They agree first in the efficient cause. God lays his hand on man in both.

Secondly, They agree in the matter; the same evil, the same trouble to one man, is a correction, to another a judgment.

Thirdly, they may agree also in the degree; A trouble or an affliction may fall and lie as heavy, and be as painful to sense upon a child of God, as upon the vilest wretch in the world; he may be as poor, as friendless, as sick, as sorrowful in his outward man, as any wicked man; he may lie in the same dungeon, and be bound with the same chain, he may be slain with the same sword, burnt at the same stake, eaten up with the same famine. So that both in the materiality, and likewise in the graduality of it, it may be the same on both, yet, upon one it is a correction, upon the other, a judgment.

What then is this correction? And where will the correction and the judgment part?

I conceive, that the infirmities of the Saints, and the sins of the wicked differ, as judgments and corrections differ. Now look upon those sins, which we call the infirmities of the Saints; they may be the same in the matter, the same in kind, yea (possibly) the same in the degree (I mean respecting the outward rule given by God, and the outward act committed by man) with the sins of those, who know not God, or who, in sinning, go against their knowledge.

Then, where do they part?

Surely, where corrections and judgments part. And where is that? Especially in two things.

First, in the manner how. 2. In the end why, they are inflicted.

First, the Lord never corrects his children with such a heart, as he carries in laying trouble upon the loins of wicked men. The heart of God is turned toward his children, when he corrects them, but his heart is turned from a wicked man; when he punishes him. The Lord is even pained (that I may speak as the Scripture often doth in this point, after the manner of men) I say the Lord expresses himself as pained, as grieved, as if every stroke went to his own heart, when he strikes his children. When he is about to strike, he is (as it were) unresolved whether he shall strike or no, and as soon as he hath stricken, he (as it were) repents that he did strike them. All which motions of his heart the Lord shows us in the highest strains of passionate Rhetoric, Hos. 11. 8, 9. But when he takes the wicked in hand to punish them, we read of no passion ascribed to him, but these, delight or joy, and the effect of them, laughter: hatred or indignation, and the effect of these mocking at them, Pro. 1. 26. I will laugh at your calamity, and mock when your fear cometh. And when he resolves upon the destruction of his enemies, he speaks as if then he had unburden'd himself, and his heart were lighter then before, Isa. 1. 24. Ah I will ease me of my Adversaries, and avenge me of my enemies.

Secondly, the difference is as broad about the end. When God lays the rod of correction upon his child, he aims at the purging out of his sin, at the preventing of his sin, at the revealing of a fatherly displeasure against him, for his sin; The Lord would only have him take notice, that he doth not approve of him in such courses. When these ends are proposed every affliction is a correction. But the afflictions of the ungodly are sent for other ends. First, to take vengeance on them. Secondly, to satisfy offended justice; justice cries aloud against them, and they have nothing to interpose, but their bare backs or naked souls. The Lord comes as a severe Creditor, and bids them pay that which they owe, or suffer and to prison, because they cannot pay. Secondly, observe.

A child of God is in a happy condition under all corrections.

As man (in a natural or civil capacity) at his best estate is altogether vanity, Psal. 39. 5. So in a spiritual capacity, he is altogether happiness, in his worst outward estate; Happy is the man whom God corrects, he is a gainer by correction: If he looseth anything, it is but the dross of his corruptions, By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged, and this is all the fruit to take away his sin: Corrections are not sent to take away his comforts, but to take away his corruptions. That fire which God kindles upon his children, shall burn only (as it did the material bonds of the three children in Daniel) the spiritual bonds of their iniquity, that they may be more free to righteousness. Again, Crrections are not manifestations of wrath, but an evidence of his love, and of their son-ship: Whom I love I chastise, Rev. 3. 21. And if ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons, Heb. 12. 7. The love of God is better then life, and to be a son of God is the highest privilege of his love. Where shall we be happy if not in that which assures us of such love, and of love in such a relation? Hence the Apostle concludes (2 Cor. 4. 12.) So then, death worketh in us; death, that is, our daily sufferings and endurings. He speaks (indeed) especially of sufferings for the truth, from the cruel hand of man: but it is true likewise of all sufferings under the correcting hand of God: Those strokes which are deadly to our bodies, may yet work for us. And what work they? The seventeentth verse answers the question, Our light afflictions which are but for a moment, work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. The sufferings of the Saints are active, and their passions opperative: But how do they work? Not by way of merit or earning (Our blood cannot oblige God) but by way of preparation. The Lord sends afflictions, to fashion and cleanse our hearts, as fit vessels to hold an exceeding weight of glory: Our bearing the heaviest afflictions doth not weigh so much as the least grain of glory, yet they fit our hearts for an exceedingly excellent weight of glory. We cannot say properly, that they work any glory, but by an Hyperbole in speech, we say, they work towards an Hyperbole in glory.

And if any doubt, can a man be happy when his outward comfort is gone? Doubtless he may: For a man is never unhappy, but when he hath lost that wherein happiness doth consist: The happiness of a godly man, doth not consist in his outward comforts, in riches, in health, in honor, in civil liberty, or human relations; therefore in the loss of these he cannot be unhappy. His happiness consists in his relation to, and acceptance with God, in his title to, and union with Jesus Christ, While he keeps these privileges (and these he shall keep forever) what hath he lost, if he loose all besides these? He hath not lost anything discerneable, out of his estate. Suppose a man were worth a million of money, and he should loose a penny, would you think this man, an undone man? No: His estate feels not this loss, and therefore he hath not lost his estate. If a man should buy a thousand measures of corn or clothe, and should loose the given handfuls of the one, or inches of the other, would ye say, that this man had lost either his corn or his clothe. All the things of the world (and they only are looseable) which a godly man hath, are not so much to his estate as a penny to a million; They are indeed no proper part of his estate, they are but an additional over-plus to his estate: As the handful of grain, or inch of clothe, are no part of the measure agreed or bargained for: Only so much that speech of Christ imports, Mat. 6. 33. Seek first the Kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof, and all other things shall be added or ministered to you; your kingdom is whole & safe to you, though you have not these: These things are extrinsicall and foreign to all that, which I reckon upon as your estate: God having given us Christ, casts us in the creatures, as not coming upon any account in that vast act of his free love and bounty: And shall we account him unhappy, who hath lost these things, which were never brought to account as any part of his happiness? Then happy still, though corrected. And which is yet more, correction takes nothing from the stock, but it addeth somewhat; correction brings in a revenue of profit with it: They (saith the Apostle, meaning our earthly parents) chastened us after their own pleasures, but he for our profit. What profit? do houses and lands: gold and silver, blossom from the correcting rod? Surely they may: But he means better profit then these, and a far more noble merchandize: Gold and silver are poor and base, to the profit which comes in by chastenings; grace and holiness come in this way: He for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness, Heb 12, 10. We want nothing of the happiness in heaven, but so much holiness, as we shall have in Heaven. Surely then, whatsoever affliction takes away, it cannot take away our happiness, for as much as it makes us greater sharers in, and partakers of holiness.

And the corrected children of God, are unhappy only in the opinion of other men, not in their own; When did you ever hear any of them say, they were unhappy, because they were corrected. I do not remember that I ever read or heard any of them say, O unhappy we, who are thus afflicted! Salvian answered this objection well, when he saw many scandalized at the afflictions of the Godly, thinking theirs a very sad and pitiful condition: Do you hear them complaining (saith he) or did they ever complain to you? No man is to be aceounted miserable in another man's sense, but in his own: You make the complaint not they. The truth is, a holy heart can bear trouble with more ease, then a carnal heart can see it. Paul (whose whole life after conversion was but one continued affliction) was so far from complaining and saying, O unhappy man that I am, that he rejoiced in tribulation, and was but as sorrowing, yet always rejoicing I confess, it becomes us to be more sensible of corrections, then of persecutions, the former being usually, sufferings upon our defects in grace, and the latter upon our highest actings and puttings forth of grace. It becomes the Saints to be humbled under corrections; but who hath heard them (when they were themselves) complaining of corrections? I have often heard them blessing God for corrections, I have often heard them say, it was, and it is good for us, that we have been corrected; And while the Saints write their afflictions upon the I • vrntory of their goods; we have no reason to put them to account or cast them up among their evils.

Lastly, A godly man cannot be unhappy while he enjoys God And he usually enjoys God most, when he is most afflicted. A wicked man is never unhappy in his own thoughts, till he hath lost his god, such a one as he is, his riches, his pleasure, his credit, these he makes his god, instead of a better, indeed, instead of Him, who is Best of all: These are looseable gods, and so his happiness may soon be lost; but he that once enjoys the true God, can never loose him and therefore can never loose his happiness.

That of Saul, is one of the saddest speeches in all the book of God, 1 Sam. 28. 15. I am sore distressed, for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me. When trouble comes, and God departs, when sickness and poverty make war upon a man, and God be departed from him O how unhappy I what words can express the unhappiness of such a man? But they who can take liberty, and estate, and life from us, cannot take God from us; and if God should take all these from us; he will not, he cannot (because he hath promised he will not) take himself from us: L (saith the Lord) will never leave thee, nor forsake thee Heb.