Exposition of Job

IN this Preface is not only recorded that Zophar did answer, v. 1. but his profession that his thoughts did drive him to be in great haste with it, and caused him to answer, who (it seems) otherwise intended to have kept silence: together, also, with the causes moving him to make this reply; which are expressed more generally, that somewhat in Job 's discourse did so fill him with thoughts, as he could not forbear nor delay to answer, v. 2. and more particularly, v. 3. That he had been reproached in Job 's discourse, and therefore would answer for himself; though yet that only did not move him, but his sound knowledge of the Truth in this debate furnished him with matter, which he would bring forth deliberately, having gravely thought upon it; And so, however he had met with passion, yet, he thinks he will not answer in passion.

That I may further explain and make use of these verses; Observe,

1. We find here that Zophar doth yet answer Job; And albeit he bring forth no new purpose, but what hath been often refuted by Job (of which afterward) yet he will not give over. Yea, we find not in all this discourse, that he doth anything consider all those miseries of Job, which had been so largely enumerated in the former Chapter. Nor doth he regard Job 's ample confession of his faith, Chap. 19.25, &c. Nor the intimation of the hazard of wrath which he had made unto them, Chap. 19.29. But the more Job spake of those things, he falls the more fiercely upon him.

Whence Learn,

1. It is not easy to change learned and witty men's Opinions, when once they are engaged in dispute; For, Job 's Friends have still somewhat to say and answer. And therefore God should be much employed in such cases, who ends this Controversy by his Word, Chap. 42. and without whose presence and operation, disputes will not put a close to Controversies.

2. Afflicted Saints ought not to build upon most rational and likely means for ending of their trials, till God come and interpose; For, albeit Job had said so much for himself, as might make men in reason think it were a thousand pities to use him harshly any longer; yet all this is but Oil cast into the flame with his Opponents, who deal the more harshly, that he pleads pitifully, and yet confidently under his pitiful case. And herein,

1. Men ought to look to God, who hath the inflicting, continuance, and ending of trials in his hand, and will permit none to sacrifice to their ownner, in this business: But in the use of all means, will have them submit entirely to his will, and will have them see that he may justly continue that trial which they can show just reasons why men, that are his Instruments, should not continue it.

2. Men ought also to look on this as a great part of their trial, if they will continue to hold fast by their Grounds and Principles, after they have asserted them, and yet God permits men to continue unjustly in opposition to them; For, every new Reply of Job, after these unjust assaults of his Friends, is a further trial and proof his constancy and integrity, and a mirror wherein his patience and faith do shine, for the Edification of others in all ages.

3. Men should look what God may have to say in the unjust continuance of their trials from men; For, in all this long debate, though Job had the better cause, and the better of them in the dispute, yet, he failed much toward God: And therefore an exercise, of one kind or other, never left him, till he took with these, and was humbled for them.

4. Men should also read, in this instance, how far passion, kindled through the heat of contention, especially when joined with ill Principles, may mislead them; For Zophar 's unsound Principles and his Passion did necessarily engage him to condemn Job, let him say for himself what he would; Which should warn men to take good heed to their Principles, what they are, and to the frame of their spirits.

Observe, 2. In the next place, we are to consider the manner and way of his going about to answer; My thoughts, saith he, cause me to answer, (or cause me to return, and bring me back into the lists again, and make me interrupt my resolved silence) and, I make haste, or, my haste it in me. The word here rendered thoughts, doth properly signify, the branch of a Tree, and is figuratively applied to signify, the clefts of Rocks, and men's cogitations, or, thoughts. And so it may import, high, unsettled, and turbulent thoughts, like branches tossed with the wind; as accordingly we find it made use of to signify unsettled Opinions, 1 Kings 18.21. thoughts and fancies in a man's sleep, Job 4.13. and ill and vain thoughts, Psal. 119.113. But It is not to be conceived that Zophar makes use of this word to express any bad opinion of his own thoughts & conceptions, but only that they were his thoughts issuing from his heart, as branches from a tree. This is certain, that by those words he, intimates that his thoughts were burning within him, & he was in so great haste to get a vent to his conceptions, that he had no patience to hear Job any longer. And albeit his design, in all this haste and perturbation of mind, was to vindicate the Righteousness and Justice of God, and to reclaim Job, whom he supposed to have miscarried grossly in this matter; yet the sequel cleareth that he was wrong in this which he is so hasty to see about.

It teacheth,

1. Men's spirits; when they suffer themselves to be over-driven with haste and perturbation, do readily miscarry; For, Zophar, in this his haste, is found to be in an Error. Thus David 's expressions in his haste prove to be unsound, and such, as, he finds cause to retract them in cold blood. And ordinarily men's haste and passion (which is but a short madness) furnisheth them with matter enough of sorrow and repentance, when they seriously reflect upon it. And therefore in all actings, men's first and chief care would be ever their own spirits, which are their chief opposites in doing duty, and particularly, in managing Controversies as they ought.

2. Men, even when their designs and intentions are good, may yet miscarry in the prosecution of them, through haste and passion; For, Zophar had a good design, in this his hasty undertaking, to reclaim a man whom he judged to be in an Error; and yet his haste made him to miss his mark, so that he was not able to discern what was right or wrong in Job, nor to hit upon his real miscarriages in this Controversy. Even a good Cause may be marred by men's managing of it with passion and haste, and therefore much less are men to make use of a pretence of zeal or good intentions, to break out in passion, for who so give way to that distemper of spirit, cannot readily but go wrong.

Observe 3. As for the General account of his Reasons moving him to answer, and to make haste in it, Therefore my thoughts cause me to answer, and for this I make haste; Though this, therefore, and, for this, may be looked on only as a General, which is particularly expressed and instanced in the next verse: Yet if we consider more narrowly, there may be more found in it; For, in the former Chapter Job had closed his discourse with a threatening of Judgments against them, because of their miscarriages towards him: And Zophar begins (and, possibly, interrupts Job ) with this, Therefore I answer, and for this I make haste; as if he had said; The fear of that same wrath, wherewith thou threatenest us for speaking as we do, causeth me speak yet more to the same purpose; lest, by my silence and suffering thee to go in in thy course, I should indeed draw on that wrath upon me.

It teacheth,

1. Men should be well advised, and maturely ponder the grounds upon which they speak, and, particularly, upon which they either engage or persist in a debate; they should first think well, and then speak: For, so much doth his pretending to this ground and reason of speaking, teach in general, though he •• red in the particular, Therefore do I answer, &c.

2. Great may be the differences, even betwixt godly men, in a time of debate; the one thinking it a duty to be silent, and the other to speak; the one threatening the other with wrath, because of what they do; and the other thinking themselves obnoxious to wrath, if they do it not. This is so sad, that it calls for much humiliation, and for search to find out where it is that the error and mistake lieth, and for dealing with God, that he may appear in mercy to decide the Controversy which alone can put a close to this Dispute.

Observe 4. The first express reason of his resolution to answer, is, I have heard the check of my reproach, v. 3 —, or, thou hast bitterly reflected upon me in thy discourse. It is not necessary to restrict this to what Job had said, Chap. 19.29. But the meaning is, That generally in all his complaints, challenges, and arguings, Job had indirectly rubbed upon them; And it seems, Zophar had understood somewhat that he had spoken as reflecting particularly on him and his discourses, which makes him so earnest to answer. Compare Chap. 18 3.

It teacheth,

1. Men are naturally very tender of their Reputation, so that they will soon (and, sometime, but too soon) resent any affront put upon them; Yea, the more free men are of real sufferings and trials, they are, ordinarily, the more needlessly and causelessly vexed about their Reputation: For, those men, who had little other exercise, are much taken up about their Reputation, and think themselves rubbed upon and reproached, and checked, if they be but dissented from, or soberly in •• med of their mistakes. Much real exercise would cause men make less noise about this.

2. When a man's self, or his Reputation is much in his eye, he will not readily do much good in debates; For, Zophar beginning with the sense of this check of his reproach, or, reproachful check (as he judgeth it) makes but a poor reply, as the sequel cleareth. Men ought to bear down that Idol of their own Reputation, who would find out or follow Truth, and the mind of God, in any particular.

Observe, 5. The second express reason of his resosolution, is, And (or as some read it, But) the spirit of my understanding causeth me to answer; That is, It is not only the sense of the indignities I have received, but the sound judgment and clear light I have in this Controversy, and my knowledge how needful it is that thou be humbled, and God's Justice, in afflicting thee, vindicated, that puts me to answer. In this sense, the two parts of the verse are to be joined by the copulative, and, that the sense of his reproach and his knowledge in the cause concurred to cause him answer. And this indeed is Truth, that Zophar was persuaded that what he had to say was found. But there seems to be more in it, and somewhat intended that sets the two parts of the verse in opposition one to another; I have heard — But the spirit of my understanding causeth me to answer. Hereby is not only meant that, however Job reproached their Opinion, yet it was found, and flowed from a spirit of understanding; but further, as to the way of answering, that, however Job had answered them with passion and reproaches, yet he would deal otherwise with him, and answer him from a spirit of understanding, or, a sober and sound judgment. Both these Interpretations may agree in one, the first being included in this last. For it supposeth he had sound light in the Controversy, and proposeth, that he will bring out this, and not his passions, in his answer; whereas Job (as he supposed) wanting truth and solid matter, behooved to take himself to such poor shifts as revilings and reproaches.

It teacheth,

1. As men had need, to be sure and well grounded in what they hold out as the Truth of God; So disputes, for finding out the mind and will of God in any particular, should be free of passion, and managed with sound judgment and understanding; For, Zophar pretends to a spirit of understanding, declining passion, in this answer. As God will not be served by our passions, Jam. 1.20. Nor have our lies and mistakes fathered on him, Chap. 13.4. So it is found light, and not passions, that will convince rational men. Yea, where passions, it darkens and disturbs men's own light and judgments, that they cannot make such use of them as they ought, and otherwise might.

2. Irritations from those with whom we have to do, will not warrant us to serve them in their own coin; For, though Job (as he supposed) reproached him; yet he will answer him from a spirit of understanding.

3. Men may have a strong persuasion that they are sound and right in that wherein yet they are very wrong; For, he thinks that all this answer flowed from the spirit of his understanding, which was but the result of his Ignorance and Error. So blind and i • self love, and so great need have men to examine and try their persuasions, that they be sound and well grounded; and (for this end) to be sober and diffident of themselves, and jealous lest their engagement in debates, or estimation of their own abilities, cause them think they are very clear and sound, when yet they are in the dark.

4. In particular, Men may be very passionate, who yet think themselves very rational and sober; For, Zophar, even when in passion he is resenting a supposed, check of his reproach, doth yet think he is led by a spirit of understanding. Passion is in itself a great fault, but it is yet greater when it blind-foldeth men, that they cannot see themselves as they are.

Followeth the answer itself, wherein he labors to persuade Job that his lot being like that of the wicked man, or, hypocrite, it did prove him to be one of them. In all this discourse, concerning the calamities of the wicked, we have no new matter or Arguments to convince Job, but only the same consent and testimony of Antiquity (so often urged before) here again repeated; And the same subject matter, of the calamity of the wicked, is here again set forth with variety of expressions and flowers of eloquence. And he insists (as others before him had done) so particularly to recount the wicked's miseries, Partly, that he may reflect upon Job 's case, and show that those miseries which he suffered, and whereof he complained, were the same with what the wicked had suffered in all ages; And, partly, that by inculcating this Doctrine with a stream of Eloquence, it may be the more taking, and more effectually convince Job.

In the first part of his Narration (to v. 10) he gives an account of the way of a wicked man, or hypocrites, downfall from his height of prosperity, and how, being in prosperity, he is brought low and made miserable. And in these verses,

1. He shows whence he learned, and how he will prove and confirm, all his following Narration, v. 4. Namely, by the consent of Antiquity, and the testimony of all Ages from the beginning of the world; and therefore he propounds it by way of reprehension of Job, that he should be ignorant of that which hath been of old, and even from the beginning of the world, that man was placed upon the earth.

2. He subjoins this account concerning the downfall of the wicked man or hypocrite, that it shall be speedy, his triumphing and joy being but short, and for a moment, v. 5. Some from this do gather that, by Jobs former discourses, he is somewhat convinced, and persuaded to remit a little of the rigor of their opinion; And to yield that the wicked may sometime prosper (as Job maintained) though he will maintain that their prosperty is followed with speedy, shameful, and irreparable ruin. But no such change appears in the debate, for all a long they denied not that the wicked might sometime prosper; Only this they maintained (as herein Job contradicted them) that if the wicked were not still in misery, yet any prosperity they enjoyed was soon overturned.

As for this way of probation, by consent of Antiquity, and the experience of all ages, I have already cleared that is not true (as to matter of fact ) that all the wicked, and only the wicked, meet with such downfals; For the experience of Nimrod and Abel (to seek no more) assureth us of the contrary. Neither is the Argument valid or relevant, in point of right, suppose the allegation were true. For not only will it not follow that, because they knew of no contrary instances, therefore, there were none; but it will as little follow that, because there had been no such instances in the times before them, therefore there should never be any such; And because no godly man had fallen from such an height of prosperity as Job did, therefore he could not be a godly man, whom the Lord had now brought down. For the Scriptures teach us, that God's proceedings in those external things are variable, according to his pleasure. And for the Doctrine itself which he delivers, v. 5. and prosecutes in the rest of his discourse, I have spoken often to it, that the wicked do deserve all those things, and it is agreeable to the sentence of the Law, that they be so dealt with; and in so far we may safely make use of his Doctrine. But it is still unsound to assert that all the wicked are actually so plagued, and only the wicked; And that the godly may not be exercised with the like lots, either for correction, or for trial. So, from this way of arguing, and his mistakes in it, in General, Learn,

1. Men once engaged and prejudged, will not soon see their Errors, though never so often, and so clearly refuted; For, he yet insists upon their common Doctrine and Argument, as valid and sufficient to convince Job, though he hath often demonstrated the falsehood or weakness of it. More is needed to draw men from Error, than the Proposition of clear and convincing light; even that they shake off and renounce passions, Prejudices, Interests, and their engaged Reputation, and that they pray to God that there be not a judgment, or spiritual plague, upon their hearts. 2 Thess. 2.10, 11, 12,

2. Men of parts, though never so often refuted, will not want abilities to set a new and good face upon an ill cause; For though Zophar repeat the same thing that had been spoken before, yet he repeats it in new terms, and variety of flowers of Eloquence are made use of, to render it plausible, and cause it to take with Job. This shows how dangerous men's abilities are in an ill cause; and how needful it is that we take off all masks, and buskings, that may be put upon things and discourses, that we may see them in their true and native colors, and what is at the bottom of them.

If we look upon this purpose in it self (abstracting from these mistakes) and what may safely be gathered from it;

It teacheth,

1. It is men's duty to be so acquainted with God's works in the world, as to make good use of them; For, he finds fault with Job for being ignorant (as he supposed) of what God had wrought, the study whereof might have humbled him. And albeit he mistook in the particular, yet it is of general verity, that we should have our eyes exercised to observe what God is doing in the world, and should be careful to improve it. Psal 64.9.

2. The more obvious and general Truths are, ignorance of them is the more sinful; For, he aggravates Jobs ignorance from this (and it had been a great crime, if the charge had been true) that he knoweth not this of old (or, which hath been of old, even) since man was placed upon the earth; or, that this Truth was common, and verified in all ages, and yet he was ignorant of it.

3. God, in all ages, hath put such marks of his displeasure upon the wicked, as may warn men to abhor their course and way; For, albeit this Doctrine, taken from the experience of all ages, be not broad enough to bottom Zophar's conclusion; Yet, there is enough in it to make this out, That, albeit God make not every wicked man a public spectacle or monument of his justice, nor doth exempt the godly from the like exercises and lots; yet (beside what he hath declared in his word) he hath in all ages so testified his displeasure against the wicked, by his judgments upon some of them, that they must be mad who are not deterred from following their ways.

4. In God's account a wicked man and an hypocrite are all one, and they may expect the same portion from God, if the hypocrite fare not worse, because he is an hypocrite; Therefore the wicked and the hypocrite are joined here, as sharing in the same lot. And by this he warns Job, that this Doctrine belonged to him, as having been a close hypocrite (as he supposed) though he should clear himself of gross wickedness.

5. Wicked men and hypocrites may, for a time, not only have matter of ordinary joy, but even of triumph, as being (to their own apprehension) victorious, and set up above the reach of all difficulties; For, so is here supposed, that they have their triumphing and joy. All of them are not so dealt with, but many of them buy their wicked courses dear enough, and find vexation and misery enough in following a Trade of sin; yet some may attain to such a measure of prosperity, as they please themselves to joy and triumph in it. And hereby they bewray their carnal dispositions, that can so rejoice and exult in such base objects, when they are rather to be pitied, considering they will get no other portion. And it calls upon the people of God to be sober, and not to fix their happiness and satisfaction in these things, which the wicked may receive as well as they.

6. The joy and triumph of the wicked is but short-lived; For, it is but short, (or, from near, and of no old date) and for a moment. They deserve that it should be so, and they have no assurance but it may be so. The joy of some of them comes to this issue, to be a warning to the rest; And how long soever their joy continue, yet it is but short, considering that it is but for a time, and that all their joy will but contribute to the imbittering of their eternal sorrow. See Luke 16.25.

7. God can bring about the overthrow of the wicked speedily and in a moment; For, if their joy be so short, their fall must be very sudden. See Isa. 17.14.

8. All the joys of the wicked perish with their outward prosperity; and the remembrance of their by-past joy will nothing avail them in trouble; For, their ruin and downfall is expressed by the perishing of their joy and triumphs, because the one will follow upon the other, and they know no joy that will continue with them in tribulations, as the joy of believers doth, Rom. 5.2, 3.

In the next place, we have a further account of the way and manner of the wicked and hypocrites downfall, in these verses; wherein (alluding to a great and flourishing tree, as Dan. 4.10, 11.. and making use of an hyperbolical Supposition) he asserts that, though he mount never so high in his excellency and state, like a flourishing Tree; yet he shall perish contemptibly and utterly, to the admiration of all beholders. By all which he intimates that the wicked's ruin is certain, so that his grandeur shall not secure him against it, but rather contribute to embitter it; that it shall be shameful, like his own dung; an utter ruin, forever; and admirable, putting those who have seen him to inquire, Where is he?

Here it is probable he reflects upon Job 's former grandeur, from which he was so wonderfully fallen, and left in a loathsome condition; that thereby he might convince him that he was a wicked man or hypocrite. But albeit it be true (as hath been marked before) that the wicked deserve such a fall according to the tenor of the Law-sentence, and that some of them are made monuments of God's justice, by such an eminent overthrow: yet all this doth not conclude anything against Job 's state; seeing neither is love nor hatred known by any of those things, neither was he so utterly ruined as Zophar supposed, though God had laid him low; nor so contemptible (like his own dung) as he alleged, but even in his lowest condition, he did smell well in the nostrils of God, and of all right discerners.

However, understanding this Doctrine according to the tenor of the Law threatenings.

It teacheth,

1. Wicked men may not only come to be in state and grandeur, but may mount high in it; either really getting up still higher and higher; or, in their own proud conceit of themselves, because of their grandeur, or both; For, so is here supposed, that the wicked man's excellency may mount up to the heavens, and his head (or, state, like the top branches of an high Tree) reach unto the clouds. See Psal. 37.35. By this,

1. The Lord sits some of the wicked for remarkable proofs of his displeasure, which, otherwise, would not be so well discerned.

2. He teacheth his people not to esteem too much of worldly pomp and grandeur, which may be so plentifully heaped upon wicked men; and not to stumble when wicked men, instead of falling, do, for a time, rise higher and higher, Psal. 92.5, 6, 7.

3. He warneth all to take heed, that their spirits do not swell, but keep sober, when they are advanced, and that their grandeur do not render them so much the more secure, and presumptuous and insolent, and the less afraid of sin, and of his displeasure for it.

Doct. 2. All that height and grandeur, to which wicked men can reach and attain, is so far from securing them against ruin, that were they higher than indeed they can be, yet, destruction can reach them; For, did he mount to the heavens, and the clouds, yet he shall perish. See Obad. v. 3, 4. This imports,

1. That, notwithstanding the high advancement of such wicked men; yet, the favor of God is nothing the more toward them, but they deserve to perish still, and the sentence of the Law stands in force against them. See Eccl. 8.11, 12, 13. If the wicked think otherwise of themselves because of their prosperity, it not only argues their great presumption, but it will hasten their ruin, that they delude themselves with a conceit of God's favor, because they prosper eminently in their sin. See Hos. 12.7, 8. And it evidenceth the great weakness of the people of God, if they apprehend that the wicked are therefore approved of God, because they prosper.

2. However it fare with other wicked men, whom God may spare; yet (ordinarily, though not always) such of them as are wonderfully advanced, are but thereby fitted for some notable stroke to ruin them.

3. They must be great fools who bless themselves in their petty honors and advancement, seeing God can over-turn it, were there more of it.

Doct. 3. Wicked men's ruin is justly irrecoverable and irreparable; For, the wicked man shall perish forever. Here consider,

1. The wicked man deserves this, and he hath no security that it shall be otherwise; whereas the Church in General (though not every particular person) hath a contrary promise, even as to deliverance in this life, Mic. 7.6.

2. Ordinarily such eminent wicked men, when once they begin to fall, do never recover again; as Haman 's wife told him, Esth 6 13.

3. However it be within time, yet the destruction of the wicked will certainly be eternal. And that is sad enough, and will put a real difference betwixt the godly and them. Yet,

4. Whatever may be God's outward dispensations to his own Children; yet, as it is a great injury to say, that their rods are the fruit of their wickedness, so, it it is not safe to gather from their present hopeless condition, that it is irreparable: For, Job did not perish forever, even as to his outward condition, albeit he might have been a godly man, notwithstanding he had so perished.

Doct. 4. The ruin of the wicked is justly accompanied with much disgrace, and renders them contemptible; For, he shall perish as his own dung, or, he shall be stinking, and rot in base ignominy, contempt, and vileness. See Isa. 14.19. Mic. 7.10. Nah. 1.14. Here is imported,

1. That the wicked have no native and internal beauty, but are like stinking Carrions, their throat an open Sepulcher, &c. only they are busked up with borrowed excellencies, as a deformed body in fine Apparel, and when these are gone, they appear in their true colors.

2. The great estimation they are in in the world, and their excessive satisfaction in it, doth but ripen them for proportionable vileness and contempt; And this their vileness is but the just fruit of their pride and deifying of themselves in their prosperity. As Rev. 18.7, 8.

3. Their effeminateness, and trusting in their prosperity, make them sordid and dejected under adversity, when they have not a reconciled God to look unto, nor better things to be comforted in.

4. Their carriage is so insolent in their prosperity, that none do cordially respect them, however they may flatter them; And therefore they despise, and are ready to insult over them, when they are brought at under.

5. The Lord, also, heaps contempt on them in their fall; Partly, by suffering their pride to struggle with their calamities, that their fall may be the fouler (as one in vain striving to get out of a mire, doth defile himself the more;) and by leaving them to discover their base and dejected dispositions, when they cannot rid them themselves of their troubles; And partly by slighting them in their troubles, even though they should make some essays to cry to him, as Psal. 18.41. In all those we ought to read the great advantage and happiness of the godly, whose blood is precious in God's sight, and their loathsome carcases beautiful, even when full of sores, and lying on dunghills; and whose graces, of humility, submission, confidence, triumphing over miseries, &c. do shine brightly in their low condition. And therefore men should take heed that they do not (with Zophar ) account God's people, or his Interests and Ordinances, vile and contemptible, because they are in trouble, and so take liberty to insult over them, and tread upon them as the mire of the Street. See Isai. 51.23.

Doct. 5. The Lord seeth it fit, oft times, to make the ruin of the wicked wonderful, and remarkable to them who observed them in their height; For, they which have seen him shall say, Where is he? wondering at so remarkable a change. See Psal. 52.5, 6, 7. Herein, Consider,

1. The Lord would indeed have his wonderful works of Justice remarked, and become matter of meditation and conference to others. For they are loud preachings, and should be observed in all their wonderful circumstances.

2. The Lord doth justly give them up to be wondered at, and mocked, who did insult over all others in their prosperity; See Isa. 14.9.—19.

3. The Lord would hereby teach that he can as wonderfully ruin them, (as ordinarily the fall of such is reserved to be a proof of his wonderful Providence) and make men wonder as much at their fall, as ever they wondered at their height, and at God's patience and longsuffering toward them, Psal. 73.10, 11, 12. with v. 17, 18, 19, 20.

In the last place, in these verses, we have yet a further account of the way of the wicked's downfall, Which,

1. Is propounded in borrowed terms, or, illustrated from a similitude, v. 8. That as Dreams and Visions are not only soon forgotten themselves, Dan. 2.5. but the pleasant things then represented to men's fancies, do all flee away, and are found to be vain, when men awake; So also doth the wicked and his prosperous estate flee away, and is chased away and he, or it are not to be found. And by this he would not only enlarge what he had said before, v. 5, 7. that the ruin of the wicked shall be sudden, like a dream when one awakes; and irreparable, so that he nor his prosperity shall not be found, more then a man finds what he dreamed of, really before him, when he awakes: But further, he intimates, how vain all his former prosperity shall be found in the day of his calamity, even like the fancies of dreaming men.

2. That which he had spoken • concerning the wicked's irreparable ruin, is enlarged end insisted on in proper terms, v. 9. That men shall see him no more, at least in his former prosperity, nor shall he continue in his place in his former grandeur, nor his habitation bear any marks of him, or it.

This Doctrine hath the mistakes in it formerly mentioned, that godly men are all exempted from such strokes, and that all the wicked are so destroyed, or that Job was so quite gone, and not to be restored.

Yet the General Doctrine may teach,

1. Wicked men's prosperity is but a fair nothing, and an empty vanity; it hath no more real consistence or comfort in it, than there is in a dream and vision of the night; Therefore is a wicked man's prosperity compared to these, because he hath a lie in his right hand when he enjoyeth it. See Isa. 29.7, 8. Psal. 39.6. & 73.20.

2. Wicked men, in their prosperity, are asleep, and cannot discern the truth of their condition; For, so much do their Dreams and Visions (which are sweet to sleepers) import. So that what is said of Idolaters, Isa. 44.20. is true of them.

3. Readily nothing doth awake the wicked out of their secure dreams, but judgments, and the Word doth not prevail with them till these come; For, their Dreams and Visions are found to be what they are, only when they flee away and are not found; when their persons are destroyed, or, at least, when those their imagined happiness are gone, as it was now with Job 's prosperity, though himself was as yet preserved.

4. Let the wicked sleep never so sound, God will, sooner or later, awake them by judgments upon them; For, so far this holds true, that they shall flee away, and be chased away (by plagues and calamities) either out of the world, or out of their former prosperous estate, and shall not be sound.

5. When God sends judgments on the wicked (which he can as speedily do, as one can chase away sweet Dreams and fancies, by awaking the sleeping man) all the comforts of their prosperous condition will fail them, and be found to be empty; As sweet Dreams and Visions are found to be, when men awake. Psal. 73.20. See Isa. 10.3.

6. God seeth it, ofttimes, fit to make the world witnesses of the ruin of the wicked, and to cause their habitations bear the prints of his displeasure; So that the eye wich saw him shall see him no more, neither shall his place anymore behold him.

Followeth to v. 22. The second part of this Narration; Wherein he gives an account of the miseries wherewith the wicked are oppressed after their fall, which point out their condition as yet more miserable. It may be taken up in three branches; In the first whereof (in this verse) he gives an account of the miserable condition to which the Children of the wicked man shall be redacted, and that they shall seek to please the poor; that is, they shall beg the poor's favor, and that they will not molest them, nor revenge upon them the injuries done by their father to them: Or, they shall seek to be relieved by the poor in their extremities, being now poorer then they. And yet (as some read the words, though the Original bear it not so well) they may have but bad success in all these their endeavors; the very poor, whom their father impoverished, may oppress them again, which is a sad scourge. Prov. 28 3. As for that which is added in the end of the verse and his hands shall restore their goods, it may be understood of the wicked man's children, formerly mentioned, that everyone of them (for the word is here singular) shall restore the goods of the poor, taken by their Father, that so they may please and appease them. But it is clearer to understand it of their Father himself, who shall restore his ill purchase (as it after followeth) and therefore his Children are unpoverished, and must please the poor. Thus the copulative, And, must be rendered, for (as it hath various significations) the latter part of the verse giving a reason of what is said in the former part. His Children must seek to please the poor, for his hands shall restore their goods.

To say nothing, how sad a calamity it is to be driven upon this necessity, to please the poor, and to be a servant to the meanest slave, as Job complains he was despised by base persons, Chap. 30.1, 2. &c. we may from this verse, according to the general Rules, Learn,

1. The sins of wicked men may have sad effects, not only upon themselves, but on their Posterity also, in whom they may be plagued; and that either when themselves are alive to see it, or even after they are dead; For, the fruit of the wicked man's sins teacheth his children. See, Exod 20.5.

2. It is no strange thing to see men, who in their prosperity have mounted to the skies, brought so low, as they or their Children shall become so poor, as to be in the reverence of the meanest; As here is held out. So uncertain and vain are the things of time, and so little cause have men to aspire or seek to climb high, which ofttimes brings so fowl and low a fall after it!

3. Men in Power and Eminency ought to be very condescending, and not look too high above the meanest, far less above others; Lest they or theirs be made to stoop to the lowest; As here is threatened against the children of the wicked man, See Chap. 31.13, 14.

4. No unjust possession of Riches giveth a man a true title thereto before God; For, However the wicked man had gotten and possessed these Goods, yet they are still their (or, the poor's) Goods, from whom he had unjustly taken them.

5. God can make the unjust title of ill Purchases appear, by restoring to the poor what was unjustly taken from them; and that by the oppressors own hand, though to the impoverishing of himself & his family: For, here the poor shall get their goods, & his hands shall restore them, by which means his children are brought low. The Lord may bring this about, by drawing the Oppressor to-repentance, (as he did Zacchaeus Luke 19.8) though that be not meant here; Or, by terrors of Conscience let out upon them (though without true repentance) making them as glad to be rid of an ill purchase, as ever they were to get it; Or, by forced restitution, when the oppressor is overpowered and brought down. This may assure us that wicked men have no sure hold of their ill purchase, though there were none to oppose them, so long as themselves have Consciences, and hands to restore it; And it may teach the appressed to wait patienly upon God, who can right them by very unexpected means.

6. God can make calamities very grievous, and he doth order them so as they may be most bitter to the wicked; As here, it cannot but be a vexation to the wicked man (whose affections are not mortified) to part with his wealth, which he loveth so well, and, much more, to put it away with his own hands; and yet God can make him do it

A second branch of the wicked's misery after his fall, is set forth in a similitude taken from riotous young men, who, by their lewdness in their youth, do contract infirmities which cleave to their bones, till they put them in their graves. And the meaning of the words, is, That even the sins committed by the wicked man, or hypocrite, in his youth, do stick to him, in the guilt thereof, and, it may, in some sad effects also, and are inseparable from him till he go to his grave, and even then also they continue with him. In place of, sins of youth, the Original hath only, youth. and because the word signifies also, hidden, therefore some understand this of the wicked man, hidden sins (as it is also rendered, Psal 90.8.) which, how closely soever he convey them, shall thus cleave to him. But I shall hold to the Translation, where, as the name given to his youth, which is taken from hiding, points out, how early he begins to sin, and God begins to reckon up his sins upon his account, even from the time that he lives hid under his Parents shadow, and before he appear in the affairs of the world; So, while the sins of his youth, are called only, his youth, of which his bones are full it serves to point out, how ordinarily in all men (and always in the wicked) youth and youthful lusts are inseparable, so that if they have youth, or, be young, they will have the other.

In this Branch of the Narration, Zophar tartly reflects upon what Job had spoken, of God's making him possess the iniquities of his youth, Chap. 13.26. but unjustly, in that he measures the truth of the godly man's condition, by his own temptations about it, when he is in a distemper; And in that he judgeth what will be his end and his condition in the grave, by this exercise within time. For albeit Job apprehended, in his fits of temptation, that God was pursuing the sins of his youth; yet, it doth not follow that it was really so; and albeit God had indeed been chastening him for these; yet, it would not follow that therefore he should lie down in the grave with his bones full of them, but rather, of the contrary, that God was now pursuing him for them, that, by sleeing to a Redeemer, he might attain to true peace in life and death. However the General Doctrine may teach,

1. Though the courses of men in their youth may be looked upon as hid (as the word signifieth;) yet youth is a very dangerous time, and a time of much guilt and provocation; For, so is there intimated, that the wicked man hath sins of his youth, or his youth is such as draws on sad consequents; and there is a fullness of the miscarriages of his youth, which accompanies him. See Psal. 25.7. 2 Tim. 2.22.

2. Though men, ordinarily, think light of the sins of their youth, and do apprehend that they should not be much noticed, because they are done in youth; Yet they stick with the impenitents as here we are taught.

3. Sin, the longer it be continued in, sticks the faster, and is removed with the more difficulty; For, in process of times, his very bones and marrow are full of them. Not only may the Conscience of sin, in a day of trouble, go through all the faculties of the soul, and consume the marrow and bones; And some effects of some sins cleave to some men in their bodies and bones: But the guilt of every sin cleaves to all of them, still the longer the faster.

4. Even the dust and grave will not separate impenitent sinners and their sin, and the sad effects thereof; For, these sins shall lie down with him in the dust. Some of these sins do hasten men to their graves, by consuming their bodies, or bringing them under a stroke of justice. And all of them go to the dust with them, and do rise and appear against them in the Resurrection. So that they are foolish who think that length of time can remove their sin, or that they have done with it, because they forget it.

A third Branch of the wicked's misery after his fall (which contains, in sum, that all his pleasure, in following of wicked courses, and particularly, oppression, shall then prove deadly and bitter to him) is held forth in a similitude taken from a man's eating of a sweet, but poisoned, morsel; which therefore he must vomit up again, and it proves deadly to him. This is,

1. General propounded, with Relation to all his wicked courses, v. 12, 13, 14.

2. It is applied, particulurly, to his ill purchase, v. 15, 16.

3. This Metaphor, as it relates to his sinfully acquired wealth, is more particularly and in proper terms, explained and instanced, v. 17.—21.

In these verses, the allusien is plain and obvious; The wicked man's following of wicked courses, is compared to a man's eating of a sweet poisoned morsel, or, Tablet; and as a man, finding it sweet, keeps it long in his mouth, and is unwilling to chew and let it over into his stomach; but, being once swallowed, it turns into the gall of Asps, or, is found to have been poisoned, and so proves another thing then meat, and doth change and alter his health: So, he delights in prosecuting wickedness, but it proves bitter and deadly in the issue. There may be witty allusions made upon his hiding of wickedness under his tongue, as pointing at his dissembling, defending, palliating, and excusing his sin, by his fine language; but it is safer to take it more generally, as pointing at his complacency in sin, as a man that keeps the taste of a sweet morsel so long as he can in his mouth, and so the rest of the expressions in the Text expounded it.

Doct. 1. As to the godly, it is their greatest delight and refreshment to converse with God's Word, and do his will, John 4 34. with Job 23.12. So sin is to the wicked as their very meat and drink; as this Metaphor imports, that wickedness is as a sweet morsel to the wicked man's mouth. They sleep not except they do evil, Prov. 4.16. and it is their very souls delight to wallow in sin, for which they have great cause to mourn.

2. The wicked, in the choice of their way, are not led by any principle of Grace; nor so much as by sound reason, but only by their corrupt sense; So that, though the way that is sweet and delectable to flesh and blood ought therefore to be suspected, seeing the right way is cross to our humors and inclinations; Yet, they are only affected with what seems sweet to their taste: For, he followeth wickedness because it is sweet in his mouth.

3. It is a Character of wicked men, that they find much sweetness in sin, which draweth them to it; as here is also imported.

4. It doth further evidence their wicked disposition, that they are not surprised with some fits only of delight in sin, (which may befall a godly man) but they persist to delight, and have a continued complacency in it, whether in their fancies and contemplations, or in acting of it; For, it is sweet in his mouth, he hides and spares it (as a man is not willing to let a sweet morsel go soon over) and forsakes it not, &c. All which variety of words shows how hard it is to express that great delight the wicked find in sin.

5. All the sweetness of sin will prove bitter in the end; For, his meat in his howels is turned, it proves as poisoned meat, which, being swallowed down, changes and proves to be another thing than it seemed to be in the mouth, and changes the man's health into sickness, and bitter pains and wringings. See Rom. 6.21.

6. Sin delighted in doth not only prove bitter and vexing for a time, but (without repentance) it proves deadly and destroying also; For, this meat is the gall of Asps (which is bitter and deadly poison) within him.

In these Verses, this Metaphor is particularly applied to the wicked man's ill purchase; where his wealth and riches resemble a man's food, or a morsel desired for its sweetness; his ill shifts to purchase riches resemble the poison that is in that morsel; His actual acquiring of riches by those means resembles a man's swallowing down this morsel into his stomach: God's judgments depriving him of his purchase, and destroying of himself, resembles the working of a deadly poison (like that of Asps, or which cometh from a Vipers tongue) which causeth a man to vomit up all that he hath swallowed, and takes away his life.

This general Doctrine (omitting his mistakes) teacheth.

1. The world and the enjoyments thereof have a special sweetness to the wicked's taste, and are a special snare drawing them wrong; For, what was said of wickedness in General, v. 12. is here instanced in the matter of riches, in particular, to show that those are a sweet morsel to a wicked man.

2. It is an evidence of the wicked's inordinate affection to the things of the world, that they are most eager and violent to have them, not caring what, or how they have, so they may have them upon any terms; For, he swalloweth riches as an hungry greedy man doth a morsel, never considering what food it is, or what hazard may be in it.

3. The Lord may let eager greedy men after the world prosper for a time, in their endeavors, that their success may heighthen and augment their sorrow afterward; For, he swalloweth down riches, and gets them into his belly.

4. When a wicked man hath got his will, he is as little secure of his desired wealth as ever; For, when he hath swallowed down riches, he shall vomit them up again. Not because he thinks he is too full, or loathes and hath an antipathy at them, but he is forced to it (either by worldly sorrow and despair, as it was with Judas. Mat. 27.3, 5. Or by violence used toward him by others) as poison causeth men to vomit.

5. Though it be very sore and bitter to a wicked man to be deprived of his ill purchase, as it is for a man to cast his meat, by vomiting it out of his belly; (and so he hath more torment in losing it, than pleasure in getting it) yet God is able to put him to this unpleasant task: For, God shall cast them out of his belly.

6. Wicked men do not only justly lose their ill purchase, but do bring ruin upon themselves thereby: For he shall suck the poison of Asps, and the Vipers tongue (or, the Vipers poison, which, having fastened upon a person, Act. 28.3. it transmits from the tongue and other vessels about the teeth where it lieth) shall slay him; as poison not only makes a man vomit, but kills him.

What hath been spoken in borrowed terms, of the wicked's ill purchase, and the bitter fruits thereof, is now (to v. 22.) more particularly, and in proper terms explained and instanced, not without reflecting upon Job and his case. And, first, in this verse he asserts, that the great abundance of all things, and that sweet and easy life which the wicked man had, or expected to enjoy yet more, shall utterly fail him and disappoint his expectation, when God reckons with him. The thing he dreams of, as the result of all his purchase, is, to be surrounded with Rivers, Brooks and Flouds of Honey and Butter, or, the affluence and perpetuity of all delights to cause him lead a contented life; but he shall be disappointed. Either he shall never attain what he expects, or it shall not continue with him for the future.

Doct. 1. It is the property of wicked men, that a little of the things of time will not content them; as placing their happiness in these things, and knowing no better things after which to seek; For, he would be at Rivers, Brooks, and Flouds of Butter and Honey (as the land of Canaan is said to slow with Milk and Honey) or, an abundance even to superfluity, continually flowing out unto him. It may be that here he reflectts upon Job 's great plenty, which he enjoyed formerly, of which see Chap. 29.6. But he wrongs Job, if he judged that he doated upon these things, or, placed his happiness in them, as the wicked do.

2. It is also the property of the wicked to have vast and large thoughts of the advantages of outward prosperity, because their hearts are set upon it; For, these expressions do also point at the fine life the wicked dream of in their own minds, and what an easy life they intend to lead, as Luk. 12.19.

3. It points out the vanity of outward enjoyments, that let men prize them never so highly, yet they can do no more, at best, but maintain a temporal life, which must perish at last; For, were there Rivers and Flouds of them, yet they are but Butter and Honey, or, means to preserve a dying life; And this is all that the greatest will get, Eccl. 5.9, 10.11. & 6.7. Yea, others may subsist with loss, whereas they, ofttimes, drown themselves in these Rivers, Brooks, and Flouds.

4. Wicked men's contentment in the Creatures is, ordinarily, rather hoped for and expected, than enjoyed; Either they are but laboring for it, and building their nest, or if they enjoy any plenty, it is not so much their present enjoyments, as somewhat they are yet expecting, which comforts them: For, so is posed here, that they build much upon what they shall see.

5. It is just that the wicked's expectation of this, contentment do perish; For, He shall not see the Rivers, &c. Either he labors for it, and yet never attains it, or whatever he attain, his expected stisfaction is but still a coming; or at last, once for all, his contentment shall come to an end, and he shall part with it, never to see it anymore.

6. The more big thoughts, or the greater expectations, wicked men have had of the world and the contentments thereof, their disappointment will be the sadder; For, so is here imported; that they were Rivers, Brooks and Floods, upon which he did do at, and expected to see them; but was disappointed; and therefore this big expectation will make his case more sad.

In the next place, He explains what was spoken in borrowed terms, v. 15. of the wicked man's restoring his ill purchase. And showeth,

1. That he shall restore and not swallow down, what he labored for. Whereby is to be understood, not so much what the poor had labored for, and the wicked man had taken from him; as what the wicked man himself had labored for, either by his toil in robbing others of it, or what he had purchased by his own labor, beside his robbery. All this, shall he restore, either it shall be violently taken from him, or he shall be forced to give it back, when he is brought at under.

2. That he shall restore according to his substance, even all the wealth which he had gathered by robbery, or, at least, all his goods which he hath, so far as they will go to make a restitution. Hence,

3. He shall be disappointed of the joy and blessedness he expected in these: things. While he saith here, that the wicked man shall not swallow down, but restore, what he labored for, which seems contrary to what he said, v. 15. that he hath swallowed down riches; we would consider, Partly, that these different expressions may point at the different lots of several wicked men: some get leave to swallow down wealth, and enjoy it a while; And some get not so much, and have not so much as even a moments contentment of their evil purchase, but it is presently snatched away: Partly, that this expression added to the former points out, what the wicked man's enjoyment of prosperity really is; They have it in their power, and so they swallow it indeed, as a sweet nourishing morsel, but all this is as bad and worse than if they had never enjoyed it. It is like meat that, being eaten, doth not feed, and so it is all one as if they had not swallowed it. Yea, their vomiting of it up again makes it better they had not swallowed it at all.

In this part of the discourse, Zophar, no doubt, reflects upon Job 's losses, but unjustly; as not distinguishing (in such a lot) betwixt punishments or plagues for sin, and cleanly trials; not yet remembering that Job did not so rejoice in his prosperity, ( chap. 31.24, 25.) as he asserts here the wicked do.

However the General Doctrine teacheth,

1. Wicked men want not their own toil in their purchases, either in their ordinary callings, or, courses of oppression; For here he laboreth, for what he hath, one way or other.

2. All this toil and labor doth not give wicked men a sanctified title to their purchases, nor will secure them unto them; For, though he labor for it, yet he shall restore.

3. Oppression is a plague in men's estates, and deprives them even of their other lawful purchases, as well as of what they gained by oppression; For, what he labored for (any way, as hath been explained) shall he restore.

4. When wicked men count all costs, their success in oppression is no success, if not worse, than if they had never succeeded at all; For, so he shall not swallow down, even what he hath swallowed down, as hath been explained.

5. God pursues wicked men's ill purchase, so long as they have anything left, and till they be as poor as ever they were rich; For, the restitution (or, God's taking away of his wealth, and giving of it to others) shall be according to his substance, even all the substance which he hath.

6. Whatever be the joy of wicked men because of their enjoyments; yet, ofttimes, God cuts them short of their joy, and lets them see how empty it was, and how sobriety had beseemed them rather than joy: For, when this change cometh upon the wicked, he shall not rejoice, or, exult, in his purchase, nor shall he have any joy at all (for in the Original it is only, he shall not rejoice ) as not knowing how to rejoice in God, and in spiritual things, in the want of temporal enjoyments.

In the third place, this spoiling of the wicked man is amplified, and the equity thereof cleared, from the consideration of the procuring cause; That since he oppressed the poor, and cast them out of their houses and possessions without law, v. 19. Therefore he shall have no true peace of mind, nor enjoy his desirable things, but shall loose them all, v. 20. or, (as it is, v. 14, 15, 16.) he shall have no quiet with those morsels which he hath got into his belly, till he quit them again.

In this also he reflects unjustly upon Job, who neither was an oppressor, nor wanted peace with God in his trouble.

However, the General Doctrine teacheth,

1. Oppression of the poor is a quarrel wherein God will appear and be a party; For, this is a cause of all those plagues, because he hath oppressed, or, crushed, the poor. See Exod. 22.22-27. & 23.6. Psal. 12.5.

2. While he subjoins this to the sin of oppression, and hath forsaken the poor; it may, in general, point out; That to forsake the poor in his extremity, and as we are called to help him in our stations, may be joined with oppression of the poor, as a sin, little inferior to it. But more particularly, It may point out the height of the wicked man's cruelty; That having crushed the poor, till he did exhaust and leave them nothing, he did not extend the least compassion toward them, when he had thus oppressed them, but turned them out of doors, as is after subjoined, and dealt with them as Amnon dealt with Tamar, 2. Sam. 13.15, 16. And so it teacheth, That oppressors are very cruel, and do never give over, till they exhaust and extenuate men (as the name poor imports) and leave them so to wallow in their miseries; and God marks every step and degree of this oppression: For, he oppresseth and forsaketh, and because of that God punisheth.

3. God not only looks to men's right, whatever their possession be; but he abors that height of cruelty; when men are turned out of their very habitations by oppressors: For, it is a sad quarrel against this wicked man, that he hath violently taken away an house which he built not.

4. Oppressors need expect no true peace, nor contentment, whatever they enjoy; but that God will shake them out of their enjoyments, as a man vomits up a Surfeit: For, surely he shall not feel quietness in his belly, nor brook that morsel in peace, till he cast it up again.

5. Albeit Oppressors set their hearts, and build their felicity, upon their unjust possessions; yet all that will not secure them, but it will rather be their plague, that they have desired those things so much which they must loose: For, he shall not save even of that which he desired, and that shall be bitter to him.

In the last place, it is declared, that this ruin shall be so great, that he shall not have so much as a bit of bread left him; and therefore shall no man look for his goods; that is, he shall have nothing left him, which his heirs may expect, who, in his prosperity, no doubt, looked greedily for that day wherein they should succeed to so great wealth. Or, men shall never cease spolling him, but will still have their eyes upon his goods, so long is he hath a bit of bread, and when that is gone, they need look for no more.

It teacheth,

1. That men have meat, whereby to subsist, is a great mercy, and it is a sad trial to want it; Therefore it is here threatened, as a sad stroke, there shall none of his meat be left, or, there shall be none left (of his desired substance, v. 20.) for his meat. They who enjoy what is simply necessary, have little cause to complain of the want of superfluities.

2. When men are not content with food and raiment, but would still heap up more, it is just with God to leave them not so much as bread; and to suffer men to have an evil eye upon them, and to pluck at them, even so long as they have meat: For, none of his meat shall be left, and then, no man shall look for his goods.

3. Albeit wicked men do not stand to provoke God, and rob others, that they may leave much to their heirs; Yet, God when he pleaseth to pursue a Controversy, can make them poor heirs, yea, and deprive them of all hope, even in the wicked man's own life time: For, thus also, no man shall look for his goods, as hath been explained.

Followeth to v. 29. The third part of this Narration, Containing a further Amplification both of the downfall and subsequent miseries of a wicked man. Wherein he is represented as a terrible delinquent, pursued by God; And (having already spoken of the procuring cause of his fall and miseries) he gives here a further account of the time and efficient cause of his ruin, both instrumental, v. 22. And principal, v. 23. of the means of his ruin, or weapons employed against him to make him miserable, v. 24, 25, 26. of the witnesses that shall be led against him in this process, v. 27. of the effects of all, v. 28.

In this verse we have an account of the time of the wicked man's ruin, and of the instruments employed to bring it about; Namely, That when he is at the height of his prosperity, and full and abounding in all things that are sufficient for a contented life, then straits shall come upon him; and that by the means of all the wicked (or, troublesome men, as the word signifies) that are about him, who shall do to him as he did to others. Here he hath another unjust reflection upon Job 's case, who was oppressed by the Sabaeans and Chaldeans, when he was in a flourishing condition, and his Children were feasting. But the General Doctrine teacheth,

1. Albeit wicked oppressors may, for a time, take elbow-room enough in the world; yet, when God reckons with them, they will be pinched; For, then he is in straits, or straitened. And by this, partly, the Lord meets with their lawless dispositions, and he straitens them who will not be hemmed in by his Law. And partly, he plagues them for their taking liberty, and loosing the reins to themselves, in prosperity, by causing trouble pinch them sore.

2. The height of the wicked's prosperity is so far from securing them, that, ordinarily, ruin comes upon them when they are so exalted; For, in the fullness of his sufficiency, and when he abounds in all things, and hath a full sufficiency of them, he shall be in sl •• ites. See Psal. 92.5, 6, 7. Luke 12.19, 20. 1 Thess 5 3. As in then most flourishing condition, they are for most part, in wants, through the want of satisfaction and contentment, Eccl. 5.10. So God, in the time, brings real wants and straits upon them, and ofttimes their stroke is but waiting for them till they be higher, that the stroke may be sadder.

3. Such as wickedly and unjustly oppress others, God justly turns them ove unto as wicked hands, who will show them as little pity: For, as he oppressed the poor, v 19. So every hand of the wicked ( •••• else, of those are about him, and can reach him) shall come upon him. Thus the very wickedness of 〈◊〉 instruments of vengeance (which prompts them to be cruel) ought to be remarked Ezek. 7.21, 22, • 3, 24.

In this verse we have a more particular account of the time of the wicked man's ruin, together with the principal Efficient Cause thereof; Namely, God, who shall rain the fury of his anger (or, some effects of his hot displeasure) upon the wicked man, even, when he is about to satisfy himself with his purchases and with what he wished for, to make him happy. Thus the words are to be understood, not so much; literally, that while he is eating his meat, his ruin comes (as befell Job 's Children, and the People of Israel, Numb. 11.33.) as (according to the scope of the former Metaphor, v. 12, 13, 14, 15.) that he shall be destroyed, even when he is about to glut himself with these sweet morsels, which he had acquired with so much labor and toil.

Doct. 1. Who ever be the Instruments of the wicked's ruin, yet, God is the Principal Cause of it; who should be waited upon, that he may bring it about in his due time, and should be seen in it, when it cometh to pass: For, God shall cast upon him, &c. And though the word, God, be not in the Original, yet it is to be reputed from, v. 15. And the expressions, of fury of his wrath, and raining it down upon the wicked, do evince that it is his work.

2. When God is a man's party, all instruments that he shall be pleased to employ will also be against him; For, every hand of the wicked shall be against him, v. 22. when God is pursuing him in the fury of his wrath..

3. God can holily make use of wicked men, and their wicked actions, to scourge other wicked men; As this verse, compared with the former, doth also teach. See Isa. 10 5.

4. God chooseth the time for plaguing of wicked men so as they may be most surprised, and their plagues prove most bitter to them, For, he is plagued when he is about to fill his belly, and is eating; when he is at the height of his expectation, and beginning to joy in it, this cometh upon him. He begins to eat, and taste of sweetness, but gets not leave to fill his belly.

5. It is the great misery of the wicked, that, whatever plague come upon them, it flows from wrath, and the fury of wrath; As here we are taught. And it warns men not to judge of the greatness of a stroke by what it is in itself, but by the measure of divine displeasure that is manifested in and by it.

6. Wicked men may expect that the effects of Divine displeasure will not only come suddenly and unexpectedly upon them, as a plump-shower in the fairest day, and will fall upon them from heaven (whence the ruin cometh) when there is no appearance they can be reached by any upon earth; but that they will be poured down abundantly upon them, to compense all former delays and sparing them: All this is imported in this, that God will rain wrath upon him, when he is about to fill his belly, and is eating.

In these verses, and the next that followeth, this ruin of the wicked man is illustrated from the consideration of the means of it, or the weapons employed to bring it about. And, in these verses, he asserts,

1. That though the wicked man flee one mean of ruin, yet another shall reach him; As a man fleeing the sword, or the like Iron weapon, which kills at a nearer distance, is overtaken by an arrow shot out of a Bow of steel, or, of brass, which they used to temper well in those days. v. 24.

2. That, as when a man is thus wounded by an arrow at a distance, his Enemy approacheth nearer, and draweth out his Arrow, and woundeth him again with his Sword; So God, shall never cease to pursue the wicked man, by one mean or other, till those weapons be drawn out of his very gall, or leave him with a bitter and deadly wound, v. 25. wherein he seems to allude to what Job had complained of Chap. 16.13.

3. That being thus left in the pangs of death, he shall be haunted and tormented with terrors, v. —25.

From this, according to the General Rules, Learn..

1. As wicked men must be fought with, and their stubbornness crushed, before they will stoop to God; So God is provided for them, having deadly weapons, and instruments of destruction, at command; For, here are the Iron Weapon, the bow of steel, and the glistering sword, wherewith God is provided to bring down stubborn man. See Psal. 7.11, 12, 13.

2. Though wicked men have the stoutness to resist when God pursueth, and are more careful to avoid, than to improve, plagues; yet, all will be to no purpose, for they cannot escape, nor stand out under God's hand: For, here it is assured, that, let them flee as they will, they will be reached.

3. Though wicked men escape one plague, it is only because they are reserved for another, and for a more sudden and unexpected stroke, like an arrow coming out of a Bow at a distance; For, he shall flee from the Iron Weapon, and the Bow of steel shall strike him through. See Isa. 24 17, 18.

4. God will at last conquer and triumph over all the stubbornness of wicked men; For, it shall not be a sleight hurt, but shall strike him through, and he shall wound him as often as he pleaseth, and draw his weapons out of his body.

5. Since wicked men will not amend or turn to God under afflictions, as the godly do; God doth justly pursue them with deadly plagues; For, the wounds here given him are deadly.

6. The strokes that come upon wicked men will prove bitter and terrible to them; For, the Sword cometh out of his very gall the seat of bitter humors, and, terrors are upon him. It is no wonder the wicked man dies always violently, because he hath never will to die, and he wants the peace of God, which might secure his heart against the terror of such sad dispensations.

In this verse we have a further account of the means of the wicked's ruin; wherein is declared,

1. That when the wicked man it terrified and deadly wounded, as hath been said in the former verses, he will seek to all hiding places and refuges, (as a wounded and pursued man seeks to secret and obscure corners) but in vain, for darkness shall meet him there.

2. That he shall be consumed by a fire not blown, that is, by plagues sent upon him suddenly and from God, without the hand of any creature.

3. That this ruin, shall not only reach himself, but his family.

Whence Learn.

1. Wicked men will be known by the refuges to which they betake themselves, when they are terrified or plagued; For, the wicked man hath his secret places.

2. Terror, discouragement, and want of peace will meet a pursued wicked man, even in his hiding places and refuges; For, darkness is hid, or, reserved and laid up for him, in his secret places.

3. His dark and d • eery condition is not such in part only, but wholly and altogether, to him; For, it is all darkness, or, every kind of it, without any light of counsel or direction, of comfort for the present, or hope of Issue for the future.

4. God is a consuming fire, Heb. 12.29. and will especially prove such to incorrigible wicked men; For, a fire cometh from him, to consume them,

5. God delights much to appear against wicked men, by sending judgments upon them whereof their is no apppearance in the second causes; For, it is a fire not blown by men, but such as was rained down upon Sodom, and upon Job 's cattle, Chap. 1.16. Not that every plague upon wicked men comes so immediately from God, as second causes have no hand in them; For the contrary is asserted in the preceding and following verses, But the meaning is, that though, there were no second causes which could reach them: yet God would reckon with them; And beside all these plagues, wherein he makes use of second causes, he is, ofttimes, pleased to appear more immediately against them,

6. Wicked men are causes of misery, not only to themselves, but to all that are theirs; For, it shall go ill with him, that is left in his Tabernacle, and then his stately habitation appears to be a Tabernacle only.

In this verse we have an account of the witnesses led in the process against this delinquent. Not simple witnesses to depone and give their testimony only, but means of his destruction also, with those formerly mentioned; or such witnesses as (having given their testimony) had their hands first upon the delinquent to execute the sentence, to confirm the truth of their Testimony. See Deut. 17.7. So the meaning of the verse is, that Heaven and Earth, and all the creatures in them shall conspire the wicked man's ruin, thereby to convince him how wicked he is.

In this he doth reflect upon the various strokes, from Heaven and Earth, that had been inflicted upon Job 's substance and family; and upon Job 's appeal to Heaven and Earth, Chap. 16.17, 18. but very unjustly, seeing the word had not born witness against him.

However the General Doctrine teacheth.

1. Iniquity will not be got hid, so long as either men have Consciences, which God can force to tell out what they are, or so long as there are insensible creatures to be witnesses against the ungodly; For, the Heaven shall reveal his iniquity. Sin will find men out, Numb. 32.23. And God hath, ofttimes, by strange means found out notorious delinquents.

2. God can employ all the creatures to speak to a wicked man by plagues, who, otherwise, will not notice what he is; For, thus they are witnesses to reveal his iniquity, by rising up against him.

3. All God's Creatures are Enemies to wicked men, and will prove so, if they get a Commission from God for that effect; For, Heaven and Earth are ready to rise up against him, if they be employed. Which showeth that wicked men dwell among more Enemies than they are aware of.

All the procedure against this delinquent is here summed up in the effects thereof; Namely, the ruin of his Children and Prosperity, in that day of divine displeasure.

Whence Learn,

1. When God pursueth wicked men, the effects of it will be sad and dreadful; as here we are taught.

2. Men's increase (whether of Children, Wealth, or Honor) is a very uncertain thing; especially, when they hold it not with a good Conscience; For, the increase of his house shall depart.

3. God can make all the wicked's enjoyments very suddenly to melt and ebb away; For, this increase of his house (which is to be repeated from the beginning of the verse instead of his goods, which is supplied by the Translatours) shall flow away.

4. As all the calamities that befall the wicked flow from displeasure, so when wrath goeth forth against them, nothing will be able to stand before it; For it shall flow away in the day of his wrath.

In the last part of the Narration, this whole Discourse is summed up in a Conclusion, that all th • se plagues and judgments, formerly mentioned, are proper and peculiar to wicked men only. This he subjoins to his Discourse, that he may convince and press Job to take more notice of what he hath spoken. But still he forgets that there is a difference betwixt trials and plagues; And that there is not always such a visible difference put betwixt the godly and the wicked in this life.

However, from this Conclusion we may safely, Learn,

1. It will not avail that men hear much, unless they apply whar they hear to their own condition; so much doth Zophar insinuate, by inferring his Doctrine, by way of conclusion, in the close of his discourse.

2. Wicked men ought not to look so much to what they may enjoy for a time through God's indulgence, as to what is their portion, and will be their heritage forever: So much is imported in that he puts him in mind what is the portion of a wicked man, and the heritage appointed unto him.

3. Whatever the wicked may enjoy for a time, yea, all the days of their life; yet, sooner or later, they will find that wrath and ruin is their portion and heritage: For, though all that hath been said be not true in Zophar 's sense, yet in so far it is true, that this (all that he hath spoken) is the portion and heritage of a wicked man. He is still under the wrath of God, and he deserves all that is here threatened, and all of it, or worse, will at last befall him.

4. Wicked men, though they presume to choose their own ways, yet will find that they are not carvers of their own lots, but God will assign those unto them; For, it is the heritage appointed unto him by God, or, the heritage of his decree from God, which is spoken of, and determined for him by a sentence from God, as the Original imports.

5. Though wicked men be stubborn and stout-hearted against God; yet, he is strong and powerful to execute his sentence against them; Therefore is the name of the strong God (as it is in the Original) given him in this business.

6. Men may strangely mistake, in the matter of the lot of the godly and wicked, if they look only to temporal enjoyments, and not also to that which men receive after this life; For, Zophar did here mistake, while he judged that all God's threatening against the wicked, and promises to the godly, were visibly fulfilled in this life.

BEfore I enter upon Job 's Reply, if we consider what is here premitted (as also elsewhere) by the writer of this Book, that Job did answer, and so answered, distinctly and calmly, as is after cleared in his discourse; We may Observe,

1. Though Error and Delusion may be talkative more then enough; yet Truth is so strong and invincible, that it will never leave its Champion without a defense, and somewhat to say on its behalf: For, this is now the sixth time that Job hath an answer in readiness. Truth is a sure friend, which will never desert them who do not desert it.

Obs. 2. Friends of Truth ought not to be discouraged, nor weary, were the assaults made upon them never so frequent or sore; For, Job doth not weary, though he be so often put to it. We must resolve upon a continual fighting life, one way, or other; and it is good service to God thus to continue steadfast, notwithstanding all the indefatigableness of men who are against Truth; and when we are toiled, still the longer the more, we should remember, that it is service to God still, first and last.

Obs. 3. All his Friends heat and violence doth not cause him forget the cause and question in Controversy, but he still handles that solidly, and searcheth into the grounds of it accurately. Which teacheth, That it should he men's great care not to loose Truth by Debates, nor to be driven from their point by needless janglings. For a small point of Truth is of more worth than much of our wills and humors.

Obs. 4. The more they are in heat, he is the calmer, and argues now more moderately than ever. Which teacheth,

1. Calmness is necessary in managing of Debates, that we wrong not God and ourselves, our just Cause and the Truth of God, because men, by their miscarriages, do wrong us, or it.

2. Though calmness be not an infallible evidence of men's being on Truth's side, yet readily they are most in the right who are most calm; as Job here was.

3. Continued and renewed assaults should not irritate, but rather compose godly men so much the more; as here to Job grows the longer the calmer.

I proceed to Job 's Preface, the scope whereof, is, to crave their attention to what he was to say; Which he presseth by five Arguments. And in this verse after the Exhortation to attention, he propounds the first Argument, wherein he puts them in mind of their duty, and of their errand they came about, when they came to visit him. And shows them that, however they came to comfort him, Chap 2.11. and, probably, that was their ultimate design in all they spake, yet they followed that design in so ineffectual a way, that it would be better to him than all the Consolations they offered him, if they would say nothing, and only hear him peaceably, and therefore he judgeth they should attend to what he saith, seeing he craves no greater proofs of hindness from them.

Doct. 1. It is no easy task to be right hearers of grave and weighty Truths; and, particularly, when men are prejudged, and preoccupied with their own Opinions, they will not hearken attentively to what is said against them: For, Job 's Exhortation imports that they had not heard diligently his speech, that is, however they had heard all he said, yet they did not so ponder it as to embrace the Truths he asserted, or to be enabled thereby to speak more pertinently to his case.

2. It is the duty of friends to endeavor, what they can, to be comfortable to their godly friends in affliction; For, consolations were that, which he might in reason have expected from them, and which they also intended in their way. Though God afflict his Children, yet he allows Consolation upon them; and to be useless this way, in sad times and lots, will be very grievous to them who lay duty to heart, as being not only grievous to the afflicted, but prejudicial to themselves, and depriving them of these blessings which are promised to the tender-hearted and compassionate, Psal. 41.1, 2.

3. The Consolations which godly afflicted men meet with, even from their godly friends may be, ofttimes, little worth; For Job implies that their hearing of him speak were better than all of their Consolations: Hear, saith he, my speech and let this be your Consolations, or, instead of these comforts which ye offer me. Want of skill to deal with afflicted souls (which requires one of a thousand, Chap. 33.23.) may render men very useless to them; yea, most able and qualified men will not be useful, unless they put themselves over upon God for that effect: And here by God would humble men, (as is observed much to this same purpose, Chap. 32.13.) and fit the afflicted for an immediate proof of his own compassion.

4. They can never be useful or comfortable to any in affliction, who do not wisely take up their case what it is; For, this obstructed their intended Consolations, that they had not heard him diligently, nor taken up his case aright from his own Narration, and so could not apply sit remedies. See Psal. 41.1. Prov. 18.13. And here men cannot but fail in their duty, if they judge of men by outward appearance, or their own inward prejudices, or, if they do not give many grains of allowance to the afflicted in their distempers, as Elisha did to the Shunamite, 2 Kings 4.27. or if they do not put their souls in the afflicteds souls stead, as Christ bare all the Sicknesses, by Sympathy, which he cured, Mat. 8 16, 17.

5. When afflicted men can find no other comfort, they should account it a comfort to get their grievances vented, and patiently heard; For, so Job accounts it Consolations, to be diligentgently heard. Humility will make afflicted persons stoop to very mean comforts. And it is indeed an case, and they should complain the less, if they get but a friend to whom they may pour out their hearts, and not be misconstructed; and such should be made use of as a special favor, Mal. 3.16. lest, otherwise, the afflicted meet with the sad trial of impatient and misconstructing friends. And, especially, they should have a care to pour out their grievances to God (not neglecting that, as Ezek 24, • 3.) which will bring solid ease, 1 Sam. 1.15, 18.

In this verse Job repeats the Exhortation to Attention in other terms, desiring that they would suffer him, to speak out his mind, and not interrupt him, as formerly they had done; and adds the second Argument, which is, that if once they would hear him out, he could bear their mocking the more patiently. He expresseth this in the singular number, mock thou on (as the Original hath it) as pointing at Zophar, and his late insolent discourse, in particular. And as he doth hereby insinuate, that they had formerly mocked him, rather then answered to what he said; So this Ironical concession, mock on, doth further imply, that if they heard him, as they ought, they would not persist to mock him, or if they did, he would bear it the more patiently, if once he were heard; and therefore he thinks they ought to hear him, seeing it might prevent their further miscarriage, or, at least, they should allow him this poor case to get leave to speak his mind, let them make of it what they pleased, when he had done.

Doct. 1. Godly men may be so much mistaken by others, that they will not so much as patiently hear them speak for themselves; For, Job implieth here, that he was interrupted and not suffered to speak. Men should be prepared for such a lot as this; and it points out how much they need to study sincerity, and to approve themselves to God, seeing they may meet with such usage from men. And self-seekers, and such as hunt after the praise of men, should consider how unsure a foundation men's opinion and approbation are, and how loose a grip they have thereof, even when they think they are most esteemed.

2. Not only may godly men be thus misconstructed, but their laddest complaints may be but matter of mockage, even to their dearest friends; as Job here found, who had been but mocked by them, which is the construction he puts upon all their discourses, and the consolations they had offered to him. See Chap. 12.4. Men will be more ready to mock and insult over godly men, (especially in affliction) than either to answer their Arguments, or recover them out of their supposed Errors. And it is but, in effect, mockery, to deal with an afflicted godly man as they dealt with him.

3. Were the condition of godly men under affliction well considered, it would be found no matter of sport, and that it is not Children's play wherewith they are exercised; For, Job 's discourse imports that they would not mock on, and would find that he spake nothing that might procure their scorn, if they hearkened to it attentively.

4. Men who get their consciences discharged, and their mind spoken in behalf of truth, may enjoy peace; whatever be the miscarriage of others; For, if they will suffer him that he may speak, it will not trouble him though they mock on.

5. It is a poor advantage, were it well considered, when men get liberty to go on in their sinful courses; As here Job supposeth they gain nothing, when they are permitted to mock on.

In the third Argument pressing attention (in this verse) he obviates the exception which might be taken at his complaints; and asserts that his complaints were not directed to man, but to God, and if it were otherwise, he might have much cause of grief and trouble. And as to his scope in this, The words may be looked upon as a justification of his complaints, from the consideration of the cause of them; That his complaints being not for ordinary strokes inflicted by men, such as they saw, but for strokes inflicted by God's immediate hand in an extraordinary way, it was no wonder he could not keep a measure in them. Yea, had he but to complaint of strokes inflicted by men, such as they saw, and were they only his party, it were no wonder if his Spirit were troubled, or shortened (as the word is) in all his resolutions to be patient. This Interpretation doth import, That men in trouble should not be too severely censured, though their passions and distempers put them to grief and complaints. And especially, when God is a party in trouble, and men • lie under more pressures than only outward trouble, it is no wonder they get it not so well born, but some weaknesses do appear.

But it seems rather that the words are to be understood of his complaint in itself; That his complaints were directed to God, and not to them; And therefore, since God heard him, they were bound to hear him also. And to excite them to ponder this the more, he adds that if he had not God to complain unto, but men only to deal with, it might have added much to his trouble, considering how cruelly they dealt with him.

Whence Learn.

1. It doth beseem the Children of God, and is an evidence of his grace in them, that they prove not Rebels under their afflictions and grievances, nor do rest upon what may be expected from men, but do go to God with them; For, whatever were Job 's failings in these his complaints, yet it is commendable that his complaint is not to man.

2. Saints may be so far mistaken and neglected by all others that they will be driven to this blessed necessity, that they must go to God with all their grievances. For, so was Job necessitated, to make his complaint not to man. See Psal. 142.4, 5.

3. When Saints are thus hemmed in, it is a call to go to God, who will respect them when all sleight them; For, so Job looked upon it, when in that case he made his complaint, not to man, but to God. See 1 Sam. 30.6.

4. God is so compassionate to his own Children, when they come to him in affliction, as may make the best of friends ashamed of their short coming in duty to them; And Saints will find that in him, which they will find nowhere else; For, so much doth the force of Job 's Argument import, that since his complaint is not to man, they might well give attention to what God suffered him to speak to himself.

5. Saints in their trouble would readily find their case intolerable, were they left upon men, and had not God for a refuge; For, so much doth Job here suppose, If it were so, Why should not my spirit be troubled?

The fourth Argument pressing attention, is, That if they would look to him, or, consider his condition, and what he was to say of the various dispensations of Divine Providence, it might astonish them to think upon them, and their own mistakes about them, and might make them silent and not speak as they did,

Whence Learn,

1. Before men judge of God's dealing in any particular, or of the afflictions or lots of others, they ought to consider and mark them narrowly; As here Job requires of them, Mark me, or, look unto me, my condition, and my doctrine concerning God's Providence.

2. Men may see and hear much of that which yet they consider and mark but little; For, they both saw his condition, and heard what he is now to say, from his former discourses; and yet, saith he, mark me, or, look to me, as calling for more accurate attention. Men do see many things and yet observe them not, Isa 42.20. And it is a plague upon them when they see and perceive nor. Isa. 6.9.

3. Many of the dispensations of Providence in the world, and particularly of the lots of Saints, may be such as might astonish right discerners; For, saith he, both in reference to his own condition, and his doctrine concerning God's Providence, Mark me, and be astonished. We adore not God in what is ordinary, And therefore singular dispensations are sent to rouse us up. And albeit stupid astonishment be not good, yet this imports that, in effect, God's dispensations cannot well be pried into, but ought to be wondered at.

4. Men will be so much the more astonished at the dispensations of God in the world, and toward Saints, when they consider them narrowly, and do remember that they have been in an error, and have not considered them well before; For, this is required of them in particular, that they be astonished, when they shall consider them well, and reflect upon their own mistakes about them. As it is not unusual that men get open eyes, to be astonished at their own mistakes in things wherein they thought they were very clear.

5. A wise consideration of God's dispensations will cause men silently to adore, rather than to carp, and foolishly talk and prate of them; For, he supposeth that if they mark well, they will find all their former babbling so refuted, as may cause them lay their hand upon there mouth.

The last Argument (confirming the former) is taken from his own sense of his condition, and of what he was to say. When he thinks upon the deep counsels of God, and his various and strange dispensations in the world, and toward himself and other Godly m • n, it causeth him tremble and admire at the Majesty, Wisdom, and Power of God shining therein, and at the ignorance and incapacity of shallow man. Whence he would infer that they ought to learn at him, who was so well trained and exercised in that study, and should hear him speak of that subject, who was so sensibly affected with it.

Whence Learn,

1. What men do press upon others, they should first essay it themselves, that they may recommend it by their practice, as well as by their counsels: Therefore Job, having recommended astonishent and rereverence to them, v. 5. doth press it further here by his own Practice, When I remember I am afraid.

2. Such as would take up and understand the ways of God to any purpose or good effect, ought to be much at serious meditation; For, I Remember, saith Job, when he gives an account of his fear and trembling; intimating that his meditating upon these things, produced these effects.

3. Afflictions are then blessed, when they fix men's wandering and unstable minds, and draw them seriously to ponder and consider, what God and his Dispensations are; For, so Job, in his affliction, is brought to remember these things more seriously.

4. It is a further evidence of the blessing of an afflicted condition, when those serious thoughts do not evanish or miscarry in men's hands, but do produce suitable effects, and impressions upon their hearts; For, Job 's Remembering of those things had such effects, of fear and trembling.

5. However men at ease may lightly pass over things of greatest importance and concernment; Yet, in an afflicted condition, men (especially godly men) will find that thoughts of God and his dealing ought to take deeper impression upon them; For, however his friends looked upon all things, yet he was affected with them.

6. God's dispensations may be very affrightful, even to his own Children, when they think upon them in their afflictions; For, saith Job, when I remember, I am afraid, and trembling taketh hold on my flesh. He had such an awful regard of God, manifesting himself by these dispensations, as made him fear, yea, and tremble. Wherein (beside that fear and reverence which he owed in duty to God, and that horror which their ignorance and mistakes might beget in him) there wants not some excess unto which Saints, remembering God in trouble, are apt to fall. Psal. 77.3. Which, as it flows from their crushed spirits, becoming a spirit of bondage unto them; And it may be their fruit of not delighting in mercy, that they are put to this School: So, it is, oft times, very needful, to excite them to renew their peace with God.

Followeth, unto v. 27, the second part of the Chapter, wherein Job refutes their common assertions concerning the miseries of all, and only, the wicked. And, resolving to clear this question more fully, he doth not content himself (as formerly, for most part) with contradicting of their assertion only, and proving that many wicked men did prosper: But, giving an account of the various lots of wicked men, both separately and conjunctly, he clears how God exercises a great variety in these things; and that, however they might produce some instances of wicked men who had been plagued, yet these were not sufficient upon which to found a General Assertion, nor did they refute his opinion, who notwithstanding these instances) could make it appear that even many of them prospered to their graves. And consequently, 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 these outward dispensations of Providence could not convincingly prove a man to be either righteous or wicked.

From this, to v. 17. Job, in the first place, proves from experience the prosperity of many wicked men, even till death. The Narration consists of three Branches, the first whereof (in these verses) is, an assertion (contradictory to what his Friends maintained) that many of the wicked have a constant and uninterrupted gale of prosperity even to their grave. This he branches out in several particulars, opposite to the many branches of the wicked's misery, mentioned by Zophar and the rest. And namely,

First, that in their life,

1. In their persons, they live to old age, in strength, vigor and power, or wealth. v. 7.

2. In their relations, they prosper also; their children and off spring are many, and settled in their sight. v. 8.

3. Their families within doors are peaceable, without fear of trouble from a Rod of God. v. 9.

4. Without doors, their Wealth is great, and their Cattle fruitful without miscarrying, v. 10.

5. And as their Children and Off-spring are many, so, because of their great prosperity, they live in great mirth and Jollity. v. 11.12.

Secondly, That in death, after they have lived long in much prosperity, and have spent their days in mirth and jovial • y, They die in a moment peaceably, and without any bands in their death. v. 13.

This whole Discourse tending to one purpose, I need not insist upon every word of it, but shall reduce the whole to these Heads.

First, This question, Wherefore do the wicked live, &c? being considered abstractly from the scope, and as spoken to God, might import Job 's stumbling at this dispensation, and his desire of solution about the causes of it, as Jer. 12.1. Hab. 1.13. And the Answer to such a Question might be, That God suffers them thus to prosper, not because he loves them, or minds their good in it, or cannot reach them, but because he would witness his longsuffering, Rom. 2.4. would try the faith, and patience and other graces of his Children, would teach them to imitate him, who is good to his very Enemies, Mat. 5.44, 45. and would suffer the wicked to discover themselves more and more, and run upon snares, &c. But Job doth not here stumble at this lot, v. 16. and he propounds the case not to God, but only to his Friends to refute their Opinions; As if he had said; If that be true which ye assert concerning the ruin of wicked men, How cometh it to pass that daily experience lets us see so many wicked men prospering? This being Job 's scope in the Question, it teacheth,

1. Men once engaged in an Error may be so blind, and so be misled with prejudices and mistakes, that they will not see clearest Refutations of it; as they could not remark constant (at least, frequent) Experiences witnessing against them. Some men, being once engaged, think themselves so interested, as they will not see what may reclaim them; and there are so many delusions and strong delusion, and some are so given over to them, that it is no wonder they cannot see the Truth.

2. The more obvious and clear that light be, against which men sin by their Errors, their sin is the greater and the more inexcusable; As when men sin not only against Divine Revelation, in things which are above the reach of Reason, or against sound Principles of Reason, in things that may be proved thereby, but even against sense and experience, whereof Job makes use here to refute and aggravate the Error of his Friends. Thus men are said to become unreasonable or absurd, 2 Thess. 3.2. and natural brute Beasts, 2 Pet. 2.12. And men are given up to such dispositions, not only for the trial and exercise of the Lovers of Truth, who oppose them, and cannot get them convinced by any means or arguments, and to excite us to pity Adam 's fallen Posterity, when left to themselves; and to cause all men read their own dispositions and inclinations by nature, in their way: But that this may be a warning unto (and if they persist, a punishment of) these who see not the evil of more refined, and polished Errors.

Secondly, The gale of the wicked's prosperity, in their Persons, Children, Family, and Wealth, within and without doors, v. 7, 8, 9, 10. may teach this Truth, That, the doctrine of Zophar and his Companions, is not true of all the wicked; But many of them have a constant and full portion of prosperity. A Truth which the Lord in this Book doth inculcate, for guarding of the hearts of the godly, who (because they need rods to mortify their corruptions, and have many Enemies) are exercised with another lot. And it is a Truth which may hold out these Instructions.

1. Prosperity is not of so much worth and excellency as many think; nor is it the conduit whereby God conveys and communicates his special love to all to whom he gives it; For, if it were so, it would not be dispensed as it is. And it is because the godly think so much of it, that they want it so much; And God is more gracious to them than to it give to them▪ when they are in such a frame as makes them ready to abuse it.

2. Though dispensations, both of prosperity and adversity, be not dumb and say nothing, nor should be useless; Yet they, alone and of themselves, say nothing to clear the state of a man's soul before God, nor can a man judge thereof by any such lot. The highest gale of Prosperity, here mentioned may consist with God's hatred, and all Job 's Adversity may consist with love.

3. The godly should not envy the wicked's prosperity, (as the Psalmist did, Psal. 73 3, &c.) but should rather pity them, seeing they will get no more; Nor should they quarrel much with the wicked about these things, which are their only portion, and not theirs.

4. The godly should not be stumbled at adversity, nor cast down with the want of prosperity. If there were no more to be considered but the will of God, who ordereth all these things, it were enough; But, much more ought they to be satisfied, when they consider, That their portion is secured, whatever befall them in the world; That they are only separated a little sooner from the contentments of time, for they will part with them at last, as the wicked must also do; That, whatever their lot be, they are supported and provided for, and have food and raiment, though, possibly, not to their carnal hearts desire; That, in their adversity, they are called to bring up a good, report of the riches of the grace and favor of God, wherein all their wants are made up; and not to mourn over these Idols whereof they are deprived, but to let see that they can be crucified to the world, as well as it is crucified to them; That they are but fitted to move toward their Country, being delivered from many impediments of a prosperous condition which clogged them; And in a word, That there is a blessedness, even in adversity, to them, Psal. 44.11. We will never attain the right use of our present lot, nor are we fitted for any issue from adversity, till we come to under value prosperity, and to rejoice in the love of Christ, in the want of other things, Rom. 8.35— 39. And till we be more mindful and careful of the blessing of our sad conditions, than of an issue of them. For without this, if we were delivered, we would but run mad in seeking to satisfy our unsubdued and long starved lusts.

5. When the godly look upon all these particulars of the wicked's prosperity, in their persons, children, family, wealth, &c. they may also, on the contrary, see how many doors God hath, whereby to let in trouble upon them, by afflicting them in any of these. Whence may be gathered, partly, how frail man is, and how God hath him at an advantage to make him miserable if he please, by many means; Falling upon him either in his Person, or his Children, or within, or without doors. Partly, How many things the wicked need to patch up some show of happiness to themselves, seeing they will not delight in God. Partly, That the godly ought to remember what trials (in all or any of these enjoyments) they ought to be armed and prepared for, if it please God to call them to it. And, Partly, that they should observe and acknowledge God's mercy, if they be spared in any of these.

6. This should teach us that prosperity is a plague and snare to a wicked man, and the greater his prosperity is, the snare is the greater: For all this is given him, not in mercy, but in judgment. It is a blessedness unto the godly, that God, by afflicting them, takes pains on them, and it is a plague on the wicked, that they are not restrained from the desire of their hearts. And as the godly are ofttimes, tried by the want of trial and exercise; so are the wicked most severely plagued, when they want a visible stroke and plague. And as prosperity discovereth their naughtiness who seemed to be somewhat before, 2 Chron. 25.1, 2. with v. 14. 2 Chron. 26.3, 4, 5, &c. with v. 16. and as it trieth, and discovereth the weakness even of the truly godly, 2 Chron. 32.24, 25, 31. So it will, much more, bring out the naughtiness of the wicked. Their prosperity secures them (as they think) of God's favor, prevents all challenges of Conscience, or affords them mirth to bear out under and against them, hides from them the sight of their need of God, or of Prayer to him; and hardens them most of anything, Rom. 2.4, 5. so that men have need to look how they improve prosperity.

7. If in all this height of prosperity the wicked be but miserable, how much more must they be miserable, who are in adversity, and yet neither have nor seek after Piety?

8. This may also serve to point out how inexcusable wicked men are, and how much they have to make account for, who abuse so much mercy, Rom. 2.4, 5. And who slight God without any provocation on his part.

Thirdly, The great mirth of their numerous Children, v. 11, 12. May teach,

1. All that the wicked get of their prosperity, is, but a little watery mirth, and evanishing pleasure, which others want. Their Children and little ones do but dance in flocks and rejoice in making use of their musical Instruments. This (in so far as it is lawful) men might attain, had they contentment, in a meaner condition. Yea, ofttimes, meaner persons have more solid mirth and satisfaction, than they who co •• most to acquire much of the world. So that they do but follow a shadow who seek prosperity for that end; seeing they seek the thing which is not lost, if they would but be sober to obtain & discern it. Much more might men find in God all that which they seek after in a prosperous condition, yea, and infinitely more; Psal. 4.6, 7.:

2. Whatever lawfulness their be in mirth and cheerfulness; yet it is a mark of the wicked to hunt after it as the issue of all their care; when they aim no higher than to have occasion to bid their souls take case and mirth, Luke 12.19. and their prosperity doth not teach them sobriety; and when they have no other care of their Children (which is the particular in the Text) but to breed them in vanity, Idleness and revellings; as the care of Children's Education is, indeed, a searching trial of men's honesty.

3. It is also an evidence of a wicked disposition when men (like brute Beasts) are taken up only with sensitive and sensual joys, of Mirth, Dancing, &c. And do know, or (at least) prize, no other joy in comparison of those. And though some unrenewed men may, by the Principles of sound Reason, be set above these toys, yet where such an Inclination prevails, it is a sure evidence of an empty and carnal disposition.

4. The issue of all their prosperity, v. 13. may teach,

1. The godly must nor stumble at the long continuance of the wicked's prosperity; and that they not only taste of it for a time, but do even live, wax old, and spend their days in wealth, or, in good, that is, in a cheerful prosperous condition, wherein they acquiesce as their good, and chief happiness. All this tract of prosperity is not sufficient to prove that they are in God's favor; and it is all little enough, since they will get no more. And the godly must be tried by the continuance of this temptation, which will discover how solid and fixed their resolutions are.

2. Death and the grave will put an end to all the wicked's prosperity; For, after all this, they go down to the grave. And since they have nothing to secure them against death, and what followeth upon it, Psal. 49.6, 7, 8, 9. they cannot be happy, enjoy what they will in the world. And it concerns all, who would assure themselves of true happiness; to see what they have to oppose against the fear of death.

3. As the state of wicked men ought not to be judged happy, because of their prosperous life, so neither is their peaceable death any evidence thereof; For, in a moment, and peaceably, they go down to the grave, and have no bands in their death, Psal. 73.4. Men may be so much obdured, through the abuse of much prosperity, as they do not apprehend God's anger against them, nor see any hazard upon the back of death. And, we ought to judge of men, rather by their lives, than by the outward and visible way of their death; and should consider that the more speedily and easily they pass away, they are but posting the faster to their eternal misery, and that one moment puts an end to all their joy forever.

In the Second Branch of this Narration (in this and the following verse) Job proves that they who thus prosper are wicked men, and of the grossest sort of them. For, whereas his Friends might object, that any who thus prospered were the more polished and refined sort of wicked men: He averts they were even the worst and most Atheistical of them, as appeared by their carriage in prosperity. For, they reject God and all Religion, or Knowledge of him, and his ways, v. 14. and confirm themselves in this wretched resolution by some unsound Reasons and Principles, v. 15.

In this verse he declares how they evidence their wicked disposition in their prosperity, by rejecting God and all his offers, as desiring no knowledge of of his ways and service, which they do not mind to observe or follow.

Whence Learn,

1. Whatever some wicked men may seem to be in other conditions; Yet their prosperity will draw out, and make them discover, what they really are; For, Job by this proves their wickedness, that, because they prosper, Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us.

2. It is an undeniable evidence of a wicked disposition, when prosperity, and God's favorable dispensations, become plagues to men, and turn them insolent; For, so it is with these wicked men, Therefore (because they have affluence of all things) they say unto God, Depart from us.

3. It is in particular, an evidence of wickedness, when prosperity turns men impious contemners of God and Religion, and slighters of all his Interests; For, in this do they evidence their insolence here. Albeit much adversity will wring out the Atheism and Irreligion of men's hearts: Yet prosperity will embolden them to it much more.

4. God doth notice the hearts and practices of of wicked men, as speaking, ofttimes, loud blasphemy, however they smooth the matter with their tongues: For, they say this, not all of them with their tongues (though some may come to that height of impiety) but in their hearts, and by their practice, Psal. 14.1, 2.

5. God is so long suffering, that he follows even the wicked with offers, convictions, and excitations to their duty: For, that they would have him depart, imports he is with them, following them to reclaim them. Which showeth how difficult it is for men to get over the belly of Light, and sober Principles, and to turn open and avowed Atheists, but when they are most wicked, they will be haunted with somewhat checking and convincing them.

6. Wicked men are so far from following after God, when he seems to flee from them, that his presence and company is a burden to them, and they cannot endure the means be affords them, and that light, and those Convictions, whereby he seeks to reclaim them; For, they say, Depart from us.

7. That they say this to the strong God (as the Word signifieth) doth not only testify Job 's respect to God whom they sleight, in that he calls him by that Name; (as such insolent miscarriages should excite godly men to their duty so much the more) But that they are so hardened in their course, that they fear not his power, or that he is the strong God. Which showeth the power of obduration, that it is afraid of no hazard.

8. Such as would prove themselves to be truly godly, ought to resign themselves up to God, to observe and follow his will, and not their own inclinations; For, thy ways (or, God's ways, not wherein himself walks, but which he hath enjoined to man) are the paths which they ought to trace.

9. Men must have solid knowledge of God's ways, what they are, and what advantage there is in following of them, before they can observe them; For, so is here supposed, that there must be the knowledge of his ways.

10. Albeit the knowledge of Religion, and of God's ways be a special favor, yet wicked men have no esteem of it; For, they desire not the knowledge of his ways. They have the light and all reproofs, Joh. 3.20. because they are vexed thereby. And if wicked men desire not knowledge, because it would trouble them, and interrupt their joy in their sinful courses; they must be much more hardened, who have knowledge, and seek after it, and yet never take notice of their practice and conversation.

11. It is a Character of wicked men, when not only their practice, but their affections are corrupted; For, not only are they ignorant, but they desire not the knowledge of his ways, which is much worse than simple ignorance.

12. When men do not delight in the knowledge of God's ways, nor seek after knowledge as all treasures, they do, upon the matter, bid him depart from them; For, the one is subjoined, as a confirmation of the other, Depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.

In this verse we have an account how the wicked do confirm themselves in this wretched resolution, upon some false Grounds and Reasons. Namely, That they see no excellency in God (though he be Almighty and All-sufficient ) wherefore they should serve him, nor any advantage to be reaped by calling upon him.

Whence Learn,

1. It is an evidence of true Piety, when men are not their own, but do give up themselves in all things to be subjects and servants to God; and when they make Conscience of Prayer as a special part of their homage and service, and as a mean of keeping near their Master, of drawing out furniture and strength for their other service, and of partaking of the reward of it; For, these two are joined here, as the Characters of godly men in those times, wherein the wicked refuse to concur with them, that they serve God, and pray unto him. And both these must be joined by those who would approve themselves to God. For other services in our ordinary conversation will not excuse the want of Prayer, and the practice of Prayer, will not afford us a dispensation to live in other things as we please.

2. The word rendered, Prayer, in the Original signifieth, to meet God; which not only intimates, That Supplicants should have their face toward God, by Holiness, and should not pray (so to say) over their shoulder to him, while their hearts and inclinations are another way: But further also, That Prayer is a tryst and mean of intercourse betwixt God and them, wherein God is coming to meet them, Isa. 64.5. And they not only go to meet him, but do take up his meeting of them as an encouragement to that duty. And particularly, That Prayer is the right way of meeting God, when he comes with threatened judgments, and to deprecate his anger, as the word principally imports.

3. We have here also an account of the Principles and Encouragements of serving God, which were in use in these times, and ought yet to be studied. Namely,

1. High thoughts of God, particularly, as an All-sufficient God, able to protect and do all things needful for them who serve him; For, so is imported, that he was held out as the Almighty, or, All-sufficient, to invite men to serve him. See Gen, 17.1.

2. The advantage that men reap by serving God, particularly, by calling upon him; For, it hath also been held out, that here was profit in praying to him. See 1 Tim. 4.8. & 6.6. And we should study both these, for low thoughts of God, and want of hope, will hinder Service and Prayer.

Doct. 4. It is the character of wicked men that they loath to be servants to God, nor can endure a yoke, or any above them, and the more prosperous, the more insolent are they: For, here they decline to serve him See Psal. 12.4.

5. It is also a Character of the wicked, that they harden themselves in the slighting of God's service, by entertaining low thoughts of him: For, What is the Almighty, (say they) that we should serve him? They do not know nor acknowledge God as he is; and they look upon his glorious Titles as nothing else but fine words, to which he is nothing answerable in his blessed nature; or they think they need no proofs of his Alsufficiency, but can stand upon their own legs, and serve their own turn without him.

6. Such as will not serve God, do not only transgress a command, and prejudge themselves of their own happiness, but they offer to reflect upon, and affront God: For, their way, upon the matter, saith, What is the Almighty, that we should serve him?

7. Prayer is a part of God's Service, from which, the wicked are most especially averse; For as they decline all service in general, so in special, they decline to pray unto him.

8. The wicked are not content to sleight Prayer only, but they do also (at least in their heart and practice) traduce it as an unprofitable undertaking; For, say they, what profit should we have, if we pray unto him? It is their fault, that they look only to their own advantage and profit in this matter; seeing they are bound to it as their duty, and as service to God, whatever they reap by it. And it is yet further their fault, that they do not discern the true spiritual advantage of Prayer (which is not small) but do measure all things by outward advantages. Whence it comes to pass that (in many cases and times) they loose sight of the profit of Prayer; Carnal men cannot discern how Prayer, and Access to God thereby, do sweeten and sanctify hard Lots when they are not removed; Atheists think Prayer not the most compendious way of relief in trouble, but will rather essay any other shift, or will weary of it, if an answer be long delayed. 2 Kings 6.30, 33. Hypocrites will cast of Prayer, when, after making a show of seeking God, they are yet left in trouble, Isa. 58.3. Especially if they see others, who neglect that way, prospering. Mal. 3.14, 15. And prospering wicked men, are ready to think they have no need of God, and that they are not in his Reverence, nor can be bettered by him, or his help, and therefore care not for Prayer to him; which is the disposition of these here. See also, Chap. 22.17. Hence, it ought to be looked on, as a plague upon men, when they cast out with Piety under any dispensation; when they are out of the sensible need of God's help in every condition; when they look not upon Prayer, and keeping of the way of God, as a reward to itself Psa. 44.17, 18, 19. or, when outward prosperity causeth them to under value spiritual mercies.

In the third Branch of this Naration, Job subjoins a Caution; And, lest any should think that his speaking thus of the wicked's prosperous lot, and of their principles and way, did import that he liked and was taken with them, or stumbled because it was otherwise with himself; He showeth that this scope in all the former Narration is not to commend their prosperous condition, or to express his envy at their prosperity; But (as to clear how false the reasonings of his Friends were, who said that such wicked men were most afflicted; so) to show how detestable their manners are to God and him, notwithstanding all their prosperity. And for this end,

1. He declareth, as to their condition in itself, that their good is not in their hand; That is, Notwithstanding all they do enjoy, yet not only do they want that which is man's true good, and happiness (which is the favor of God) But even as to that prosperity which they think their good, and place their happiness therein; though they think themselves so sure of it, and so settled in it, that they see no need of depending upon God, or calling upon him, v. 14.15. Yet as their power could not acquire, so neither can it retain even that outward prosperity, without God.

2. He declareth, as to himself, that, however they prospered and he was afflicted; Yet, he was far from agreeing to their counsel or, opinion, either in looking on prosperity as man's chief good, or in their Atheistical impiety.

Whence Learn,

1. When the godly under adversity are either thinking or speaking of their own lot, or the wicked's prosperity, notwithstanding their impiety; they should guard well, that neither their own hearts be poisoned, nor others get cause to think they are stumbled or ensnared with any unsound Principle: Therefore Job subjoins this caution, to guard himself and prevent any mistakes from his Friends. The study of the wicked's prosperity is a very trying exercise to godly men, Psal. 73.2, 3, 10, 11, 12. Jer. 12.1. Hab. 1.13. And therefore they should guard themselves, lest, their own hearts being distempered with it, they express anything which may dishonor God, or offend Saints. Psal. 73.15. or harden the wicked in their ill courses:

2. Whatever the lot of the wicked may seem to say at first view (either to themselves, or to the godly) to commend their way; yet a right discerner will see that in it, which may refute their folly, even to admiration; Therefore he premits a Lo, or behold, to to what he is to say, to intimate that it is admirable, that this should be the true state of their condition, when yet themselves and others think far otherwise of it. It is true, that not only the wicked themselves see not the truth of their own condition. Psal. 92.6, 7. Mic. 4.11, 12, 13.. But even godly men under temptation may be much in the dark about it. Psal. 73.15.16. yet when they come unto the Sanctuary, they may get another sight of it, even to admiration and till they see cause to be ashamed of their ignorance. Psal. 73.17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22.

3. Though the wicked think themselves so happy in their prosperity, as to stand in no need of God, v. 16. yet they are far from true happiness for all that; For, whatever they enjoy, true happiness is another thing, their good is not in their hand, See Psal. 4.6 7. And this is a needful caution under trying dispensations, that we be careful to discern wherein true happiness consists, and to see the vanity of time, that we may be as careful to die to it, as it dieth to us.

4. Though the wicked fear not God, and do look upon what they have (which they account their good and happiness) as procured and acquired by themselves; And do think that they are able to secure it, without owning of God, v. 15. Yet herein also they are mistaken, they neither could acquire it, nor can secure it, of themselves: For, thus also their good is not in their hand. Hence it is, that God asserts that it is he that causeth wicked men to prosper, for his own holy ends, Isa. 10.5, 6, 7. with v. 10, 13, 14. See also Isa. 37.23-27. This is a special plague upon the prospering lots of the wicked, that they seclude their dependence upon God; and it is the godly's mercy when they are taught to deny themselves, and depend upon God, in every condition.

5. It is a sure principle, and much to be studied for encouraging to Piety, that the world is not at the wicked's disposal, God not noticing which way it go; But that there is an hand of God in every dispensation, and that it is he who maketh the wicked to prosper, and continueth their prosperity during his pleasure: For, so much doth Job assert here, that their good is not in their hand, but in God's. To loose the sight of an overruling hand of God in these things, is the ready way to cause us decline, or faint in the way of God, Ezek 9.9. Psal. 73.10, 11, &c. But if we be serious in minding Providence, it may afford us useful and comfortable thoughts of God's ends and purposes in all these dispensations.

6. It adds to the sin of wicked men, that they are deliberate in their evil courses, and that their miscarriages flow not from a violent fit of temptation, but are the result of their fixed principles; For, there is the counsel of the wicked in what they do. Which may warn us to beware of ill principles (whatever our failings be, 1 Kings 15.14.) which will not only draw to evil courses, but will aggravate the sinfulness thereof before God.

7. It is not enough, that men have not corrupt principles, unless they do abominate them, and do walk in godly fear and solicitude, lest they be entangled in them; For, Job was far from this counsel of the wicked. He keeped a great distance, as fearing and abominating such Principles. And where this is not, men are not far from a snare, if they meet with a strong temptation.

8. Godly men, when they discern aright, will neither stumble at their own, nor at the wicked's lot, nor will they be taken with the wicked's Principles; but they will love Piety with a Cross, better then Prosperity with impiety: As here Job, having given an account of the wicked's lot and Principles, doth subjoin, The counsel of the wicked is far from me. Only here we must guard, lest we trust to our own strength in this undertaking, for we find the godly have stumbled. Psal. 73. And therefore, for our help.

1. We ought not to pore too much either upon our own, or the wicked's Lot, as the Psalmist did, Psal 73. seeing we have other meditations, besides these, recommended to us by God.

2. We ought not to lean to our own wit and counsel, but should go to the law and Testimony, Isa. 8.20. Where we have God's infallible verdict concerning all things that occur.

3. It is not enough we have clear light from the word, unless we be near God, that our light may have an impression upon us; As the psalmist went into the Sanctuary, Psal. 73.16, 17. where he got clear information and near fellowship with God.

4. However our hearts may be tempted to stumble; Yet we should beware of offending the Generation of the godly; as the psalmist was in the like case. Psal. 73 15. which put some stop to the distempers and miscarriages to which temptation drave him.

5. We ought to be much in the study and practice of Patience, seeing a short while may let us see the woeful issue of wicked men's prosperity; As the Psalmist discerned in the Sanctuary: Psal. 73.17.18, 19.

6. We ought to be sensible how brutish a disposition it is, to stumble at the temporal prosperity of wicked men, or our own want of it; So the Psalmist judgeth, when he reflects seriously upon it. Psal. 73.21, 22.

7. We ought seriously to study wherein true happiness consisteth, and how vain a thing temporal Prosperity is, when compared with the rich advantages of Piety; As is likewise marked, Psal. 73.20. with, 25.26.

8. We ought to keep our hearts and eyes seriously fixed upon a Supreme hand of Providence in all these things; questioning whereof led the Psalmist upon the Snare. Psal. 73.11, 12, 13, 14.

Job having thus cleared that many wicked men have prospered even till death, he proceeds, to v. 22. upon the other hand, to speak of the calamities and ruin of others of them. Wherein that question, How oft? propounded in the entry, is to be repeated with every particular of their misery here spoken of. And his scope in moving this Question, about the wicked's calamities, is not simply to deny that they are afflicted; for he puts that out of controversy, when he speaks of the various lots of wicked men conjunctly, v. 23, 24, 25. Nor is it his scope to assert that they are often thus afflicted; for he seems to speak of prosperity as the more usual lot of wicked men: But his scope is to maintain that they are not so often afflicted as his Friends asserted. And so he would delare that, however he would not deny but some wicked men were plagued, as well as others prospered; Yet, they could not propound so many instances of it as might bottom their General Conclusion, that all, or generally, the wicked, and only they, were afflicted..

In General, we may here Learn.

1. As God seeth it meet to give a proof of his long suffering, in sparing the wicked and suffering them to prosper; So he seeth it, also, fit to plague others of them; as here we are taught. And God exerciseth this variety in his dispensations towards them, not only to show that all things come alike unto all; Eccl. 9.2. And that his love is not to be judged of by outward dispensations, seeing he spares these who are as guilty and wicked as these who are smitten: But, more particularly, he plagues some of the wicked, To let the godly see that there is a vengeance, Psal. 58.10, 11. And to make them Beakons to warn the test of the wicked; whereof they should make a right use, and not apprehend that the sure way to prosper is to be wicked, whatever God's indulgence be.

2. It is an evidence of a sincere lover of Truth, when he ponders it in all the limitations thereof, and what seems to be against him, as well as for him; And when he is not so addicted to his own will and way, as either not to see anything that speaks against him, or in fleeing one extremity, to run to another; For, so doth Job here walk. When they asserted that generally all wicked men were visibly plagued, he will not (in the heat of opposition unto them) aver that all the wicked do prosper, nor will he shut his eyes upon what is true in their assertion; but yields so much of it as may be granted according to truth, even albeit it should seem to militate against him, though indeed it did not.

3. Though the Lord be pleased visibly to plague some wicked men, yet it is not his ordinary way so to do with all of them; For, How oft is it so? saith he, intimating that it is not frequently so. For,

1. It is his glory to exercise long suffering in the world.

2. If the Lord did always visibly plague wicked men, the world would soon be consumed; as befell Sodom and Gomorrah, and all mankind in Noah 's days. But he spares the world, and many wicked men in it, that he may gather in all his Elect out of it.

3. God would have his Chidren weaned from doting upon outward favors, which he may heap upon wicked men; and would have them look unto, and judge of things according to the Word, and acquiesce in spiritual mercies.

4. Some few instances, of God's displeasure let fourth against wicked men, are enough to give warning to all other wicked men, especially these of them who have the Word, which if they believe not, they will believe nothing else, Luke 16.27, 31.

Doct. 4. As dispensations are but a crooked rule, when by them we would judge of men's estate before God; so it is yet more unsafe to draw an ordinary rule from extraordinary and rare precedents; As here they would draw a general conclusion from that which was not so often verified. Thus are we also to Judge of God's singular manifestations and impulses and instincts given to some of his people, which are not to be expected by all, not the effects following their upon to be drawn into an example for imitation by others.

I come to the particulars of the wicked's misery here mentioned; Wherein (pointing at the expressions they had used in their discourses) he grants such things may be as they speak of, but not so frequently as to bottom that General Conclusion, Chap. 20.29. In these verses, he speaks of the extinguishing of their glory and prosperity, like a Candle put out; (which was Bildads phrase, Chap. 18.5, 6.) that his stroke comes upon them, even to destruction; And that the supreme cause hereof is God, who measures out sorrous to them in anger, v. 17. And that so violently, easily and effectually, as chaff and stubble, are driven away by the wind and storm, v. 18.

Whence Learn,

1. All men are, by Nature and in themselves, dark, and destitute of the light of comfort and encouragement; For, it is common to all of them, that they need a Candle, or, Lamp, without them, to give them light, not only for their direction, but for their Encouragement, and the cheering of them up also.

2. Albeit godly men's comforts may be compared to a Candle, Chap. 29.3. because they are but borrowed, and without these they would be in a dark condition; yet the wicked's comforts are so called, because they are but artificial and of the basest sort; not like a Sun, &c. but like a Candle, or, Lamp, in a darkhouse, or night. See Isa. 50.11.

3. Not only can all the wicked's comforts be easily reached, and are such as may be extinguished by outward trouble; but calamities will put and leave them in an ignominious condition; like a Candle put out, which leaves a stinking snuff, instead of a shining light.

4. God's Judgments upon some wicked men tend to their utter destruction in a violent way: For, their destruction cometh upon them. They have no security against this, whereas it is otherwise with the godly, 2 Cor. 4.8, 9. Psal. 118.18.

5. God is the Author of any calamities which befall the wicked; who can reach them when they are without the reach of others, and who ought to be looked unto, for repressing the insolency of wicked men by his plagues, and seen in them, when they come: For, it is God who doth this, and distributeth sorrows.

6. God carveth out and distributeth men's lots and portions to them; He giveth unto them what, and how much he pleaseth, and he makes Rods great or small, easy or heavy, as he will; For, God distributeth, and is a carver in these matters.

7. The wicked's calamities are accompanied with much and many sorrows, and without any such encouragement as the godly have; For, God distributeth sorrows, as the chief ingredient in their lot.

8. It is a sad ingredient in the wicked's lots and sorrows, that they flow all from wrath, and are not mixed with that love which sweeteneth the bitter potions of the godly, Rev. 3.19. For, God distributeth sorrows in his anger. See Psal. 11.5, &c. & 75.8. Ezek. 5.13.

9. As the wicked, even in the height of their prosperity, are but light and vain, when put in God's balance; Dan. 5.27. So the violent storms of God's Judgments will easily over-power them; For, they are at stubble before the wind, and as the chaff that the storm carrieth away. See Psal. 35.5.

In these verses, he further declareth, That the wicked man's Children shall also reap the fruit of his sin, and that not after his death, but in his own time, v. 19. That he shall know and feel his destruction, in his own and his Children's mine, and shall drink largely of the wrath of God in these plagues, v. 20.

Whence Learn,

1. The sins of wicked men are a sad Patrimony to their Children, in whom they are often punished; as here we are taught, See Exod. 20.5.

2. God will not always forbear to plague the Children of wicked men till themselves be gone, but will make them sad witnesses thereof; For he shall know and see it.

3. All these plagues which the wicked undergo, in their Persons, Children, and Estates, are procured by themselves, and the just recompense of their way; For, God rewardeth him by those.

4. God can make the stoutest and most stubborn feel his hand, and the bitter effects of their sin; For, when he rewardeth him, he shall know it, or, be made to feel it, and know it is the reward of his way. See Isa. 26.11. Levite. 26.21, 22, 23, 24, &c. Stubbornneses and stupidity under rods do but portend sadder strokes, till we be made sensible, and till God get a witness in our bosoms to plead for his Righteousness in afflicting.

5. It is a sad aggravation of men's misery, when in their own time they see their own ruin, and the ruin of all that belong to them; For, his eyes shall see his destruction. This should teach men to prepare for such a lot, and to be laying their account, that they may out-live all their temporal enjoyments and contentments.

6. It is yet sadder to consider that the wicked's lot flows from wrath, or, indignation; that they shall drink, and that largely of it; and, that God, who is their party, is Almighty, or, All-sufficient, too hard for them to oppose, who can make his threatenings effectual, and cause them drink of the cup of his wrath, whether they will or not, Jer. 25.28. All these are held out here, in that, He shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty.

Here is subjoined a reason and confirmation of what is formerly said; Wherein is shown that this makes all the former strokes sad, and speaks the wrath of the Almighty in them, that he hath no pleasure in his house after him, &c. The meaning whereof is not that he needs not care how it fare with his family after him (as many do too anxiously) seeing himself is cut off in his own person; nor yet that, though he expects that his prosperity shall be continued in his family, yet, it cannot comfort him, seeing himself is cut off; For, his Children being to be destroyed in his own time, v. 19. he cannot expect the prosperity of his family when he is gone. But the meaning is, That though sometime he pleased himself with the expectation of the continuance of his house and family, yet he shall be deprived of all that comfort, when he and his posterity are cut off violently, and before the time; for then all his expectations shall be frustrated.

Whence Learn,

1. It is a part of the wicked's folly, that they feed themselves with vain hopes, and imaginary comforts and pleasures in them; as the wicked man here seeks to find pleasure in his house after him, or, in the apprehension of the continuance of his family. See Luke 12.19. Which may put us to try what vain thoughts we may be feeding upon.

2. One of wicked men's vain dreams, is, their hope of perpetuating their house and glory, Psal. 49.11. And that they feed, beforehand, upon an apprehension of the eternity thereof; For he takes pleasure in his house after him, what he presently enjoys will not serve his turn, unless he antedate imagined contentments and pleasures to come.

3. Such vain hopes, of a long tract of prosperity to themselves and their posterity after them, are ofttimes blasted to the wicked before their own eyes; And as God mercifully, ofttimes, disappoints the fears of the godly, so he walks contrary to the wicked's hopes: For, it cometh sometime to this, in the wicked's own time; What pleasure hath he in his house after him?

4. If no less will bear down the wicked's vain hopes, God can do it by a speedy cutting off of themselves and all the prosperity of their family and condition; For, this takes away his pleasure, when the number of his months is cut off in the midst. Albeit man's months and time be determined, Chap. 14.5. yet the number thereof is said to be cut off in the midst, when they die violently, before the time they might have continued by the ordinary course of nature, and before the ordinary term of man's life be expired, Psal. 90.10. and sooner than they are ready for death, or expect it, Psal. 55.23. and before they be well settled in their prosperity.

5. Mans life is so short and uncertain, that they are most wise who reckon it by shortest periods; As here it is reckoned by months, and elsewhere by days, Psal. 90.12.

6. It speaks great wrath, and imbitters the wicked's sad lot, that they expected the contrary, and fed upon vain dreams, which are disappointed; For, this speaks the wrath of the Almighty, v. • 0. and renders his condition sad, that when he was taking pleasure in his house after him, the number of his months is cut off.

From this to v. 27. Job speaks of God's various dispensations toward wicked men, conjunctly, that he may silence the carpings of man's wit in these matters. This Narration consists of three Branches; In the first whereof (in this verse) he gives an account of his scope in this Discourse, which is, to demonstrate, that none should presume to teach, or set bounds to God in these things, as his Friends, by their doctrine, tied up God to one way of proceeding with wicked men. Whereas God being the Supreme Judge of the highest, he ought not to be controlled by any, but may deal variously with the sons of men, at his pleasure.

Whence Learn,

1. In God's guiding of the world, and particularly in his dispensations towards wicked men, much of his Knowledge and Wisdom do shine, and they come not to pass at random or adventure; For, so is here imported, that there is knowledge in these affairs, or, God makes his Wisdom manifest in them. See Psal. 92.5, 6, 7.

2. Most part of men do not see this Wisdom of God, but because they cannot comprehend, they do carp at it, or would carve out a way of Providence of their own, which they think most fit; For, here it is imported that some men would prescribe a way of their own, as his Friends did in the debate betwixt him and them.

3. To carp at what God doth, or prescribe what God should do, in his Providential dispensations, is, in effect, to presume to teach God, as if we were wiser than he; For, so is here imported that they, by their Principles, and by their censuring of his Doctrine wherein he gave a true account of the dispensations of Providence, did presume to teach God knowledge.

4. The sinfulness of this course, of prescribing unto God, is such as should make it to be entertained with indignation by all who fear God, and be looked on as abasing God, and dishonorable to him, who guides all things better than man can prescribe; For, so much doth this question import, Shall any teach God knowledge?

5. God is nor only Infinite in Power above the highest, but in authority also: being a Judge who can call them to an account when he pleaseth; For, he judgeth those that are high, whether fallen Angels, Jude v. 6. or great men, Eccl. 5.8. See Rev. 6.15, 16.

6. The absolute Sovereignty of God, manifested in his judging, even of the highest, may discover the folly of men's presuming to teach him wisdom; seeing herein shines his Sovereignty, not to be carped at, his Wisdom suitable to his Authority, and his purposes far beyond our reach: Therefore is this brought in here as a reason of the challenge, Shall any teach God knowledge? seeing he judgeth these who are high.

In the Second Branch of this Narration (in these verses) he gives an account of the various dispensations of God toward wicked men.

1. For prosperity, That some die in full strength of body, having inward and outward case, and without any disquiet till their death, v. 23. which is further amplified, v. 24. That they are in great vigor, and their bones full of marrow, like breasts full of milk; or, rather, that they have affluence of all things, instanced in the abundance of milk, wherewith their breasts (namely of their Cattle) or their Milk-pails (as the word also signifieth) are filled; and that, because of this affluence, they are in great vigor, everyone of their bones (for the verb is singular) being moistened with marrow (or, as the words will also read, the marrow of their bones being watered and refreshed) by reason of their plenty of food, and their encouragement in their prosperous condition. This last may also import their power and strength to maintain their prosperous condition. And so these two verses will contain four Branches of the prosperity of the wicked, their vigor and strength of body, their peace and quietness,