Exposition of Job 22-26

THese two verses have variety of expressions, but the intendment of all is one and the same, Snares and fears, and darkness, and abundance of waters, signify all manner of evils; All these are upon thee, because thou hast sent widows away empty, and hast suffered the Arms of the fatherless to be broken; because thou hast done these things, therefore

Some render the Original Text to another sense, not as bearing an effect of the former words, not as if he had been punished with these evils for those sins, but as if these evils had caused him to sin; and so the words are expounded, as a kind of scorn; as if Eliphaz had said, When thou didst those things, no doubt snares, or fears, or darkness, or waters came upon thee, thou was forced by suffering these evils, to do all this evil, wast thou not? was it not because thou wast pressed with snares and fears and darkness and waters, that thou didst oppress the widow and the fatherless? All which Questions are reducible to these plain Negations. Thou wast not pressed with any of these perplexities upon thyself, to oppress the poor; there was no snare, no nor any fear near thee, darkness did not hinder thy sight, nor did the waters of affliction cover thee; Thou hast not been thrust upon sin by these temptations, nor constrained by the moral violence of any incumbent necessity, but hast done it freely: to sin even in this manner and at this hight, hath not been thy refuge, but thy choice; Thou hast not acted these iniquities by any instigation either from persons or providences, but upon thine own election. This is a fair sense and a mighty reproof; seeing (as was lately noted) every evil we do is by so much the worse, by how much we have had the less provocation, or solicitation to do it.

But I rather take the words as we render them to express the sad effects and fruits of his sin; As if Eliphaz had said; Because thou hast taken a Pledge of thy brother for naught, &c. because thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken, therefore snares are round about thee, &c. The words may have a threefold Allusion.

First, To the besiedging of a City, snares are round about thee, thou art now hemde in on every side with-troubles; as Christ threatens Jerusalem; Thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, &c. A trench is but a great snare to catch men, as men catch birds and vermin in snares. Or

Secondly, The Allusion may be to Imprisonment, thou art compassed with strong walls, and shut in with gates, thou art shackel'd with iron snares.

Thirdly, The words may allude to hunting and fowling, in such disports nets and snares are set to take the intended game. Snares are often spoken of in Scripture, to intimate or set forth the afflictions and sorrows that entrap and hold the sons of men. So that to say, Snares are round about thee, is no more but thus, troubles are round about thee; and these snares are sometimes set by the hand of man, sometimes by the immediate hand of God. Good things are often made a snare to the undoing of evil men, and evil things are often made a snare to the troubling, though not to the undoing of good men. But I shall not prosecute this allusion, having spoken of it at the 18 ^th Chap: v. 6, 7, 8. where Job complains that God had taken him in his snare; as also in the 19 ^th Chapter at the 5 ^th verse.

We may understand this fear; first, for the passion of fear, or for fear within: Secondly, for the occasion of fear, which is fear without. Sudden fear troubleth thee, that is, the appearance or apprehension of some terrible thing causeth thee to fear. Fear is often put in Scripture for the thing feared, for the object of fear, or for that which causeth fear. Thus also hope is put for the thing hoped for, and vision for the thing seen, or the object of the vision.

Thirdly, Some expound fear in the Text, for that special fear which riseth from guilt, or for terror of conscience. Sudden fear troubleth thee; That is, thy conscience flies in thy face and affrights thee; thy fear flows not from any outward troubles that threaten thee, or from wants that afflict thee, but from those wickednesses which have been committed by thee; thy conscience vexeth and tormenteth thee, not only with fear, but with sudden fear; fear rusheth upon thee unexpectedly, violently, like an armed man. Sudden fear troubleth thee. Taking fear in all or any one of these interpretations.

Note.

When they shall say peace and quietness, then sorrow and anguish come upon them as pain upon a woman in travel, and they shall not escape. The Prophet in vision ( Zech. 5.1.) Saw a flying roll; That flying roll was the Curse; And it was called a flying roll, to note the speedy and sudden coming of those judgments that were written in it; They came not only upon the spurr, but upon the wing. They came flying; Flying is a swift motion, and that motion is applyd to judgment, when once God giveth it a Commission to come. Hence also ( Deut. 32.41.) the sword is called a lightning sword, or a sword that hath lightning in it; If I (saith the Lord) whet my glittering (or lightning) sword. The sword of the Lord is as Lightning; it hath burning and swiftness in it; divine vengeance cometh as Lightning. It is called also the overflowing scourge ( Isa. 28.15.) 'It is a scourge because the lashes of it cause much smar • and pain, and 'tis an over-flowing scourge, to note the suddennes of it; The scourge comes in like a mighty flood.

Again, This suddennes of fear, or of things feared, may have reference unto the security of wicked men, who though they have often heard of dangers, and judgments have been threatened upon them, yet they always come suddenly upon them, because they never prepare for them. To such as are unprepared, evils are always sudden, how often soever they have been warned of them. As to him that is prepared, death is never sudden, though he die (as we vulgarly phrase it) a sudden death. So he that is unprepared for death, dieth suddenly, though he die that which we commonly call a lingering death. Thus death and judgment shall come suddenly upon all ungodly men. It shall be (saith Christ, Matth. 24.37.) as in the days of Noah, they were eating and drinking, they were marrying, and giving in marriage, till the day that Noah entered into the Ark, and knew not till the flood came, and took them all away. But did they not know of the flood, till the flood came; assuredly they did, for Noah foretold them of and preached the coming of the flood, a hundred and twenty years before it came. ( Gen. 6.3.) My spirit shall not always strive (I will not always be contending) yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years; That is, he shall have an hundred and twenty years warning, all that time the old world had warning of the flould, and Noah preached upon that Text all that time; yet the flood came upon them (saith the Text) and they knew it not; that is, they regarded not what Noah said; they took no thought neither to prevent the flood, nor to prepare for it. The Author to the Hebrews tells us, that Noah by faith being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an Ark to the saving of his house, by which he condemned the world (that is, the then world, of unbelief and hardness of heart) and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith (Heb. 11.7.) He had a holy fear in him, and a faith also; a faith that the thing should be done, and a fear of God who threatened to do that thing. Thus by faith being moved with fear, he prepared an Ark for the safety of himself and of his household. Why did not the rest also make preparation? they did not believe, nor did they fear. Christ rebuked hi • . Disciples in the storm at Sea ( Matth. 8.) with, why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith; The old world might have been rebuked, with, why are ye fearless, even because ye are of little, or rather of no faith at all. Unless dangers threatened be believed, they are never feared, and unless they be both believed and feared, they are never avoided. Whensoever the Lord of such servants shall come, he cometh in a day, when they look not for him, and in an hour that they are not aware of (Matth. 24.50.) that is, he cometh suddenly. What can come more suddenly upon any man, then that which he looked not for, nor was at all aware of. Thus he shall come to cut them asunder, and to appoint them their portion with hypocrites; There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Sudden fear troubleth thee;

Some render this verse by way of interrogation; Shalt thou not see darkness? and shall not the abundance of waters cover thee? shalt thou only not see darkness, and pass unpunished for such monstrous wickednesses? As if he had said; thou seemest to wonder, that darkness is upon thee, thou makest strange of it, that floods or abundance of waters cover thee. But hast thou not deserved and called forth these Judgments, by many sinful provocations?

Others render this Text, not as a Question, but as a direct Assertion; Thou thoughtest, that thou shouldest, or thou hadst a conceit, that thou shouldest never see darkness, nor any trouble coming upon thee, thy heart was lift up in hope of Impunty; thou didst persuade thyself, that God had as high an opinion of thee, as thou hadst of thyself, or thou hast flattered thyself in thy sinful way, and thou thoughtest that God would have flattered thee also.

But I shall rather (as we) connect it with the former verse, carrying on the same intention;

Darkness may be taken, either properly, or improperly; darkness properly taken is that of the air by the withdrawing of the Sun; This is not here intended. Darkness improperly taken is that of our state; and it is twofold. First, Internal, which is indeed ignorance, or the darkness of the mind; As if he had said, Darkness veyles the eye of thy understanding, that thou canst not see, either the hand of God upon thee for thy sins, or those thy sins which have caused God to lay his heavy hand upon thee. Thy understanding is darkened, that thou canst not see; This intellectual or internal darkness is twofold.

First, Natural or inbred, every man hath naturally so much darkness in him, that as he cannot see the truths that are in the word of God, so he cannot see the intendment of the works of God.

Secondly, Judiciary, or inflicted ( Isa. 6.9.) Go and tell this people, hear ye indeed, but understand not: and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes. What were these eyes and ears that were to be made heavy and shut? Surely, they are to be understood, not of Organicall, but of intellectual ears and eyes. But who was to shut these eyes? A holy Prophet. And how was he to shut them? By prophesying or speaking to them in the Name of the Lord. The proper work of the Word is to open the eyes, and enlighten the mind. But when a people have long shut their own eyes against, or only dallied with (that transcendent mercy) the light, then God (which is the severest judgment) shuts their eyes, and darkens them with light. Of this Judiciary darkness, some interpre • the present Text, as if Eliphaz had said; there is a worse plague upon thee, then all those spoken of, even blindness and confusion of mind, so that thou canst neither see what brought thee into them, nor how to find thy way out, but art as a man under water, or in the dark, amuzed in these thy afflictions, not knowing what to do, or which way to turn thyself.

Secondly, Darkness taken improperly is External, so a state of sorrow and affliction, is a state of darkness. As before snares, so here darkness, notes any troublesome condition, or the trouble of any man's condition. And when to darkness, this is added, Darkness, that thou canst not see, it may import the greatest degree of darkness, even darkness in perfection, or as the Scripture speaks, thick darkness, yea, outer darkness. There is a darkness in which we may see, a darkness which hath some kind of light in it, but when darkness is so thick that we cannot see, that is, that we cannot see anything in it, (as we commonly say of extreme darkness, 'tis so dark, that a man cannot see his hand) then 'tis perfect darkness. Light is not (properly) seen, but 'tis the medium or means by which we see; much less is darkness seen, it being properly that which intercepts and hinders sight; yet 'tis rare to meet with darkness which hath not some mixture or tinctures of light, or with such darkness as in which nothing at all can be seen: yet such was this metaphorical darkness, with which he supposed Job was muffled up. I have more then once in other passages of this Book, met with and explained this term, showing how and why afflictions and troubles are expressed by it, and therefore I shall not now stay upon it. Only here take notice, That the old Heathens had such conceptions of darkness; And therefore being in a prosperous state they had recourse to the Sun, to Jupiter, Minerva, Mercury, their Idol-Deities, as the dispensers of light and comfort; but being under sufferings and sorrows, they made their applications to the Earth, to Neptune, and others, whom they vainly believed, were Rulers of the Night and Lord's of darkness, as if these could command and chase away all evils from them. Scripture Language is full of such Descriptions about men in sorrow. Darkness, that thou canst not see;

The word rendered abundance, signifies a company or troop of waters, which meet and march together, even as horses prepared for battle, and ready to give the charge. So the word is translated (2 Kings 9.17.) A Watchman from the Tower said, I see a company. And that was Jehu with his troops, who came marching furiously with the revenge of God in his hand upon the house of Ahab. And so Ezek. 26.10. By reason of the abundance of their horses, their dust shall cover thee; thy walls shall shake at the noise of the Horsemen, and of the Wheeles, and of the Chariots. Read the same use of the word ( Isa. 60.6.) The multitude (some read the inundation) of Camels shall cover thee; They shall come in such abundance, that they shall come like a flood, and shall be as the gathering of many waters. Troopes of Horses and Camels rush together as many waters; And waters rush and throng together, even as many horses. Thus, here abundance, or an Army of waters come in upon thee and cover thee. Waters in Scripture frequently signify afflictions, ( Isa. 43.2.) When thou passest thorough the waters (that is, thorough great afflictions) I will be with thee. (Psal. 18.16.) He drew me out of many waters; That is, out of many afflictions. ( Psal. 66.12.) We went through fire and water, but thou broughtest us forth into a wealthy place. Fire and water, note all sorts of afflictions, hot and cold, moist and dry. And some conceive that water in a metaphorical sense is so often used in Scripture to signify affliction; because water in a proper sense did once afflict the whole world. As the general Judgment upon the world at the last day shall be by fire, so the first general Judgment upon the world, was by water; it was a flood of waters, by which the Lord destroyed the old world. Likewise Pharaoh and his Host of Egyptians (which was the second most Eminent Judgment, that ever was in the world) were overwhelmed by the waters of the red Sea. Thus Moses sang ( Exo. 15.4, 5.) Pharaohs Chariot & his host hath he cast into the Sea, his chosen Captains also are drowned in the red Sea; The depths have covered them, they sank into the bottom as a stone. And again, ( v. 10.) The Sea covered them, they sank as Lead in the mighty waters. Water being the Element and the Instrument, which God hath so often used in his angry dispensations towards sinful men, it may emphatically express any dispensation of his anger. Yet if we consider the very nature of the thing it self, it carrieth significancy enough to be the Emblem of saddest and soarest affliction.

First, There is in water a swallowing power; as water is easily swallowed, so it swallows all up. Man cannot subsist in it when it is most peaceable, and he can hardly escape out of it when 'tis enraged. Sorrow and affliction are swallowers also; unless mercy appear and moderate them, they drown and overthrow all. The Apostle useth that expression when he adviseth the Corinthians (2 Ep: 2.7.) To forgive and comfort the incestuous person, whom, according to his advice, they had formerly Excommunicated or cast out from fellowship in the Church; Lest (saith he) such a one should be swallowed up with over-much sorrow. Sorrow of any sort, even sorrow for sin may possibly have an excess, or an over-muchnes in it; and when ever it hath so (beyond the end for which it serves, for sorrow is not of any worth in it self, but as it serves to a spiritual end, When (I say) sorrow hath such an excess, then) not only the comforts, but the gifts and usefullnes of the person sorrowing, are in danger to be swallowed up by it.

Secondly, Water doth not only swallow up, but enter in; while it covereth the body, it fills the bowels. Thus affliction like water, fills within as well as covers without. David complains that his affl • ctions did so ( Psal. 69.1.) Save me O God, for the waters are come in unto my soul. Not only have these waters sweld over me, but they are soaked into me. Inward or soul-afflictions, as well as outward, and bodily afflictions, are set forth by waters. ( Psal. 109.18.) As he clothed himself with cursing, like as with his garment, so let it come into his bowels (or within him) like water, and like oil into his bones. Liquids penetrate, so do afflictions.

Thirdly, As the water is not man's proper Element, he lives and breathe in the air, not in the water; So affliction is not our proper Element, though it be due to our sin, yet it is not proper to our nature. Man was not made to live in affliction, as the fish was made to live in the water; and therefore as it is said; The Lord doth not willingly afflict nor grieve the Children of men, (Lam. 3.33.) 'It is (as it were) besides the nature of God, when he afflicts the children of men. So it is said ( Heb. 12.11.) No chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous. Man is out of his Element when he is under chastenings. He was made at first to live in the light of God's countenance, in the smiles and embraces of divine love. As man is out of his way when he sins, so he is off from his end when he suffers; He was not designed for the overwhelming choking waters of sorrow and judgment, but for the sweet refreshing air of joy and mercy. It often proves a mercy in the event to be covered with these waters; To be covered with them, that we may be washed by them is a mercy, but only to be covered with them, especially (as Eliphaz here saith Job was) to be deeply covered with them, is a deep and soar affliction. Abundance of waters cover thee.

Hence note;

As God hath abundance of waters sealed up in the Clouds, as in a treasury, and he can unlock his treasury and let them out whensoever he pleaseth, either to refresh or overflow the Earth; so he hath abundance of afflictions, and he can let them forth, as out of a treasury, when he pleaseth. And as we read ( Ezek. 47.) that the waters of the Sanctuary, those holy waters were of several degrees; first, to the Ankles, secondly, to the knees, then to the Loines, and then a river that could not be passed over, abundance of waters. Thus also the bitter waters, the waters of affliction are of several degrees: some waters of afflictions are but Ancle-deep, they only make us a little wet-shod, there are other waters up to the knees; and others to the Loynes, and others we may rightly call abundance of waters, a Sea of waters; I am come into deep waters (saith David, Psal. 69.2.) or into depth of waters, where the floods overflow me; And having said ( Psal. 42.6.) O my God, my soul is cast down within me; He adds in the next words ( v. 7.) Deepe calleth unto deep at the noise of thy water-spouts: All thy waves and thy billows are gone over me. Where, by deep to deep, by waterspouts, by waves and billows, he elegantly sets forth his distress, in allusion to a Ship at Sea in a vehement storm and stress of weather; when the same wave upon whose back the vessel rides out of one deep, plungeth it down into another; Thus the afflicted are tossed and overwhelmed in a Sea of trouble, till they are at their wits end, if not at their faiths end.

Take two or three Deductions from all these words laid together. We see, by how many metaphors, the sorrows of this life are set forth, even by snares, and fears, and darkness, and waters.

Hence note;

If one will not do it another shall; if the snare will not, fear shall, if fear will not, darkness shall; and if darkness will not, the waters shall, and if waters of one hight will not do it, he will have waters deep enough to do it; abundance of waters shall do it; he hath variety of ways to deal both with sinners and with Saints

Secondly, Consider the inference which Eliphaz makes, Therefore snares &c. are upon thee; That Is, because thou hast done wickedly in not relieving and in oppressing the poor, therefore snares have entangled thee. This (though false in Jobs particular case, yet) is a truth in General. And it teacheth us, That, There is an unavoidable sequel between sin and sorrow. Look upon sin in its own nature, and so the sequel is unavoidable, sin is big with sorrow; as affliction burdens the sinner, so sin is burdend with affliction. Sin hath all sorts of affliction in its bowels; and we may say of all the evils that afflict us, they are our sins. Sin is formally the transgression of the Law, and sin is virtually the punishment of transgressors. Many (I grant) are afflicted for trial of their graces (as hath been shown before) but grace had never been thus tried if man had not sinned. Sin is the remote cause of all afflictions, and it is the next or immediate procuring cause of most afflictions. Would any man avoid the snare, let him fear to sin; would he avoid fear, let him fear to do evil; would he keep out of darkness, and not be covered with abundance of waters, let him take heed he drink not iniquity like water, let him have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness. God tells the sinner plainly what portion he is to expect; Say woe to the wicked, it shall be ill with him; for the reward of his hands shall be given him, (Isa. 3.11.) We may as well hope to avoid burning when we run into the fire, or dirtying when we run into the mire, as to escape smarting when we run into sin.

Yet more distinctly, we may consider all those evils comprehended under those words in the Text, Snares, darkness, &c. either in reference to wicked men, or to the Saints. Snares and darkness upon the wicked, are the issues of divine wrath. While these sad dispensations are sent out and meet with Saints, they are the issues of divine love. For though a godly man may provoke God to anger, and find by many evidences that God (as to his actings) is angry with him, yet as to his person he always loves him. And therefore (as a wicked man's Table is made his snare, so) he is assured that his snare shall be made to him a Table, that his darkness shall work light, his evils good to him. He is also assured that the Lord will d • liver him out of these snares, and cut the cords of the wicked. ( Psal. 129.4.) That he will deliver him from fear, from darkness, and bring him up out of the abundance of waters which cover him, as David speaks ( Psal. 32.6.) For this (that is, because thou art so gracious) shall everyone that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayst be found (The Hebrew is, in a finding time, which according to our translation, notes the season when God may be found, as the Prophet speaks ( Isa. 55.6.) Yet it may be well expounded for the time when trouble finds, that is, takes hold of the godly man. And so the word is used ( Psal. 116.3.) The pains of hell gat hold of me (we put in the Margin) found me. In which sense the word is used also, Psal. 21.8. Thine hand shall find out, (that is, take hold of, and apprehend) all thine enemies, thy right hand shall find out those that hate thee. Now in this finding time, either when God may be found, or when trouble finds a godly man, he (setting himself to pray) hath this promise, surely in the floods of great waters, they (that is, the floods of great waters, by which are meant, great dangers) shall not come nigh him, (that is, the Godly man) to hurt or drown him. Sometimes prayer keeps the flood off, and always prayer delivers the Godly man out of the flood. Wicked men have no mind to come nigh God with their hearts (and so some enterpret the latter part of this verse in the Psalm) nor will God admit them nigh unto himself, in the floods of great waters. And the floods of great waters shall not (which is the scope of our reading) come nigh the Godly man for his hurt, when he draws nigh to God in prayer with his heart.

Thus we have seen the sins of Job drawn out into a Charge, and the Judgment of Eliphaz upon it, what the event, the sequel, or Issue of those sins, was snares and fears, and waters and darkness.

There is yet one thing further, that I shall here take notice of from the constant course of Jobs friends in dealing with him. We see that still they charge him with sin, and still insist upon it, that all his afflictions & miseries were the fruits of his sin. Job (as hath appeared in opening several passages of this Book) hath as often disproved their inference, and denied that his sufferings were caused by his sin, at least not by any such way of sinning, as they charged him with. Labouring also much to inform them that God hath many other reasons why he afflicts his people, and that God might take liberty to afflict him, though he were no such kind of creature as they rendered him; yet notwithstanding all he could say, either to purge himself or better conform them, they persevered in the same opinion, both concerning his person, and the cause of his afflictions.

Whence Note;

Error is as binding upon the conscience, and as strongly embraced by the affections, as truth is; For it binds and is embraced, not in the name of an error, but in the name of truth. And men are therefore wedded to, and in love with their own conceptions, because (how monstrous and hard-favored soever in themselves, yet) nothing is more beautiful in their eye then they. No man (faith the Apostle) ever hated his own flesh, but loved and cherished it. The flesh of our minds (such are all false principles and positions) is more loved and cherished by us, then the flesh of our bodies. Besides, when men have once taken up an opinion, they think it a dishonor to lay it down again. 'It is rare to find a man that will yield up his Judgment, though it be a misguided one, or acknowledge that he is in an error, though he begins to take some knowledge, or at least some suspicion of it. A light intimation or only the Appearance of a probability will amount to a proof against either persons or doctrines which we like not; but the clearest demonstrations will hardly raise a Jealousy against what we like. Let Job say what he will in his own case, he cannot be believed by his friends, and his friends will say again what once they had said, though it had been more then once before fully answered. The present age hath given us sad experiences of this thing. For, as many have been unstable and tossed to and fro with every wind of (false) doctrine, so others have been stubborn and unmoved from their errors, though the strongest winds of truth have breathed, yea blown hard upon them. And those prejudices which have (with so much severity) been taken up by brethren against brethren; how do they remain, in many minds, as mountains, unmoved to this very day?

I know not which is worse, unsetlednes in the truth, and an easiness to let it go, or tenaciousnesse in an error, and a hardness to let it go. Nor do I well know which is worse, a readiness to take up hard thoughts of our brethren, or an un-readiness to lay them down. Were the laws of love to man, and zeal for God observed, these extremes would always be avoided. Pure zeal for God would fixe us in the truth, and make us more easy to be brought off from our most applauded errors. True love to man, would cause us to examine every ground of suspicion against a brother twice, before we do indeed suspect him once; And it would cause us to rejoice in any appearance of his innocence, whereby we might discharge our own Spirits of all suspicions concerning him. Our love (as the Apostle prays, Phil. 1.9.) ought to abound in knowledge and in all Judgment. That is, we ought to love Judiciously as well as affectionately or sincerely. So that, true love will not overlook the faults of another, nor will it approve against light. Yet true love is ready to entertain any light offered, that grounds of suspicion may be removed, and we restored to a right understanding of our brethren.

There are divers readings of these words; first, thus; Is not God higher then the heavens? A second thus; Doth not God possess the high heaven? The Original may strictly be renderd; God the height of heaven; that is, God is above all heavens: we render well; God is in the height or sublimity of heaven.

This Question; Is not God in the height of heaven? is taken three ways.

First, Some read it as an Exhortation given by Eliphaz to Job, to draw off the motion of his thoughts, & most of all the settled bent of his heart from those inferior things, his losses & troubles, his sorrows, pains, and sicknesses; he would divert his mind from these worldly sorrows, and raise it up to heavenly enjoyments, Is not God in heaven? As if he had said, Why standest thou poring upon things below? Why dwellest thou so much upon thy dunghill, and thy present poverty, God is in the height of heaven, consider him there. This is both a safe and a very spiritual way to ease our minds of all the troubles and sorrows which we meet with in this world; could we but ascend in Spirit to the height where God is, could we by an eye of faith look to him, live upon him, and in him, all burdens would be light, and pressures easy to us.

Secondly, This question may be taken as a plain assertion or affirmation, and it is of the same value & signification with this, God is in the height of heaven, there he is, and from thence he beholds all the children of men, their ways and works.

Thirdly, Is not God in the height of heaven? May be understood not as the question of Eliphaz, and so his affirmation, but as the question of Job, and so his supposition. As if Eliphaz apprehended Job thus speaking in his heart; Is not God (sayest thou) in the height of heaven? or, doest not thou, O Job, say thus; God is in the height of heaven; I grant that he is there, but I deny that he is there in thy sense, or according to thy opinion. He is not concluded, or shut up there, he is not so in the height of heaven, but that he mindeth what is done upon the earth, yea in the very depths of hell. As if he had said; Thy thoughts and conceptions of God are too strait and narrow; Thou speakest much below God, while thou sayest he is in the hight of heaven. While thou confinest God to heaven, thou makest him like thyself on earth.

From these words in the two former Expositions, Observe;

Heaven is my throne (saith the Lord, Isa. 66.1.) the throne is the seat of a Prince, there he declares his power, and his state; his glory shines from his throne. A Prince looks like a common man when he is abroad in the world, but when upon his throne, then the rays of Majesty break forth, and he appears as he is. Thus the holy Prophet begs a gracious look of the Lord from heaven ( Isa. 63.15.) Look down from heaven, the habitation of thy holiness, and of thy glory. Heaven is called the habitation of God's holiness, and of his glory, because his holiness and glory shine forth more in heaven, then upon the earth; little of the holiness of God is discovered to us here, though so much of it breaks forth here as causeth the heart of carnal men to quarrel with it continually. Nor are any able with these eyes, or rather with these hearts to bear the glory of God, or endure his holiness. When but some extraordinary glimpses of these appeared to Esayah, he cried out, Woe is me, I am undone (or cut off) because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips, for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of H • sts, (Isa. 6.5.) As God is of purer eyes then to behold iniquity, so man is of impurer eyes then to behold the glory and holiness of God in clear manifestations of it, and therefore heaven is the seat, the habitation of his holiness, and of his glory. Hence we may take two further inferences.

First, That our hearts, and our eyes should be lifted upwards; the whole currunt of Scripture speaks of God as above in heaven. And that's the reason why the Apostle ( Col. 3.1.) exhorts, Sett you affections on things above, and not on things here below; And as on things above, so most of all upon God who is above. The old word was, Lift up your hearts; and David saith in prayer, ( Psal. 25.1.) I lift up my soul to thee. And again, ( Psal. 123.1.) Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens. Yea our Lord Jesus Christ himself when he prayed ( Joh. 17.1.) Lift up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father the hour is come, glorify thy Son, &c. The eye lift up to heaven is a sign of the heart lift up to heaven, and that corporeal visible action, serves to fix our most spiritual affections upon the invisible God. 'It is indeed an easy thing to lift the eyes up to heaven, but it is very hard, yea impossible, without a divine assistance to lift up the heart to heaven; the heart of a profane worldling mudds so much in the earth, that he seldom lifts up so much as his eyes to heaven; and how much or how often soever a hypocrite lifts up his eyes to heaven, yet still his heart muds in the earth. The eye looks upward naturally, but if ever the heart look upward, 'tis a work of Grace.

Secondly, Then serve the Lord with reverence and holy fear, in in all your addresses to him, and appearings before him. We reverence those who are on high on earth, and shall we not reverence him who is higher then the highest? him who is in the hight of heaven? While Christ bids us say, Our Father which art in heaven, he teacheth us, as to pray with confidence, because God is our father, so to pray with reverence, because he is a father in heaven, ( Matth. 6.9.) The Preacher ( Eccl. 5.2.) makes this an argument why we should be taken up in high thoughts of God, why we should speak in a reverential manner both of him, and to him; Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter anything before God. He puts (as it were) a double bridle upon man in his drawing near to God; first, upon his mouth, Let not thy mouth be rash; and secondly, upon his heart (for the heart will talk at random as well as the mouth, yea the heart will talk more at random then the mouth can; and there is praying with the heart alone as well as with the heart and mouth together, therefore saith he) Let not thy heart be hasty to utter anything before God; Why? for God is in heaven, and thou art upon the earth, therefore let thy words be few. Here are indeed two arguments to enforce this composure of spirit; first, the highness and Greatness of God; secondly, the lownes and vileness of man. Consider God is above, and thou art below, not only in regard of place, but of state and dignity, of power and majesty. The being of God in heaven, notes not only a power of sovereignty to command us, but a power of ability both to punish and to provide for us, to punish our rashness, and to supply all our wants wherewith we acquaint him, and humbly mention before him; therefore Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty, &c. The same Solomon in the same book, allegorically describing the declined decrepit condition of man, saith of the old man, that he is afraid of that which is high (Eccl. 12.5.) Young men will be clambering and ascending, but old men are afraid of that which is high, they dare not go up a high steep place, least their strength or breath should fail, or least their brain should turn, and they through giddines tumble down. Old men love to keep upon level or even ground, and are afraid of that which is high. Surely both young and old, have reason to be afraid of him that is high, to have reverential thoughts of God, who is in the high • of heaven, higher then the heavens. The distance of man from God, as God is in heaven and man on earth, is great, and the dissimilitude of man to God, as God is holy and man corrupt, is far greater; either of these Considerations single is enough, but both these laid together, is abundantly enough to keep the heart in an humble self-abasing frame before the Lord.

2 ^lie , Taking these words, Is not God in the hight of heaven? As the supposed speech of Job, thou sayest God is in the hight of heaven; that is, confined to heaven, so, that he looks no further, but thou art deceived, God is not locked up in heaven, he looks to all things here on earth. As the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness of it, as to right & propriety, so the earth is the Lord's with all the fullness of it, as to care and providence. Though there be a distinctnes in the manner or manifestation of his being in heaven and on earth; yet he is as truly and as much on earth as he is in heaven.

Hence note;

Though we are to adore and worship God as in heaven, yet we must not shut up God in heaven; as he is in heaven, so he is upon the earth also, he is with us, yea he is in us, he is in all places, not circumscribed by any, nor limited to any place. God is present in all places, and fills all places with his presence, only he doth not declare his presence alike in all places. The Lord appears where and as he pleaseth, but he cannot be otherwise or otherwhere then he is, and that is everywhere. While the Psalmist queryed, Whether shall I go from thy presence? He was so far from imagining that any such place could be found, that in the very next words he concludeth God to be everywhere, by an enumeration of all places, ( Psal. 139.7, 8.) If I ascend up to heaven, thou art there; if I make my bed in Hel, behold thou are there. (Hel standeth in utmost opposition to heaven, as heaven in Scripture-language is the highest, so hell is the lowest place; now saith David, If I make my bed in hell, thou art there) If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the utmost parts of the sea, even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me; That is, there I shall find • thee efficaciously present with me. The Lord having said ( Isa. 66.1.) Heaven is my throne, presently adds, and the earth is my footstool; So the earth is called, because its situation in nature is below the heavens, his throne is there, his footstool is here. ( Jer. 23.23, 24.) Am I a God at hand, saith the Lord, and not afar off? Can any hide himself in secret places, that I shall not see him, saith the Lord? do not I fill heaven and earth, saith the Lord? All these expostulating questions, are resolved into this one position. God is everywhere; And though some read the first, not as a Q • estion, but as an Assertion, Thus; I am a God at hand, and not a God afar off, yet the sense is the same; God therein affirming, that he is ever near us, and never afar off from us wheresoever we are. Though God be in those places which are furthest off from us, as well as in those that are near at hand, yet God himself is never afar off from us, but always at hand. When Solomon had set up the Temple, (1 King. 8.27.) He was sure of the presence of God in it; and therefore did not speak doubtingly, but admiringly, when he asked, But, will God indeed dwell on earth? (that is, will God manifest himself gloriously on the earth?) behold the heaven, and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee, how much less this house that I have built? Solomon knew that heaven could not contain, that is, limit God, much less could the house which he had built. Yet the Lord made the Temple another heaven to himself, it was as his second heaven, there the Lord had a kind of glorious residence, beyond what he had in any other part of the world; Now the Assemblyes and Congregations of the Saints are in a special manner the dwelling place of God, and his second heaven; He dwells so much in the Churches that he seems not to dwell at all in any part of the world beside (2 Cor. 6.16, 17.) I will dwell in them, and walk in them. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you. God who is in all the world, dwells only in and with his people. They who separate from whatsoever is unholy, have him nearest them who is altogether Holy. To conclude this point, we may make use of that distinction of the Schools to clear the difference how a corporal substance, and a spiritual, as as also how a spiritual created and uncreated substance, may be said to be in a place. All bodies are in place circumscriptively, spiritual substances created, Angels and souls of men are in place definitively: We cannot draw a line about an Angel, as about the body of a man, yet the Angel is so in this place, as not in another: but God who is a spirit, and uncreated, is in place repletively, that is, he filleth all places where he is, but is not limited by any place where he is, He is (as some have not unfitly spoken) a Sphere whose center is everywhere, and whose circumference is nowhere. This is a mystery which indeed we are not able to comprehend by reason, but we must take it down by faith. The Lord is in the height of heaven, yet so there, as he is not shut up there.

But if any shall yet query, How is the Lord everywhere? how is he in heaven, and in earth? is it so as the Sun may be said to be everywhere? the Sun is seated in heaven, yet is by way of communication on earth, the Sun by light, heat, or influence is all the world over, in some degree or other, yet the Sun moves only in his Orbe. Or is God so everywhere as a Sovereign Prince, who though in person he reside here or there, yet in power and Authority he is everywhere within his own Dominion? I answer, No; These allusions are far below this truth. God is everywhere, not only as the Sun by light, heat, and influence, not only as a Prince, by his power and Authority, but (as we speak) in person, and in his Essence. Further, the Lord's presence in all places is not as that of the air, which is more everywhere then the Sun; the air is everywhere filling all places, and so encompassing all bodies, as if it made them all but one Great body; yet that part of the air that is in one place is not in another, for the air is divisible. But we must not take up any such apprehensions of God, for as he is everywhere, so he is wholly everywhere; God cannot be divided or parted as the air is & may. The Divine Essence (as one of the Ancients hath expressed this astonishing mystery) is whole within all things, and whole without all things, nowhere included, nowhere excluded, containing all things, contained of nothing, yet not at all mingled with the nature of these things, nor defiled with their pollutions. That which the Philosopher speaks of the soul of man, (That it is all in the whole body, and whole in every part of the body) comes nearest this mystery. Some quarrel at that expression about the soul, yet there is a truth in it. The soul is indivisi • le, much more God, wheresoever he is, he is all and altogether; he is everywhere, and everywhere all. So he is in the height of heaven, and so he is on earth below.

But if God be everywhere, why doth Christ teach us to pray, Our father which art in heaven, (Mat. 6.13.) And when the Heathen made that scoffing demand, Where is now their God? Why did David Answer, Our God is in heaven, (Psal. 115.2, 3.) To these and all other Texts of like import, we may answer; heaven is not there spoken of as bounding the presence of God, but as guiding the faith and hope of man. In the morning (saith David, Psal. 5.3.) will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up. When the eye hath no sight of any help on earth, then faith may have the clearest visions of it in heaven. And while God appears so little in any Gratious dispensation for his people on earth, that the enemy begins to scoff, Where is now your God? Then his people have recourse by faith to heaven, where the Lord not only is, but is glorious in his appearings. From whence as he seeth how it is with us, so he seems to have a kind of advantage to relieve us.

But as some Scriptures seem to confine God to heaven, so other Scriptures seem to deny that he is everywhere on earth. Thus Moses said to the people of Israel (Numb. 14.42.) Go not up for the Lord is not among you. And again ( Deut. 7.21.) Thou shalt not be affrighted at them, for the Lord thy God is among you; with some the Lord is, with others the Lord is not; and he is with the same persons at one time, not at another; How then can it be said, that the Lord is everywhere present? I answer, when Moses saith (and many other Texts which speak in the same form) that God was sometimes with his people, and sometimes not; we are not to understand it at all of a local presence, or absence, but of a favorable presence or absence. Thus God is with some persons, and not with others; thus he is sometime present with, sometime absent from the same person. It was this favorable presence for which Moses did so earnestly entreat the Lord ( Exod. 33.15.) If thy presence go not with us, carry us no further; That is, unless thou please to be with us, to prosper our way, and protect us in it, let us stay where we are. This presence of God is a high favor indeed, and God is thus present but in few places (comparatively) of the whole earth.

Once more, those Scriptures may seem to imply that God is so in heaven, that he is not also upon the earth, which speak of his coming down from heaven to earth, ( Gen. 11.5.) And the Lord came down to see the City and the Tower which the Children of men built. Whence some may infer, if he came down to see the City, then he was not there before, and if so, then he is not universally present in all places. Again, ( Gen. 18.20, 21.) And the Lord said, because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous, I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it which is come unto me, and if not, I will know. This passage yields the same difficulty and objection; To both which we may add that of David (Psal. 14.2.) The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand; He doth not say, God was among the children of men here below, but being in heaven (as a man standing upon a high place or Tower) he looked down.

I answer, These Texts speak of God after the manner of men, or they speak thus, not to teach us, how God knows what is done on earth, but to confirm, and assure us that the Lord doth clearly and certainly know whatsoever is done by or among men on earth, even as clearly & certainly as a man knoweth anything by his view upon the place. God knoweth all things presently, without searching, though never so secret, and all things certainly without enquiring, though never so doubtful. God neither ascends, nor descends; He doth not come down by any motion, but he comes down to our apprehension. He shows us after our way, that he knoweth, because we cannot conceive his way of knowledge. If I would assure another man that I certainly know such a thing, I tell him, I came from the place, I saw it, or I beheld it with my own eyes; now that's all that is intended, when 'tis said, The Lord came down from heaven to behold, and see the Tower of Babel, and the condition of Sodom; Or it is, to admonish all Magistrates and Judges, that they pass no sentence of punishment either upon places or persons, upon bare hearsay and reports, but that they first inform themselves fully of the matter of fact, as Job professed his course was in all legal proceedings ( Chap. 29.16.) The cause which I knew not I searched out. Thus we see notwithstanding all these appearances from Texts of Scripture to the contrary, That this Scripture-truth standeth firm, The Lord is so in the height of heaven, that he is everywhere also here upon the earth.

From which take these two Deductions.

For where soever he is, he is the holy Lord; That was the charge which God gave to Abraham; Walk before me, and be upright; As if he had said, Wheresoever thou walkest, walk as having me present with thee, and be upright in my presence. I (saith David, a type of Christ, Psal. 16.8.) have set the Lord always before me, he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. He that by fa • th eyes God continually as his protector in trouble, shall not be moved with any evil that he suffers, and he that eyes God by faith as his pattern in holiness, shall not be moved from doing that which is good. This thought, The Lord is at our right hand, keeps us from turning either to the right hand or to the left. It is said of Enoch, that he walked with God, (Gen. 5.22.) and though the History of his life be very short, yet 'tis said of him a second time ( ver. 24.) That he walked with God. He walked so much with God, that he walked as God, he did not walk (which kind of walking the Apostle reproves, 1 Cor. 3.3.) as men. He walked so little, like the world, that his stay was little in the world. He was not (saith the Text) for God took him. He took him from the world to himself, or (as the Author to the Hebrews reports it) he was translated that he should not see death, for he received this testimony that he pleased God.

Secondly, It followeth; if God be everywhere present,

( Isa. 43.2.) When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee, and when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burnt. The presence of God is the protection of Saints in the evil which they suffer; and they who do evil cannot be hid from his punishing presence. There is no running from God. It is said of Jonah (Chap. 1.3.) That he fled from the presence of God. Whether fled he? The Text saith he fled to Sea, but did not God find him there? He fled from the commanding presence of God, but he fell into the angry presence of God. We have a large description in the 9 ^th of Amos, how carnal men hope to shift out of the hand of God. I (saith the Lord) will slay the last of them with the sword, though they dig to hell, thence shall my hand take them. We read what wise counsel the servants of the King of Benhadad gave him after he had been defeated by the King of Israel (1 King. 20.23, 24, 25.) Their God's are God's of the hills, therefore they were stronger then we, but let us fight against them in the plains, and surely we shall be stronger then they. Make thee an Army like the Army that thou hast lost, horse for horse, and Chariot for Chariot, and we will fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger then they, and he hearkened to their voice and did so. Why did they desire to fight them upon the plain? they thought God was a God of the hills and not of the valleys, but ( ver. 28.) A man of God said to the King of Israel, thus saith the Lord, because the Assyrians have said, the Lord is God of the hills and not of the valleys, therefore will I deliver this great multitude into thy hand. As if he had said, however you deserve not in the least, that I should own you, or assist your cause, yet that I may confute the blasphemous and derogatory principles of these Syrians, I will give you a second victory against them, even in the valleys, where they suppose they have you at an advantage, and shall deal with you beyond the extent of my power and Territory. Though God had no cause to respect the honor of the Israelites, yet he could not forget the honor of his own name, which was obscured by those superstitious Syrians. The most received Doctrine & Divinity of the Heathens confined their God's to certain places, some to this City, & some to that, some to the hills, & some to the plains, some to the Sea, others to the Land. 'It is said that the same night in w ^ch Alexander the Great (of whose Conquests Daniel Prophesied) was borne, that the Temple of Diana at Ephesus was burnt to the ground. And the Heathens gave this as the reason of it, because Diana was absent from hir Temple, being gone to assist at the birth of Alexander; implying that their Goddess was so in one place as she could not attend what was done elsewhere. Such were the gross conceits which they had of their God's, and they imagined the God of Israel to be such a one as their own. The veriest Idolater in the world presumes his God as good as any is. But Jehovah the living God hath taught us to say, Who is a God like unto thee? and our experiences have sealed to it, that there is none like the God of Jesurun, who rideth on the heavens for thy help, and in his excellency on the skies (Deut. 33.26.) And we have learned to comfort ourselves in all places and straits, in this assurance that he is the God of the hills as well as of the valleys, of the Sea, as well as the dry Land, and that he is as truly present in the lowest depths as in the highest heavens. Is not God in the height of heaven?

The Hebrew is, Behold the head of the Stars; The head of a man is the highest part of him, and the head of anything is the top of it. Behold the head or height of the Stars how high they are; Stars are high, but God is higher; many creatures are high, but God is high above all creatures. The creature is strong, but God is stronger, the creature is wise, but God is wiser, the creature is glorious, but God is infinitely more glorious; The glory, wisdom, strength, and highest height of the creature, is but a glimpse of what God is. The Stars are high. I shall not enter into an Astronomical Discourse about the Stars, or the height of Stars. I shall not meddle with a Jacob's staff, to take the elevation of the Stars, no need of such Discourse here, all that is intended by Eliphaz, is a proof that God is infinitely exalted in his highness and majesty above the Stars.

This word behold in Scripture is often applied to things of wonder; To say, behold, is not a calling for the bare act of the eye to see the height of the Stars, but it calls for a work of the mind, duly to consider of, and to wonder at their height. Some creatures, especially the heavenly, are not only useful, but wonderful; and 'tis as hard to understand them, as it is comfortable to enjoy them. The Hebrew word for Heaven cometh from a root which signifies to amaze and astonish; And indeed there are natural wonders and mysteries enow in the heavens to astonish any considering man. And the true reason why we are no more astonished at them, or do no more admire them, is because we do so little consider them. We often see or look upon the Stars, but we seldom behold them. And therefore David saith ( Psal. 8.3.) When I consider the heavens, the work of thy fingers, the Moon and the Stars which thou hast ordained; what is man that thou art mindful of him? As the beholding and consideration of our own works will make us ashamed, because they appear so bad, so the consideration and beholding of the works of God will make us astonished, because they appear both so good and great. Behold (saith the Apostle, 1 Joh. 3.1.) what manner of Love the father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the Sons of God; even this transcendent Love of God in our Adoption is passed by as a small matter by those who will not take the pains (or rather the pleasure) and leisure to behold and consider the manner of it. No marvel if the power of God in making the highest Stars be passed by as a low thing, by those who do not behold, that is, diligently consider them.

We are called to consider this.

Hence note;

God hath not only given us the book of the Scripture, but of the creature, and we must attend to the reading of this as well as of that, even to the reading of every lease and line of it. There are four great leaves of this book. First, the heavens; secondly, the earth; thirdly, the Sea; fourthly, the air. These are the four great leaves of this book of the creature; in everyone of which we should labor to be expert Scholars, and spel out the name and mind of God in them. For though (as I said before) beholding notes wondering, yet we must not behold them to wonder at them, like children; but we must behold them to learn somewhat from them, or to be instructed by them as men.

First, In their number; As God said to Abraham (Gen. 15. 5.) Look now towards Heaven, and tell the Stars if thou be able to number them; and he said unto him, so shall thy seed be. 'It is matter of wonder that God should make so many of those eminent Lights, that he should set up so many flaming torches in heaven for man to see his way, and work by on earth. That God who hath spread this Canopy over our heads, should also embroyder it with such a multitude of Golden spangles, which render it as much our delight, as it is our duty, to behold them.

Secondly, Behold the Stars in their order, they move by rule, they keep their ranks, none of them go out of their place, or forsake their station. They who are skilled in the motion of the Stars, know where to have them a hundred year hence. In the 5 ^th of Judges, it is said, The Stars in their courses fought against Sissera.

Thirdly, We should consider the Stars in their magnitude, what vast bodies they are; Some of them are bigger then the whole body of the earth (as Philosophy teacheth us) though, to appearance not bigger then the blase of a Candle, nor broader then the palm of a hand.

Fourthly, Consider also the difference of the Stars in their greatness, and magnitude, they are all great, but not all of a greatness, not all of one size. Astronomers divide the Stars into six magnitudes. We should likewise observe, and wonder at their light, which is their glory: the light of the Stars is the glory of the Stars, and so the more light any Star hath, the more glory it hath. Thus one Star differeth from another Star in glory (1 Cor. 15.41.) But I shall not stay upon these things, having insisted somewhat largely upon them at the 9 ^th Chapter, v. 9. Whether I refer the Reader. Only note here that as the Stars of heaven are of several degrees; God hath not level'd them, either in light or magnitude: so he hath diversely distributed the light of parts, and gifts, of understanding, and knowledge, of estate and power, to and among the children of men here on earth. 'It is good for all, that all are not alike; The universe could not be either so beautiful, or so orderly, if every particular had the same beauty, or were of the same order. And he that cannot be content to have less, and to be lesser then another, is altogether unfit, not only to be as great, or to have as much as another, but to be or have anything at all. Nor is any man more fit to be more then he is, then he that can rejoice while another is more then he.

Secondly, Note;

That's the tendency and scope of all that is here asserted. Eliphaz calls not Job to the meditation, or contemplation of the Stars to leave him there. Some study the heavens much, but their lives are earthly; they study the Stars, yet there is nothing but dirt in their hearts, and the reason is, because they study the Stars, for the Stars sake, and not for God's sake, and make the Stars their end, not their way, or as Stars, to lead them to God. This is the reason why many Astronomers and Philosophers, who busy their heads and minds much in speculation about the nature of the heavenly bodies, know not at all what it is to have their conversations in heaven, or to mind the things that are above. We should so behold the glory of the Stars, as from thence to infer, that God is much more glorious, yea, that, these things which were made glorious, have no glory in comparison of that Glory which made them. Plato taught his Scollers to say; The earth is beautiful, the heavens are more beautiful, but God who made the earth, and the heavens, is more beautiful then both. The visible creature shows the invisible God ( Psal. 19.1, 2.) The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handy work. But O how glorious is the invisible God, who hath made such visible creatures? and what a work-Master is he who hath set up such a work? ( Rom. 1.20.) The invisible things of him from the creation of the world, are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and godhead. The things that are made, carry us to the maker of them, and they tell us, that none but he who hath an eternal power and godhead, could possibly make them. The Heathen thought the Sun, Moon, and Stars, to be God's, therefore certainly there is very much of God, much of the glory and power of God to be seen in them. And Job saith (which doth plainly show that in nature it is so, Chap. 31.26.) If I beheld the Sun when it shined, or the Moon walking in brightness, and my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand, this also were an iniquity to be punished by the Judge, for I should have denied the God that is above. That is, if I have been enticed to worship the Sun, or Moon, as ravished with their beauty (for 'tis so far from being a sin, that 'tis a duty to behold the Sun when it shineth, and the Moon walking in brightness, but so to behold them as to adore them, or do obeisance to them, (which was the custom of the Heathen, expressed it seems among them by kissing their hand, as we do at this day in token of respect and reverence to men above us) this is an iniquity even that gross iniquity of Idolatry, or worshipping the creature instead of or more then the Creator, who is blessed for evermore. Now (I say) inasmuch as these creatures have so much of God in them, that many Heathens have mistaken them for God, how will it condemn us of dullness and stupidity, if we be be not led to God in the knowledge and beholding of them? For as to make these creatures God's, so not to see God in these creatures, is to deny the God that is above.

Thirdly, While we behold the Stars of heaven, it should exceedingly both humble us and make us thankful, for whose use, comfort, and accommodation in this life, God set up those Glorious Lights. God did not make them for his own use, he had no need of them, he was from everlasting without any of these creatures. The Stars are nothing to him; The Sun is nothing to him; yea in that state of glory where we shall enjoy God forever, we shall have light without Sun; so that these lights were made for our use, and for ours only while we are walking in the dark vale of this present world. Now, while we behold the height of the Stars how high they are, and consider for whom as well as by whom they were made; even for us, for poor us, who are but dust and ashes: This should at once lay us low in humbleness (looking upon them as an honor to great for us) and raise us up in thankfullnes, because the benefit and comfort of them is so great to us. Thus David speaks in that excellent prophecy of Christ ( Psal. 8.3.) When I consider thy heavens the work of thy fingers, the Moon, and the Stars, which thou hast ordained, what is man that thou art mindful 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 of him, and the son of man that thou visitest him? As if he had said, thou hast made all these creatures for man; see what a heaven, what stars God hath framed, and set up for man. Lord, what is man that thou art mindful of him? Thus behold the height of the stars, how high they are; as to lead thee unto God, and to admire his highness, so to be humbled at thy own baseness, and to be thankful for his benefits.

Eliphaz having laid down these two Propositions, God is on high, and the Stars are high, proceeds to make an inference from both, which he formeth up (by way of supposition) from Jobs own mouth.

As if Eliphaz had said, thou art so far from making that right improvement which thou oughtest of these truths, that the Lord is in the height of heaven, and that he hath made those high and glorious lights in heaven, that indeed thou doest quite pervert his meaning in making them; Thou sayest, how doth God know? Instead of honoring God who formed these lights, thou art darkening his honor, and ecclipsing the light of his omniscience. For whereas thou shouldest have said, seeing God is on high, and hath made the Stars, which are so high, surely nothing can be hid from his knowledge, Thou sayest, How doth God know? And there is a twofold saying of this; first, a saying with the tongue; secondly, with the heart; The vain heart of man hath many sayings, and this among the rest, How doth God know? (Psal. 14.1.) The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God. And he that saith in his heart, How doth God know? speaks as foolishly as that fool doth, who saith, There is no God. To deny that or doubt whether God knoweth all things, is not only to doubt but to deny that God is at all; He is not God who knoweth not all things.

And thou sayest, how doth God know? The conjunctive particle And, is here put as a causal, And thou sayest; that is, therefore thou sayest, how doth God know? So the sense is more clear, Is not God in the height of heaven, &c. He is. And what then? The use thou makest of it is this; Thou sayest, how doth God know? so the particle is used ( Gen. 49.16.) He saw that rest was good, and he gave his shoulders to the burden, &c. that is, therefore he gave his shoulders to the burden.

We may answer; First, Negatively, Not by sense, as we; eyes and ears are ascribed to God improperly in Scripture; nor doth God know by discourse, drawing one thing from another; but in the Affirmative, he knows intuitively, he knows everything nakedly in it self.

Again, Some read, What doth God know? how far doth his eye extend? what are the objects of his knowledge? To this we may answer, God knoweth all things; even the hearts of all the children of men; There are no secrets to God. But whether we expound it of the manner or matter of divine knowledge, the sense is the same, either an affirmation that God did not know all things, or at least a doubt whether he did or no. Thou sayest, How doth God know? But where, and when did Job say this? Job might challenge Eliphaz; bring your proofs and witnesses against me; why do you impute such thoughts to me, and frame such imaginations in my breast? certainly Job never spake this, and as surely Job never thought this; yet Eliphaz puts it directly upon him. What was his ground? only as the former crimes of uncharitableness and injustice, his breaking the arms of the fatherless, &c. were fastened upon him, because of the fears, snares, and darkness, in which he was; as if he must needs have done those evils, because he endured so much evil. Jobs sufferings were great, and therefore according to the Logic of Eliphaz, his sins must needs be very great. So here, he hath only this to prove his supposition, that Job said, How doth God know? because Job had said, that God doth sometime prosper wicked men, and afflicts the righteous. As if he who saith, that God suffers wicked men to prosper in this life, must needs also say, that God regards not the things of this life; so that Eliphaz seems to speak thus; We have heard thee saying, that the wicked prosper, and that the godly are afflicted; what need we any further witness, that thy opinion is, God neither takes notice nor care of the things here below. Out of thine own mouth we condemn thee as Guilty of this blasphemy, That, Thou sayest, How doth God know?

Hence observe;

Thus (1 King. 21.13.) Naboth was accused of blaspheming God and the King. Christ himself was taxed with blasphemy more then once, ( Matth. 9.3.) And behold certain of the Scribes said within themselves, this man blasphems. There they did not openly aver it, but they said it within themselves. At other times they spake it openly, ( Joh. 10.33.) The Jews answered and said, for a good deed we stone thee not, but for blasphemy, because thou being a man makest thyself God. And again ( Matth. 26.65.) He hath spoken blasphemy, ye have heard his blasphemy. To speak or do well and hear ill was the portion of Christ, and may be the portion of the holiest of those who are Christ's.

Secondly, Note;

Eliphaz saith, Job denied providence, whereas Job adored it; that he denied God's knowledge of the good and evil done in the world, because he maintained, that good men receive evil, and evil men good in the world. When we deny transubstantiation, or that the bread is changed into the very substance of the body of Christ; Papists infer, that we deny, that Christ spake truly, when at his Last Supper he said, This is my body; and they will hence force it upon us, that we say, God is not omnipotent, because we affirm that it is inconsistent with the nature of a true human body (such as Christ hath now in heaven, though glorified and spiritual) to be in many places at once. For as some deny the omnipresence of the divine nature, so Papists affirm the omni-presence of the human nature, And (say they) while we deny this, we deny the omnipotency of God. Others charge us that we make God the author of sin, and that, according to our tenet, all the impiety and wickedness that is in the world, lieth at his door; because we affirm, That God hath passed an Eternal absolute and unchangeable decree concerning all the sons of men. When all other arguments fail, how usual is it to make the divinest truths guilty of the most uncomely and ugly consequences that are imaginable.

Further, Thou sayest, How doth God know? Take it either of the inward or of the outward saying, either of the tongue or of the heart, saying so; Eliphaz would prove from it, that certainly Job was a wicked man. And his inference had been true, if he could have proved it true, that Job had said so.

Hence observe;

He that is good, must needs both think, and speak good of God. David doth often aggravate the wickedness of his enemies, from the language of their hearts and tongues, ( Psal. 10.11.) He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten, he hides his face, he will never see. And again ( Psal. 144.7, 8, 11.) Send thy hand from above, rid me and deliver me out of great waters, from the hands of strange children, whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand, is a right hand of falsehood. If the mouth speaketh vanity, the hand is full of falsehood; we may even feel deceit in their hands, whose mouths speak any kind of vanity, but especially this, which is the vainest vanity of all, How doth God know? or surely God doth not know. Such the Psalmist rebukes ( Psal. 94.4, 5.7.) How long shall they utter and speak hard things? What things were those? The next words show us; They break in pieces thy people, &c. yet they say, the Lord shall not see, &c. understand ye brutish, among the people, he that formed the eye, shall he not see? There is no greater argument of brutishnes and ignorance, then to question the knowledge of God; or to say, How doth God know?

As if Job had further argued thus; I am safe enough from the knowledge of God, for as he is high above me, so there are dark clouds between him and me; Can he judge through the dark cloud? My opinion is he cannot. For knowledge goeth before judgment; He that knoweth not certainly, can never judge rightly. Justice is pictured blind, in reference to persons, but not in reference to things or causes; Justice must take no notice of this or that man, whether he be great or little, high or low, a near friend or a stranger; Justice is blind as to all these considerations, and knoweth no man; but Justice must know every man's case and cause; unless man know that, how can be judge? and if God know not that, how can he judge? He must have light to see what is done, before he pass Sentence upon what is done; therefore, Can he judge through the dark cloud? Surely he cannot. Thus the Atheist concludeth indeed; and thus Eliphaz represents Job concluding in his own heart; there is not only a great distance between God and me, not only is he in the height of heaven, and I below on earth, but there are many gloomy clouds between him and me; As he is high above me, so there are such impediments in the way that he cannot see me. The Vulgar reads, He judgeth as through darkness. Now the best of Saints see God through a Glass darkly, or in a ridle (1 Cor. 13.12.) And secure sinners think that God seeth them only through a cloud darkly, or (as Eliphaz speaketh) through a dark cloud; he knoweth not clearly, but dimly. To judge through a cloud, is to judge of things confusedly, not distinctly, by guess or conjecturally, not exactly or face to face. This is all the sight which an evil heart alloweth God (if he allow him any) concerning his ways and actions. They who do things which cannot abide the light, are willing to believe that all they do is in the dark. Theirs are works of moral darkness, and therefore they please themselves with thinking that their works are hid either in natural or artificial darkness. It is said of the Lord in Scripture ( Psal. 97.2.) Clouds and darkness are round about him, while judgment and righteousness are the habitation of his throne; but these imagine that God cannot proceed in judgment and righteousness, because clouds and darkness are round about him. It is said (1 King. 8.10, 11, 12.) The cloud filled the house of the Lord, so that the Priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord. Then spake Solomon, the Lord said that he will dwell in the thick darkness. Read Exod. 20.21. Deut. 5.22. Psal. 18.11. God is light (saith the Apostle, John 1 Ep: 1.) and he dwelleth in light which no man can approach unto (1 Tim. 6.16.) How then can he be said to dwell in thick darkness? I answer; those Scriptures which say that God dwells in darkness, that clouds and darkness are round about him, teach us, that God and his ways are much hid from us; we are not able to look up to him, or see clearly what he doth, much less can we see what his counsels are. The clouds and darkness which are about him, do not hinder his sight of us, but our sight of him. Our darkness is no darkness to him, but his darkness, yea his light is darkness to us. Again, God is said to dwell in a cloud, to reprove our boldness and curiosity, who are too apt to pry into what is not to be known, and to neglect our duty in what we know, or to neglect the knowledge of our duty. God hath some reserves in counsels; some of his providences are wrapped up in clouds. He will be trusted and honored in what he is not seen or known. Not to know these things is indeed our nescience, but not our ignorance, and not to seek after the knowledge of these things, is our duty not our sloth. Thus God who dwells in light, dwells also in a cloud; for he dwells in light that no man can (no nor ought to) approach unto. We may come near his light by faith, but we cannot come near his light by knowledge. There is such an infinite, such an overcoming light in God, that it is a darkness to us; the most Eagle-like eyes of a human understanding are not only dazzel'd, but quite blinded with his brightness. Now as no man can judge through this light of God, so some men are ready to say (and thus Eliphaz brings in Job saying) that God cannot judge through dark clouds, through clouds and darkness. Nor doth Eliphaz bring in Job saying thus only by way of doubt or question, but by way of averrement and resolution in the next verse.

This verse is but an explication of the 13 ^th , Can he see through the dark cloud? There he puts the question, here he gives a peremptory answer, he cannot certainly; for, Thick clouds are a covering to him, that he cannot see. The Hebrew for thick clouds is but one word, which in the root, signifies Thickness, or, to be thick. Some clouds have a kind of thinnes in them, and are as it were transparent. Others are more gross and opacous, quite hindering and intercepting our sight of all that is beyond them, with these (saith Eliphaz ) thou O Job, vainly conceitest, that the sight of God also is intercepted, so that, as we cannot see God, so God cannot see us; A veil of thick clouds seclude his sight. Nor is this the only reason why thou art overcome with this ignorant persuasion. Thou hast a second, which though possibly thou wouldest conceal, yet will not I, and this is it Thou also sayest,

He walketh in the circuit of heaven.] As if thou hadst said, suppose God can see through the thick cloud; and so my former reason should fail, yet I know well enough that the Great God of heaven hath other matters to meddle with, other affairs to busy himself about, then to trouble himself with me. He walketh in the circuit of heaven; we are not to take walking as a mere motion, but as walking notes employment, he walks in the circuit of heaven, that is, he is wholly taken up there. When the Lord asked of Satan, Whence comest thou? he answered, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. Now what doth Satan when he walks up and down the world, doth he walk like an idle vagrant that hath nothing to do? doth he walk with his hands in his pockets, as having no business? doth he walk merely to take the air, or to take his pleasure, to see, and be seen? no, when Satan walks about the world, his walking is working, he goeth about to tempt, to try, to lay snares and baits, to catch and captivate the souls of men. So here when it is said, God walketh in the circuit of heaven, the meaning is, his business, yea even his whole business lies there; He hath enough to do in heaven, and therefore hath no leisure to attend what is done on earth. That's the scope and tendency of these words which Eliphaz fastens upon Job; He walketh in the circuit of heaven. We are sure enough of him. The words carry the same sense, with that speech of the whorish woman ( Pro. 7.18, 19, 20.) Come (saith she) let us take our fill of love till the morning, let us solace ourselves with loves. But the young man might possibly object, your husband will come home, and that will spoil all. No, (saith she) never fear it, he is far enough out of the way; The good man is not at home, he is gone a long journey; He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed; That is, he will not come home till the day appointed, he hath great business abroad, and he hath carried money enough with him to bear his charges till he hath don his business. He is riding and running in a far Country and minds not home, nor hath he the least suspicion of what we do at home. Thus when the sinner is about to depart far from his duty, he puts or conceives God far from him. He walketh in the Circuit of heaven. From the General scope of Eliphaz in the 13 ^th and 14 ^th verses, Observe;

Thus the hypocrite is described ( Psal. 50.21.) Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thyself. Not that he thought God was a man, but that God had such thoughts of good and evil, as man hath. As if what is right in man's eyes, were so in the eyes of God also; or as if what did not displease man, were pleasing, or not much displeasing unto God. When the Lord saith ( Isaiah 55.8.) My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor your ways my ways; he doth plainly intimate, that they did begin to frame thoughts of God like their own: but saith God, as the heavens are higher then the earth, so are my thoughts then your thoughts, and my ways then your ways; That is, as my thoughts have a vastnes in them to all things beyond yours, so especially in this thing, the performance of my promise for the pardon of sin. O how unlike is God to man in this? God is not more unlike man in his absolute freedom from the least inclination to commit any the least sin, then he is in the admirable freeness of his inclination to pardon any even the greatest sin. Men are commonly not only unmerciful to those who wrong them, but revengeful, and when once offended are hardly drawn to a reconcilement, and seldom so fully reconciled, but that somewhat of offense stayeth behind. But the thoughts of God are not so. He is slow to wrath, and ready to forgive. He quickly pardons the offense, and receives the offender into favor; no more retaining the memory of his offense (as to his hurt) then if he had never offended. Thus the Lord would assure sinners, that his thoughts in pardoning sin are not as theirs. And it is but need he should do so; For when sinners begin to be awakened, they frame such thoughts of God, as to pardon of sin, as they have in themselves: when they look upon their sins as too bigg to be pardoned by man, they conclude presently the Lord cannot or will not pardon them. And as many under temptation, frame thoughts of God like their own about the pardon of sin; so it is the constant course of wicked men (which is indeed the worst of their sins) to frame thoughts of God like unto themselves, while they commit and continue in sin. Man should not dare to Imagine anything of God in reference either to his justice or mercy, either about the punishing or pardoning of sin, but what he hath declared of himself, all that we Imagine beside that, is the making of another God. There are many false gods made with men's hands, but the hearts of men make many more. The heart of man makes thousands of false or strange gods. Every undue, every wrong Imagination of God, is the forming up of a strange, of a new god. When we ascribe to God such a kind of power, such a kind of knowledge, such a kind of holiness, such a kind of justice, such a kind of mercy, as is common to the creature, in all this we frame up a new god to ourselves. And thus those Gentiles of whom the Apostle speaks ( Rom. 1.21. & 25.) Became vain in their Imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened; in what was their foolish heart darkened? in false notions of God; therefore they are said ( ver. 29.) to change the glory of the Incorruptible God into an Image made like to Corruptible man, and to birds, four-footed beasts, and creeping things. Now as there is the changing of the glory of the Incorruptible God into the Image of a Corruptible man, that is, into the External Image of a Corruptible man, (for some set up false gods in the likeness of men;) So there is a Changing of the glory of the Incorruptible God, into the Internal Image of a Corruptible man, that is, into such thoughts and Conceptions as are ordinarily in men. Let such consider, that, if to make a worship of our own for the true God, be indeed to set up a false god; (all they worship false gods who set up a strange worship for the true God, now, I say, if they who do but set up a new worship for the true God make a strange God) what then do they who in their hearts set up a new God, that is, who frame Conceptions of God which himself never gave ground for in his word? Such was the Conceit which Eliphaz had of Job, when he presumes him saying, How doth God know? Can he judge through the dark cloud?

Secondly, From the particular misapprehension of God, imposed by Eliphaz upon Job; And thou sayest, How doth God know? &c. Observe.

Thus they reason; Can he see thorough the dark Cloud? and conclude, Thick Clouds are a Covering to him that he seeth not, and he walketh in the Circuit of heaven? What Eliphaz lays to Jobes charge falsely; is often charged by the Holy Ghost upon wicked men truly. ( Psal. 10.11.) He hath said in his heart God hath forgotten, he hides his face, he will never see it. Who this He is, whose heart speaks this language, appears clearly in the former part of the Psalm, where he is more then once called The wicked (ver. 2, 3.) and where more then one of his wickednesses are described, ( ver. 7, 8, 9, 10.) His mouth is full of cursing and deceit, and fraud, under his tongue is mischief and vanity, he sitteth in the lurking places of the villages: in the secret places doth he murder the innocent &c. After all this, he saith in his heart God hath forgotten, that is, he hath forgotten the poor whom I have under my power, therefore I may safely oppress them. He hideth his face, he will never see it; that is, God will never take any knowledge, either of my doings or of their sufferings. We have a sample of the same impiety ( Psal. 73.11.) And they say how doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most high? behold, these are the ungodly in the world, &c. And again ( Psal. 94.6 ver.) They slay the widow, and stranger, and murder the fatherless (here are their works of darkness) yet they say, the Lord shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob regard. Not only did they presume that the Lord did not see, but that he should not; The Lord shall not see! As if they could stop or blind the eyes of God as easily as they had blinded their own Consciences. Take one Instance further ( Ezek. 8.12.) Then said he unto me Son of man, Seest thou what they do? hast thou seen what the Ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, Every man in the Chambers of his Imagery, for they say the Lord seeth us not, he hath forsaken the Earth. Much like the language here, He walketh in the Circuit of heaven; he hath other business to do then to mind us. As God is sometimes said to forsake the Earth in wrath, to punish the sin of Man, so wicked men say he always forsakes the Earth in neglect both of their sin and punishment. And as Idolaters who have a mind to other gods, are willing to believe that God hath forsaken the earth, as to the protection of them; We (say they) are in danger, God takes no care of us, therefore blame us not if we betake ourselves to other God's for protection; If he had not forsaken us, we had not forsaken him: So all sorts of resolved transgressors, who have a mind to any sinful way, are willing to believe that God hath forsaken the earth, as to any observation of them. We may do what we list, for God doth not mind or regard what we are doing. If we thought he did indeed see us, we durst not thus sin against him. But seeing he doth not trouble himself with any care about us, why should we trouble ourselves with any fear about him? Now, this Presumption that God doth not see us in what we are doing, opens a door to the doing of all Evil. Security from danger is the great encouragement unto sin. Though wicked men would not be less sinful, yet they would not sin so much, or be so full of sin, did they not vainly flatter themselves out of the sight of God. Every Man would fain believe that God doth not see him when he is doing that which he would not have seen or be seen in doing it. And how do men please themselves in this false hope that God doth not see them, when they do that which is displeasing unto God!

From the Intendment of Eliphaz to Convince Job, that the Clouds are no Covering to God, and that the Circuit of heaven doth not Confine him.

Observe;

Thou sayest thus; How doth God know? I tell thee God doth know; And thou hast an argument upon thy back, if thou hast none in thy heart to prove it, thy sense or feeling may teach thee, if thy reason or understanding do not, and by thy suffering thou mayest see that God seeth what thou hast been doing. This great truth, That God is omniscient, or knows all, may easily be known, and ought to be believed by all. When the Lord had made the world in six days ( Gen. 1.31.) He saw all that he had made; All was in view at once, he had a Prospect of the whole Creation in his eye. And as all his own Creatures, so all our Creatures are seen by God; he seeth all that himself hath made, and he seeth all that we have made, or are making day by day. ( Gen. 6.5.) God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every thought of the Imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil Continually, or every day. The Lord saw, that is, the Lord knew fully (infinitely more fully then we know those things which we see) every Imagination or figment of the thoughts of man's heart. The figment of our thoughts, is what the mind fashioneth or maketh up within it self by thinking: corrupt nature keeps a constant mint of evil imaginations in the head, as it hath a sink of filthy affections in the heart. The mind of man hath a formative faculty in it. And the same word which the Holy Ghost useth to signify the work of God in making man, ( Gen. 2.7.) The Lord God formed man out of the dust of the earth, or dust out of the earth (the same word, I say) is used in the Noun ( Gen. 6.5.) to signify, the imagination of man, because that is always shaping moulding or forming one sort of thoughts or other, &, naturally, none but ugly evil thoughts. These are the creatures which man (as fallen) is the maker of; and he maketh (as I may say) infinite creatures, he is forming them continually in his imagination, that's the shop wherein there's a daily Creation (such as it is) of monstrous wickednesses, till God by his new Creation changeth the frame and nature of it. Now (I say) as God seeth his own creatures; so he seeth all our Creatures, though we make them in the shop of our darkest imaginations. And much more doth he see all the Creatures which we make without, that is, all our bodily and external actions. ( Jere. 17.10.) I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins; if he search our hearts, then surely he searcheth all our ways, if he seeth our thinkings, then surely he seeth our walkings. Therefore 'tis said (1 Sam. 2.3.) The Lord is a God of knowledge; the Hebrew is, The Lord is a God of knowledges; that is, all things fall under his knowledge; he is perfect in all knowledges, there is nothing knowable, but the Lord knows it; and by him actions are weighed: now the weighing of actions is more then the seeing of actions; many see that which they cannot weigh. He weigheth actions, that is, he takes not only the action it self, but every circumstance of it into Consideration; he takes his Ballances, and tries fully, how much each ingredient weighs, and what it comes to. He weighs whole States, Kingdoms, and Nations. So it was said to the Babylonian Monarch Belteshazzar (Dan. 5.26.27.) Mene, God hath numbered thy Kingdom, and finished it, Tekel, Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. Thy councils, thy policies, thy undertakings, the whole compass, all the contrivances of thy Government are weighed and found too light. And as God weigheth the actions of Princes, so of private persons. ( Prov. 5.21.) The ways of a man (that is, of every man, even of the meanest man) are before the Lord, and he pondereth all his paths; he puts them into a Ballance, and doth not only see them, but ponder or weigh them. David saith of some wicked men that they weigh the violence of their hands in the earth ( Psal. 58.2.) though they do violence, yet they do it not violently, but with a kind of skill and deliberation. They do wrong and oppress with a show of Justice, whereof weights are the common Emblem. Now as some men do evil, not hastily, rashly, or all at once, but give it out by weight, and with a seeming gravity and zeal for justice. So the Lord doth never look over the ways of men rashly or hastily, but weighs them out even to a grain, yea to the dust of the balance he pondereth all their paths. That is, he knows them throughout. Therefore David (Psal. 139.) having spoken much to this point of the Exactnes of God's knowledge, concludes at the 6 ^th verse; Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, it is high I cannot attain unto it. Some expound this Text, not of the knowledge of God concerning us, but of our knowledge concerning God. Thy knowledge or the knowledge of thee is too wonderful for me, I cannot attain unto it. Others thus; This thy knowledge (namely that which he had before described) is more wonderful (or more exact) then that I should be able to deceive it. We may impose upon and deceive the most knowing man, but we cannot impose upon or deceive God. I conceive our reading to be most suitable both to the Text and context. Such knowledge, that is, Such knowledge as thou hast of me, of the least and greatest things, even of all things that I or any man doth, is too wonderful for me. For though we may know some actions of men, yet we cannot know them all, and we can hardly weigh any of them to the utmost. And in this acknowledgement we may take notice of the Psalmist modesty, who though he had the immediate assistance of a Prophetical Spirit, yet confessed, that he was not only not able to know God, but not to know himself, his thoughts, words, and ways, as God knew them. Such knowledge of myself as thou O Lord hast of me, is too wonderful for me, I cannot attain unio it.

Some perhaps may query upon this, if the Lord knoweth all the ways of men, and pondereth all their actions, is not this a trouble to God? is not this a disturbance of his peace, and a distraction to him?

I answer (as I said before) this is to frame a God like ourselves, for to him that is omniscient, it is all one to know all, and to know but one thing: it is no more distraction, no more trouble to God to know all that we do speak, or think, then to know anything. If two or three speak to a man together, he is not able to take in their sense, the variety of their discourse makes such a hurry and trouble in his spirits, that he looseth all that is spoken. But the application of thousands or of Millions at the same time in speaking to the ear of God, is no more trouble, then if but one did speak; an infinite ear hears all, and an infinite eye sees all, without any the least distraction; the infinite knowledge of God takes in all the actions of all men, as easily as the single action of any one man.

Again, Others may say, Surely the Lord will not take such exact knowledge of all the actions of men, especially of mean men, or surely not of the mean actions of meanest men; possibly of some persons in great place, & of some great things done by those persons he may take notice, but to stoop to small things, if it be not a trouble, yet it cannot but be a dishonor to, and too great a Condescention for the great God. The Heathens said their Jupiter had no leisure to deal in small matters; And may not we Christians say, It is not honorable enough for our God, to have to do with small matters.

I answer; This also is to frame a God like ourselves; as it doth not weary God to behold, to try and ponder all the ways of all men (which was the fear concerning Moses that he should be tired out with the various cases and affairs of that great People; and was therefore advised by Jethro to make more Judges, that so the weightier matters only might be brought before and Judged by him) So it is no dishonor at all to God, no, it is his honor that he takes cognizance of the smallest matters as well as of the greatest, of the lowest as well as of the highest concernments of the children of men. ( Psal. 113.5, 6.) Who is like unto the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high? who humbleth himself to behold the things which are in Heaven, and in the Earth. Who is like to God in this? this is the honor of the high God that he will humble himself to behold the lowest things, the things which are in the Earth, as well as things in Heaven, and the lesser, the least things in earth, as well as the greater or the greatest. Though the Lord be high, yet he humbleth himself unto the lowly (Psal. 138.6.) and as to lowly persons, so to the lowest things. Indeed the Lord doth humble himself to behold the things which are in Heaven, it is a Condescention in him to take notice of any creature; yet he doth not only humble himself to behold things in Heaven, but things in the Earth, and in this who is like unto the Lord our God? this is his glory, and for this he is to be glorified, yea to be cried up with this admiring Elogium, Who is like unto the Lord our God? None among the sons of men are like him in this, yea there is no God like unto the Lord our God in this. We have cause to say (considering our vileness) What is man that thou shouldst take notice of him? 'It is too Great an honor for man, but it is no dishonor to God to take notice of the meanest man. The greatness of God appears as in the making, so in the governing and disposing of the smallest things. The power of God is seen in making a fly or a worm, as well as in making an Elephant or the vast Leviathan; So also is his wisdom and providence seen in the observing and ordering of those businesses and motions of the creature, which compared to others are but as a fly to an Elephant, or but as a worm to Leviathan. There is nothing doth more detract from the greatness of God, then the denial or dis-belief of his cognizance of and care about little things. And as it shows the exactest perfection of holiness attaynable by man in this life, when he taketh an account of and reproves himself for the least sins, whether they be omissions of that good which he is commanded to do, or commissions of that evil which he is forbidden to do. So it is an undeniable argument of the exactly and absolutely perfect holiness, justice, goodness and faithfulness of God, that he taketh an account of, and will certainly reward or punish every man for the least good or evil which he hath done. This is the glory of him who walketh in the circuit of heaven, that he sees all to the center of the earth. Eliphaz having thus detected and reproved (as he thought) those thoughts and assertions of Job which detracted so much from God, as if he did not mark the ways of men; proceeds to put the question to him, whether himself had well marked the ways of wicked men.

THe word translated to mark, notes a diligent observation; So it is used ( Chap. 10.14.) If I sin then thou markest me, (that is, thou takest exact or strict notice of me) and thou wilt not acquit me from mine Iniquity. (Psal. 37.37.) mark the perfect man, and behold the upright, that is, take special knowledge of him, for the end of that man is peace. (Psal. 107.43.) who so is wise will observe, or mark, these things, he shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord. So here, Hast thou marked? hast thou with diligence and seriousnes of spirit observed, the old way which wicked men have trodden. The Hebrew is, The way of age, the way of ages, or as some read, the Eternal way, the way of Eternity. David prayeth ( Psal. 139.23, 24.) Lead me in the way everlasting; that is, Lead me in the way of holiness and righteousness, which leads to eternity. Which yet one of the Rabbins expounds, as a periphrasis of death; for death is called, the way of all the earth (1 King. 2.2.) the way of all flesh (Josh. 23.14.) As if David had said, Lord, if upon search thou findest that I walk in any way of wickedness, that is, of willful sinning, then destroy me, lead me to my grave, yea cast me with the wicked to hell, or to everlasting condemnation. Master Broughton thus; Hast thou marked the way of the old world?

But what was this way of the old world, about which Eliphaz questions Job, whether he had taken notice of it yea or no? The way of the old world may be taken two ways.

• First, For the way of their sins.
• Secondly, For the way of their punishment.

First, Hast thou marked the old way of their sin? and the old way of their sin may be Considered under a twofold notion.

First, As it was the way of their opinion. Secondly, as it was the way of their practice: Some restrain it here to the way of their opinion, and Interpret Eliphaz as chiefly intendding that; Hast thou observed the old way; that is, the old Erroneous opinions which were in the first ages of the world? In those times there were not a few like thyself, who either flatly denied or belied the providence of God, who said (as thou doest) How doth God know? Surely he hath forsaken the earth, and intermeddles not with what is done here below. Thus a learned Interpreter expounds the Text, with reference to their ungodly opinion; They (saith he) who lived in the time of the flood denied Providence; Hast thou (O Job ) marked their opinion and Consider'd it? And that this wicked Error did prevail in those times, may be Collected from what is reported by Berosus of the Giants (of whom we read in the 6 ^th of Genesis ver. 4 ^th , There were Giants in the earth in those days ) Among other of their abominations, this (saith he) was one, or this was a Chief one, the root, or source of them all, they blasphemed God, and contemned Religion, they thought there was no Supreme Power, none to whom man was accountable for any of his actions. Hast thou marked this old way of Error?

In pursuance of which Interpretation, the words which we render, Hast thou marked, may be Expounded thus; Hast thou taken up the old way? art thou a follower of that Sect, of that Tribe who have gone in that wicked way? doest thou also maintain their blasphemy, that God takes no notice of man? This notion holds fair with what he had said before.

Secondly, As it may be referred to those abominable Atheistical opinions which reigned in those times, so to the wicked Practices, to the old Customs and sinful Courses which were followed in those times; for where a wicked opinion is lodged in the heart, what kind of wickedness is there that they may not break forth in the life? And so here the old way is the way of sin, the corrupt Course and practices of that debauched generation, especially the way of pride and ambition, which appeared much in the titles given them, Mighty men, men of name, or as we render, Men of renown. They were men of honor and name with men, but we read not of any honor they did to or received from God. It is the highest disgrace, to be memorable for actings against grace, or for ungracious actings.

Again, The old way may be taken for the way of punishment, or for that course of divine Justice which was Executed upon wicked men in those elder times. There is away of Judgment which God takes, as there is a way of Sin which man takes. Sinful ways lead into troublesome ways, & end in death. Hast thou considered the way of justice which the Lord went in towards those old Sinners? pouring out his wrath, and emptying the vials of his Indignation upon them, till he had consumed and swept them off as rubbish from the face of the earth. Hast thou marked the old way, which either the lusts of wicked men have led them into, or which the justice of the Lord hath brought them into. Hast thou observed the old way?

The Hebrew is, Men of Iniquity; Which phrase plainly imports, that he doth not speak of the ordinary race, or rank of sinners, but of the Extreamest sinners, men so full of iniquity, that they deserved this black Title, men of Iniquity. Antichrist is called not only a man of sin, or the man of sin, but (which implieth a sinner of a higher form, then both the former) That man of sin (2 Thes. 2.3.) He being indeed not only among the chiefest sinners, but the chief of sinners. The phrase in the Text is a degree lower then that, yet it notes a very great degreee. And therefore when the Prophet would assure the greatest sinners repenting and returning to God, of the readiness of God to pardon, he expresseth them in this style ( Isa. 55.7.) Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man, or (as the Original Text hath it) the man of iniquity, his thoughts and &c. As a man of Bloods notes a very bloody man, a man given up to that particular sin of cruelty. So a man of iniquity, is one given up to sin in General. Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men, men of iniquity, have

This word, trodden, referred both to a sinful and a suffering way, notes the frequency of their going or being in those ways. And as it is referred to their sinful way alone, it notes first their boldness in sinning; secondly, their resolvedness to sin: A trodden way, is such a way as a man hath often gone, and in which he is not afraid to go. Hast thou marked the old way.

Hence note. First,

The Devil sinned from the beginning, and men have sinned from their beginning, not only have there been sinnings, but great sinnings from the beginning; the old way is the way of sin, though the oldest way be not. There was holiness before there was sin, and truth before there was Error; So that the way of sin is the old way, but not the oldest way. God, all whose ways are holy, was from everlasting. The Angels who have been holy as long as they have been, were from the beginning. And the first beginning of man in his conversation, was, no doubt, like his constitution, holy. He quickly went out of the way, but surely his first step was not out of the way, he went right before he went wrong, and stood before he fell. Again, if you take the way for the way of punishment.

Note.

God hath everywhere and every when left the tract and print of his anger and displeasure upon sinners; though some particular sinners, have gone unpunished in some age, yet there was never any age wherein sin was not punished in some. The Lord gives a moral stop to sin perpetually, that is, by his Laws he declares against it, his word is express against all ungodlynes, both the word of his Command, and the word of his threatening. Now as the Lord doth always put this moral stop in the way of sin, so, he often puts a Judiciary stop, or a stop by way of Judgment. And as in the 3 ^d of Genesis, he set a flaming sword in the way of the tree of life, so he continually sets a flaming word, that is, a threatening to keep the way of the tree of death, that is, of sin. Thus he always meets sinful men in the way of their lusts (as the Angel met Balaam when he went to curse the Israel of God) with a drawn sword to stop them in their way; the Lord hath set many drawn swords in the way of every sin; and he hath left the prints of his wrath upon the backs of many sinners, that we should take heed of sinning. The Lord hath left many sad examples upon record against sin, nor hath he at any time favored it, or done anything which might indeed encourage sinners; for though sometimes wicked men have prospered, yet, should we look into all times, we cannot find that wicked men were ever blessed; Judgment hath overtaken them sooner or later. And if it hath at any time come too late to overtake them in this world, yet it will come soon enough to overtake theirs in this, or themselves in the world which is to come. No man is blessed, at any time, who comes at last to be miserable.

Thirdly, In that he saith; Hast thou marked the old way?

Note.

All the ways of God are to be marked; as we are to observe what the Lord speaks, so what he doth; his works as well as his word, are remarkable. Who so is wise (saith the Psalmist, Psal. 107.43.) and will observe these things, even they shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord. I may say also, that they shall understand the judgments of the Lord. And again, the Prophet confirms it ( Hos. 14.9.) Who is wise and he shall understand these things prudent and he shall know them; for the ways of the Lord are right, and the Just shall walk in them, but the transgressors shall fall therein. The wicked fall in the way of his commandments, and therefore surely they shall fall in the way of his judgments. And as the Lord hath given us Examples of this, so he hath given this as the use of those Examples that we should mark and observe them. The Apostle (1 Cor. 10.) shows that all the dealings of God with that his ancient People the Jews, are written and recorded as our Examples ( ver. 5, 6, 7.) With many of them God was not well pleased, but they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things were our Examples, to the Intent that we should not lust after evil things as they lusted, neither be Idolaters, as some of them were, nor fornicators, nor tempt Christ, nor murmur, &c. He shuts up all with the same doctrine ( ver. 11.) Now all these things happened unto them for Ensamples, and are written for our admonition, upon whom the Ends of the Earth are come, therefore let him that standeth take heed least he fall. The Apostle Peter also (2 Pet. 2.) brings in; first, the instance of the Angels that fell; secondly, of the old world; thi • dly, of Sodom and Gomorrah, Whom God condemned with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that af • er should live ungodly. The Scripture speaks of two sorts of Ensamples. F • rst, for imitation; secondly, for caution; The lapsed Angels, the old world, these Cities Sodom and Gomorrah, are all left as Ensamples for caution, that all after ages marking the old way of their sin and punishment, might fear to sin and suffer as they have done.

Fourthly, From the manner of this Expression (which wicked men have trodden) taking the way conjunctively for the way both of sin and punishment, this troddennes of it notes the frequent passage which many have made through it; They have not gone it once only but often. Hence observe.

It is easy to follow sinners (as it were) by the print and tract of those evils which have overtaken them. But I pass it here, because Eliphaz proceeds more directly to describe the punishment of wicked men in the next words.

At this verse the Original hath a very conspicuous note of distinction. The Jews are very exact in observing the letters and the verses of every book in the Bible, and between these two verses is the middle of the book: there being exactly the same number of verses behind as we have had before in this whole book of Job (taking the 16 ^th verse Inclusively) So that now we are half the book over according to the number of verses. The whole containing 1070. The former part hath had 535. and as many remain for the latter part. This I touch only by the way.

The words carry an alusion to the felling of trees; as if he had said; These men were like great Oaks and tall Cedars, but the Lord cut them down. The word is Conceived more properly signifying to wrinkle, or to make furrows in the face; for this word is used but once more in all the Bible, & it is in the 16 ^th Chapter of this Book, ver. 8 ^th , and there we translate, wrinkles; Thou hast filled me with wrinkles, which is a witness against me. So some render it here; Who were wrinkled out of time. Now what are wrinkles? they are the marks of old age, and they show that weakness is coming upon us, or that we are in our declining Condition; so that it is a very Elegant Expression to say, They were wrinkled out of time; that is, they were old afore they were old, before they were old according to the nature of man, they were made old by the Judgments of God; They looked as if they were worn, spent, and eaten out by time, whereas indeed they were spent, eaten, and worn out with the wrath and indignation of God which fell upon them. Thus they were wrinkled out of time, or before their time.

They were cut down, and no time, as some render: But it may be said as Solomon did ( Eccl. 3.1.) There is a time for everything; how then could they be cut down in no time? There may be a twofold interpretation given of this Hebraism.

First this, to show that they died a violent not a natural death, that either God by his immediate Judgments did cut them off, or that he gave them up to the Justice of man, who cut them off before their time. Man hath a set time, an ordinary time of dying (the days of man are threescore years and ten, this is the ordinary time of dying) they that die before, are in Scripture sense, Cut down out of time, or not in time, that is, not in that time at which men usually die according to the course and custom of nature.

Secondly, when 'tis said, They were cut down without time, the meaning is, they were cut down very suddenly, as if it were done without any time at all; God was so far from lingering or taking up long time to destroy these men, that he cut them down (as it were) without any time at all, even in a moment, in an Instant, as speedily as a man can think it, far more speedily then any man can do it. He did it without delay. As usually the grace of God, so often the wrath of God makes no demurs.

Observe from the manner of Expression, Cut down.

That, God brings ruining Judgments on the stoutest of sinners.

He doth not only pull off some of their fruit, and leaves, or lopp off their branches, but he cuts them down, yea he stubs them up by the roots, till there is nothing left, they are cut down root and branch. Thus the Lord threatened the house of Jeroboam (1 King. 14.10.) Behold I will bring evil upon the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam, him that pisseth against the wall (that is, every man of his house) and him that is shut up and left in Israel (that is, him that is most esteemed, as things shut up are, and him that is least esteemed, as things left abroad are; or those who are secured or have secured themselves in strongest holds, as men shut up are, as well as those who are left naked and exposed to the easiest dangers, as men left at large are) and will take away the remnant of the house of Jeroboam (that is, all who have escaped or survived the former troubles) as a man taketh away dounge till it be all gone; that is, till his house be utterly exterminated: for dounge being a filthy and noisome thing, men never leave taking it away, from places where it is an annoyance, till they have taken it all away. That which is offensive in the whole nature of it, is offensive in the least degree of it.

Again, When 'tis said, He cuts them down without time, or before their time, we may observe.

It is said in the 15 ^th of Genesis, The Iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full, their sin is not come to a full stature; for as there is a fullness of stature in holiness unto which Saints at last arrive in Christ, so there is a fullness of stature in wickedness to which the Lord suffers sinners to arrive; and as when Saints have attained their full stature in holiness, they are received into glory; so when wicked men have attained a full stature in wickedness, they are cut off and turned down to destruction. Though the Lord suffer long, yet he will not always suffer. And as some are but young men, yet old Saints, and have had much Experience of God, and of the ways of grace, though but little of the world (that distinction which the Apostle gives of Saints into little children, young men, and fathers (1 Joh. 2.13, 14.) is not to be understood in reference to natural years, but to standing in grace, or to a growth and progress in holiness) so some wicked men, are but of few years, or but young in reference to their natural age, who yet are old in sin, aged in wickedness they are fathers in abomination, while but children in time, and so are cut down before time: Wicked men are never cut down till they are ripe in sin, but they are often cut down before they are ripe in nature.

Thirdly, Which were cut down out of time; namely, in little time, or without delay.

Hence Note;

He needs not take any long time to do it; he took but very little time to make the world, it was made in six days, which in reference to the greatness of the work is no time: when a great thing is done in a little time, we may say it was done without any time at all. Now if the Lord could frame a world without time, surely he can cut down the world, or the inhabitants of it in a little time? Ruining work, is easier then building work. He that built (in this sense) without time, can pull down without time; we need not trouble ourselves with such thoughts as these, when we see wicked men, Enemies of God and his people in their height and strength, O what a length of time will it require? O how many years must be spent in cutting down these strong Oaks, those tall Cedars? the Lord can cut them down in a moment. Our late experinces have shown us wicked men cut down without time; before they thought they could be shaken, yea touched, they have be • n cut down; when they concluded they could not be reached, they have been ruined. The Jesuits and other Matchavillian politicians have a received Maxim of State among them; Take time and you may do anything. If you are disappointed in a project this year, wait a few years longer (say they) and you shall either find or make a way to accomplish it. But the Lord can do anything he hath a mind to at any time, or without taking time. The Apostle prophesying of the Antichrist saith (2 Thes. 2.6, 7.) Now ye know what withholdeth, that he may he revealed in his time; for the mystery of iniquity doth already work, only he who now letteth will let, till he be taken out of the way. The power and splendor of the Roman Empire stood in Antichrists way, and he could not cut it down without time; He was hacking and hewing, heaving and thrusting many years, yea some ages before he could remove that block out of his way, and so make way for his own Greatness. The wisest of men must have time to bring about their ends. Only God, the only wise God, can cut down and remove whatsoever stands in his way (though it stand like a great mountain) without time or without taking time, if once his time be come in which he would have it removed. The wicked of those elder times were cut down suddenly, without time. Eliphaz confirms it further in the next words.

In this latter clause Eliphaz seems more clearly to hint at some particular wicked men, or to show who those wicked men were that he Intends as the object of his observation, namely, those, whose foundation was overflown with a flood. It is usual in Scripture, by someone word to alude to great actions and changes past. Take two or three Instances for Illustration of this; ( Psal. 55.15.) David Imprecates vengeance upon his enemies in this Language; Let them go down quick into hell. Which expression carrieth a plain allusion unto that dreadful judgment. ( Numb. 16.31, 32.) It came to pass as he (that is, Moses) had made an End of speaking all these words, the ground clave asunder that was under them; and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up and their houses, and all the men which appertained unto Corah, and all their goods. They and all that appertained to them went down alive into the pit, &c. This historical Narration the Psalmist hints at in his imprecation, as is plain by that word quick or alive; Let them go down quick (or alive) into hell; that is, let such wrath seize upon them, as seized upon Corah, Dathan and Abiram, on whom the earth closed and they perished from among the Congregation. Again, when the Apostle makes promise to Saints in the behalf of Christ what assistance they might expect from him in time of temptation, and what issue from it, he thus assures them; The God of peace shall tread Satan under your feet shortly, (Rom. 16.20.) Which plainly bears upon that first grand Promise, that (Christ) the seed of the Woman should break the Serpents head (Gen. 3.15.) for it is by virtue of that act of Jesus Christ bruising the head of Satan, that Satan is trodden under our feet. As Christ bruised him under his own feet, so he will bruise, or tread him under out feet; the seed of the woman in person, as well as in their representative, shall break the Serpents head. Lastly, those words ( Rom. 9.16.) hold a clear correspondence with that Story ( Gen. 27.) concerning Jacob and Esau, So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy. He had said before that God loved Jacob and hated Esau; and concludes upon it, So then, it is not of him that willeth, &c. We may take notice in that famous piece of the divine History, that much means was used that Jacob might obtain the Blessing; Rebecca her heart was set upon it; she did what she could to procure the Blessing for her younger Son, her will was wholly in it; and Jacob, he run for it too; for as soon as Ever his mother had given him counsel, he ran presently to the flock and brought in a Kid to make the savoury meat for Isaac; Now, the Apostle Paul to advance the freeness of grace, doth not only instance in those two persons, but useth a phrase of speech which savors so much of that passage, that though he had not named the men, yet every man who knew the Scriptures must needs understand both of whom and of what he meant it; It is not of him that willeth, &c. that is, it was neither Rebeckaes will to have it so, nor Jacob's hast (which appeared in his running to the flock) to have it so, that gave him the Blessing, but it was of God that shown mercy. And as it was then, so it is now, though a man be as willing as Rebekah, or though he make as much speed as Jacob for his blessing, yet all comes freely by the grace of God. Thus the frequent usage of Scripture shows us how much the Spirit of God delights to lead our thoughts (by the light of someone word) a great way back into the consideration of what hath been done and written of old for our instruction. The words of the text now under discussion, (Whose foundation was overflown with a flood) are surely an allusion to some particular persons or action in the days of old, and they may be applied three ways.

First, To the drowning of the whole world in the time of Noah by a flood, when the Lord opened the windows of heaven, and overwhelmed both man and beast in those mighty waters; which universal judgment is (by way of eminence) called, The Deluge, or, The Flood, unto this very day.

Secondly, They may have respect to the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, which Cities, though they were destroyed by fire, yet it was with a flood of fire. The Text saith expressly ( Gen. 19.24.) Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gemorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven, and he overthrew the Cities & all the plain, &c. They were overflown with a flood of fire.

Thirdly, The allusion may be carried to the destruction of Pharaoh and the Egyptians in the red Sea; They also were overflown with a flood. The waters of the red Sea which stood up as a wall for Israel to pass thorough, at the Command of God returning upon the Egyptians, swallowed them up, them and their Chariots and their horses. The enemy said (thus Moses describes that fatal overthrow ( Exod. 15.9, 10.) I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil: my lust shall be satisfied upon them, I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them. Thus the enemy raged & foamed with revenge, like a tempestuous Sea, and had opened all the sluices of his will to overflow them. And when the enemy had thus breathed out his wrath in a four times repeated, I will; Then the Lord did blow with his wind, the Sea covered them, They sank as lead in the mighty waters. So then the words may relate to any of those three signal Judgments, to the drowning of the old world with a flood of water, to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah with a flood of fire, or to the overthrow of Pharaoh and his Egyptian host in the red Sea.

But more particularly, for the explication of these words; whose foundation was overflown with a flood.

This word foundation taken in a proper sense, refers to a material building. And the foundation of any building is the stability and strength of it; by foundation, in a metaphorical sense, we are to understand all those things by which the state of persons or things is upheld; and here whatsoever wicked men support & bear up themselves by, as a building is borne up by the foundation, is to be understood as their foundation. So their power, their riches, their council, their wisdom, their friends and confederates; whatsoever, I say, is the support of their worldly State, that's their foundation. And thus it is here said, their foundation was overflown

In two of the former Instances, to which the allusion was made, their foundation was overflown by a flood properly taken. If we take it more generally for all wicked men, who at any time have been overthrown, we may say, that they have all been overflown by a flood metaphorically. For so

First, The displeasure of God, by what means or instrument soever put forth is called a flood; whether is be by sword, or by famine, or by pestilence, it is a flood. ( Esa. 8.7.) We read war Compared to a flood; Now therefore behold the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river, strong and many (what were these waters?) Even the King of Assyria, and all his glory; the King of Assyria with his Armies, in which he gloried, or which he counted his glory, were the waters of the river, strong and many) and he shall come up over all his channells, and go over all his hands (that is, the former Limits of his Dominion) And he shall pass thorough Judah, he shall overflow and go over. There The Sword is Compared to a flood, or to a mighty river, which bears down all before it. The same Prophet speaks again in the same Language ( Esa. 59.19.) When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a Standard against him; as if it had been said, The enemy shall come rushing in like a mighty torrent but the Spirit of God, like a more mighty wind, shall blow and rush upon him, causing him to recoil and give back, or (as our Margent hath it) put him to flight. Again ( Ezek. 13.) The Prophet foreshewes the approaching calamity upon those who had seduced the Jews into a vain security; which is there called, the building of a wall with untempered mortar. A wall he calls that prophecy, because it promised safety, and defense; but he calls it also a wall built with untempered mortar, because that false prophecy was a weak prophecy, and should shortly fall. The manner how, he gives us in the notion of the Text ( verse. 13.) Wherefore thus saith the Lord God, I will even rent it with a stormy wind in my fury, and there shall be as an overflowing shower in mine anger, &c. that is, wrath shall be upon it (the Babylonian Army was the special judgment in which that wrath was expressed) and that shall be as an overflowing shower. Great and continual showers will try the strongest buildings, and quickly overthrow the weak. A wall of untempered mortar is no match for a storm. As our Savior also assures us in the close of his Sermon on the Mount, ( Matth. 7.27.) where all those evils, troubles, afflictions, sorrows, and persecutions, whether sent upon such as are really godly, or only in name and outward profession, are called rain, floods, winds. So saith the Text, The rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon the house and it fell, and great was the fall of it. While it stood, it stood to no purpose but for a show, but when it fell, it fell to purpose, The fall thereof was great. Thus it is more then evident from Scripture phrase, that rains and floods signify all sorts of afflicting evils, and therefore we need not restrain the word flood in the Text to a Deluge of Elementary water, or of water in a proper sense, but we may Enlarge it to any kind of afflicting Evil or trouble whatsoever that falls upon man. And the Scripture is (I conceive) so frequent in the use of this metaphor of a flood, and of waters, where great calamities are set forth, for these two reasons.

First, To note the swiftness and suddennes of the judgments of God. Floods come often very suddenly, and rise not only beyond expectation, but before there is any the least expectation of them. Noah's flood was long foretold before it came, but when the time came, wherein it should come, it came at once. Though God give long warning of his judgments, yet most men are surpriz • d with them, they come like a flood.

Secondly, To note the Irresistablenes of the Judgments of God; who or what can stand before mighty waters? Great floods do not only wash and overflow all, but ruin and overthrow all, there's no resisting. Such are the Judgments of God, they are a flood both for their sudden rising and breaking in upon sinners, and likewise for their Irresistible violence in breaking and ruining them.

Further, It is not to be passed by, That Eliphaz doth not only say, They were overflown, but, Their foundation was overflown with a flood. He calls it the overflowing of their foundation, to note, that they were totally or utterly ruined & overthrown: for when the foundation is destroyed, all is destroyed; destruction to the foundation is the worst of destructions. The cruel enemies of the Jews cried, Rase it, rase it even to the foundation thereof (Ps. 137.7.) but to rase the foundation it self is more cruel then rasing to the foundation. When the Lord threatened a full and final destruction of those foolish Prophets who had seen vain visions for his people, he said ( Ezek. 13.14) I will break down the wall that ye have daubed with untempered mortar, and bring it down to the ground, so that the foundation thereof shall be discovered, &c. That is, I will destroy it as far as destruction it self can go. There shall not only not a stone be left upon a stone of this building above ground, but even the under-ground stones shall not be left. The very foundation shall be opened and discovered. That which lieth at the bottom, or the bottom it self of those flattering prophecies, all the wiles & secret way • of them shall be revealed. David complains of those irreparable breaches made upon the civil state in this style ( Psal. 11.3.) If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? The civil foundation of a Nation or people, is their Laws, and Constitutions, the order and power that is among them, that's the foundation of a People, and when once this foundation is destroyed, what can the righteous do? what can the best, the wisest in the world do in such a case? what can any man do, if there be not a foundation of Government left among men? There is no help nor answer in such a case, but that which follows in the 4 ^th verse of the same Psalm; The Lord is in his holy Temple, the Lord's throne is in heaven, his eyes behold, his eyelids try the children of men. As if he had said; in the midst of these confusions, when as it is said ( Psal. 82.5.) All the foundations of the earth are out of course; yet God keeps his course still, he is where he was and as he was, without variableness or shadow of turning. We read in the vision of the four Monarchyes ( Dan. 2.34.) That The stone Cut out without hands smote the Image upon his feet that were of Iron and Clay, and brake them to pieces: The stone did not strike the Image upon the head, or upon the breast, the golden head, the silver breast, &c. but upon the feet that were of Iron and Clay. Now the feet are to a natural body, as the foundation is to an Artificial body; A man's feet are the foundation of his body; if the feet be smitten and broken to pieces, the body must needs fall. And therefore as soon as ever it was said, That the Stone brake the feet to pieces, The ruin of the whole Image is described in the immediately following words of the vision ( ver. 35.) Then was the Iron, the Clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the Summer threshing floor, and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them. The breaking of the feet, was the breaking up of the foundation, and so the breaking down of all. Whose foundation was overflown with a flood.

Hence note;

The people of God are sometimes over-conceited about the strength and stability of their worldly foundations. Holy David said, In his prosperity, I shall never be moved, Lord by thy favor thou hast made my mountain to stand strong, (Psal. 30.6, 7.) And if a godly man may, by the strength of temptation, thus overreckon the strength of an Earthly state, what may they do whose state, yea whose minds are altogether earthly? How often do they judge themselves wise and politique enough to lay for themselves an everlasting foundation in things which cannot last? and that they are so surely bottomed in the favor of men, that they shall never be removed. Babylon thinks her self settled at this day upon such everlasting mountains, upon such perpetual hills of power and policy, that certainly her foundation shall never be overflown. Thus she spake her heart out, while she said in her heart (Rev. 18.7.) I sit a Queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. Babylon is bottomed & foundation'd upō so many hills, that is, upon so many Interests & advantages of strength, as render her (to her self) impregnable and unremovable. And as this vain confidence bears up the Spirit of that Man of sin, so of very many sinful men, who presume they are upon a sure foundation, when indeed none but the godly man's foundation is sure. ( Prov. 10.25.) As the whirlwind passeth, so is the wicked no more, but the righteous is an everlasting foundation. The wicked man supposeth himself founded as on a Rock of ages an everlasting strength, such as the righteous man hath in God, or such as God is to a righteous man. ( Isaiah 26.3.) Yet as the whirlwind be passeth away but the righteous is an everlasting foundation. We find not the Copulative word, is, expressed in the Hebrew, there 'tis only, but the righteous an Everlasting foundation; So that I should rather read it thus; But the righteous have an everlasting foundation: wicked men seem to have, but the righteous man indeed hath an Everlasting foundation. There is no earthly foundation everlasting; For all earthly things pass away, and are fo far from lasting forever, that they last but (as it were) for a little, for a moment. What then is this everlasting foundation? It is a foundation laid in heavenly things; The foundation which is laid in things above shall abide; The things which are not seen, and they only, are eternal (2 Cor. 4.18.) but the strongest foundation laid in things below, endures but for a season; The things which are seen, are temporal, as the Apostle speaks in the same place. Such foundations are soon overflown with a flood. As will appear yet further in the next observation; Which take thus;

Their riches, their power, their wisdom, their Councils, whatsoever they have imagined, laid and made for a foundation to themselves, either of honor or safety, shall be overflown and swept quite away; yea all their refuges laid together will prove but a refuge of lies, (Isa. 28.17.) Judgment also will I (saith the Lord) lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet, and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place. That is, those places wherein they thought to hide & secure themselves against the overflowing scourge. A wicked man is in greatest danger when he thinks himself in greatest safety, and then most ready to fall when he saith in his own heart, or boasteth it out to others, that he is upon a sure foundation; For whatsoever opinion he hath of it; yet the truth is, his foundation is but sand; and (which makes his case more miserable) though he be told so, and others have found it so, yet he will not believe it. While (as the Prophet speaks, Isa. 44.20.) He feedeth of ashes, a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that be cannot deliver his soul, nor say is there not a lie, or (as the former Scripture hath it.) a refuge of lies in my right hand. Only the righteous is, or hath (as Solomon speaks) an everlasting foundation. A righteous man hath two foundations which shall never be shaken, much less overthrown; who so are settled on those foundations may be as confident as confidence it self.

The first of these two foundations is God's Eternal Decree, his Decree of Election, that's an immovable foundation, and that is the foundation upon which believers build their hopes. The Apostle (2 Tim. 2.19, 20.) is proving that even in the house of God, that is, among the outward professors of the name of God, there are of all sorts, vessels of gold and silver, vessels also of wood and of Earth; Some to honor, and some to dishonor; and when he had said of Hymenaeus and Philetus, that they had erred concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is past already, and so had overthrown the faith of some, verse. 18. He presently adds, What though it be thus, what though some men have fallen from their foundation, yet the foundation of God standeth sure, having this Seal, The Lord knoweth who are his, verse. 19. Where we have first the foundation of God, namely, his decree of Election; Secondly, the Seal or assurance of it, as to him, even his own certain knowledge of the Elect, The Lord knoweth who are his. So that while hypocrites or mere verbal formal professors back-slide and Apostatize from the faith, yet the Elect are safe and stand fast in the purpose of God; and while many discover themselves to be vessels of dishonor in the house of God, wood and Earth, of base and britle materials; yet Saints, indeed, who are vessels of honor made of purest metal, of Gold and Silver, these shall abide forever. He that is once a vessel of honor, shall always be so; For the foundation of God standeth sure, having this Seal, The Lord knoweth who are his.

Secondly, As there is this more hidden foundation, upon which Saints are sure, and which no flood can overflow; so there is another sure foundation, and that is Jesus Christ, upon which Saints are built, and therefore the holy Prophet having discovered that refuge of lies which he threatens should be swept away by the overflowing scourge, subjoins by way of Opposition in the next verse ( Isa. 28.16.) Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation, and he that believeth shall not make hast. Whom the Prophet means by this sure foundation, the Apostle tells us expressly and by name (1 Cor. 3.11.) Other foundation can no man lay then that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ; and they that are built on him the living Rock (as all Believers are) have eternal life, and shall never perish. This Christ himself teacheth us ( Matth. 7.24, 25.) Who soever beareth these sayings of mine and doth them, I will liken him to a wise man that built his house upon a Rock. And what's the Rock that these wife men build upon? This rock is Jesus Christ, he is the rock of Ages; He fayles not, nor can they fall who are in him; as it followeth; Then the rain descended, the floods came, the winds blew and beat upon the house, and it fell not, for it was founded on a rock. Saints are lively stones, and they coming to Christ (by faith) who is a living stone, dissalowed indeed of men, but chosen of God and precious, are built up a spiritual house (1 Pet. 2.4, 5.) If this house should fall, Christ must fall too, for though Christ and this house are distinguished, yet they are not divided; Christ and this house are one; So then though the floods of angry men, & of enraged Devils beat upon it, yet they shall return foaming out their own shame, & when they have done their worst, they shall but wash this house, leaving it somewhat more clean, but no whit unsettled. This is the glory and privilege of Believers, that while the strongest foundations of the Earth are overflown with a flood, They have a twofold foundation, That of Election in the Love of God, and that of Redemption in the blood of Christ, which cannot be overflown by any the most violent and impetuous flood.

So then, ungodly men are miserable, when they appear most happy, and at their best estate are altogether vanity; for either their estate hath no foundation, or but such a foundation as cannot stand, and that is as bad or rather worse then none at all; It is better to have no appearance of strength, then to have nothing but an appearance of it.

Further, may we not from the opposite state of Godly men (at least intimated in this, and touched before) conclude, that they are happy when they appear most miserable? and that at their worst estate, they are altogether above uncertainty? For as they have a foundation, so such a foundation as will stand all storms and weathers; What can be added to their felicity, who are in an estate so good (in the nature of it) that they need not desire a change, and so sure (in the foundation of it) that they need not fear a change, much less an overflowing flood?

Eliphaz proceeds to describe the particular wickedness of those men, or how they did Express their wickedness; Whose foundation was thus overflown; They say unto God depart from us, &c.

These words are filled with the very spirit of malice against God himself; And we have the same breathed out in the same language in the former Chapter at the 14 ^th verse, there the reader may find them explicated, and I shall add somewhat for a further explication here.

To this hight of madness do some wicked men arise, their spirits being big with sin, they bring forth or belch out this monster of words; They say to God, depart from us. They (as it were) send God a writ of Ejectment, they do not pray or entreat God to depart from them, but with as much rudeness and incivillity as unholynes and profaneness, Say unto God, depart from us. 'It is a word of command, from man, but such a one as breaks all the commandments of God. Moses (Numb. 16.26.) beseeches the people, saying, Depart I pray you from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs; but here we have wicked men not praying God to depart, but bidding him, they say depart from us. David speaks to the wicked ( Psal. 119.115.) Depart from me ye evil doers, for I will keep the commandments of my God; he bids them begone, He would not give them the least welcome or entertainment. And so Jesus Christ is described speaking to the wicked in the day of Judgment, ( Matth. 7.23.) Depart from me, away, get you out of my presence, I will not have to do with you, I will do nothing for you; Depart. His is a word of command, indeed, which though they have no will to obey, yet they shall obey it whether they will or no. Thus in the present text wicked men presume to say to God himself, depart from us, &c.

Hence note.

They could not say to God, depart from us, had they not some impressions and notions of God, of the will and Law of God, of the truth and power of God upon them. They who are alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, do yet feel a presence of God with them ( Act. 17.27) That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him and find him, though he be not far from everyone of us. Take mankind in general, good and bad, believers and infidels, there is a nearness of God unto them, unto them all: and that not only a nearness of God in what the Apostle there speaks of, common preservation ( verse. 28.) In him we live, and move, and have our being, or of natural communications, of which the Apostle speaks there also, From him we receive life, and breath, and all things (verse. 25.) But further God is with them, by a twofold light; first, by a light of Direction; secondly, by a light of Conviction. All have a Light of direction, 1. by the Law written in their hearts. The Apostle is express for this ( Rom. 2.14.) For when the Gentiles (he means it of Gentiles unconverted) which have not the Law, do by nature the things contained in the Law, these having not the Law (that is formally published and preached to them) are a Law unto them selves: Which show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, &c. And as all have a light of direction from the Law written in their hearts, or in the book of Conscience; so also 2. they have a light of direction from the Law of the creation, or from that which is written of God in the Book of the creature. The same Apostle makes this the ground of the righteousness of God in that dreadful Revelation of his wrath against all ungodlynes and unrighteousness of men (be they who they will) who hold the truth in unrighteousness, because that which may be known of God is manifest in them (or to them) for God hath shown it to them. But how or where hath God shown them this? The Apostle answers in the next verse ( Rom. 1.20.) For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse. So that, though all men have not a light of direction from God so powerful as to change them and make them holy, yet they have a light so clear and full as is enough to make them guilty. And when they refuse to follow this light of direction in doing what is right, then follows that other light of convictiō, their consciences troubling them, or (as the Apostles phrase is, Rom. 2.15.) their thoughts accusing them, because they have done that which is not right. This presence of God is common to all men, to the worst of men, and this is it which provokes them to say to God, depart from us. And this is argument enough to stop the mouth of the Atheist, who saith in his heart, there is no God; when as yet he cannot stop the mouth of his own conscience from saying there is a God, while he saith (and this he always saith, either in plain terms, or in that which is equivalent) to God depart from me. And from hence we may observe;

Secondly;

None are troubled with the nearness of God to them, but they who are far from him: all natural men are far from God in state and in heart, and God is near all natural men either in his word or in his works, either speaking his mind to their ears, or sending it in to their consciences. This light of God is not only not pleasing but vexing. They who love darkness cannot abide the light of direction, much less the light of conviction; So that if ever God be near in their mouth, near in their ear, or near in their conscience, yet as the Prophet speaks ( Jer. 12.2.) He is far from their reins; that is, though they speak, hear or think of God, yet they delight not in him, they have no desirings, no breathings after him, yea the more he offers himself to them, the more weary are they of him. What David spake in a temptation, they speak from their disposition ( Psal. 73.3.) I remembered God and was troubled. It troubles them when they are put in mind of God, it troubles them when God comes into their mind. God is holy, and they are unholy, The holy God must needs be a burden to an unholy heart. The Prophet puts the Question ( Amos 3.3.) Can two walk together except they be agreed? they cannot. That company is always unpleasant to us, which is unsuitable to us; They who are not at one, are best pleased when they are furthest asunder. The ways of God are grievous to wicked men, much more is God himself; They say what a wearisomeness is it to serve the Lord, they say his yoke is heavy, and his burden insupportable, the very outside of heavenly and spiritual work is burdensome to them, how then can they maintain communion with God (in truth of spirit) Who is a Spirit and will be worshipped in Spirit and in truth.

Thirdly, Note;

They who are not taught of God are full of mistaken and false principles, among which, this is a principal one; They suppose they can do well enough without God, whereas indeed there is nothing can do us good without him who is the chief good. Now, that the natural man believes he can do well enough without God, is plain from this abominable and hateful motion which such make to God in the Text, Depart from us. No man would desire God to depart from him, if this persuasion did abide upon his heart, That he could not subsist without him; or that he depended upon God for his subsistence. Therefore this is their opinion (though possibly they are as far from acknowledging it, as they are from the true knowledge and love of God) That they can do well enough alone, that they can stand upon their own bottom without God, yea that they are self-sufficient, as God is; for whosoever doth not see an emptiness and insufficiency in himself, and so place his all in God, makes himself a God. This is the way of wicked men, and this their way is their folly, (as the Psalmist speaks, Psal. 49.13.) Though their posterity approve their sayings. Who but they? they can maintain their being, yea their well-being without God; they can live, and live happily whether he will or no. Surely if they thought they were beholding to him, either for being or well-being, either for life, or a happy life, they had never been heard saying to God, depart from us. And if this be a truth that they have said so, and say so still every day, we need not stay to prove this a truth, that they show their blindness and foolishness in saying so. Is not he foolish who would have the Sun depart from him, which enlightens him? or who would have the Shield depart from him, which protects him? or who bids the fountain be gone which gives him drink; God is all this to all men in some degree or other, and he promiseth himself such in the highest and best degree to all such as walk uprightly, even to be their Sun, their Shield, their fountain, their spring. Then, can folly it self utter more foolishness then this, To say to God, depart from us? Further, how foolish are they to refuse that, as if it were a hurt to them, which Saints who have the true wisdom, have prayed for, and still do pray for, as the greatest blessing and privilege, The presence of God with them. How foolish are they who ask and desire that as a blessing, which God the only wise God threatens as the soarest curse. ( Jer. 6.8.) Be instructed O Jerusalem, lest my soul depart from thee, lest I make thee a Land desolate, not inhabited: Utter desolation is the consequent, yea the effect of the Lord's departure from a Land; and when he ceaseth in regard of his favorable presence to inhabit a Land, either none shall inhabit it, or none shall have a comfortable habitation in it. The Lord threatens this departure as the last and soarest, or as the sum of all his judgments, and wicked men desire this, as if to be without God were the chief or sum of their enjoyments. See another instance of this folly; among all the threatenings of God against sinful men, this is one of the greatest, that he will take away his Gospel, and the light of his Word from them, yet this a wicked man desireth, let the Gospel go, let the light of the word go; He wisheth it gone, 'tis but a trouble to him, he is sick of it, it is a death to him. The best of good things is refused, and the worst of evils chosen by those that are evil. As their understanding is so blinded and distempered, that they call evil good, and good evil, that they put darkness for light, and light for darkness, that they put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter (Isa. 5.20.) So their will and affections are so perverted, that they choose & embrace darkness for light, evil for good, and that which is most bitter, for that which is sweeter then the honey and the honey-comb.

Observe. Fourthly.

See at what a rate they speak, even as if they had God at their command, They say to God depart; As if God could not be where he pleased, as if God were at their limiting, and disposing. Here's madness, like madness it self. As there is madness in the heart of man in the enjoyment of the creature ( I said of laughter it is mad (saith Solomon ) Some are so over-acted with joy, and laughter, in their creature-enjoyments, that whereas laughter is the proper passion of a rational creature, there is nothing more irrational then their laughter, 'It is plain down-right madness, Now (I say) as some carnal men are mad in their manner of enjoying the creature) so they are more mad, in refusing the enjoyments of God the Creator. Who can tell how mad they are who desire God to depart from them? They are mad to purpose who would put God from them, yet they more who think they can.

Fifthly; Note.

What are the desires and fears of a wicked man, he desires to have God depart, he is afraid of the presence of God: what are the desires of a godly man, he desires nothing more then the presence of God, he says as Moses (Exod. 33.15.) If thy presence go not with me, carry me no further, I desire to be nowhere, but where God manifests himself to be; let me see the day of my departure out of the world, rather then the day of God's departure from me in the world; Let riches go, let liberty go, let friends and relations go, so God stay with me. All company is solitariness to me, all fullness is emptiness to me, and the most populous City worse then a desolate wilderness to me, where I find not the presence of God with me. I fear nothing like this, The departure of God from me. I read indeed ( Luke 5.8.) that Peter once said to Christ, Depart from me, for I am a sinful man O Lord. But the reason was not because he was weary of the presence of Christ, but because he thought himself altogether unworthy of the presence of Christ. And therefore at another time when many of Christ's Disciples went back & walked no more with him, and hereupon Christ said to the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord to whom shall we go, thou hast the words of Eternal Life (Joh. 6.68.) He who would not go from Christ, could not indeed desire that Christ should go or depart from him. They who have tasted how gracious the Lord is, can never totally depart from God, nor can they at all bear it, that God should depart from them. Thus the Church complains ( Jer. 14.9.) Why shouldest thou be as a stranger in the Land, and as a way fayring man that turneth aside to tarry for a night. Why shouldest thou be as a man astonished, as a mighty man that cannot save, yet thou O Lord, art in the midst of us, and we are called by thy name, leave us not; Whatsoever thou doest to us, do not leave us; let any evil come, but do not thou go: let sword come, let famine come, let plague come, but do not thou depart; leave us not. Thus the Saints cling about a departing God, while wicked men are willing he should depart. And considering the opinion which these wicked men had of God, 'tis no wonder though they press him to depart; for what should God do with them, if he can do nothing for them, or do them no good: Such was their apprehension of God, as appears in the next clause.

They should rather have said; What cannot the Almighty do for them? If the question be put, what the Almighty can do? The answer is at hand, he that is Almighty, can do anything; yet these wretches say, What can the Almighty do for them? Allmightinesse it self is questioned as weakness, and omnipotency as impotency by unbelievers.

From the general sense of this infidel question.

Observe.

It is said of a wicked man ( Psal. 10.4.) God is not in all his thoughts; that is, he is in none of his thoughts, or God is not at all in his thoughts. But is any man so void of God, that God is not in all his Thoughts? can any man utterly extinguish or blot the thoughts of God out of his heart? is not the notion of a God, written with indelible characters upon the heart of man by nature? if not, how is the Law written there by nature? I answer, wicked men have thoughts, and cannot but have thoughts of God. But, first, They like not to retain God in their thoughts, or (which is the same) in their knowledge (Rom. 1.28.) Secondly, The thoughts which they have of God, are unworthy of God; while they think of God, they think below God, and so indeed their thoughts are not at all the thoughts of God. While we think of God otherwise then he is, and hath revealed himself to be, we do not think of the God that made us, but we make an Idol-God in our own thoughts. Now wicked men think either that God hath no strength, power, goodness and wisdom, or can do little with what he hath; What can the Almighty do for them? They who are afar off from God by unbelief, are not able to discern his power, his goodness, his wisdom, his faithfulness, his All-sufficiency; They neither understand what God affirms of himself, nor give credit to what he hath promised unto us. We say of those things, which appear more then they are, that they affect more afar off then near at hand; but those things which are more then they appear, affect more when they are nigh, then when they are afar off. God is infinitely more, then he appears; And he being near to those who believe, affects them wonderfully. But God is far from unbelievers, and they are far off or in a state of farthest distance from God, therefore they are not affected with him; But say, who is God? what is God's power? what is his allmightinesse? We have heard much of him, but we see little in him. They look upon God, as if he were like the Idols (described, Psal. 115.4, 5, 6, 7.) Who have eyes, and see not, ears, and bear not, hands and handle not &c. All the attributes of God, that he is almighty, unchangeable, &c. are but a sound of words or empty titles in their ears. A believer can make a living out of any attribute of God; for when the Scripture saith he lives by faith, the meaning is, he lives upon the goodness, mercy and power of God, revealed in the promise, and laid hold on by faith. Thus the just live by faith upon God, but the wicked and unbelievers cannot live upon those terms; They see little or nothing in God to make a Living of, and therefore they say; What can the Almighty do for them?

Secondly, Note;

What can God do for them? if they serve him what profit is it? His is a lean service, they shall but starve themselves by attending upon him, and undo themselves by doing his work. Thus they said in the former Chapter, and so they say again in this. The carnal man accounts nothing good but that which is outwardly good: Who will show us any good? (Psal. 4.6.) they know not that all good cometh through the hand of God, that it cometh in at the door of the promise; They can look no further then they see, and therefore becuse they see no profit, they look for none; They do not see that God doth anything for them, and therefore they conclude he cannot: What can the Almighty do for them?

Thirdly, Note;

If they do anything for God, or at the command of God, they do it only upon hopes of reward, they never obey commandments for the holiness that is in them, but for the benefit that comes by them. What can the Almighty do for them? As when Judas betrayed Jesus Christ, he went out with a mercenary spirit to do that wickedness; What will you give me, and I will betray him? So when a carnal man serves Jesus Christ, he saith, What will he give me? what can he do for me? he cannot serve God for naught, that is, freely, as Satan charged Job in the beginning of this book; Job serveth thee, said Satan, because thou hast done so much for him, because thou hast served his turn, and made a hedge about him; this was Satan's slander upon that good man; but 'tis no s • under to say so of carnal men, Do they serve God for naught? They do not, they cannot; if they may gain by godliness, they will do somewhat, which shall have a show of godliness; profit will make anything pass with and pleasing to a carnal mind, though in it self it be never so displeasing. Such is the nobleness of the people of God, that though there be a reward in serving of him, yet they are ready to serve him without reward, they can serve him upon a bare command, abstract from promises and profits; They can obey God as a creator, though he should not be a rewarder. Godliness is profitable for all things, and hath the promise both of this life, and of that which is to come, yet a gracious heart loves Godliness more then profitableness, and eyes the work of God more then his reward.

Further for the opening of these words; Some read thus, What can the almighty do against them? The Hebrew particle stands indifferently to both, and may be translated for, or against, in which sense we find it in the 35 ^th of this Book, ver. 6, 7. If thou sinnest what dost thou against him? That is, what hurt dost thou to God? thy sin cannot reach, or wound him, what dost thou against him? Thus here; They say to the almighty depart from us, and what can the almighty do against them? Surely the almighty is not able to hurt us; from him we expect no good, and from him we fear no evil. Were not these mighty men, think you, who thought the Almighty could not match them? These were mighty men indeed, Giants sons of Anak no doubt they were, but Giants in wickedness. And so this reading gives us a further character or discovery of a wicked man's Spirit.

Hence Observe.

I find in Scripture a threefold false and presumptuous apprehension, which evil men have of God while they are doing evil.

First, Some presume that God will protect them from evil while they do evil. ( Mich. 3.11.) The beads thereof judge for reward, and the Priests thereof teach for hire, and the Prophets thereof divine for money, yet will they lean upon the Lord and say, Is not the Lord among us? none evil can come upon us. These were such as made it their business to break the Law of God, yet they thought God would not suffer any trouble to break in upon them.

Secondly, Others presume that, at least, God will not be so severe as to inflict those evils which he hath threatened. The old world was threatened with a Deluge, but they could not believe God would make good his word, they even mocked at the credulity and simplicity of Noah, to see him build that great Ship or Ark upon the dry Land, as if he meant to sail his vessel without water. As for them, they neither bel •• ved nor feared a flood. So they ( Isa. 5.19.) will put the Lord to a trial, Let him hasten his work that we may see it; let us see what he will do; as if they had said to the Prophet, you told us what he would do, how severe he would be, what meaneth all your talk, we would see something done. What will the Almighty do against us? Surely nothing; he is not so strict as you make him. The Prophet describes the worst of men, the men settled on their lees, speaking thus ( Zeph. 1.12.) They say in their heart, the Lord will not do good, neither will he do evil; that is, he will neither reward nor punish, he will neither help nor hurt. To say either of these is alike dishonorable unto God; To say either much more both (though indeed to say either is to say both) is to say, not only that God is neither to be loved nor feared, but that he is not at all. It is the glory of God to do the one as well as to do the other, and unless he could do both, he could do neither. ( Isa. 45.7.) I form the light, and create darkness, (the darkness of trouble is of God as much as the light of comfort) I make peace and create evil; the evil of punishment is as much the creature of God as peace is, and God doth as much appear a creator in the one as in the other; the doing of this kind of evil doth as much show the power, and providence of God, as the doing of good; yet those in the Prophet said the Lord will do neither; He will neither do good, neither will be do evil.

Thirdly, Those in the Text were raised to a higher pitch of presumption then both the former; For they said, what can the Almighty do against us? As if they had said, Let him do his worst, we fear him not; To think that God will shield us from the evil which others threaten, or that he will not bring that evil upon us which himself hath threatened, when we do evil, are very high actings of presumption; But to think that God can do nothing against us, to think that the Arm of God is shorter then that it can reach us, or weaker then that it can over-power us; to think that we have out-grown divine justice, and are too big or too strong to be dealt with by the Almighty is presumption to madness; woe to those sinners who secure themselves in the goodness of God to them, more woe to those who secure themselves in God's neglect of them, but above all, woe is their portion who secure themselves as it were in the weakness of God, even while in words they acknowledge his power; saying, What can the Almighty do against us?

Thirdly, Others read the words thus; They say to the almighty depart from us, and what hath the almighty done against them? That is, what hurt hath God done them? They are troubled at the presence of God; But what cause hath God given them to be troubled at his presence? And then we may connect these words with the words of the 18 ^th verse; What hath God done against them? yea he filled their houses with good things; that's all the damage he did them? This is a fair sense, and consistent with the Original Text: leaving the reader to his choice; I shall only give the observation which riseth clearly from this.

He never doth them any wrong, and he often gives them many a blessing; and have they any reason to bid him depart? he is usually very patient towards them, and doth never bring any evil upon them till they have doubly deserved it; and have they any reason to be displeased at that? yea whensoever he punisheth them in this world, he punisheth them then their sins deserve; indeed there is a punishment behind adequate and commensurate to their sin, but they shall never be punished beyond what or more then their sin deserves. Seeing then their punishment in the next life, though it will be great beyond imagining, yet shall not be great beyond deserving; and all their punishments in this life are less then the demerit of their sin) As was paenitentially confessed by Ezra in the name of the Jews after they had been broken by the sword, and brought into captivity for their sin, Chap. 9.13 Seeing (I say) 'tis but thus with them when 'tis worst with them) What hath the Almighty done against them? is not all their destruction (meritoriously) from themselves?

Again, How much soever God punisheth them in this life, they have no reason to complain, or say to God depart from us; for even those punishments are messages from God to awaken them out of their sins, and so to prevent worser punishments; therefore when God perceived that stubborn people going on in their sins, telleth them he will smite there no more, as implying that it was his favor to smite them. ( Isa. 1.5.) Why should ye be smitten anymore, ye will revolt more and more. Surely then such have no reason to say to God, depart from us, when he smites them, as if he did them ey there hurt or wrong, seeing he smites them, that they might return unto him; Those judgments of God are a mercy, which are sent to teach man his duty. Now if the judgments of God have sometime mercy in them, and never have any injury in them, what hurt or injury can there be to man in the service of God? Hath the Almighty done anything against them, whom he lovingly invites to the doing of his will? And yet some complain of wrong when they are only called to do what is right, and cry out as if God hurt them, when he doth but govern them. The Lord calls his murmuring people to account about this thing, ( Mich. 6.3.) O my people, what have I done to thee (that is, what hurt, what wrong have I done unto thee) and wherein have I wearied thee, testify against me; As if he had said? thou hast nothing to bring against me in evidence, unless it be my kindness, as it follows ( ver. 4.) For I brought thee up out of the Lord of Egypt, and redeemed thee our of the house of servants, and I sent before thee, Moses, Aaran, and Miriam. O my people, remember &c. Consider all my dealings with thee, all the deliverances I have wrought for thee, all the Statutes and Ordinances, all the Laws and Commandments which I have given thee, and then let thy Conscience speak; What have I done unto thee, which is an evil to thee? or wherein have I wearied thee, in the things which I have required thee to do? I have done many good works for thee, and I have commanded thee to do many works, such works as are not only good in themselves, but good for them who do them; for which of these is it that thou art weary of me? There is not that wicked man in the world but God may say to him, what have I done to thee, or what have I called thee to do, that thou shouldest be weary of me? that thou shouldest desire me to depart from thee? Thus if we read the words in this latter sense; What hath the Almighty done against them? They carry a reproof of their ingr • titude against God, who had not hurt them, yea who had done them good. If we read the words in the second sense; What can the Almighty do against them? They carry a high contempt and slight of his power, as if God could do them no hurt. If we read the words in the first sense according to our translation (which I rather pitch upon) they carry (upon contrary terms) a like contempt of the power of God, as if he could do them no Good; What can the Almighty do for them?

The Hebrew is, And be filled their houses with good things; we translate yet, which better clears the meaning and scope of the Text, according to our reading of the former verse; They say to God, depart from us, and what can the Almighty do for them? yet he filled their houses with good things; As if he had said, they thought God could do nothing for them, whereas indeed he did all for them: all the good they had, they had it from God, He filled their houses; that is, he gave them abundance; he did not only put some good things into their houses, but he filled their houses with good things, they had a plentiful state, God gave them a rich portion in the good things of this world; his corn, his wine, his oil, his flax, his gold, his silver, were their portion. He filled them, and they rebelled against him; He bestowed many benefits upon them, which they abused to serve their lusts, and vainly triumphed in what he freely gave them, as if they had been spoils forcibly taken from him.

Hence Observe; first,

Christ persuaded his hearers (and us in them) upon this account to love their enemies, That they and we might be the children of our father which is in heaven; For he maketh his Sun to rise on the evil and on the Good, and sendeth rain on the just, and on the unjust (Matth. 5.45.) As God hath some peculiar people, so he hath some peculiar blessings, and good things, which the world in common shares not in; but he hath a sort of blessings, and good things, which are the common share of the world; rain and Sun, fat and sweet, Gold and silver are such good things as their hearts and houses are often filled with, whose hearts and house are empty of goodness. These good things God gives them, who know no more why he gives them, then they did, why he did not suddenly bring evil upon them, of whom the Apostle speaks ( Rom. 2.4.) Despisest thou the riches of his goodness, and forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance; when God doth good to those that are evil, whether it be by bestowing good upon them, or by withholding evil, He doth it usually for one of or both these reasons.

First, That they might repent, and live; knowest thou not what Message the goodness of God brings? Speakes it not thus? Repent, repent; yea doth not divine goodness (taking thee by the hand) lead thee to repentance?

Secondly, The Lord doth them good who continue in the evil of sin, that they might be left inexcusable when the evil of wrath and punishment falls upon them; every mouth shall be stopped, & all the world of wicked ones become guilty before God, when they remember that they sinned, and went on to sin against the God that sed them, against the God that clothed them, against the God that filled their houses with good things, and protected them in the use and enjoyment of those good things, with which he had filled their houses.

Secondly, In that he doth not only give them good things, but filled their houses with good.

Observe.

God giveth great portions of good things to wicked men.

They have not only enough to live upon, but they have enough to live comfortably upon, they have not only enough to live upon themselves, but they have enough to lay up for their children after them; the Lord is not only good, but he is liberal and bountiful (in its kind) to the worst of men: they whose hearts are shut to him, his hand is open to them; he is enlarged towards them who are straightened towards him; And this is added not only to render the goodness of God more glorious, but the sin of man more sinful and odious in our eyes.

Whence observe; Thirdly.

It is a horrible wickedness to say to God, depart from us, though he empty our houses of all good things, but it is much more horrible wickedness, to say so when he filleth our houses with good things. What? When God hath filled our houses, shall we kick him out of doors? This was the sin of Jesurun, that when he waxed fat he kicked, as Moses saith ( Deut. 32.15.) Thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; Then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the rock of his Salvation. Their fin is great who lightly esteem God while he makes them lean, but how sinful is their sin, who slight God that hath made them fat. As good things received bind us stronger unto duty, so good things abused, bind us stronger under guilt.

Fourthly, As we connect these words with the latter branch of the former verse; What can the almighty do for them? yet he filled their houses with good things. We may take this observation.

They who are evil cannot own God purely either in good or evil. It is but seldom that they say, with that wicked King, This evil is of the Lord (2 Kings 6.33.) And it is seldomer that they say, this good is of the Lord They say, what good doth God for us? evē while he filleth their houses with good things. Indeed the best of Saints receive many good things from God which they know not of; they receive many secret mercies, secret I mean not only to others, but to themselves; and so they are not able to give God the glory of them distinctly, because they have not a distinct knowledge of them. But all the good things which the wicked have are to them of an unknown original. Though they know what they have, yet they know not from whence or from whom they have what they have; they know not who feeds them, who clothes them, who provids for them: yea though they make many formal acknowledgements of this, and will tell you of God's goodness to them, yet really they know it not, nor do they cordially acknowledge it. The Lord complains of his people about this ( Isa. 1.3.) The Ox knoweth his owner, and the Ass his Masters cribb, (he upbraids them not only as below other men, but a below the beasts, as if the reasonless creatures had acted more rationally then they) but Israel doth not know, my people do not consider: What was it they did not know, nor consider? they knew not nor considered what the Ox and the Ass knew and consider • d; The Ox knoweth his owner, he knoweth that his Master seeds him, as well as works him. Thus also the asse knoweth his Masters crib, as he knoweth that his Master employeth him, so he knoweth that his Master provideth for him. The dull Ass takes notice of the cribb, and knows where and by whom he receiveth Good; but ye my people know not me, ye do not consider him that seeds you; For I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me, they never honored me as the fountain and founder of their felicity. The Prophet Hosea reproves the same sottishnes and blindness in that people ( Chap. 2.8, 9.) For she did not know that I gave her come, and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold, which they prepared for Baal. Therefore I will return and take away her come in the time thereof; As If the Lord had said, I will make them know that I can take these things away, seeing they would not know, or at least not acknowledge that I am he who gave them. Carnal men attribute their good things, and the filling of their houses with them to anything rather then to God. They thank their friends or their good fortune; they thank themselves, their policy, their industry, for what they have. They ascend not up to God in thankfulness for what they have. They who say, What can the Almighty do for them? How should they acknowledge, that the Almighty hath done anything for them? The Prophet ( Hab: 1.16.) speaks of men those portion was fat, and their meat plenteous; but to whom did they refer all this? whom did they acknowledge for their benefactor, or as the cause of those great successes? The Prophet tells us, They sacrificed to their nets, and burnt incense to their drags. The words carry an allusion to fishing, in which work or art netts and drags are the instruments of the fisherman; so that to sacrifice to the net or to the drag, is to give the honor and thanks of all our attainements to second causes, and creature helps, to our own wit, power, and industry, &c. To these saith the Prophet they sacrificed; That is, they honored them in the place or stead of God; Sacrifice it proper and peculiar to God, and therefore he that offers sacrifice to anything, makes it his God, or puts it in the place of God; They who thank themselves for the good they have, are a God to themselves. And thus we find The Assyrian ascribing all to his own power ( Isa. 10.14) By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom, for I am prudent, and I have removed the bounds of the people, and have robbed their treasures, and I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man; he did not think that the Lord did it by his hand, but (saith he) by the strength of my hand I have done it: my right hand, is my God, my wisdom is my God. These, these, have removed the bounds of the people, and robbed their treasures. See how the Lord checks this insolency ( v. 15.) Shall the axe boast it self against him that heweth therewith, or shall the saw magnify it self against him that shaketh it? Men (I grant) are living instruments, yet they can do no more then instruments without life (the axe and the saw) unless God act them, or act by them. An axe or a saw can do as much without man, as man can do without God; yet vain proud man is as full of boasting, as if he could do, or had done all alone.

Fifthly, Observe.

God filleth their houses with good things, but they are the good things of this life; they have nothing that reacheth to eternal life. They have nothing that concerns pardon of sin, or grace, much less have they glory for their portion. ( Acts 14.16, 17.) God did not leave himself without witness (among the Heathen Nations) in that he did good, and gave rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling their hearts with food; and gladness; so much they received from God, as filled them with food for their bodies, and made their lives comfortable; but no more, that was all they had. As Abraham in the parable tells the rich man in hell ( Luk. 16.25.) Son remember that thou in thy life time hast had thy good things. And what were the good things which he formerly had? We have an answer at the 19 ^th verse, He was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared deliciously every day. As the Psalmist is express ( Psal. 17.14.) that the men of this world have their portion in this life, so, his purpose is to show, that they have their portion in the things of this life; for he adds, Whose bellies thou fillest with thy hid treasures, that is, with those treasures of corn, wine, and oil, which are virtually hidden in the earth, and brought forth by the earth; God fills the bellies of the wicked, but he fills the Spirits of the Godly; he fills the former with the hidden treasures of the earth, he fills none but the latter with the hidden treasures of heaven.

Lastly, Note.

Not only are spiritual gifts and graces, together with eternal life undeserved, but even temporals, and the things of this life. The Lord gives them unto his enemies, to those that say to him, depart from us; and what do these deserve at his hands, but stripes and death? He gave Christ to us while we were most unworthy of him; when we were yet enemies Christ died for us; sinners do no more deserve bread then they deserve Christ; we no more deserve the comforts of this life then eternal life; The one is of free Grace to the Elect, and the other is of bounty and goodness to the wicked. The old Egyptians (as some writers report them) were careful to confess the undeservednesse of those outward favors, the plenty and abundance of corn and cattle, with which Egypt was stored; in testification whereof they every year brought into the Temple of their Idol Serapis a measure showing how high the river Nile rose and overflowed its banks (for Egypt being a flatt Country, is watered by the overflowings of Nile) and by the rising of those waters they could (very probably) prognosticate the plenty or scarcity of the year ensuing. And they therefore took an exact account how many cubits high the river swelled, leaving it in the Temple of Serapis, thereby acknowledging (as some conceive) that their Idol God was the bestower of all that plenty, or (as Eliphaz here speaks) that he had filled their houses with Good things.

We had these words before ( Chap 21.16.) Job made use of them there, and here Eliphaz, therefore I shall add but little for explication in this place. In general know, they are a proverbial speech, by which the abhorrence of our spirits concerning either things or persons is set forth to the utmost; as when we say to any man, be gone, depart from me, or as Christ to Satan, Get thee behind me, we show our vehement detestation of his person. So when a man saith, such or such a thing is far from me, his meaning is he utterly detests it, or that the thing is the very abomination of his soul. Therefore while Eliphaz saith; The counsel of the wicked is far from me, it is, as if he had said, I cannot endure to have anything to do either with the wicked, or with their counsel. O my soul come not thou into their secret, unto their assembly O mine honor be not thou united (as dying Jacob bespake his sons Simeon and Levi, Gen. 49.6.)

But what is the counsel of the wicked? their counsel may be taken; first, for that dishonorable opinion which they held of God, that he could do nothing either for them or against them. I (saith Eliphaz ) am of another mind, of another faith and persuasion. Their Counsel is far from me who either deny the providence of God, or think they can hide themselves from the eye of his providence; I believe that his eye beholdeth all, and that his hand worketh whatsoever pleaseth him.

Secondly, Others by Counsel understand the scope of wicked men; so Calvin reads, the intent of the wicked is far from me; I have other purposes and designs then they have; The ploughing of the wicked (saith Solomon, Pro. 21.4.) is sin; that is, the stirring and plotting of his mind to get his desires satisfied is sinful; I desire not (saith Eliphaz ) to put my hand to their plough. The counsel of the wicked is far from me.

Thirdly, As the design and plot, so the course and way of the wicked is far from me. The counsel of a man is put for the means by which he acteth his designs, as well as for the method in which he layeth them. We shall not wrong the drift of the Text in which soever of these three senses we understand this protestation, The counsel of the wicked is far from me.

Again, There is a threefold difference about the reading and relation of these words, which put together will give us yet a further light and understanding about them.

First, The Septuagint read thus; The counsel of the wicked is far from him; and the antecedent, to him (according to their sense) is God himself. As if Eliphaz had said, the counsels and resolutions which the wicked take up, God cannot abide, they are far from him. His are holy, theirs are unholy counsels.

Secondly, Others apprehend, that Eliphaz spake thus in the person of Job, and only reassumed what he had said ( Chap 21.16.) O this is the man that said even now the counsel of the wicked is far from me; Pray consider, This is the man that professed he would not so much as come near a wicked man, he would have nothing to do with their counsels, not be; He would be taken for a man of another spirit, of another frame then they; but see what he is, see how he joins with them, how be walks in their ways, how he follows their counsels; though be denies them with his lips, and makes strange as if he knew them not, yet indeed he is of the same piece and spirit with them: and while he saith, the counsel of the wicked is far from me (behold his hypocrisy) the counsel of the wicked lieth in his bosom, and is embraced by him.

Thirdly, Which is more plain and clear, we may expound these words not only as spoken by Eliphaz, but as therein speaking of himself; The counsel of the wicked is far from me; that is, I am a man of another strain, of another grain then they, I am a man of another mould and make then they. Therefore O Job, what you spake before I speak again, and I speak it upon better grounds, with a better heart then you; you spake with your lips, or from the teeth outward, that the counsel of the wicked was far from you, but I have proved that you approach too near them both in course and council. I say, what you said, but I say it (which you did not) in sincerity, I profess, and what I profess is true, that the counsel of the wicked is far from me. The same truth may be professed by different persons, upon different grounds and to different ends: the same premises do not always yield the same conclusions in the minds of men's, though in themselves they do. Eliphaz thought his counsel as far from Jobs, as Job had professed himself to be from the council of the wicked. When Job said, The counsel of the wicked is far from me; his purpose was to show that though he was afflicted like wicked men, yea, that though he was afflicted while many wicked men were prospered, that yet he was not at all spirited or principl'd like wicked men. And that therefore his friends assertion must needs be false, who numbered him with the wicked because he was afflicted. Eliphaz seems to retort this upon Job, and to say, if this be so, as thou affirmest, surely then God hath laid aside the care of this world, and lets all things run at six and sevens; for surely if he took notice of men, either what they were, or what they were doing, he would never suffer the wicked to prosper, no nor to escape unpunished. And seeing thou continuest so stiff in thy opinion, that thou doest not suffer these grievous calamities for thy sin, thou seemest to me plainly to comply with their blasphemy, who query, how doth God know? can be judge through the dark cloud? This counsel of the wicked is far from me. And seeing as Job before, so Eliphaz here ascribes counsel (which is the most deliberate act) to the wicked. We may observe.

And as the more studied they are, the more sinful they are; so they study most for those which are most sinful. They are not hurried into sin by passions or thrust on upon sin merely by the violence of temptation; they sit down and go to counsel how they may compass their ungodly pu • poses. A godly man doth not consent unto sin, much less doth he consult about it; The ev • ll which I do I allow not; I (faith the Apostle) consent to the law of God that it is good (Rom. 7.) A godly man sins daily, but sin hath not his consent, or allowance when he hath done it, much less doth he consult or advise how to do it. Sin doth not please him consequently, much less doth he project it antecedently. 'It is the character of a wicked man, that his sin is his counsel, and that his art is in it as much as his nature; The counsel of the wicked is far from me.

Secondly, Eliphaz doth not say how far the counsel of the wicked was from him, but that it was far from him, and by far, he means furthest; as if he had said, it is as far from me as far may be, I have no compliance with their counsels.

Hence observe.

They are at furthest distance; They are like two parallel lines, which how far soever they run together, they never meet together, nor touch in a point. The conclusion of a wicked man or his end is far from that of the upright; the end of the one is light, the end of the other is darkness; the one ends in sorrow, the other in joy, the end of the one is peace, of the other trouble. And so the way of the one is sin, the way of the other is holiness; the way of the one is oppession and covetousness, the way of the other is justice and righteousness; the way of the one is faith, the way of the other is unbelief. Now as darkness and light, joy and sorrow, peace and trouble, can never comply or be united; so neither can sin and holiness, oppression and justice, faith and unbelief. There's no communion between these contraries, between these ways and ends, counsel and conclusions. And unless we keep far from the counsels of the wicked, we cannot go far from their conclusion; nor can we avoid their end, but by avoiding their way. The same way brings the same end, whether we respect good or evil. And hence it is that the Spirit of God by Solomon gives such a vehement admonition, to beware of the way of wicked men ( Pro. 4.14, 15.) Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men; avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it and pass away. As in the former context, he, as a careful father, had pressed his Son to the closest pursuit of wisdoms way, so here, he as earnestly presseth him, to depart from the path of wickedness; He would have his son not only not go into it, but not so much as pass by it, that is, not go near it; as the next words intimate, turn from it, as if he had said, keep at a distance, keep aloose off; do not stay so long within sight of it as to look upon it, that's his last counsel, pass away, not to return or come near it anymore. And while we consider whither that way leads, we shall easily grant that when all is said, little enough is said to lead us away from it. Where the way is sin, the wages is death. Therefore let him who desires to avoid the conclusion of the wicked, say, The counsel of the wicked is far from me.

Who the righteous man is, and what denominates a man righteous, hath been shown b • fore. The righteous see it; what do they see? That which they believed & looked for; the fall of wicked men. This act of seeing may be refer'd either to the person seeing, or to the object seen: as 'tis refer'd to the person of the righteous; so seeing notes both their privilege and their pleasure. They are admitted to see this spectacle of divine Justice, and it is their happiness to see it. This David intimates ( Psal. 37.34.) Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the Land, when the wicked are cut off thou shalt see it. The righteous shall be honored with this fight, yea and pleased with it, the cutting off of wicked men by the hand of God. The righteous man hath a promise to see this (and promises are the conveyances of mercies ( Psal. 91.8.) A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand, but it shall not come nigh thee, only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. Thou shalt be a spectator, not a partaker in that calamity. Wicked men sometimes glutt their eyes with • eholding the troubles of the Saints, and they account it a happy day, when they can have such a sight. They sign that day with a white stone, when the black stone of the most unjust and cruel condemnation proves the present lot of the righteous. David discovered such a spirit in his enemies ( Psal. 35.21.) They opened their mouth wide against me, and said, aha, aha, our eyes have seen it. What had they seen? The former verse tells us; They speak not peace, but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the Land. When these devises took, and had success, then they were pleased, then they had what they would, and saw what they desired. And thus the enemies of the Church are described ( Mi • : 4.11.) Now also many Nations are gathered against thee, and say, let her be defiled