Exposition of Job 32-24
Further, When 'tis said, He drinketh scorning like water.
It may imply three things; First, the frequency of his scorning, he doth it commonly, he is at scorning as often as at drinking; Secondly, the content which he was supposed to take in scorning, water cooleth and refresheth the heated and wearied body: Thirdly, it may note the easiness or naturallness of it to him. To drink is natural to man, it puts him to no pains nor study. We say proverbially of that which a man doth without trouble; He doth it as easily as he drinks. But of this word drinking and drinking like water, the reader may see more upon those words ( Chap: 15.16.) Man drinketh iniquity like water.
Once more, whereas Elihu saith of Job, He drinketh scorning like water.
Some have made a critical observation or distinction about it; Elihu doth not say, he drinketh scorning like wine, but like water; They who are provoked or led on to sin by the delight and sweetness which they find in sin, are said to drink it like wine (Prov: 4.17.) They drink the wine of violence; or they drink violence like wine. It goeth down sweetly and pleasantly; But (say they) such as sin, not out of pleasure but out of will or out of an affected maliciousness, are said to drink iniquity like water, which hath little pleasure in it, little sweetness or taste in it. There's small savor in water comparatively to wine and other delicate or delicious liquors. So that (according to this notion) they drink iniquity like water, who sin for sins sake. And indeed some are so delighted in sin itself, that they will sin in that which yields them no delight. The very act of doing evil is more contentful to them, then any fruit or consequent of it. But we need not stay in this nicity, the general sense falls hard enough upon Job, to drink scorning like water, is to be much and often in scorning. Water is the cheapest liquor, and of most common use; every man can go to the price of that which costs nothing (in most places) but the labor of taking it up. What man is like Job, that drinketh scorning like water?
Taking the words in a passive sense, as Job was a person scorned, and drunk in the scorns of men poured upon him, as the earth drinketh in water.
Note.
It is an affliction to be scorned by others; But it is a sin to render ourselves a scorn to others, and not to be sensible of it.
Secondly, (which I rather adhere to) taking the active sense, he is charged with speaking scornfully to his friends, or of the dealings of God with him; how far this charge might reach Job, hath been touched a little already; and will be cleared yet further before the close of the whole matter brought against him in this context. But in the mean time, from the general sense of the words (not concluding Job broadly such a one)
Observe.
What man is like Job, who drinketh scorning? Not to do good is sinful, but either to scorn that which is good or those that are good is far more sinful. That man is gone his furthest length, or ascended to the highest step of sin, who turneth scorner, or gives himself a liberty to scorn others. The first words of David speak this ( Psal: 1.1.) Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. Here are three degrees of sinning; walking, standing, sitting: He that sitteth in the seat of the scornful, or hath commenced scorner, hath taken the highest degree, and is the chief Graduate in the Schools of sin. And as to sit in the seat of the scornful, is the highest degree of sinning, so they that are got into that seat, care not how long they sit in it, yea, are hardly ever got out of it. So much that chiding question or expostulation of Solomon doth fully import ( Prov. 1.22.) Ye scorners, how long will ye delight in scorning? As if he had said, When shall it once be? will ye never have done, nor give over that trade? Scorners are therefore the worst of men, because they deride the best both of things and men ( Prov: 21.24.) Proud and haughty scorner is his name, who dealeth in proud wrath. Scorners are the children of pride. A proud spirit vents it self in scorning. Pride doth not appear so much in apparel, in gay clothes and new fangled fashions (all which are often used as flaggs of pride and vanity) nor doth pride appear so much in praising ourselves (though there it appeareth much) as it doth in scorning others. Proud scorner is his name. And as the scorner is a proud despiser of others, so a quarrelsome contender with others, and till he is separated from men, there is nothing but separation, no peace among men ( Prov: 22.10.) Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea strife and reproach shall cease; which plainly intimateth, that strife cannot go out till the scorner be cast out. And therefore Solomon (Pro: 24.9.) calleth the scorner an abomination to man. Thus the Scripture sets the scorner among sinners of the chiefest rank and first form; I may say, he is of the first three, if not the first of that three. Therefore take heed how ye drink scorning, especially take heed it be not your mornings draught; for as it comes from the heart, so it will fly up into your head, and unfit you for any good work, at least, that day.
Again, from the similitude here used, to drink up scorning like water, which (as hath been shown) holds out the readiness and connaturallness of an action unto him that is charged with it.
Note.
It is best to come hardly off in sinning, and when it goeth hardly down; Many sin as easily as they eat or drink. They eat up my people as bread, (saith God, Psal: 14.4.) that is (as we say) they make no bones of it; there's nothing sticks in their throats, nor troubles their conscience. Where sin lives altogether unmorti •• ed in any man (it doth so in every mere natural or unregenerate man) 'tis no more to him to sin, then it is either to live, or to eat and drink for the maintaining of life. But they shall feel sorest pains for sinning, who have sinned with greatest ease; they shall drink damage by scorning like Gall▪ and Wormwood, who have drunk scorning like water, Elihu having thus taxed Job with scorning at good men, proceeds to tax him with overmuch freedom and familiarity with evil men.
Vers. 8. Which goeth in company with the wor ••• s of iniquity, and walketh with wicked men.
As if he had said, you may know what he is, by the company he keeps.
He goeth in company with the workers of iniquity, or he associates and puts himself into the society of the workers of iniquity. Elihu doth not say, he dwelleth among the workers of iniquity; The best man in the world may dwell among bad men; Let dwelt in Sodom. We must go out of the world, if we will not be among the wicked; the world is everywhere full of the workers of iniquity. But (saith he) he goeth in company with them. Which intimates the activenes of his spirit with them; yea the election of his spirit, or that he chose their company. Though a good man may be in the company of the wicked, yet he doth not choose their company; He is not of their body of their society or gang. A wicked man doth not content himself to be among the ordinary sort of sinners, he is for, and best likes the worst of sinners, workers of iniquity. All are sinners naturally, but some are sinners artificially; they study sin, they contrive and plot mischief; They devise iniquity upon their beds, saith one Scripture; They weave the spiders webb, saith another. Here's artificial sinning. The Greeks call such, sin-workers, and crafts-men in evil. I have had occasion to speak of these from other passages of this Book. Here Elihu to heighten the charge against Job, saith, He goeth in company with (such or chooseth such kind of company) the workers of iniquity;
As our holiness is expressed by walking with God, so our sinfulness by walking with wicked men. To walk with God is all the commendation of Enoch, who was so holy on earth that God took him up to Heaven, ( Gen. 5.22.) He had this testimony (faith the Apostle, Heb. 11.15.) before his translation, that he pleased God. To walk with God, is to please God, or to give up ourselves wholly to God. Can two walk together except they be agreed? is the Prophets question, ( Amos 3.3.) They who walk together are supposed to have one will, as they are seen to have one way. What God willeth they will, and what God willeth not, they will not who walk with him. To walk with wicked men implieth an agreement with them, and a conformity to them, as being of their fraternity, company and livery. They that walk with wicked men, declare their familiarity with them, or that their mind and manners are the same. The Apostle tells the Corinthians (1 Cor. 3.2.) Whereas there is among you envying, strife and divisions, are ye not carnal and walk as men, that is, as men in their natural and sinful condition walk. Though ye are spiritual in your state, yet ye act as carnal men. Now, as it is sinful for a godly man to walk as a man, or according to man, (as our Margin hath it, for he should walk as God ) so it is much more sinful to walk with wicked men, or according to the worst of men. Thus the Apostle describes the conversation of the Ephesians before conversion. ( Eph. 22.) And you hath he quickened who were dead in sins and trespasses, in which sometime ye walked according to the course of this World. That is, according to the tide, current and stream of the times and places wherein ye lived. Man naturally doth not walk where he ought to go, but where he seeth the most go. He is led by the worst of examples (such are the examples of the most or of the many) rather then by the best of rules. It is our duty, and it should be our delight to walk with those who delight in the Law and in the way of God. David saith of his deceitful friend, but real enemy. ( Psal. 55.14.) We walked unto the house of God in company. As if he had said, time was when he and I were as if he had been I, both of us but one, in that one thing necessary, the worship and service of God. It is a good argument, that man hath an heart for God, who walks with good men in the ways of God. To converse much with or to be much in the company of good men, is a probable sign of goodness; but when we walk with them to the house and worship of God, or converse with them in the duties of holiness, this is a great (though no infallible) argument of goodness. And to be sure to walk with evil men, especially to join with them in doing evil is an argument that the man is evil. Therefore Elihu may seem to bring a demonstration against Jobs godliness (that he intended it not so I shall show afterwards, but, I say, he seems to say so) while he saith, Job walketh with wicked men.
The Hebrew Phrase used in the Text is more then (as we express) wicked men, we may render it men of wickedness; the Scripture calleth those men so who are (as it were) transformed into wickedness, or formed up of wickedness. As some men are so witty, that we call them men of wit, and others so judicious that we call them men of judgment, as some are so skillful and cunning, that we call them men of skill and cunning; so some are so wicked, that the Scripture calls them men of wickedness; even with these very dregs of mankind, it seems Job consorted. He goeth in company with the workers of iniquity, and walketh with wicked men.
But here it may be questioned, was it indeed so with Job, or was Job such a man as he is expressly charged to be both in this and the former verse? Did Elihu judge him a scorner, a companion of the workers of iniquity, and a walker with men of wickedness? Doubtless that's not Elihu 's scope or intention; nor could he imagine that Job, in strict sense, was either a scorner of good men, or chose the company of wicked men. And surely all that knew Job could certify (upon their knowledge) that he was a man of a gracious spirit and unblemisht life; that he loved good men and sweetly conversed with them, and therefore was far from closing with deboyst companions, or men of a profligate spirit. Why then doth Elihu speak thus? or spake he the words of truth and sobriety while he spake thus?
I answer, this form of speaking doth not always import a likeness of conversation and disposition, as sometimes it doth, ( Prov. 1.11, 15.) Come with us, and cast in thy lot among us, let us all have one purse. My son, walk not thou in the way with them, refrain thy foot from their path; that is, do not hearken to the call of those workers of iniquity. Here in the Text to go in company with the workers of iniquity, and to walk with wicked men, notes only the doing or speaking that which carrieth some likeness to them, not a being altogether like them. A man is said to go and walk with others, when he speaks or doth that which seems to suite and favor their principles, opinions or practices, though in truth they are the abhorrence of his soul. Elihu durst not, could not assert directly and properly that Job, who was a man famous for piety in the days of his prosperity, and who in his affliction had not the least degree of ability or opportunity for it, walked with wicked men: But because in the anguish of his soul he spake sometimes intemperately of the dealings of God (which is the guise, spiri • , and common language, in such cases, of wicked and ungodly men) therefore he chargeth him as symbolizing or complying with men of wickedness. So that when Elihu saith, he goeth with wicked men, he doth not accuse him for keeping bad company in his prosperity; but with speaking hardly of God in his adversity, as ungodly men use to do, when they are under his hand. He doth not say, you upon such and such a day kept evil company and conversed with men of wickedness; but you have spoken much like the wicked in the day of your calamity. That this was his scope appears plainly by the proof of this charge, which is also a new charge ( verse. 9.) For he hath said, it profiteth a man nothing that he should delight himself with God. Elihu doth not say, Job walketh with wicked men, for we have seen him in their company, and he hath been as vain and wicked as they. But his proof that Job walked with the wicked was from his words; For he hath said it profiteth a man nothing, &c. This is the language of the wicked, thus they use to speak about the ways of God; and Job hath spoken thus; therefore, What man is like Job that drinketh scorning like water, which goeth in company with the workers of iniquity, and walketh with wicked men. I need not stay here to show how great an evil it is to keep evil company, for that was not the sin which Job was accused of. Yet from the letter of the Text,
Note first.
A godly man may be among wicked men, but he doth not choose their company. He while with them is as Lot was in Sodom, his righteous soul is vexed. A godly man is among wicked men, as his graces are among his corruptions; as his humility is with his pride, his faith with his unbelief, these are all in his soul at once, but his faith doth always strive against his unbelief, his humility opposeth his pride, his grace of self-denial, resists his self-seeking, his meekness his passions, and his patience the unquietness of spirit. A godly man is pained in the company of wicked men, as David was ( Psal: 120.5.) Woe is me that I sojourn in Mesech, and dwell in the tents of Kedar. David was there but he did not delight to be there. To associate with the wicked is proper to the wicked. The Apostle gives that caution ( Eph: 5.11.) Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. Seeing the works of darkness are unfruitful of any good, it must needs be bad to have followship with them. As we must not at all join with wicked men in spiritual communion or Church-fellowship (2 Cor: 6.14.) Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers; for what communion hath light with darkness, and Christ with Belial, &c. Come out from among them, and touch no unclean thing. So we should have as little civil communion or fellowship with them as we can; and when we are necessitated to have civil communion with them, we must utterly avoid all sinful communion with them, that is, communion with them in their sins. It is both a shame to Gospel profession and a great offense to the sincere professors of the Gospel, when they who profess it are much in the company of the workers of iniquity, and walk with wicked men.
Secondly, From the matter of the charge,
Observe.
This heavy charge falls justly upon them whether they demean themselves in their affliction (as Job in some sort did) like the wicked, or in the days of their fullness and prosperity. If we speak or do like wicked men, we have our amends in our hands if we are numbered with them, though we are not really of their number. Some good men when they have got much of the world about them make but an ill use of it. Are wicked rich men proud? so are they in a great measure, you may see vanity in their houses, and superfluity upon their tables, as if they also were making provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof. Now if a godly man, when he hath the abundance of this world makes himself more unfit for the next world; is he not in this like the wicked? or if when God layeth him low, he be full of complainings and have risings of heart against the dealings of God; what is this but to do like the wicked, who in their straits quarrel with God, & blaspheme his name? ( Isa: 8. ult.) When they are hungry and hard bestead, they curse their God and their King. Thus the wicked do; and it was the Devils plot to make Job do so too; and because in the extremity of his sufferings he spake such things as savor'd of a murmuring spirit, Elihu taxeth him as walking with wicked men. For as when wicked men act and speak like good men, it may be said they go in the company with the godly, and walk with the workers of righteousness, though they are stark naught all the while, being (as the Apostle gives their character, Tit: 1.16.) Abominable, disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate; So some good men under temptation act and speak like the wicked, yet retain their goodness, and are as to the general state of their persons, and bent of their hearts, acceptable, obedient, and inclined to every good work. It will do the wicked no good at last, that they have thus gone in company with the good; but it is very sinful for and hurtful to good men, to go in company or walk with wicked men, though it be but (as Elihu makes his proof of it against Job ) only in using their Sibboleth, or speaking a language like theirs.
Vers. 9. For he hath said, it profiteth a man nothing that he should delight himself with God.
I shall, First, open the words a little, and then, Secondly, inquire, (as of the former) how Job might fall under this accusation.
That is, a man shall get nothing, or have no advantage by it. As Christ saith ( Mark 8.36.) What shall it profit a man to gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? But what was this trade which Elihu accuseth Job to have called unprofitable? Surely that which of all others is most profitable. It profiteth a man nothing
This goes deep; Elihu doth not tax him with saying it profiteth a man nothing to do this or that good, which God commandeth, but (which is more) that he should
The word rendered to delight, hath a three-fold signification, and all very full to this point and text.
First, To run, which is the speed of our pace. Thus the Septuagint render it, Although he run with God (Cant: 1.4.) By reason of the savor of thy good ointments, therefore do the virgins love thee, draw us and we will run after thee. To run is more then to walk. To walk with God, notes our observance of all holy duties, but to run the way of God's commandments, notes us zealous in them and for them. To run, requires not only an honest heart, but a large one; and therefore David said ( Psal: 119.32.) I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart. Thou (saith Elihu to Job) hast said, (according to this reading of the word) it shall not profit a man though he run with God, though he make never so much speed in his work and ways; though he be (besides faithful and upright) forward and active for God.
Secondly, The word signifieth To have or be of the same will or mind with another. Thus also some render it here; It profiteth not a man, though he willeth with God, or be of the same mind with God. The Apostle exhorts ( Phil: 2.5.) Let this mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus. To will is an internal motion, to run an external; How fast soever a man may run with God in outward actings, yet, possibly, he doth not will with God at all, nor hath a mind conformable to the mind of God. The hypocrite is thus set out ( Psal: 50.18, 19.) When thou sawest a thief, thou consentedst with him, &c. Thou hadst a mind to be a thief as well as he. One wicked man minds and wills the same things with another, and all godly men will the same things with God. Yet (saith Job) it shall not profit a man, though he have the same will with God, or though he willeth the same good things which God himself willeth.
Thirdly, The word (according to our translation) signifieth more then barely to will, it takes in the affections and joys of the soul. He that delighteth in God, hath sweet content and complacency in God, he not only approves of all the sayings and doings of God, he not only followeth his counsel, and his conduct, but is highly pleased and fully satisfied in God. Delight is the rest of the soul. When we delight in God, and find every act of obedience our joy and our song, our meat and our drink, then the heart is wound up to the highest pitch of holiness. And therefore as his heart is fallen down to the lowest pitch of unholiness, who saith, it profiteth a man nothing to serve God, so is his much more who saith, What shall it profit a man though he delight in God?
But here again it may be queried, Where did Job say, that it should profit a man nothing though he delight himself with God? If you read his discourse all over, he never spake these words directly or explicitly, they are the language of hell. But Job had spoken words, which (unless taken in a very favorable construction) might bear this censure. He spake thus, in a manner, while he at once justified himself so much, and cried out as much of the hard dealings of God wich him. And while in many passages of this Book he denieth that the godly have a present reward in this life, and also affirmeth that many wicked men enjoy outward prosperity, and pass unpunished. These speeches might easily be interpreted (by common and carnal men especially) that, Job thought it an unprofitable thing to delight in God. For if All things in this life come alike to all, to the godly, and to the wicked, what doth it profit a man (as to this life) that he should delight himself in God? who among the sons of men (that knoweth of no profit beyond this life) can delight himself in that, which brings no profit? Job also said ( Chap: 9.22.) God destroyeth the wicked and the righteous, that is, he afflicts the good as much as the bad, this was a principle which he held out all along. Now because the Scripture saith, He that cometh to God, must believe that God is, and that he is a rewarder of those that diligently seek him (Heb: 11.6.) and (1 Tim: 4.8.) Godliness is profitable for all things, having the promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come; (which Scriptures though not extant when Job lived, yet the truth contained in them was) Elihu might well be led into this apprehension, that Job had brought up an ill report upon the ways of God, as (in this life) unprofitable unto man. But though Job spake thus, yet he was far from speaking this to justify such an opinion, that there is no profit for a man to delight himself with God. His meaning was only this, that a man may want temporal present profit, notwithstanding his delighting in God. He was full and positive enough, that they who now delight in God, besides the present inward peace and profit which they find and feel, shall hereafter be crowned with everlasting rewards and delights. Job should indeed have been more in justifying God, more in setting forth the present profitableness of his ways in the practice of an holy life; And because he was so sparing in this point, and insisted so often upon the afflictions of the people of God. Elihu chargeth him with saying, It profiteth a man nothing to delight himself with God.
Hence note; First.
The very spirit of holiness consists in this; There is (as I may call it) a body of holiness, but if you would have the spirit of holiness (as by distillation we take the spirits of any liquor, or of anything that liquor and moisture hath in it, if, I say, we would have the spirits of holiness) 'tis delighting in God. For as 'tis the spirit of sinfulness to delight in sin; so the spirit of Godliness is to delight in God.
Note.
Job himself is now charged with that, which he charged upon the wicked ( Chap: 21.15.) What is the Almighty that we should serve him? and what profit shall we have that we pray unto him? This grand profaneness the Prophet rebukes ( Mal: 3.14.) Ye have said, It is in vain to serve God, and what profit is there that we have kept his ordinances? Thus the carnal heart, which would fain free or keep it self from keeping the ordinances of God, is ready to question, whether there be any profit in keeping them. And while such seem only to put the question, they indeed conclude, that there is no profit in keeping them; yet the truth is, the very keeping the ordinances of God, as it is an act of obedience to him, and of communion with him is very profitable, though we should have no visible nor sensible profit by it. In keeping the commandments of God, there is great reward (Psal: 19.11.) that is, the keeping of them is a reward, as well as a reward is promised to those that keep them. The Reader may consult this point further, at the 15 th verse of the 21 th Chapter.
Note, Thirdly.
Job never thought it was no profit to serve God, yet he had let fall words which might bear that gloss. As wicked men often speak better then they mean; They have golden words in their mouths, when there is nothing but dross in their hearts; their words are smoother then oil, yet they are drawn swords; their words sound well, while they wound deep, (now as a carnal man speaks often better then he means, and sometimes speaks purposely the best when he means worst) so a godly man speaks sometimes worse then he means, or he may speak ill when he intends nothing but good. Holy David (which comes up fully to the sense of what Job is taxed for saying here) said (and what could he speak more unholyly) ( Psal: 73.15.) Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, &c. What language was here? would one think to hear David foul his mouth with such words as these? would one think, that such a word could have dropt from the mouth of David, whose mouth used to drop like an honey-comb, & whose lips were wont to be like a tree of life feeding many? yet David in temptation, that is, in great affliction (for he there complains that he was chastened every morning) spake thus with his tongue to the grief of his heart a little after. The tongue is an unruly member, (as the Apostle James saith, Chap: 3.8.) The tongue can no man tame; we need a great command upon the heart to bridle the tongue, and tame that unruly beast. Many a good man hath been over-borne with his tongue. That little member hath sometimes crushed both soul and body very sorely. Jobs tongue fell heavily upon him.
Observe.
Thou hast said, It profiteth a man nothing to delight himself in God, is a very severe censure; And though Joh did not deserve it fully, yet he might have expressed himself more commodiously and profitably. Just consequences from what we say, may be charged upon us as our sayings. Indeed to wier-draw words or strain consequences from them, is very unchristian. Some deal so with the holy Scriptures (2 Pet: 3.16.) Wresting them to their own destruction; They torture and stretch them upon the tenters to their own hurt. And to wrest a man's words, or as the Prophet speaks ( Isa: 29.21.) To make a man an offender for a word, is an act of great uncharitableness towards man, and to God an high offense (Not but that a man may be an offender for his words; nor can a man be more truly an offender for any words, then when he speaks reproachfully or slightly of the works of God) But when men speak such words as are real offenses, and yield foul consequences, fairly, they must bear the burden. And that was Jobs case here.
But some may say, If Job never spake these words in terms, nor any words like them, with such an intent, why doth he suffer Elihu to to accuse him, and not take off his accusation, nor give a word of answer for himself? Why did he not vindicate himself, or make his Apology?
I answer, and my answer shall be the last note from this context.
Job replied no more, spake no more, but to show that he yielded to what was said, and submitted to this dispensation of God in sending Elihu to charge him thus. He took more upon him then he had said, lest he should seem to justify anything that he had said amiss. ( Chap: 40.5.) Once have I spoken, but I will not answer: yea twice, but I will proceed no further. As if he had said, I will make no more pleas for myself, nor excuses, I will cry guilty to the whole matter of my charge, though I might clear and discharge myself of much of it. How far was the spirit of Job from theirs, who though charged with that only which they have directly done, or spoken, yet stand it out in pleading their excuse, and will never fall down before reproofs, though what they have done or spoken amiss, be so plain, that it needs no proof.
We should be careful to speak and do such things as are not subject to reproof, but when through ignorance or rashness we have run into an error, either of speech or practice, we should be so humble as to subject ourselves to reproof, and take it well that we are rebuked for any evil. As it doubles an offense to undertake the defense of it, so not to defend an offense abateth and lesseneth it. And as he who goeth about to cover his fault by finding out arguments and pleas for it, showeth that he hath a will or purpose to continue in it; so he that is silent, and hath not a word to say for it, gives a good testimony both of his sorrow that he ever committed it, and of his resolution never to commit it anymore. They are highly to be commended who live unblameably, and they deserve no small commendation, who being sensible of their own failing, can patiently bear the blame of it, without replying upon their reprovers.
JOB. Chap. 34. Vers. 10, 11.
Therefore hearken unto me, ye men of understanding: far be it from God, that he should do wickedness, and from the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity.
For the work of a man shall he render unto him, and cause every man to find according to his ways.
ELihu having done with Jobs charge for several unwarrantable sayings in the former context, begins his refutation here, and directs his speech.
First, To Jobs friends, speaking to them from the 10 th to the 16 th verse.
Secondly, To Job himself, from the 16 th verse of this Chapter to the 34 th .
In the two verses now read, we have two general points.
First, A vehement denial of any unrighteousness in God, ( v. 10.)
Secondly, A strong proof or demonstration, that there is no unrighteousness in God, at the 11 th verse. He enters this confutation of Job, or the vindication of the honor of God from what Job had said, with an inviting Preface.
Vers. 10. Therefore hearken unto me, ye men of understanding.
Elihu like a cunning Orator often stir'd up his auditors to attention, and made frequent insinuations to wind himself and what he had to say into their good opinion. Here he bespake not the promiscuous multitude or common sort of hearers, but wise men, or men of understanding, such as are most fit to judge the weight and strength of those arguments and reasons, by which any point is proved and confirmed.
The Hebrew is, ye men of heart, so the Margin hath it; As the heart is the principle of natural life▪ so the principles & powers of the rational life are often ascribed to the heart. Job told his friends ( Chap. 12.3.) I have a heart (we render, I have an understanding) as well as you; and in good Authors a hearty man signifies not only a man of courage, or a man of spirit, but a man of knowledge and understanding, a man more then ordinarily wise, a man of the highest Elevation for wisdom, is called a hearty man. Naturalists have ascribed the moving of several passions, to several internal parts of the body; laughter (say they) riseth from the spleen, anger from the Gall, love from the liver, but to the heart they give more then a passion, understanding, which is the noblest faculty of reason. Here Elihu calls upon men of heart, or of understanding to hearken to him.
Hence note.
Some will not hear at all, they are like the deaf adder (Psal. 48.4, 5.) that stoppeth her ear, which will not hearken to the voice of the charmtr, charming never so wisely; The Prophet reproves such ( Jer. 6.10.) To whom shall I speak and give warning, that they may hear; behold their ear is uncircumcised and they cannot hearken; behold, the Word of the Lord is to them a reproach, they have no delight in it; they cannot hearken, that is, they will not; or they cannot hearken, that is spiritually and obedientially, though they have a natural, yet they have not a gracious ear, as the same Prophet ( chap. 11.6, 7, 8.) upbraided them; yet they obeyed not, nor inclined their ear. This sinful deafness the Lord complained of also, ( Psal. 81.8.) Hear O my people, (saith God) and at the 11 verse, My people would not hearken to my voice; Now as bad men will not hear at all to purpose; so the best seldom hear so well or to so good purpose as they ought and might. Men of heart or of understanding are sometimes slow of hearing, and may need to have their ear awakened.
Secondly, note.
When a people have not only ears, but hearts to hear, then the word is heard indeed. We may suppose understanding men will probably prove the best hearers; the Prophet was in hope to find it so, though he failed of his hopes. ( Jer. 5.4.) Surely these are poor, they are foolish (men of low parts, and thin intellectualls) for they know not the way of the Lord, nor the judgment of their God. I will get me to the great men and will speak unto them, for they have known the way of the Lord, (they are wise surely and understanding) yet he was disappointed in his recourse to them, as it followeth in the same verse, but these have altogether broken the yoke, and burst the bonds. There is a natural wisdom which hindereth the hearing of the word, therefore the Apostle saith; Not many wise men after the flesh are called, that is, savingly called; the word hath its full effect upon few of them, they are not prevailed with to believe and obey; they are called, but they come not. Though wisdom be an advantage to profitable hearing, yet all natural wise men do not hear profitably, nor indeed can any, by all the wisdom of nature.
Thirdly, note.
Headlesse men are heartless men. It is said ( Hos. 7.11.) Ephraim is like a silly dove without a heart. All the people of God are or should be innocent doves, like doves for innocence and gracious simplicity; but how unbecoming is it that any of them should be doves for silliness or silly doves without a heart; that is without any spirit or courage for God, and the things or ways of God. To be without a heart is to be without a due apprehension of the mind of God, or any true conformity thereunto; 'tis to have no knowledge either to do good, or to be good; all such are silly doves without a heart, without understanding, and all such are yet unfit and unprepared hearers. Hearken to me ye men of understanding,
The Septuagint turn the sense of the words into another channel; as if Elihu spake here in his own vindication, and not in God's; and so they render the Text personally of Elihu; Far be it from me that I should do wickedly before God; or, that I should pervert Justice before the Almighty; as if Elihu had said; I am now to speak before God, or in God's presence; God being my witness, therefore I had need look to it while I am speaking before the righteous God, that I speak righteously, and while I speak before the God of truth, that I speak according unto truth; far be it from me that I should do wickedly before God; there is a truth in this translation. But this is not a true translation according to the Hebrew; nor is it the truth of this place. Elihu speaking in so weighty a matter might well say far be it from me to pervert justice so much as in a word, because I speak before God, and am in the presence of the Almighty. We should not speak a word amiss in his sight or hearing, who seeth and heareth what all men do and say, whatsoever they are doing or saying, especially, when they are doing or saying that which is of near concernment to himself. This rendering gives us a useful caution. But doubtless Elihu's purpose here was not to show with what reverence of God, himself was about to speak, but that he was about to speak for the vindication of the righteousness of God, which he thought Job had wronged by that assertion when he said, ( verse. 9.) It profiteth a man nothing that he should delight himself with God. Hereupon Elihu with some heat of spirit turns upon him in these words,
The word rendered God forbid is often used in Scripture, implying the greatest detestation and utter abhorrence of that which is extremely offensive to us; the root of it signifieth anything that is profane, filthy, or polluted; because all profane things and persons are far from God, that is, such as he utterly abhorreth. Further, the verb signifieth as to pollute, or to profane, so to offer violence, to wound and kill unjustly or murtherously; which sense complyeth fully with the business in hand. Job had complained that his innocence, at least that he being innocent, was sorely afflicted and wounded, and lay as it were weltering in in his gore and blood. Hereupon Eiihu stands up to vindicate the righteousness and justice of God, Far be it from God, &c. When a Judge doth unrighteously he offereth violence to the Law, and viciates that chaste Virgin Justice, committed to his care and keeping. All acts of injustice are therefore far from God, even the abomination of his soul, because polluted and filthy in themselves, as also such as pollute and defile all those that use them. Thus Abraham spake to God ( Gen. 18.23, 25.) Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked, that be far from thee, &c. He spake of it with indignation as a thing most unworthy of God, to wrap up good and bad in the same common calamity. When all Josephs brethren as one man ( Gen. 44.17.) offered to become his prisoners, God forbid (said he) that I should do so, ye shall not all suffer for one man's sault; let that be far from me, he that is found in fault only shall be my prisoner. Thus Elihu would remove the remotest suspicion of unrighteousness from God when he saith, far be it from God that he should do wickedness.
Hence note.
The Apostle shown a spirit full of this fire ( Rom. 3.5, 6.) Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man) that is, natural or carnal men are apt to think so, but God forbid, or, let it not be once named by those who name (that is, profess) the name of God. If everyone who nameth the name of Christ must depart from iniquity (2 Tim. 2.19.) woe to those who say that Christ himself closeth with any iniquity. As God himself puts all evil far from him, so should we put the least thought of it far from God. What can be more unjust then to have so much as the shadow of a thought that God doth any injustice! away with such blasphemous suggestions, can he who is the very rule of righteousness do unrighteously? To throw this dirt into the face of God hath as much absurdity and irrationallity as blasphemy in it. None but they who know not God, can have such apprehensions of him. To do wickedness is far from God, and therefore let man be far, even as far as the east is from the west, from saying or thinking that he doth any. Far be it from God
The Text is, far be it from God from wickedness, we render that he should do wickedness. The word signifieth wickedness of the worst sort; that wickedness which does not only break the Law (so every the least sin doth) but slights it, and denieth it any reverence or regard. It is far from a godly man to sin at this rate, to do wickedness. Then, O how far is it from God that he should do wickedness,
Elihu useth two Titles or Names of God, First, the strong God, the mighty God. Secondly, Almighty, the All Sufficient God; far be it from the All Sufficient that he should do any iniquity. He that hath all things in his power, and can command Heaven and Earth, heart and hand, he that is able to supply all deficiencies in the creature by his all-sufficiency, far be it from this Almighty God that he should commit iniquity towards man. Strength without goodness is always unprofitable, and often hurtful. Goodness without strength is very unuseful because so weak. But where both strength and goodness mere and center in the same person, as he is able to do much good, so he hath no will to do evil or offer injury to others. How then should the All Sufficient commit iniquity?
The word rendered iniquity signifies any crookedness or perverseness, any distortion of right and justice. Now right or justice is distorted many ways, chiefly these five.
First, by a flat denial of it. Secondly, by a tedious delaying of it. Thirdly, by punishing where there is no fault. Fourthly, by not rewarding where there is desert. Fifthly, Justice or right is distorted, by giving the same or a-like award to those who are unlike, or (in their acts or deserts, whether good or bad) not the same. To do any of these perverse or crooked things is the doing of iniquity, or the perverting of Justice. All these Elihu removeth far from God, while he saith, Far be it from the Almighty that he should commit iniquity. God will not, cannot commit iniquity, either by denying or delaying justice, either by not punishing or rewarding where there is cause, or by dealing out alike to those in whose doing and dispositions there is an utter unlikeness. Far be it from the Almighty, that he should commit any of these iniquities.
Hence note.
Elihu taxed Job, for complaining of God's Justice ( v. 9.) And here he saith, Far be it from God, that he should do wickedness. Injustice is wickedness against God, who commandeth us to be just, and it is wickedness against man, who is always wronged by injustice.
Secondly, As to that particular which Elihu chargeth Job with.
Note.
(Heb: 6.10.) God is not unrighteous to forget your labor of love; He is not unrighteous to forget it, that is, not to recompense it; by forgetting it, he doth not mean the letting of it slip out of his mind, but the not making a due return to it, or the not giving it a just reward. It is unrighteousness in God not to reward those who serve him, because he hath promised to reward them. Say to the righteous, it shall be well with him (Isa: 3.10.) The promises run to it, all the Scripture over; and as it would be unrighteousness in God not to reward those that do well; so not to pardon them that have done ill when they confess their evil deeds, because he hath promised to pardon them; and therefore the Scripture saith (1 John 1.9.) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins. The Scripture doth not say, he is merciful to forgive us our sins, (though mercy act to the highest in the forgiveness of sin) but he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins; and the reason why the Scripture saith so, is because forgiveness of sin (in case of confession) is under a promise. To come short of our promises, is to be unrighteous; promises are bonds upon the promiser, and oblige to performance.
Thirdly, Note.
I say, he neither doth nor can do iniquity. God can do no iniquity, because in him there is none. He is my rock (saith David, Psal: 92.15.) and there is no unrighteousness in him. As none can do righteousness, but they that are righteous, so he that neither is nor can be unrighteous, cannot do any unrighteousness. That in the Psalm is very considerable, that while he saith, There is no unrighteousness in God, he immediately before said, He is my rock; implying that God can no more be moved or removed from doing righteously, then a rock can be removed out of its place. We find Moses also giving God the same attribute, when he spake of his indeclinableness in justice ( Deut: 32.4.) He is a rock, his work is perfect, all his ways are Judgment. The ways of God are not all judgment, as Judgment is opposed to mercy; some of his ways are mercy, and others of them are Judgment; but all his ways are judgment, as Judgment is opposed to injustice or unrighteousness, that's the signification of Judgment, when Moses saith, All his ways are Judgment, he is a God of truth, and without iniquity, just and right is he. The Apostle puts this denying question with much vehemency ( Rom: 9.14.) What shall we say then, is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. And 'tis very considerable that the Apostle put this question with so much abhorrence, presently after he had spoken of that Act of God which is so much quarrelled at by the sons of men, as unrighteous and unjust; Esau have I hated, and Jacob have I loved, and that, when they had done neither good nor evil (v. 11.) What (say some) will God do thus? will he hate or love, before ever men do good or evil? yeas, such acts of love and hatred, of election and rejection are gone out from God. And because Paul foresaw, that men (according to their narrow apprehension) would be ready to say, surely God is not right in this; therefore he subjoins, What shall we say then? is there unrighteousness in God? As if he had said, I know some men will be ready enough to say so, and think they have reason enough to say so; They all must needs say so, who measure God by their shallow brains, (such are the deepest brains compared with God) and therefore Arminius, with his followers, (that they may avoid this difficulty) carry the interpretation of this Scripture to another point, as if it had nothing to do with the eternal purpose of God concerning man, but only respected his dealings with them about temporals, or his dealing out temporals to them. I urge that text because it hath occasioned (through man's corruption) great contending and quarrelling about the righteousness of God; yea some have presumed, there can be no maintaining that opinion of the absolute decree, without fastening unrighteousness upon God. But the Apostle by the Spirit foreseeing this fleshly objection, hath forelayed and prevented it, concluding, O man, who art thou that repliest against God, shall the clay contend with the potter, &c.
Now, as in this act of eternal Election, so in all providential acts, the Lord is infinitely immovably and unspottedly just and righteous; he not only doth righteous things, but he cannot do anything that is unrighteous. And this seeming impotency is the real power of God; and his most glorious perfection. For, as 'tis from the weakness of man that he can do iniquity, so 'tis from the power of God that he cannot. That God cannot lie, that he cannot do any unworthy thing, is an argument of his omnipotence. God can no more do iniquity, then he can cease to be God; his righteousness, his justice is himself; the Justice of God is the just God, the righteousness of God, is the righteous God; he hath not only a principle of righteousness in him, as man may have, and every Godly man truly hath, but he is righteousness. A Heathen Poet had this apprehension of his Idol God's; They love not unrighteousness, but honor Justice. But Jehovah the true, the living God, doth more then affectionately love and honor Justice, He is is essentially Just. That man who is in a state of righteousness, loves to be doing and will do righteous acts; things and persons are in their working as they are in their being; He that doth righteousness is righteous, (1 John 3.7.) God is righteous, infinitely righteous, in his being, or nature, therefore he cannot but do that which is righteous; to do an unrighteous act were to offer violence to himself, to destroy himself.
Again, God doth not work by a rule without him, as men do (and therefore men often go beside the rule, and do amiss, or act unrighteously, because the rule is one thing, and they are another, the rule is without them) but God himself is the very rule of all things, and hence it followeth undeniably, that everything is righteous and just which he doth, even because he doth it; 'tis enough to prove that right which is done, if we can prove God hath done it. The proud Monarch Nebuchadnezzar, was at last brought to this confession ( Dan: 4.34, 35.) At the end of the days (namely, of his seven years banishment to the beasts) I Nebuchadnezzar lift up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most high, &c. Who doth according to his will (there is the rule with him) in the Army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, nor say unto him, what dost thou? Which is true upon a double account, First, as to his sovereignty and dominion, he is supreme Lord, and none can give him a check or countermand; Who may say unto him, what dost thou? Secondly, with respect to his righteousness. As he can do what he will; so he will do nothing, yea he can do nothing but what is right, or what he may; Who can say unto him, thou hast done amiss? Who can see a fault, in any of his works? If God hath done a thing, there is no query to be put about it whether it be right or no? for he is righteousness it self.
Abraham useth another argument to show that God can do no unrighteousness ( Gen: 18.25.) Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? God (saith he) is the Judge of all men, therefore he neither will nor can do wrong to any man. Abraham did not plead there, as if he doubted that God might go wrong, unless he by his intercession did take him off; but he brings an argument whereby he was assured that God would do right, yea could not but do right. He is the Judge of all the earth. So ( Rom: 3.6.) as soon as the Apostle had said, Is God unrighteous that takes vengeance? I speak as a man; he subjoins, God forbid, how then shall God judge the world? God is Judge of all the world, and the universality of his power puts him above all possibility of error in the exercise of his power. The very reason why God doth not, cannot exercise his power beyond or besides the limits of justice, is because his power is altogether unlimited.
Fourthly, Elihu here speaks of God under the notion of a Judge; Shall he do wickedly? shall he commit iniquity?
Hence note.
Judges have justice, as it were, in their keeping, they have the charge of justice; is it not an abomination for the keepers or protectors of Justice to violate it! Elihu having thus denied unrighteousness or any iniquity in God, proceeds to the proof of it. To deny had been enough in this matter, but he gives a demonstration; as several have been held out already in prosecuting the former observation, so the following text holds out another.
Vers. 11. For the work of a man shall he render unto him, and cause every man to find according to his way.
As if he had said, God doth every man right, therefore he is righteous, and there is no iniquity in him.
Elihu having denied any unrighteousness to be in God, here showeth how he exerciseth righteousness.
The work of a man is here put for the reward, issue, or fruit of his work; God doth not render every man's work to him in kind, that is, the thing it self which he hath done, but the work in its result and reward. That which God returneth to a man according to his work, may be called a reward in a fourfold respect. First, because it hath in it the benefit of a reward to the worker. Secondly, because it is given in answer to the work done. Thirdly, because God hath given his people leave, yea a command to believe and wait for good fruit to themselves, when they do good works. Fourthly, because it is proportioned to the work or duty performed. For as good is returned for good, so great good is returned for great good done. Though the greatest good that ever was or can be done by a mere creature doth not deserve (by any intrinsic worth) the least good at the hand of God. Thus saith the Spirit ( Rev. 14.13.) Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord, from hence forth they rest from their labors, and their works follow them; not the works which they did, but that which is by promise due to them for those works. The Prophet assureth us ( Isa. 32.17.) The work of righteousness is peace; we cannot understand it as a direct predication, but peace is the fruit or issue of the work of righteousness, or as the latter part of the verse clearly expounds it, The effect of righteousness shall be quietness and assurance forever. Which as it is most true of the righteousness of Christ, who is our peace (Ephes. 2.14.) and our Peacemaker through the blood of his cross (Col. 1.20.) So it is true of man's righteousness, the work whereof is (by promise) crowned with the blessings of peace, both spiritual and corporal, temporal and eternal. The work of a man
The word signisies a full retribution, it signifies also, in the Noun, peace; because when accounts are fully returned or rendered all is settled and quiet; when a man upon account is discharged, he hath a quietus est, that is an acquittance wherein he may be quiet; none can legally molest or trouble him. That which God will return to all men, they must and shall rest in, though that which he will render to man for his evil works unrepented of, will give him no rest.
The word is very general; he doth not say this, that, or 'tother work, but the work, which is as much as an universal, every work of a man, his good works, and his bad works, his open works, and his secret works, his great and lesser works, there is not the least grain of a man's works, that shall be unanswered or un-returned to him; and, when the Text saith the work of a man &c. we are not to take works in an exclusive sense, either first, as to words, as if God would render to man his works, but not his words; man's words will come to an account as well as his works; they must be answered for whether good or bad. ( Math. 12.36, 37.) For every idle word, that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment; for by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned; that is, it shall be rendered to thee according to thy words, or as thy words have been, so it shall be with thee. Nor secondly, are we to take the works of a man, exclusively, or in opposition to his thoughts; as if God would render to man what he hath acted outwardly, but not what he hath acted inwardly, or would pass by his thoughts. We must give an account of our thoughts, which are the spring of our works as well as of our words, which are the publishers and proclaimers of them. God shall bring every work (saith Solomon, Eccl. 12.14.) to judgment, and every secret thing, the most secret whispers of the tongue, and the most secret plottings, contrivings, devisings, designings, yea the simple and single thinkings of the heart. These are not only the moulds and principles of every work, but everyone of these is a work, and all of them the whole work of the inner man; whose work, or what is wrought there, is chiefly, as well as only, under the inspection and eye of God.
Again, The work of a man shall he render unto him, &c. He doth not say the works of another man shall he render to any man, but the work of a man shall he render to him; he that doth the work shall have the reward; the works of one man shall not be rendered to another, but every man's own works shall. As the faith of another man shall not help us, if we have no faith; Abraham's faith (who had a mighty faith) will do us no good, if we have no faith of our own, so the good works of another man shall do us no good if we have none of our own. And as not the good works, so the evil works of others, shall not be rendered to us. The hurtful works of others shall not hurt us, if we do no hurt. I grant we may partake of the evil works of others, yea, we may make other men's works our own, either by consenting to them before they are done, or by approving them after they are done, or by not reproving them, when we have opportunity. In these and many other cases, we may make other men's evil works our own; and so far as other men's works are our own, God shall render them also unto us: Hence that caution given by the Apostle to Timothy (1 Tim. 5.22.) Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men's sins, keep thyself pure. They that partake (in any of those ways mentioned before, or in any other way) of any man's sins may also quickly partake of his punishment. Thus John heard a voice from Heaven (Rev. 18.4.) saying come out of her (that is, out of Babylon) my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. Not only is that work ours which we do, but that also may be ours, by participation, which others do. And by what title soever a work becomes any man's, the work of the man shall God render unto him.
This latter part of the verse contains the same thing with the former in another clothing of words.
Some read the Text thus, and he will find every man in his way; let man go in what way he will, God will meet with him. That's a truth, God will meet or find a man in a good way to encourage guide, assist and reward him. And God will meet or find a man in an evil way, to stop, oppose and punish him. God will find every man in his way, and man shall find God to him according as the way is wherein he findeth him.
We render very well, and fully to the sense, he will cause every man to find according to his way.
I find an Interpreter over-curiously distinguishing between a man's work and his way, which doubtless here, in effect, are the same, yet there may be a gradual difference; work being taken for this or that particular act, and way, for a continued course either good or evil.
Again, The way of a man may be considered in association with his ends. Every man goeth such or such a way for some special end; no man takes a step in any way without a purpose, nor doth any wise or good man take a step in any way without a good purpose. Yet there is (finis operis) an end or issue of the work, as also (finis operantis) an end proposed by the worker. And oftentimes that proves to be the end of a work which was not the end purposed by the worker. The end of a man's work or way, proves sometimes better and sometimes worser then he proposed. Possibly a man may not find according to that end of his way and work which he intended not, whether good or evil. But assuredly whatsoever good or evil end a man proposeth to himself, when he enters upon his work or way, God will cause him to find accordingly. So that when Elihu saith, God will cause every man to find according to his way, he intimates, that God will not only render to man according to the matter of his work, or outward path of his way, but well considereth every man's scope and intendment, or what he would have his work issue in, and causeth him to find as he findeth that to be. As the end which man proposeth to himself, hath a great influence upon his way, so upon his account with God about it. This is a good sense. God will cause every man to find according to his way, both as his way is taken for the matter or course of his actions, as also sor the scope and design of them.
Hence Observe, First.
Our receivings will be according to our layings out, whether good or evil. God is so far from doing any man wrong, that every man shall have his due reward. ( Psal. 62.12.) Also to thee O Lord belongeth mercy, for thou renderest to every man according to his work. And lest any should hope to escape the evil which at least some of their evil works deserve by the secrecy of them, that hope is quite dashed because God is the searcher and seer not only of our works but of our hearts ( Prov. 24.12.) Doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it, and he that keepeth the soul, doth not he know it? (what follows?) and shall not he render to every man according to his works? Solomon speaks in that place of such as make excuses to shift themselves off from acts of charity; they will say, we know not whether it be so with him or no; possibly he may not be in such want as he pretendeth. Take heed of these cloaks of covetousness, and pitiful pleas to save your purses from showing pity to the poor, for (saith Solomon) Will not God search it out, and render to every man according to his work? The holy Scripture abounds in this point. Read Jer. 32.19. Ezek. 33.10. Rom. 2.6. 2 Cor. 5.10. 1 Pet. 1.17. Rev. 22.12.
But some may say, how doth God render to every man his work? Is it not said He justifieth the ungodly (Rom. 4.5.) Are the works of an ungodly man rendered to him, when he is justified?
I answer, it is one thing what God will do through free grace, and another what he will deal out in strictness of Justice. The Apostle speaks in that place of the free grace of God to sinners, not of his Justice against sinners. Secondly, though God justifieth the ungodly, yet he never justifieth ungodliness; or, though he justifieth a man who hath done many evil works, yea all whose works are evil, yet he never justifieth nor rewardeth the work of an evil man. Thirdly, God acts according to justice and righteousness where he justifieth the ungodly; he doth not show favor to the ungodly in his own wrong. Acts of grace from God are not opposite to his Justice, much less do they contradict or overthrow it. He doth not justify an ungodly man in himself, or merely considered in his ungodliness, but he justifieth him in the righteousness of another, even of Jesus Christ, who hath given full satisfaction to the Justice of God with respect to the ungodly whom he justifieth. Lastly, we may say, that God renders the work of an ungodly man to him when he justifieth him; for though then he hath not done, nor ever can do any works which deserve the justification of his person; yet God doth render to him, according to that present work of faith in closing with the promise and the work of Christ's righteousness therein tendered to him, and applied by him for his justification.
Further, that other Scripture seems to lie in the way of this observation ( Psal. 103.10.) He hath not dealt with us after our sins, or rewarded us according to our iniquities. How then doth God render every man his work?
I answer as before; Acts of mercy do not cross acts of justice. When the Lord doth not deal with any man according to his sins, it is because he hath freely pardoned his sins; and he doth not reward a man according to his iniquity, because his iniquities are done away; thus he deals with all his own people, who are received to favor through Jesus Christ; but no wicked man, no impenitent person in the world, shall have cause to say, that God hath not dealt with him according to his sin, or hath not rewarded him according to his iniquity. There may be some present stops of Justice, through the patience of God to wicked men; their works are not always presently rendered into their bosoms, but they shall. God will render to every man according to his work, one way or other, one time or other; The full rendering to all men according to their works will be at the great day; in this world the godly do not sometimes receive according to their good works, nor do the wicked according to their evil works; Good men are often rewarded with shame and reproach, with want and poverty, with banishment and imprisonment, with tortures and with death in this present world; but the Lord will have a time to render to them according to their works, though at no time for their works; so look upon wicked men, and their works, they go often unpunished at the present, yea many of them prosper greatly (as I have had occasion to show more then once in opening this Book) they have their good things, many good things in this life, but the time will come when God will render to the wicked their work, and they shall be forced to say, that he hath caused them to find according to their ways. Take two or three inferences from this general truth.
If God will render the work of a man to him; Then
First, Godly men have great encouragement to do good, yea to abound in doing good works. That's the Apostles argument (1 Cor: 15.58.) Be ye steadfast and immovable in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord; that is, the Lord will render to every man his labor. Hence also that of Solomon (Eccl: 11.1.) Cast thy bread upon the waters, for thou shalt find it after many days. Charities done in faith as an holy offering to God, produce a sure increase. To give with a right heart to the poor, is the best way of growing rich. For God will render to man according to that work. And as it may encourage to do good, so to do it against all discouragements. We must not only do good when the Sun shines, when it is fair weather with us, and all men applaud us; but though men frown and scorn, though (which Solomon reports as one of the great vanities of this world, Eccl: 4.4.) For a right work, a man be envied of his neighbor; let us not hold our hand from doing good, though we are opposed and checked, though we are traduced and slandred, though we are mis-interpreted and have the foulest glosses put upon our fairest works, though men call our zeal madness and our circumspect walking hypocrisy, yea though we are persecuted and suffer the worst of evils, though men cast stones at us (as they did at Christ for his good works) yet let us not be deterred from doing good. For howsoever men deal with us, or what renderings soever we find from the world, yet God will render to us both according to the rightness of our work done, and according to the uprightness of our hearts in doing it. Let this provoke us not only to do the Lord's work, but to do it with much patience, and perseverance, for in due time we shall reap if we faint not; where there hath been sowing, there will be reaping; and where the seed time hath been with tears, the harvest or reaping time shall be with joy.
Secondly, This is a dreadful doctrine to evil workers; Some (as the Apostle calls the Cretans, out of their own Prophet) are evil beasts, slow bellies; and as they are slothful, or slow bellies at doing good: so they are very free and forward, very quick, lively, and nimble beasts in doing evil. O how should evil workers tremble at this Scripture, To every man will God render according to his work; as a cup of cold water given to a disciple, in the name of a disciple, shall not be lost, but have a reward, and the giver fully paid for it; ( Math: 10.42.) so not any the least evil work, impenitently continued in, shall be unpunished.
Further, God will not render to man according to the opinion he hath of himself. (A bad man and the worst of his works may be good in his own conceit; He may flatter himself in his own eyes, until his iniquity be found to be hateful, Psal: 36.2.) But God will render unto man according to what his works are in truth.
Secondly, God will not render to man according to the thoughts which others have of him and of his work (some are high in the opinion not only of the world, but of some Good men, they have a name to be alive while they are dead, and their works dead works) but God will render to man according to that clear, certain, and infallible knowledge, which himself (by whom actions are weighed, 1 Sam: 2.3.) hath of them.
Thirdly, God will not render to man according to his good meanings, when his works are evil; many will confess they have done amiss, but they had good intendments in it. A right end will not excuse us, if our way be wrong; There is no pleading of meanings against commandments; nor will sincerity of intentions, cover the deformity and irregularity of actions. The Apostle pronounceth a fearful doom against those who said ( Rom: 3.8.) Let us do evil that good may come, whose damnation is just.
Fourthly, As God will not render according to a man's good ends, if his work be evil; so remember, God will not render to man according to, his good works, if his ends are bad. Therefore, consider your end when you enter your way, and begin your work. ( Pro: 21.27.) The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord; how much more when he bringeth it with an evil mind; that is, when he hath some bad end in doing it; A wicked man's sacrifice is an abomination to the Lord at the best, but much more when he hath base designs in his sacrifices or holy services. Herod said to the wise men ( Math: 3.8.) Go and search diligently for the young child, and when ye have found him bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also: It was a good work to inquire after Christ, and worship him, but his end was to destroy him. Jezebel pretended a holy fast, but her end was to feast her self with revenge upon innocent Naboth. The best works of hypocrites will have an ill return, because they do them with an evil mind. There are three sorts of good works, which will never turn to a good account.
First, Those good works which are done but for a season; temporary good works, or the good works of temporary professors, such as are described ( Math: 13.5, 7.) by the 2 d and 3 d grounds, who bring forth for a while, but afterwards fall away; such good works (I say) shall not have a good reward. If your goodness be as the morning cloud, and as the early dew it passeth away, it will do you no good. He that endureth to the end shall be saved, and none but he ( Math: 10.22.) Christ exhorts the Church ( Rev: 3.11.) Hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. They loose the good works they have done, who hold not out in doing them. It will not advantage us to begin in the Spirit, if we end in the flesh.
Secondly, Those good works which are trusted to, or boasted of, will never make a good return. Though a man should continue doing good all the days of his life, yet if he buildeth his hope upon it, his hope shall be cut off, and his trust (that is, what he trusteth to) shall be a spiders web (that is, weak like that, because like that, woven out of his own bowels) he shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand, he shall hold it fast▪ but it shall not endure (Job 8.14, 15.) you and your works will perish together, if you depend upon your works. Good works trusted to, are as dangerous to the soul, as evil works persevered in.
Thirdly, Those good works which are done for base ends, to serve men, or to compass a worldly interest, shall have no reward from God, but that, which shall be upon every soul that sinneth and repenteth not, anguish and tribulation.
JOB. Chap. 34. Vers. 12, 13.
Yea, surely God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert Judgment.
Who hath given him a charge over the earth? or who hath disposed the whole world?
ELihu proceedeth in the proof of this point, (the vindication of the righteousness of God) with a strong asseveration.
Vers. 12. Yea, surely.
There is a mighty force of affirmation, in the original words, we may parallel them, with those assertive speeches frequently used by our Savior Jesus Christ in the Gospel, Amen, Amen, Verily, verily I say unto you; Yea surely, is as much as verily, verily; as if Elihu had said, There is no question to be made of what I affirm, that God is righteous, or will not do wickedly; as the Apostle writ to Timothy about the great mystery of the Gospel, God manifested in the flesh, (1 Tim: 3.16.) without controversy great (or, as the word imports, confessedly on all hands, great) is the mystery of Godliness; so here Elihu might speak to Job, This is a truth beyond dispute or controversy, an unquestionable truth, and such a truth that, if once confessed, will quickly determine all the Questions, which are depending between you and me. There are some Master-truths, ruling truths; such a one is this in the text, Yea surely, or undoubtedly, God will not do wickedly.
Hence note.
We should not be as meteors hanging in the air, speaking with hesitation, possibly it is so, peradventure it is true; but (as the Apostle directs the Collossians, Chap. 2.3.) We must labor to grow up unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding; as there is a full assurance of faith in believing, & of hope in waiting or expecting, so also of understanding in apprehending the things of God. We should be (in a sense) Masters of truth; and then we are so indeed, when truth hath fully mastered us, and prevailed upon both our judgment and affections, and we are led captive by light to the love and obedience of it. We have cause to bewail those (much more have they cause to bewail themselves) who are but Skeptics or Questionests in Religion, never coming to a point, nor able (after a due making up of their thoughts) to say, Thus it is, and by this we will abide, as Elihu did in the then present case, delivering himself confidently, yea surely, or verily, verily,
To clear the meaning in this Negative assertion, we must take in the highest affirmatives of the holiness and Justice, of the righteousness, truth, and faithfulness of God; For it sounds like a flat and low commendation of God, to say, he will not do wickedly; for so it may be said of every honest man, He will not do wickedly; but seeing in this Negative commendation given by man to God (as in all the Negative commandments given by God to man) all affirmatives are to be understood; what can be said more to or more sound out his praise and glory then this?
The word here used for doing wickedly, signifies two things; First, to pronounce any person wicked; and Secondly, to do anything which is wicked; both these often meet together. For in many cases to pronounce a person wicked, is to do a wicked thing; he that condemneth a just person, pronounceth him wicked, and what thing can be done more wickedly then that? Some take the word in that sense here, as a denial that God either hath done, or ever will condemn the innocent. There are two things wherein men do very wickedly, with respect to the persons of men, both which the Lord abhors. First, when they condemn the innocent. Secondly, when they acquit or clear the guilty. The former way of doing wickedly, is chiefly removed from God here by Elihu, as the latter is directly and expressly by himself ( Exod: 34.7.) The Lord, the Lord, &c. that will by no means clear the guilty. To pronounce a guilty person innocent, or an innocent person guilty, if ignorantly done, is a great piece of weakness, and if knowingly done, is a great piece of wickedness. Yet, because the latter part of the verse speaks particularly to clear God from wrong Judgment, therefore, I conceive, we may better expound this former part of it more largely, as a general denial of any evil act whatsoever, done by God. Surely God will not do wickedly,
The Almighty, who hath power to do what he will, hath no will to do this evil. He will not pervert Judgment. The word signifies both to pervert and subvert, as also to bow, wrest, or put out of order, to mingle or blend those things together, which should be forever separated, or, as we say, to mingle heaven and earth, yea heaven and hell together; so do they who mingle good and ill, right and wrong together. To pervert Judgment, is, to do all this, for then (which Abraham assured himself was far from God, Gen: 18.25.) The righteous are as the wicked, that is, the righteous fare as ill as the wicked, or the wicked fare as well as the righteous. But the Almighty will not pervert Judgment, that is, the right which belongs to any man, and therefore, he will-do every man right. We had the same position in terms ( Chap: 8. 3d) and we have had this whole verse equivalen • lie in the 10 th of this Chapter, where Elihu said, Far be it from God, that he should do wickedness, and from the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity. Here, only one verse intervening, El • hu reports and repeats the same matter again; but it is no needless or vain repetition, for which Christ reproved the prayer of the Heathens ( Math: 6.7.) there are many repetitions in Scripture, but not one vain one; how often soever the same truth is repeated there, it hath its weight and use, not only as it is still a truth, but as it is a truth repeated. And therefore I shall give a threefold reason why this truth is here again repeated, which will also lead us to a fuller improvement of it.
First, Because this truth is (as it were) the hinge upon which the whole controversy between Job and Elihu is turned. Job was unsatisfied because he was so ill handled, and therefore Elihu tells him often that God is righteous, and that he will not wrong any man. Hereby giving Job to understand, that God had done him nothing, or done nothing to him, but right. Such grand swaying controling truths should be often, and can scarce be too often repeated.
Secondly, Elihu repeated this again, because 'tis such a truth, as no man can too much, no nor enough weigh and consider the value and worth of it. Now, that which cannot be too often nor too much thought of, cannot (if rules of prudence be observed) be too much or too often spoken of. There is scarce any man who hath not sometimes at least indirectly and obliquely some hard thoughts of the proceedings of God, either in reference to himself or to others; Nor is there anything that we have more temptations about, then that, surely, we are not in all things rightly dealt with, and that the dispensations of God are not so even, as they might. These sinful suspicions are daily moving and fluctuating in the heart of man, and therefore this opposite principle ought to be fastened and fixed there to the utmost, that the will and works of God are all just and righteous, yea that his will is the rule of all righteous workings; or, that as whatsoever is done in this world, is done by the disposure of God, so God (though the thing be evil and unjust) is just and good in the disposure of it. Therefore unless we resist or contradict the will of God, we must say, whatsoever comes to pass, comes righteously to pass, because it comes to pass by the determinate will and counsel of God.
Thirdly, Elihu repeats this assertion, that he might the more commodiously make his transition or passage to the matter following, and prosecute it with greater success. And therefore I shall not stay longer upon those words, only.
Note.
First, This great truth, that God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert Judgment, convinceth those, not only of injudiciousnesse, but of wickedness, who, though they are ready to acknowledge in general, God is just, yet as to those particular providences, which concern them, or wherewith themselves are pinched, do not, cannot acquiesce and rest in the will of God, with freedom and satisfaction. That which is just should not displease us, though (in it self) it be very bitter and unpleasant to us.
Secondly, This truth is a ground of comfort to all the people of God, who are under heavy pressures from this evil world, or who receive little reward or encouragement (as to sense) from the good hand of God. Such are apt to say with the kingly Prophet ( Psal: 73.13, 14.) Verily in vain have we cleansed our heart, and washed our hands in innocence, for all the day long have we been plagued, and chastened every morning. David was under a temptation when he was under hatches, he could hardly perceive it worth the while to take pains in cleansing and washing either heart or hand while God was so constant and frequent in correcting and chastening him with so heavy a hand. Yet David soon after recovered out of this temptation, and concluded the Psalm, with this particular assurance, ( v. 28.) It is good for me to draw near to God, as he had begun it ( v. 1.) with a general assurance, Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart. God is good to those who have a clean heart, even when they are in the greatest sufferance of evil, and therefore they who are clean hearted, have no reason at any time to say, nor shall they long say, they have cleansed their heart in vain. Though now they smart, yet in due season they shall be well rewarded for their washing. The Judgments of God are such, as no man can fully comprehend, such as no man can justly reprehend. The Almighty will not pervert Judgment.
Those four things which cause men to pervert Judgment, are at the furthest distance or remove from God; whereof the first is envy at the good condition of others. The second is groundless and unreasonable love or hatred of their persons. The third is fear of frowns from those that are great, or fear of after-claps; Many are deter'd from giving but a just measure, either of reward to good men, or punishment to evil men, lest themselves should receive hard measure from those who like neither. The fourth is hope of gain, or their private advantage. For as some pervert Judgment for bribes already received, so others for bribes promised, or upon expectation of some future favors. Now God (I say) is infinitely above these four, and all other imaginable by-respects, upon which Judgment is perverted every day, by the sons of men. God is above all envy, yea above all that hatred or love which perverts Judgment; he is above all fear of evil, and hope of good. God hath nothing to fear, seeing none can reach him, much less hurt him; neither hath he anything at all to hope for, seeing he is in the full possession of all happiness and blessedness, that is, of himself. Why then, or upon what account should the Almighty pervert Judgment? so that, if at any time, we have any unbecoming thoughts of the Justice of God, either that he afflicts the good without reason, or prospers the wicked against it; all this ariseth from our ignorance, or the shortness of our sight. We have not a full or perfect prospect of things, we see but a little way backward, we are not wise to compare what's past with what's present, nor can we at all infallibly foresee anything future, or discern what shall be. Whereas God at once hath all things before him, he seeth what is past as well as what is present, and what shall be hereafter, as well as what hath been, and so the completeness and indefectibility of his own Justice in all. And when we in the great day shall see all the works of God in the world brought and presented together as in one view, we shall then say from the evidence of sight, as now we ought from the evidence of faith, that the Almighty hath not in any one thing perverted Judgment. And therefore the Apostle doth most excellently and appositely call that day, The day of the revelation of the righteous judgment of God (Rom: 2.5.)
Elihu having strongly asserted, with a yea surely, that, the Almighty will not pervert Judgment, yet stayeth not in a bare (though so strong an) assertion, (which he might) but gives us the proof and confirmation of it; as he hath denied that God will, so he proveth by undeniable arguments, that God will not do wickedly, that the Almighty will not pervert Judgment. And this he doth in the next or 13 th verse, and the two that follow.
Vers. 13. Who hath given him a charge over the earth? or who hath disposed the whole world?
These words, (as was intimated before) are an argument proving that God neither hath nor can do wrong; That (as to the case in hand) he had not done Job wrong, yea, that, (as to all cases) he can wrong no man. This argument is grounded upon the sovereignty, supremacy, or absolute authority of God over all men. The sum and force of it may be gathered up into this form.
He cannot do injustice to any, who of right hath an absolute power arising from and residing in himself to do what he will with or towards all men.
But God hath such a power, Therefore he cannot do any injustice. That, God hath such an absolute power arising from and residing in himself Elihu proves by a kind of Challenge.
Produce the man, let him show his face, if he dareth. It is an expression of the same importance with that of the Apostle ( Rom: 8.33.) Who shall lay anything to the Charge of God's Elect? let us see the man, let us see the devil, that shall so lay anything to the Charge of God's Elect, as to prevail in his Charge; 'tis also like that other triumphant query, in the same Chapter ( v. 31.) If God be with us, who can be against us? That is, who can be so against us as to hurt us, or carry the day against us? Thus here; Who hath given him a Charge over the world? let us see who; As if he had said, Are there any above God, from whom he deriveth his power? Or have any committed the Government of the earth to him as his trust and charge, for the management whereof he is to be accountable unto them? Surely no. And if no, then either God is just, or all the world must be in confusion or under oppression without any redress or remedy. M r Broughton renders, Who before him looked to the earth? We say, Who hath given him a Charge over the earth? The ordinary signification of the word, is to visit, and that
First, In a way of favor, to see what others want (so we visit the poor) or how they do, so we usually visit the sick, and sometimes those that are well in health.
Secondly, It signifieth to visit in a way of judgment, or to punish those that have done amiss. Thus the Lord threatens to visit (that is, to punish) the iniquity of the fathers upon the children ( Exod: 20.5.)
Thirdly, The word signifieth to command, to issue out orders, to give a charge. This signification of the word is very frequent both in Scripture, and in daily use. Visiters (we know) have power of Government; yea they have power over Governors to order and give them a charge, that they do, or to examine whether they have done the duty of their place. In this latter sense, we render it here, Who hath given him a Charge over the earth? And so we read it (2 Chron: 36.23.) Thus saith Cyrus King of Persia, all the kingdoms of the earth hath the Lord God of heaven given me. And he hath charged me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah; who is there among you of all his people, The Lord his God be with him, and let him go up. God hath charged me (saith Cyrus ) or he hath made that my business, a business incumbent upon me, to build him a house in Jerusalem, that is, to further the work, to give the Jews leave to build the Temple of Jerusalem; God hath charged me with this great trust, and I am willing to answer it. The same thing is recorded, almost in the same words ( Ezra 1.2.) Thus saith Cyrus King of Persia, the Lord God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he hath Charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. God giveth Princes their Charge, supreme sovereign Princes, yea he giveth inferior Princes and Magistrates, their Charge; but (saith Elihu) Who hath given him a Charge? Certainly, no man. There is yet a twofold reading of this former part of the verse, both considerable.
First, Thus; Who for him hath visited the earth? As if it had been said, Hath God set any to visit, or to look to the earth for him, as if himself stood by and did nothing; God useth the power of man, he sets up Magistrates to work for him; but he never puts the work out of his own hand, nor doth he need any hand to help him in that work, though he useth many: and though he saith, By me (yea for me) Kings reign, yet we may say with Elihu (in the notion now expressed) Who for him hath visited the earth? that's a good reading.
Secondly, Who over him doth visit the earth? Is God any man's Vicegerent? is he a Lord Deputy, or a Viceroy? No, there is no man visits the earth over him, for, (as we render clearly) Who hath given him a Charge over the earth? As if he had said, If God be an unjust Judge, is there any superior Judge to whom we may appeal for remedy or redress of our injuries? Who over him visiteth, or, who hath given him a charge over the earth.
That is, over the inhabitants of the earth, or over the affairs of the earth. The Earth, by a Synecdoche of the Continent for the matter contained, is here put for all persons and transactions over the face of the whole earth. Who hath laid that great Charge, the disposal of all things and people in the earth upon God? surely no man on earth, no Angel in heaven, nor all of them put together. How should God derive a governing power from them, who derive their very power of being from him? He governs in his own right, not by commission or deputation. We have the same point affirmed at the 36 th Chapter of this Book, v. 23 d , Who hath enjoined him his way? God knoweth and taketh his own way, no man showeth, much less commandeth him his way; Who hath given him a Charge over the earth?
This Question, as the former, contains a Negation; no Creature, none besides God hath disposed of the whole world, or of all of the world. M r Broughton renders, Who hath settled all the dwelt land? The word which we translate disposed, signifies to place with a kind of art, exactly, orderly, carefully; Who hath thus disposed the whole world? There is a double disposition of the world.
First, In Creation; who hath disposed, jointed, and put the whole world in frame? who hath marshall'd the several parts of the world as they now stand like the Host of God? The world as created is expressed in the Greek by beauty and order; before God perfected the creation, all was a confused heap without form and void; But that rude indigested matter was drawn forth in the several works of that six-days Creation, into a most beautiful form and order. Thus God once disposed all the world by Creation.
Secondly, God daily disposeth the world by providence; And that's the disposure which this text especially speaks of; Who hath disposed (in a providential way) the whole world? The word rendered world, properly signifies, the habitable world; we find it opposed to the wilderness or desert ( Isa: 14.17.) where few or none inhabit. That word is very significantly used here for the world, because the habitable part of the world, or where men inhabit, are the stages on which the providences of God appear, and act most eminently & convincingly; Who hath disposed of the habitable world? which the Greeks call, The house of abiding: Mr Broughton, The dwelt land, that is, the land wherein men dwell.
Again, As the earth, before, is put for the inhabitants and occurrences of the earth; so whatsoever passeth, or is brought to pass in the world, is here called the world. Who hath disposed the whole world? He that made the whole world, disposeth of the whole world, providence followeth Creation.
But some may say, Is this a good Argument to prove that God is just, because he hath the supreme power over all the world? Will it follow, that he administereth all things rightly, because he hath a right to administer all things? There seems but little of Argument in this, (may some say) many have a great deal of power, who abuse it, and they that have most power, usually abuse it most, and make it but a servant to their lusts and passions; therefore how is it a proof, that the Lord is righteous and will do no iniquity, because he hath the power of all things in his hand, or is Lord over all?
I answer. This is a strong argument, and (as I remember a good Author calls it) a peremptory argument, which can have no denial. The Lord is righteous, because he is Lord over all; he is not King of some corner of the World, he is not King of the whole World by election or vote of the World, he is not chosen at all, much less (as many have been) by evil means and wicked combinations; God is the supreme governer of all the world by natural right not choice; yet not (as some Princes are) by natural right of succession inheriting after a mortal father; but by the natural right of creation, himself being the father of that world over which he is a governor. The Original of God's power is stated in himself; The eternal being of God, and his supreme authority are inseparable.
Yea, God is not only thus supreme in administering Justice; but he is the sum or fullness of Law and Justice, and therefore cannot pervert it. He whose power and goodness gave the world its being, how should he act anything which is not good in the exercise of his power over the World! Jnjustice is the breach of a Law, but how can God break a Law who is the source and fountain of all righteous Laws? who then shall dare to suspect God of injustice, or require a reason why he doth this or that in the world, which himself hath made? yea, who hath not reason to admire and proclaim infinite goodness mixed with absolute power, as in his making so in his ruling the world? For whose sake or for fear of whom should he pervert Justice, who hath all men alike under his power?
Earthly Judges may err in judgment, but the Judge of all the earth cannot. God cannot do injustice through ignorance or mistake; for he is omniscient and knoweth all things; nor can he have a will to do unjustly, seeing his will is altogether just, and the rule or measure of all things that are just. As therefore he is not an idle Idol-god but most active in governing the World; so he is infinitely above the least failer in the government of it. The Sun shall sooner be turned into a cloud, and the morning light darken the earth, then any unrighteousness proceed from God; yea, when clouds and darkness are round about him (that is, when we by reason either of the obscurenesse or afflictivenesse of his dispensations can give no account of them, yet even then) righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his Throne; that is, his governing power abides immovably, or constantly (as in a habitation) within that blessed line and glorious sphere of righteousness. So then, the reasoning of Elihu from the universality and independency of the governing power of God, to the righteousness and equity of his government is not only probable, but demonstrative and unanswerable. He is alike mighty as the sole creator, and just as the supreme moderator of the World. If any man will presume to charge God with perverting judgment in governing the earth, that man saith in effect that he hath given God a charge over the earth; And if any man be so impiously and impudently presumptuous as to say that, let him come forth and answer this as peremptorily as truly denying question of Elihu; Who hath given him a charge over the earth?
Hence Observe.
His power is of himself; yea, his power is himself; God doth not rule by Commission or Deputation, all ruling power is fundamentally in him, as also the rule of that power, both which in God are one. Jesus Christ as Mediator rules by Commission; All things (saith he, Math: 11.27.) are delivered to me of my Father. And again, the Baptist gave this testimony of him ( John 3.35.) The father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. Jesus Christ as Mediator receives his Charge from the Father, and he hath received a Charge over the whole earth, as Mediator. But consider him as God, so the government of the world is fundamentally and essentially in him also. It is the highest honor of an earthly Prince, when (as it is said of the Chaldeans (Hab: 1.7.) their Judgment and their dignity proceedeth of themselves; that is, when they rule in their own right, not in the right or by the designment of any other. How high then is the honor of God, who ruleth not only over all the people, but over all the Princes of the earth, his Judgment and dignity proceeding purely from himself!
Secondly, As the power of God is underived or proceeds only from himself; so the power of God is absolute and unlimited. His is in the strictest sense imaginable supreme power. Heathenish Nebuchadnezzar confessed this truth ( Dan: 4.35.) Before him (that is, before God) all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing, and he doth according to his will in the Armies of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth, and none can stay his hand, and say to him what dost thou? There's absolute power, none can say, that is, none may presume to say to him, What doest thou? no man ought to question, much less to quarrel at the determinations of God, whether concerning persons or nations; 'tis his right or prerogative to do what he will; and how much soever he acts by prerogative, he will do only that which is right; we may consider the absolute supremacy of God in a five-fold exercise of power.
First, In commanding; He commandeth what he pleaseth to be done; nor may his commands be disputed; they must be obeyed, because his.
Secondly, In prohibiting he forbiddeth whatsoever displeaseth him to be done. And how pleasing, how right soever anything is in our eyes, yet if he forbiddeth it, we must forever forbear it. We all know by our own smart how dangerous it is to eat of a forbidden Tree.
Thirdly, In suffering, I mean it not of any suffering evil in himself (God is infinitely above that) but of his suffering others to do evil, or of his suffering any evil to be done. God may and doth permit, that which is naught, wicked, and unrighteous to be done in the world; and yet himself remains altogether holy, righteous, just, and good. This is a great part of the transcendency of his power.
Fourthly, In rewarding; God hath absolute power, to reward; First, whom he will; Secondly, for what he will; Thirdly, in what kind he will; Fourthly, in what degree or measure he will; Fifthly, for how long he will, he can give (which none of the Princes of the earth can) everlasting rewards.
Fifthly, In punishing; God hath absolute power to punish, and the absoluteness of his power in punishing, may be exemplified in those five particulars, wherein his power of rewarding (in the former paragraph) was. In all these things we see the unlimitedness of the power of God, Who hath given him a Charge over the earth? or who hath disposed the whole world? Himself alone doth it, and he doth it of himself. And for as much as there is such a supremacy, such an absoluteness of power in God, take these three inferences from it.
First, How freely should we yield ourselves to the commands of God, not questioning this as unequal, nor saying that is hard? we are more apt to find fault with the work which God requires us to do, then to remember that it is a great fault not to do it. The heart of man naturally riseth against the will of God; It is not subject to the Law of God, neither indeed can be (Rom: 8.7.) the wisdom of the flesh thinks there is some unrighteousness, at least some unreasonableness or rigor in the commands of God, and therefore such wise men hope they have reason on their side if they omit them or act against them. Any man will (at least he cannot but confess he ought to) be subject unto that which is equal and right. Man hath no color to disobey, till he hath put some blot upon the command. And seeing the commands of him who hath the charge over all the earth in himself and from himself, cannot possibly have any blot or defect in them, let us take heed we be not found disobeying.
Secondly, Seeing God hath the Charge of all the earth, we should as readily submit to his dispensations, works and dealings, as to his commands. The Jews of old complained ( Ezek: 18.29.) The way of the Lord is not equal; They did even tell him to his face, his ways were not equal, and therefore they would not submit. The Church in captivity spake well ( Lam: 3.28.) Out of the mouth of the most high proceedeth not evil and good; that is, whatsoever the Lord hath pronounced to do or hath done concerning us, is morally good and not evil, though it be penally evil and not good. Eli spake well also to this point (1 Sam: 3.18.) It is the Lord, let him do what seems good in his own eyes; yet the thing which God was about to do, was such ( v. 11.) as at which, both the ears of everyone that heard it should tingle. To have the heart quiet while the ears tingle, is pure submission. And any unquietness or murmurings at the dealings of God, whether respecting our persons or our families, Churches, or Nations, are in some degree rebellions against the sovereign power of God.
Thirdly, If the Lord be supreme, and have the charge over all the earth, then let us set him up as supreme in all things, let his ends be above our ends; let us design God in all we do; He who is over all, ought to be honored by all. All our actions as so many lines ought to center in his honor, who is the Center of power. Of him and through him and to him are all things, saith the Apostle ( Rom: 11.36.) Because all things are of him, creating them, and through him, governing them, therefore all things should be to him, that is, all persons should in all things they do, yea in all things that are done, aim at and design his glory, as the Apostle expressly concludeth the verse before cited; To whom be glory forever.
Thirdly, Whereas it is said, Who hath given him a Charge over the earth? or who hath disposed (not a part, or parcel, or canton, or corner of, but) the whole world?
Observe.
It is extended throughout the world, to every patch and inch of it. What David saith of the Sun ( Psal: 19.6.) His going forth is from the end of heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it, and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof. The same may we say of the circuit of God's power, there is nothing hid from, nor set beyond it. There is a four-fold universality of the power of God.
First, In regard of persons ( Psal: 97.9.) Thou Lord art high above all the earth, thou art exalted far above all God's; that is, above the Kings and powers of the earth; whom the Scripture calleth God's. If God hath a power over the Kings of the earth, then surely over the people of the earth; yea God is not only exalted and far exalted above this or that God or King, but above them all; This is a supremacy with utmost universality.
Secondly, His power is universal, as to places, and nations; some places claim privilege, and are exempt from the jurisdiction of Princes, if obnoxious persons get thither, they are free from the course of the Law. There were Cities of refuge among the Jews, and Sanctuaries in the days of old among us, where evil-doers could not be touched. But the power of the Lord reacheth all places, even to the horns of the Altar ( Psal: 83.18.) Thou whose name alone is Jehovah, art most high over all the earth.
Thirdly, His power is universal, as in all places, so over all things; it extends to the stars of heaven, and to the fowls of the air, to the beasts of the earth, and to the fishes of the Sea; to whatsoever moves in this world; they are all at the command of God, if he doth but speak, they run and execute his will.
Fourthly, His power is universal, in reference to time; 'tis never out, nor shall ever end; he is King immortal, and King eternal, his Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom. The power of God is an universal power in all these considerations: His power of Governing is of the same extent, as his power of creating was; that which he created at once, he governs always. He did not set up the fabric of this world, and then leave it to it self, but he preserveth and ordereth all things in it. The well-being, the orderly being of the creature, is as much of God as the being of it.
Some say, God made the world at first, and set all the wheels of it a-going, but now things go on by chance, by fortune, or by accident, at least particular events are not under his government, but come to pass as the wisdom or folly of men is most active in the production of them.
I answer, to set up blind fortune, and chance, yea or the wit and policy of man, as governing the world, is to set up other God's in the world; if chance and fortune, or the wit of man, govern any part of the world, then they had a part in making the world. If you divide one power, you divide the other. For those invisible things of God, his eternal power and God-head, are as much or as evidently seen, in the things which are done, as in the things which are made. 'It is true indeed God useth many hands in governing, ordering, and disposing the things of this world. The Princes of this world, are eminently his hand, but God doth not use any power in governing this world, to diminish his own, nor doth he withdraw his own power, what power soever he useth; 'tis his power that acts effectually, and gives success in the acting of all power. It was said to that King who prided himself in what he had done in the world; Shall the Axe boast it self against him that heweth therewith, or shall the saw magnify it self against him that shaketh it? (Isa: 10.15.) As if the Lord had said to that proud Assyrian Prince, Dost thou look upon thyself, as if thou didst all, and governedst all? thou art no more in the governing the world (though the chief earthly Governor of all the world) then an Axe is in the hand of him that useth it; And though the artificer cannot do his work without an Axe, though he cannot divide his Timber without a saw, yet I the Lord am able to do my work without thee. At best and most, men are but instruments in the hand of God; and he serves his own turn by men, not to signify that he cannot work without them, nor that his work is done either with more ease to himself, or more success as to it self by their help (he is not so weak as to need help, nor is at all strengthened by the help he useth) but only to show that as he hath the command of, so he hath a use for every creature ( Isa: 7.18.) The Lord shall hiss for the fly; if God do but hiss to the fly, or any creature on earth, yea to the devils in hell, they are at his call, and do his will, though they intend it not. Further; though God can do all himself, yet he useth various instruments, that he may indear man to man, or that no man may say, he hath no need of another. Thus the Apostle argues (1 Cor: 12.21.) The eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. Surely then the feet cannot say to the head, we have no need of thee, nor the hand to the eye, we have no need of thee. That, Creatures may show their love to one another, and see their need of one another, God is pleased to give them a charge to work and dispose of the things in the world, though the charge and disposure of the whole world be in himself.
Now if the Lord be thus invested with all power originally and essentially, then I would mind those who are in power of two things, and those that are under power of one.
First, Let them that have power remember to use it for God. They that have but family power should use it for God; how much more they that have power over nations. ( Psal: 2.10, 11.) Be wise now therefore O ye Kings, be instructed ye Judges of the earth, serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. When he saith, serve the Lord with fear, I suppose he doth not intend it in that notion of serving the Lord, as serving him denotes our holiness and obedience in general; but when he saith, serve the Lord with fear, his meaning is, serve him so in the exercise of your power, and in your places, as you have power in your hand, as you have received a Charge or Commission from God over this or that part of the earth, so serve him with fear, in the use of that power. As man ought in all the service of God to be in a holy fear, so especially when he serveth God in the administration of power, because all power is from God. And therefore (which is the next thing I would hence mind those of that are in power)
Secondly, Remember, The day of account must needs be a sad day to those who abuse their power to the oppression of man; and chiefly to those who turn their power against God; that is, against the ways and truths of God, against the servants and people of God, against the ends and designs of God. God will call such as have had any charge over the earth to an account, and let them who either of these ways abuse their power, consider whether such accounts will pass as they must give. Surely when the day of the Lord shall be upon such Oaks and Cedars, upon such mountains and hills, as the Prophet ( Isa: 2.13, 14.) calleth the Powers and Princes of this world, they will even be forced (as he describes them at the 19 th verse) to go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his Majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth. It is bad to be abused by the power of man, but 'tis worst for that man who abuseth his power. Thy terribleness hath deceived thee (saith the Prophet, Jer: 49.16.) and the pride of thine heart, O thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, that holdest the height of the hill; that is, thou that art in high power, and also holdest thy height, thou art deceived, and thy terribleness hath deceived thee; because thou hast been able to terrify many with thy power, therefore thou hast presumed that none shall ever terrify or trouble thee; This vain confidence hath deceived thee, for (as it followeth in the latter part of that verse) though thou shouldest make thy nest as high as the Eagle, I will bring thee down from thence, saith the Lord; that is, I will bring thee to a reckoning for terrifying those with thy power whom thou shouldest have protected by it.
Lastly, This is matter of great Comfort to all good men who are under power; though they are wronged and oppressed by the power of man, this may support them, God hath power over all the earth, he hath the Charge, and he will see them righted one time or other. ( Eccles: 3.16, 17.) Moreover, I saw under the Sun the place of Judgment, that wickedness was there, and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there; I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time for every purpose and for every work. And if for every purpose and work, then surely for this, the reviewing of the unrighteous judgments of the Princes and Powers of the earth, who hold the places of Judgment and righteousness; to punish the perverting of which, the Lord who is Prince of the Kings of the earth often poureth contempt upon Princes (Psal: 107.40, 41.) and causeth them to wander in the wilderness where there is no way; yet setteth he the poor on high from affliction, and maketh him families like a flock. For as the Holy Ghost saith ( Psal: 138.6, 7.) Though the Lord be high, yet hath he regard to the lowly, but the proud he knoweth a far of; hereupon his faith riseth up to a full assurance in the next verse; Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.
Thus much for the argument here used, the Lord is righteous, for he hath all power in his hand; and he hath no reason upon any account in the world to pervert power; yea for him to do anything that is not righteous, were to act against himself, even against his own being and blessedness, who is God blessed for evermore.
JOB. Chap. 34. Vers. 14, 15.
If he set his heart upon man: if he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath.
All flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn to his dust.
IN these two verses Elihu perfects the proof of what he lately asserted, that God is just, and that there is no unrighteousness in him (v. 12.) yea surely God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert Judgment; For, as Moses in his dying song describes him; He is the rock, his work is perfect; for all his ways are judgment; a God of truth, and without iniquity, just and right is he. The first argument for the confirmation of this was opened at the 13 verse. And it was grounded upon the absoluteness and universality of his dominion: Here we have a second argument from the sweet temperament of his power and goodness. God hath power enough in his hand at once to destroy all flesh, and to command every man back into the dust. But he doth not thus put out his power. We live and live comfortably; we enjoy not only our lives, but many mercies of this life; and therefore surely God doth not deal rigorously, much less unrighteously with man. He that doth all men good beyond their deserts, will not punish any man beyond his demerits. He that doth not exercise his power always where he might, will not exercise it all where he ought not. That's the sum and scope of Elihu in the context under hand.
Vers. 14. If he set his heart upon man.
To set the heart upon anything or person, is a Scripture expression, often used, noting more then barely to think upon or mind both or either. It signifieth to have deep and serious thoughts, to think with consideration and attention, yea with some height and heat of affection. And all this whether that thing which the heart and affections are set upon, please or displease, be comfortable or grievous; for both love and hatred, hope and fear, are thoughtful of, and solicitous about their several objects. Hence that caution ( Psal: 62.10.) If riches increase set not your heart upon them; we naturally love riches, and therefore as naturally spend many thoughts, both how to get and how to keep them. If a man have riches, or an increase of riches, it is not unlawful for him to think or them, (yet we should be as sparing of our thoughts that way as can be, our thoughts and the bent of our souls should always be upon God) but that which the Psalmist forbids is the settling of our hearts; As if he had said, Let not your thoughts stay or dwell there. Riches are themselves transient things, therefore they should have but our transient thoughts. Set not your hearts upon them, for they may quickly be unsettled. Samuel bespake Saul in the same language about a worldly concernment, when he went out to seek his fathers Asses (1 Sam: 9.20.) Set not thy mind on them. 'It is like Saul was over-burdened with this thought, What's become of, or what shall I do for my fathers Asses? Be not solicitous about them, saith Samuel, greater things are towards thee. Abigail useth the same form of speaking to David concerning Nabal (1 Sam: 25.23.) Let not my Lord regard this man of Belial, lay not to heart what Nabal hath said or done. Thus Jonadab took off David's fear, that in one day he had been deprived of all his Sons (2 Sam: 13.33.) Now therefore let not my Lord the King take the thing to heart, to think that all the Kings sons are dead, for Amnon only is dead. We are as apt to set our heart upon our losses, as upon our enjoyments. And to show how little Pharaoh regarded the heavy hand of God upon him, it is said (after Moses had turned all the waters that were in the river to blood, Exod: 7.23.) And Pharaoh turned and went into his house, neither did set his heart to this also; That is, he slighted what God had done. Let God speak, and strike once and again, yea a third time, yet hard-hearted men do not lay it to heart, nor set their heart upon it. Thus here in the Affirmative it is said of God, If he set his heart upon man; that is, if he do but intend and mind this matter, he can quickly bring it about, even the perishing of all flesh.
The text is rendered also, If he set his heart against man: The Hebrew particle signifieth not only upon, but against ( Amos 7.16.) Prophesy not against Israel, &c. And the general sense of that reading may be given two ways.
First, If he set his heart against man, to inquire strictly into his life and ways, if he should critically mark all his errors, or faults, and so resolve to proceed against him, he might soon make an end of him, as it followeth in the next verse. As the strongest, so the best and holiest of men are not able to stand before him. Thus the words are an answer given by Elihu to that frequent request of Job, that God would let him come near to judgment, and hear his cause argued and debated before him, even at his Bar; but saith Elihu (according to this sense) If God set his heart against man, if he doth but strictly inquire into his condition, course, and conversation, it would be sad with him; All men must perish. Those two places in the Psalms answer this interpretation fully, ( Psal. 130.3.) If thou Lord shouldst mark iniquities, O Lord, who should stand? That is, No man shall; We cannot stand in our righteousness before God, how then shall we stand in our iniquities! And therefore the second Text deprecates the Lord's severe enquiry into our purest and most perfect services, ( Psal. 143.2.) Enter not into judgment with thy servant, for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.
Secondly, If he set his heart against man, that is, If he have a general purpose to destroy and ruin him by his absolute Sovereignty, he can easily do it; what God hath a mind to do, or only willeth it to be done, he hath power enough to do it: He can make any man miserable, and not only strip him of the comforts of this life, but of his life too: And as he hath power enough, if he would use it, so he hath sovereign unquestionable authority enough to bear him out in the use of his power. Now, seeing God who is clothed with this absolute power, yet doth not exercise such a power, but having given man a being, continues to very many men a comfortable being in this world, and doth not willingly grieve or afflict any of the children of men, nor execute any vengeance upon them without their desert; surely then God is righteous, he will not do wickedly. Thus we have the importance of the Translation, If he set his heart against man: We say, (which also beareth fairly enough the same sense) If he set his heart upon man.
Some render it thus; If he set his heart upon (or against) man, he will gather unto him his spirit and his breath: and then, as it followeth, All flesh shall perish together.
We repeat the supposition according to the Hebrew Text; If he set his heart upon man; If he gather to himself his spirit and his breath, then &c. Take either reading, the general sense is the same, and in brief 'tis this; If God have a mind to it, he can quickly thrust all men out of the world. He that gave man his spirit and his breath, can at pleasure recall both, and then all flesh perisheth and turneth again unto (what it once was) dust. The Hebrew word which we render to gather, signifieth to add one thing or person to another: When Rachel had conceived and bare a son, (Gen. 30.22, 23.) she called (from this word) his name Joseph, and said, the Lord shall add to me another son. Thus here, If God add, or gather to himself his spirit and his breath, that is, the spirit and breath of man, &c. We may distinguish between these two, spirit and breath (Some insist much and curiously upon this distinction) The spirit denoting the soul or the internal rational power of man, and the breath that effect of life which followeth or floweth from the union of soul and body. The life of man is often expressed by breath; Cease ye from man, whose breath (or life) is in his nostrils; (Isa. 2.22.) If once man's breath goeth out, his life cannot stay behind; the spirit of a man is in this sense distinct from his breath; for when the breath is vanished, and is no more, the soul or spirit liveth. The Apostle in his prayer for the Thessalonians (1 Thess. 5.23.) puts soul and spirit together: The very God of peace sanctify you wholly, and I pray God, your whole spirit, and soul, and body, be preserved harmless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. There ('tis most probable) by the soul, he intends the inferior powers in man, or his affections, and by the spirit, his higher powers of reason and understanding: yet the spirit is often put for that whole part of man which is contradistinct to his body. Into thy hands I commend my spirit: that is, my soul, not forgetting my body: And I conceive, we may safely expound it here in that latitude, as comprehending the whole inner man. Yet it is all one, as to the sense of this place, whether we take spirit and breath distinctly or for the same; the spirit being so called from spiration or breathing; If he gather unto him his spirit, and his breath. The gathering of the spirit and breath of man unto God, is but a periphrasis or circumlocution of death, or of man's departure out of this life; when man was formed or created ( Gen. 2.7.) it is said, God breathed into him the breath of life, and man became a living soul: And when man dieth, his breath or spirit may be said to be gathered or returned back unto God; so then, the meaning of Elihu in this double supposition, (If he set his heart upon man, if he he gather to himself his spirit and his breath,) is clearly this, if God were once resolved, or should but say the word, that man must presently die, die he must, and that presently.
Hence Note,
If he do put his heart upon the doing of anything, it is done; Men often set their hearts, yea and their hands unto that which they cannot do; if men could do that which they set their hearts to do, or have a mind to do, and thereupon set their hands to do, we should have strange work in the world. 'It is a mercy to many men, that man is often frustrated in his thoughts and purposes, in his attempts and undertakings; and 'tis a glorious mercy to all that have an interest in God, that God never lost a thought, nor can be hindered in any work he setteth his heart upon. He that can lett or stop all men in their works, can work, and none shall lett or stop him. What God will do, is not defecible or undoeable (if I may so express it) by any power in heaven or earth. And as God can do what he will, and ask no man leave, so he can do what he will without trouble to himself; 'tis but the resolve of his will, the turning of his hand, or the cast of his eye (all which are soon dispatched) and 'tis done. Thus God breathed out his wishes for the welfare of Israel, ( Psal. 81.13.) O that my people had hearkened unto me, &c. I should soon have subdued the • r enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries. As if he had said, I could and would have eased them of all their enemies, even of all that rose up against them easily, even with the turning of my hand: What is more easily done, or mo • e speedily done, then the turning of a hand? Many things are hard to man, (and indeed very few things are easy to him, except it be to sin, or to do evil, he can do evil easily) some things are not only hard, but too hard, impossible for man; but there is nothing hard, much less too hard for God, he can easily do the hardest things; yea, the hardest things are as easy to him as the easiest; for as ( Psal. 139.12.) Darkness hideth not from the sight of God, the darkness and the light are both alike to him; so hardness hinders not the work of God, hardness and easiness are both alike to him, if he set his heart upon it. From this general truth, take two inferences.
First, How should we fear before this God? How should we tremble at the remembrance of, and walk humbly (in our highest assurance) with this God? We are much afraid to displease those men who can easily hurt us, and in whose hand it is to ruin us every hour: But O how little are we in this thought to fear the Lord, to take heed of displeasing the Lord, who can with ease either help or hurt, either bring salvation or destruction, who in a moment can thrust the soul out of the body, and cast both into hell.
Secondly, We may hence make a strong inference for the comfort of the people of God, when their straits are most pinching, and their difficulties look like impossibilities, and are so indeed, while they look to man; when their enemies are strongest, and the mountains which stand in the way of their expected comforts greatest, if then God will be entreated to set his heart, and cast his eye upon them, their straits are presently turned into enlargements, difficulties become easy, and mountains plains. If we can but engage the Lord, (his own promise is the surest engagement, and indeed all that we can put upon him, or mind him of, if (I say) we can thus engage the Lord) to be with us, who can be (to our hurt, many will be to their own) against us.
Secondly Note.
He can gather the spirit and the breath to himself whensoever he pleaseth; ( Psal. 104.29.) Thou hidest thy face and they are troubled, and thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust. If God hideth his face from us, 'tis death while we live; but if he take away our breath, we cannot live, but die. ( Psal. 90.3.) Thou turnest man to destruction, and sayest, Return ye children of men. Here's man turning and returning upon the saying of God; man turneth to death, he returneth to dust, and shall at last return from the dust, and all this when God saith he must. Our life is a very frail thing, and it is in the hand of God to continue or take it away; to let us hold it, or gather it home to himself.
Thirdly, From the manner of speaking, If he gather to himself his spirit and his breath;
Note.
When (as Solomon allegorizeth the death of man, Eccl. 12.6, 7.) The silver cord is loosed, and the golden bowl broken, &c. Then shall the dust (that is, the body) return to the earth as it was, and the spirit shall return to God who gave it; that is, each part of man (when he departeth this world) shall go its proper way, and return to that which is most congenial to it; his body to the earth, from whence it is; his soul to God, of whom it is. God is a Spirit, the creating Spirit, and our created spirits are gathered to God when they are separated from the body; yet remember there is a twofold gathering or returning of the spirit to God.
First, To abide and be blessed with him forever; thus the spirits of believers or saints only are gathered to God when they depart out of this world.
Secondly, There is a gathering of the spirit to God, to be judged and disposed of by him, to receive a sentence of life or death from him. And thus the spirit of every man or woman that dieth, is gathered to God, be they good or bad, believers or unbelievers, ( Heb. 9.27.) It is appointed for men once to die, but after this the judgment. 'It is the Statute Law of God, man must die, and the sound of Judgment is at the heels of death. That Text saith, but after this the Judgment. The general day of judgment shall not be till the resurrection of man from the dead; But there is a personal judgment, or a determining of every man's state when he dieth; and for that end every man's spirit is gathered to God to receive his sentence. The spirits of wicked men are gathered to him and condemned, the spirits of the righteous are gathered to him and acquitted: We are come, saith the Apostle ( Heb. 12.23.) to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect. David knew he must be gathered to God, but he earnestly deprecated such a gathering as most shall have, ( Psal. 26.9.) Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men. It is this word, when sinners die, they are gathered; but David would not be gathered as they are gathered; They are gathered to God, but it is that they may be forever separated from him; they are gathered to a day of vengeance and wrath: Therefore David prayed, Gather not my soul with sinners. Death is called a gathering in a threefold reference.
First, A gathering to our people. Thus it is said of Aaron, (Num. 20.24.) Aaron shall be gathered unto his people, for he shall not enter into the land, &c. Death separates the people of God from their people, that is, from those that are like them on earth, but it will be a means of bringing them into the society of their people, or fellow believers who are gone before them into heaven.
Secondly, Death is called a gathering to our Fathers, (2 Chron. 34:28.) Behold I will gather thee to thy Fathers, and thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace. There's a gathering to a more special company, and that with other like Scriptures are an argument that we shall know our relations in heaven. For, to be gathered to our Fathers, spoken of in the first part of the verse, is more then to be gathered to the grave, spoken of in the latter; and by our fathers, we are to understand more of our fathers then the grave hath in its keeping (which is but their bodies) even their souls, which are kept in heaven.
Thirdly, According to the phrase of this Text, death is called a gathering to God; If he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath.
Whence Note, Fourthly.
It is of him to whom it returneth; The soul or spirit of man is of God in a more special way then his body is; for though God giveth both, yet the Scripture (in the place before named) speaks of the soul as the gift of God, but passeth by the body; ( Eccles. 12.7.) The dust shall return to the earth, as it was; and the spirit shall return to God who gave it. 'It is God, not man alone, who hath given us these bodies, but 'tis not man, but God alone who hath given us these spirits; therefore men are called the fathers of our flesh, that is, of the body, in way of distinction, from God, who is the father of spirits (Heb. 12.9.) We have had fathers of our flesh, which corrected us, and we gave them reverence, shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits, and live; that is, shall we not rather be subject to God then to man? Father of spirits is an Attribute or Title too high and honorable for any but God. One of the Ancients in his gracious breathing after God, brake out into this holy Passion; My soul (O God) came from thee, and my heart is unquiet or restless until it return to thee again; God is our center, and our rest: He gathereth to himself man's spirit; and when he doth so, what then? what's the issue of it? Elihu tells us what in the next verse,
Vers. 15. All flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again to his dust.
As if he had said, As soon as ever the spirit is gathered, the flesh is consumed, or, as we render, perisheth.
All flesh, may be taken in the largest sense, not only for all men that live, but for all living creatures: Thus largely Moses extendeth it, ( Gen. 6.17.) Behold, saith the Lord, I will bring a flood of water to destroy all flesh; that is, all the Beasts of the earth, and Fowls of the air, together with Mankind, except a few of each in the Ark: so ( Psal. 136.25.) Who giveth food to all flesh, (that is, to man and beast) for his mercy endureth forever. Yet some understand this first part more narrowly, for all flesh except man; because he addeth in the latter part of the verse, and man shall return again to his dust: But I conceive we are to take all flesh here for all men, and only for men, it being usual in Scripture to put the same thing twice, under different expressions. So then
All flesh, that is, every man, be he who he will, shall perish. Thus as all flesh is restrained to man, so it extendeth over all men, yea over all things of man ( Isa. 40.6.) All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof as the flower of the field; that is, all men are perishing, and all that man hath, merely as a man, is as fading and perishing as himself is.
Some take notice, that man was not called flesh till after his fall; It's said before, when God set him up in that primitive purity of his Creation, Man became a living soul. He was not spoken of at first as flesh, but as a living soul, (Gen. 2.7.) but as soon as man had sinned, he was called flesh, as if he had no soul. There may two other reasons be given why man is called flesh, both following from the former. First, Because man since his fall doth most for his flesh, and neglects his soul altogether, till being planted into the second Adam, he is brought out of that wretched condition into which he fell by and with the first Adam. Secondly, He is called flesh, because, since the fall man is become weak and frail, both as to Naturals and Morals, ( Gen. 6.3.) My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: As if the Lord had said, Now man declareth himself to be flesh indeed, he acts like an impotent sorry creature, he acts as if he scarce had a soul in him, as if he were no more then the beasts of the earth: My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh; and therefore ( v. 30.) God told Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; that is, Man, and all his worldly glory, shall all be swept away with a deluge of water, as here,
There is a twofold perishing; First, By way of annihilation. Secondly, By way of transmutation. When Elihu saith, all flesh shall perish, we are not to understand it of annihilating all flesh; (God can do that, he can turn man back into that nothing out of which he was made) but the perishing in the Text importeth only a change. Death is called a change, & a change to perishing, as that good & great woman said, I will go in unto the King, and if I perish, I perish, (Hest. 4.16.) that is, If I die, I die. The Prophet laments ( Isa. 57.1.) The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart. All flesh shall perish
That is, without exception, one as well as another, rich and poor, high and low, strong and weak, all are alike in the hand of God, ( Psal. 33.13.15.) The Lord looketh from heaven, he beholdeth all the sons of men, &c. he fashioneth their hearts alike, or together; that is, he fashioneth the hearts of all men: God doth not so fashion men's hearts alike, as to make them all alike, (faces do not differ so much as hearts) but as he fashions one man's heart, so another's; he fashions the heart of a King, as well as the heart of a beggar: All flesh shall perish together; none either by power or policy can stand against a displeased God.
Again, We may take the word together, for all at once, God can make a total devastation in the earth, and sweep all away as filth with the besom of destruction; He can destroy all the world, of all men, who are the chief part of the world, together, or at one blow; so that (as the Prophet Nahum speaks, Chap: 1.9.) Affliction shall not rise up a second time. All flesh shall perish together,
Or he shall go back unto dust, that is, he shall die: that's the sentence which God gave upon man when he had sinned ( Gen: 3.19.) In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken, for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. Man was dust before he sinned; yet he had not returned to dust, if he had not turned from God by sin. Sin brought in death, and death brings us to the dust. All flesh shall perish together, and man shall return again unto dust.
Hence observe.
The Greatest Prince dieth as soon as the meanest peasant. Death can as soon and as easily break into the strongest fort or tower of stone, as into the meanest cottage of reeds. High and low shall perish together. Let none hope to secure themselves by anything of this world from going out of this world. Riches avail not in the day of death (Pro: 11.4.) High Titles and honors avail not, strength availeth not, beauty availeth not, none of these can be a protection, if God send out a writ or summons to the grave. Happy are they who get an assurance of life after death, for none have an assurance of life against death.
Again, In that death is here expressed under this notion of perishing.
Observe.
As all the things of the world are, so is man, while he abideth (if I may say he abideth) in this world. Christ earnestly exhorts ( John 6.27.) Labor not for the meat that perisheth. Why should we labor, that is, set ourselves with our whole strength and might to pursue perishing things, seeing we ourselves are perishing? The more perishing we are, the more reason we have to look after and labor for those things which do not, which cannot perish. When the Apostle saith (1 Pet: 1.18.) We are not redeemed with corruptible things from our vain conversation, &c. He doth not instance in flowers or fruits of the earth, which quickly rot, but in gold and silver, which are the most durable and lasting metals; even these are corruptible; but we ourselves as to this bodily life, are corruptible, not only as gold and silver, but as the most fading flowers and summer fruits of the earth.
Further, From that other description of death, as 'tis called a returning again unto dust.
We learn.
Unless man, as to his body, were of the dust when he began to live, he could not be said to return unto dust when he dieth, or departs this life. Many men pore upon their pedigree, and heir minds swell with pride, because they are of such or such a noble descent; but let them remember, man is of the dust. The soul or spirit of man is indeed from above, as was shown before; and the body of man is (I grant) a compound of all the four Elements. Our bodily spirits (say Naturalists) are of the fire, our breath of the air, our blood of the water, and our flesh and bones are most properly of the dust of the earth; yet the whole body of man is denominated dust or earth, or as the Apostle styleth it (2 Cor: 5.1.) 'It is an earthly house; If our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved. For though we may truly say, there is water, and air, and fire in this house, yet because earth is the predominant Element, the whole body bears the denomination of that. God is not said to form man of the water, or air, or fire, but of the dust of the ground ( Gen: 2.7.) though all those as well as earth were ingredients in the composition and formation of man's body. As man with respect to his spirituals and moralls, is denominated from that which is chief in him, so with respect to his naturals. Every man hath the seeds and principles of all sin in him, yet many men are known and expressed by some special sin. Thus one is called a covetous man, another a malicious man, &c. because covetousness and malice are their predominant sins in practice, though the principles of all other sins are in them. So for grace, one is said to be a patient man, and another an humble man, and a third, a self-denying man. Though where any grace is all graces are, yet a godly man is known by that grace which acts most eminently and vigorously in him. In this notion man is said to be of the dust, and to return to dust, as if he were nothing but dust, because dust is the predominant Element in the natural constitution of man.
And if so, then this is an humbling consideration. Some walk as if they thought the ground or earth not good enough for them to go upon. Moses setting forth the dreadfullness of famine, as a punishment threatened the Jewish nation in case of disobedience, tells us it shall fall on all sorts, both of men and women ( Deut: 28.56.) The tender and delicate woman among you, which would not adventure to set the sole of her foot upon the ground for delicateness and tenderness, &c. Some are loath to put their feet to the ground, whereas the best foot that ever trod upon the ground, is dust as well as the ground trodden on, and 'tis but dust to dust when they are in the dust, and dirt to dirt if they fall into the dirt. The Apostle, among other reasons, for this also, calleth the body of man a vile body (Phil: 3.21.) Who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body. Our bodies are vile, chiefly from the contagion of sin, that hath made them most vile; But they are comparatively vile, with respect to the very matter out of which they were all representatively made when the first man was made, without the least taint or touch of sin. Man at best as to the body is but a little breathing dust or moving clay. And did we spiritually look upon the matter of our bodies, it would exceedingly humble our spirits, and keep them low even when like Jordan they are ready to over-flow all the banks of modesty, and moderation. We hear of a bird, who priding himself in spreading and perusing his fine feathers, is presently as it were, ashamed by looking down upon his own black feet. Surely did man often consider that his whole body is of the earth, it would be an excellent means to keep his heart in a lowly frame, how highly soever himself is exalted in the earth.
And as man, while he lives is from the dust; so when he dieth (that's another humbling consideration) his body not only returneth unto dust, but turneth into dust. David, as the figure of Christ cried out ( Psal: 22.15.) Thou hast brought me into the dust of death. Dust and death are near acquaintance, and all that dy, grow quickly into nearer acquaintance with the dust. It is said ( Psal: 103.14.) The Lord knoweth our frame, he remembereth that we are but dust. But what advantage is that to us, that the Lord knoweth the one, and remembereth the other? I may answer as the Apostle doth to another question ( Rom: 3.2.) much every way, chiefly, because he will pity us and spare us and deal tenderly with us, as considering how frail we are. Now as it may be our comfort that God remembereth we are but dust, so 'tis our duty to remember that we are but dust, and that we must to the dust. Shall God remember that we are dust, and shall not we remember it ourselves? Did we more remember that we are dust, we should more prepare for our return to the dust. Yea, I may say, we should be more in heaven, if we were more in our dust; that is, the gracious and serious meditation of our natural vileness and infirmities would provoke us to look heaven-wards, and prepare for heaven, where these our natural bodies shall become spiritual (1 Cor: 15.44.) that is, they shall be like spirits (though not turned into spirits) living without food or sleep, living free from weariness and sickness, from pains and languishments, yea free from the remotest fear of ever dying or returning again into dust. Such as these and many more would be our souls advantages, did we often (as becomes us) remember that our bodies are of the earth, and must shortly be earth again. Thus to be earthly minded, is the way to be heavenly minded. Many are earthly minded, that is, they mind earthly things, but few mind that themselves are earth. In what holy heights and elevations of spirit should we be, if we could spiritually remember how low we once were, and how low, as to our bodies, we within a few days shall be.
Lastly, This truth should take us off from all creature-confidence from trusting in man. Cursed is the man (saith the Lord, Jer: 17.5.) that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm. 'It is a cursed thing for man to trust in man, because • trust is an honor proper to God; he alone is to be trusted: And as it is a cursed, so it is also a foolish thing to trust in man. David a Great Prince giveth us this counsel from God ( Psal: 146.3, 4.) Put not your trust in Princes, nor in the son of man in whom there is no help; his breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth (or to his dust) in that day all his thoughts perish, happy is the man that hath the God of Jacob for his help. What can dust do for dust? what can dust get by dust? that which is weak may become strong, by trusting to, or leaning upon that which is strong; the weakest man is strong enough, while he trusteth upon the strong God; but if weak trust upon weak, how shall it be made strong. Therefore let all flesh hearken to the words of the holy Prophet ( Isa: 2.21.) Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils; for wherein is he to be accounted of? Man himself is a soon-ceasing creature (David useth the noun of this verb to express himself so, Psal: 39.4.) and therefore we have reason to cease from man, to cease from any high estimation of the highest men, much more from any confidence in them. What can we assure ourselves of from any man living, seeing he hath no assurance of his own life? The Prophet would have us understand that, while he saith, his breath is in his nostrils; Mans life is gone as soon as his breath is gone, and how soon may that be gone! David describeth a proud man, puffing at his enemies (Psal: 10.5.) He is puffed up and swelled with high conceits of himself, as if he had some great matter in him, and he puffs at others as if he could do some great matter against them, forgetting that himself is but (as to his being in this world) a puff of wind, which passeth away. As then, we need not fear what hurt man can do us, so we should not hope nor have any expectation from him that he by his own power (how great soever his power is) can do us any good. Wherein (as to either of these purposes) is man to be accounted of? Man is an excellent creature, a creature of high account, as bearing the image of God, his soul is of more worth then the gain of the whole world ( Math: 16.26.) and thus he is more to be accounted of, then all that in the world is most accounted of; But consider him as to the fraylety of his life, and the possibility, yea probability of his sudden passage out of this world, and then, wherein is he to be accounted of? If we oppose man to God, or compare man with God, or trust man instead of God, he is as vain and worthless as anything, a thing of nothing, or less then nothing.
JOB. Chap. 34. Vers. 16, 17.
If now thou hast understanding, hear this; hearken to the voice of my words.
Shall even he that hateth right, govern? and wilt thou condemn him that is most just?
ELihu having thus far applied himself to Jobs friends, upon an Assurance that they were men of understanding; for so he bespake them at the 10 th verse; Hearken unto me ye men of understanding. He now turneth his speech particularly to Job, and he doth it upon a hopeful supposition, that he also was a man of understanding.
Vers. 16. If now thou hast understanding, hear this.
The word which we render understanding, is not a noun, but the infinitive of a verb in the Hebrew: and it may be rendered thus; If thou hast to understand; that is, if thou hast an ability to understand, which in sense is the same with our translation, If thou hast understanding. This form of speaking by the infinitive for the noun, is frequent both in Scripture and other Authors. Thus 'tis said, Your to know is nothing; that is, your knowledge is nothing, unless another know it, or be made knowing by it. Let us see (saith the Orator) what thy to live blessedly is; that is, what thou countest blessedness. And another, I have lost to be ashamed; that is, shamefastness or modesty. Thus Elihu, If thou hast to understand, hear this.
But it may be questioned, did Elihu indeed suspect whether Job did understand, or were an understanding man? Every man hath an understanding, as he is a man. To understand is the property, the inseparable property of a reasonable creature. Why then doth Elihu put a doubt upon Job in this, and say, If now thou hast understanding, &c.
I answer; Elihu indeed deals with Job as if he were somewhat below man in this business, at least, as if he were dull, and slow to receive, and apprehend what had been spoken to him, and therefore by this Apostraphe, he excites and stirs him up to set his understanding a-work to the utmost; As if he had said, Although thou hast a habit of understanding, yet thou hast not acted it like an understanding man; nor given such proof of it in this matter as is expected.
Further, These words, If now thou hast understanding, refer not to the faculty, but to the special attributes of his understanding; chiefly to these three.
First, To the soundness of it; If thou hast anything of a sound understanding. The understandings of many are sick, and diseased, their understandings are tainted and infected with errors and misperswasions. Now if thou hast anything of a sound understanding left in thee, if there remain yet any strength in thy understanding, to apprehend the force of those arguments and reasons which I shall propose to convince thee by, hear this. Erroneous understandings are altogether unfit to entertain truth. As there must be a suitableness between the stomach and the meat, else it is not digested, so between the mind and the object, else it cannot be received.
Secondly, To the uprightness or impartiality of it; If thou hast understanding; that is, if thou hast an unbiassed understanding; Sometimes the affections turn aside, and bribe the understanding; self-interest puts a blind upon the understanding. When a man hath a mind to that which is not right, he will have a mind to understand anything that opposeth it.
Thirdly, To the spirituallness of it, If thou hast understanding; that is, a renewed, a spiritual, an holy understanding, or the understanding of the holy, hear this. A man may have a great natural understanding, a deep judgment, and yet be a very child, or a man of no understanding in the things of God. Only a spiritual understanding is suited to spiritual things, (as the object is, such must the faculty be) that faculty which deals a-right about spiritual things, must be a spiritual faculty. The Apostle speaks concludingly (1 Cor: 2.14.) The natural man (that is, the man unconverted or unregenerate) perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. And therefore the same Apostle professeth to the Colossians (Chap: 1.9.) We do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled, with the knowledge of his will, in all wisdom, and spiritual understanding. The will of God being spiritual, cannot be truly known but by a spiritual understanding. According to this three-fold attribute of the understanding we may expound Elihu speaking to Job, If thou hast a spiritual understanding, an unbiassed understanding, a sound understanding, hear this. As if he had said, I have spoken, and am about to speak such things as may call out the strength, the best, the utmost line of a sound, impartial and spiritual understanding, to sound the bottom and the depth of them. Thus he provokes him to attend, not only with his ear, but with his understanding, with the best of his understanding, with the best underderstanding to the things he was to speak. And in this sense the most of men, all bad men have no understanding ( Psal: 14.2.) and Job, though a good man, had much deficiency in his. If now thou hast understanding, hear this.
Hence note.
There are many understanding men, who have not this understanding, or an understanding for this. While David saith ( Psal: 49.20.) Man that is in honor and understandeth not, he supposeth, that a man ascended to the highest pitch of honor, may yet be without understanding, that is, without a right, a sound, a spiritual understanding; and then (as it followeth there) he is like the beasts that perish. Beasts have no understanding at all, the rational or intellectual power is proper to man. A man in honor, not having this honor, a right understanding, may be numbered among the beasts. If thou hast understanding,
As if he had said, I am not calling thee to hear an idle story, or a trivial matter; Hear this, there is an emphasis in the words both as to the Act and Object.
It is questioned what Elihu particularly intendeth by this; some refer it to what he had spoken before in Job's audience, though directed to his friends: Hear what I have spoken to thy friends in the former part of the chapter, in vindication of the righteousness of God. Secondly, Others refer it to what Elihu was now about to say; I have not yet done, I have not yet brought out all my reasons & arguments, I have not emptied my treasures, I have yet more to say, Hear this: A third sort refer these hortatory words, hear this, in the former part of the verse, to what he had already spoken, and those in the latter part of the verse, hearken to the voice of my words, to what he had yet to speak; but it is not much to the matter to which we refer them, it being clear, that what he had said, and what he had to say, was matter of weight; and so hear this, is emphatical, this great, this deep, this useful and necessary point of Doctrine, which I already have declared, or am now about to declare unto thee.
Hence Note.
(Col. 3.16.) Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, in all wisdom; It is not enough to hear the word with our ears, or to have it in our mouths, it must dwell in our memories, and it must dwell there, not in a beggarly poor fashion, but richly; which it never doth, till we have a sound and clear understanding of it, and are both in heart and life conformed to it, yea transformed into it; that is it which the Apostle meaneth by the dwelling of the word in us richly in all wisdom. And he further assureth them ( chap. 2.1, 2.) that he had a great conflict for them; that is (as we put in the Margin) he had a great fear or care of them, that their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. He had held forth those great mysteries, the mystery of God considered essentially, the mystery of the Father considered personally, the mystery of Christ considered mediatorily; and therefore he presseth them to get a full assurance of understanding about all these mysteries. When Christ was discoursing with his disciples after his resurrection, ( Luke 24.45.) it is said, He opened their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures; and then they did not take in what he spake only at the ear, but at the heart also. Thus ( Acts 16:14.) The Lord opened the heart of Lydia, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul; that is, he gave her an inward ear, and caused her to understand the things which he spake.
Secondly Note.
Though we have it in our books, yea though we have it in our memories, 'tis lost, if we understand it not; we read of a book, sealed within, and on the back-side, with seven seals, (Rev. 5.1.) we read also ( v. 4.) that John wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book: That sealing of the book was nothing else but the shutting of it up from the understanding; and when Christ opened the book, he gave the understanding of it: the whole book of God is a sealed book, unless we have an understanding, or a saving knowledge of the truths therein contained. What John said ( Rev. 13.18.) of counting that mysterious number of the Beast, must be said in its proportion of the whole mystery of godliness, let him that hath understanding count and consider them.
Note Thirdly.
An unregenerate man is not fit to receive any of the Truths of God; The natural man (that is, the man who hath nothing but nature in him) perceiveth not the things of God, he hath not a suitable faculty for them; and as a natural man's understanding cannot at all receive the things of God, so every degree of a spiritual understanding cannot receive all the truths of God, or not all the things of God in all their truth. The Apostle distributes persons into several degrees, and calls some babes, and others grown or perfect men; that is, such as have an understanding fit to take in and digest the highest and deepest things of God; and hence it is, that Christ told his disciples ( John 16.12.) who had a renewed understanding, only 'twas in a low degree, I have many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now; I suppose the reason why Christ saith they could not bear those many things, was not because being many, they were too great a burden for their memories, (though possibly there might be somewhat in that) but their inability of bearing those many things, was chiefly in their understanding. There are some truths, which though a man can remember, yet he cannot bear them; and the more he remembers them, the less he can bear them; the weight and mysteriousness of them even cracks his brain, till he receives more light from God, and more strength of understanding, he cannot bear them: If thou hast understanding, hear this;
This latter part of the verse is but the repetition or further enforcement of the same thing, we had the like expressions chap. 33.1.8. and therefore I shall not stay upon this, only Note further from the whole.
Some overween themselves so much, as to matter of knowledge, that they will not be taught; they judge themselves so learned, and fully instructed, that they will hear no more instruction, nor learn any other lesson, they are past the School; yet always they who know much in their own conceit, are least knowing in truth and reality: there is nothing doth so much hinder the receiving of knowledge, as an imagination or proud prepossession of it. The sluggard (saith Solomon, Prov. 26.16.) is wiser in his own conceit, then seven men that can render a reason: They which have least reason, are the greatest neglecters of it; only an understanding man is willing to hear, that he may gain more understanding. Therefore Elihu admonisheth Job, If now thou hast understanding, hear this, and hearken to the voice of my words: What Elihu would have Job hear and hearken to, followeth in the next verse, and in those which follow, to the end of the 33 d verse.
Vers. 17. Shall even he that hateth right govern? and wilt thou condemn him that is most just?
This is matter indeed worth the hearing and hearkening to.
Shall he? He shall not, or at least should not, he ought not; he of all men is the unfittest man to govern, that is, to do all men right, who hateth right. The Interrogation leads us to this strong Negation, or indignation rather; What! He that hateth right, whose very spirit is against it, whose affections withdraw from it, is he made up for a Governor! The Hebrew word notes right from man to man; Justice or righteousness consists in the due order and comely disposition of things and affairs, transacted and dispensed in this world from man to man, or between man and man; it imports also that order into which the most wise providence of God placeth both things and persons; we may take it here in both or either of these senses; Shall he that hateth right
The word rendered to Govern, hath a threefold signification in Scripture. First, and most properly, to bind up: Secondly, by a Metaphor, to heal; because there is so great a use of binding in healing; the skillful ligature of a wound, or of a broken limb, is of so much consequence in Chirurgery, or the art of healing, that binding alone is put for healing; that which is well bound, is in a fair way to healing. We find both these acts put together in that great promise of the Churches glory under the Gospel, ( Isa. 30.26.) Moreover the light of the Moon shall be as the light of the Sun, &c. in the day that the Lord bindeth up the breach of his people, and healeth the stroke of their wound.
Many learned Translators render the word here, by binding or healing, or by binding, as it refers to healing. The Vulgar Latin gives it passively, Can he who doth not love right be healed? The sense of which reading is this; God doth not use to heal or bind up the wounds of those who hate Right or Justice: Why should the wounds of those Magistrates be healed, who have no care, by doing right, to heal the wounds of others? I shall not stay upon this Translation, because the Original Text clearly carrieth an active signification. And some who retain this sense of the word, translate it actively; Shall, or will God heal him that hateth right? Surely he will not: If a man hate Justice, and right, how can he expect that God should be a healer to him? And thus it is expounded in reference to Job, who complained that God did not heal him of his wounds, his wounds, though great, were not cured: now saith Elihu, Will God heal him that hateth right; that is, who doth not approve of that which is right; or, as it followeth, who condemneth him that is most just, as Elihu charged Job to have done.
Again, another renders, Will he that hateth the right heal the wounded? The sense of which reading is given thus; Surely God who is ready to bind up and heal the wounds of those that are afflicted when they repent, is no hater of right, no perverter of Justice, as thou O Job hast said God doth; seeing God is ready to heal the wounds, and bind up the sores of humbled sinners, how unjustly hast thou charged him with perverting of justice? The Tygurine version gives it thus, Will he that hates right, act the part of a Surgeon? Will he bind up and heal? Doubtless he will not, but will rather wound and afflict, vex and trouble more and more instead of being a healer. Either of these renderings bear a good sense of this Scripture; yet I shall rather take up our Translation, and insist upon it. And therefore
Thirdly, The word signifies tropically to rule or govern; and the reason ariseth clearly from the proper signification of it; because he that is a Ruler or a Governor, is also a binder and a healer: Magistrates bind the people that are under them to order, they bind them by their Laws. Laws are as bonds, they have a binding power, they bind either to obedience or to punishment; and therefore Magistrates are binders, they bind the unruly and disobedient, they bind with the rule of the Law, and with the penalties of the Law. When any break the rule of the Law, then they fall under the penalties of the Law, so that every way a Magistrate is a binder; and as he is a binder, so a healer; The Laws of Government by which people are bound, are for their healing, for the healing of their manners and corruptions; as also, for the healing of those whom they have oppressed or wounded by their evil manners and corruptions. Further, all Governors should, and righteous Governors will improve their power and authority for the healing of those differences that arise among their subjects, or those over whom they are set: In all these respects, Magistrates are healers and binders. Thus the Prophet ( Isa. 3.6, 7.) expresseth them, When a man shall take hold of his brother, of the house of his father, saying, thou hast clothing, be thou our Ruler, and let this ruin be under thine hand: Here is a breach, a ruin in the State or Commonwealth, let this be under thy hand, do thou undertake the cure of this; but in that day shall he swear (v. 7.) I will not be a healer: We put in the margin, a binder, that is, I will not be your Governor; your case is so desperate, and you are so obstinate in your way, that I dare not undertake your cure, I will not be a healer to you, or I will not be your binder; or as the reason of his refusal is there given by the Prophet, from his own inability or incompetency for that undertaking; In my house is neither bread nor clothing, make me not a Ruler of the people. Thus the word very significantly holds out the office and use of Governors; they are or ought to be binders or healers: the wounds of the Body politick need a healer as much as those of the body natural; Governors are State-Physicians: and therefore we read very well, Shall he that hateth right govern? Mr. Broughton saith, Can a foe to Judgment rule well? taking this sense, Elihu doth two things in this verse.
First, He showeth how unfit an unjust person is to rule; this he doth in the former part of the verse.
Secondly, He showeth how unfit it is to condemn or censure a just Ruler; this he doth in the latter part of the verse. Shall even he that hateth right govern? He ought not. And shall he that governeth rightly be hated? Shall he fall under unrighteous condemnations, who condemneth others rightly? He should not. As he that is unjust is unfit to govern, so 'tis not only uncomely, but abominable to condemn a just Governor. This is the sum of the whole verse. From the former part of it already opened, Shall he that hateth right govern?
Observe.
What is there so good, but an evil man hateth it? and the better it is, the more he hateth it: How precious a thing is righteousness, yet 'tis hated; ( Mic. 3.1, 2.) Hear, I pray you, O heads of Jacob, &c. Is it not for you to know judgment, who hate the good and love the evil? How precious a thing is peace? and yet there are peace-haters; My soul (saith David, Psal. 120.6.) hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace. How sweet a thing is light? the light of the Gospel, yet there are many light-haters, ( Joh. 3.20.) He that doth evil; (loving to do it) hateth the light: How precious a thing is holiness? and yet there are holiness-haters; how precious a thing is truth? and yet there are truth-haters; how infinitely precious is God? and yet there are God-haters; (Rom. 1.30.) How lovely, how desirable is Jesus Christ, both as a Savior and as a Sanctifier? yet even Jesus Christ (who hath loved us, and washed us with his own blood) is hated: There are many Christ-haters, as himself told the Jews ( John 15.24.) They have both seen and hated both me and my Father. And if there be that principle of abomination in the heart of man to hate God and Christ, what good is there that the heart of man may not set his hatred upon? Elihu supposeth that there are haters of Right and Justice, which are the most amiable things in the world, and should attract the love of all persons to them.
Secondly, When Elihu saith, Shall even he that hateth right govern? How disdainfully doth he speak of such?
Hence Note.
He is not worthy the name of a man that hateth right. When the Prophet Elisha told Hazael what strange things he should do, what havoc he should make in the world, he said (2 King. 9.13.) But what, is thy servant a dog, that he should do this great thing? as if he had said, to do such a thing, renders a man as vile and contemptible as a dog: 'It is a piece of unrighteousness to reckon or number them among men, who are haters of that righteousness which should be exercised among men, and is the preservation of mankind; not to honor righteousness is a hateful thing, not to do right at all times, and in all things, is a hateful thing; what is it then to hate right? How justly hateful are Justice haters!
Some may say, are there any indeed so bad as to hate right?
I answer, First, There are some who profusedly, plainly, with a bold and bare face hate the right; there is in all natural men a seed of this hatred, The wisdom of the flesh is enmity against God; and surely, if it be enmity against God, it must needs be enmity against all that is good; now as there is a seed of that enmity in every man's nature, so there will be the workings and fruits of that enmity in many men's lives.
Secondly I answer, He may be said to hate right that doth not approve right, that doth not love and delight in it; not to love, not to delight in that which is right, is to hate the right. As he that doth not love God, is a hater of God; the second Commandment speaks thus, I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, and showing mercy to thousands of them that love me, and keep my Commandments. Hating of God, and loving of God, divide the whole world; they that do not love God, hate him; there is no middle of participation between these two, between the love and hatred of God: so there is a hatred of Justice or Right in him who loves it not; though a man do not make profession against it, yet if he hath not an affection to it, he will at last be found amongst that most hateful company, the haters of righteousness: not to hate evil, is to love it, and not to love good, is to hate it in God's account. Many stand as neuters in the days of this world, but in that great day of the end of the world, there will be no neuters seen: all shall stand in two parts, either among the sheep or goats; and among all the sheep there will not be one found, who hath not been a lover of goodness and righteousness; nor one among all the goats, who hath not been (in the judgment and esteem of God) a hater of them.
Thirdly, They may be said (in a degree) to hate right, who though they have some love to it, yet love it in a less degree then they should, or less then they ought; a lower or lesser degree of love, is a kind of hatred in Scripture language: The Law of Moses saith ( Deut. 21.15, 16, 17.) If a man have two wives, one beloved, and another hated, and they have born him children; both the beloved and the hated, and if the first born son be hers that was hated; then it shall be when he maketh his son inherit that which he hath, that he may not make the son of the beloved first-born before the son of the hated, &c. But what doth he mean by the wife that is hated? Surely the wife that is not so much loved; though he loved both truly, yet not loving both in the same degree, he is said to hate one of them: so I conceive that Scripture is to be understood ( Luke 14.26.) where Christ gives the rule concerning Disciple-ship; If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea and his own life also, he cannot be my Disciple: When Christ layeth this charge upon his Disciples, to hate wife, and children, &c. would he have his Disciples turn their hatred upon those relations? the rule of the Word forbids that: So then, his meaning is only this, if in case of following me, a man find any stop or hindrance by these, he must not let out his love so to wife, and children, &c. as to hinder his coming to, or following of me. Every man must take off so much love from these dearest worldly enjoyments, as hinders men in following Christ; and he who through grace is enabled to do so, is in a true and clear Gospel sense said to hate them. That which we can leave for Christ, we hate in comparison of that love which we bear to Christ. Thus in the Text and Point, they may be said to hate the right, who bear not a due proportion of love unto it; not to love righteousness with highest & warmest affections, is a degree of hatred. Some love the right, but they love it lightly, they love it less then riches and gain; and and therefore for self-gain they turn aside from, and forsake the right. Some will speak fair for Justice, till the offer of private advantage either put out their eyes, or stop their mouths; he that loves not to do right to others more then to enrich himself, will quickly wrong others to enrich himself: Now he that upon any terms or considerations whatsoever (though it were to the advantage only of some others who are poor and distressed, much more when its for his own advantage) is drawn to pervert the right, is a hater of it. Remember, any lesser degree of love to that which is right, may at any time be interpreted the hatred of it; and when we love it less then our own concernments, we cannot resist temptations which entice us to do that which will declare a direct hatred of it.
Thirdly, From the whole tenor of these words, Shall he that hateth right govern?
Note.
Nothing is more contrary to the state of Government, or the qualification of a Governor, then to hate right; righteousness is the sphere wherein he ought to walk, and never to move out of it; 'tis the business he hath to do, the trade which he hath to drive; whatsoever he doth in that capacity, he must be doing righteous things. So far as any man hath the power of Government in his hand, if it be but over a family, much more over a Nation, he ought to do right; David's prayer for himself as a King, and for his son who was to succeed him in the Kingdom, was only and altogether this, ( Psal. 72.1.) Give the King thy judgments, O Lord, and thy righteousness unto the Kings son; that is, teach both me and him what is right, give us a heart conformable to it, and a readiness of mind always to do it: That's the scope of his prayer when he said, Give the King thy judgments, O Lord, and thy righteousness to the King's son: Nor doth he barely pray for the gift of judgment and righteousness, but he puts the stamp of God upon them; Give them thy judgment, and thy righteousness. It is possible for Kings to have a judgment of their own, and a righteousness of their own, which are not the judgments nor the righteousness of God. For as there is a righteousness of God, which some being ignorant of, trust to a righteousness of their own for the justification of their person; so there is a righteousness of God for the government of man, which some neglecting, use only a righteousness of their own, both in condemning and justifying other men's both persons and causes; Princes being in God's place, should exalt the righteousness of God in the governing of men. And therefore the same David in his dying song spake thus (2 Sam: 23.3.) He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God; whoever he is he must be just, and he must be just in the fear of God, which he can never be, but in giving out the righteousness of God; that is, in dispensing that for righteousness, which is right according to the will of God. And if he must do right thus, how shall he do it, if he hate it? no man will do that willingly or constantly which he hateth; he that hates right is so far from doing it himself, that he cannot abide others should do it. Whereas a governor, is not only to do right himself, but to appoint others to do it, and to see that they do it, or else to punish them for not doing it. The Rulers of the earth are said to bear the sword (Rom: 13.4.) And they are said to be Shields (Psal: 47.9.) They are shields to protect the good, and swords to take vengeance of those that do evil; both which are the works of righteousness. And if so, shall ever he that hateth right govern?
The scope of Elihu in the former part of the verse was to demonstrate that God is no hater of right, or righteousness, for he is not only A Governor, but The Governor, all the world over, or over all the world, and it were a most absurd thing, to think that he should be the Governor of the world, and yet be a hater of right; can it be imagined that he who ruleth all men, should wrong any man? Now seeing God who ruleth all is always most righteous, wilt thou (O Job) condemn him (saith Elihu) that is most just? God our governor is so far from hating, that he is ever promoting justice, he that is so, is most just, and wilt thou condemn him that is most just?
To condemn is to sit in Judgment, and give sentence against another. Wilt thou condemn, or give sentence against God? Wilt thou (as some translate according to the strictness of the Original) make him wicked, that is most just? Elihu makes use of a very hard and severe word, and it is conceived that he purposely pitched upon it, or picked it out, to convince Job, that it is no small fault, or offense, to complain of or to quarrel with the dealings of God. 'It is indeed to condemn God, and to make him wicked, as the word imports; Wilt thou condemn him
Here are two words; in the Hebrew we put them together, and so render them by a superlative, most just. Some translate, Wilt thou condemn him that is strong and just? that is, strongly just, mightily just; God is full of strength and might, so full that he, and he only is Almighty; yet his might never exceedeth right, nor his strength his justice. Strength and justice are commensurate in God. And while he is so strong, that he can do what he will, he is so just that he will do nothing but what is righteous.
Further, I find others joining the word strong, with the word condemn. As if Elihu had said, Wilt thou so confidently, and pertinaciously, condemn the just God? To condemn God, though but a little, to pass the easiest sentence of condemnation upon him is bad enough; but wilt thou strongly condemn him? We render clearly to the scope of the place, Wilt thou condemn him that is most just?
Hence note.
He is strongly just, mightily just; as he is strongly merciful, putting forth a power in pardoning sin, and showing mercy, so he is strongly just, or altogether just. The rule given to Judges by Moses speaks thus, ( Deut: 16.20.) That which is altogether just, shalt thou follow. We put in the margin, justice, justice, shalt thou do; that is, thou shalt do pure Justice, nothing but Justice, or justice without the least mixture, tincture, or (if it be possible) without the least shadow of injustice. I may say, justice, justice is God, that is, he is altogether just, strongly just, everlastingly and unchangeably just. God is just under a three-fold notion.
First, As to be just is taken largely, importing a person accomplished with concurrence of all perfections, and virtuous qualities. In that sense, I suppose, the Apostle useth the word (1 Tim: 1.9.) The law is not given for (that is, to terrify or condemn) a just man; that is, for a man who is holy and good. Thus God is altogether just; for he hath all the lines of perfection, of holiness, and goodness centring in him, he is not only just and virtuous, but justice and virtue it self.
Secondly, To be just, imports the keeping of promises, and the performance of our word. He is a just man, who when he hath spoken, you may know what to have of him, and where to have him. Some give words, and you can get nothing of them but words, that's injustice, because our words bind us and should be as laws to us. A man may choose whether he will make promises, but when he hath promised, it is not in his choice, whether he will perform or no; his word binds him. In this sense, God is altogether just. Whatsoever word you have had from God, (and he hath given us many comfortable words for every condition) God is a just God, and will perform it to a tittle. That Glorious and everlasting witness is borne to him by dying Joshua (Josh: 23.14.) And behold this day I am going the way of all the earth, and ye know in all your hearts, and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you: all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof. In this sense, God is said to be, not only merciful, but just in forgiving our sins (1 John 1.9.) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we confess our sins spiritually and believingly, deeply, humbly, and affectionately; if we confess thus, he is just to forgive; why? because he hath given a promise to forgive those who make such confessions of sin. And thus 'tis in any other promise; he keeps his word, he keeps touch with man, he will not fail nor come short in the least, therefore he is altogether just.
Thirdly, He is just in the strictest acception of justice, giving everyone his due. It is possible for a man to be just in neither of the two former notions, he may neither be virtuous in his actions, nor a keeper of his word as a man, & yet he may be just as a Magistrate, just as in a cause committed to his determination. But God is just in all these three considerations of a just man, and therefore he is eminently, or altogether just. And I conceive, the latter of the three is chiefly intended here; God is most just, that is, he never did, nor ever will, give an undue or an undeserved sentence upon any man.
I might show distinctly, that God is just, and how just he is; First, in rewarding those that do well; Secondly, in punishing those that do ill. And that because he doth it; First, by a law; Secondly, by a law published; Thirdly, by a law possible (our inability of keeping the law is consequential to the giving of it; man hath drawn it upon himself) though now he cannot perform it at all, yet God is just in punishing, because he sins against a law that he had a power (in his head or representative) to have fulfilled. Fourthly, God is just, because the penalties which he inflicteth slow from a right and just law (as the Apostle speaks, Rom: 7.12.) The law is holy, and just, and good; and therefore all the awards that are grounded upon it must needs be just too. Fifthly, he punisheth justly, because he never punisheth but upon proof, and evidence; yea he will make every man's Conscience a witness against himself, or condemn him out of his own mouth. Sixthly, he punisheth justly, because he punisheth impartially, neither fear, nor hope, nor favor, can divert him ( Isa: 27.11. Jer: 22.24.) Seventhly, he doth not only punish in a proportion to the law, but often in a proportion to the sin, and that not only to the measure of the sin, but to the manner of the sin; as that cruel king Adonibezek confessed, when himself was cruelly dealt with (his thumbs and great toes being cut off, Judge: 1.7.) As I have done so God hath requited me: As if he had said, God is just not only because he hath punished me in measure according to my sin, but after the very same manner in which I sinned, he hath as it were hit my sin in the eye of all beholders; what I have done may be seen by what I suffer.
Note, Secondly.
Wilt thou condemn him that is most just? wilt thou do such a thing? what? condemn him that is most just! How great a wickedness is this, if we consider, First, that whatever God doth, we ought to be patient under it. Secondly, that whatsoever God doth, we ought to acquiesce or rest quietly and contentedly in it; that's more then to be patient. Thirdly, that whatsoever he doth, we ought to approve and justify God in it. Fourthly, that we ought to magnify God whatsoever he doth, though his dispensations are bitter, & burthensome; and if we do so we shall find the bitterest dispensations sweet to us. Now if we ought to be patient under, to acquiesce in, to approve of, yea to magnify and exalt the name of God in all his dealings with us and determinations concerning us, then how sinful is it to condemn him? What? shall such poor creatures as we, take upon us to censure and condemn the works of God! Some say it at least in their hearts, if they had the reins of government in their hands, they would carry things evener then God doth; they would put all things right, if they might have the rule; if they might a while do as they think fit, they would do all things fitly. Some will talk thus arrogantly of their fitness to govern the whole world, who have not wit enough to govern their own families; nor any grace at all to govern themselves; yea they will presume they could govern all men, who are scarce fit to govern a heard of swine, or as Job speaks ( Chap: 30.1.) to be set over the dogs of a man's flock; such as these will take upon them to govern the world, & say they could do it better then 'tis done. Things should not go thus, if they might have their will. Though indeed (like that rash and inconsiderate young man in the fabulous Poet, who desired for one day at least to be Charioteere to the Sun) if they might have their will, they would set the whole world a-fire, or put all into a flame in one day. Thus, vain man would be wise (as Zophar said, Chap: 11.12.) Though man be borne like a wild asses colt, that is, being altogether unwilling to be governed by any right law, he would fain give the law to and govern all; what is this but to condemn the most just? and how great, how blasphemously impudent a wickedness is this!
But some may say, Did Job ever thus condemn God?
I answer; he did not condemn him in so many words, he did not formally sit upon his tribunal, and condemn God, but he spake such words as did show a condemning of God, and Elihu justly condemned him for speaking them.
Hence note, lastly.
This is a hard saying, we may be almost astonished to hear it, what? condemn God? yeas, so far as any man murmurs against the dealings of God, so far he condemns God. The works of God must be submitted to, as well as his word, his dispensations must be obeyed as well as his laws and constitutions. Our complaints of what he doth are censures of his person. We question not only the sovereignty and power of God, but his very wisdom and truth and justice, when we reluct against any of his actings or awards concerning us, though they produce our greatest sufferings. This Elihu further aggravates in the next words; Is it fit to say to a King, Thou art wicked? and to Princes, Ye are ungodly? If men will be mannerly to Princes, how much more mannerly ought they to be towards God?
JOB. Chap. 34. Vers. 18, 19.
Is it fit to say to a King, thou art wicked, and to Princes, ye are ungodly?
How much less to him that accepteth not the Persons of Princes, nor regardeth the rich more then the poor? for they are all the work of his hands.
THese two verses are both an Illustration and a Confirmation or proof of what Elihu spake last in the close of the 17 th verse, Wilt thou condemn him that is most just? Hereupon he infers
Vers. 18. Is it sit to say to a King, thou art wicked?
Those words, Is it fit; are not literally and expressly in the hebrew; and therefore some connect these two verses immediately with the former; Wilt thou condemn him that is most just? Who saith to a King, O thou wicked? and to Princes, O ye ungodly? That is, who is so just, that he spares not to tell the greatest Kings and Princes of their wickedness and ungodliness? Or as the Vulgar Translation hath it, Who saith to a King, O thou Apostate? I tell thee, Thou art fallen from that Justice and Righteousness which thou didst once exercise in thy Government. It is said of Nero, he had his five years wherein he governed excellently, but afterward he proved Apostate, cruelly tyrannizing over (instead of ruling) his people; as there are Apostates in Spirituals, so in Civils; an apostate is an hypocrite revealed, an hypocrite is an apostate veiled: God unvails hypocrites of all sorts, and will not fail sooner or later to reprove their Apostasy. It is better not to be good, then not to continue good: Backsliders are worse then they who never set one step in the ways of God and goodness.
So then, according to this reading, the sense may be given out thus: As if Elihu had said, How canst thou (O Job!) possibly imagine that God should be unjust, when he doth not forbear to tell the greatest Kings of their injustice, and convince them of it; he who calleth degenerate Kings Apostates, and unjust Princes wicked; he that is thus impartial in reckoning with Kings, and the mighty men of the earth (as indeed God hath always been, and will ever be) How should he be unjust? Wilt thou condemn the most Just? Even him who is so just, that he rebukes injustice wheresoever he sindes it, and who can find it wheresoever it is? (Psal. 105.14.) He reproved Kings for their sakes, (that is, for the sake of his peculiar people, when they did them wrong,) saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my Prophets no harm: implying, that he trusts Kings with that great power to protect his anointed, and to save his Prophets from harm; and therefore would not take it well at their hands, if they abused their power to hurt and afflict them. This is a good reading, but I shall not insist upon it, though some insist much upon it, because I would rather favor our own Translation, and carry the Interpretation that way, as containing an argument to prove, that it is a most wicked thing to condemn God as unjust, because men are scarce anywhere found so presumptuous, or bold, as to say to a King, Thou art wicked, or to Princes, ye are ungodly. It is much easier for any man, much more for great men to do evil, then for others to tell them so: And as the faults of Princes seldom find reprovers, so it requires a great deal of wisdom, not to commit a fault in reproving them.
Is this a comely thing? Or will Kings endure it? And if so, doth it become thee, O Job, to speak hardly of God? Or will he endure it? Elihu did not charge Job with speaking evil of God directly; but would intimate to him, that while he was so unquiet under the afflicting hand of God, and pressed him so often for a further hearing of his cause, he did very dangerously reflect upon his Justice; and that seeing we stand in awe of Kings and Sovereign Princes, and dare not misbehave ourselves before them, nor let fall an unreverend word concerning them, how durst he presume to speak anything unseemly of God? Is it fit to say to a King,
Kings are supreme, they are clothed with Sovereign power over all persons within their Dominion; Is it therefore fit to use such course language, such down-right unhewen speeches in any address to them? Is it fit to say to a King, Thou art wicked? The original word imports the worst sort, the most infamous among wicked men; So M r Broughton renders, Is it meet that one say to a King, Belial? Some give it in the Vocative case, Is it meet for a subject to say to his Sovereign, O thou Belial! O thou wicked one? Dare any speak thus to a King?
This word Belial is often used in Scripture, to note, not only a wicked man in general, but an eminently wicked man, even a man in whom all wickedness is (as it were) centred and settled, the very lees and dregs of all men, who may be called wicked. When Jezebel procured and suborned two false witnesses against Naboth, it is said, There came in two men, children of Belial, (1 Kings 21.13.) and sat before him: and the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth in the presence of the people, saying, &c. These witnesses were perjured persons; to tell a lie is the worst of sins, what then is it to swear a lie? no word could reach the height of this wickedness more fully, then to call them children of Belial. When the Lord comforted the Church with the glad tidings of the Gospel, ( Nah. 1.15.) Behold the feet of those upon the mountains that preach peace; O Jerusalem keep thy solemn Feasts, perform thy Vowes; He subjoins this promise as a reason, The wicked shall no more pass thorough thee, he is utterly cut off: We put in the margin, Belial shall no more pass thorough thee; that is, thou shalt then be freed from those Belialists who formerly interrupted thy peace, by vexing and persecuting thee, or profaned thy holy Assemblies by mixing themselves with thee: But I give thee assurance the time is coming, when Belial shall no more trouble thee. Yea Belial is a Title so full of wickedness, that it fits the Devil himself, whom the Scripture brands with that black mark, The wicked one, or the evil one. The Apostle puts that question with much holy disdain; (2 Cor. 6.14, 15.) What communion hath light with darkness? and what concord hath Christ with Belial? that is, Christ with the Devil? They differ from the Devil only in flesh and blood, in nature they are as bad as he, who bear his name.
This may yet further appear, if we look into the Grammatical derivation of it, Belial, is commonly expounded a man without a yoke, or a man that will not be yoked; that is, a man who will not come under command, a lawless person; so we translate the Apostle's word, (1 Tim. 1.9. ) The Law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly, and for sinners, &c. that is, for the sons of Belial, or, for such as will not endure the yoke; the Law is a yoke, Christ calls the Law of the Gospel his yoke, ( Matth. 11.29.) and they that will not bear the yoke of Christ, shall never have benefit by the Cross of Christ; we must take up the yoke of Christ, if we would taste the fruit of the Cross of Christ. Now a Beliallist, will not hear of, nor have to do with the yoke; he is like the wild Ass described in the 39 th of Job, who will not be taught to plow, nor be bound in the furrow; you cannot make the wild Ass work like the Ox. Wicked men have hard and stony hearts, yet such soft, tender, and delicate necks, that they cannot abide the yoke; 'tis their bondage to be tied to obedience.
Again, The notation of the word Belial, imports a person of no use, or altogether unprofitable, a man that is good for nothing, a mere unthrift, or spendthrift, a man that neither doth good to himself, nor to any others; as if he were born only to spoil and devour all that is before him, as if he came into the world to eat other men's labors, and not to labor that he might have to eat. Christ calleth the idle or slothful servant, an unprofitable servant, (Matth. 25.30.) and to be an unprofitable servant, is to be a son of Belial; one that hath no good in his heart, nor doth any good in his place, neither in his private nor public capacity; neither in his own family, nor in the neighbourhood, and Nation where he lives. No man is born for himself, nor ought any man to live to himself. It were better not to live, then not to be doing good while we live. He that liveth only to profit himself, liveth to little purpose; to what purpose then doth he live, whose life is altogether unprofitable to himself? And indeed, he that is not in some respect or other a common good, or good to others, cannot be good, nor do any true good to himself; yet such is the wicked man represented under the notion of this Text. Seeing then there are such bad and base significancies in the bowels of this word; is it sufferable by a King? Is it fit to say to a King, thou art Belial, or wicked?
What can be said more unfitly? What greater reproach can be cast upon a King (who ought to be a living Law, a breathing Law, as also the Keeper of the Law by way of conservation and protection) then to call him Belial, or one that will not keep the Law at all by way of observation? There are two ways of keeping the Law, First, By Conservation; so Kings preserve the Laws that they may have their free course to others, and be obeyed by others; in which sense Kings are commonly called Keepers of both Tables. Secondly, By observation; and as in the former sense 'tis the prerogative of Kings to be Keepers of the Law, so it is their piety and their goodness to be Keepers of them in the latter. 'It is possible a King may be a Keeper of the Law by Conservation, and yet not be a Keeper of it by Observation; but then he shines most bright in the sphere of his Royal Sovereignty, when he is every way a keeper of the Law of God, and (so far as they respect himself) of his own.
Further, Is it fit to say to a King, Belial? As Belial designs an unprofitable person, a man good for nothing, a man of no use; what? Upon the Throne, and yet of no use to a Nation? How high an indignity is this to Regal dignity? Kings are set up for the greatest use, for the most important services, even for the profit and advantage of mankind, especially of all within their Kingdoms and Dominions; as all are to serve them in their state, so they count it their chiefest honor to advance the peace and profit of all their peaceable and profitable subjects: Therefore nothing can be said more dishonourably to a King then this, Thou art good for nothing, an unprofitable person, Belial. Is it fit to say to a King, Thou art wicked?
The word rendered Princes, signifies munificent, bountiful, free, willing; so Princes are called, to show what they are or should be, men of bountiful, noble, munificent, heroic, free spirits, open hearted, and open handed; they who are so, are Princes in truth as well as in Title. The holy Spirit of God, or God the holy Spirit, is called a Princely Spirit, (Psal. 51.12.) we read it Free Spirit; and this free Princely Spirit of God, makes all his people of a free Princely spirit, of a large heart, both as to duty Godwards, and as to charity man-wards; ( Psal. 110.3.) In the day of thy power the people shall be willing; they shall be as Princes; they shall serve thee as sons, not as slaves; a Royal Spirit is conveyed into them by the Spirit in the day of the Power of Jesus Christ, or when he conquers them to the obedience of himself. By this appellation, worldly Princes, the Princes of this world are expressed in sacred language, that so their very names might mind them of being such, and of doing such things as are the ornament both of their persons and places. These two high Titles in the Text, Kings and Princes, are sometimes taken for the same; and in strictest sense, Princes are the next degree, or but one remove from Kings.
Again, There are some called Princes, who have the supreme power within their own Territories. Others are called Princes, who have a delegated or derived power from Kings. The Apostle speaks of such, (1 Pet. 2.13.) charging the Church and people of God, to submit to every Ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the King as supreme; or unto Governors as sent by him, for the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well. Elihu brings in both, for the fuller confirmation of his point, and the stronger conviction of Job, Is it fit to say to a King, thou art wicked? and to Princes (who stand about his Throne, and serve him in his Government) ye are ungodly? Ye regard neither right nor reason, neither what's fit to be done, nor what to be advised? That's the sense of the words as they are an argument from the less to the greater; If it be an uncomely and undecent thing (saith Elihu) to say to a King thou art wicked? and to Princes ye are ungodly? How much more to him that accepteth not the persons of Princes? &c.
Hence Note.
This Text speaks of Kings and Princes; and the most of men are inferior not only to Kings, but to Princes. God hath not made man upon earth as minims in writing, all of a height; but as in the alphabet of Letters, some are longer and deeper then others; so in the Alphabet of mankind, some men are bigger and higher then others. Kings and Princes are but men, yet they are men in a great letter, or they are among men as the Aleph among the letters, which as it is first in order, so it signifies a Prince, a Chief, a Leader. And if the most wise God had not ordered such an inequality among men, how should order have been kept among men? Nothing (considering the corruptions and lusts of men) can be more unequal then that equality which some have vainly contended for among men. All men would fall down into confusion, if some were not above. That which keeps all up, is, only that some are uppermost, Kings and Princes.
Secondly, (which is here principally aimed at,) Note.
When we say It is not fit, we say less then the thing is, or then the Text intendeth; there is more evil in it then a bare unfitness, 'tis indeed a very great wickedness, and ungodliness, to say to a King, thou art wicked, and to Princes, ye are ungodly.