PuritanSearch

Vers. 19. How much less to him that accepteth not the persons of Princes?

Who is that? The words are a clear Periphrasis of God, he accepts not the persons of Princes. As if Elihu had said; the Kings and Princes of the earth, expect such great respect from their subjects, that no man should dare to censure them or speak evil of them, though they do evil, or deal unjustly; how much more unfit is it to speak evil of God, or to charge his government with injustice, who never doth any evil, all whose ways are not only just, but justice. He that accepteth not the persons of Princes, who are the greatest of men, can have neither will nor motive to deal unjustly with any man. I shall not stay to show what it is to accept persons? because that hath been shown at the 7 ^th verse of the 13 ^th Chapter, as also Chapter 32.21. only I will give it in one word; To accept persons is to have more respect to the man then to the matter; and that's a very common fault among men, and as commonly condemned by God. 'It is a received axiom, He that would or doth put on the person of a Judge, must put off the person of a friend; that is, he must not be swayed by any respect whatsoever of friendship, or alliance, but must judge purely as the cause deserveth.

Nor shall I stay to urge the greatness of the sin of speaking anything uncomely of God, that also hath been spoken to in many former passages of this Chapter. Only from these words, How much less to him that accepth not the person of Princes?

Note First.

That which ought not to be done or spoken to the greatest of men, ought much less to be either done or spoken to God.

The reason is, because, first, God is infinitely more to be reverenced then any man. Secondly, because God is infinitely more able to take vengeance, and certainly will, of any that shall do or speak evil to him, then the greatest among the children of men. Yet how many are there who dare not offend a man, not a great man especially, either by word or deed, who are not afraid by both to offend and provoke the great God? O remember, the force of this text; If it be not fit to speak unduly of Princes, How much less of him that accepteth not the persons of Princes?

Hence note, Secondly.

God is no accepter of persons.

He hath no respect to Princes in prejudice to truth and righteousness, but in every nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousness (be he never so poor) is accepted with him, (Acts 10.35.) and in every nation he that feareth him not, but worketh unrighteousness (be he never so great) is unacceptable yea abominable to him. The Scripture often attributes this glory to God, ( Deut: 10.17. 2 Chron: 19.7. Gal: 2.6. Col: 3.25.) And as it is the glory of God, that he is no accepter of persons, so it is the duty of man ( Deut: 1.17.) Judgment must proceed and conclude with respect to the rule, and command of God, not with respect to the persons of men, or our relations to them. Levi was highly commended for this ( Deut: 33.9.) who said unto his father and to his mother, I have not seen him; neither did he acknowledge his brethren, nor knew his own children, &c. When man accepteth not the persons of men he acteth most like God, of whom Elihu saith, He accepteth not the persons of Princes,

Nor regardeth the rich more then the poor.

That's a further description of God; He doth not regard, that is, acknowledge or know the one more then the other; He is (in the best things) as communicative to, and converseth as familiarly with the poor as the rich; yea, he doth not value or prize the rich man more then the poor; the poor man is worth as much as the rich man in God's account; suppose the rich man worth thousands, yea ten thousands of gold and silver, and the poor man so poor that he is not worth a shilling, yet in the account of God the poor man is worth as much as the rich man.

The Scripture speaks of two sorts both of rich and poor men; There are men rich in spirituals, such Christ intimates, who are ( Luke 12.20.) rich towards God, or as he speaks of the Church of Smyrna (Rev: 2.9.) rich in grace, I know thy poverty, but thou art rich; That is, I know thou art poor in earthly pelf, but rich in spirituals. The Apostle James puts the question ( Chap: 2.5.) Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom. Now, it is most certain, that God regardeth the rich in spirituals, more then the poor in spirituals, he highly regardeth those that are poor in spirit, and pronounceth them blessed (Math: 5.3.) for theirs is the kingdom of heaven; But he regardeth not those who are poor in spirituals; not them especially who boast of their spiritual riches when they have none (they that have them are thankful for them, they do not boast of them) as the Church of Laodicea did, of whom Christ said ( Rev: 3.16, 17.) I will spew thee out of my mouth, because thou sayest I am rich & increased in goods, and knowest not that thou art poor. Thus you see, there are a sort of rich men, whom Christ regardeth more then the poor of that sort. But as poor and rich are distinguished merely by abundance and want, by the smallness and greatness of their portion in the things of this world, as Dives and Lazarus in the parable were, so he regardeth not the rich more then the poor. When a poor man is gracious as well as poor, God regardeth him more then any rich man who hath no grace; And when either both have grace alike, or both are alike without grace, he regardeth them both alike. When rich and poor have grace, they are both greatly regarded, and when neither of them have grace, neither of them are at all regarded by the God of all grace. Thus 'tis plain, God regardeth the rich no more then the poor, nor the poor any whit less then the rich.

The word rendered rich, signifieth also bountiful (Isa: 32.5.) 'It is also rendered, The helpful, the saving man; for though rich men are not always helpful with their riches, nor ready to save others in distress; yet rich men may do both: they have always in their hand power and usually opportunity to be helpful to the poor, and to save the distressed. And surely, as the Lord regardeth not the rich more then the poor; so he regardeth those rich men least of all, who have no regard to help and save the poor. Once more, Some derive the word which we translate rich, from a root which signifieth to clamour, or to speak out and boldly, which complyes well with that sentence of Solomon (Pro: 18.23.) The poor useth entreaties (that is, he speaketh humbly or by way of supplication) but the rich answereth roughly. And as God regardeth not the rich more then the poor, so he regardeth those rich men least, who speak loudly and roughly to the poor. Having thus opened the assertion of Elihu, that God regardeth not the rich more then the poor; let us consider, The reason of it in the next words.

For they are all the work of his hands.

As if he had said, God cannot but deal impartially with all, because all are the work of his hands: what reason hath he to respect one more then another, seeing the one is no more to him then toother, they are all the work of his hands. Man as man is the offspring of God (Acts 17.28.) He is also the work of his hands; that is, man is made by his power; As man descendeth from man, so he is called the fruit of the womb; but as man is the offspring of God, so he is called the work of his hands, and his hands have wrought the poor man as well as the rich; They are all the work of his hands in a twofold respect.

First, In their natural constitution; God hath molded them in the same fashion, he hath given each of them a body and a soul; A body framed of the same parts, a soul consisting of the same powers. God hath bestowed as much care and cost upon the making of a poor man's body and soul, as upon the rich man's. The richest man in the world, cannot boast that he hath any one member in his body or faculty in his soul, more then a poor man hath.

Secondly, Look upon the rich and poor in their Civil state, and so likewise they are the work of his hands: and that I conceive, is here intended as much as, if not more, then the former; not only is God the maker of the poor and of the rich in their natural state, soul and body; but as poo • , and rich, he is the maker of them; that is, he maketh one man poor, and another man rich, as himself pleaseth. ( Prov: 22.2.) The rich and the poor meet together, the Lord is the maker of them all. He hath made them men, and he hath made them rich or poor men. There is as much of the power and wisdom of God seen in making some men poor and others rich, as there is in making them men; yea God thinks himself as much honored in our acknowledgements that the poor with their poverty, as that the rich with all their riches, are the work of his hands.

Hence Note.

First, Poor men are as much the work of God as the rich.

As they have the same nature, and are of the same matter, as they are both made of the same stuff, or are both of a piece, so they have the same maker; and their maker hath been at as much charge in the making of the one, as in the making of the other; yea, and usually, the poor man yields him a better rent, and brings more into his Treasury then the rich man doth.

Secondly Note.

It is the Lord who makes men poor, and makes men rich.

Agur prayed ( Prov. 30.8.) Give me neither poverty nor riches. Agur knew poverty was a gift of God as well as riches. It hath been said (though profanely) Every man is the fashioner of his own fortune, or the contriver of his own condition. Some who acknowledge God hath made them men, think they have made themselves rich, or great men; and we commonly look on those who fail in their worldly Estates, that they have made themselves poor and low in the world. I grant, there is a sense wherein men make themselves rich, and make themselves poor; that is, when they do either by their sins. God is not so engaged in the making of a man rich, when he enricheth himself by his sin, by deceiving or oppressing his brethren, as when he groweth rich in a way of righteousness: He that is enriched by oppression, or deceit, or sets his nest on high by flattery, or by fraud, cannot thank God for his riches, or honors; and if he doth, he blasphemously makes God a partner in those sins by which he hath got his riches and honors. For though it be a truth that there is a hand of God in his gettings, (for all the craft, and policy, and oppression which men use, will never be able to make them either rich or great, if God did not permit and order it so) yet the heart of God is not with him in it, and God will not own his own hand in giving them wealth or power, further then as they are a testimony against them, of his goodness, and their ingratitude. We may also say of some poor men, they have made themselves poor, not God; He made Job poor, The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away, was his humble acknowledgement ( chap. 1.21.) but there are some, of whom we cannot so much say God hath made them poor by his sad providences to them, as that they have made themselves poor by their idleness and improvidence, or by their prodigality and vain profuseness; yet even of such poor men we may truly say, there be a righteous hand of God upon them in leaving or giving them up to the lusts of their own heart, their laziness, or lavishness, which produce their utter undoing, and bring them to a morsel of bread. So that let men be in what condition they will, the Lord is the former of it. The diligent hand maketh rich, but it is with the blessing of God; and when an indiligent man becomes poor, it is the curse of God upon him for his sin, as well as the consequent of his sin. Yea, when an honest diligent man becomes poor, (that's the case of some) it is the Lord's with-holding of his blessing, which makes all his labors fruitless and successless; such a man is indeed one of God's poor, or a poor man of God's making; and God will surely make the poverty of such a man (if he continue in a believing dependence upon him, and in an humble submission to him, if he know how to want as well as to abound, how to be hungry as well as to be full, and in every estate hath learned therewith to be content, as the holy Apostle had, then (I say) God will surely make the poverty of such a man better to him then riches, or the largest portion of this worlds enjoyment. The poor of God's special making, are under his special keeping and blessing: As they have but little, so they want nothing; God himself will always be not only enough, but all to them.

Take two further inferences from the whole verse.

First,

Princes, great and rich men must not expect to fare better with God because of their greatness or riches. For,

He doth not regard the rich more then the poor.

Secondly,

The meanest man needs not fear that he shall fare the worse before God for his meanness.

The most high God will not overlook those in a low estate, he regardeth the poor as well as the rich; and that's matter of great comfort to the poor, when disregarded by the rich. Though the Lord doth not make all men of an equal respect in the world, 'tis his will that some men should be more regarded by men then others are, yet himself (in the sense opened) beareth an equal respect to them all; He regardeth not the rich more then the poor, for they are all the work of his hands.

JOB. Chap. 34. Vers. 20, 21, 22.

In a moment shall they die, and the people shall be troubled at midnight, and pass away: and the mighty shall be taken away without hands.

For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his doings.

There is no darkness nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.

IN these three verses Elihu doth two things principally; First, He sets forth the judgments of God; Secondly, He gives an account of the equity of them. He sets forth the judgments of God,

First, More generally, Upon People and Nations.

Secondly, Upon Princes and Governors; All this in the 20 ^th verse. And in this judgment of God upon Nations, we may take notice,

First, Of the nature of it, and how it is described: and that is laid down three ways. First, They shall die. Secondly, They shall be troubled. Thirdly, They shall pass away. Under these Notions the judgment of God upon People and Nations is expressed.

Secondly, We may here consider the suddenness of all this, In a moment they shall die.

Thirdly, We may consider the season, (or rather as to man, the unseasonableness) of it, it shall be (though in a dreaming time) when they little dream of it; The people shall be troubled at midnight. Thus we have the judgment or sad dispensation of God described in this 20 ^th verse, both as to the acts of it, and likewise as to the manner of it upon the people.

Elihu having shown the judgment of God upon the people in the former part of this 20 ^th verse, declares also his judgment upon the Princes in the latter end of it; The mighty shall be taken away without hand. Where we see, First, How Princes are expressed or called, They are the mighty. Secondly, What kind of judgment befalleth them, They are taken away. Thirdly, The manner how this is brought about, They are taken away without hand.

From the matter of the judgment of God both upon people and Princes, Elihu proceeds to give the reason why the Lord deals thus with both; This he doth in the two verses following.

First, Because of their sin; They are workers of iniquity; in the close of the 22 ^th verse.

Secondly, Because, as they are workers of iniquity, so God is fully acquainted with all their iniquity, &c. He seeth all their works, and the iniquity of their works, nothing can cover it or them from his fight; and therefore, as Elihu asserts the omniscience of God positively in the 21 ^th verse, so negatively in the 22 ^th verse, There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves. Now seeing the works of those Nations and Princes were naught, and the naughtiness of them was evident to God, how could he but punish them? And how just and righteous is he in punishing of them? By all this Elihu clears his general Assertion, or the point he drives at all this chapter over, namely, to prove that God is righteous; against which position, he tells us before, Job having spoken dangerously, he was engaged to maintain it vigorously; which he doth here, especially in that eminent branch of it, mentioned at the 19 ^th verse, That he accepteth not the persons of Princes, nor regardeth the rich more then the poor. For, Princes as well as common people fall under his hand. So much for the parts and resolution of these three verses, as also for the general scope of them.

Yet before I go on to the particular explication of them, I would only mind the Reader of another Translation of the whole 20 ^th verse, which varieth somewhat from ours, rendering it as a description of the judgment of God upon Princes, by the violence of the people; whereas according to our Translation, it is a description of the judgment of God both upon people and Princes. The Translation I mean, is that of the Vulgar Latin, which runs in this form.

Vers. 20. Suddenly shall they die, at midnight the people shall be in a tumult, and shall pass over, and take away the violent man without hand.

This Reading, and the expositions given upon it, prove, That God is so far from accepting the persons of Princes, that he does not only tell them their own, and reprove them to their face for their wickedness and Apostasy (as was shown from the former reading of the 18 ^th verse) but deprives them also of their dignity, and pulls them from their power; And he doth it in such a manner, that every man may understand and see the hand of God in it, because they see no hands in it. The less of man appears in any work of providence, whether it be in a way of mercy or of judgment, the more of God is to be acknowledged in it: and where nothing of man appeareth, all, or the whole must be attributed unto God. The judgment which Elihu speaks of here, seems (according to this Interpretation) to have much of man in it; yet because the men supposed to be in it, are looked upon as such as can do little in it, or ought to do nothing in it, therefore 'tis said to be done without hands. Histories have given many examples, and dreadful instances of such calamities falling upon Princes by the rising of the people; and then they are said to be taken away

Without hand,

That is, Without any foreseen appearance of such a mischief; a hand which was not thought of being lifted up against them. It is said of wicked Zimri, who slew his master, that when he saw the people conspire against him, and the City taken, he went into the Palace of the King's house, and (in the heat of his rage) set it on fire, and burnt the Kings house over him, and died, (1 Kin. 16.18.) Justine reports the like conclusion (upon a like occasion) of Sardanapalus, that effeminate and voluptuous Monarch of the Assyrian Empire. They who prosecute this Translation, conceive Elihu reflecting upon Job in all this, who was very uncivilly treated by his own people, from whom he had deserved highest respects, as he complained at the 30 ^th chapter, they raised up against him the ways of their destruction; they used him very rudely, even despitefully; and he was in a pining consuming condition, as a man taken away without hand. But I shall not insist upon this reading, but take the words according to the scope before given, as a description of a mixed judgment from God; a judgment partly upon the people, and partly upon Princes, a judgment upon the many, and a judgment upon the mighty; In a moment shall they die.

In a moment.

The Text is, a moment they die; Not, that they shall die but a moment, or be only for a moment dead, but they shall die before a moment is over; there is an Elipsis of the preposition [Beth,] in the Hebrew, which we supply in our Translation, In a moment they shall die: A moment is the least particle or parcel of time; we cannot imagine anything shorter then a moment, 'tis the very point of time, ( Psal. 30.5.) His anger endureth for a moment, (saith David, when he would show how very short (comparatively) the anger of God towards his people is) but in his favor is life: Thus Solomon (Prov. 2.19.) He that speaketh truth, his tongue shall be established; but a lying tongue is for a moment: A lie cannot last long; he that speaks truth, what he speaks today, is good tomorrow, and tomorrow, and will be good forever; but a lying tongue is for a moment; that is, his lies will be discovered, and usually they are quickly discovered; though he live long to tell lies, or doth nothing but tell lies as long as he liveth, yet his lies are not long lived. Job describing the joy of the hypocrite ( chap. 20.5.) saith, It is but for a moment; like a fire of thorns, a blaze and gone: when the Apostle would strengthen and encourage the hearts of believers against all the troubles and sorrows of this present life, he calls them, (2 Cor. 4.17.) First, light, Secondly, short; Our light afflictions that are but for a moment, work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. And that we might know how quick the devil was at his work with Christ, the Scripture saith ( Luke 4.5.) He shown him all the Kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. As to show the instantaneousness of our change from death to life in the resurrection, it is said, (1 Cor. 15.52.) In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last Trump, we shall be changed: So to show the extreme suddenness of these men's change from life to death, it is said here, In a moment

They shall die.

They? Who? Both great and small, one and another of them shall die, or be swept away by death in a moment. There is a twofold death;

First, Natural; When either sickness or old age dissolves the earthly house of this tabernacle. The natural death of some is very lingering and slow, others are suddenly snatched away, they die in a moment.

Secondly, There is a violent death; thus many are taken away by the sword Martial, or Civil, others casually: The Text is true both of natural and violent death, either of them may overtake us in a moment, yet I conceive the latter is here chiefly intended, In a moment shall they die; that is, some sudden destruction shall come upon them, they shall be surprised by an unlooked for disaster, and removed out of the world, while they had not a thought of their removal.

Hence Note.

First, Death of any sort, may befall all sorts of men.

None can plead exemption or privilege from the grave. It is appointed to men once to die; most die a natural death, and any man may die a violent death; who knows how he shall go out of this world? Christ told Peter, (John 21.18.) When thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldst not. This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And what kind of death was that? The Church History assureth us, 'twas a violent death. He (as his master Jesus Christ) was nailed to a Cross, and died. We come but one way into the world, but there are a thousand ways of going out.

Note Secondly.

Death comes suddenly upon many men, and may upon all men.

The whole life of the longest liver in this world, is but a moment, compared to eternity; and there is not any moment of our life, but (with respect to second causes) we are subject to death in it: We always in some sense (though at sometimes more) carry our lives in our hand, and how soon, or by what hand they may be snatched out of ours, we know not.

Now if our whole life be but a moment, and we subject to death every moment, how should we stand prepared for death every moment? And how sad is it to think, that they who may die the next moment, should for days, and weeks, and months, and years, never prepare for death? Most are loath to think of the end of their lives, till they are nearer the end of them; yet no man knoweth how near he is to the end of his life. Many put off the thoughts of death till it cometh, yet none can put off the coming of death; they would remove the meditation of death to the fall of their leaf, to the winter, and worst of their old age, yet they are not able to remove death one moment from the Spring and best of their youth.

Note, Thirdly.

Violent death, by the sore and severe judgment of God, often sweeps multitudes away in a moment.

God can thrust whole throngs of men, yea whole Nations into their graves together; it is said ( Numb. 16.21.) of Corah and his companions, The earth did cover, or swallow them up in a moment: And the Lord commanded Moses, to say unto the children of Israel (Exod. 33.5.) ye are a stiff-necked people; I will come up into the midst of thee in a moment, and consume thee: As if the Lord had said, I will take no long time for it, I can quickly dispatch you; how many soever there are of you, I will do it in a moment. We have a like description of the sudden and quick dispatch of men at the Lord's word of Command, ( Psal. 73.19.) How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment, they are utterly consumed with terrors? The final ruin of Babylon was thus prophesied ( Isa. 47.9.) These two things shall come to thee in a moment, in one day, the loss of children and widdowhood, they shall come upon thee in their perfection; Thou shalt utterly be destroyed, and perish at once forever. The Prophet Jeremiah (Lam. 4.6.) bewailed the destruction of Jerusalem, whose calamity was greater then that of Sodom and Gomorrah, which God destroyed in a moment: Sodom and Gomorrah were great Cities, yet how soon consumed! In some sense, there is a greater evil in a lingering destruction, then in a speedy one; so the Prophet aggravates death by famine, beyond death by fire; because to die by famine is a lingering death. Caesar being warned that some lay in wait to destroy him suddenly, slighted it, and said, unexpected death is most desirable. And that's the lot of many great men; to which some conceive the Psalmist had respect, when he said, ( Psal. 82.7.) Ye shall die li • e men, and fall like one of the Princes; that is, suddenly. But though in some sense a speedy death is more eligible then a lingering one, yet in many respects, to die suddenly, or in a moment, may be concluded a far greater judgment, then to see death coming by degrees, and destruction walking towards us step by step. Solomon (Prov. 1.27.) speaks of swift destruction, of destruction coming like a whirlwind; swift destruction overtakes them who are slow paced to receive and obey instruction. Thus the Lord can deal both with persons and with Nations; he needs not make any delays, nor take time to do it, their destruction shall come (if he will send it) in a day, in an hour, yea, in a moment shall they die,

And the people shall be troubled at midnight.

That is, the body, or generality of the people, the many shall be troubled; they shall be as men amazed, or as the Metaphor imports, they shall be disjointed; Men associated under due Laws of Government, are as so many members of a well compacted Body; but when broken and scattered, they are like a body whose members are dislocated, or out of joint, unfit for any use or service. And as there is a laxation of the members of the body, a disjointing of the bones, so there is a disjointing of the faculties of the mind; In times of great trouble, not only is the body Politick, which consists of many men, but the mind of everybody, or of every single man is much out of joint. The word is applied to those great concussions of the world ( Psal. 18.17.) The earth shook and trembled, the foundations also of the hills were moved, and were shaken at the presence of the Lord, because he was wroth; which we may interpret of the Princes and Powers of the earth, who are as hills and mountains; if the Lord do but touch them in anger, they move, yea tremble. The word is applied also to the waves of the Sea, ( Jer. 5.22.) which roar, and toss themselves: we commonly say, as in the Text, the Sea is troubled, or 'tis a troubled Sea, a tossing Sea. That expression is also common among us, when we see a man much disquieted, he is (we say) in a great toss; even as a ship at Sea upon the proud waves. Thus saith Elihu, the people shall be in a toss, they shall feel a storm in their minds, sudden gusts of fear and sorrow shall carry them they know not whither; or they shall be lifted up to heaven in vain confidences, and then fall down to hell in despairing thoughts, as the tempest at Sea is described in the 107 ^th Psalm. There is yet another rendering of the Text, in allusion to Drunkards, who are overcome with wine, ( Jer. 25.16.) And they shall drink, and be moved, and be mad; the word which we translate move, is that in the Text; now we know drunkenness moves men, and puts all into disorder and disquietment: Thus the people (through the fierce anger of God, and the wine of astonishment which he gives them to drink) shall be moved, they shall reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man. Great troubles and afflictions are called in Scripture the wine of astonishment, because they make many say and do they scarce know what; great troubles bereave men not only of their comforts, but of their reason; they do not only straiten them, but astonish them. They who have drowned their wits in cups of worldly pleasure, may soon have them drowned in full and overflowing cups of worldly sorrow.

Besides this Exposition of the people's being troubled with perplexity, fear, and doubt, with anxiety, and uncertainty of spirit what to do, I say, besides this, there is another way of being troubled, upon which some Expositors specially insist. The people shall be troubled; that is, shall be in a tumult; they shall rise up seditiously, and (as, we say) make a commotion, they shall gather together as many waters, with a roaring noise. Many people, are compared to many Waters; and there is sometimes a confluence, a great confluence or flood of them tumbling together: The Poet tells us elegantly what rude work a people make when they rise up like a flood of troubled waters. Their rage (saith he) finds out weapons, one throws stones, another throws firebrands, till all's in a sad combustion: These waters, if let alone, may quickly put all into a flame. The Psalmist ascribes the quieting of the Sea, and the quieting of the people to God in one verse; yea, I conceive the one is but the explication of the other, ( Psal. 65.7.) Which stilleth the noise of the Seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of their people. Thus saith Elihu, the people shall be in a tumult, (this suits with that exposition first given) ready to destroy whomsoever they meet next, or those especially who never did nor meant them any other hurt but to keep the peace, or bridle their headstrong fury.

Yet, I rather adhere to the former Interpretation, The people shall be troubled, that is, they shall be in a great consternation of spirit, neither being able (which they seldom are) to advise themselves what to do, nor fit to receive (which they seldom will) advice from others. And (as Elihu adds) they shall be thus troubled

At midnight.

Or, In the half of the night, as the words may be rendered; that's a great aggravation of the judgment. The night is a time of rest, and midnight is the time of deepest rest; so that for the people to be in a tumult, or troubled at midnight, is to be overtaken with matter of fear, when fear seemed furthest off, or when they suspected nothing to make them afraid. David saith of some, ( Psal. 3.5.) There were they in great fear, where no fear was. To fear at midnight, is to fear when usually no fear is, that is, when people are at rest in their beds: And so to say, the people shall be troubled at midnight, signifieth either, First, the coming of trouble upon a secure people, upon a people who thought themselves, and while they thought themselves not only out of the noise, but reach of danger: Or secondly, It may signify the coming of trouble upon a people altogether unfit to help themselves; when a man is asleep, he cannot give counsel how to prevent danger, and while he is in his bed, he is in no posture to oppose it. All this may well be included in what Elihu saith, The people shall be troubled at midnight.

Hence Note. First,

There are National troubles as well as personal.

God can scare not only a family, or this and that particular man, but a whole people at once; he cannot only make a child, or a woman, but a multitude, yea an Army of mighty men tremble like a child, and faint as the weakest woman. A people are many, yet every man shall be as if he were alone, or but one in the midst of innumerable dangers, and of a thousand deaths. Moses in his Song foresaw the dread of Nations upon the report of the Lord's miraculous conduct of Israel through the red Sea, ( Exod. 15.14, 15, 16.) The people shall hear, and be afraid; sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of Palestine, all the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away. And when Christ speaks of those dreadful Prognostics of his coming, he not only saith, There shall be signs in the Sun, and in the Moon, and in the Stars, but upon the Earth distress of Nations, with perplexity, (Luke 21.25.)

Secondly, Observe.

Both personal and public troubles are at the command of God, as both public and personal peace are.

A people as well as a person, may and shall be troubled, even at the midnight of their greatest security, if God give the word. I make peace (saith the Lord, Isa: 45.7.) and create evil; that is, the evil of trouble. There will be occasion afterward to speak further of this point from those words ( v. 29.) When he giveth quietness, who can give trouble, and when he hideth his face, who can behold him? Whether it be done against a nation, or against a man only; trouble of all sorts is at the command of God; if he saith to such or such a mischief, go to a nation, it will go; if he bid the sword trouble them, if he bid pestilence trouble them, if he bid famine trouble them, if he bid their own divisions trouble them, the people shall be troubled; yea, they shall be troubled at midnight.

Whence note, Thirdly.

Trouble takes or seazeth upon many when they least expect it.

God can send trouble when no man thinks of it. At midnight everyone is in bed, all are for rest and quiet. The Lord usually executes his judgments upon the unwary world, upon a secure people ( Exod: 12.29.) At midnight the Lord smote all the sirstborne in the land of Egypt, &c. And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he and all his servants, and all the Egyptians, and there was a great cry in Egypt. We read also (2 Kings 19.35.) In that night the Angel of the Lord went out and smote in the campe of the Assyrians, an hundred four-score and sive thousand. It was not a day-battle, but a night-battle; When they were all gone into their tents, and were at rest, when the Army was secure; In that night did the Lord fight them by an Angel, and made a mighty slaughter among them. Belshazzar king of the Chaldeans was slain in the night ( Dan: 5.30.) even in that night wherein he made a feast to a thousand of his Lord's, and drank wine before the thousand (v. 1.) In that night not only of his security, but of his jollity and sensuality, when he had even drowned himself and his great Lord's with wine and belly-cheare, in that very night the City was broken up, and Belshazzar slain; History tells us what dreadful work was made upon the Babylonians that night. The great Judgment day is so described; Jesus Christ will, at last, trouble the world at midnight; The Day of the Lord so cometh (saith the Apostle, 1 Thes: 5.2.) as a thief in the night; when they shall say peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them, &c, Christ himself shadowing his coming under the parable of the ten Virgins, who all slumbered and slept, tells us ( Math: 25.6) At midnight there was a cry made, Behold the Bridegroom conteth, go ye out to meet him. Though some were in a better condition then others, some wise, some foolish, yet all slept, and it was a kind of midnight to them all. Christ will come, and the people shall be troubled at midnight, and then there will be a dreadful Cry among the secure drowsy world. Therefore the Counsel of Christ is most proper ( Math: 13.35.) Watch, because ye know not at what hour your Master may come, whether at even, or at midnight, or at Cock-trowing, or in the morning. It is hard to be put to it at midnight, 'tis sad to be in a sleepy or slumbering condition when evil comes. The Gospel showeth us, how much that man was troubled, when his neighbor came to borrow bread of him at midnight ( Luke 11.5.7.) Trouble me not, my children are with me in bed, I cannot rise and give thee. If it be matter of trouble to be called out of our bed to do a courtesy for a friend at midnight, O what will it be to be called up to Judgment, or to be surprised with any Judgment at midnight! Therefore prepare and be ready for all changes. At midnight the people shall be troubled,

And pass away.

These words are a third part of the description of the Judgment of God upon a people; they shall die, they shall be troubled, they shall pass away; that is, some of them shall die, all shall be troubled, others shall pass away. There is a three-fold notion of passing away.

First, Some expound it thus, They shall be carried captive out of their own Country; This with the former two make up a perfect Judgment upon any people; Some shall die, or be slain, all shall be troubled and vext, they shall be at their wits end, and the rest shall be carried away captive.

Secondly, They shall pass away; that is, they shall pass into their graves; the form of speech here used may well bear that sense, for death is a passing away, a passing out of this world ( Psal: 37.36. ) Loe he passed away and was gone, that is, he died; And that which is as death to the heavens and the earth (their great change when ever it shall be) is called a passing away (Math: 5.18.) Till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass away from the Law till all be fulfilled; that is, the Law shall stand in force as long as the world stands. Thus to pass away is to die. But I conceive, we are to expound this third branch of the Judgment distinctly from the former two, and therefore for as much as we have death in the first words, it will not be proper to take in death here again, or to expound passing away by dying. The third notion, of, they shall pass away, is, they shall run or flee for it, they know not whether, they shall flee for their lives from the danger impending over them. As some shall die, and all be troubled, so not a few shall endeavor to save their lives by flight. Christ in the Gospel foretold the great troubles and afflictions which should come upon Jerusalem, and in them there was a sad concurrence or meeting of these three Judgments in the text. For when after forty years the Romans invaded and ruined their City, many died & were destroyed by sword and famine, all the people were troubled; Oh in what a hurry were they to see the Roman Eagle displayed before their Gates! and then they passed away; that is, as many as could, withdrew and got out of the danger. It is reported in history, that before the Seidge of that City, a voice was heard in Jerusalem, saying, (Migremus hinc) let us pass from hence, they who believed that warning, departed soon after; And as some passed away before the Judgment came, so when it was come, many were striving to be gone, or to pass away. Therefore Christ admonished them ( Math: 24.20.) Pray that your flight be not in the winter, nor on the Sabbath day. I conceive, we are to understand this text distinctly of such a passing away. In a moment shall they die, and the people shall be troubled at midnight, and pass away; they shall do what they can to secure themselves by out-running the danger.

Note from it, First.

God hath variety of means to humble a sinful people.

Into how many ways do the Judgments of God divide themselves; several persons bear several parts; here is death to many, trouble to all, flight to some. That, in the Prophet, answers it fully ( Jer: 15.1.) where the Lord protesting that nothing (no not the intercession of Moses and Samuel ) should take him off from his resolve against that people, saith, Such as are for death to death, and such as are for the sword to the sword, and such as are for the famine to the famine, and such as are for the captivity to the captivity. There's pestilence, and sword, and famine and captivity ready at the call of God to take away a provoking people.

Secondly, Note.

To pass away, or to be put to our flight, is a grievous Judgment.

To flee from the face of the pursuer, to run for our lives, who knows the trouble and terror of it, but they that have been in it? what a mercy is it that our dwellings are continued to us? that we abide in our places, that we neither die in a moment, are not surprised by midnight-fears, but rest quietly in our beds, though fears at midnight have been ready to surprise us. What a mercy is it, that we are not passing away, running, fleeing into the wilderness, as the poor Churches of God have done in several ages?

So much of Judgment upon the people in that three-fold notion of it. We have here also Judgment upon Princes.

And the mighty shall be taken away without hand.

Not only the many, but the mighty shall feel the Judgments of God; For as 'tis said in the former verse, He accepteth not the persons of Princes, nor regardeth the rich more then the poor; The mighty and the meanest of men are alike to God, when they are alike in sinning against God: If they do evil alike, they shall suffer evil alike; God accepteth no man's person.

The mighty shall be taken away.

The word rendered, mighty, taken plurally, is used in Scripture to denote not only mighty men, but any creature that excels in might. And therefore according to the exigence of the place, it signifies sometimes Angels, who being spirits, exceed all flesh in might. The people of Israel in the wilderness did eat Angels food (Psal: 78.5.) the food of the Abirims, of the mighty or strong ones: And as it is applied to Angels who exceed the strongest men in strength, so it is applied to any sort of strong beasts, to the horse ( Jer: 47.3.) to Bulls, ( Isa: 34.7. Jer: 50.11. Psal: 22.13. Psal: 68.31.) Thus the word riseth above man to Angels, and falls below man to the beasts of the earth; here 'tis appliable only to strong and mighty men, of whom yet there are three sorts.

First, Some are men of a mighty arm.
Secondly, Others are mighty in Arms.
Thirdly, There are men mighty in Authority.

The first of these is a natural mighty man, he hath a mighty arm, a strong body, or he excels in bodily strength. The second is a marshall mighty man, a soldier, a man of war. The third is the Magistratical mighty man, he is clothed with power both to punish and reward: Possibly he may have no bodily might, yea, possibly he is no soldier, yet a man of such power he is, that he commands whole Nations. Now take the word Mighty in any of these three senses, and it is a truth, the mighty shall be taken away, the mighty in strength of the Arm, the mighty in strength of Armies, the mighty in power and dignity, are by the hand of the Almighty God

taken away.

They shall take them away (saith the Hebrew text) that is, say some (according to the first translation mentioned) the people shall violently take away the mighty. But by an usual Hebraism we may read it Impersonally, the mighty shall be taken away, concealing or leaving it to be understood by whom. Like that speech to the rich man ( Luke 12.25.) This night do they require thy soul of thee, (so we put in the Margin) that is, (as the text hath it) this night thy soul shall be required of thee, they shall take thy soul, that is, it shall be taken away; so here they shall take away the mighty, that is, the mighty shall be taken away or removed. We may take notice of a twofold remove or taking away.

First, There is a remove out of place and power; Thus a man is taken away when his authority is taken away.

Secondly, There is a removing or taking of a man out of the world; Thus they are taken away whose persons are destroyed, cut off, and perish. The mighty, both ways or either way are often taken away. The persons of many mighty men have fallen, and many more of them have fallen from their places and powers. Here they are under a general threatening, They shall be taken away. But how shall they be taken away? the text answers

without hand.

It is somewhat strange that they who are mighty, and have such power in their hand, should be taken away, and no hand touch them, or without hand. We use to say of a thing strangely gone, or gone we know not how, It cannot be gone without hands; yet thus the Lord deals judicially with the mighty of the world; They shall be taken away without hand. There may be a threefold understanding of that expression.

First, Thus; The mighty shall be taken away without hand; that is, they shall have no hands to help them, or they shall be destitute of all human help. Sometimes God leaves or strips the mighty naked, they who have had great power, and many thousands standing up to defend them, have not a hand for them, and so are taken away without hand, no man drawing a sword or striking a stroke for them.

Secondly, To do a thing without hand, is to do it with the smallest appearance of second causes or instruments. We are ready to say, there must be a great deal of tugging to get the mighty down, who like Oaks are strongly rooted and highly grown, who look like mountains, which cannot be removed, yet (saith Elihu ) the Lord can take them away without hand; that is, easily, without any trouble at all, little means or very improbable means being used to effect it. So then to do a thing without hand, is to do it as if we put no hand no stress to it when we do it. As they who move swiftly or lightly are said to go without setting a foot on the ground ( Dan: 8.5.) the He-Goat came and touched not the ground, he did rather fly then go. So to do a thing, as if we did not put a hand to it, is to do it with the greatest ease imaginable.

Thirdly, To do a thing without hand, is to do it without any visible means at all, even by the immediate stroke or power of God. There is a hand of God in all things that are done in the world, but some things are done without any other hand, and are therefore most properly said to be done without hand. Thus the Lord is able to do the greatest things, even to take mighty men from the earth, no hand of man appearing or joining with him in the action. Now, because God usually sets instruments a work to effect his will in the world, and to bring about his counsels, therefore in what work soever he either quite leaves or seems to leave instruments out, that work is said to be done without hand. The stone which shall grow up to be a great mountain, that is, the kingdom of Christ, is called a stone cut out without hands (Dan: 2.34.) that is, without human power. The kingdom of Christ shall be set up so much by the power of God without any earthly contribution, that it shall confessedly be said to be set up without hands. Though we ought not to neglect the coming and advancement of the kingdom of Christ in the world, yet we should not be anxiously careful about it, when we see little or no means for it, yea though we see great very great means set against it, because a stone cut out without hands shall do it.

The Apostle useth this form of speaking, both as to eternalls and spirituals. Concerning the former he is express (2 Cor. 5.1.) We know that when the earthly house of this tabernacle is dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens; that is, a house of God's own immediate making, a house to the making whereof man hath added nothing. The fabric of this visible world is a house made without hands, much more is heaven, and the glorious unseen state which Saints shall have hereafter. The house above, or state of Glory is wholly of God's making. And as our eternal estate is expressed by a house made without hands, so our spiritual estate is called by the same Apostle, A work done without hands (Col: 2.11.) where having asserted our completeness in Christ ( v. 10.) he adds, In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands. The external literal circumcision was made with hands; there was an operation of man in it, the cutting off the foreskin of the flesh, but in the spiritual circumcision, man hath no hand, it is the work of God alone; as also that effectual faith is which always accompanieth it, and is therefore called ( v. 12.) the faith of the operation of God. There is a temporary faith which we may call a faith of the operation of man, but true saving faith is the operation of God, and may be said as the spiritual circumcision (which was signified and shadowed by the corporal) to be made without hands.

Now as the Scripture speaks both of spirituals and eternalls which are made without hands, so this text speaks of externals and providentialls in the same language, The mighty shall be taken away without hand, that is, without any creature-help or visible human hand; what ever is done without a visible hand, is done by the hand of God. Elihu intimates a punishment upon the mighty, which (as to the effecting of it) cannot be assigned to anything in man, much less can the effecting of it, be hindered by man. The hand of God is most visible, in doing that which no visible hand hath done, or can undo. They shall be taken away without hand.

Hence note.

The mightiest have no might against God.

That cannot be avoided by any human power, which is done without human power. God slew the first-borne of Egypt, and destroyed the Assyrian host without hand, he did it by his Angel, no hand appearing against them. The Lord smote Herod, and he died without hand ( Acts 12.23.) Immediately (that is, presently, as the Greek word imports, 'tis true also, immediately, that is, without human means, as our English word also imports) the Angel of the Lord smote him, and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the Ghost. What a poor worm was that mighty man in the hand of God, when God slew him without hand, and commanded the worms to eat him? Jesus Christ, who is also the mighty God (Isa: 9.6.) called himself a worm and no man, in his humiliations for the redemption of lost man ( Psal: 22.6.) What are the mightiest men but worms to God, who is so mighty, that if he say the word, worms become their Masters. The mighty Giants are before God but pigmy's, punyes, or children. The Prophet gives a good warning ( Jer: 9.23.) Let not the mighty man glory in his might. Let him not glory in the might of his arm, Let him not glory in the might of his arms or Armies, though man have an Army of mighty men about him, yet let him not glory in them, no nor in the might of his power or authority. If any man useth his might against God, what is his might unto God? ( Psal: 58.1.) Why boastest thou O mighty man, that thou canst do mischief? If a man be mighty, and have a mind to do mischief with his might, especially if he boasteth in his might, because he can do mischief with it, he is not only sinful, but weak and foolish. There is no greater moral weakness then to boast either of natural, martial, or civil strength. Could any of the mighty men of this world stand before the might of God, they had somewhat to boast of. Read the word of the Lord against the mighty ( Isa: 2.10.) Behold the Kings and Captains of the earth trembling before the presence of the Lamb ( Rev: 6.15.) and then judge how weak the strongest are before the Lord? All ages are full of teaching examples, that there is no might to his who is Almighty.

Secondly, Note.

What ever God will do he can easily do it.

He can effect it with a look, with a cast of his eye, he can do it with a breath of his mouth, he can do it with a word. It is said ( Exod: 14.24.) God looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and through the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians, and took off their Chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily. To look upon them was an easy thing, God did not give them a stroke with his hand, but only a look with his eye, and that overthrew them.

Thirdly, Note.

God can do the greatest things alone.

He can subdue the mighty, though none come forth to his help against the mighty; they are cursed who do not help the Lord against the mighty, when they set their might against the Lord; ( Judge. 5.23.) Curse ye Mero • , (saith the angel of the Lord,) curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof, because they came not forth to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty. But though it be the sin of man not to help the Lord against the mighty, yet the withdrawing of their help doth not hinder the Lord in his purpose against the mighty: For, He taketh away the mighty without hands. Though men stir not, though angels should not stir to his help, yet his own arm can bring either salvation or destruction. It is said of the Lord ( Isa. 44.24.) He stretched out the heavens alone; there was none to help him to unfold that vast canopy of heaven, he stretched out the heavens alone. As in the Creation he made all alone, so in Providence he can act and effect all alone. It is a great glory to God, that he hath many instruments to help him, many tongues to speak for him, many hands to work for him; but it is a greater glory to God that he needs none to help him, none to speak or work for him. In this the glory of the Lord infinitely outshines the glory of all the mighty Kings and Princes of the earth. They have done, and can do mighty things, but not without hands, and therefore they have the hands of thousands at command for them; 'tis not their place to put their hand to the work, 'tis enough that they give commands and orders, 'tis the duty of others to execute all their righteous commands, and fulfil their orders. But the Lord hath not only a commanding power, but an executing power too in himself; though no hand move, yet his affairs stand not still. God, and all creatures put together, are no more then God alone without any creature: Many are useful, but none are necessary unto God. Take two inferences from it.

First, This is matter of terror to wicked men; though they see no hand in the world against them, much less any able to match them, least of all to check them, yea though they see all hands for them, yet this is no security to them, this is no assurance of one hours safety, seeing the Lord taketh away the mighty without hand, and he usually doth it when they see not which way any hand can reach them. It is the conclusion of one of the Ancients upon this place in reference to a mighty oppressor; He is invisibly pulled down, who did visibly pull down; He ruined others with hands, but himself shall be ruined without hand; he saw him whom he took away, but he shall not see him who takes him away. Let them who live without fear of any hand, remember the Apostles admonition, ( Heb. 10.31.) It is a fearful thing to fall into the hand of the living God, who takes away the mighty without hand.

Secondly, This is matter of wonderful comfort, to all that fear God, and trust upon him, whether Princes or people, whether mighty men or mean men. What though ye see no hand for you; yet 'tis enough if he be for you who saves you without hand. The protecting and saving power of God, is as great and as effectual as his destroying power is; yea, he oftener saves without hand, then he destroys without hand. As the Kings of the earth, so the great King of heaven and earth, loves to deal his favors, and bestow his rewards immediately with his own hand, but usually afflicts and punisheth by the hands of others. That's a most pregnant Scripture to this purpose, ( Hos. 1.7.) where the Lord promiseth to save Judah; But Judah might say, I am in a very low condition, and no help appears: Therefore he addeth, I will save them by the Lord their God; and will not save them by Bowe, nor by Sword, nor by Battle, nor by Horses, nor Horsemen. Judah shall be saved, though there be no hand to save them. I will save them (saith the Lord) by the Lord their God. I will do it immediately. And the Lord doth not only say (in the affirmative) he will save them without hand; but he saith also (in the Negative) that he will not save them with hands, But I will not save them by Bowe, nor Sword, nor Battle, nor Horses, nor Horsemen; there shall be no appearance of these helps, I have heretofore destroyed you by Sword, and Bowe, by Horses, and Horsemen, but I will have all the honor and thanks of your salvation to myself. Though the Lord's people have neither horses nor horsemen, though they are as helpless as is imaginable, yet the Lord is able to save them, & he will do it in the fittest season. As this is true in reference to Princes and Nations in their public capacity, so private Christians may take up the comfort of it. What though great distress and affliction be nigh, and no hand to save you, yet the Lord can save without hand; if you are low, he can raise you, though none lend a hand to raise you; if poor, he can enrich you; if weak, he can strengthen you, though you have no means for either: It is an everlasting spring of comfort, that the Lord can do all things without hand, that he needs not be beholding to the creature, nor stands in need of their help to effect either threatened judgments against Babylon, or his promised mercies unto Zion.

Thus we have seen Elihu describing the righteous, though severe dealings of God, both with people and Princes, who despise his counsels, and provoke his wrath: The reason why they fall under his wrath, is further discovered in the next words.

JOB. Chap. 34. Vers. 21, 22.

For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings.

There is no darkness nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.

IN the former verse Elihu reported the judgment of God both upon the people and upon the Princes of the earth, In a moment shall they die, &c. In these two verses, he gives us a proof that the Lord is righteous in judgment both upon Princes and people, or he assigns the ground of it. That the words are a reason of the former, the Causal Particle in the beginning of the 21 ^th verse puts it out of question.

Vers. 21. For his eyes are upon the ways of men.

As if he had said, God doth not these things, he troubles not Nations, and Nobles, People, or Princes, by an absolute and sovereign power, or because he will, but he finds just cause to do it; What men do, is enough to justify God in what they suffer: He hath always power enough in his hand to destroy all men, and to turn this world back into its first nothing, but he never useth his power, nor puts it forth without cause.

For his eyes are upon the ways of man, &c.

God is a Spirit, the simplicity of his Essence is his first and highest perfection, he is purely incorporeal; yet as the passions of man's mind, so the members of his body are often in Scripture attributed unto God; we read of the face of God, of the hand of God, of the ear of God, and as in many other places, so in this, of the eyes of God: Now as the ear of God notes only his power of hearing, and the hand of God his power of working, so the eye or eyes of God note only his power of seeing, knowing and discerning the ways of men. And when Elihu saith, his eyes are upon the ways of man, his meaning is only this, he clearly discerns and understands the ways of man.

These words, his eyes are upon the ways of man, intimate, First, A present act, he doth not say, they were, or they will be upon the ways of man, but they are. Secondly, They imply as a present, so a continued act; his eyes are so upon the ways of man, that they are never off them. The eyes of God dwell, as it were, upon the ways of man: His eyes are said indeed to run to and fro through the whole earth, (2 Chron. 16.8.) yet they do not wander from one object to another, but are fixed and settled upon everyone. Thirdly, they imply an intentive act, or the seri • usness of the heart of God upon the ways of man. We may behold a thing, and yet take no great notice of it; but when our eyes are said to be upon anything, this imports they are busied much upon it. Fourthly, This manner of speaking signifieth not only a clear sight, but that which is operative, carrying with it a most exact scrutiny or disquisition of the ways of men, according to that expression of the Psalmist, ( Psal. 11.4.) His eyes behold, his eye-lids try the children of men. God doth not only behold, but his eye-lids try the ways of men; that is, he so looks upon them, that he looks through them, and discerneth what they are to the utmost. God doth not only behold the body and bulk of our actions, but the soul and spirit of them, and while he seeth them, he seeth into them. All this, and much more then we can apprehend, is comprehended in those words, His eyes are upon

The ways of man.

The word is plural, not way, but ways; which shows the extensiveness of the sight or knowledge of God: The word being put indefinitely, is to be taken universally: His eyes are not confined to this or that object, to this or that place, to this or that person, but his eyes look over all, His eyes are upon the ways of man.

Yet further, the ways of man may be distinguished; First, As they are either internal or external. The internal ways of man, are the ways of his heart, as the Prophet hath it, ( Isa. 57.17.) He went on frowardly in the way of his heart. And these ways of the heart, our inward ways are, first, our thoughts, what we imagine and conceive; secondly, our affections, what we love, and what we hate, what we rejoice in, and what we mourn for, declare the way of our hearts. Thirdly, The ways of the heart are a man's purposes, resolutions, and intentions what to do. Fourthly, The ways of the heart are man's designs, or his aims, what he drives at, or proposeth as his end in all that he doth. In this latitude we are to understand the present Text; when Elihu saith, the eyes of God are upon the ways of man, remember they are upon his thoughts, upon his affections, upon his purposes, upon his designs and aims, all these are before the Lord; as it is said of Christ, ( Joh • 2.25.) He needed not that any should testify of man; for he knew what was in man; that is, both the state of his heart, and all the movings of it. And if the Lord's eyes be upon the internal ways of man, then certainly they are upon the external ways of man; if he knoweth what work the heart is at or about, certainly he knoweth what the hand is at or about. He that knoweth which way the mind goeth, cannot but know which way the foot goeth. His eyes are upon the external ways of man, but 'tis his chief glory that his eyes are upon the internal ways of man, ( Gen. 6.5.) The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great upon the earth: He saw man's actions or outward ways were very wicked, but besides that, saith the Text, He saw, that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. He saw the ways within, what was formed up, or (as the word there notes) what creatures were made and fashioned in the mind of man. Thus, if we take the ways in that distinction of internal and external, the eyes of God are upon them.

Secondly, Take the ways of man as differenced in their kinds, as they are either good or evil; the eyes of the Lord are upon both. They are (saith Solomon, Prov. 15.3.) in every place, beholding the evil and the good: that is, the evil ways and the good ways of men. But saith not the Prophet ( Habbak. 1.14.) Thou art of purer eyes then to behold evil? Which may seem, at first reading, to imply, that God doth not behold the evil ways or actings of men. I answer, if we distinguish the word behold, we shall soon reconcile these Scriptures. To behold, is either to discern what is before us, or to behold, is to approve what is before us. There is a seeing of knowledge, and there is a seeing of contentment; now when the Prophet saith, the Lord is of purer eyes then to behold evil, his meaning is, he doth not, he cannot behold evil with contentment or approbation, otherwise the Lord beholds evil, even all the evil in the world; both good and evil are before him, who is himself only and altogether good. His eyes are upon the ways of Man.

Not only upon the ways of this or that man, but of every man; let man be what he will for a man, let him be a great man, or a mean man, let him be a rich man or a poor man, let him be a wise man or a fool, let him be an ignorant or a knowing man, let him be a holy or a profane man, let him be a subtle or a simple man, his eyes are upon him. Those things which difference men among themselves, make no difference at all among them, as to the eye of God. His eyes are upon the ways of (whomsoever you can c • ll) man.

And he seeth all his goings.

This latter clause of the verse is of the same sense with the former, therefore I shall not stay upon the opening of it. The Scripture often useth Synonoma's, and repeats the same thing in other terms, to show the truth and certainty of it; and surely the Spirit gives a double stroke here, to strike this truth home into our hearts, and fasten it in our minds, He beholdeth the ways, and he seeth all • the goings of man. The word translated seeing, signifieth a very curious or critical sight, as was opened before.

Again, these latter words say, he seeth

All his goings.

Where we have the universal particle expressed, which was only understood in the form. And though these two words, ways and goings may be expounded for the same thing, yet in this conjunction we may distinguish them, by understanding the word ways, for the constant course of a man's life, and the word goings, for his particular and renewed motions in those ways. The Original word rendered goings, signifies sometimes going with much caution, yea with a kind of state or pomp, yet frequently any ordinary going.

Now, when Elihu asserts, The Lord seeth all his goings; we may sum up the matter under these five considerations; He seeth First, Where he goeth, what his path is. Secondly, He seeth whether he is going, what he makes the end of his journey or travel. Thirdly, when he goeth, or sets out, what time he takes for every undertaking. Fourthly, how far he goeth, the Lord takes notice of everystep, what progress he makes in any business good or bad. Fifthly, he seeth in what manner he goeth, with what heart, with what mind, or frame of soul he goeth. Thus distinct and exact is the Lord in beholding the ways, and in seeing all the goings of man.

Hence note, First.

Surely the Lord is a God of knowledge.

If we could conceive a man to have his eyes in all places, and upon all persons, an eye upon all hearts, and an eye in all hearts, as well as an eye upon all hands, you would say this man must needs be a knowing man, especially if he have such an eye, as the eye of God is, a discerning eye, a distinguishing eye, a trying eye, an eye which seeth to the bottom of whatsoever it seeth. Hannah said this in her song (1 Sam. 2.3.) Speak not so proudly, let not arrogancy come out of your lips; for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. 'It is not a slight superficial knowledge which God hath of things or persons, by him actions are weighed, and so are the Actors. God puts all into an even balance, and he will weigh both persons and actions to a grain, yea every word and thought shall go into the balance. It was said to that great Monarch Belteshazer, by a hand-writing upon the wall, Thou art weighed in the balances. The Lord weighed that great King, he weighed all his power, and the exercise of it; and he that weigheth Kings, will not leave the meanest subject unweighed; by him actions are weighed. We many times pass over our actions without consideration, and never take the weight of them, at least, we never weigh them in the Sanctuary balance. If they will bear weight in the balance of the world, we presume they will in God's balance also. But as the Lord is a God of knowledge otherwise then man is, so by him actions are weighed otherwise then by man. It is said of Idols ( Psal: 115.15.) They have eyes and see not; but we may say of the Lord Jehovah the true God, the living God, he hath properly, no eyes, yet he seeth; and his faculty of seeing is infinitely above that which himself hath planted in man. The Atheist while he is about the worst work in the world, the breaking in pieces of the people of God, and afflicting his heritage, while he is slaying the widow, and the stranger, and murdering the fatherless, while he is (I say) at such kind of work as this, he saith ( Psal: 94.7.) The Lord shall not see; neither shall the God of Jacob regard it. But what saith the Psalmist to him and such as he ( v. 8, 9.) Understand ye brutish among the people, he that formed the eye, shall not he see? Those words of the Prophet to King Asa (2 Chron: 16.9.) The eyes of the Lord run too and fro through the whole earth, are an allusion to a man who having a desire to know much, or to see all in the world, runs up and down, travels from place to place, from Country to Country for information. The Lord would have us know that he knoweth everything as exactly, as they who run from place to place to see what's done in every place. It is prophesied of the latter times ( Dan: 12.4.) Many shall run too and fro, and knowledge shall be increased; that is, many shall be so graciously greedy of knowledge, that they will refuse no labor nor travel to attain it. They will run too and fro, to inquire and search for it, they will not think any time or labor lost, if they may but gain that precious commodity by it, called true knowledge, or the knowledge of the truth. And that expression of running too and fro, may well be expounded, they shall by discourse and arguing bear out the truth; In discoursing the mind runs too and fro faster then the feet can in travelling; In discourse we run from point to point, from reason to reason, from objection to objection, from question to question, till we come to solid answers and conclusions, and so knowledge is increased. The Lord is surely a God of knowledge, whose eyes run too and fro without motion, and see the bottom of all things, without discourse or argumentation.

Secondly, Note.

The Lord's knowledge of man never abateth, he is always observing and alike observing what men do and what men are.

The best the most waking men, have their slumbrings and sleepings; but the Lord neither slumbereth nor sleepeth, his eyes are upon the ways of man. And when the Scripture saith, The Lord doth neither slumber nor sleep, we may understand it in a twofold reference. First, as to the protection of his people ( Psal: 121.4.) Behold he that keepeth Israel, shall neither slumber nor sleep; that is, he watcheth over them so incessantly, so unweariedly, that no danger can approach them without his knowledge. Secondly, he never slumbereth nor sleepeth as to the observation and consideration of all people, he never takes his eye off from the ways of man.

Thirdly, Note

The Lord's knowledge or sight of man's ways, is universal and everlasting.

The All-seeing God seeth all our ways, and he seeth them always. And he seeth them all always by one act. The Lord's view or prospect of things is not successive one after another, but conjunctive, all at once. The Lord hath a large eye, and an everlasting eye, yea is all eye. He knows all things; First, past or that have been; Secondly, present or that are; Thirdly, future, possible or that shall be. Thus saith the Lord in the Prophet ( Isa: 46.10.) I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done. And upon this read the Lord's challenge of all the Idols in the world ( Isa: 41.21, 22, 23.) Let them show the former things what they be, that we may consider them and know the latter end of them, or declare us things to come; Shew the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods. As if the Lord had said, if ye can tell us all that's past, or anything that is to come, as I can, then ye may take the honor of God, otherwise ye are but lies and vanities. Again the Lord knows all things; First, without distraction; and secondly, he knows all things with clearest distinction; it is no more trouble to the Lord to see all things then to see one, and he seeth all things as if he had but one thing to see.

From the consideration of this knowledge of God, let me give four or five inferences for instruction.

First, (which is most natural to the text) if, the Lord's eyes be upon the ways of man, if he seeth all his goings, then all the Lord's Judgments are right.

The Judges of this world, may have a principle of righteousness in them, and we may call them just and righteous Judges, yet all their Judgments are not always right. For, as some men are so ignorant, that they know nothing at all, so there are none so knowing as to know all things; the clearest sighted Judges do not see all that may concern them in giving Judgment; even among them some may be blind, and many blinded, some are blind and cannot see much, others are blinded and will not see all that they see, they are blinded possibly with bribes and gifts, with hopes or fears, with passions and prejudices. And how clear-sighted and honest-hearted soever any are, yet they cannot see all, somewhat may lie out of their sight. Hence it cometh to pass, that a just Judge may do that which is unjust, he cannot see quite through every matter, though he set himself to search the matter before he giveth Judgment. But as the Lord is all righteousness in his principle, and bears an everlasting love to righteousness; so he hath a clear sight of all things and persons, and therefore he must needs give a righteous Judgment concerning all things, actions, and persons; Though he overthrow nations he is righteous, though he overthrow Princes he is righteous, because he seeth into all things, and proceedeth upon certain knowledge of every man's case and condition. He cannot err in Judgment, who hath no error in his Judgment, nor any deviation in his will.

Secondly, If the Lord's eyes are upon all the ways of men, then, certainly sinners, whose ways are evil, shall never go unpunished.

For if he have a principle of righteousness in him, and an eye to see all their unrighteous ways, they cannot escape his justice; Say to the wicked, woe to him, for he shall eat the fruit of his doings (Isa: 3.11.) The righteous God knoweth the unrighteousness of man, and therefore woe to the unrighteous man.

Thirdly, Take this conclusion, Then no godly man, no good man shall go unrewarded, or loose the reward of that good which he hath done.

The Lord is righteous, and he seeth everyone that doth right, or the righteousness of every man's way; and it is his promise to reward the righteous, therefore they shall be rewarded. This is matter of strong consolation, and great encouragement to all that are righteous; If the Lord seeth all they do, nothing which they have well done shall be lost in the dark, or lie in the dust. God will bring forth their righteousness as the light, and their just dealing as the noon day: And as the knowledge which God hath of their ways, assureth the righteous that they shall be rewarded for, so that they shall be assisted and protected in their doing righteousness. The Prophet makes that inference in the place before-cited (2 Chron: 16.9.) The eyes of the Lord run too and fro through the earth (what followeth?) to show himself strong in the behalf of them, or (as we put in the Margin) strongly to hold with them whose heart is perfect towards him. The Lord is always strong, and alike in strength, his hand is not shortened at any time, that he cannot save, yet he doth not always show his strength; but as he is strong, so he will show himself strong for the perfect or upright in heart; that is, he will act his strength to the utmost for the safety and assistance of those whose hearts are perfect with him. So then, as they that are good, and do good, shall be rewarded for the good they have done, so they shall be protected in the dangers and evils they incur while they are doing good. Another Prophet speaks both these inferences from this principle of the knowledge or sight of God ( Jer: 32.19.) He is great in council, and he is mighty in working, for his eyes are upon all the ways of the sons of men, to give to everyone according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

Fourthly, If the eyes of the Lord are upon all the ways of the Children of men, then the Lord will call all men to an account for their ways.

Why doth he take notice of their ways, but to bring them to a reckoning? That's the Apostles conclusion ( Rom: 14.12.) So then everyone of us shall give an account of himself to God; God would not take an account of our ways while we live, if he did not intend to bring us to an account when we die. As the omniscience of God fits him to call every man to an account, so it is an evidence that he will. Why should our ways and works be strictly observed and recorded, if they were not to be judged?

Fifthly, This truth that the eyes of God are upon all the ways of man, should awaken every man to take heed (as David resolved he would, Psal: 39.1.) to his ways. Did we walk as remembering we are under his All-seeing eye, O how circumspectly should we walk! doth the Lord inspect our ways, O how should we inspect our own ways! It argueth a great deal of Atheism in the heart, if not the grossest Atheism, yet Atheism (quo-ad hoc) as to this or that thing: while that which some are afraid to do, if a man, yea if a child see them, they are not afraid to do though they hear that God seeth them. To fear to do a thing when the eye of a creature is upon us, and yet to do it notwithstanding God seeth us, what is this but either an unbelief that the eye of God seeth us, or a contempt of his All seeing eye? This Divine Attribute, the All-seeing eye of God, well wrought upon the heart by faith, is enough to over-awe the sinfulness of our hearts. And though the people of God have a higher principle, upon which they forbear the doing of evil, then this, because God will see it, and punish it, yet to keep the heart in a holy fear of doing evil upon that principle, is both needful and our duty. The Apostle would not have servants do their Masters commands with eye-service as men-pleasers. It is indeed a baseness in a servant to do his duty merely because his Masters eye is upon him, or to forbear to do what is against or beside his duty, because his Master seeth him; but how great is the impudence and wickedness of that servant who will not keep to his duty, when his Masters eye is upon him! So, in this case, merely to forbear doing evil, because we hear God sees us, is eye-service, but how great is their wickedness, who will not forbear to do evil, though they hear and know that God seeth it? Which Elihu confirms yet further in the next words.

Vers. 22. There is no darkness nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.

This verse holds out that truth negatively, which the former held out affirmatively. There God's knowledge of man's ways, was asserted, here his ignorance or nescience of the ways of man is denied.

There is no darkness, &c.

The words seem to be the prevention of an objection. For some possibly might say, 'It is true indeed, God hath a large knowledge, his eye seeth far, but we hope we may sometime be under covert, or compassed about with such darkness, that the Lord cannot see us. Therefore (saith Elihu) there is no darkness nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves. The Prophet gives a parallel proof and testimony of this knowledge of God both in the affirmative and negative part of it. ( Jer: 16.17.) where he first asserts that God seeth all, mine eyes are upon all their ways, and then denieth, that anything is a secret unto him, They are not hid from my face, neither is their iniquity hid from mine eyes. These latter words of the Prophet are of the same signification with these of Elihu,

There is no darkness, &c.

We may take darkness two ways; First, for natural darkness, that darkness which spreads it self over the face of the earth upon the going down of the Sun, 'tis the privation of Light. Secondly, there is artificial darkness, that darkness which men make to hide themselves, and their actions in, from the eye of God or man; many are very skillful, yea and successful in making shadows to hide their actions from men: They cover the evil which they have done with such cunning excuses or flat denials, and they cover what they purpose to do (how foul soever) under such fair trappings of words, and specious pretenses, they gloss their worst actions and intentions with such appearances of good, that the wisest and best sighted men cannot find them out. When Absalom had a most unnatural as well as a most disloyal purpose to raise a tebellion against his king-father, he coloured it with a devout profession of performing a vow; This was artificial darkness. 'It is reported by the natural Historian, of a little fish, which seeing its enemy near, casts out a kind of blackness from it self, which darkens the water, and so escapes the danger. Thus men indeed hide themselves from man, and they would hide themselves from God too; but there is no darkness, neither natural nor artificial, that can cover their ways from his eye; No,

Nor shadow of death.

The importance of this expression hath been opened more then once in this book, ( chap. 3.5. chap: 10.21. chap. 12.22. chap. 28.3.) therefore I shall not stay upon it here; only consider, when he saith, There is no darkness nor shadow of death, by shadow of death, he means extremist darkness. If there be any darkness (as Job speaks chap. 10.22.) like darkness itself, and whose light is as darkness, that is it. The metaphor is taken from the grave, where the dead being buried, have not the least glimpse, ray, or shine of light coming in to them, death wraps us up in extremist darkness. And we find in Scripture, the shadow of death put first, to express the extremist of spiritual darkness, or the darkest spiritual state, ( Isa. 9.2.) The people that walked in darkness, have seen a great light, they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined: that is, they that were wrapped up in the ignorance & utter unbelief of God in Christ, to these is Christ, the true light of God, the Sun of righteousness preached and openly revealed, and they pressed to the receiving of him, that their souls may live further as the shadow of death is put for the worst of spiritual evils, or to note man's natural state before conversion, so likewise, it is used in Scripture to note the worst of his spiritual evils, who (being converted) is in a spiritual state; He that is in a spiritual state, may be under great spiritual evils, great soul afflictions and troubles may fall upon him; which I conceive David intended while he shown such high confidence, ( Psal. 23.4.) Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear none evil: as if he had said, Though I were in the worst of soul-afflictions, having no light of the favor of God shining upon me, nor any comfort in my spirit, though (as Heman bemoans his deserted condition ( Psal. 88.3.) My soul is full of troubles, and my life draweth nigh unto the grave, though I am laid in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deep, yet I will fear no evil, for thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Again, the shadow of death is often put in Scripture for the worst of outward worldly evils, ( Jer. 13.16.) Give glory to the Lord your God before he cause darkness, &c. and while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death; that is, while ye expect good times and things, ye fall into the worst, or the worst befall you. Now as these words, the shadow of death, signify the worst of, both in spirituals and temporals; so here they signify the closest concealment of moral evils; some sinners think themselves, as much out of sight as a buried carcass, and they veil their wickedness with such darkness as is like the very shadow of death. Sin is itself a shadow of death, yea death itself, and they who are dead in sins and trespasses, will do their best that their sins may be no more seen then the dead are. But there is no darkness nor shadow of death

Where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.

What it is to be a worker of iniquity, was opened at the 8th verse of this chapter, and thither I refer the reader. Only in general know, Workers of iniquity are more then ordinary sinners, they are cunning at the committing, and cunning at the hiding of sin. Some are but bunglers at sin, they cannot sin with such an hellish skill as others do, and when they have sinned, they have not the art of hiding it; but others are (as we say) their crafts-masters both ways, and they are properly called workers of iniquity. Yet (saith Elihu ) the very workers of iniquity, they that make it their profession, their study, and their business to do evil, and to hide the evil they have done, to work mischief in the dark, and to keep their works in the dark, even they cannot be hid in any darkness. And when the Text saith, there is no darkness, &c. wherein the workers of iniquity may hide themselves; the meaning of it is, they stand naked, and in the open light before the eyes of God.

For though Elihu doth not say from what they cannot hide themselves, yet we may take it two ways; they cannot hide themselves, first, from the sight of God; he will discern them. The Prophet saith of God ( Isa. 45.15.) Thou art a God that hidest thyself, (it is the word of the Text in another construction) that is, as I conceive, it may be expounded, Thou art an invisible God. God hides himself naturally, or in his own nature, for that is invisible: likewise God sometimes hideth himself voluntarily, as sometimes he manifesteth or showeth himself voluntarily; but he is a God always hid as to his nature, because he is invisible; and so he is called a God that hideth himself, in opposition to Idols or false gods, who are obvious to the eyes of men; Idols have eyes and see not, but themselves are seen by every eye. Jehovah the true God seeth, but hath no eye, neither can any eye see him; Thus he is a God hiding himself in the spirituality of his own being, which gross Idols cannot: the following words in that Text in the Prophet seem to make out this sense, ( verse. 16.) They shall be ashamed and confounded all of them, (that is, all Idol-makers, and Idol-worshippers, shall be ashamed and confounded) they shall go to confusion together, that are makers of Idols. Now, as God hideth himself both these ways, sometimes voluntarily, or in his will, he resolves to hide himself from his people, as David complained, ( Psal. 13.1.) How long wilt thou hide thy face from me? ) always in the spirituality of his own nature; so sinful men would be hidden too: though they cannot be hidden as to their nature, that being corporeal, yet they would hide themselves in their will, their wits are bent upon it, to make covers and shadows for themselves, that they may keep out of the sight of God, or that they may not be seen of him, who cannot be seen, but is, in that sense, a God that hideth himself.

And as men cannot hide themselves from the sight of God, so not, secondly, from the revenging power of God: This followeth the former; for he that would keep out of the sight of another, doth it usually that he may be hid from that danger and evil which he fears that other might bring upon him. Thus it is with the sinner, he hath his hiding places, he would withdraw himself from the revenging power of God, like a malefactor, who is unwilling to appear and come to the Bar before his Judge, but all in vain.

Meer natural or unregenerate men are much hidden from themselves; that is, they see little what themselves are, they know not their own condition, nor upon what terms they stand; even a godly man is much hidden from himself, his life is hid with Christ in God, (Col. 3.3.) his life is not only hidden from the world, but in a great measure from himself: the excellency of his spiritual state surpasseth his present sight: but a wicked man is much more hid from himself, he doth not see the wickedness of his own heart, nor the danger, the desperate danger he is in, he seeth not that he is within a step of the pit, or that there is, as it were, but a wainscot between him and hell fire; he seeth none of these things. Thus a wicked man is hidden from himself, and 'tis his work to prepare darkness and shadows of death to cover his dead works from God. But there is no darkness will serve his purpose, nor shadow of death wherein he may hide himself.

Hence Note.

First, It is usual for, and natural to sinners, to seek hiding places.

When Elihu saith, There is no darkness, &c. he plainly intimates, that it is the design and business of sinners, to make darkness to hide themselves; it is as much their business to hide themselves when they have done evil, as it is their business to do evil. while the workers of iniquity confess in general the eyes of God behold their ways (they deny not in word that God is All-seeing) yet, as they often blear the eye of man, so they are not out of hope to put darkness and raise a mist between themselves and the eye of God; Or if they rise not to this vain thought, that they can hide themselves from God, yet they come to this, that God hideth himself (as not regarding what they do) from them. Hence David affirms of the wicked man, ( Psal. 10.11.) He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten, he hideth his face, he will never see it. Many say in their hearts, God seeth them not, while with their tongues they confess he is an all-seeing God. The heart hath a tongue in it as well as the head, and these two tongues seldom speak the same language: While the head-tongue saith, we cannot hide ourselves from the sight of God, the heart-tongue of wicked men will say, God will hide himself from us, he will not see▪ But if their heart speak not thus, then as the Prophet saith, ( Isa. 29.15.) They dig deep to hide their counsels from God; surely they have a hope to hide their counsels, else they would not dig deep to hide them. Their digging is not proper, but tropical; as men dig deep to hide what they would not have seen in the earth; so they by heir wits, plots, and devices, do their best to hide their counsels from God, and they say who seeth, who knoweth? We, surely, are not seen either by God or man.

Now 'tis very natural for sinners to endeavor the hiding of themselves from God upon a twofold account; First, To avoid shame; All sinners are not altogether deboist, all have not altogether baffled their own consciences, they have a kind of modesty, they would not be seen sinning; it troubles them not to do evil, but a fear to be detected in doing it is their trouble. Secondly, Sinners hide themselves for fear; so Adam did, he wa • afraid as well as ashamed, I was afraid (said he) because I was naked, and I hid myself, (Gen. 3.10.) The Prophet tells us of such ( Isa. 2.21.) They shall go into the clefts of the rock, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his Majesty, when he shall arise to shake terribly the earth. We find all sorts call to the hills to hide them, for fear of him that sat on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, (Rev. 6.15, 16.)

Secondly, Observe.

How much soever sinners attempt, yet they cannot hide themselves from God.

Let them study never so long, and dig never so deep, they cannot be hid: Where can a sinner be hid from him who is everywhere? Or, what thing can be our covering from him, in whose sight all things are open? Then let none think they have made a good market in sinning, when they have hid their sins from the eyes of men; what will it avail to hide yourselves from men, when you lie open and manifest to the eye of God? read Psal. 139.12. Amos 3.2. The Apostle saith (1 Tim. 5.24, 25.) some men's sins are open before hand, going before to judgment; (that is, other men quickly see what they are, & can judge what they have done) and some men, they follow after; though they were hidden at the first, yet they are afterward discovered unto men often, as always unto God: As they are not hid from God now, so he will bring them forth at last, in the sight of men: that the Apostle adds in the next verse, Likewise also the good works of some are manifest before hand, and they that are otherwise cannot be hid. The word otherwise may have a twofold reference; First to the word manifest: As if he had said, though the good works of a man be not presently manifest, yet they cannot be long hid, they shall be opened and revealed. Secondly, The word otherwise may refer to good works, and so it reaches the point fully; that is, those works which are not good, or otherwise then good, cannot be hid, though men labor much to hide them. Sinners, leave off your hiding, leave off your hiding, for you shall not be hid. There is no way for sinners to hide themselves from God; they may hide themselves in God, in the love, in the favor and mercy of God. Thus sinners may hide themselves in God, but from God they cannot be hid. Christ is a hiding place unto his people, and he is so in a double respect; First, from trouble, or in time of trouble; thus David spake ( Psal. 32.7.) Thou art my hiding place: The name of the Lord is a strong Tower (saith Solomon, Prov. 18.10.) the righteous runneth into it (for shelter in time of trouble) and is safe. The Prophet is express in this, ( Isa. 32.2.) A man (that is Christ) shall be for a hiding place from the wind, & a covert from the Tempest: Christ is truly so, as to the outward troubles and storms which men raise against his people in the things of this life; he is so, especially as to those internal troubles and storms which Satan, or our own unbelieving hearts raise against us about the things and concernments of the next life. That man who is also God, who is God-man, is the hiding place of humbled sinners, against the assault of all evils, whether temporal or spiritual. Secondly, As Christ is a hiding place from those troubles which men bring us unto for righteousness sake, or which Satan and our own hearts bring us into by raising questions about our interest in the righteousness of Christ; So he is a hiding place for us against our own unrighteousness. Sinners or unrighteous persons cannot hide themselves from Christ. And as Christ is the best hiding place from bodily dangers, so he is the only hiding place from soul-danger: Any sinner may hide himself in Christ, as to the guilt of sin, whose eyes are opened to see and acknowledge his sin. Or more distinctly, sinners under a fourfold consideration may hide themselves in Christ; First, if humbled sinners. Secondly, if confessing sinners. Thirdly, if reforming sinners. Fourthly, believing sinners Christ is a hiding place to all such sinners. And seeing no sinner can hide himself from the wrath of God by any means of his own devising or contriving: Let all sinners give over such vain contrivements, and learn that Gospel wisdom, to hide themselves in Christ from that wrath which is to come. When we labor to hide ourselves any other way, we lose our labor, and do not hide ourselves from God, but God from ourselves; that is, we hide the favor and mercy of God from ourselves.

Lastly Observe.

Men are not easily persuaded that they cannot hide themselves from the sight of God.

That hath much hold of us, which we are often warned to avoid. This is not the only place of the whole Scripture, no nor of this particular book where this truth is held forth. There are many and many Scriptures wherein this common truth is pressed upon us. And doth not this (if not strongly infer, yet) intimate at least that man doth not easily believe it? Yea, Is it not an argument that man is apt to nourish himself in those vain hopes, that he can hide himself from God, or that he shall be hid from God? I may cast the foolish presumptions of men about this thing into four sorts. First, Some hope to be hid in the crowd, or that they shall not be taken notice of among so many. Secondly, The eyes of others are so darkened, that their sins are hid from themselves, yea they take their vices for virtues, their evil acts for good; and because they see no evil in what they do, they are persuaded, or presume God doth not. Thirdly, Many are never so well pleased as when they are flattered, or when others not only hide the sinfulness of their ways from them, but commend and extol them as virtuous and praise worthy. And because their evil ways appear good to some men, they cannot be convinced that there is any evil in them appearing to God. Lastly, As all impenitent sinners put their sins out of their own sight, so nothing pleaseth them more then this imagination, that they shall never come into the sight of God.

Surely the Lord would never urge this matter so often upon the children of men if it were not so. But let sinners consider what they will do, and what will become of them, seeing, as it is impossible that they should be hid, so it will be most intolerable for them them to appear and stand before God in the day of judgment, ( Psal. 1.5.) All must come to judgment, and appear at the Bar, but it will be an inexpressible grief to appear, and not be approved, or to appear and then be condemned. Therefore be wise, and hide yourselves where you may be hid; do not attempt to hide yourselves (which is the attempt of most sinners) where you cannot be hid: They who will needs hide themselves in that darkness and shadow of death, here spoken of, shall be cast into utter darkness, and abide forever in that infernal valley of the shadow of death, in which there is no ease to be had, and from which there is no release to be got. Darkness and death will be the portion of those sinners in the next world, who have studied to shadow their sins with any kind of darkness in this.

JOB. Chap. 34. Vers. 23, 24, 25.

For he will not lay upon man more then right, that he should enter into judgment with God.

He shall break in pieces mighty men without number, and set others in their stead.

Therefore he knoweth their works, and he over-turneth them in the night, so that they are destroyed.

IN the 23 ^d verse, being the first of this context, Elihu further justifieth the severest proceedings of God with man; He that layeth upon man no more then is right, may be justified in whatsoever he layeth upon him; But God layeth upon man no more then is right, Therefore &c. The Assumption is express in the text.

Vers. 23. For he will not lay upon man more then is right.

The text strictly rendered, is, He will not lay upon man more. Our translators supply the words, then is right to determine what that more is which God will not lay upon man.

The words have a twofold sense.

First, Some interpreters render them as a direct denial of any power seated in or liberty given unto man, to plead, capitulate, or to come in judgment with God; Elihu charging it upon Job, that he had not done well in taking or using such a liberty to complain about his condition; addeth here (according to this interpretation) God neither hath nor will indulge man a liberty (as he hath not given him a just cause) to complain as if he had don him wrong. And if man when God hath once declared his mind, and published his sentence, should make his defense or offer to produce his reasonings against it, the Lord will not suffer it, he will not permit man to proceed in such a way, seeing the sentence of God and what he doth upon it is always just, and the right stands ever on his side, as well as the sovereignty is ever vested in him. Master Broughton translates the whole verse to this sense, Therefore it is not for man ever to purpose to enter into judgment before the Omnipotent; there is no appeal from God, nor will he admit sinners by any artifices, or delays, to interrupt the progress of his justice.

Secondly, The words (as we render them) carry both an assertion, that God is just, and a demonstration of it; For he will not lay upon man more then is right, that he should enter into judgment with God; that is, man hath no cause to enter into judgment with God, if God should give him leave, and let him be at his liberty in that point; for God will not lay upon man more then is right.

There is another supply of a word which also beareth a good sense, and suites well with this exposition; thus, God will not lay upon man more then he can bear, (or hath strength to bear) that he should enter into judgment with him; if we read the text so, then that of the Apostle (1 Cor: 10.13.) is a clear exposition of it, There hath no temptation taken you, but such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted, above that you are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. A temptation or affliction common to man, is but such as man may bear; God will not overburden his people, he knoweth what flesh and blood, as also what Grace can bear. As a man would not lay such a weight upon a child, as would burden a man, (we lay a child's burden upon a child, and a man's burden upon a man) so the Lord measures and weighs out his judgments in proportion to every man's strength, he will not lay upon him more then he is able to bear. That's a good sense, and hath a clear reason in it, why man should not complain of what God layeth upon him, it being only proportionate to his strength.

But I shall rather prosecute the text according to the supply given in our translation, which makes the reason why all such complaints should be forborne and silenced, to be this, because the sufferings of man are never proportioned beyond his desert.

He will not lay upon man more then right.

That is, more then he hath deserved, or is equitable in his case; whatsoever is laid, or imposed upon man beyond right, he hath cause to complain of, and may traverse the Judgment, or desire another hearing, yea he may appeal to some higher Judge if there be any; But if what is awarded against him be right according to Law, and suitable to Justice, let the sentence be what it will (let him be able to bear it or no, much more if he be able also to bear it, as in this case it is) he hath no cause at all to desire a review of it. Thus it is (saith Elihu ) in all the dealings of God with man, He will not lay upon man more then is right,

that he should enter into judgment with God.

To enter (or go) into judgment (as the word is) is either to begin or renew a suit, and to desire the hearing of the cause again. God makes no faulty Judgments, why then should any cause determined by him come to a second hearing? there may be reason enough among men to hear a cause again, but what God resolves, needs not be reviewed much less reversed. Here then Elihu meets with those frequent complaints of Job under his afflictions, and likewise with those his several motions, and earnest petitions, to have his cause heard afresh, as if God had pressed him too sore, or, at least, had not done him right in suffering him to be so sorely pressed by men. Thus Elihu seems to say; God never gave any man any just cause, to plead his cause over again with him, nor hath he given thee (O Job) any cause to desire it of him. 'It is true, carnal men, yea and sometimes godly men, when (as Job here) they are greatly afflicted, are ready to think and say they are over-severely dealt with; But the reason of Elihu stands good and firm against all these thoughts and sayings. For he will not lay upon man more then is right.

Hence note.

God never wronged, nor will wrong any man.

There are two special cases, in which God never did, nor ever will wrong man; First, he will not wrong man by denying him that reward, which he hath freely promised, no man shall serve God for naught; he shall not say, God hath promised, but he hath not performed. The experience of his people seal to the truth of his promises, as well as their faith embraceth it. That hope of man which is anchored in a promise of God, never miscarried not made any man ashamed. Secondly, God will not wrong man, by laying upon him a greater punishment then he hath threatened. The Magistrate cannot be charged with laying more punishment upon an offender, then is right, if he punisheth him not more then the Law alloweth. There may be a great deal of severity (I grant) in punishing up to the rigor of the Law, but there is no unrighteousness in it. The Mosaical law allowed of forty stripes; now if they had laid forty-one upon any offender, they had laid upon him more then was right, because they exceeded the Law; and to have laid full forty stripes, which was the utmost they could by Law, had been severe, therefore they usually abated one stripe at least; Hence the Apostle Paul saith (2 Cor: 11.24.) Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one; if they had given Paul forty stripes they had done no wrong as to the Law, though one had been too many for and a wrong to him who had not broken their law. Seeing the Lord lays no more upon the worst of sinners, then the law alloweth, he doth not lay upon man more then right, Yea not only the chastisements which the Lord layeth upon his own servants, but the greatest punishments which he layeth upon the worst of the wicked, in this world, are much less then might with Justice be inflicted. This was Ezra's humble acknowledgement before the Lord ( Ezra 9.13.) And after all that is come upon us, for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast punished us less then our iniquities deserve. The punishment that was upon the people of Israel, was exceeding great, in so much that Daniel saith in his prayer ( Chap: 9.11, 12.) Under the whole heavens, hath not been done, as hath been done upon Jerusalem, yet Ezra speaking of that very dispensation, saith, Thou hast punished us less, then our iniquities deserve. In this life the greatest of our punishments, are less then the least of our sins. Every sin, or transgression of the Law, deserves eternal death; therefore in this life the greatest punishments that fall upon sinners, are less then their sins. As the least mercies which God bestoweth upon them, are greater then the greatest of their deservings. (That was Jacob's free confession ( Gen: 32.10.) I am not worthy of the least of (or I am less then) all the mercies, and of all the truth which thou hast shown unto thy servant) So the greatest punishments that fall upon them in this life, are less then the least of their sins: And in the next life, where sinners shall have full measure, heaped up, pressed down, running over, and that forever, yet then they shall not have one grain more, either of weight or measure, then they have deserved. The Lord layeth upon no man in this life so much, nor in that to come more then is right.

Hence it followeth, Secondly.

Man hath no cause to complain of God, or God hath not given any man any cause to complain whatsoever his sufferings are.

Why should he complain who hath but his right? As God hath not given any man a liberty to complain, so he hath not given any man just occasion, or a true reason to complain. If the burden of punishment be heavy upon any man, let him thank his own sin, or self for it, he hath but his due from God. We are often cruel to and wrong ourselves, God is usually merciful, and never but just to us; yea how great soever any affliction is, 'tis a mercy that 'tis no greater; and God can quickly make it greater, how great soever it is, and still be just. As he never doth more then he may, so he never doth so much as he can in punishing us. The Lord hath more in the treasures of his wrath, then yet he hath poured upon the worst of sinners. Nor indeed can the most capacious vessels of wrath, hold all his wrath; 'tis, as himself is, infinite. Cain said, My punishment is greater then I can bear (Gen: 4.13.) yet God could have made his punishment greater then it was. Therefore Jeremy confessed ( Lam: 3.22.) It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. Whatsoever is less then utter consumption, hath some mixture of compassion in it, every punishment hath somewhat of compassion in it, except that of everlasting damnation. O then let all flesh fear and tremble to enter into Judgment with God, to complain or take offense at any of his proceedings with them.

There are four things considerable in God, which should stop all men's mouths, from daring to do so.

First, He is most powerful; there is no escaping out of his hands.

Secondly, He is most wise and seeth quite through all that man hath done with his hand, yea all that hath been contrived in his heart.

Thirdly, He is most just, and will not be taken off from doing less, neither can he be provoked to do more then is right to any man.

Fourthly, How should man fear to enter into judgment with God; seeing his judgments are past finding out; they are, as the Scripture saith, a great deep, we are not able to fathom them; therefore woe unto those that complain of, or murmur against them: we should always pray with David, (Psal. 143.2.) Lord, enter not into judgment with thy servant, for in thy sight shall no man living be justified: and we should always be afraid to enter into judgment with God, for he will not only justify, but magnify himself and his works in the sight of all men living. We should be so far from entering into judgment with God (which many do when they think they do it not) that we should continually beg him, not to enter into judgment with us; for we are not only unable to stand before him, but must certainly be broken before him; as it followeth,

Vers. 24. He shall break in pieces mighty men without number, and set others in their stead.

As Job had often complained of his own troubles, so he had sometimes of the prosperity of wicked men, or that God suffered them who were not worthy to live, yet to live in pomp, power, and pleasure. Thus he expostulated the matter, ( chap. 21.7.) Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in power? &c. We may conceive Elihu removing that stumbling stone, and answering him in these words, while he telleth us what work the Lord often maketh in the world in those his lesser and particular days of judgment, among the mighty of the world. He not only striketh and woundeth, troubleth and vexeth them, but breaketh them, yea, breaketh them in pieces. The words are a comparison between the mighty, & a potters vessel, of whom David saith ( Psal. 2.9.) Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron, thou shalt (not only give them a knock, or a crack, but) dash them in pieces as a potters vessel; and he can break them so small, that there shall not be found in the bursting of them (as the Prophet speaks, Isa. 30.14.) a sh • rd to take fire from the hearth, or to take water withal out of the pit. Thus the Lord shall break in pieces, not the poor, and weak, and mean, but

M • ghty men.

Or as some render, He shall break in pieces many men; the Hebrew word refers to both quantities, to great in bigness, and great in number; but because we have their innumerableness mentioned distinctly in the next clause, it is best to render the word by greatness in power or might here. For least any should think God could break only a few mighty men, therefore it is said, he shall break in pieces mighty men, in all the notions of might, the mighty in corporal strength, the mighty in civil strength, power, or authority, yea martial mighty men, if they stand in his way, and hinder his work,

Without number.

All these God breaketh in pieces like a Potters vessel, as if they were but a swarm of flies, and sweeps them away in a moment: As if he had said, God will give innumerable examples of his infinite power and unbyass'd justice in destroying the wicked, he hath and will destroy so many of them, that no man knoweth how many he hath destroyed, or will destroy.

There is another reading of the words, Our Translators put it in the margin of our Bibles, He shall break in pieces mighty men without searching out, which may have a twofold interpretation.

First, He shall break them in pieces, and no man ought to search or inquire into his doings, or say unto him (as that mighty Monarch confessed, Dan. 4.35.) What doest thou? And thus it answers what was said in the former verse, They shall not enter into judgment with God. Some have a privilege at Sea to pass without searching, no man must inquire what they carry, or what their lading is; surely when the Lord breaketh mighty men, no man may search into his doings, or inquire into his actions, further then for his own instruction and admonition, that he may answer the purpose of God in them, and give him glory.

Secondly, He will break them in pieces without searching; that is, without any formal examination or usual ways of Process, at least without any known to us. The Lord needs not to stand searching as men do, to find out matters against the mighty, to frame articles, or to bring in his Bill of Attainder against them; God needeth not search to know, because he knoweth all things without searching, and therefore may justly break men in pieces without this kind of searching; or, He will break them in pieces without inquisition; that is, without showing cause why. God doth not always publish the reasons of his proceedings, his judgments are often secret, though never unjust. We render well, He will break in pieces mighty men.

Without number.

That is, how many soever they are, or though they are innumerable, yet he will break them in pieces as one man: Thus the word is used ( chap. 5.9. chap. 9.11. In both which places the Reader may find the extent and emphasis of this expression, without number, further explained) only consider, that these mighty men without number, may be taken two ways.

First, Collectively, as combined by leagues, or as marshall'd by orders into an Host: as if he had said, though an Army of them be gathered together, even a numberless Army, yet the Lord can break them in pieces, ( Isa. 8.9.) Associate yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces.

Secondly, We may take these mighty men singly or personally; Thus the Lord breaketh in pieces mighty men without number, one after another, one at this time, and another at that time; how many of them soever arise up one after another to oppose him, to oppress his people, or to do wickedly, they shall surely be broken. Mr Broughton renders to this sense, He bruiseth, mighty men without end, he doth not break them without end, as having no end in breaking them, but as without end, notes his breaking them endlessly, or forever. If men will sin without end, he can break them without end; he can renew destruction, as fast as they renew transgression.

Hence Observe, First,

God can easily ruin the mightiest men of the world.

He can break them in pieces, as an earthen vessel, with an iron rod, and how soon is that done? Both the holy Scriptures, and human Histories abound with such examples. What a number of mighty men inhabited the old world? There were Giants in the earth in those days, (Gen. 6.4.) yet God overthrew them all by a flood, they sank like lead in those mighty waters. What mighty men inhabited Canaan, before the children of Israel came to possess it? The searchers of the land brought in a report, that they were but as Grashoppers to them, & they had Cities walled up to heaven, yet the Lord broke in pieces all those mighty men, Sihon the King of the Amorites, and Og the King of Bashan; and when David came to the Crown, he (in God's strength) destroyed the rest of them. What mighty men were they that sat upon the Throne of the four Monarchies? They had in their days the rule of the whole world, yet the Lord brake them in pieces. First, the Assyrian, then the Persian; the Grecian, and the Roman Monarchs were also broken in pieces: This was revealed to the golden head in a dream, ( Dan. 2.35.) Then was the Iron, the Clay, the Brasse, the Silver, and the Gold broken in pieces, and became like the chaff of the Summer threshing floor. The mighty men of Israel, (when they sinned mightily) the mighty men of the ten Tribes, yea the mighty men of the two Tribes of Judah and Benjamin, God brake in pieces; his own mighty people could not stand before him, when they corrupted themselves, and would not be made clean. God breaketh mighty men, as easily as they break his commandments: And usually when mighty men come to that height of sinning, to sin, or break his Commandments with ease, he commands them (for his own ease, as he is pleased to speak Isa. 1.24.) to be broken in pieces. To sin with ease, is a sure sign of a hard heart, yea of a profane heart. He was a mighty man of this temper, whose breaking in pieces the Lord threatened in such wrathful Rhetoric by his holy Prophet, ( Ezek. 21.25, 26, 27.) And thou profane wicked Prince of Israel, whose day is come, when iniquity shall have an end; thus saith the Lord God, Remove the Diadem, and take off the Crown: this shall not be the same, Exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high. I will overturn, overturn, overturn, and it shall be no more, until he come whose right it is, and I will give it him. What breaking words are here! Even a treble overturn denounced against the mighty. Thus said the blessed Virgin while her soul was magnifying the Lord, and her Spirit rejoicing in God her Savior, ( Luke 1.52.) He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.

Secondly, In that, he breaketh in pieces the mighty without nmuber,

Observe.

'It is no matter to God either how mighty or how many the wicked are.

I have heretofore spoken of the multiplied acts of Divine Justice, and of the unwearied out-goings of his powerful providence to abate the pride of man, and therefore I shall not stay upon it, but only caution the mighty ones of the earth, in the words of the Psalmist upon this point, expressed in the very words of this Text; for, God having said to his Son, to whom he had given the Nations for an inheritance, ( Psal. 2.9.) Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron, and (in case of their non-submission to his Scepter) dash them in pieces like a Potters vessel, he presently adds, ( ver. 10.) Be wise now therefore, O ye Kings, be instructed ye Judges of the earth; serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling; Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way.

Yet though God be often at breaking work, he is not always at it; for when he hath broken in pieces mighty men without number, he (as it followeth in the Text) will

Set others in their stead.

We may suppose these words given in upon a twofold account.

First, To show the absoluteness of the power of God, as well in setting up, as in casting down:

Secondly, To show that we need not be dismayed nor discouraged, when we see God breaking in pieces some or many mighty men, for he can find out others to supply their room, and fill up the breaches which he hath made. He sets others in their stead. The force of the Hebrew is, He shall make others to stand; and that's more then barely to set another in the stead or place of those that are removed and broken. God is able not only when many fall to raise up others, but he can also establish and settle those whom he raiseth up. That's the meaning of Elihu, when he saith

And set others in their stead.

Elihu doth not determine who or what these others are; God may make his choice where and of whom he pleaseth, in what family or tribe he pleaseth, to set up in the place of those mighty men, whom he, at any time, is provoked to break in pieces. The words are plain; Note only two things from them.

First, God hath as absolute a power to set up, as to pull down when and whom he pleaseth.

(Psal. 75.6, 7.) Promotion cometh neither from the East, nor from the West, Nor from the South, but God is the Judge, he putteth down one, and setteth up another. The same Sovereignty of God is asserted ( Dan. 4.17.) To the intent that the living may know, that the most high ruleth in the Kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men. God sometimes setteth up those that are base in their conditions or manners for a scourge or punishment; sometimes he setteth up those that are base in their state or condition, being either men of meanest birth, or men laid lowest by affliction, ( Psal. 113.7, 8.) He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill; that he may set him with Princes, even with the Princes of his people. No man is so poor, but the Lord can enrich him; no man so low, but he can raise him up. He can bring a man from a dunghill to a Palace, and from the dust to a Throne. Saul was cast down, God broke him in pieces, though a mighty man, and set up David in his stead; He chose David his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds, from following the Ewes great with young, he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his Inheritance: (Psal. 78.70.71.) When God pulled down Haman (the great favourite of Ahasuerus ) who had plotted to advance Mordecai to the gallows, and ruin the whole seed of the Jews, God did not only break him and his plot, but really advanced Mordecai into greater favor and confidence with his Prince then ever Haman had before.

Secondly, Note from the force of the word, to make to stand.

The Lord can establish those whom he setteth up.

The Lord doth not only set up, but keep up whom he pleaseth. Though they are weak whom he setteth up, yet he can keep them up; though they whom he setteth up, are opposed by the strong, yet he can keep them up. He can make a shrub stand fast, though opposed by a Cedar; and a reed to stand firm like a rock, though opposed by an Oak.

Thirdly, Note.

The Lord taketh care of the Government of the world.

He is not for breaking work only, he is for setting and settling too. God will not let the body of a people perish for want of a head; but when in judgment he hath broken one in pieces, he in mercy sets up another. Mighty men are like pillars, which bear the weight of a whole Commonwealth or Kingdom. God rarely deals with Nations, as Sampson did with the house wherein the Philistines were assembled, who at once pulled away the pillar, and pulled down the house; but if he pulleth away one pillar, he puts in another, that the house may stand. God will not leave the world without rule or rulers: when he takes with one hand; he gives with another; when Judas the Traitor was broken, Christ found out (a better man) Matthias to set in his stead. And when the whole Nation or Church of the Jews was broken and rejected, God called in the Gentiles, and set them up for a Church and people to himself in their stead; and (which is the greatest instance of all) when Jesus Christ was taken from the earth, when he left the world, who was the mighty one (he was first broken in pieces for our sins, and afterwards taken away) yet he gave a supply, and left us another in his stead; I will not leave you comfortless, (saith he John 14.18.) I will come unto you, though not till the great day in person, yet every day in the gifts and graces of my Spirit. I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; (John 14.16.) Again, ( John 16.13.) When he the Spirit of Truth is come, he will guide you into all truth. God sent the Spirit in Christ's stead; he doth that for us which Christ did for us while he abode on the earth: and therefore the holy Spirit is not unfitly called the Vicar of Christ here on earth, he feeds the flock of Christ, he looks to his people, he teacheth, he comforteth them in Christ's stead. And thus in Nations, when God breaketh one Governor, he sets up another in his stead; he will not leave Nations without guides and leaders, nor suffer the staff of Government to be utterly broken, which is the greatest plague that can come upon any people. From the whole verse take these tree deductions.

First, There is a vanity and an uncertainty, at least the vanity of uncertainty in all worldly greatness and powers.

God blasts and breaks them as he pleaseth: The most substantial things on earth are but as a shadow; or like the Land-sea's continually flowing and ebbing. One is cast down, and another is exalted; one is broken, and another is set up; yea, the same man who was lately exalted and set up, may quickly be cast down and broken. There is no assurance to be had of the best things here below, but only this, that we cannot be sure of them: and 'tis good for us, that we cannot be sure of the best things here below, both because we are so apt to say, It is good for us to be here, where yet our best things are not to be had, as also because by this consideration we may be provoked to look after, and make sure of better things then any are here enjoyed, even those best things which are under hope.

Secondly, Great examples of God's judgments, are to be eyed and marked.

Why doth Elihu call Job to this consideration, but that he might be humbled, and give God glory; it is not for naught that God breaks in pieces the mighty ones of the earth, (1 Cor. 10.11.) All these things have happened unto them for ensamples; and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. As all those things among the Jews were Types; so all that God doth to this day upon the Princes, and Powers of the world, are but as types and ensamples; they are for admonition, that we should consider those sins which have brought such judgments upon men, such breaking judgments, and avoid them▪ some will never see sin in itself, but in the judgments of God all may see what sin is; when mighty men are broken in pieces, what will God do with the rest, if they sin against him, and provoke the eyes of his glory? Zenacharib that proud Prince, who invaded the land of Israel in the time of Hezekiah, being broken in pieces by his own bowels (his sons slew him) it was ordered to be writ upon his Tomb, Let everyone that seeth me, learn to fear God, and not to defy him, as I have done. The breaking of the powers of the earth, should exceedingly exalt the fear of God in our hearts. It is better to learn wisdom by the punishment of others, then by our own.

Thirdly, If God will break the mighty, though many, yea though innumerable; This is comfort to the people of God when they are oppressed, and broken by oppressors, let them remember God is able to break their oppressors, though they rise up like Hydra's heads one after another; read the whole fifty and second Psalm, as also the 39 ^th and 40 ^th verses of the 107 ^th Psalm, as a clear proof of this. Elihu having shown what sad breaches God makes upon mighty men, makes a fourth inference in the words following.

Vers. 25. Therefore he knoweth their works, and he overturneth them in the night, so that they are destroyed.

For as much as God breaketh them, it is an argument that he knoweth what they are, and what they have been doing; There is a threefold reading of these words.

First, Some read them as implying God's making others to know their works, God maketh the secret sins of men visible, by his visible judgments. Wrath seen, may give us a sight of sin. Some insist much upon this exposition; and 'tis a truth, the Lord by his judgments brings to light, and doth as it were spread open, as in the face of the Sun, the wickedness and wicked deeds of mighty men: that all may know his judgments are deserved by their works, he makes their works known.

Secondly, Others render, He maketh them know or acknowledge their works; The Lord at last by sore, and severe judgments, will extort confessions from the worst of them, he will make the mighty acknowledge that their works have been naught, and their ways perverse. In Scripture the same word signifies to know, or to confess and acknowledge. Thus here, he makes them to know or to acknowledge what their works have been.

Thirdly, Rather take it, as we render, of God's act in taking notice of all they had done; Therefore he knoweth their works: As if Elihu had said, these mighty men of the earth, thought themselves under covert, or that the Lord took no notice of them, nor of their works, their works were done in the dark, and they supposed the Lord could not pierce into them; but he will make it appear, that he knew their works, when he maketh his justice appear in punishing them for their works.

Hence Note.

We have an assurance that God knoweth the works of all mon, because he punisheth all wicked works, or the works of the wicked so punctually and exactly.

He punisheth many of them here, and will punish them all hereafter: when we see him breaking the mighty men of the world, 'tis a proof that God was in their Cabinet counsels, and saw what was done there, we may conclude he knew their works, though men knew them not; he could never lay his judgments so exactly upon them as he doth, if he did not know their works: That God knows the works of all men, is a point I have met with before, and therefore pass from it here.

And he overturneth them in the night.

There are several readings of this clause.

First, Some thus, Therefore the Lord knoweth their works, and turneth into night; that is, he turneth their prosperity into adversity, he bringeth trouble and affliction upon them; they lived before in a day of prosperity, in a day of power and worldly greatness, but he turneth them into night.

Secondly, Or, as others thus, He turneth the night, that is, he changeth the night into day, he takes away the dark and close covers of their sins, and makes them as manifest as the light; Now, as the Apostle saith ( Eph. 5.13.) That which maketh manifest, is light; If God were not light, he could not bring to light the hidden things of darkness, nor manifest the counsels of the heart.

Thirdly thus, Therefore he knoweth their works, and when the night is turned, he destroyeth them; that is, they are destroyed and perish as soon and as easily as the day takes place of the night; or as soon as the night is turned into day, so soon doth the Lord destroy them, he can quickly make an end of them, he can destroy them with the morning light.

We render, and I judge that best, He overturneth them (their persons) in the night; and so Elihu points at the season, or time, of God's breaking and overthrowing them, he doth it in the night. We may take it strictly, as in the case of Pharaoh and the Egyptians, ( Exod. 12.29.) as also in that of Belshazzar, (Dan. 5.30.) or, in the night, that is, suddenly, unexpectedly; Though a man be destroyed in the day, yet if it be done suddenly, he looking for no such matter, we may say it was done in the night; because then men are most secure: This way of expressing an unlookt for evil, the coming of in the night, was opened at the twentieth verse, therefore I shall not stay upon it, He overturneth them in the night.

So that they are destroyed.

Elihu said before He shall break in pieces mighty men; Here he saith, they are destroyed; that is, they shall be broken to purpose, or thoroughly; God doth not break them in pieces for correction, but for destruction; there are great breakings upon the persons and estates of some men, and yet it is but for correction; others the Lord breaketh for utter ruin, (as here) so that they are destroyed. The Original word signifieth to destroy as it were by pounding in a Morter; and the same word is used to signify a contrite heart, a heart broken by godly sorrow under the sense of sin. They are destroyed, or, as it were ground to powder; you may break a thing into many pieces, yet not grind it to powder or dust, as corn in a Mill; or spice in a Morter; but these (saith Elihu ) are not only broken to pieces, but beaten to dust, that's the strength of the word which we render, they are destroyed.

Hence Note.

What God hath a mind to do, he can do it certainly, and will do it thoroughly.

He breaks men in pieces, so that they are destroyed and brought to dust; When the Prophet declares the breaking of the four Monarchies, it is said ( Dan. 2.35.) They shall be as the chaff of the Summer threshing upon the Mountains; if the Lord will destroy the mightiest, they shall certainly be destroyed; as Balak said to Balaam; I woe • that whom thou cursest are cursed; as if he had said, thou canst curse effectually, if thou wilt set thyself to it; 'tis not in the power of all the Balaam's in the world to effect a curse, though they pronounce a curse, 'tis only in the power of the Lord to curse effectually; he can bless whom he pleaseth, and they are blessed; he can curse whom he pleaseth, and they are cursed. Thus as Ephraim lamenting his sin and sorrow confessed, ( Jer. 31.18.) Lord, thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised; God paid him home (as we speak) if we chastise a child, he is chastised, but) when Ephraim saith, thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised; his meaning is, I was greatly and effectually chastised; that is, first, In a literal sense, I found thy hand heavy upon me, it was a sore affliction that I was under. Secondly, In a spiritual sense; Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised; that is, my heart was humbled and broken under thy chastisements; in either notion we see the effectualness of the Lord's work; Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised. And therefore Ephraim invited the Lord to another work; Turn me, O Lord, and I shall be turned; if thou wilt but turn thy Spirit upon this hard heart of mine, it will be effectually turned, it will be not only broken for sin, but from sin: As if he had said, I have received reproofs and counsels from men, and they have not turned me, but Lord, if thou wilt reprove and counsel me, I shall be turned; thus the Lord carrieth his work home to conversion, in his spiritual dealings with some, and to confusion in his temporal punishments upon others. Thus he threatened his own people for their confidence in Egypt, and contempt of his holy word ( Isa: 30.13.) This iniquity shall be unto you as a breach ready to fall, swelling out in a high wall, whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instant. And he shall break it as the breaking of a potters vessel, that is broken in pieces, he shall not spare; so that there shall not be found in the bursting of it, a sherd to take fire from the hearth, or to take water withal out of the pit; that is, ye shall be made utterly useless and unserviceable. That piece of a vessel is of no use, which will not serve for either of those little uses, the taking of a little fire from the hearth, or a little water out of the pit. And if God sometime break his own professing people thus small for their sins, how small will he break his professed enemies! read for this the last breaking and down-fall of Babylon (Rev: 18.21, 22, 23.) Therefore take heed how you fall into the Lord's hand; for he cannot only break you in pieces, but break you to powder, he can break you to destruction: The Lord's purposes, and the effects of them, his works, are never without effect, for good or evil, for the better or for the worse.

JOB. Chap. 34. Vers. 26, 27, 28.

He striketh them as wicked men, in the open sight of others:

Because they turned back from him, and would not Consider any of his ways.

So that they cause the cry of the poor to come unto him, and he heareth the cry of the afflicted.

ELihu having in the former words shown the impartial vengeance of God upon the wicked, proceedeth to show two things further about it in these words.

First, The manner of it, v. 26. He striketh them as wicked men in the open sight of others.

Secondly, The causes, grounds, or reasons of it in the 27 ^th and 28 ^th verses; why doth God strike them? it is because they turned back from him, and would not Consider any of his ways; So that they cause the Cry of the poor to come unto him; their impiety in turning from God, and their iniquity in oppressing the poor, provoked the Lord to strike them as wicked men in the open sight of others.

Vers. 26. He striketh them as wicked men.

The word which we render strike, specially notes the striking of one hand against the other; our hands clasht, or struck together, make a sound, or noise: Thus some Interpret the word here, He strikes them with an Ignominious sound. Many rejoice and clap their hands when they fall; They are destroyed with shouting. Others take the metaphor from a bladder filled with wind, which being cast on the ground, and stamped upon with the foot, breaks with a noise, or gives a crack in the breaking: Wicked men, in all they think, and purpose, and do, are but wind, and when they break, they break like bladders, which have nothing of solidity, only breath and fume in them. Such an Elegancy there is in this word, hitting the vanity and vacuity or emptiness of wicked men, all their filling being but like that of a bladder, which puffs them up, but never makes them wise or solid men.

Further, I find this word used for striking in a three-fold sense.

First, For striking with sorrow and shame; such was that of repenting Ephraim (Jer: 31.19.) Who when he thought on his ways, was ashamed and smote upon his thigh.

Secondly, For striking with scorn and derision ( Lam: 2.15.) All that pass by clap their hands at thee, they hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem.

Thirdly, There is also a striking with anger and indignation; Thus Balak being vext, because he could not have his purpose to bribe Balaam to curse the people of God, Smote his hands together (Numb: 24.10.) and the Lord himself is expressed expressing his angry indignation against his own people the Jews, by this gesture ( Ezek. 22.13.) Behold therefore I have smitten my hands at thy dishonest gain, &c. There is then a special Emphasis in the smitting or striking here intended, besides the general meaning of it. The Lord destroys wicked men in such a manner, that all who behold it are filled with the admiration of his righteousness, and with a detestation of their lewdness. The Septuagint say, He hath Extinguished wicked men; As if they were but smoking firebrands, or the stinking snuff of a candle. Another renders it, He binds them, the word signifying also to bind or straighten • The Lord brings forth evil men, as it were, bound hand and foot to Judgment. We say clearly, He striketh them, and that in no ordinary way, but

As wicked men.

So we translate; yet the particle which we render, as, may (here according to its frequent use else-where) carry in it a reason, He strikes them because they are wicked; so some read the text, not as we by way of similitude, how God striketh them, but as giving an account why God striketh them, even because they are wicked men. M ^r Broughton saith, For the wicked he maketh plentiful riddance of them, which hath a good sense in it, but takes somewhat too great a liberty with the original text; And because the reason of this striking is held forth in the verses following, it is more distinct to say he strikes them (not because they are wicked men, but) as wicked men; that is, as wicked men use to be stricken, or as they use to be proceeded against in a way of Justice. God striketh the mighty men (of whom he spake before) as common offenders or malefactors; Though they are great on earth, yea though they are (in title) God's upon earth, yet God strikes them as the basest of wicked men, they shall not only die (as 'tis said, Psal: 82.7.) or fall like one of the Princes, but they shall die like the worst of men, like wicked men.

Hence note.

First, They that do like the wicked, shall be dealt with by God as the wicked, how high, or mighty soever they are in this world.

And as they who are openly wicked shall be dealt with as wicked men, though they be high in the world; so they that are really wicked shall be dealt with as wicked men, though they make a high profession of godliness in the Church, even them will God strike also as wicked men. Christ speaks of some ( Math: 7.22.) who made a l •• d profession of religion, with whom yet he dealt as with wicked men: Depart from me (saith he) I know ye not, ye workers of iniquity. Though God doth not deal alike with all wicked men, yet he deals with them all like wicked men. There is not one wicked man in the world, but he shall be dealt with according to his kind, that is, as a wicked man, and shall have that for his portion which is the portion of their Cup, who are wicked. As the Godly, so the wicked, whether profane or false and hypocritical, shall be esteemed and handled by God like themselves, or as they are.

Secondly, From the first word, as it is taken causally, (upon which many insist) Note.

The reason why wicked men • ne stricken is because they are wicked.

Were not men wicked they should never feel such strokes from the hand or rather iron rod of God. If any smart and are ruined, they may thank themselves for it, that is, their sins for it; their sufferings are the fruits of their sin. The Prophet told the sinful Jews so ( Jer: 4.18.) they had an affliction upon them, which did reach even to the heart, God made their hearts ache, he struck them to the heart; but why did he so? the answer is, Thy sin and thy doings have procured those things to thee, &c. He striketh them as wicked men.

In the open sight of others.

These words are a further description of the manner how God strikes the wicked, he doth it openly, or (as we put in the margin) In the place of beholders, that is, in such a place, and in such a manner that all may behold it: we say, He strikes them in the open sight of others; that is, he punisheth them in an exemplary way, or that they may be an example of warning unto others. For, The place of seers, or of beholders, is some open and eminent place opposed to a Corner; as Paul said pleading his cause before king Agrippa (Acts 26.26.) This thing was not done in a Corner; no, it was done, as upon the house-top, even in the place of beholders. The Lord will not have to do with wicked men only in a Corner. He will have witnesses of his doings with them. There shall be enow to take notice how he handles them, therefore he often takes open vengeance on them, in the frequent assembly and concourse of many beholders, both approving and reverencing, yea adoring the impartial equity of the supreme Judge, and his care of human affairs. So then, the words are an allusion to the execution of Common malefactors, who die by the Judgment of the Magistrate, such being condemned and sentenced by the Judge, are not put to death in the prison, or in a hole, but are taken out and carried to some noted place of execution, or a Scaffold is purposely erected, where a multitude of spectators are admitted to come and behold the Tragedy. When our Lord Jesus Christ, who (to deliver us from our transgressions) was numbered with transgressors, when he (I say) was crucified, The Evangelist saith ( Luke 23.35.) The people stood beholding, and the Rulers also with them derided him. Christ himself was stricken as a wicked man in the place of Beholders. And so have many thousands of his faithful witnesses. The wicked deal with them often, as the Lord dealeth sometimes with wicked men, they are brought forth from prison to death, and executed in the open sight of others. All things (in this world) come alike to all, no man knoweth love or hatred by all that is before them (Eccl: 9.1, 2.) The Apostle Paul speaking of himself and his fellow-Apostles (to show the public disgrace which they were put to) saith, We are made a spectacle to the world, to Angels, and to men (1 Cor: 4 9.) The Greek is, we are a Theater to the world, &c. As if he had said, all see how we are used; And as bloody persecutors make the faithful servants of Christ a spectacle, so Christ will at last make wicked men a spectacle to the world, to Angels, and to men. Thus it is prophesied ( Isa: 66.24.) that all flesh who come to worship before the Lord, shall go forth and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against him, &c. They shall be stricken in the place of Beholders or Seers.

Some expound that word Seers, as implying more then ordinary seers, or more then barely such as see what is done; namely, such as are delighted and pleased with what is done, yet not as it is a suffering of pain by man, but as it is an act of Justice from God.

Hence note.

God oftentimes doth Justice upon sinners openly.

The Judgments of God are of two sorts: Some are secret, others are manifest; he can do execution upon men when none see it; nay he doth the severest executions upon some men when they themselves do not see it (that's the sting and severity of the Judgment, that) they have not so much as any sense of the wrath of God, when the full vials of his wrath are pouring out upon them. But many of the Judgments of God are open; As he striketh some so secretly, that none can see it, so others so visibly that all may see it. Thus the Lord commanded Moses (Numb: 25.4.) when Israel had joined themselves unto Baal-peor, Take all the heads of the people and hang them up before the Lord against the Sun. By the heads of the people, we may understand either the capital offenders, those who were most active and ready in that wickedness; or their principal Rulers, who instead of stopping them from or punishing them for those offenses, gave way to them or at least winked at them: These must be hanged against the Sun, that is, as Elihu speaks here, in the open sight of others, or, in the place of seers. Thus they were made an example of caution that all might see and fear and do no more presumptuously. Read the like executions of divine Judgment threatened (2 Sam: 12.11, 12. Isa. 26.11.) John in the Revelation (Chap: 15.4.) prophesieth of the Saints triumphing at the fall of Babylon, and singing the song of Moses, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvelous are thy works, &c. for thy Judgments are made manifest: God hath now stricken Babylon his great enemy in the open sight of others; his Judgments were right before, (they are always right) but till then not manifest. David saith ( Psal: 9.16.) The Lord is known by the Judgment which he executeth: now if the Lord be known by the Judgment which he executeth; then the Judgment which he executeth must be known; it must be an open Judgment; and such are very many of the Judgments of God, they are acted as upon a stage. And I may give you an account in three particulars why the Lord will sometimes do Justice, in the place of beholders, or in the open sight of others.

First, That there may be witnesses enow of what he doth, and so a record of it kept, at least in the minds and memories of faithful men for the generations to come.

Secondly, The Lord doth it not only that he may have witnesses of his Justice, but also that his Justice and the proceedings of it, may have an effect and a fruit upon those who did not feel it, nor fall under it. This was the reason why the Lord threatened to punish Jerusalem in the sight of the nations ( Ezek: 5.5, 6, 7, 8, 14, 15. ) Thus saith the Lord God, this is Jerusalem, I have set it in the midst of the nations and Countries that are round about her. God is said ( Psal: 74.12.) To work salvation in the midst of the Earth; that is, in Jerusalem, or among his people, who were placed as it were in the Center, and middle part of the world: not that Jerusalem stood exactly in the midst of the world, but because many Nations stood about it, that might well be called a City standing in the midst of the nations; and therefore it is added ( v. 8.) Thus saith the Lord God, Behold I, even I am against thee, and will execute Judgment in the midst of thee, in the sight of the nations. God would execute Judgment in Jerusalem a City placed in the midst of the nations, that as the nations had taken notice of the extraordinary favors, benefits, deliverances, and salvations which God wrought for Jerusalem; so they might also take notice of his judgments and sore displeasure against them. Jerusalem was not seated in some nooke, corner, or by-place of the world, but in the midst of the nations, that both the goodness and severity of God towards them might be conspicuous; And that the nations round about seeing the sufferings of that people for their sin, might fear and tremble to sin as they had done; for if Jerusalem the seat of instituted worship and God's peculiar people were not spared when they provoked God, their neighbors might well conclude, surely we shall not be spared: As the Lord himself argued it against those uncircumcised nations ( Jer: 25.20.) Behold I will bring evil upon the City that is called by my name, and should ye go utterly unpunished? Certainly no! If God punish his own people in the sight of the heathenish nations when they do wickedly, what then are heathen nations to expect, who do nothing but wickedness?

And this (by the way) may give the Alarm, and be a very awakening consideration to all the Churches and people of God at this day throughout the world. If God did strike Jerusalem of old, that is, his people there, as wicked men even in the open sight of others; if the Lord was so wroth with his people, that he polluted his inheritance, and gave them into the hand of the Chaldeans (Isa. 47.6.) If he forsook his house and left his heritage, and gave the dearly beloved of his soul into the hands of her enemies (Jer: 12.7.) and said ( v. 9.) Mine heritage is to me as a speckled bird, the birds round about her are against her; yea if he (in the close of that verse) invited the worst of men under the name of beasts to spoil them, Come ye, assemble all the beasts of the field come to devour; Now (I say) If God struck his ancient people, the Jewish Church, as wicked men, by wicked men, in the open sight of others, O let the Gentile Churches take heed, lest they also be stricken after the same manner. Many Churches in Germany and else-where have been stricken so already in this last age, let the remnant both there and else-where remember themselves and give glory to God, before he cause such darkness to come upon them, and strike them also as wicked men in the open sight of others.

God lets some sinners suffer or punisheth them openly, both because he would have all others take notice that he dislikes what they have done, as also because he would not have others do the like, lest they be made like them, both in the matter and manner of their sufferings. 'It is a favor (as well as our duty) to be taught by other men's harms, and to be instructed by their strokes, to prevent our own.

And as the Lord strikes some wicked men openly, that others may fear and not do the like, so, that they who have done the like may be humbled for, and repent of what they have done. God doth not always pour out the same Judgments upon all those that have done the same wickedness, (the whole world would be in blood if he did so) but he takes here and there one that the rest bethinking themselves, and (with repenting Ephraim ) smiting upon their thigh, may prevent the Lord from smiting them at all, especially from striking them as wicked men in the open sight of others. It is said ( Rev: 11.13.) that, after by a great earth-quake the tenth part of the City fell, and in the earth-quake were slain of men seven thousand, the remnant were affrighted and gave glory to the God of heaven. And surely the reason why after one man hath been chastised or stricken, others take their turns too, is because they did not take warning by his chastisements and sufferings. Did we but mind the scope of God in punishing any openly, the striking of one might save hundreds, or thousands from being stricken; but because men are so secure and so slow to take warning by what God doth to others, therefore they are called forth one after another, to suffer and feel his heavy hand in their own persons.

Thirdly, God strikes some wicked men in open view, or in the place of beholders for the comfort of his own people, and for their encouragement ( Psal: 58.10, 11.) The righteous shall be glad when he seeth the vengeance; not that he shall be glad of the vengeance, purely as it is a hurt, or a suffering to the creature, but the righteous shall be glad when he seeth the vengeance of God, as it is a fulfilling of the threatening of God against the sin of man, and an evidence of his own holiness. ( Psal: 64.9, 10.) God shall shoot suddenly at the wicked, all that see them shall flee away; that is, they that see how God deals with them, shall get away, least ruin overtake them, or they shall flee away (which is their best course) from such courses and practices as procured them that ruin. Thus the righteous rejoice when they see the vengeance, yea they wash their feere in the blood of the ungodly; that is, they get comfort and encouragement by seeing the Lord avenge their cause against their adversaries. It is said ( Exod: 14.30, 31.) that God having overwhelmed the Egyptians in the red Sea, the Israelites saw the Egyptians dead upon the shore; God did not suffer the carcasses of the Egyptians to sink to the bottom of the Sea, but caused them to lie upon the shore, that the Israelites might see them: And when Israel saw that dreadful stroke of the Lord upon the Egyptians, It is said, The people feared the Lord, and believed the Lord and his servant Moses: Thus they were confirmed in their faith by God's open Judgments upon the Egyptians; They were smitten in the place of beholders, or in the open sight of others.

There are yet two other interpretations of these words, which I shall touch.

He striketh them in the place of beholders, that is (saith my Author) in such an estate or condition wherein themselves might see, both by that natural light which every man hath, & especially by the light of doctrine and instruction, what they ought to do, and what to shun or avoid. In this sense to be smitten in the place of Seers, is, to see and behold, to have light and understanding what to do, or forbear doing, and yet to act against that light, and so provoke the Lord to strike us; which is a great aggravation both of the sin, and punishment of man.

A second gives it thus, He striketh them in the place of seers, or where they saw; that is, he striketh them in the eye of their understanding, or in their Judgment, he striketh them with spiritual blindness, as the Sodomites were with corporal, so that they are not able to see their way, or what becomes them to do. This is a most severe stroke. There are many who when they have abused the light, and would not do what they saw they ought, God hath struck them with such blindness, that they should not see what they ought to do. Both these are rather tropologicall Expositions then literal, yet they may have their use and improvement by way of allusion. In this place Elihu having thus held out the openness and exemplariness of the judgments of God upon wicked men, proceeds in the following words, to show the equity and righteousness of them.

Vers. 27. Because they have turned back from him, and would not Consider any of his ways.

Here, I say, lest any should surmise that God takes vengeance without cause, the cause is named and assigned why God takes vengeance; 'tis because they turned back from him, they in the pride and stoutness of their hearts (which great men especially are much subject to) refused to obey and follow God, and therefore his wrath followed and brake them.

They turned back from him.

There is a twofold turning back; First, Corporal; Secondly, Moral or spiritual, none can corporally turn back from God, though some attempt it; to what hiding place soever we turn ourselves, we cannot be hid from him who filleth every place? But there are many who morally turn back and depart from the living God. Sinners would turn their persons back from God, and hide their heads, they would get quite out of his sight and reach, though they cannot; but all of them turn back from God in their hearts.

In two respects sinners in general, may be said to turn back from God; First, when he commands and they will not obey him, or withdraw their obedience from his commandments; Secondly, when he entreates and invites them, and they will not come to him, nor accept his tendered respects and favors. Thus the Lord complained of his own people ( Psal: 81.11.) Israel would none of me; God wooed them, but they had other lovers, and after them they would go; even Israel lightly regarded the God of Israel, yea they made a defection from him. More distinctly.

There is a three-fold turning back from God, or they who turn back from God are of three sorts.

First, There is a turning back from God, by those who have openly followed him, or made profession of his name; Thus hypocrites and formalists turn back from God. This the Scripture calls backsliding, revolting, and going a whoring from God. Such as these, are like perfidious Soldiers, who enter and list themselves in an Army, marching with them for a while, & taking their pay, yet soon after forsake their colors, and turn to the enemy: Thus many apostatize from God to the Devil, and to the creature, or (as Paul said of Demas) they forsake Christ and embrace this present world. Luther was charged by his enemies that he was an Apostate, and he acknowledged, he was, but he thanked God for it, he indeed turned back from what he did once profess, but it was to a better profession; he did not turn from God to the world, but he turned from the world to God, and that's a blessed Apostasy; he did not turn from truth to error, but from error to truth; he did not turn from pure worship to Idolatry and superstition, but from Idolatry and superstition to pure worship. How wretched is their condition who are indeed Apostates! who turn from God to the world, from truth to error, from pure worship to Idolatry and superstition, from a holy conversation to profaneness, looseness and libertenisme, to a compliance with the world, and a symbolizing with them in their lusts and wickedness. This abominable apostasy is a fruit of hypocrisy, Hypocrites turn only their faces to God, and Apostates turn their backs upon him, or, turn back from him. And all they who turn only their faces unto God, will for their own advantage, or to save themselves turn their backs upon him. Hypocrites when put to it, when the storm comes, ever prove Apostates.

Secondly, There is a turning from God found even in the best followers of God; who is there among the Saints on earth that keeps constant un-interrupted communion with God? The least degree of inordinate letting down or turning the heart to the creature, is, a degree of turning back from God. As holiness is our motion toward God, and to act holyly is to keep the eye of the soul always upon God; so, unholiness, is an aversion from God. David did not say, nor could he say (though as holy a man as lived) that he had never turned from God; he could only say that he had not wickedly departed from God (Psal: 18.21.)

Thirdly, There is a turning back from God, proper to all unregenerate persons, whether they be such as are civilly honest and possibly such as do not decline the outside of that religion wherein they were borne and bred; or such as are flagitious in their lives and ways, scorning to own religion, and being even ashamed of the ways of God. These may be said to turn back from God, because they have many calls to God, and are invited to come unto him; which yet they either neglect and mind not at all, or refuse and reject, and so thrust away God from them; and when the light comes, they love darkness rather then light, because their deeds are evil (Joh: 3.19.) Such were they of whom Job spake ( Chap: 21.14.) They say to God depart from us: he doth not intend it of Apostates in a strict notion, who once made profession of godliness; but he speaks of common and profane persons, who have no mind at all to obey or walk with God, but mind only the fulfilling of their lusts, or the affairs of this present life; and so their whole life is nothing else but a turning from God. Thus the vulgar translation renders the text with a good significancy, though not with a clearness to the Hebrew; who have purposely turned from God; distinguishing them from those who through daily Infirmity turn from God, as the best of his people do; whereas, these sin willingly, yea willfully and resolvedly against God. I conceive, the words of Elihu in this text are to be understood of turning from God in this third sense; For he is not here speaking of those who were eminent professors before, and did Apostatize; much less of those that turn from God by daily failings in duty, or some neglect of duty; but he is speaking of such, whose whole course of life is as a continued turning from God, themselves never having been wrought upon by the grace of conversion, or savingly turned to him. This third sort of turners back from God are most proper to the present text, though such also are within the reach and compass of it, who do wickedly after they have made fair pretensions to the best things. This is the reason why God striketh the mighty to destruction; They have turned back from God. The reason being thus explicit and express, teacheth us,

First.

God never punisheth any man without cause.

God doth not always show the cause why he punisheth this or that man, but he never punisheth any man without cause; if he striketh, 'tis because men turn back from him, either by a plain apostasy from what they once professed, or by a notorious course of impiety, refusing so much as to own his ways or make profession. God electeth some, and passeth by others without respect to anything in them; Jacob have I loved, and Esau have I hated; God hath mercy on whom he will have mercy (Rom: 9.13, 15.) thus, I say, God electeth us without respect to any good in us; but God never striketh or punisheth us, but with respect to some evil in us or done by us.

Secondly, Note.

It is the duty of all men to follow after God.

To follow God in his way, and to propose God as our end, contain the sum of all duty. That, God hath made man and given him a being, that, he placed man in the highest form of his visible creation, should draw man after him. We ought to follow God because we are his creatures, because we have our all from him, or because in him we live, and move, and have our being, as the Apostle speaks of mankind in general, even of the heathens ( Acts 17.28.) And forasmuch as we are his offspring (v. 29.) our hearts should spring, or rise up to him in love and thankfulness; as the rivers, because they come from the Sea, go back thither: so we being the offspring of God, and derived from him, should be always returning to him. This nature tells us; And therefore the Apostle saith ( Acts 17.27.) God hath made of one blood all nations of men, that they should seek after him, &c. The light of nature, though dim and dark, shows that a man should feel after God, as a man in the dark doth after his way. And if all men ought to follow God, because they have their natural life and breath from him; much more should believers, who have a new, a spiritual life breathed into them, and bestowed upon them, be always following after God; And the truth is, where true faith, or the life of grace is, that soul cannot live without daily returnings back to and breathings after God, even as mere carnal men, who are alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, are daily turning back from him.

Hence thirdly, Note.

The whole life of every unconverted soul, and notorious sinner, is a turning from God.

They who set their faces sin-ward, turn their backs Godward. They who pursue their lusts, their covetous, their ambitious purposes, they who gratify the flesh, their pride, their luxury, their wantonness, their malice, what do any of them, what do all of them, but turn back from God? The best of Saints have their turnings from God, but they do not make it their business to turn from him; their business is, to draw near, to keep close to God, to keep as it were in his eye; but as for the natural man and gross sinner, his business is a departing from God ( Heb: 3.12.) Take heed (saith the Apostle) lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God. He gives Caution to the Church, search yourselves, lest there be found in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, &c. Where unbelief remains in any measure unmortified, it may quickly do a great deal of mischief. And where it remains in full power or altogether unmortified, it doth all manner of mischief. All which is wrapped up in that one word, a departure from the living God. Unbelief is the root of Apostasy; The reason why sinners turn from God, is, because they give no Credit to the word of God; they are not persuaded God is such a one as he hath declared himself to be, and will either do that for the obedient which he hath promised, or that against the rebellious which he hath threatened. They who believe not in God cannot but depart from God; And therefore the life of an unbeliever is a continual departure from God. He sets out with his back upon God; the very first step he takes into the world is from God. As soon as we are borne we naturally go astray speaking lies; we are ever out of our way, till we look toward God, and aim at him; which we never do, till he by his mighty power changeth our hearts, turneth our course, and bringeth us home to himself.

Further, Consider, how did these mighty men turn back from God? they might say, where did we see God? where did God appear to us? that we are thus charged with turning back from him?

I answer; First, God manifests himself to man in his works, or in his providences. Secondly, He manifests himself in every part of his word, especially in his Commands, in his promises, and in his threatenings; in his Commands, he manifests himself a holy God; in his promises, a gracious and bountiful God; in his threatenings, a just and righteous God, who will neither do wrong nor suffer himself to be wronged. The Septuagint make this Exposition the text, translating these words of Elihu, thus; Because they have turned from the Law of God.

Hence note.

They who turn from the word of God, turn back from God.

When a Command comes, if you slight the authority and obligation of it, you turn back from God; when a promise comes, if you do not believe the truth of it, and hope for the good of it, you turn back from God; look what of the mind of God is manifested to you in the dispensation of the word, if you do not obedientially close with it, you neglect to close with God himself, and while you turn from it, you turn from God himself. Thus the Apostle speaks concerning back-sliders (2 Pet: 2.20, 21.) If after they have escaped the pollutions of the world, through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ they are again entangled therein and overcome, the latter end is worse with them then the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of God, then after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them; so that, a turning from the Commandment of God, is a turning from God himself; He turneth back from the holy commanding God, who turneth back from the holy commandment of God, and he turneth back from the God of the promise, who turneth back from the promise of God.

Fifthly, Note.

As it is exceeding sinful to turn back from God, so they who do so, grow every day more and more sinful.

If a man be once upon a course of backsliding and Apostatizing from the commands and promises of God, he will find himself worse and worse day after day; for still the further from God any man goeth, the more vain he groweth; and the more doth lust get a hand over him. As unbelief is the root of Apostasy from God, so Apostasy increaseth all that wickedness which is in man. As the cause of all evil, whether of punishment or of sin, is our departure and turning from God; so the very nature of sin is a turning from God; and therefore the more we turn from God, the more sinful and the fuller of sin we are. As the nearer we come to God, the more holy and spiritual and heavenly we are ( while we with open face as in a glass (saith the Apostle, 2 Cor: 3.18.) Behold the glory of God (that is, while we draw near to him in his holy ordinances) we are changed into the same image, that is, we become more like to God) so the more we keep at a distance from God, the more unlike we are to him, that is, the more unholy we are. And as persons unconverted, or in an unholy state, are wholly alienated from the life of God, and cannot endure to come near him; so it is in a degree by any of our withdrawings or turnings from him: we are made more unholy, and are changed more into the image of those carnal and earthly things which we behold, and with which we over-intimately converse in the time of those withdrawings.

Lastly, Note.

A holy life consists in following of and keeping close to God.

To keep close to God is both a holy and a comfortable life; 'It is the perfection of Saints to walk with God: Enoch walked with God, and that was his holiness ( Gen: 5.24.) Caleb followed God fully, and that was his holiness. A spiritual life, is nothing else but our following God. The most religious worship of God is to imitate whom we worship. And our imitation of God is our following of God, no man can imitate anything but when his eye is upon its pattern, or the Idea of it abides in his mind. And therefore it is said of the ungodly man ( Psal: 10.4.) God is not in all his thoughts (then followeth, v. 5.) his ways are always grievous. If God be not in the thoughts of a man, nothing of God is stamped upon the ways of that man. In vain are we called Christians, unless we keep close to Christ, and in vain do any pretend to godliness, unless they walk with God. Jesus Christ hath called himself the way (Joh 14.6.) chiefly upon this account, because by him we go to the Father, and have acceptance with God by the grace of Justification; but Jesus Christ is the way also, of our Sanctification; we must walk in him, and as he walked (1 Joh: 2.6.) that we may be holy: every departure from God lets the heart loose to sin. That which shall maintain the Saints holiness to Eternity, is, They shall always behold the face of God; they shall never turn back from God, they shall never be taken off one moment from the actual vision, enjoyment and contemplation of God in glory; therefore they shall never be taken off from actual holiness and purity, now in proportion, as we keep our hearts and spirits steady upon God, and do not turn back from him, such is our holiness in this life; and as our holiness is, such will our comfort and peace and joy be in this life. For as because when we arrive at glory, we shall never turn back from God, much less turn our back's upon him, therefore in glory there is fullness of Joy, and pleasure for evermore; so the nearer we keep to God, and the closer we walk with him in this life, the fuller and more lasting will our joys and pleasures be.

As in this former part of the 27 ^th verse, we have had the first cause opened why God striketh the mighty as wicked men in the open sight of others, namely, their apostasy from God, Because they turned back from him. So in the latter part of this verse we have another reason assigned why God doth it, and that is, because

They would not Consider any of his ways.

The word which we render Consider, signifies also to understand or know, which is an act precedent to consideration; Consideration is a contemplative act; by consideration we become more knowing, but we cannot consider anything till we have some understanding or knowledge of it. And this word is often (in another Conjugation) used in the title of some special Psalms. The 32 ^d Psalm, as also the 42 ^d Psalm, is called Maschil, as much as to say, a teaching, or an instructing Psalm, a Psalm giving understanding and requiring deep and serious consideration. Thus in the text, they would not consider, nor understand, nor know, nor contemplate

any of his ways.

The Hebrew is, all his ways; that is, none at all of them. The ways of God in Scripture are taken in a twofold notion; First, for those wherein he would have us walk; such are the ways of his commandments: they are called the ways of God, because he directs us to walk in them. A holy life consists in our walking with God, and we cannot walk with God any further, or any longer, then we keep in the ways of his commandments. It is said of the children of Israel, after the death of Joshua (Judge: 2.17.) they turned quickly out of the way, which their fathers walked in, obeying the commandments of the Lord; but they did not so. To obey the commandments, is to walk in the way of them. Taking the ways of God in this sense, when Elihu saith, They would not consider any of his ways, his meaning is, they did not intend nor had any heart to set themselves to learn the mind of God revealed in his word concerning their duty, or what they ought to do; they know not the ways of God practically. The word properly denotes the wisdom and prudence, which stayeth not in notion, but proceeds to action. These men lived as if they had never heard of, at least never understood the Law of God, which is the rule of life. They considered not the ways of God to walk in them, as Moses exhorted the people of Israel (Deut: 29.9.) Keep therefore the words of this covenant to do them.

Secondly; The ways of God are those wherein himself walketh, the works of God are the ways of God; the works of his providence either in mercy or in judgment, either in doing good or in doing evil (that is, penal evil) these are the ways of God; in these God shows himself as in a way, in these he goeth forth in his power and goodness, in his mercy and justice. All these divine glories and perfections are discovered in the works of God. Thus David is to be understood when he saith ( Psal. 25.10.) All the ways of God are mercy and truth, to them that fear him, and keep his Covenant; that is, all the providential works of God are mercy and truth; though all of them are not mercy in the matter, or precisely taken as works done, though none of them are mercy, respecting some persons to whom they are done, for many of them are materially chastisements, afflictions, and crosses to good men, and all of them are wrath and judgment to evil and impenitently wicked men; yet they are all mercy in the issue or result of them to good men, or to those who fear God, and keep his covenants. For whether he do good, or whether he do evil, whether he wounds, or whether he heals, all these providential ways of God, are as truth in themselves, so mercy to his people; or, as the Apostle concludes ( Rom. 8.28.) They work together for good to them that love God, and are the called according to his purpose. In both these senses we may expound this Text, They would not consider any of his ways; that is, they would neither consider the Laws of God, which were the way wherein they should walk towards him, nor would they consider the works of God, which are the ways wherein himself walketh towards them. This was the spirit of that evil generation intended in this Scripture; they had not much understanding in, and less consideration of the ways of God.

Hence, first we may take notice, Elihu doth not say, they did not consider his ways; but, they would not; It was not so much an act of carelessness and negligence as of contempt and rebellious resolution.

Hence Observe.

Evil men have no will to consider or understand the good ways of God; yea, their will is against such an understanding.

A natural man liketh not to retain God in his knowledge, (Rom. 1.28.) Now, he that doth not like to retain God in his knowledge, or had rather think of anything then of God, he can never (while such) like to retain the ways of God in his knowledge; he that layeth God out of his thoughts, will much more lay the law of God out of his thoughts. The natural man hath not only a blindness in his mind, which hinders him from discerning the things of God, (they being discernible only by a spiritual eye) but he hath an obstinacy in his Will; or, he hath not only an inability to know, but an enmity against the knowledge of that which is spiritual: He shuts his eyes, and draws a curtain between himself and the light which is ready to dart in upon him; away with this light, saith he; Thus he rebelleth against the light, and as his understanding is dark, so his affections are corrupt. Solomon gives us all this in the expostulations of wisdom with wicked men, ( Prov. 1.20, 21, 22.) Wisdom crieth, &c. How long ye simple ones will ye love simplicity, and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? That which a man hateth, he hath no will, no mind to know. An impotency or inability unto God, argues a very sad condition, but a rebellion, a frowardness, a willfulness against it, demonstrates a condition much more sad; not to know because we have no means of knowledge, will make us miserable enough, but not to know because unwilling to receive, or because willfully set against the means of knowledge, renders any man's condition most miserable. Such were these in the Text, They would not consider any of his ways.

Secondly, Elihu saith not, they did not know any of his ways, or they knew not which way to go; but they would not consider them. There is no man but knows some, yea many of the ways of God, that is, of those ways wherein God would have him to walk; these ways of God are written in the heart by nature, there is an impression of the Will of God upon every soul, though not such an impression or writing as grace maketh there (that's another kind or manner of work) for, when once through grace the Law of God is written in, and impressed upon the heart, then the heart is suited to the Law, yea, the heart is not only conformed unto, but transformed into the Law of God, whereas by nature the Law is written only so far as to give us the knowledge of the Law, and a conviction of that duty or conformity which we owe to it. The men here intended by Elihu, knew the Law or ways of God, by the light of a natural conscience, but not by the light of a renewed conscience, and therefore they would not consider any of his ways, which is a farther description of the heart of man in a state of Nature.

Hence Note.

That which a natural man knoweth of the will of God, he will not consider, unless it be to reject and turn from it.

I (saith Wisdom, Prov. 1.24, 25.) have stretched out my hand, (as a Teacher doth to his hearers or disciples) and no man, (that is, no mere natural man) regarded, they set at naught my counsel, and would none of my reproof. Let me say what I would, they would at most but give me the hearing, they would not consider it; though the light shined in upon them, and they could not choose but see something, yet they would not sit down and roll it in their thoughts, and work it upon their hearts, to find out the excellency of what they saw. It is a very great measure of sinfulness not to know the ways of God, but not to consider what we know, but lightly to pass it by, that is a greater measure of sinfulness.

Thirdly, comparing this assertion concerning wicked men, they would not consider any of his ways, with their practice in the former part of the verse, they turned back from God, and with the effect of it in the verse following, they made the cry of the poor to come up to him, &c.

Observe.

The reason why men are so wicked, and act so wickedly, is, because they mind not the Word of God.

They who consider not the rule of the Word, are far both from righteousness towards man, and holiness towards God. If once a man throw aside the Word of God, where will he stay? He will neither abide in any ways of holiness, nor will he abide in any ways of righteousness; they cannot make conscience of the ways of God, who will not consider the ways of God. We have this clear character of a wicked man, ( Psal. 50.) he is one that will possibly take the covenant of God in his mouth, he will be talking of it, his tongue may be tipped with it, but ( verse. 17.) he hateth instruction, and casteth the words of God behind his back. He that would consider a thing, holds it before his eye, and keeps it, as much as he can in sight; therefore the Lord, when he would assure Zion how much he did consider her case, though she had said a little before, God hath forsaken me, and my God hath forgotten me, yet presently the Lord saith, ( Isa. 49.15, 16.) Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may, yet will not I forget thee; (what follows?) Behold I have graven thee upon the Palms of my hands, thy walls are continually before me. As if the Lord had said, you may be sure I will consider your case, for I have you here portrayed upon the palms of my hands, and am always viewing your walls, either as ruined and demolished, to move me to pity, or in that strong & beautiful model according to which I purpose to raise them up again, or re-build them. Thus I say, both God and man intending to consider anything, have it always before them; but what a man hath no mind to consider, he casts it behind his back; thou castest my words behind thy back, saith God to the hypocrite, and when once the hypocrite hath got the word behind him, then he is ready for any wickedness ( verse. 18, 19, 20.) When thou sawest a thief, thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with the adulterer, &c. Whence was all this? he had cast the word behind his back. It is David's question, ( Psal. 119.6.) Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? The answer is, By taking heed thereto according to thy word; that is, by continual eying of the word, and of his way, and by comparing them together. They that will make right work, must be always eying the rule; if once you lay by the rule, you will make but crooked, or bungling work: When the rule of righteousness is laid by, righteousness is laid by too. These mighty men of whom Elihu speaketh would not consider any the holy ways of God, and you see what ill favor'd work they made, what soul ways they walked in.

Fourthly, The Text doth not say they would not consider some, or such and such of his ways, but any of his ways.

Hence Note.

A wicked man liketh, delighteth in, or loveth no one way of God better or more then another.

He is as much out with all as with any, they are all alike to him, that is, he likes none of them; they would not consider any of his ways. He that hateth one truth of God, hateth all truth, though possibly his hatred is not called out or acted against some truths; and he that hateth one law of God, hateth all his laws, though possibly his lusts are not drawn out against some of them. The reason why the Apostle James saith, ( chap. 2.10.) Whosoever shall keep the whole Law, and yet offend in one point, is guilty of all, is, because if a man hath a mind to sin against one branch of the law, that evil principle will carry him to sin against any branch of it: If he be not stopped from without, he finds no stop within against the worst of sins, as it is a sin.

Fifthly, We translate any, the Original word is [all] his ways, which imports a refusing of everyone of his ways; there are several Scriptures of a like sense ( Psal. 103.1, 2.) O praise the Lord, and forget not all his benefits; that is, forget not any one of his benefits; not that a man shall be excused, though he forget many of the benefits of God, or half his benefits, if so be he forget not all, or remember some: but when that Scripture saith, forget not all his benefits, the meaning is, forget not any one at all. Thus here, they considered not all his ways, (that's the letter of the Text, and so M ^r Broughton translates,) that is, none of them. Taking that reading, and the Scripture sense given of it, it gives us this useful Observation.

That unless all the ways of God be considered and obeyed, there is not any one of them considered or obeyed.

God will not be obeyed by halves; he must have entire obedience, universal obedience, or he owneth none; there is a band or tie between all the commandments of God, and unless you keep them all, you break them all; they that submit not to all, submit to none of his laws. It is not enough for a man to say he is no adulterer, if he be a thief; or to say he is not a murderer, if he bears false witness. He that doth the one in act, doth the other in his heart; nothing hinders him but the absence of a temptation, or of an opportunity, the Law doth not.

Further, [they] would not consider any of his ways. Who were they? No fools I dare say, either in their own opinion, or in the opinion of men. Doubtless those mighty men spoken of by Elihu, were worldly wise men; they were the mighty, the great men of the world, and they are commonly very considering men, as well as very considerable men; they are knowing men, as well as men much known; they are men of counsel, and sit in council to debate difficult matters, and of greatest outward concernment; these things they could consider exactly, and weigh them to a grain; but they would not consider any of God's ways.

Hence Note.

There is nothing so little regarded by ungodly men, as the ways of God are.

Though they have wisdom and ability to understand and consider earthly things, yet they will bestow none of it upon the things of heaven. Christ rebuked Martha when he saw her so busy about worldly business, ( Luke 10.41.) Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things, one thing is needful; Martha had some care about the one thing needful, but because not so much as she should, Christ gave her a gracious check and reproof for it: How much more may Christ come and rebuke the men of the world, ye are careful about many things, ye are wife considering men about your profits and preferments, those ye can think of all night long; but there is one thing needful, my ways, my word, my commandments are to be considered, what account can ye give of or concerning them?

Farther, this non-consideration of the ways of God is brought as a charge, as a high charge against those mighty men; not only were they bad men who did not consider the ways of God, but this was a part, yea I may say the whole of their badness, that they did not consider the ways of God.

Hence Note.

Not to consider the ways of God, is in itself a very great sin.

The omission, or non-performance of what is good, is as sinful as the commission or doing of that which is evil. Not to do good is to do evil; especially when it is the not doing of such a good duty as opens a way to the doing of all evil. Should we suppose a man not chargeable with the breaking of any commandment of God, yet if we could charge him that he did not consider the commandments of God, this were the breaking of all the commandments. For as they are all to be considered that we may keep them, so if we consider them not, we cannot keep them. 'It is the description of a godly man, ( Psal. 1.2.) His delight is in the Law of the Lord, and in his Law doth he meditate day and night. Meditation is nothing else but consideration. A godly man meditates or considers day and night what the Law or Word of God is; not that he thinks of nothing else but the Law of God day and night, for then he must throw off his Calling; but the meaning is this, he is very sedulous and watchful of all opportunities both night and day, to get and keep his heart up in holy meditation; and why is he so much in holy meditation? 'It is surely, that he may be much, yea always in holy action; and when it may be said of a man, that his meditation is not in the Law of God, neither day nor night, or that he never considers the ways of God, this is an undeniable evidence that he neither keeps in the way, or observes any one line or letter of the Law at any time. It is our sin, and that no small one, not to consider our own ways, how much more is it sinful not to consider the ways of God! To consider our own ways, is a great part of our work: If we consider not our own ways, they will soon be crooked ways. The Prophet adviseth the Jews, ( Hag. 1.5.) Consider your ways; the Text is, Set your heart upon your ways; that is, ponder your ways; as if he had said, the reason why your feet are so often in bad ways, is, because your hearts are so seldom upon your ways. Now, if not to consider our own ways be so sinful, and subjects us to every sin, then much more is it sinful not to consider the ways, the word and truths of God, and much more doth the neglect of this lead or lay us open and obnoxious to every sin. This neglect is not only a special sin in itself, and an effect of sin, but the general cause of all other sins: What sin is not, or may not be found in the ways of those men, who consider not the ways of God?

Lastly Observe.

Sin makes men stupid, and transforms them into fools.

He that is not a considering man, is a weak and a foolish man; every wise man is a considering man; and the more a man is versed in consideration, the more wise he is, and the wiser he grows. The wicked man is often called a fool in Scripture, and he deserves no better a title; when he is called so, he is both served and called in his kind ( Psal. 14.1.) The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God. The thoughts of the heart are the sayings of the heart; and sin hath made a wicked man so much a fool, that as he knows not how to say anything of God, which is honorable, with his tongue, so all that his heart can say, that is, think of God, is, that God is not; which as it is the highest blasphemy, so the deepest piece of folly and irrationallity that ever was hatched in the heart of man. Sin makes dull-heads, it stupifies the soul; sinners consider not that, at any time, which is their interest as much as their duty to consider of at all times, the ways of God, as taken for the ways wherein man ought to walk towards God.

Again, If we take the ways of God in the second notion, for the ways wherein himself walks towards man, usually called his works, or the ways of his providence.

Note.

It is the mark of an ungodly man, not to consider the works and providences of God, how God walketh towards him, or what he doth in the world.

(Isa. 1.3.) I have nourished and brought up children; that is, I have done for my people as a father for his children; but what follows? My people doth not know, Israel doth not consider: They consider not what I have done for them, as well as not what I have spoken to them; they consider not how I have nourished and brought them up, as well us not how I have instructed and given them counsel; and from this neglect God infers, ( verse. 4.) Ah sinful Nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evil doers, &c. they quickly proceed to the doing of all evil against God, who consider not of the good which God doth or hath done to them. Read this sin, the not considering of the works of God, with the sinfulness of all the works of those unconsidering men, ( Psal. 28.4, 5. Isa. 5.11, 12.) The Scripture makes frequent mention how extremely ill the Lord takes it at the hands of men, when his works are not considered by them, when they regard not the operation of his hands. Indeed God doth much in the world, he walketh in many dark and hidden ways, which though we consider, we cannot fully understand; Thy way (saith Asaph, Psal. 77.19.) is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy foot-steps are not known. God hath many invisible works both of mercy and of judgment; yet we should be, though not curiously, yet seriously searching, as much as possibly we can, even into those ways of God which are unsearchable; we should consider, though we cannot search them out. But as for those works of God that are visible and plain, which are written as it were with the beams of the Sun, which are so plain and obvious, that he who runs may read them, to neglect the consideration of these, or lightly to pass them by, how sinful is it! Those works of God which are most plain, have wonders in them, if we could find them out. As in the plainest Text of Scripture there is a world of holiness and spiritualness; and if we in prayer and dependence upon God did sit down and consider it, we might behold much more of those wonders then yet appear to us: It may be at once reading or looking we see little or nothing, as Elijah's servant, when he went once, he saw nothing, therefore he was commanded to look seven times; What now, saith the Prophet? O now I see a cloud rising like a man's hand; and by and by the whole surface of the heavens was covered with clouds. So you may look lightly upon a Scripture, and see nothing, and look again, and see little, but look seven times upon it, meditate often upon it, and then you shall see a light like the light of the Sun. 'It is thus also with the works of God, we pass many of them by as small matters, but when thoroughly considered, there is a wonderful depth in them; now not to consider those ways of God wherein he is so visible, and which are the actings and exercising of his power, goodness, wisdom, and faithfulness, this must needs be a very great sin, ( Isa. 26.11.) Lord, when thy hand is lifted up, they will not see, (they take no notice of it, much less lay it to heart) but they shall see, (they shall be made to see one way or other,) and be ashamed for their envy at the people, or (as the margin hath it,) towards thy people. As godly men see the hand of God, and are both confirmed and comforted for his mercy to his people, so wicked men shall see, and be both ashamed and confounded, because they both envied the people of God that mercy, and opposed it. They who will not see the works of God to give him glory, shall see them to their own shame. God hath given us his works of Creation, that we should consider them daily, as David did ( Psal. 8.3.) When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the Moon, and the Stars which thou hast ordained; What is man! &c. How was the Psalmist ravished with that contemplation? And so may we, while we consider the works of Providence, whether works of judgment, or works of mercy; whether vengeance upon the wicked, or deliverance for the godly.

Let us therefore set ourselves to this soul-ravishing, and God-exalting work, the consideration of the works of God: And we are the more engaged to do it, because God hath fitted man, among all creatures in this lower world, (and he hath only fitted man) to give him glory by considering his works. The beasts of the earth cannot glorify God by considering his works; 'tis true, both they, & the fowls of the air, with the fifh of the sea, according to their kind, praise God; but man only is fitted and furnished with an intellect or understanding faculty to consider, and so to draw out from all the works of God, those peculiar excellencies which make his Name glorious: Now, for man to leave such a faculty unexercised and unacted, (as they who consider not the works of God do) is not only a dishonor to God, but a degradation of himself. As it is the privilege and happiness of a man to enjoy the benefit of the works of God, so it is his holiness and his duty to consider the beauty of them. And to all who brutishly lay by the works of God without consideration, let me add this consideration; God considers all your works or ways, and will not you consider the works, the ways of God! Of this be sure, whether you consider the ways of God, his Word-ways, or Work-ways (of this be sure) God will consider your ways, certainly he will; those ways of yours which in themselves are not worth the considering or looking upon, your sinful ways, though they are so vile, so abominable, that if yourselves did but look upon them and consider them, you would be utterly ashamed of them, yea though they are an abomination to God while he beholds them, yet he will behold and consider them. The Lord who is of purer eyes then to behold any the least iniquity, to approve it, will yet behold the greatest of your iniquities, and your impurest ways to consider them. Thou (saith David, Psal. 10.14.) Thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requite it: God beholdeth the foulest dirtyest ways of men, their ways of oppression and unrighteousness, their ways of intemperance and lasciviousness, their ways of wrath and maliciousness, at once to detest, detect and requite them. If the Lord thus considereth the ways of men, even these filthy and crooked ways of men; should not men consider the holy the just and righteous ways of God? And that God considers all the ways, the worst of ways of the sons men appears further in the next verse.

Vers. 28. So that they cause the cry of the poor to come up to him, and he heareth the cry of the afflicted.

If the ways of men come up to God, then surely God considers the ways of men, even their vile and base ways, their wicked and unworthy ways; how can he but consider those ways, the cry of which cometh up to him?

Exposition of Job 32-24