An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the thirty second, the thirty third, and the thirty fourth chapters of the booke of Job being the substance of forty-nine lectures / delivered at Magnus neare the Bridge, London, by Joseph Caryl ...

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

As Job had often complained of his own troubles, so he had somtimes of the prosperity of wicked men, or that God suffer∣ed them who were not worthy to live, yet to live in pomp, pow∣er, 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 dayes of judgement, among the mighty of the world. He not only striketh and woundeth, troubleth and vexeth them, but breaketh them, yea, breaketh them in pieces.* 1.1 The words are a comparison between the mighty, & a potters vessel, of whom Da∣vid 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;* 1.2 the Hebrew word refers to both quantities, to great in bigness, and great in number; but because we have their innumerableness men∣tioned

distinctly in the next clause,* 1.3 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,* 1.4 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 two-fold interpretation.

First, He shall break them in pieces, and no man ought to search or enquire into his doings, or say unto him (as that mighty Mo∣narch confessed, Dan. 4.35.) What doest thou? And thus it an∣swers what was said in the former verse, They shall not enter into judgement with God. Some have a priviledge at Sea to pass with∣out searching, no man must enquire what they carry, or what their lading is; surely when the Lord breaketh mighty men, no man may search into his doings, or enquire 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,* 1.5 without any formal examination or usual wayes of Process, at least without any known to us. The Lord needs not to stand searching as men do, to finde 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 kinde of searching; or, He will break them in pieces without inquisition; that is, without shewing cause why. God doth not alwayes publish the reasons of his proceedings, his judgements 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 innu∣merable, 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 finde the extent and emphasis of this expression, with∣out number, further explained) only consider, that these mighty men without number, may be taken two wayes.

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 numberles Army, yet the Lord can break them in pieces, (Isa. 8.9.) Associate your selves, and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird your selves, 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 ma∣ny of them soever arise up one after another to oppose him, to op∣press his people, or to do wickedly, they shall surely be broken. Mr Broughton renders to this sence, 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 endlesly, or for ever. 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 ruine 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 humane 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 hea∣ven, 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 Gods strength) destroyed the rest of

them. What mighty men were they that sate upon the Throne of the four Monarchies? They had in their dayes the rule of the whole world, yet the Lord brake them in pieces. First, the As∣syrian, 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 chaffe 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 command∣ments: And usually when mighty men come to that height of sin∣ning, 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 signe of a hard heart, yea of a prophane heart. He was a mighty man of this temper, whose breaking in pieces the Lord threatned in such wrathful Rhetorick by his holy Prophet, (Ezek. 21.25, 26, 27.) And thou prophane wicked Prince of Israel, whose day is come, when ini∣quity shall have an end; thus saith the Lord God, Remove the Dia∣dem, 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, o∣verturn, 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 tre∣ble overturn denounc'd against the mighty. Thus said the bles∣sed Virgin while her soul was magnifying the Lord, and her Spi∣rit rejoycing in God her Saviour, (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 nmu∣ber,

Observe.

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

I have heretofore spoken of the multiplyed acts of Divine Ju∣stice, and of the unwearied out-goings of his powerful provi∣dence 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, exprest 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 pre∣sently adds, (ver. 10.) Be wise now therefore, O ye Kings, be in∣structed ye Judges of the earth; serve the Lord with fear, and re∣joyce 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 alwayes at it; for when he hath broken in pieces mighty men without num∣ber, he (as it followeth in the Text) will

Set others in their stead.

We may suppose these words given in upon a two-fold ac∣count.

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

Secondly, To shew that we need not be dismayed nor discou∣raged, when we see God breaking in pieces some or many migh∣ty men, for he can finde out others to supply their room,* 1.6 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 fa∣mily 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 put∣teth down one, and setteth up another. The same Soveraignty 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 somtimes setteth up those that are base in their conditions or manners for a scourge or punishment; somtimes 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 dunghil; that he may set him with Princes, even with the Prin∣ces 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 dunghil 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 pull'd down Haman (the great favourite of Ahasuerus) who had plotted to advance Mordecai to the gallows, and ruine the whole seed of the Jewes, God did not only break him and his plot, but really advanced Mordecai into greater favour 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 setling too. God will not let the body of a people perish for want of a head; but when in judgement 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 Philistims were assembled, who at once pull'd away the pillar, and pull'd 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 Traytor was broken, Christ found out (a better man) Matthias to set in his stead. And when the whole Nation or Church of the Jewes 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 gra∣ces of my Spirit. I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; (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 call'd 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 Governour, he sets up an other in his stead; he will not leave Nations without guides and leaders, nor suffer the staff of Government to be utterly bro∣ken, 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 substan∣tial things on earth are but as a shaddow; 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 consi∣deration we may be provoked to look after, and make sure of bet∣ter things then any are here enjoyed, even those best things which are under hope.

Secondly, Great examples of God's judgements, 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 nought that God breaks in pieces the mighty ones of the earth, (1 Cor. 10.11.) All these things have hapned 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 Jewes were Types; so all that God doth to this day upon the Princes, and Powers of the world,* 1.7 are but as types and ensamples; they are for admonition, that we should consider those sins which have brought such judg∣ments upon men, such breaking judgements, and avoid them▪ some will never see sin in it self, 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 pie∣ces by his own bowels (his sons slew him) it was ordered to be writ upon his Tomb,* 1.8 Let every one that seeth me, learn to fear God, and not to defie him, as I have done. The breaking of the powers of the earth, should exceedingly exalt the fear of God in our hearts.* 1.9 It is better to learn wisdome 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 opprest, 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 shewed what sad breaches God makes upon mighty men, makes a fourth inference in the words following.

Notes

• * 1.1

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 est ictibus subigere & mollire.
• * 1.2

  Hieronymus interpretatur multos.
• * 1.3

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ad u∣tramque quan∣titatem refer∣tur, sed malo fortes. Merc.
• * 1.4

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 pro 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, ita ut numerus eo∣rum investiga∣ri non possit, Pisc. Certo numero contineri non possunt, quos propter peccata Dei justitia conteret, Aqui.
• * 1.5

  Deus cui omnia nota sunt, non opus habet, in facta hominum inquirere, Drus.
• * 1.6

  Ne ex hoc cre∣datur deperire humani generis status, addit & stare facit alios, Aquin.
• * 1.7

  Nunquam cul∣pam suam re∣probi nisi in poena agnos∣cunt. Greg. lib. 25. Moral. cap. 9.
• * 1.8

  In me intuens pius esto. He∣rod. lib. 2.
• * 1.9

  Quicunque celsa domina∣tur aula me vi∣deat & tu Tro∣ja, nunquam do∣cumenta dedit sors majora, quam frogili loco starent su∣perbi. Senec. in Troad. de Hecuba, Act: 1. Sc. 1.