An exposition with practical observations upon the three first chapters of the book of…

Thirdly, The word here used, and in divers other places, signifieth wickedness in the height, and men most active in wickedness: So that when Job saith, There the wicked are at rest, he means those who had been restless in sin, who could not sleep till they had done mischief, nor scarce sleep for doing mischief: He means those who had out-run others in the sinful activity, or rather turbulency and unquietness of their spirits; such as are without peace themselves, and seek to molest and disturb the peace of others: The Prophet describes them to be like the troubled sea which cannot rest, (Isa. 57.20.) The proper signification of the word (wicked) in the Hebrew, is the word unquiet, vexatious, or without rest; 1 Sam. 14.47. Wheresoever Saul turned himself he vexed the enemy. So Job. 34.29. And the reason of it is given, because men of this height and stature in sin, are men of troubled, unquiet and restless spirits. As it notes a height in holiness and grace, to have a kind of unquietness upon the spirit till we can do good, and compass holy designs and purposes, when we are not only pious, but zealous; As David resolves, Psal. 132.3, 4. Surely I will not come into the Tabernacle of my house, nor go up into my bed, I will not give sleep to mine eyes, nor slumber to mine eyelids, until I find out a place for the Lord, &c. So unquietness upon the spirit till it can put sin into act, and compass an evil project, notes a completeness in the sinner. Sin wakes and works in them to purpose, who cannot sleep till they have wrought out their sin; of these it is properly that Job speaks here, these troublers of themselves, and troublers of Israel, these whom the Lord shall trouble this day, or one day: There, sc. in ⟨p. 426⟩the grave, these wicked ones cease from troubling; there they have a kind of rest being dead, who could not rest while they lived; there at least they cease from raging. This word (Ragaz) notes any vehement motion, either of mind or body, arising from fear, or grief or anger, or the concurrence of them all: As when David heard of the death of Absalom, the Text saith,