There is a fourth way of covering the Judges face, to which the second and third are often made a preparatory. And that is, by putting the judge to death. So much that expression implies in the 40th of this book of Job, vers. 13. where the Lord with infinite wisdom and holiness, insulting over Job to humble him, bids him arise, and do some great thing, somewhat which might speak him a man of might. Deck thy self now with majesty and excellency, and array thy self with glory and beauty; cast abroad the rage of thy wrath, and behold every one that is proud and abase him, look on every one that is proud, and bring him low, and tread down the wicked in their place, Hide them in the dust together, and bind their faces in secret; that is, cover their faces as men prepared for death, as men ready to go out to execution. We may expound it by that (Esth. 7.8.) where as soon as ever the word went out of the Kings mouth, They covered Hamans face. And by that (Mark 14.65.) where when Christ was judged worthy of death, the text saith, They spit on him, and covered his face: The covering of the face was a mark of a condemned man, held as unworthy to behold and enjoy the light of the Sun, or the light of the Princes countenance. Thus to cover the faces of the Judges is to condemn the Judges, and to take them out of the world by sufferings, rather then suffer them to do right. I find that of Elihu (Job 34.29.) interpreted to this sense, When he giveth quietness, who can make trouble? That is, when the Lord doth absolve and acquit a man, giving him a discharge, then he is free, no man can sue him or trouble him, much less condemn him; but if he hide his face, who then can behold him? So we translate it, meaning thus, If the Lord hide his own face. But this exposition saith, ⟨p. 328⟩If the Lord hide the face of that man, that is, If the Lord condemn that man, or pass sentence of death upon him (of which covering or hiding the face was a symbol) then,1 who can behold him? That is, who then can see his face, or have society with him, whom God hath separated to death? It was a custom also among the Romans, when sentence was pronounced upon a malefactor, thus, to command the executioner, Take him away, bind his hands, cover his face, hang him up. And usually with us, malefactors, who are ready to suffer the pains of death, put a covering upon their faces.
There is a fourth way of covering the Judges face, to which the second and third are often made a preparatory. And that is, by putting the judge to death. So much that expression implies in the 40th of this book of Job, vers. 13. where the Lord with infinite wisdome and holinesse, insulting over Job to humble him, bids him arise, and doe some great thing, somewhat which might speak him a man of might. Deck thy self now with majesty and excellency, and aray thy self with glory and beauty; cast abroad the rage of thy wrath, and behold every one that is proud and abase him, look on every one that is proud, and bring him low, and tread down the wicked in their place, Hide them in the dust together, and binde their faces in secret; that is, cover their faces as men prepared for death, as men ready to goe out to execution. We may expound it by that (Esth. 7.8.) where as soon as ever the word went out of the Kings mouth, They covered Hamans face. And by that (Mark 14.65.) where when Christ was judged worthy of death, the text saith, They spit on him, and covered his face: The covering of the face was a mark of a condemned man, held as unworthy to behold and enjoy the light of the Sunne, or the light of the Princes countenance. Thus to cover the faces of the Judges is to condemn the Judges, and to take them out of the world by sufferings, rather then suffer them to doe right. I finde that of Elihu (Job 34.29.) interpreted to this sense, When he giveth quietnesse, who can make trouble? That is, when the Lord doth absolve and acquit a man, giving him a discharge, then he is free, no man can sue him or trouble him, much lesse condemn him; but if he hide his face, who then can behold him? So we translate it, meaning thus, If the Lord hide his own face. But this exposition saith, ⟨p. 328⟩If the Lord hide the face of that man, that is, If the Lord condemn that man, or passe sentence of death upon him (of which covering or hiding the face was a symboll) then,1 who can behold him? That is, who then can see his face, or have society with him, whom God hath separated to death? It was a custom also among the Romans, when sentence was pronounced upon a malefactour, thus, to command the executioner, Take him away, binde his hands, cover his face, hang him up. And usually with us, malefactours, who are ready to suffer the pains of death, put a covering upon their faces.
