An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty-fifth, thirty-sixth, and thirty-seventh chapters of…

First, God doth not show any favour to, nor indulge wicked men in their evil ways. He that will not so much as preserve their lives, doth not give them favour while they live. Life and savour are two distinct things, (Job 10.12.) Thou hast granted me life and favour. Favour with life is the privilege of the living; favour is better than life. The Lord doth but seldom reprieve, much less doth he at any time favour or pardon impenitently wicked men.

First, God doth not shew any favour to, nor indulge wicked men in their evil wayes. He that will not so much as p•eserve their lives, doth not give them favour while they live. Life and savour are two distinct things, (Job 10.12.) Thou hast granted me life and favour. Favour with life is the p•iviledge of the living; favour is better than life. The Lord doth but seldome reprieve, much less doth he at any time favour or pardon impenitently wicked men.

Secondly, When Elihu saith, he preserveth not the life of the ⟨p. 188⟩wicked, ¹we are to understand it by an ordinary Figure, wherein less is expressed, than is to be understood; He preserveth not, that is, first, he is not solicitous about their preservation, he cares not much what becomes of them; and not only so, but Secondly, he destroyeth the life of the wicked; the Lord will certainly ruin and utterly undo them, one time or other, one way or other; he will do it either immediately, by his own Arm, by some notable stroke of vengeance from himself: or he will do it by means, he will find out, and impower instruments, that shall destroy the very life of the wicked. And I conceive Elihu brings in this Proposition concerning God, in answer to what Job had observed and complainingly alleged about the Prosperity of the wicked, (Chap. 21.7.) Wherefore doth the wicked live, become old, yea are mighty in power? As if Job had intimated, that the Lord surely did show, not only some, but much respect unto wicked men; they did not only live, but they lived a long time, and not only a long time a bare life, but were mighty in power, and over-powered, yea, oppressed many with their might. Elihu replieth here, notwithstanding this Allegation (which seemed to reflect upon the Justice of God) that the Lord preserveth not the Life of the wicked. Mark, first, he doth not say, he preserveth not the Life of a man that sinneth, for then whose life should be preserved? but, he preserveth not the life of the wicked;