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

First, The Lord giveth right to the poor, sometimes, when the poor perceive it not. (Psal. 97.2.) Clouds and darkness are round about him, Righteousness and Judgement are the habitation of his Throne. When a man cannot see the Lord doing right, yet the Lord doth right. The Sun shineth when eclipsed or covered with a Cloud. The Lord never ceaseth to right the poor, though neither poor nor rich perceive how, or which way he doth it.

First, The Lord giveth right to the poor, sometimes, when the poor perceive it not. (Psal. 97.2.) Clouds and darknesse are round about him, Righteousnesse and Judgement are the habitation of his Throne. When a man cannot see the Lord doing right, yet the Lord doth right. The Sun shineth when eclipsed or covered with a Cloud. The Lord never ceaseth to right the poor, though neither poor nor rich perceive how, or which way he doth it.

Secondly, I answer, He giveth right to the poor, even when they want right, or when they are under the sorest oppressions, by supporting their hearts in this persuasion, that he will give them right. The poor have right when their minds are satisfied that they shall have right. There is no true Godly poor man in the world, how much soever afflicted, but his heart is, or may be satisfied, that he shall have right. That's a sure word (Psal. 9.18.) The needy shall not always be forgotten, the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever. And therefore we may pray with confidence, Forget not, O Lord, the Congregation of thy poor for ever, (Psal. 74.19.) The poor may rest in this assurance, while their troubles rest upon them, that God will bring forth their Righteousness as the Light, and their Judgement as the Noon day, (Psal. 37.6.) He hath right, who believes he shall have it; as he that believeth, hath everlasting life in hope, long before he attains the possession of it, (John 3.36.)

Secondly, I answer, He giveth right to the poor, even when they want right, or when they are under the sorest oppressions, by supporting their hearts in this perswasion, that he will give them right. The poor have right when their minds are satisfied that they shall have right. There is no true Godly poor man in the world, how much soever afflicted, but his heart is, or may be satisfied, that he shall have right. That's a sure word (Psal. 9.18.) The needy shall not always be forgotten, the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever. And therefore we may pray with confidence, Forget not, O Lord, the Congregation of thy poor for ever, (Psal. 74.19.) The poor may rest in this assurance, while their troubles rest upon them, that God will bring forth their Righteousnesse as the Light, and their Judgement as the Noon day, (Psal. 37.6.) He hath right, who believes he shall have it; as he that believeth, hath everlasting life in hope, long before he attains the possession of it, (John 3.36.)

Thirdly, Though we say, The Lord giveth right to the poor, both speedily and constantly, yet he reserveth to himself a liberty ⟨p. 199⟩as to time, and means, and manner; as in all his outward Administrations, so in ministering or giving out this right; the Lord waits to be gracious, till we are ready for his grace, and he waits (in the same sense) to be righteous, till the poor are ready for their right; they shall not stay for it, when once they are ready for it; and it would be a wrong to them to have their right, before they are ready for it.

Thirdly, Though we say, The Lord giveth right to the poor, both speedily and constantly, yet he reserveth to himself a liberty ⟨p. 199⟩as to time, and means, and manner; as in all his outward Administrations, so in ministring or giving out this right; the Lord waits to be gracious, till we are ready for his grace, and he waits (in the same sence) to be righteous, till the poor are ready for their right; they shall not stay for it, when once they are ready for it; and it would be a wrong to them to have their right, before they are ready for it.

JOB, Chap. 36. Vers. 7. He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous: but with Kings are they on the throne, yea, he doth establish them for ever, and they are exalted.

This verse contains a further confirmation of Gods righteous and gracious dealing with the righteous and gracious poor, yea, with all that are righteous and gracious. The words may be taken, either in a stricter or in a larger sense.

THis verse contains a further confirmation of Gods righteous and gracious dealing with the righteous and gracious poor, yea, with all that are righteous and gracious. The words may be taken, either in a stricter or in a larger sense.

First, Strictly, as an Exposition of the latter part of the former verse, He giveth right to the poor, that is, He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous: We may put both together, He is so set to give right to the righteous poor, he takes such care of them, that he cannot take his eye off from them.

Secondly, In a larger and more general sense, as a Conclusion upon the whole matter, that, God will not desert any righteous person, whether poor or rich, high or low, God will take notice of piety and godliness, wheresoever he finds it, He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous.

¹The word which we translate withdraweth, and is here used negatively, He withdraweth not, signifies, strictly in the Noun, any kind of abatement or diminution, and in the Verb, to diminish, or abate, or take short in any kind that which was before. When Pharaoh (Exod. 5.8.) gave out a fresh Charge for burdening, or indeed oppressing the Children of Israel in their bondage, the Order ran in this stile; The tale of bricks which they did make heretofore you shall lay upon them, you shall not diminish or withdraw any, you shall not abate them a brick. And Moses showing how sacred a thing the Word of God is, (Deut. 9.2.) gives a double check or prohibition to all meddlers with it: First, to meddlers by way of addition, Ye shall not add unto the Word: Secondly, by way of abatement, or abstraction, Ye shall not diminish, or withdraw from it: it is this word; As if the Lord had said, Every tittle of my word shall stand by it self, and every Iota be established; be sure that ye put nothing to it, that you withdraw ⟨p. 201⟩nothing from it. Further, this word which we translate withdraw, is rendered also to clip, as the hair of the head or beard is clipped, (Jer. 48.37.) It is indeed high treason against the King of Heaven, to clip his coin, his word, which bears the royal stamp and superscription of his truth and holiness. Thus here, he withdraweth not, that is, the Lord doth not abate, lessen, diminish, or take off his eyes from the righteous, his eyes are fixed on them for good always, and they are always fixed in the same strength and virtue; He withdraweth not His eyes.

¹The word which we translate withdraweth, and is here used negatively, He withdraweth not, signifies, strictly in the Noune, any kind of abatement or diminution, and in the Verb, to diminish, or abate, or take short in any kind that which was before. When Pharaoh (Exod. 5.8.) gave out a fresh Charge for burdening, or indeed oppressing the Children of Israel in their bondage, the Order ran in this stile; The tale of bricks which they did make heretofore you shall lay upon them, you shall not diminish or withdraw any, you shall not abate them a brick. And Moses shewing how sacred a thing the Word of God is, (Deut. 9.2.) gives a double check or prohibition to all medlers with it: First, to medlers by way of addition, Ye shall not add unto the Word: Secondly, by way of abate•ent, or abstraction, Ye shall not diminish, or withdraw from it: it is this word; As if the Lord had said, Every tittle of my word shall stand by it self, and every Iota be establisht; be sure that ye put nothing to it, that you withdraw ⟨p. 201⟩nothing from it. Further, this word which we translate withdraw, is rendred also to clip, as the hayr of the head or beard is clipt, (Jer. 48.37.) It is indeed high treason against the King of Heaven, to clip his coyn, his word, which bears the royal stamp and superscription of his truth and holiness. Thus here, he withdraweth not, that is, the Lord doth not abate, lessen, diminish, or take off his eyes from the righteous, his eyes are fixed on them for good alwayes, and they are alwayes fixed in the same strength and vertue; He withdraweth not His eyes.

1. 1[Greek or Hebrew] minuit, diminuit, ademit, substraxit.〈non-Latin alphabet〉 minuit, diminuit, ademit, substraxit.

God is a Spirit without parts and passions, yet often in Scripture parts and passions are ascribed to him in allusion to man, here eyes, He withdraweth not his eyes, that is, his sight,¹ or his providence. And we may take notice, that in Scripture, where this expression is used without any further addition, it is always taken in a good sense. When we read either of Gods keeping his eyes upon his people, or of his not withdrawing his eyes from his people, it always respects their privilege, benefit and comfort; He withdraweth not his eyes From the righteous.

God is a Spirit without parts and passions, yet often in Scripture parts and passions are ascribed to him in allusion to man, here eyes, He withdraweth not his eyes, that is, his sight,¹ or his providence. And we may take notice, that in Scripture, where this expression is used without any further addition, it is alwayes taken in a good sense. When we read either of Gods keeping his eyes upon his people, or of his not withdrawing his eyes from his people, it alwayes respects their priviledge, benefit and comfort; He withdraweth not his eyes From the righteous.

1. 1Oculos domini esso super aliquem, nisi aliquid additur semper in bonum sumitur & peculiarem ejus favorem et curam importat. Bold:

He doth not say, from this or that righteous man, but from the righteous, implying the whole kind or generation of the righteous. The indefinite is universal; we may render it thus; he withdraweth not his eyes from any that are righteous. The righteous here may be taken in a two-fold notion, First, for the righteous, as to their state, or who are in a state of righteousness. Man wanting a righteousness of his own, hath the righteousness of another assigned and imputed to him. Justified persons through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, are righteous persons, as hath been showed heretofore. Secondly, We may take righteous here, with respect to the righteousness of their ways and actions: They who do righteousness are righteous, saith the Apostle John. To a righteous state, there belongs a righteous way, a righteous walk, righteous acting; not that the righteous do not sin, but they would not, nor do they sin at all as the unrighteous. It is a high blemish or stain to the Gospel, when any that pretend to a righteous state, or to righteousness by Jesus Christ, are not righteous as to their ⟨p. 202⟩ways and course, as to their walkings and workings, whether towards God or man. 'Tis true, in a strict legal sense, none are righteous, no not one; but in a Gospel sense all justified and sanctified persons are righteous; and they are called so, not only positively as to what themselves are, but comparatively, as to what the men of the world are, who live in a state or walk in a course of sin and unrighteousness. The Lord withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous.

He doth not say, from this or that righteous man, but from the righteous, implying the whole kind or generation of the righteous. The indefinite is universal; we may render it thus; he withdraweth not his eyes from any that are righteous. The righteous here may be taken in a two-fold notion, First, for the righteous, as to their state, or who are in a state of righteousness. Man wanting a righteousness of his own, hath the righteousness of another assigned and imputed to him. Justified persons through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, are righteous persons, as hath been shewed heretofore. Secondly, We may take righteous here, with respect to the righteousness of their wayes and actions: They who do righteousness are righteous, saith the Apostle John. To a righteous state, there belongs a righteous way, a righteous walk, righteous acting; not that the righteous do not sin, but they would not, nor do they sin at all as the unrighteous. It is a high blemish or staine to the Gospel, when any that pretend to a righteous state, or to righteousness by Jesus Christ, are not righteous as to their ⟨p. 202⟩wayes and course, as to their walkings and workings, whether towards God or man. 'Tis true, in a strict legal sense, none are righteous, no not one; but in a Gospel sense all justified and fanctified persons are righteous; and they are called so, not only positively as to what themselves are, but comparatively, as to what the men of the world are, who live in a state or walk in a course of sin and unrighteousness. The Lord withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous.

But some may here object or question, Is this true only of the righteous? Doth the Lord at any time withdraw his eyes from the unrighteous? truly that would be very good news to many unrighteous persons, they would be glad that they and their way might be hid from God, or that God would not look upon them.

But some may here object or question, Is this true only of the righteous? Doth the Lord at any time withdraw his eyes from the unrighteous? truly that would be very good newes to many unrighteous persons, they would be glad that they and their way might be hid from God, or that God would not look upon them.

I answer, This Scripture is not to be so understood, as if God did behold the righteous and not the wicked, for (Prov. 15.3.) The eyes of the Lord are every where, beholding the evil and the good, whether things done or persons doing them. The Lord doth not withdraw his eyes from the most unrighteous persons, nor from any of their acts or ways of unrighteousness. And when it is said here, The Lord withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous, it is meant of a peculiar eye, which the Lord hath upon the righteous; he beholds both the righteous and the unrighteous, yet he doth not behold the unrighteous, as he beholds the righteous; which I shall clear further by giving in a five-fold discovery, what that eye of the Lord is which is upon the righteous, four of which are distinct and totally differing from that eye with which he beholdeth unrighteous men, and from every one of them I shall give you an observation for our further profiting by this general assertion, that the Lord withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous. There is a five-fold eye of God spoken of in Scripture.

I answer, This Scripture is not to be so understood, as if God did behold the righteous and not the wicked, for (Prov. 15.3.) The eyes of the Lord are every where, beholding the evil and the good, whether things done or persons doing them. The Lord doth not withdraw his eyes from the most unrighteous persons, nor from any of their acts or wayes of unrighteousness. And when it is said here, The Lord withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous, it is meant of a peculiar eye, which the Lord hath upon the righteous; he beholds both the righteous and the unrighteous, yet he doth not behold the unrighteous, as he beholds the righteous; which I shall clear further by giving in a five-fold discovery, what that eye of the Lord is which is upon the righteous, foure of which are distinct and totally differing from that eye with which he beholdeth unrighteous men, and from every one of them I shall give you an observation for our further profiting by this general assertion, that the Lord withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous. There is a five-fold eye of God spoken of in Scripture.

First, There is a discerning eye, that eye by which be unerringly knoweth what every man is, and what every man doth.

Hence note; The Lord taketh exact and full notice of, he clearly discerns the righteous in every condition.

This is true also of the unrighteous; therefore David puts it ⟨p. 203⟩universally, (Psal. 11.4.) His eyes behold, his eye-lids try the children of men, that is, his sight discovers and discerns what they are, of what sort soever they are. We may see many men, yet not discover what they are, they may have a fair outside to our view, whilst within they are foul and full of rottenness; they may appear in Sheeps clothing, yet inwardly be ravening Wolves. But the Lords eye is a trying eye, he doth not only know who men are, but he knows what they are. Such is the importance of that Scripture, (Heb. 4.13.) All things are naked and manifest to his eyes, with whom we have to do; that is, the Lord doth so behold things and persons, that he hath a clear understanding of them. And though the Lords eye be thus upon all men, yet this is specially affirmed of righteous men, (Psal. 33.18.) Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, and hope in his mercy. Again, (Psal. 34.15.) His eye is over the righteous. Both texts teach us, that God considers not only what they do, but as I may say, how they do, whether it be peace with them, or whether it be trouble with them, whether it be joy with them, or whether it be sorrow with them, the Lords eye is over them, to discern, not only whether, and how they go, but how things go with them.

This is true also of the unrighteous; therefore David puts it ⟨p. 203⟩universally, (Psal. 11.4.) His eyes behold, his eye-lids try the children of men, that is, his sight discovers and discerns what they are, of what sort soever they are. We may see many men, yet not discover what they are, they may have a faire outside to our view, whilest within they are foule and full of rottenness; they may appear in Sheeps cloathing, yet inwardly be ravening Wolves. But the Lords eye is a trying eye, he doth not only know who men are, but he knows what they are. Such is the importance of that Scripture, (Heb. 4.13.) All things are naked and manifest to his eyes, with whom we have to do; that is, the Lord doth so behold things and persons, that he hath a clear understanding of them. And though the Lords eye be thus upon all men, yet this is specially affirmed of righteous men, (Psal. 33.18.) Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, and hope in his mercy. Again, (Psal. 34.15.) His eye is over the righteous. Both texts teach us, that God considers not only what they do, but as I may say, how they do, whether it be peace with them, or whether it be trouble with them, whether it be joy with them, or whether it be sorrow with them, the Lords eye is over them, to discern, not only whether, and how they go, but how things go with them.