Having formerly spoken against those that contemned the
law, he now speaketh against those that contemned providence, promising
themselves a long time in the world, and a happy accomplishment of their carnal
projects, without any sense or thought of their own frailty, or the sudden
strokes of God. In this verse he doth, as it were, personate them, and give a
most accurate representation of their thoughts.
Go to now, age nun. -
The vulgar readeth Ecce, as if it were idoon, see now, do you do rightly? But
we render it better. It is a phrase that provoketh them to consideration, as
awakening the attention of conscience, or as citing them before the presence
and tribunal of God. The same adverb is used chap. v. 1. From this opening of
the word observe: -
Obs. That if we would know the evil of our actions, it
is good to use reviews and reflecting thoughts. We sin and go on in sin because
of incogitancy. There should be wise consideration afore-hand to prevent the
sin, and faithful recollection to prevent the going on in sin. God complaineth,
Jer. viii. 6, 'No man saith, What have I done?' This recollection citeth the
soul before three bars: -
(1.) Conscience;
(2.) God's eye; and
(3.)
God's throne or tribunal. It rouseth up the light of conscience by comparing
the action or speech with a principle of reason, or the word, as in the present
case, thus: - Am I Lord of future events, that I do so confidently determine or
define them? Do those things hang on my will? Is my life or actions in mine own
power? It draweth the soul into the presence of God thus: Would I have the
jealous God, that disposeth of human events and successes, to take notice of
such speeches? So before God's judgment seat thus: Would I defend such actions
or speeches before the tribunal of God? Will these carnal deliberations endure
the severe search and trial of the great day? Thus should you in all cases
review your actions, and, as the prophet saith, 'Behold your way in the
valley,' Jer ii. 23.
Ye that say, To-day or to-morrow we will go into
such a city, &c. - By an imitation he reciteth the speeches or thoughts of
the Jewish factors or merchants. Now we will go to Alexandria, or to Damascus
or to Antioch, which were the places of their usual traffic. Observe hence: -
Obs. 1. That carnal hearts are all for carnal projects. Thoughts are the
purest offspring of the soul, and do discover the temper of it. Men are
according to their devices. See Isa. xxxli. 6, 7, 'Liberal men devise liberal
things.' Carnal men are projecting how to spend their days and months in buying
and selling and getting gain. The fool in the Gospel is thinking of enlarging
his barns, and plucking down his houses and building greater, Luke xii. 17, 18;
this engrosseth all his thoughts. One apostle describeth such men thus,
'Minding earthly things,' Phil. iii. 19. Another thus, 'Having an heart
exercised with covetous practices,' 2 Peter ii. 14; that is, with earnest
contrivances how to promote their gain and earthly aims. A gracious heart is
for gracious projects, how they shall be more thankful, Ps. cxvi. 12; how more
holy, more useful for God, more fruitful in every good work; 'what they shall
do to inherit eternal life.' Oh! consider, this is the better care, that more
suiteth with the end of our creation and the nature of our spirits. We were
sent into the world, not to grow great and pompous, but to enrich our souls
with spiritual excellences, &c.;
Obs. 2. Again you may observe, that
carnal men send out their thoughts to forestall and fore-enjoy their
contentments ere they obtain them. It is usual with men to feed themselves with
the pleasure of their hopes. Sisera's mother's ladies looked through the
lattice, pleasing themselves in the thought of a triumphant return, Judges v.
Thoughts are the spies and messengers of the soul; hope sendeth them out after
the thing expected, and love after the thing beloved. When a thing is strongly
expected, the thoughts are wont to spend themselves in creating images and
suppositions of the happiness of enjoyment. If a poor man were adopted into the
succession of a crown, he would please himself in the supposition of the future
honour and pleasure of the kingly state. Godly men, that are called to be
'co-heirs with Christ,' are wont to pre-occupy the bliss of their future
estate, and so do in a manner feel what they do but expect. So also do carnal
men charm their souls with whispers of vanity, and feed themselves with the
pleasant anticipation of that carnal delight which they look for; as young
heirs spend upon their hopes, and riot away their estate ere they possess it
'Well, then, look to it; it is a sure note of fleshliness when the world
runneth so often in your thoughts, and you are always deflowering carnal
contentments by these anticipations of lust and sin; and you have nothing to
live upon, or to entertain your spirit withal, but these suppositions of gain
and pomp, and the reversion of some outward enjoyment.
Obs. 3. Again, you
may observe their confidence of future events: 'We will go, and continue there
a year,' &c. Note thence, that carnal affections are usually accompanied
with, certainly much encouraged by, carnal confidence. They are doubly
confident: of the success of their endeavours, 'We will get gain;' of the
continuance of their lives, 'We will continue there a year.' Lust cannot be
nourished without a presumption of success: when men multiply endeavours, they
little think of God, or of the changes of providence: it is enough to undo lust
to suppose a disappointment; besides, when there is such a presence of means,
we ascribe little to the highest cause. First the world stealeth away our
affections, and then it intercepteth our trust; there is not only adultery in
it, James iv. 4, but idolatry, Eph. v. 15. It is not only our darling, but our
god; and that is the reason why worldly men are always represented as men of a
secure presumption; as Luke xii. 9, 'Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for
many years; eat, drink, and be merry;' so Job xxix. 18, 'I shall die in my
nest, and multiply my days as the sand;' so in that apocryphal passage, Ecclus.
xi. 19, 'I have found rest, and will eat continually of my goods; and yet he
knoweth not what time shall come upon him.' They think now they have enough to
secure them against all chances. Well, then, look to your confidence and trust;
when you are getting an estate, is your expectation founded in faith or lust?
When you have gotten an estate, where lieth the assurance of your contentment?
in the promises, or your outward welfare?
Obs. 4. Again, from that to-day
or to-morrow, and we will tarry there a year. Carnal men are not only confident
of present, but future welfare, which argueth an heart stupidly secure, and
utterly insensible of the changes of providence: Isa. lvi. 12, 'To-morrow shall
be as this day, and much more abundant;' Ps. xlix. 11, 'Their inward thought is
that their houses shall continue for ever.' Men love to enjoy their carnal
comforts without interruption, thought of death, or change. Every day is as a
new life, and bringeth sufficient care with it; we need not look out for so
long time. But worldly men, in their cares, do not only provide for the morrow,
but the next year; in their possessions do not only please themselves in their
present happiness, but will not so much as suppose a change.
We will
continue there, poièsomen - we will factor it there. He chiefly
instanceth in trading, and accommodateth his words to the merchant's
profession, because too often and too sensibly are these carnal thoughts,
hopes, and confidence found in merchants and men versed in worldly trading;
though he intendeth to speak against all sorts of men that undertake anything
in the confidence of their own wisdom and industry, without the leave and
blessing of providence. Therefore observe hence: -
Obs. 1. From the letter
of the place, that merchants are very liable to thoughts and discourses
savouring of carnal presumption and confidence. In their bourses and exchanges
they are always talking of wares, and gain, and traffic, without any thought of
God: Hosea xii. 7, 'He is a merchant; the balances of deceit are in his hand;'
in the original, 'he is a Canaanite.' Canaan's posterity, upon whom the curse
fell, was most happy in this course of life; and being driven out of the land
by the Israelites into the maritime towns, they were most famous for
navigation. It is your ordinary calling to go from place to place; take God
along with you wherever you go. Of all men you should be most cautelous: in
your commerce be mindful of God and of yourselves; of God's providence and your
own frailty, that you neither be too much in the world, nor too confidant of
your own industry.
Obs. 2. From the scope of the whole verse, that it is a
vain thing to promise ourselves great matters without the leave of providence.
To say, 'We will go,' 'we will do thus and thus,' it is vain; for we are not
lords of our lives, nor lords of our own actions: Ps. xxxi. 15, 'My times are
in thy hand;' so Prov. xxvii. 1, 'Boast not thyself of to-morrow, for thou
knowest not what a day may bring forth.' To-day we are, and to-morrow not: we
cannot tell what may be in the womb of the next morning. So for our actions:
'Their works are in the hand of God,' Eccles. ix. 1. The performance of them,
and the success of them; we need counsel and a blessing. The prophet speaks of
it as of a known case, Jer. x. 23, 'O Lord, I know that the way of man is not
in himself; it is not in the sons of men to direct their steps.' But when do
men promise themselves great matters without the leave of providence? I answer
- Many ways: the principal are these - (1.) When they undertake things without
prayer. You may speak of success when you have asked God's leave: Job xxii. 28,
'Acquaint thyself with God, then thou shalt decree a thing, and it shall be
established.' (2.) When they are too confident of future contingencies and
events, without any submission and reservation of the will of God, and boast
upon mere human likelihoods: see Exod. xv. 11; and Judges, v. 28 30; so 1 Kings
xx. 10, 11, 'The gods do so to me, and more also, if the dust of Samaria
suffice for handfuls for all the people; and the king of Israel said, Let not
him that girdeth on his harness boast as he that putteth it of!'. He would
plunder Samaria so bare that he would not leave any dust there; but God
disappointed him. (3.) When men's endeavours are set up in God's stead, we
think all dependeth upon the course of sublunary causes, and so neglect God.
(4.) When men promise themselves a time to repent hereafter. Many think within
themselves, I will follow my pleasure and profits, and then spend my old age in
a devout and retired privacy; first build, and trade, and bustle in the world,
and adjourn God to the aches and dull phlegm of their age. Foolish man decreeth
all future events as if all were in his own hands. Well, then, in all cases
remember God; it is useful for princes and men employed in counsels for public
welfare. How often do they prove unhappy because they do not seek God! We
should ask counsel of the oracle before we take it from one another. The
heathens saw a need to begin with God. So for soldiers; how soon is a battle
turned! It is not for you to say, 'I will pursue, I will overtake.' &c.
Solomon saith, 'The battle is not always to the strong,' Eccles. ix. So for
traders; you must not say, I will send out a ship and get gain: how often are
carnal presumptions checked! So for Christians; do everything in the name of
the Lord Jesus; you cannot believe, repent when you will, nor pray as you will.
Samson was mistaken when he said, 'I will go forth and shake myself as at other
times.' The natural exercise of your faculties, and the divine assistances of
grace, do all hang upon God's good pleasure.
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