and earth are incensed against him, that God is angry with him, and that all the world hates him; he has done nothing to make his peace with either, and therefore he thinks that every one who meets him will slay him, Gen. iv. 14. Or, like a man absconding for debt, who thinks every man a bailiff. Fear came in, at first, with sin, (Gen. iii. 10.) and still attends it. Even in prosperity, he is apprehensive that the destroyer will come upon him, either some destroying angel sent of God to avenge his quarrel, or some of his injured subjects who will be their own avengers. Those who are the terror of the mighty in the land of the living, usually go down slain to the pit, (Ezek. xxxii. 25.) the expectation of which makes them a terror to themselves. This is further set forth, v. 22. that he is, in his own apprehension, waited for of the sword; for he knows that he who killeth with the sword, must be killed with the sword, Rev. xiii. 10. A guilty conscience represents to the sinner a flaming sword turning every way, (Gen. iii. 24.) and himself inevitably running on it. Again, (v. 23.) He knows that the day of darkness, (or the night of darkness rather) is ready at his hand, that it is appointed to him, and cannot be put by, that it is hastening on apace, and cannot be put off. This day of darkness is something beyond death; it is that day of the Lord which, to all wicked people, will be darkness and not light, and in which they will be doomed to utter, endless, darkness. Note, Some wicked people, though they seem secure, have already received the sentence of death, eternal death, within themselves, and plainly see hell gaping for them. No marvel that it follows, (v. 24.) Trouble and anguish (that inward tribulation and anguish of soul spoken of, Rom. ii. 8, 9. which is the effect of God's indignation and wrath fastening upon the conscience) shall make him afraid of worse to come. What is the hell before him, if this be the hell within him? And though he would fain shake off his fears, drink them away, and jest them away, it will not do; they shall prevail against him, and overpower him, as a king ready to the battle, with forces too strong to be resisted. He that would keep his peace, let him keep a good conscience.
Fourthly, If at any time he be in trouble, he despairs of getting out; (v. 22.) He believeth not that he shall return out of darkness, but he gives himself up for gone and lost in an endless night. Good men expect light at evening time, light out of darkness; but what reason have they to expect that they shall return out of the darkness of trouble, who would not return from the darkness of sin, but went on in it? Ps. lxxxii. 5. It is the misery of damned sinners, that they know they shall never return out of that utter darkness, nor pass the gulf there fixed.
Fifthly, He perplexes himself with continual care, especially if Providence ever so little frown upon him, v. 23. Such a dread he has of poverty, and such a waste does he discern upon his estate, that he is already, in his own imagination, wandering abroad for bread, going a-begging for a meal's meat, and saying, Where is it? The rich man, in his abundance, cried out, What shall I do? Luke xii. 17. Perhaps he pretends fear of wanting, as an excuse of his covetous practices; justly may he be brought to this extremity at last. We read of those who were full, but have hired out themselves for bread, (1 Sam. ii. 5.) which this sinner will not do; he cannot dig, he is too fat, (v. 27.) but to beg he may well be ashamed. See Ps. cix. 10. David never saw the righteous so far forsaken as to beg their bread, for, verilv, they shall be fed by the charitable, unasked, Ps. xxxvii. 3, 25. But the wicked want it, and cannot expect it should be readily given them. How should they find mercy, who never showed mercy?
[2.] His outward prosperity will soon come to an end, and all his confidence, and all his comfort, will come to an end with it. How can he prosper, when God runs upon him? So some understand that, v. 26. Whom God runs upon, he will certainly run down; for when he judges, he will overcome. See how the judgments of God cross this worldly wicked man in all his cares, desires, and projects, and so complete his misery.
First, He is in care to get, but he shall not be rich, v. 29. His own covetous mind keeps him from being truly rich. He is not rich, that has not enough; and he has not enough, that does not think he has. It is contentment only that is great gain. Providence remarkably keeps some from being rich, defeating their enterprises, breaking their measures, and keeping them always behind-hand. Many that get much by fraud and injustice, yet do not grow rich; it goes as it comes, it is got by one sin, and spent upon another.
Secondly, He is in care to keep what he has got,, but in vain, his substance shall not continue; it will dwindle and come to nothing, God blasts it, and what came up in a night, perishes in a night. Wealth, gotten by vanity, will certainly be diminished. Some have themselves lived to see the ruin of those estates which have been raised by oppression; it goes, however, with a curse to those who succeed. De male quaesitis vix gaudet tertius haeres—Ill-gotten property will scarcely be enjoyed by the third generation. He purchases estates to him and his heirs for ever; but to what purpose? He shall not prolong the perfection thereof upon the earth; neither the credit nor the comfort of his riches shall be prolonged; and, when those are gone, where is the perfection of them? How indeed can we expect the perfection of any thing to be prolonged upon the earth, where every thing is transitory, and we soon see the end of all perfection?
Thirdly, He is in care to leave what he has got and kept, to his children after him; but in this he is crossed, the branches of his family shall perish, in whom he hoped to have lived and flourished, and to have had the reputation of making them all great men. They shall not be green, v. 32. The flame shall dry them up, v. 30. He shall shake them off as blossoms that never knit, or as the unripe grape, v. 33. They shall die in the beginning of their days, and never come to maturity. Many a man's family is ruined by his iniquity.
Fourthly, He is in care to enjoy it a great while himself; but in that also he is crossed. 1. He may perhaps be taken from it; (v. 30.) By the breath of God's mouth—(that is, by his wrath, which, like a stream of brimstone, kindles the fire that devours him, Isa. xxx. 33. Or, by his word; he speaks, and it is done immediately)—shall he go away, and leave his wealth to others. This night, thy soul shall be required of thee; and so the wicked is driven away in his wickedness, the worldling in his worldliness. 2. It may perhaps be taken from him, and fly away like an eagle toward heaven: It shall be accomplished (or cut off) before his time, (v. 32.) that is, He shall survive his prosperity, and see himself stripped of it.
Fifthly, He is in care, when he is in trouble, how to get out of it; (not how to get good by it;) but in this also he is crossed; (v. 30.) He shall not depart out of darkness; when he begins to fall, like Haman, down with him. It was said of him, (v. 22.) He believeth not that he shall return out of darkness; he frightened himself with the perpetuity of his calamity, and God also shall choose his delusions, and bring his fears upon him, (Isa. lxvi. 4.) as he did upon Israel, Numb. xiv. 28. God says, Amen, to his distrust and despair.
Sixthly, He is in care to secure his partners, and
