Online Bible 1995 March/ROM-1025.iso/olb/gill/4_400.lzh/4_448.TXT

Text File | 1994-09-15 | 7KB | 125 lines

so sin, that whisperer arid makebate, separates be-
tween God and men, Isa. tix. 2.
Vet. 29. A violent man enticeth his neighbour, &c.]
As false teachers do, who are grievous wolves, not
sparing the flock, and who by good words and fair
speeches deceive the heart of the simple; and as the
man of sin, that has shed the blood of the saints, and
been drunk with the same, deceives with his miracles
and sorceries them that dwell on the earth. And
leadeth him into the way that is not good ; yea, into one
that is very bad; so far are false teachers from leading
their neighhours into the good old way of truth and
righteousness, that they lead them into pernicious
ways, by whom the way; of truth is spoken evil of;
they lead them into a ditch, and into destruction here-
after; as does the man of sin and violence his followers.
Vet. 30. He shuttcth his eyes to devise froward things,
· &c.] Or perverse or contrary things{r}; he shuts his
eyes, that his thoughts might not be disturbed and
distracted by visible objects, but might be more free
and composed, and intent upon the things he is me-
ditating and devising; or he shuts his eyes against
light, against Scripture evidence, which he does not
care to come to, lest his principles and practices should
be reproved; he Shuts his eyes, and will not look into
the Scriptures, that he may form and devise schemes
of doctrine and worship contrary to them. Some ren-
der it, he winks with his eyes, as in ch. vi. 13. so the
Targum; he gives the hint thereby to his companions,
when is the proper time to circumvent an innocent
person, and to put in execution the scheme he had de-
vised. Moving his lips he bringeth evil to pass; either
as persons in deep thought used to do; or as a token
to others to set about the evil designed and contrived;
or rathers as acting a deceitful part, as a false teacher;
not speaking out his mind freely, but muttering out
his words, handling the word of God deceitfully, and
not by manifestation of the truth commending him-
self to every man's conscience in the sight of God, as
a faithful minister does; and by such artful methods
brings Iris evil designs to pass. The Vulgate Latin
version renders it, biting his lips; so a wicked man
does through indignation at a good man, and through
desire of revenge; and when he plots against him, he
gnashes at him with Iris teeth, Psal. xxxvii. l2. The
Targnm is, "threatening with his lips ;" he gives out
menaces of evil things, and performs them; which is
true of the man of sin, Rev. xiii. 5--7.
   Ver. 31. The hoary head is a crown of glory, &c.]
Gray hairs, white locks through age are very ornamen-
tal; look very beautiful, bespeak gravity, wisdom, and
prudence, and command reverence and respect; with
the ancient Romans {s}, greater houour was paid to age
than to family o.r wealth; and the eider were revered
by the younger next to God, and in the stead of pa-
rents; see the note on Lev. xix. 32. If it be found in
the way ofrighteousne$s; that is, if such who are old
and stricken in years are like Zacharias and Elisabeth,
walking in all the commandments and ordinances of
the Lord blameless; when they are found in Cltrist,
having on his righteousness; and when they live so-
berly, righteously, and godly; when they walk in the
ways of God and true religion; keep up family wor-
ship, and private devotion; as well as constantly attend
the ministry of the word and ordinances; then are
they very venerable and respectable; their old age is a
good old age; and in a short time they shall have the
crown of glory which fadeth not away: but otherwise
a sinner a hundred years old shall be accursed; an old
man in the open ways of sin and vice, laden with ini-
quity, is a very contemptible and shocking sight.
Vet. 32. He that is slow to anger is better than the
mighty, &c.] Than a mighty warrior or conqueror; as
Alexander who conquered his enemies, and even all
the world, and yet in his wrath slew his best friends:
a man that is slow to anger is esteemed by the Lord,
respected by men, and is happy in himself; and is pre-
ferable to the strongest man that is not master of him-
self and of his passions, .4nd he that ruleth his spirit
than he that taketh a city; one that has the command of
 his t.emper, that can govern himself, and not suffer his
passions to exceed due bounds, is superior in strength
to him that can storm a castle or take a forttried city;
it is easier to do the one than the other; courage of
mind joined with wisdom, and assisted by a proper
number of persons, may do the one; but it requires
the grace of God, and the assistance of his spirit,
thoroughly to do the other. Cicero says t, ,, in all ages
"fewer men are found who conquer their own lusts
"than that overcome the armies of enemies."
Ver. 33. The lot is cast into the lap, &c.] Of a man's
garment, or into his bosom, or into a hat, cap, urn, or
whatsoever he has in his lap, and from whence it is
taken out; which used to be done in choosing officers,
civil or ecclesiastical; in dividing inheritances, and de-
termining doubtful cases; and making up differences,
and putting an end to strife and contentions, which
otherwise could not be done: and this ought not to be
used in trivial cases, or to gratify curiosity, or for the
sake of gain, or rashly and superstitiously; but se-
riously and religiously, with prayer, and in faith, and
with a view to the divine direction, and submission to
it; for a lot has the nature of an oath, and is an appeal
to the omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent Being.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord; or the judg-
ment{u} of it; the judgment that is to be made by it
concerning persons or things; it being so directed and
ordered by him as to fall upon the person it should; or
to make known the thing in doubt and debate accord-
ing to his will, in which all parties concerned should
acquiesce. This is to be ascribed, not to blind chance
and fortune, to the influence of the stars, or to any in-
visible created being, angel or devil, but to the Lord
only; there is no such thing as chance, or events by
chance; those events which seem most fortuitous or
contingent are all disposed, ordered, and governed, by
the sovereign will of God.

{r} \^twkpht\^ perversitates, Pagninus, Montanus, Baynus, Mercerus,
Gejerus; res perversas, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; perversa,
{s} Vid. A. Gell. Noct. Attic. l. 2. c. 15.
{t} Epist. l. 15. Ep. 4.
{u} \^wjpvm\^ judicium ejus, Pagninus, Montanus, Mercerus, Cocceius,
Gejerus, Schultens; judicium corum, Tigurine version.