s F. Spirher, 7. Speedily, between Morning and-Eveniog, like the Graſs; they flouriſh in the Morning,and in the Evening are cut off, Pal. 90: 5, 6- Orrather 2. Al the day long, asthe Phraſe is, 2 Cor 11: 25 There is not a moment wherein Man 15 nor ſinking and drawing on towards Death and Corruption. f As to haman ap- pearance and the courſe of Nature, as many ſuch like paſſages arc to be underſtood In this Book; or in Reference to this preſent anc worldly Life, which when once loſt is never recovered, Jeb 16: 22: Pſal. 39:13: g Heb. without putting the Heart to it, the word Heart being underſtood here, as alſo chap» 23. 6, and 34: 23; 1a. 41; 20: as may appear by comparing 1 Sam. 9: 20: 2 Sam, 18: 3: Iſa. 41. 22.and 57: 1. where the ſame Phraſe is uſed, and the word Heart expreſſed. The meaning is either,t: Yet few or no men tharſur- vive them lay it to heart as they ſhould de.Or, 2. They periſh beſide the expeQation of all men. when beth themſelves and others thoughttheir Mountain was ſo ſtrong, that it could not be removed Or rather, 3. Fhis is ſo common a thing for all men, though never ſohigh and great, toperiſh in this manner, that no man heeds it, bur paſſeth it by as a general accident not worthy of obſervation. Orh. No man procuring or furthering it ; Heb. without any mans pur. zing the hand to it, z. e. They periſh of themſelves withour any vi olent hand. : *PC39:13i, 27 * Doth not their excellency b which is in them, , : & Þ - | &49-14. £9 away #-? they * dye even without wiſdom &, FOli:36122> + Whatſoever is really or by common eſtimation excellent in | Men; all their Natural, and Moral, an Civil Accompliſhments, as high Birth, great Riches, Power and Wiſdom, &c. Theſe are ſo far from preſerving men from periſhing,as one would think they ſhould do,that they periſh themſelves, together with thoſe Houſes of C lay in which they are lodged. 7 Or, go away ( 7. e. die and periſh ax that Phraſe is ofc uſed, as Ger. 15: 15. Jof. 23: 14: Job. ro; 21: Pſal. 58: 9: Eccleſ.12. 5: Math. 26: 24.) with (as Beth is oft uſed) them: it
fools die alike, Eccleſ. 2:16: Or, 2. They never attain to perfe& Wiſdom, to that Wiſdom which Man once had, much leſs to that
”-D B,
Or, how much more,.
doth not ſurvive them, kEicher, 1. Like Fools. Wiſe men and |
Wiſdom which is in God,which Job conceiveth he hath ; otherwiſe he would not ſo boldly cenſure the Counſels and Works of God as unrighreous or unreaſonable, becauſe his human and narrow Capa- city cannot fully underſtand them. Morover,asfoly is oft pur for unrighteouſnets and wickedneſs ; ſo is wiſdom for juſtice and good- neſs; which is ſo known,'that it is needlels io prove ir ; and ſo by wiſdom here may be meant that perfe@ juſtice and purity, which Job arrogated to himſelf, and which E/phaz here denies to all men, V. 17, &C. | = i + WB. £ Wrath fooliſh: the wicked miſerable, 1-=-=-5. Evil cometh not by thance, It is natural to our condition, 6, 7, This #5 our motive 10 prayer and truſt in God, $8. whoſe unſearchable power and wiſdom are againſt the high and crafty for the relief of the puor, 9=--<+16. Their happine(s,whom God correfFeth, and God's gracious careef ſuch, 17-=-==27,
All now a, if there be any b that will anſwer thee c, ,
and to which Þ of the ſaints d wilt thou || turn e 2 - ” a 7. e, Invite, or make proclamation ; as this wordis oft uſed,as þ Q; j,;
. b]
Deut. 20; 19: Judges 124 1: Fere 2: 2; and 35 12: and 7: 2: Call them ; all as it were by their names : conſult the whole Catalogue of them all ,which thou didſt ever knowor hear of. 6b To wirt,of the Saints, as it follows. «c7.e- Comply with thee, anſwer thy deſires or expe. Qtations Try if there be any one Saint that will defend or allow thee in theſe bold expoſtulations with God, Or, as it is in the He- brew, If there be any that doth anſwer thee, 1. e. whoſe Opinion or Diſpoſition and Carriage is anſwerable, or like to thine. So anſwer. ing 13 ſometimes uſed, as Prov. 27: 19; Eccleſ. 10: 19: Thou wilt find many foolsor wicked men, as it follows werſe 2. to anſwer or imitate thee in their ſpeeches and carriages,but not one ef the Saints like thee ; which deſerves thy ſerious confideration, and gives thee juſt cauſe to queſtion thine integrity: « Either 1- The Angels,who are ſometimes called Saints, as Job 15: 15: Dan. 8: 13: Zech, 14; 5: be- cauſe they are eminently and perfeQaly holy ; or r ather 2. Holy men; as appears both from the Word, which moſt comonly is ſo uſed ;; & from the oppoſition of the fool:ſh man to theſe, v. 2: and becauſe the example of men was more proper and efferal for Jobs ConviQion than of Angels, e Or, bok, look about thee, view them all, and ſee ifthou canſt find one like thee. l|Or jnarg.
2 For wrath f killeth the fooliſh man g, and || enyy 4.
h ſlayeth the ſilly one 5.
f Either 1. The wrath of God ; or rather 2+ A Mans own Wrath, fretting,and impatience, and indignation ; which kils men, partly naturally,as it preysupon a Mans ſpirit, and waſteth him in- wardly, and f95 haſtens his death ; of which ſee Prov. 14; 3o: and 17: 22. partly morally, as it prompts him to thoſe raſh, and furious, and wicked aQtions which may procure his death . and partly me- ritoriouſly, as it provoketh God to cut him off, and to bring upon him thoſe further and ſevere ſtrokes, which he menticns in the following words. g Either, 1 Therafh and incenſiderate man, who doth not ponder things impartially ; bur like a man mad, rageth againſt God, and torments himſelf and all that hear him.Or, 2. The ungodly Man, who is frequently called a foo! in Scripture language, and who is here oppoſed to the Saints, v, 1: kh He taxeth Job, whoſpoke with great envy at thoſe that were never born, or were in their Graves, chap. 9: 10, 12, &c. i Properly, the Man, who for want of true Wiſdom,g1s ſoen deceived with falſe Opiniogs and Appearances, and preſent Things ; which is thy caſe, O Job ! The ſente of the Verſe may be this;: I perceive, O Job ! that thou arc full of envy at wicked men, who at preſent arc, or ſeem to be 'n an happier condition than thorvgand of wrath againſt Goc,'vho de- 11es thee that Mercygand loadsthee with Afflitions; and this ſhews rhee to be a fooliſh ard weak man. For thoſe Men,norwithſtanding heir preſent Proſperity, are doomed to great and certain miſery, as 't here follows. And to this Verſe coheres with the following, as well as, the foregoing Verſes.