wherein he walhed nith, or after God ; as the Phraſe is, Gen. 5, 24. 2 Kings 23. 3. following his Example, Or, 2, Paflively. the ſteps or paths which God hath appointed mep to walk in, asChap. 21, 14 g The ſame thing with that in the former part of the \ cre, in «iffe- rent expreſſions. :
12 Neither have I gone back þ from the command-
ment of his lips ; + I haveeſteemed 7 the word of his mouth more than || my neceſſary food k.
life, human Infirmity excepted, 7 Heb.. 7 have hid or laid it up, as Mes do their beſt Treaſures, or what they moſt love and value. The Phraſe notes an high cſtimation of it, an hearty attcCtion toit, and a diligent care to preſerve it. k Or, my appointed food. or my dayly por: tion; 4. e, that food or proviſion which is pecetlary for the ſuppore of my life, as this word is uſed, Gen,q7-22, Prev. 30. 8. Gf 31, 15, which is more prized and deſired than all the riches 1n the world. 12 But he is in. one mind, and* whocan turn him m2? and what * his ſoul defireth even at he doth x. : 1 i e.. Notwithſtanding all theſe Evidences of my fincere Piety,and Pl.11s 3, all my Prayers to him, he ſiill continues in the ſame mid and courſe of afflifting me, Or, but he is, i. c. if he be, againff oze, or againſt ;« ny man, as that "word is oft uted, 2s he now ſctteth himſelf againſt ne, Or, byt hets one, the Hebrew prefix Beth, being here the rote of a No- minative Caſe. as it is Job 28.8. Pſal. 68. 5. Hy. 13. 9. where. So the ſenſe.is, But why do I waſte words to no purpoſe 7 All my former conſtant Integrity, and my preſent profeſſion of it, gives 4 me xo eaſe, he is ſtill one azd the ſame, conſtant, unchangeable in his Purpoſes and Counſcls of proceeding againſt o.c Or, he is alone,and there is none befides him,who can either ceſtraingor advice, or movehim. m No man can change his Counſels or Courſe, or inclikc him to ſhew favour to me. He is moſt abſolute and free to do. what he pleaſeth, and he dealeth with me accordingly, and not by thoſe milder Methods which he uſcth towards other M-o, n He will not do what I pleaſeor deſire, but oaly what pleaſeth himſelf. | Sol ects 14 Forhe performeth the 1hivg that is appointed for
me 9: and many ſuch things ere with him p.
o Or,: he will perje, or finiſh my appointed portion, 7. e, thoſe Calami- ties which he hath allotted to me for my Portion, which as he hath be- gun to layon me, fo he is reſolved to make a full end of them, þ There are many ſuch Examples of God's proceeding with Men in way of abſolute S>vercignty and Severity, and his Counſcls and Providen- ces, though alwaysjuſt, yet are oft ſc<cret, and we cannot diſcern the Reaſonableneſs or Equity of them, which is my caſe.
15 Therefore q am I troubled at his preſence ; when
I conſider Tam afraid of him. | | q In conſideration of his glorious Majeſty, and fovereign, and ir-
f 0 B.
s i. e. Towards the Eaſt, which in Scripture is accounted the fore- part of the World, as the ticbrew name of it ſignifies, becauſe of the Light of the Sun, which ariſcth there, and draweth the eyes of men towards it. t To wit, ſo as | would have him, asa Judge to hear ard determine my Cauſe, of which he is here ſpeaking : For otherwiſe he knew and believed that God waseflentially preſent in all places. » 2. e. Towards the Weft. So alſo the North is called the Left-hand and the South the Right-hand, wv. g. becauic ſo they all are to a man who locks towards the Eaſt. He names ail the ſeveral pirts of the Woild, fo ſhew h:s eager defire and reftleſs endeavours to find out God, and to
9g On theleft hand where he doth work x, but I can- not behold him : he hideth himſclfy on the right hand,
x To wit, in a ſpecial and peculiar manner, more than in other Parts of the World ; for ſo indeed God did work in thoſe parts which were Northward from ob, becauſe there Mankiad ( among whom God dclightsto be and to work ) were moit numerou:, and moſt ingent- There alfo was the'Seat of the Aſian Empire, which was «minent in Job's time, and afterwards of the 0- ther ſucceſſive Empires[n and by allwhichGod did manygreat &glo- ri10us Works: But this Eebrew word 1s by others, and that very pro- perly and fitly rendred, when or whileſt he worketh, to wit, in ah E+ minent manner. So this is added to aggravate 7ob's unhappineſs, We may certainly find any man when and where heis working ; Bat I, ſaith he, ſearch for God even when and where he is working, and yet
his ta- 2 Either, 1. I cannot diſcern his Counſels, and Ways, and the Reaſons of his fe- vere dealings with me. Or rather, 2, He doth not ap; car to me 2: a Judge, to examine my Cauſe and Arguments, but condemus me withe
xo But a he knoweth Þ the way that I take b : wher
b me. a Thouph I cannot ſee him, yet my comfort is, that. he feeth me
me throughly, which above all things i defire, 4 Which cometh out
ing that lam free, thouzh not from all fin. as he had cunfeifed before,
h i. e. Nat turnedatiic to any crooked or {inful path or courſe of |.
and elſfe-
reliſtivle Power,by which he cau do whatſocyer pleaſeth him,without
; | giving any account of his matters. y When 1 preſent him to my Thoughts. Or, when he appears or ranifcſteth himſelf to me. Or for fear or dread of him ;, or, by reaſon of him. 4 16 For God maketh my heart ſoft s, and the Almj gh- ty troubleth me :
s Or, tender, He hath bruiſed, and broken, or melted if, fo that 3 have no Spirit, nor courage, nor Strength in me, as this or the like Phraſe 15 uſed, Dext. 20, 3. Pſal. 39. 11. Iſa. 7. 4+ Jer. 51. 45.
17 Becaute I was not cut off: before the darkneſs u ;
7*ither hath he covered the darkneſs from my face x.
# Becauſe God did not cut me off by death. « 3. e. Before theſe dark and diſmal Miſeries came upen me. Or, before the face, or hy reaſon ef the darkneſs, i, e, That God hath not cut me off by theſe Calamities but prolonged my days under them, that: he might increaſe my Tor- ment. x So that 1 might no longer ſee, or tec] my Miſeries, but might be taken out of them by my long deſired death, Seeing C and conſequently having before ones Face _) 15 oft put for Experiencing fur erjoyi. g good. or feeling evil, as job 20. 19. Pſal. 16, 10, &c. Or, tut be hath covered darkneſs, to wit, Death, which is fo called, Jes 10, 21, 22. and ciſewhere, from my Face, i. e. he will not allow me the favour to fee Death.
C2.AF AMY, The Pradlice and Proſperity of the Wicked, 1 === 16. Their Puniſhment and Curſe in the End 19 25 |