k i, e. God, who was expreſſed, v. 14. and deſigned by this Pro- noun he both in the foregoing and following verſes. / i» e. From the excution of his purpoſe. Heb. from his work, 7. e, from his evil work, as the Chaldee and Seventy underſtand it , from ſin, which is truly and fitly called Man's work, becauſe it hath irs riſe in and from him, and is his own proper work, and very agreeable to his Nature in his preſent corrupt Eſtate,as on the contrary all the good that is in Man is God's proper and peculiar work, and is generally aſcribed to him in Scripture. So this is noted as the defign of God's giving Man this warning,to keep him from executing that evil work which poſſibly he had defigned to do ; of which ſee examples, Gen. 20+ 5, 6+ & 31. 24. #7. e Either, 1. To take it away, as God is ſaid to hid fin, when he quite removes and forgives it, Pſal. 32. x, and ſorrow is ſaid to be kid, Job 3, 10- whenitnever isnor was: and underſtanding is ſaid to be hid, when it periſbeth,” Tfa. 29. 14. And Pride is here mentioned as the root of thoſe evil purpoſes or works Jaſt mentioned ; which for the moſt pait proceed from haughtineſs of ſpirit, whereby men ſcorn to ſubmir themſelves, and their wills and aGtions to God's Authoriry,and preſume to advance themſelves above God,and reſolve to follow their own willsand luſts in ſpight of God, and with contempr of him. Or, Pride may be here pur for all matter or occaſion of Pride, And God by this means is ſaidto hide Pride from man, becauſe by theie glorious and terrible Repre- ſentitions of his Divine Majeſty to a Man, he takes him off from the contemplation and admiration of his own excellency, which men are generaliy very prone to refle&t upon, and brings him to a ſight of his own nothingneſs and weakneſs, and to a ſenſe of his de-
f Hebs k
pendence upon God, and to an humble and ready ſubmiſſion ro -
his will and pleaſure. : Wes 18 * He kecepeth back! his ſoul »: from the pit »,and fled per his life + from periſhing by the. {word 0+ Poſing "og 4 To wit; by theſe gracious admonitions whereby he leads them the ſworg, £0 repentance. 7» Either the Man, who is oft expreſſed by this " Part ; or, his fe, as the next branch explains it. » z. e. From the Grave, from Death or Deſtruftion. o 7 e. by ſome dreadful Judg- ment of God which was ready to fall upon him. i9 He is chaſtened alto with pain p upon his bed,and the mu'titude of his bones with ſtrong pain 9. | p Or gr:+/, with ſome painfu] and dangerous Diſeaſes, or Bodily Diſtzmpers, which 1s the tecond way whereby God inſtrufts men and excires them to repentance ; which alſo was Job's caſe. 9q The
him by God's Meſſenger thall revive his Spirit, and by GESTEES Tee
7 O B.
Chap. XXXIIN
Pain Prerceth his very Bones, even all of them. Or, even the freng ] multitudes of his Bones, 1. e. his Bones which are both many and » ſtrong. Or, according to another reading, the contention of his bones, | (7. e. the pain of his Bones whereby God contends with him ) is | ſtrong. This alſo was Job's Caſe, Chap, 30. 17. it 20 * Fo that his life 7 || abhorreth bread s, and his * pat. | ſoul # dainty meat 7. r07. 18:4 r 1.e« His Soul, as the next Clauſe explains it : or his Appetite | Or, mal which isa ſign and an a& of life. £i e. Common and neceſſary gerb him |
food. 7 Suchas others do, and he tormerly did much deſire and gþhor. | Prize. : + Heb. iff 2r His fleſh is conſumed away «, that it cannot be meat of 1
ſeen x, and his bones that were notſeen ,, ſtick out, deſire” |
z Through pain and pining ſickneſs. x Becauſe there is none left i to be ſeen, but he who before was fat and flouriſhing is now be- come a meer Skeleton. »y Formerly, becauſe they were covered with Fleſh and Fat. Bur this Clante is, and may be rendred” thus, and his Bones are broken, and are nt ſeen : which is to be metaphori- cally underſtood. |
22 Flis foul draweth near unto the + grave z, and + Heb.#i his life to the deſtroyers «.
z He ſeems to himſelf, and others,to be loſt and paſt all hopes of recovery. Which he adds for Job's comfort in his deſperate condi- tion. a4 To the inſtruments of death or deſtruction, whether it be Angels, whom God ſometimes uſeth in thoſe cafes, or Devils, who have the power of Death, Heb» e. 14. or Diſeaſes, which by God's ap- pointment are ready to givethe fatal blow.
23 It there be a meſſenger b with him c, an * inter- preter 4, one among a thouſand e, to ſhew unto man his uprigheneſs f:
6 Either 1. an Angel ſent to him from Heaven upon this errand; for the Angels are miniſtring Spirits, P/. 103. 20. Heb. 1. 14. and are, and eſpecially in that time and ſtate of the Church, were fre- quently employed by God upon Meſſages to Men. But why then lhould he tay, one of a thouſand Angels, {ceing any the meaneſt An- gel was very competent for this work ? Or rather, ». a Prophet or Teacher, forſuch are off called by this Name ; as Fudg.2.1. Mal. 2. 7- & 3. 1- Rev. x. 20. 2nd ſuch Perſons are appointed by God fcr, and are moſt commonly imployed in this work. . c Either 1. with God to plead Man's Cauſe, and to pray to God for Man. Or,rather, 2-with Man, who is expreſſed in the laſt Clauſe of this Verſe. and of whom this ſame Pronoun him is twice uſed in the tiext Verſe. Nor is itſtrange that the Pronoun Relative is put before the Noun
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