Matthew Poole and continuators on Job 4:18

18. Behold, he put no trust in his Servants ; and his Angels he charged with Folly:

This deserves thy serious consideration. These and the following words seem to be the words of Eliphaz, explaining the former Vision, and applying it to Iob's Case, and enforcing it by further Arguments.

i. e. In his Angels, as appears both by the next words of this Verse, where they are called by way of Explication and Restriction, his Angels; and by the next Verse where men are opposed to them. They are called his Servants by way of Eminency, that general name being here appropriated to the chief of the kind, as is very usual in all Authors in like cases; and withal to intimate that Soveraign Dominion which the great God hath over the glorious Angels, and much more over men, by vertue whereof he hath an unquestionable Authority to treat them according to his good Pleasure. And these God is said to put no trust in, because he could not be confident that they, if left to themselves, and destitute of the succours of his Power and Grace, would continue to be loyal, and faithful, and serviceable to him, and would not revolt from him, as some of their Brethren had done. And for this cause God was pleased, after some time of Trial, to give some special and further Grace, either by Christ or otherwise, whereby they should be infallibly confirmed in the State of Grace & Felicity.

Or, with Vanity: i. e. He discerned Folly and Vanity in the Angelical Natures, when he had first made them; which although he saw and pronounced them, no less than the visible Creatures, Gen. 1▪ to be very good in themselves, & free from the least degree or tincture of sin; yet comparing them with himself, and considering them in themselves alone, he saw something of Folly and Vanity in their very Natures, because they were Creatures, and therefore Subject to manifold changes, and, among others, to fall from God, or into sin; as it appeared by the sad experience of some of them. Seeing therefore the Angels, which so far exceed Mankind in Wisdom, and Strength, and Purity, and Justice, and all other perfections, do fall incomparably short of God in these things, it is most absurd as well as impious, to think that Man is more just or pure than God, as was said, v. 17. and as thou, O Iob, seemest to surmise. Others, Nor (Heb. And not; the negative Particle being repeated out of the former Branch of the Verse, as it is Psal. 9. 18. Prov. 17. 26. and elsewhere,) in his Angels, in whom (both which particles are frequently understood, as hath been proved before) he put Light, or splendor, to wit, singular Wisdom, and Purity, beyond what he put in Man.

Marginal references: Chap. 15. 15. and 25. 4. 2 Pet. 2. 4.; Or, not in his Angels, in whom he put light.