John Trapp on Job 12:12

Verſe 12. With the ancient is wiſedome] Heb. with the decrepit, who have a long, long being upon earth, and are now become wondrous old, even four-ſcore and upward: with ſuch is wiſedome, or elſe it is a ſhame for them. See 1 John 2.12. Heb. 5.12. True it is, that wiſedome doth not alwaies lean upon a ſtaffe, nor look through ſpectacles. Age is no juſt meaſure of wiſedome: there are beardleſſe ſages, (as was Solomon) and gray-headed children, as Rehoboam. Macarius was called [non-Latin text not transcribed], the old youth; (Samuel, Daniel, Timothy were ſuch.) When Arſacius, who ſucceeded Chryſoſtom, was an old dotrel of fourſcore years,Anton. tit. 10. cap. 9. adorandae rubiginis, (as one ſaith of ſome ancient Authors:) and Nectarius who ſucceeded Nazianzen, was a meer novice, and preferred to that place, only becauſe he was of a venerable aſpect, and of a biſhop-like preſence and deportment.Venerandā canitie, & vulva ſacerdote digno-Baron. Of the Brabants Eraſmus teſtifieth, that the elder they are, the fooliſher. And Job here ſeemeth to tax his friends, that though old, yet they were not over-wiſe, not worthy of their years: ſith they underſtood not what he ſpake concerning Gods providence: Is wiſedome with the ancient, ſaith he, and underſtanding in length of dayes? ſo ſome read it queſtion-wiſe, q. d. it ill appeareth.

And in length of dayes, underſtanding] By reaſon of their much obſervation, and frequent experience, together with their ability to draw other things out of thoſe they have obſerved, and from former events to preſage future. This is to be underſtood of ſuch old men as are like flowers, which have their roots perfect, when themſelves are withering; as with roſes, keep a ſweet ſavour though they loſe their colour; as with the Sun, ſhine moſt amiably at their going down. But leſt we ſhould attribute too much to ſuch ſages, Job ſhewes in the next verſe, that all their wiſedome is but derivative, and that all their underſtanding is but a ſpark of Gods flame, a drop of his Ocean.