John Trapp on Job 12:16

Verſe 16. With him is ſtrength and wiſedome] i. e. Such ſtrength as he exerciſeth moſt wiſely, mightily and righteouſly. Sic volo, ſic [illegible: 1 word], ſaith the Tyrant, Right or wrong, thus it ſhall be: Volumus & [illegible: 1 letter]u[illegible: 1 letter]emus, ſaith that man of ſin, wee will and command &c. neither muſt any one mute or ſay ſo much as what doſt thou? upon pain of damnation. When Constantius would have Paulinus, Lucifer, and other Biſhops ſubſcribe againſt Athanaſius, and communicate with the Arians, he yeilded to no other reaſon but this, Quod ego volo, pro canone fit, Do as I bid, or get you into baniſhment. But God, though he hath all power in his hand, and may do whatſoever he pleaſeth, yet with him is ſtrength and equity (ſo Vatabius rendreth the word Tuſbijah here uſed) or the being, ſubſtance, and permanency of all creatures (ſo Munster) which ſubſiſt meerly by his manutention: or, the rule and certain law of wiſedome and judgment, by which wiſedome acteth, ſaith Mercer. So then the Lord, though he make his will a law, yet he cannot do otherwiſe then well, becauſe nothing but wiſedome and equity is in it.

The deceived, and the deceiver are his] This Job produceth as a proof of Gods inſuperable ſtrength, and unſearchable wiſedome, that he hath an over-ruling hand in the artifices and ſlights of men, even the cunning craftineſſe (as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh) Eph. 4.14. Whereby they lie in wait to deceive. Theſe he not only and barely permitteth in his juſt judgment upon the deceived (whether through ignorance, or idleneſs) but diſpoſeth alſo, & ordereth both the deceiver and the deceived, (whether in ſpiritual things, or civil) to his own righteous ends, and holy purpoſes. See Ezek. 14.9. 1 Kin. 22.19, 20 2 Theſ. 2.11. Iſa. 19.14. and then conclude with Job, that wiſedom and ſtrength are his, who can thus draw light out of darkneſſe, and powerfully order the diſorders of the world to his own glory, and the good of his people: For there muſt be hereſies, that they which are approved may be made manifeſt, 1 Cor. 11.9. Mean-while, here is the comfort of every good ſoul, that none can take them out of the Father hands, Job. 10.29. and it is impoſſible that the elect ſhould be totally and finally deceived, becauſe both the deceived and the deceiver are Gods: by him, and from him, and for him are deceivers and deceived, (ſo Broughton tranſlateth this text). By him, for he ſuffereth and ordereth them: From him, for he ſendeth them: And For him, for they promote his glory, and ſerve his ends. He many times ſuffereth the tree of the Church to be ſhaken, that rotten fruit may drop off. There are the ſet this ſenſe upon the words; they are both in Gods hands, the deceiver to have revenge taken upon him, and the deceived who revengeth not himſelf to have his cauſe righted, as 1 Theſ. 4.6. an argument both of Gods wiſedome to find out the deceiver, how ſubtle ſoever: and likewiſe of his power in puniſhing them, how potent ſoever.