John Trapp on Job 19:23

Verſe 23, Why do ye perſecute [illegible: 1 letter]e as God?] Is this that pitying of me, thus to preſſe me with reproaches, and therein to think you gratifie God, and do him good ſervice? Know ye not, that to perſecute him, whom he hath ſmitten, is greateſt cruelty? and to talk to the grief of thoſe whom he hath wounded, is to heap up guilt. and thereby wrath, Pſal, 69.26, 27. When a Dear is ſhot, the reſt of the Herd puſh him out of the company. When a tree falleth, every paſſenger is ready to be pulling at it. But Gods people ſhould love as Brethren, be pitiful be courteous, [non-Latin text not transcribed] 1 Pet 3.8. and of ſome have compaſſion, making a difference, and others ſave with fear, pulling them out of the fire. Jude 22, 23. Thus it ſhould be: but as of old, in Egypt, one Hebrew ſmote another; blowes enough were not dea[illegible: 1 letter] by the common adverſary, but their own muſt adde to the violence: Still Satan is thus buſie, and Chriſtians are thus malicious; that, as if they wanted Perſecutours, they perſecute one another; and if (as here) they can but do as God, that is, for God, as they miſperſwade themſelves (to vindicate his Juſtice, and to promote his glory) then they rage and are confident. as theſe friends of Job; in whom nevertheleſſe it was rather error amoris, then amor erroris, an errour of love, then any love of error.

And art not ſatisfied with my fleſh] Which is pined a way with paine and grief: This contents you not,Eſt detractoris periphraſis. Mercer. Non minue enim calumniatores homines devorant quam Scytha. Brent. in loc. but you muſt break my bones alſo, and ſuck my blood by your contumelies and calumnies. Br[illegible: 1 letter]ntius and others apply this Tert to ſlanderers, and back-biters, whom they compare to Cannibals. It is reported of Wolves, that when they have once fed upon mans fleſh, they deſiſt not, but deſire mort of it. Job looketh upon his friends as ſuch man-eaters, wherein his ſorrow tranſported him too far; and whiles he was moving them to compaſſion, he ſhewes himſelfe over paſſionate.

Verſe 23. Oh that my words were now written] This reiterated wiſh Job ſetteth as a Preamble to that enſuing memorable teſtimony of the Reſurrection, as a matter moſt weighty and worthy the conſideration of all ages, which therefore he wiſheth recorded in ſome publick Inſtrument no alſeternity: And god ſaid, Amen, to it. For not only this precious paſſage, but the whole Book of Job. ſo full of divine inſtruction preparatory to the loſt day was committed to waiting (either by Meſes, or ſome other Prophets of that age, or elſe by Job himſelf after his reſtauration) and put among the Canonical Books of Scripture; concerning which David ſaith, For ever, O Lord; thy Word is ſetled in heavean, Pſal. 219, 89. And Chriſt, Heaven and earth ſhall paſſe away, but not one jot or tittle, &c. Matth. 5. Not one hair of that ſacred head can fall to the earth.Aug. Confeſſ. l. 5. c. 8. Thus God hath anſwered Job, ad cardin[illegible: 3 letters] deſiderii, as a Father ſpeaketh, leating it be to him, even as he would.

Oh that they were printed] Or drawn out, that is, written (ſaith One) in great and Capital Letters, that every man might read them, Hab. 22. for there was no Printing in thoſe dayes that we know of. The Chino[illegible: 1 letter]s indeed tell us, that they had the Art of Printing long before. But in Europe it was not heard of till the year, One thouſand four hundred and forty. It begun to be practiced at Harlem in the Low. Countries (by Lawrence Jans, ſay ſome, by John Gertude[illegible: 2 letters]erg ſay others) and was perfected at Meniz. where Tulliet Offices, the firſt Book that ever was printed, is ſtill kept for a Monument.

In a Book] that it might be preſerved and laid up for the uſe of poſterity, in ſome Kiriah-ſepher, or City of Books. Let them that are able, be apt and active in ſetting forth Books for the benefit of others,Horat. ſith. Paulum ſepultae diſt at inertiae Celata virtu. — He that buried his talent gave an heavy account to the Maſter, and was therefore called evil, becauſe idle ſervant. Matth. 25.