John Trapp on Job 2:4

Verſe 4. And Satan anſwered the Lord &c.] This impudent adverſary had yet an anſwer in his mouth, and would not be ſo ſet down. Of him and his agents (thoſe falſe teachers, as the Apoſtle calleth them) it may be truly ſaid, — Nihil eſt audacius illis. Juvenal.

Deprenſis: iram atque animes ex crimine ſumunt.

Skin for skin.] Any skin for his own, cattel, ſervants, children may be eaſily parted with by him, to ſave himſelf in a whole skin, to keep himſelfe whole: others read it, skin after skin, or skin upon skin: both the Cutis and the Pellis ſhall go, ſo that life may be preſerved: as a man will hold up his arm to ſave his head, or ſuffer the loſſe of a limb to ſave his life. Ʋt corpus redimas; ferrum patieris & ignes. Job is ſtill integrâcu[illegible: 1 letter]e, skin-whole, ſaith Satan; and ſo long there is little trial of him: that man is rich [illegible: 1 letter]nough who is well. I read of one, who being asked how old he was, anſwered, that he was in health: and to another that asked how, rich he was, anſwered, that he was not in debt, q. d. He is young enough that is in health; and rich enough that is not in debt. Now all this Job was yet, and therefore Satan ill apaid and unſatisfied.

And all that he hath will a man give for his life] Life is ſweet, we ſay: [non-Latin text not transcribed] Aeſop. [non-Latin text not transcribed] Ariſt. and man is a life-loving creature, ſaith the Heathen; fond of life, and afraid of death, which is Natures ſlaughterman, and therefore the moſt Terrible of Terribles, as Aristotle ſtileth it. The Gibeonites refuſed not to be perpetuall ſlaves, ſo they might but live. Thoſe that are overcome in battle, are content to be ſtript of all, ſo they may have quarter for their lives. Marriners in a tempeſt, caſt their lading into the ſea, though never ſo precious, in hope of life. If Job may eſcape with the skin of his teeth, it is ſome favour: he may not think much to ſacrifice all that he hath to the ſervice of his life, his conſcience only excepted. Some good people have ſtrained that too for love of life: as when Abraham denyed his wife; David changed his behaviour;Camd. Eliſ. fol. 325. Peter denyed his Maſter; Qu. Elizabeth (though afterwards ſhe could ſay, When I call to mind things paſt, behold things preſent, and expect things to come, I hold them happieſt, that go hence ſooneſt; yet) in Queen Maries time, ſhee ſometimes heard divine ſervice after the Romiſh religion, and was often confeſſed; yea, at the rigorous ſollicitation of Cardinall Pool, ſhee profeſſed her ſelf a Romiſh Catholick; yet did not Queen Mary believe her (ſaith mine Author) remembring that ſhee her ſelf, for feare of death, had by Letters written with her own hand to her father, both renounced for ever the Biſhop of Romes authority,Ibid. Introd. and withall acknowledged her father to be ſupreme head of the Church of England under Chriſt, and her Mothers marriage to have been inceſtuous and unjuſt. Thoſe good ſoules did better, that loved not their lives unto death, Rev. 12.11. that by loſing their lives ſaved them, Matth. 10.39. that held with that Martyr,Julius Palmer. that life is ſweet only to ſuch as have their ſouls linked to their bodies, as a thiefs foot is in a pair of fetters.