John Trapp on Job 23:16

Verſe 16 For God maketh my heart ſoft] Methinks I feel it fall aſunder in my boſome like drops of water, and diſſolved with manifold afflictions; ſo that I am hardly able to hear up any longer; I am almoſt done, as we uſe to ſpeak, and my heart faileth me. How ſhould it do otherwiſe when God with-draweth from his the ſupplies of his Spirit, Phil 1.19. that Spirit of power, of love, and of a ſound mind, 2 Tim. 1.7.Dr. Preſton. Acts 20.22. ſaith that great Apoſtle. And now behold I go bound in the Spirit up to Jeruſalem, &c. Whereupon One gives this good Note, The Spirit hemmeth us about, comprehendeth and keepeth us. When a mans own ſtrength would fall looſe, this ſupernatural ſtrength ſtayeth and ſtrengtheneth it. Hence that of David, Pſal. 138.3. In the day when I cryed unto thee, thou anſweredſt me, and ſtrengthenedſt me with ſtrength in my ſoul. So Pſal. 27.14. Be of good courage, and he ſhall ſtrengthen thy heart, which elſe will melt (as did the hearts of the men of Jericho, Joſh. 2.11) like metal melted with fire, or like ice thawed into water, and ſpilt upon the ground, which cannot be taken up again. And this is the ſoft heart Job here complaineth of: God had diſpirited him, and

The Almighty troubleth him]. ſc. With the thoughts of his Almightineſſe. See Pſal. 39.11.Tot malis ingruentibus. Jun. and with ſo many miſeries growing upon him. Now it is not amiſſe for Gods people thus to be melted and troubled otherwhiles: for by this meanes ſhall the iniquity of Jacob be purged, and this is all the fruit, to take away his ſin, Iſai. 37.9.