John Trapp on Job 24:1

CHAP. XXIV. Verſe 1. Why, ſeeing times are not hidden from the Almighty.]

HEB. Why are not times hidden from the Almighty? q.d. Who could think any otherwiſe, that had not been at the Sanctuary, Pſ. 73.17. and there heard, Wo to the wicked, it ſhall go ill with him, for the reward of his hands ſhall be (ſooner or later) given unto him? Iſai. 3.11. The Jew-Doctors conclude, (but falſly) from this Text, that Job denyed the Divine Providence. And the Vulgar Latine, to ſalve the matter and ſave Job from the imputation of Epicuriſme, takes the boldneſſe to leave out the Interrogative, Why, and rendreth it thus, The times are not hidden from the Almighty; leſt, by making it a queſtion, Job ſhould affirm, that times and events are hidden from God, or at leaſt ſhould wiſh and deſire that they were ſo. Vatablus thinketh that Job here putteth on the perſon of one that denyeth Gods Providence, or at leaſt doubteth of it: as if he ſhould ſay, Ye, my friends, ſay that nothing is hidden from God, and I now demand of you how the times, and thoſe things which are done in time, can be otherwiſe then hid from him, when as we ſee wicked men ſo to take their ſwinge in ſin, and yet, for ought we ſee, to eſcape unpuniſhed? It ſhould ſeem by his winking at wicked practiſes, that he takes no care how things are carried in this preſent world;Brent. as certainly he would do, were he diligens mundi Oeconomus, ant rerum humanarum conſcius. This indeed might ſtagger a David or a Jeremy in a paſſion, as Pſal. 73.2. &c. Jer. 12.1. and make a Diagoras or an Averroes, turn Atheiſt. But Job was better inſtructed in this point, as appeareth by many paſſages in this Book; ſee chap. 21.16, 22. Neither can any ſuch thing be concluded from this Text, if we take in the latter part of the verſe.

Do they that know him, not ſee his dayes?] The whole verſe ſhould be read thus, Why are not times hidden from the Almighty, ſeeing they that know him, de not ſee his dayes? that is ſith his moſt knowing ſervants could never obſerve the times and the ſeaſons (of puniſhing graceleſſe perſons here) which he hath put in his own power, Act. 1.7. Abraham indeed (by ſpecial favour) was told that Sodom ſhould be ſuddenly deſtroyed: And Moſes could ſay, Wrath is gone out from the Lord, take a Cenſer, &c. Numb. 16.46. As any one is more faithful and familiar with God, ſo much better and earlier doth he diſcern his judgements on the wicked, and is affected therewith. See Hab. 3.16. with the Note. But there is no certain rule given us, by what puniſhment to conclude a man wicked, neither can we ſafely ſay at what time, or what manner and meaſure God will puniſh the ungodly in this preſent life. That of Auſtin is very right, Some wicked God puniſheth here, leſt his providence; and but ſome, leſt his patience and promiſe of judgment ſhould be called into queſtion.