John Trapp on Job 27:2

Verſe 2. As God Liveth, who hath taken away my iudgement] Job well knew the Nature and end of an Oath, which is to put an end to all ſtrife and controverſie among [illegible: 1 word], Hab. 6.16. For more Authority ſake therefore to his enſuing Diſcourſe, as taking God to witneſſe in a matter of ſo great moment and that his friends might the better believe him, he doubteth not to begin his ſpeech with a private oath, (for a publick is that which is taken before a Magiſtrate, who upon juſt cauſe may exact it) which, ſo it be ſparingly and warily uſed, is not unlawful as appeareth by the example of Jacob and Laban, Boaz and Ruth, Jonathan and David, ſcil to help the truuth, in p[illegible: 2 letters]eſſi[illegible: 1 letter]y, and when the other party will not otherwiſe be ſatisfied. But what [illegible: 1 span] to ſay, that the God, whom he ſo ſolemnly taketh to witneſſe, had taken [illegible: 1 word] his judgment? Can the righteous Judge do otherwiſe then right? Or doth not the [illegible: 1 word] know that he i[illegible: 1 letter] puniſhed leſſe then his iniquities deſerved, [illegible: 1 span] A Job was at preſent under a ſo[illegible: 1 letter]e temptation, and being preſſed out of meaſure above ſtrength, he ſpake unadviſedly with his lips, and is afterwards barely told of it by Elihu, chap. 34.5 The beſt faith, if long tryed, may flag and hang the wing. Moſes at Meribah. David at Gath, Elias under the Juniper, ſufficiently ſhew, that every new man is two men: that the fleſh eftſoones luſteth againſt the ſpirit, and that the beſt may have their outburſts, yet ſo, as that the ſeed of grace ſtill abideth in them, and ſome way ſhewes it ſelf; Job here for inſtance. He complaineth of Gods ſeverity, but ſtormeth not againſt him. He bluſtreth, but he blaſphemeth not. He holdeth himſelf hardly dealt with by God; and yet whilſt he ſo ſolemnly ſweareth by him, he thereby acknowledgeth him a witneſſe of his conſcience, a Patron of Truth, a Lover of Right, an Avenger of Perjury, and laſtly, the Authour and Arbiter of his life, which he reſolveth rather to let go then his Innocency: He can do nothing againſt the truth, but for the truth, 2 Cor 13.8.

And the Almighty, who hath vexed my ſoul] Heb. Hath imbittered. Job ſhould have remembred, that bitter potions bring ſweet health, and that [non-Latin text not transcribed], the bitterneſſe would ſoon be paſt: but he remembred only (at preſent) the affliction and the miſery, the wormwood and the gall, Lam. 3.19. Now no affliction (but eſpecially ſoul-affliction) for the preſent ſeemeth joyous, but grievous: nevertheleſs afterward it yeeldeth the peaceable fruit of righteouſneſſe unto them which are exerciſed thereby, Heb. 12.11. But patient Job wanted patience to wait for that Adeo nihil eſt in nobis magni, quod non queat minui; ſuch failings are found in the very beſt.