John Trapp on Job 3:5

Verſe 5. Let darkneſſe and the ſhadow of death ſtain it Let it be [illegible: 2 letters]es luctuoſus & [illegible: 1 letter]ethalis, ſuch a deadly dark day, that each man may think it his laſt day, fatall and feral, Let there not be dimneſſe only (ſuch as appeareth through a painted glaſſe, died with ſome obſcure colour) but horrid and hideous darkneſſe, ſuch as was that at our Saviours paſſion, when the Sun was totally [illegible: 4 letters]ed, and a great Philoſopher thereupon cried out, either the God of Nature ſuffers, or the world is at an end. To darkneſſe Iob here emphatically addeth the ſhadow of death. The ſhadow is the dark part of the thing, ſo that the ſhadow of death is the darkeſt ſide of death, death in its blackeſt repreſentation. Now let theſe ſtain it, ſaith he, or challenge it, or eſpouſe it. In nocte funestatur mund[illegible: 1 letter] [illegible: 1 span], ſaith Tertullian elegantly.

Let a cloud dwell upon it] Creſc[illegible: 1 letter]t [illegible: 1 span] Auxeſin oratio. Iob heapes up words, like in ſound, and not unlike in ſenſe. Grief had made him eloquent: as hoping thereby to eaſe himſelf. Let a cloud dwell upon it, a fixed cloud, not ſuch an one as continually hangeth over the Iſland of St. Thomas on the back ſide of Africa, Abbo[illegible: 1 letter]s G[illegible: 2 letters]g. 251. wherewith the whole Iſland is watered: nor ſuch a[illegible: 1 letter]dloud of grace as God promiſeth to create upon every dwelling place of Mount Zion, and upon her aſſemblies, that upon all his glory may be a defence Iſa. 4.5. But ſuch as St. Paul and his company were under before the ſhipwrack, Act. 27. when neither Sunne nor ſtarre appeared for many dayes together, the heavens being wholly muffled &c.

Let the blackneſſe of the any terrifie it] or Let the [illegible: 1 letter]eat of the day terrifie it: as it befalleth thoſe that live under the torrid Zone, where nothing proſpereth. The Atlantes (a certain people) are ſaid to curſe the riſing Sun, it doth ſo torture them with extreme heat. When the dog ſtar ariſeth, thoſe are in ill caſe who dwell in hot Countries towards the Eaſt, they are troubled and terrified. Some take the word Chimrine here rendred blackneſſe, for thoſe [illegible: 1 word] mentioned by the Prophets, thoſe Chimney-Chaplains of the Heathen idols, and ſo render it thus, Let the Priests of the day terrifie it; that is, Let thoſe who uſed to obſerve and diſtinguiſh dayes, note it for a terrible day; other[illegible: 1 letter] underſtand it of the noon-day divels, that ſhould vex people on that day with helliſh he[illegible: 4 letters] and fures: the [illegible: 2 letters]lgar Latine hath it thus, Let, Hinc forſan tenebra Cimmeria. as it were, the b[illegible: 1 letter]terneſſe[illegible: 1 letter] of the day terrifie it; and to the [illegible: 1 span] the Chaldee Paraphraſt. Iob ſtill riſeth in his diſcourſe, making uſe of many poeticall figures, and tragicall phraſes, pickt out for the purpoſe.