John Trapp on Job 35:5

Verſe 5. Look unto the heavens and ſee] Yea, look into them, if thou couldſt, as did Steven the Proto-Martyr, Act. 7.56. and as our Saviour Chriſt, as man, could do (ſay ſome) with his bodily eyes; and as a believer by the eye of his faith, through the Perſpective glaſs of the Promiſes, may do doubtleſſe. The further we can look unto heaven (or into it) the better ſhall we conceive of that infinite diſtance that is betwixt God in heaven, and men on earth. God is far above the higheſt heavens, therefore higher then any mortal can attain to him, much leſſe contribute any thing unto him by his righteouſneſſe; or aſſault him by his wickedneſs. Herodotus writeth, That the Thracians once were ſo mad againſt their god Jupiter, for raining downe upon them when ready to joyn battle with the enemy, that they threw up their darts againſt heaven, which ſhortly returned upon their own heads. And of Caligula the Emperour it is ſtoried that he thundred and lightned with certain Engines he had; and if at any time a thunderbolt fell from heaven, ipſe contrà jaci[illegible: 1 letter]bat lapidem, Dioin vit. Calig he on the other ſide threw up a ſtone, and uſed that Hemiſtich in Homer, [non-Latin text not transcribed] Either do thou kill me, or I'll kill the[illegible: 1 letter], if I can. And what leſſe then this upon the matter do thoſe monſters and miſcreants amongſt us, who ſet their mouthes againſt heaven, when things go croſſe with them eſpecially; and their tongues walk through the earth, Pſal. 73.9? As Hacket did, who lifting up his eyes to heaven▪ and grinning againſt God, blaſphemed him, and threatned him, even when he had the rope about his neck, Anno 1591. Now, as in the water face anſwereth to face,Cambd. Eliz. fol 403. ſo doth the face of a man to a man. And as there were many Marii in one Caeſar, ſo there are many Caligula's and Hackets in the beſt of us all, if God reſtraine us not from ſuch horrid outrages. But Elihu would have us here to know; that God is far above our reach, neither can we throw this high and lofty one out of his throne, utcunque fremamus & ferociamus: for how ſhould any thing that wee ſilly. Creatures can do, reach to God; when as we cannot reach up to the viſible heavens?

And behold the clouds which are higher then thou] Eminent prae te. The clouds are Gods Chariot whereon he rideth, and wherein he manifeſteth much of his Majeſty. Theſe Elihu would have Job to contemplate in their height, even ſuperiores nub[illegible: 1 letter]s, as Tremellius rendreth it, the upper clouds; or, as others, the Starry Heaven, Heb. The thin of heavens. So Bildad before had called upon him to behold the Moon and the Stars, chap. 25.5. And ſurely the very ſight of heaven over us (to the which all that we are or can, can bring no help or hurt at all) ſhould admoniſh us of our meaneſſe, and make us think moſt modeſtly of God, whom we are ſo infinitely below; and not dare either to complain of him, or to boaſt us before him; &c. For this cauſe it is that Elihu ſo preſſeth Job here with this heap of words, that he may henceforth know and keep his diſtance; and not ſo preſumptuouſly call God (as it were) to reckoning, touching expences and receipts.