John Trapp on Job 39:1

CHAP. XXXIX. Verſe 1. Knoweſt thou the time when the wild Goats of the Rock bring forth?]

THe Hiſtory of the living Creatures is of ſingular uſe we ſee to ſet forth the Goodneſs, Power, Wiſdom, and other of Gods Attributes clearly ſhining in them. And therefore they have very well deſerved of all ſorts who have put forth ſuch Hiſtories and diſcourſes; as Ariſtotle, Elian, Pliny, G[illegible: 1 letter]ſner, Aldobrandinus, &c. of whom I may ſay, as once E[illegible: 1 letter]tus Sylvius (afterwards Pope Pius 2) did of Learning in general, That Popular men ſhould eſteem them as ſilver, Noblemen as Gold, Princes as Pearles; and not ſo ſlenderly reward them,Joh. Manl. loc. com. 572. as Pope Sixtus did Theodorus Gaza (who tranſlated, and dedicated unto him, Ariſtotle, De Natura Animalium) paying him only for the rich Binding and Boſſing forty Crowns: but bountifully encourage them, as Great Alexander did his Maſter Ariſtotle for that ſame Work; he gave him ſaith the Hiſtory, eight hundred Talents, which is foure hundred and foure ſcore thouſand Crownes. The pleaſure of reading ſuch Authors, is not ſo great as the profit; for thereby we may attain to the knowledg of God and of our ſelves; of his Will, and our Duties. Hence we are ſent to School to the unreaſonable Creatures, even the moſt contemptible, as the Piſmire, Prov. 6.6. And Baſil writing to one, that was proud of his knowledge, propoundeth unto him diverſe queſtions concerning this ſame Piſmire, as namely, how many feet he hath? whether he hath entrailes, as kidneyes, liver, heart, veines, nerves, as other living Creatures, &c? Semblably, God here to humble Job, and to convince him of his meanneſs, asketh him, whether he knoweth the wild Goats and Hinds, with the time of their bringing forth young, the means and the manner, &c? And whether theſe things were done by his ordination and vigilancy? Many admirable things are written of theſe wild Goats; as what cold places they live in, what inacceſſible Rocks,Pendemem ſumma capream de rupe videbis caſuram ſp[illegible: 1 letter]res, decipit illa canes Mart. how ſtrangely there they hang, what huge leaps they fetch; but eſpecially about their bringing forth, how by a natural ſagacity they help themſelves, both before and after, by biting upon certain herbs that are helpful to them in that caſe. Theſe things, and many more ſuch may be read of in Pliny's Natural Hiſtory; of which Book Eraſmus well ſaith, That it is a ſtore-houſe, or rather a world full of things moſt worthy to be read. So are not the Jewiſh Expoſitors, who tell us many ſtrange things here concerning theſe Creatures, quae commentitia eſſe put[illegible: 1 letter], which I take to be meer Fictions, ſaith Learned Mercer. And I, to be trifles, and old wives Fables, ſaith Lavater. To the belief whereof they are juſtly given up by God for their rejecting of Chriſt the Light of the world. We grant that the whole world is full of miracles, though for the commonneſs of them they are little noted, or noticed. But ſhould theſemen think to help the truth by their lyes? Should they ſpeak wickedly for God, and talk deceitfully for him?

Or canſt thou mark when the Hinds do calve?] Which they do not, without a great deal of pain, (as the Hebrew word importeth) no creature the like, unleſſe it be woman. God ſometimes frighteth them by his thunder, and ſo furthereth their delivery, Pſal. 29.9. whileſt they ſtruggle with many griefs, and to give life to their calves, are in danger of loſing their own. Now, if God help the Hinds in this caſe, will he be wanting to his labouring daughters? Let them ſend for Lady Faith to be their Midwife; and all ſhall go well. She hath delivered Graves of their dead, Heb. 11.35 How much more then will ſhe, them of their quick births, yea, though they carry death in their bowels?