John Trapp on Job 4:13

Verſe 13. In thoughts from viſions of the night &c.] Or in thoughts of the viſions of the night. It appeareth by this and other circumſtances, that this viſion was no fiction or holy fraud (as ſome have conceited) to bring Job to a ſight of his ſinne. Let Papiſts praiſe their St. Dominick for his holy hypocriſie which he taught his Diſciples to make uſe of, to bring people the better to a good eſteem of the faith, and love of vertue. Eliphaz was a better man, then to deale in ſuch depths of the divel: and with ſuch deliberate gravity, put a lie upon God. He was really plodding, he was in thoughts, the word properly ſignifieth branches or bought of trees, which are many, thick, intertwined, and croſſing one another. In the multitude of my perplexed thoughts within me, ſaith David, thy comforts have refreſhed my ſoule, Pſalm 94.19. The ſame word is rendred vain thoughts, or wavering cogitations, Pſal. 119.113. Such as Davids ſoule hated. Carnall hearts are exchanges, and ſhops of vaine thoughts, ſtewes of uncleane thoughts, ſlaughter-houſes of cruell and bloudy thoughts, a very forge and mint of falſe, politick, undermining thoughts: but Eliphaz his thoughts were better buſied; his top-thoughts, thoſe uppermoſt branches of his ſoul were concerning God, and the things of his kingdome: when other men became vain in their imaginations, and their fooliſh heart was darkned, he had viſions of God. In the night-ſeaſon, when dead ſleep fell upon others, he ſlept, but his heart waked, and was free to receive revelations, and to contemplate of them: or perhaps, he was broad awake at that time of night, that he might the better converſe with God and his own ſoule. Abraham had many ſuch ſweet viſions: Iſaac walked out into the fields for the purpoſe: Jacob met with God in this manner, both at Bethel, and at Penuel. Daniel had viſions both of the day, and of the night: ſo had Paul, and other Apoſtles. The Monkes make long relations of revelations, and apparitions that they have had. So do the Enthuſiaſts, and high-attainers; but we are not bound to believe them. Matthew Paris reporteth of Gilbert Foliot, Biſhop of London, Anno Dom. 1161. that one night muſing of the difference betwixt the King and Becket, Arch-biſhop of Canterbury, he heard a terrible voice, ſaying, O Gilberte Foliot, dum revolvis tot & tot, Deus tuus eſt Aſcarot; he taking it to be the divel, anſwered boldly, Mentiris daemon: Deus meus eſt Deus Sabbaoth. Aeneas in Virgil, is ſaid to have his viſions and conferences with his deceaſed friends. Satan loves to imitate God in what he can, that he may deceive with better ſucceſſe: but we have a moſt ſure word of propheſie, and yet a more glorious light of the Goſpel, Heb. 1.2. The promiſed day-ſtar being riſen in our hearts, 1 Pet. 1.19.