John Trapp on Job 4:3

Verſe 3. Behold thou haſt instructed many] ſc. to do each dayes duty with Chriſtian diligence,Tertui. and to bear each dayes croſſes with Chriſtian patience, thou haſt don't well: But how comes it now to[illegible: 1 letter] paſſe quòd dicta factis erubeſcant, that thy preſent doings ſhame thy former ſaying? and that (as it was noted of Demosthenes the Orator) thou art better at praiſing of vertue, then at practiſing of it? Turpe est Doctors &c. Sanctiores ſunt aures plebis quàm corda ſac[illegible: 1 letter]rdotum. Hilar. Should not the Phyſician firſt heal himſelf? and ought not the preachers word be Spe[illegible: 2 letters]emur agendo; let our profiting appear to all men, let our lives be a true tranſcript of our Sermons. What a ſhame was it, that Hilary ſhould complain that the peoples cares were holier then the preachers hearts: and that Eraſmus by a true jeſt, ſhould be told, that there was more goodneſſe in his booke of the Christian Souldier, then in his boſome! Eliphaz from this ground would here argue, that Job was little better then an hypocrite; a cenſure over-rigid, it being the eaſieſt thing in the world, as a Philoſopher obſerved, to give good counſell, and the hardeſt thing to take it. Dr. Preſton upon his death-bed confeſſed, that now it came to his own turn, he found it ſomewhat to do, to practiſe that which hee had oft preſſed upon others.

And thou haſt ſtrengthened the weak hands] Looſe and lax, feeble and infirme, through many terrors and troubles: to theſe thou haſt ſpoken words which have been as ſinews to their hands, and as ſtrength to their joynts. Job had comforted the feeble-minded, or the diſpirited, the ſick at heart, and ſinking under the ſenſe of ſinne, and fear of wrath, 1. Theſ. [illegible: 1 letter] 14. This is an harder work then to raiſe the dead to life, ſaith Luther: this [illegible: 4 letters]ne of a thouſand can skill of, Job 33.23. he muſt have feeding lips, and an hea[illegible: 3 letters]g tongue that ſhall do it. O quam hoc non eſt omu[illegible: 1 letter] um▪ The Chriſtian Romans were able to do it; chap. 15.14. And holy Job was both able and apt, for he did it to many. True goodneſſe is diffuſive of it ſelf, and is therefore compared to the moſt ſpreading things, as fire, water, Sun-light; &c.