John Trapp on Job 8:16

Verſe 16. He is green before the Sun] Succoſus eſt, ſaith Tremellius, he is ſappy and juicy, having a confluence of all kind of comforts and contentments, even more then heart could wiſh, as David expreſ[illegible: 2 letters]th it, Pſalm. 73.7. The hypocrite is all this; the height of whoſe happineſſe is here ſet forth by a third ſimilitude, leſt any ſhould think that the two former did not reach home to the thing intended. Look how, ſaith Bildad, a great and tall tree, having many roots and branches, may be ſo cut up and thrown down, that no foot-ſtep, or ſign of it may any more appear: So may it fare with a wicked man, though he be as a tree green or juiceful before the Sun, or when the Sun ſhineth hotteſt upon him: the ruſh may then wither, but not the tree. See Pſalm 37.35. Any hypocrite may abound exceedingly in outward proſperity; yea he may be green for a while before the Sun of perſecution, as was Alexa[illegible: 1 letter]d[illegible: 2 letters] the Copperſmith, Acts 19.32. with 2 Tim. 4.14. The thorny ground ſtood out the heat of the Sun-beams, and ſhrank not in the wetting &c.

And his branch ſhooteth forth in his garden] Mr. Broughton tranſlates, His ſuckers ſprout out over his orchyard, that is, he growes luxuriouſly eminent in the place where he liveth, which he hath made to become a kind of a paradiſe, or garden of delight. By garden here we are to underſtand, ſaith Mercer, all thoſe waies and means whereby a wicked man fenceth and increaſeth his own greatneſſe. Some of the Jew-Doctors, and others alſo after them, think that Bildad here beginneth to ſpeak of the godly mans happineſſe; and they read the text thus, But the perfect man (ſo they ſupply the text out of verſe 20.) is green before the Sun, and his branches &c. His roots are wraped near the fountain, and he windeth himſelf about the ſtony building; (that is, it ſpreadeth and twiſteth its boughs round about the fountain-vault, being ſtrongly built with ſtone) ſhall he be taken out of his place, which may deny, ſaying, I have not ſeen thee? No, that cannot be. Lo this ſhall be that joy of his way, even out of his mould ſhall others grow, i. e. his very duſt ſhall live and grow up after him. Thus Beza, and after him Diodate: He is like an exquiſite tree ſet in a pleaſant garden in ſight of his maſters palace, ſucking the ſweet moiſtneſſe of the quick-ſprings, without ever fading or withering, pſalm 1.3. Jer. 17.8. That is to ſay, he ſhall have a lively root of faith, continually nouriſhed by Gods grace; under his ſafe-guard and favour he ſhall be ſtrong in all aſſayes, abundant in good works, and all manner of bleſſings. Ʋterque ſenſus egregius eſt, ſaith Mercer; this alſo is a good ſenſe, but the former I conceive to be the better, and more agreeable to the letter of the text.