Bible Commentaries

Job 15:17 — experience and consent of men teach us, that wicked men have terrors within and troubles without. Therefore this is to be taken for a truth. Therefore also, by consequence, that is false which thou hast spoken concerning the prosperity of wicked men, Job 12:6 . Neither canst thou avoid the charge of wickedness who dost suffer the punishments of the wicked. Now what is all this more than Eliphaz had said in a former discourse (so that Job might have cried out, Apage coccysmum? ) only there he grounded

Job 15:5 — For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, and thou choosest the tongue of the crafty. For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity — Heb. Thy crooked, wry disposition, that standeth across to God and goodness, Psalms 51:5 , Homo est inversus decalogus. Solomon speaketh of perverse lips, as if the upper lip stood where the nether should, Proverbs 4:24 . And St Jude speaketh of hard speeches, uttered by ungodly sinners, Judges 1:15 , such as Job was none, whatever Eliphaz,

Job 20:29 — This [is] the portion of a wicked man from God, and the heritage appointed unto him by God. This is the portion of a wicked man from God — A portion God alloweth the wicked in this life, Psalms 17:14 ; as a king, when he reprieveth a traitor, alloweth him a subsistence, prisoner’s pittance at least. Yea, the worst of men divide the wealth and honours of the world between them for a time. Nebuchadnezzar had Tyre as pay for his pains in

Psalms 1:6 — ομμα . His providence (which is the carrying on of his decree) is that helm which turns about the whole ship of the universe with singular skill and justice. Dominus diligit, et dirigit viam, id est, vitam et omne institutum iustorum. See Psalms 37:18 ; Psalms 142:4 Nahum 1:7 Proverbs 2:8 , with the notes there. God knows the righteous by name, Exodus 33:17 , knows them for his own, looks upon them and their whole course with singular delight and complacency; they are his Hephzibah, Isaiah 62:4

Psalms 23:3 — He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. He restoreth my soul — He reduceth me, when like a lost sheep I have gone astray, Psalms 119:176 . A sheep, saith Aristotle, is a foolish and sluggish creature, Et omnium quadrupedum stupidissimum, most apt of anything to wander, though it feel no want, and unablest to return. The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib.

Psalms 25:11 — pebbles. St Paul was (for the first table) a blasphemer, and (for the second table) a persecutor, and injurious; "but I obtained mercy," saith he; and why? that the grace of our Lord might appear to be exceeding abundant, even to an overflow, 1 Timothy 1:13-14 , and that the glory of free grace might be so much the more manifested, Romans 5:20 . The more desperate was my disease the greater is the glory of my Physician, who hath fully cured me, said Austin once to one, who upbraided him with

Psalms 36:1 — « To the chief Musician, [A Psalm] of David the servant of the LORD. » The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, [that there is] no fear of God before his eyes. A Psalm of David the servant of the Lord — See Psalms 18:1 , title. Then he had well nigh finished his rule, here he is about to begin it, and therefore assumeth this title. Servus est nomen officii, servant is a name of office or duty. Tertullian saith of Augustus (we may better of David), Gratius ei fuit

Psalms 37:25 — I have been young, and [now] am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. I have been young, … — Here he recordeth an experiment of his (such as whereof Psalms 119:1-176 is mostly made up), and if other men’s experiences agree not altogether with his, it is no wonder; kings use not to mind beggars. Or he might only mean vagrants; according to that, "Let their children be vagabonds, and beg their bread."

Psalms 78:1 — historical narration of the miraculous mercies that God had from time to time conferred upon his people, their hateful abuse of his benefits, and their punishments thereupon. This is to be seen in various psalms, in St Stephen’s sermon, Acts 7:1-60 , and St Paul’s, Acts 13:1-52 , et est sane valde venerandum istud sanctae antiquitatis monumentum, This is a very venerable monument of holy antiquity, and teacheth us the right use of history, quae dicta est παρα το

Psalms 80:1 — of fit appellations and attributes, such as may strengthen our faith and increase our fervour. Thou that leadest Joseph — Joseph is named quia nobilis inter fratres, saith Austin; the first birthright was taken from Reuben, and given to Joseph, 1 Chronicles 5:1 , hence he is put for the whole people. Thou that dwellest between (or sittest upon) the cherubims — Those winged creatures that covered the mercy seat, the ark, and the two tables of the law within it; and all, to set forth Christ

Psalms 87:4 — Babylonians. These were deadly enemies to Jerusalem, which was ground between them as between a pair of millstones, but they shall be reckoned hereafter, saith God, among his domestics, among those that know me, or rather are known of me. See Isaiah 19:19 ; Isaiah 19:21 ; Isaiah 19:25 1 Peter 5:13 . Behold Philistia — The Philistines were ever bitter enemies to the Israelites, but shall be converted and become children of the Church. See Isaiah 56:1 ; Isaiah 44:5 . And Tyre — Which shall

Proverbs 10:3 — himself by evil arts, and to rise by wicked principles. For it might be objected, If I strain not my conscience, I may starve for it. Fear not that, saith the wise man; faith fears not famine. Necessaries thou shall be sure of; Psalms 37:25-26 ; Psalms 34:15 superfluities thou art not to stand upon τροφην ου τρυφην: σκηπασματα ου κοσμηματα

Proverbs 14:23 — talk of the lips [tendeth] only to penury. In all labour there is profit. — In all honest labour, for there are those who "do wickedly with both hands earnestly"; and "what profit have such of all their labour?" Ecclesiastes 1:3 Do they not take pains to go to hell? There are also that labour about ματαιοτεκνηματα , toilsome toys that pay not for the pains - that do magno conatu magnas nugas agere.

Proverbs 27:1 — Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. Boast not thyself of tomorrow. — That is, Of what thou wilt do hereafter, Exodus 13:14 , marg. in quovis tempore postero. See 1 Samuel 28:19 James 4:14 . He Petrarch, lib. iii. Memorab. ad finem. was a wise man, that being invited to a feast on the next morrow, answered, Ex multis annis crastinum non habui, For these many years I

Proverbs 9:8 — up Menna, an orthodox divine, in his room, whom Agapetus consecrated, if Platina may be believed. Funcius. David loved Nathan the better while he lived for dealing so plainly with him, and named him a commissioner for the declaring of his successor. 1 Kings 1:32-35 So Alipius loved Augustine for reproving him.

Ecclesiastes 1:4 — smatterers in philosophy fondly strive to maintain out of this text, not rightly understanding the force of the Hebrew phrase for ever, which ofttimes, and here, signifies a periodical perpetuity, a long indefinite time, not an infinite. see 2 Peter 1:3 ; 2 Peter 1:10 The whole engine shall be changed. By ever then is meant, till the end of all things.

Ecclesiastes 2:4 — plot of land for one far more spacious to be added unto it. Daniel’s History. I planted me vineyards. — That no pleasant thing might be wanting to me. To plant a vineyard is a matter of much cost and care; but it soon quits cost by bearing (1.) Plenty of fruit in clusters and bunches, many grapes together; (2.) By bearing pleasant fruit, no fruit being more delectable to the taste than is the grape, nor more comfortable to the heart than is the wine made of the grape. Judges 9:13 Solomon

Isaiah 26:11 — them. Lord, when thy hand is lifted up, thou will not see, — i.e., Observe, consider, and take warning: let God’s hand be never so high and glorious, so lifted up and exalted, yet these buzzards will not behold his majesty, as Isaiah 26:10 as being more blind than moles, more deaf than sea monsters they refuse to regard aught. But they shall see and be confounded. — But yet, maugre their head, as one well paraphraseth the words, they shall be driven both to see and to acknowledge

Isaiah 5:9 — [even] great and fair, without inhabitant. In mine ears, said the Lord of hosts. — Or, In the ears of the Lord of hosts - q.d., God well heareth and knoweth all your cunning contrivances, your coloured and cloaked covetousness, as it is called 1 Thessalonians 2:5 2 Peter 1:3 The cries also of those poor whom you have by fraud or force unroosted and undone, is come into God’s ears, Deuteronomy 15:9 ; Deuteronomy 24:15 and he will reckon with you, though by your greatness you can bear out

Jeremiah 1:11 — and bear before other trees, even in the deep of winter, and when it is at coldest. Hereby the prophet is animated, though but young, and assured that he shall have the fruit of his so early labours. God careth not for those arbores autumnales Judges 1:12 trees which bud not till the latter end of harvest. The truth of all his predictions is designed, though little believed by the most; the speediness also of their performance, Jeremiah 1:12 Ezekiel 7:10-11 a good comment upon this text. The sins