Job 26:2

How hast thou helped [him that is] without power? [how] savest thou the arm [that hath] no strength?

Ver. 2. How hast thou helped him that is without power?] q.d. Full well hast thou done it, surely. (See a like irony Mark 7:9 1Co 4:8; 1Co 4:10) Thou art a very goodly comforter, and with a great deal of wisdom thou hast framed thy discourse to my present necessity. Thou lookest upon me as a poor, forlorn, strengthless, fruitless creature. Thou shouldest therefore have set thyself to support me and shore me up, by uttering not only commoda, sed et accommoda, things true and profitable, but things fit and suitable to my distressed condition. Thou hast spoken much of the majesty and purity of Almighty God (wherein I well accord thee), but these are words of terror, such as I can hardly bear. Of strong medicine we say, Quod nec puero, nec seni, nec imbecillo, sed robusto conveniat, that it is not for children, or old folks, or weak ones, but for the stronger sort; it is not for every complexion and state. So neither is every discourse for all sort of people. It is a singular skill to be able to time a word, Isaiah 50:4, and to set it upon its wheels, Proverbs 25:10, to declare unto a man his righteousness, which not one of a thousand can tell how to do it like him, Job 33:23, to seek to find out pleasant words, such as have both goads and nails in them, Ecclesiastes 12:10,11 (to prick them on to duty, and to fasten them to the right, as pales to their rails), to divide the word of God aright, 2 Timothy 2:15, and to give every one his portion in the due season, Matthew 24:45. Not as he in the emblem, who gave straw to the dog, and a bone to the ass. The good word of God, if well applied, is profitable to all things, as is here hinted; sc. to help the powerless, to save the strengthless, to counsel the ignorant, and to set forth things as they are, that there may be no manner of mistake; but then it must be wisely handled, and the help of God's Holy Spirit must be implored, Job 26:4, that it may be a word of reconciliation, a savour of life unto life, 2Co 2:16; 2 Corinthians 5:19, and whatsoever else is said in commendation of it, Psalms 19:7,10. Mercer interpreting this verse and the two following, Hoc de Deo accipio, saith he, These things I understand concerning God; and it is as if Job had said to Bildad, Oh, how bravely helpest thou him that is weak, and pleadest for him that is forlorn, as if God wanted thy patronage and defence! No question but thou art a man fit to advise him, and to set him in a course that he cannot otherwise hit on: this is a good sense also. But what meant Brentius to bring in Job blaspheming here, as thus, Quem iuvas? impotentem? salvas brachium invalidi? Cui consulis? insipienti? &c. Whom helpest thou, O God? the impotent? savest thou the arm of the strengthless? Whom counsellest thou? the ignorant? &c.: q.d. Surely thou shouldest do so by promise, and it would well become thee to do so by me; but (alas) thou dost nothing less; and hence it is that I skill stick in the briars, &c. Upon this gloss we may write, as the canonists do sometimes, Palea, or, Hoc non credo.