Job 29:1

Moreover Job continued his parable, and said,

Ver. 1. Moreover Job continued his parable] Or, his sentence, as Tremellius rendereth it, his sententious and elegant oration, his aureum flumen orationis, golden flood of grave discourse, as we may better call it, than Cicero did Aristotle's politics, Tota oratio gravissimis sententiis, et verborum luminibus illustris est (Merlin). Here Job describeth graphically his former felicity; as in the next chapter his present misery. The promise of prosperity to God's people is to be understood with exception of the cross, wherewith, if need be, 1 Peter 1:6, they are sure to be exercised; and they shall take it for a favour too, Hebrews 12:6. "By the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report," &c., 2 Corinthians 6:7,8, they must learn "to be abased, and to abound, to be full and to be hungry," &c., Philippians 4:12, though this be a hard lesson, Perquam durum est? sed ira lex scripta est, saith the civilian (Ulpian). Hard or not hard, we must frame to it, and hope for better. The Epicures held that a man might be cheerful amidst the most exquisite torments: 1. In consideration of his honesty and integrity: this indeed was Job's great comfort, as we see, Job 31:6. And, 2. In consideration of those pleasures and delights that formerly he had enjoyed, and now cheered up himself with the remembrance of, Ex praeteritarum voluptatum recordatione (Cicer. de Finib. l. 2; Sen. de Benef. l. 4, c. 22). But how slight and slender a comfort this was Job setteth forth in this chapter. And who knoweth not that as it is a sweet thing in prosperity to relate what hazards and hardships we have passed through; so in adversity it is grievous to call to mind what better days we have had? - Olim haec meminisse iuvabit (Virg.). Minerum est fuisse faelicem (Sen.). And yet it is but reason that we should eat the crust and crumb together; receive, I mean, evil at the hand of God as well as good, Job 2:10. See Trapp on " Job 27:1 "