Job having given us two negatives, I have not declined, I have not turned back, as proofs of his integrity and holiness, now gives us an affirmative to make up the fullness of his proof. Not to do evil is commendable, but to do good is a higher commendation. I have esteemed the words of his mouth. 1The Hebrew word signifies two things; first, to hide or conceal; secondly, to prise, value, or esteem. Some render this Text by the former, not as we, I have esteemed the words of his mouth, 2but I have hid or laid up the words of his mouth, that's a good reading, and so M• Broughton translates; More then my daily bread have I laid up the words of his mouth. The Vulgar gives another reading, In my bosom have I hid the words of his mouth: in this, following the Septuagint, who by the change of a letter in the Original, translate the word which we render, More then my necessary or statute food in my bosom; But I pass that as a mistake of the text in that word, yet ⟨p. 407⟩in the former part it consents with Mr Broughton; I have hid, or laid up the words of his mouth more then my daily bread. And as this translation holds out a truth in it self, so the sense meets with ours; for as the Original word doth as properly signify to hide, or lay up, as to esteem, so those things are laid up or hidden by us, which are of most esteem. And this action of hiding or laying up the word, is often spoken of in Scripture, both as the practise, and as the duty of the Saints. (Psal. 119.11.) I have hid thy commandments in my heart. And the rule is given by wisdom (Prov. 2.1.) My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee. Wisdom counselleth us not only to receive, but to hide the commandments. And (Pro. 4.20, 21.) Wisdom goeth yet further; My son, attend to my words, incline thine ear to my sayings, let them not depart from thine eyes, keep them in the midst of thy heart. The heart (as Naturalists say) is in the midst or centre of the body. Holy truths must be kept in the midst of the heart, in the midst of the middle, that is, in the safest place, in that most retired chamber, the midst of the heart. But why should these words be hidden in the heart, which are and ought to be proclaimed in the ear and upon the house-top? I answer; we hide things, first, that we may know where to have them;
Job having given us two negatives, I have not declined, I have not turned backe, as proofes of his integrity and holines, now gives us an affirmative to make up the fullnes of his proofe. Not to doe evill is commendable, but to doe good is a higher commendation. I have esteemed the words of his mouth. 1The Hebrew word signifies two things; first, to hide or conceale; secondly, to prise, value, or esteeme. Some render this Text by the former, not as we, I have esteemed the words of his mouth, 2but I have hid or layd up the words of his mouth, that's a good reading, and so M• Broughton translates; More then my daily bread have I layd up the words of his mouth. The Vulgar gives another reading, In my bosome have I hid the words of his mouth: in this, following the Septuagint, who by the change of a letter in the Originall, translate the word which we render, More then my necessary or statute food in my bosome; But I passe that as a mistake of the text in that word, yet ⟨p. 407⟩in the former part it consents with Mr Broughton; I have hid, or layd up the words of his mouth more then my daily bread. And as this translation holds out a truth in it selfe, so the sense meets with ours; for as the Originall word doth as properly signifie to hide, or lay up, as to esteeme, so those things are layd up or hidden by us, which are of most esteeme. And this action of hiding or laying up the word, is often spoken of in Scripture, both as the practise, and as the duty of the Saints. (Psal. 119.11.) I have hid thy commandements in my heart. And the rule is given by wisedome (Prov. 2.1.) My sonne, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandements with thee. Wisdome counselleth us not onely to receive, but to hide the commandements. And (Pro. 4.20, 21.) Wisdome goeth yet further; My sonne, attend to my words, incline thine eare to my sayings, let them not depart from thine eyes, keepe them in the midst of thy heart. The heart (as Naturalists say) is in the midst or center of the body. Holy truths must be kept in the midst of the heart, in the midst of the middle, that is, in the safest place, in that most retyred chamber, the midst of the heart. But why should these words be hidden in the heart, which are and ought to be proclaimed in the eare and upon the house-top? I answer; wee hide things, first, that we may know where to have them;
- 1[Greek or Hebrew]〈non-Latin alphabet〉
- 2In sinu meo abscondi verba oris ejus. Vul•. Graecos secetus [Greek or Hebrew] legit non [Greek or Hebrew] at ventit ac si scriptum esset, [Greek or Hebrew] in sinu meo abscondi. Merc.In sinu meo abscondi verba oris ejus. Vul•. Graecos secetus 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 legit non 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 at ventit ac si scriptum esset, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 in sinu meo abscondi. Merc.