Chap. 3 3. "In Expofition upon the Book,of J o B. Verf. 18. 3 29 his malicious and fubtle enemies ( Pf. 7. 5. ) Into thepit which Fovea denotatf they havedigged,themfelves are fallen ; that is, they are taken in omnia vit their own plots ; Thofe words of the Pfalmifr are an allufion to crimina. Pin> Hunters or Fowlers who make pits to enfnare birds or beafls; we muff not imagine that there were pits literally made for Da- vid,but the pit was a plot or a contrivance todoe himmifchief, and he blefled God that as himfelf had efcaped that mifchief, fo that themifchief-plotters and contrivers were takenwith it them- felves. We have David fpeaking againe under the famemeta- phor (`Pf. 9. t 5. ) The Heathen are funk down in the pit that they made. And (Pfal. 3 5.7.) Without caufe they havehid for one their net in a pit, which without caufe have they loggedfor my foul that is, they have laid a plot to undoe anddefiroy me. And if we take pit in this fence it may hold well enough with the fcope of the Text;for what is the pir,into whichpride and evill purpofes thruft finfull man,but that mifchief and mifery which Satan is con- tinuallyplotting againfl him? And from this mifchievous plot it is that God delivereth man, while 'tis faid byElihu, he keepeth back ,His foul from the pit. Some expound the word feu/ in this former part of the verfe,in oppofition to life in the latter part ofit, and his lifefromperifhine by thefword. Soul and life are fometimes taken promifcuoufly , or indifferently for the fame thing ; yet there is a very great difference between foul and life ; the life is nothing elfe but the -unionbetween foul andbody ; but the foul is afpirituall fubflance diflind& from the body while remaining in ir, and fubfifling it felf alone when feparate from it That bond or knot which ties foul and bodytogether, is. properly, that which Elihu fpeaks of in the next words. and his life AsGod keepsbackhis foul from everlaíling deflruetion, fo his life from temporal! deflruaiora. Though the foul be moftpreci- oua, yet life is very precious ; skin for skin, yea all that a man .oath will he give for his life (Chap. 2. 5. 'Tis therefore no frnall mercy for God tokeepbacka mans life From Uu
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=