CHAP. XXIV.
WHy, seeing times are not hidden from the Almighty, do they that know * 1.1 him not see his dayes? vulg. The times are hidden from the Almighty; but Hebr. it is interrogatively, Are they not hidden? So that in the vulg. inter∣pr. there is a manifest presumption in that, e••lea••veth out the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 why although it be done, least Job should be thought to have spoken atheisti∣cally, an interrogation having the force of an affirmation, if it be affirma∣tive, or of a negation if negative, and therefore if it be read, Are not the times hidden from God? it had been, as if he had sayd, They are. But there is no need of this shift, the sense of the words, as they go in Hebrew being manifestly this: Why, or what reason can be given by these, that boast so much of the knowledge of God (that he knowing to distinguish times, and to deale with men accordingly, suffering the wicked in their greatest wickedness oftentimes here, but appointing a time to judge them thereafter) they should be so ignorant as not to know this, but run headily on in condemning the righteous that suffer here, as if this were a certain sign of Gods Wrath against them, and the prosperity of others a sign of his fa∣vour: The N. Tr. then interlacing the word seeing for the making of the sentence more full, is rather to be followed, and Cajetan also hath it so. In these words then Eliphaz and his fellowes are derided, as professing them∣selves to be such as know, and yet were ignorant of this distinction of time, which all know, that have the true knowledge of God and of his wayes: And all others are hereby convinced not to know God aright, who do as if [Note.] they knew not this, but if they prosper in this world, blesse themselves, as Gods favorites, and looke upon the faithfull that are under great crosses, as hated by him, and hereby discovered to be hypocrites: For the true know∣ledge of God is to know and consider, that he hath two times, the one wherein all things fall out alike unto all; and the other when the goats shall be seperated from the sheepe; that is, the wicked from the righteous, and then these shall weepe no more, but have everlasting joy, and those that laugh now shall waile and weepe.
Some remove the Land marks, they violently take away the flocks and feed * 1.2 thereof. Now Job beginneth to reckon up the horrible sinnes of the wicked, which are so plain, that they need no explication, according to the Letter. But as nototious wicked men and oppressours, do some of them one of these things and some another, so heretickes do them being spiritually under∣stood. * 1.3 They remove the Land Marks by teaching, that of the Church there are other markes then hee hath set downe in his holy word, viz. hearing Christs voice, and obeying and teaching that only to others, and what hee * 1.4 revealed to his Apostles for them to teach. Thus then Euthusiasts re∣move the land markes, who pretend Revelations and new lights, and they that follow the traditions of the Elders, without examining them by the word, that is, the Canons of the Apostles, the Decrees of Counsells, and De∣cretalls of Popes: And as the Removers of Land markes literally under∣stood, are accursed, so and much more are these. Wherefore Anabaptists, and all of the reformed religion, that seperate from the Churches reformed, be∣ing but some Phantasticall particular persons, that out of an affectation