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light that which was hidden-a remark in the way of recapitulation, connecting back with the beginning of the description in ver. 1, and at the same time forming, the transition to what follows. Respecting, comp. ch. xi. 6;

לָאוֹר Acc. loci for,אוֹר

Ver. 16. In regard to the gold of Ophir (here

"pale,

Dr, fine gold of Ophir) comp. ch. xxii. 24; respecting the onyx stone (Dn, lit. “ lean") comp. the commentators on Gen. ii. 12.

Vers. 17-19. Further description of the incomparable and unattainable value of wisdom, 5. Continuation: Second Strophe: vers. 12-22. standing in a similar connection with vers. 15, Application of the preceding description to wis-16, as Prov. iii. 15 with Prov. iii. 14.-Gold dom as a higher good, unattainable by the outward seeking and searching of men. ["Most expositors since Schultens, as e. g. Hirz., Schlott., ete, assume out of hand that the Wisdom treated of here is the divine wisdom, as the principle

which maintains the moral and natural order of

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and glass are not equal to it.— intrans. with Accus.-æquare aliquid, as in ver. 19; Ps. lxxxix. 7. In respect to the high valuation of glass by the ancients (, or as some MSS., Ed's., and D. Kimchi read-) comp. Withe universe. But that the divine wisdom is to ner, Realw., Vol. I., 432 [and Eng. Bib. Dicbe found only with God, not with a creature, is tionaries, Art "Glass"]. In respect to something so very self-evident, and the exalta-in b, “exchange, equivalent," comp. ch. xv. 31; tion of the divine wisdom above all human com- xx. 18. prehension was a proposition so universally recognized, being also long since maintained and conceded by both the contending parties of our book (chs. xi. and xii.), that it is not apparent why Job should here lay such stress upon it." Dillm.]

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Ver. 18. Corals and crystal are not to be named, not to be mentioned, i. e., in comparison with it, with wisdom (in regard to the construction of the passive with the accus., comp. Gesen., 143 [140] 1, a). 1, (lit. “ice,” which was regarded by the ancients as a prelike the Arab. gibs) denotes the quartz-crystal, cious stone, and supposed to be a product of the cold; Pliny, H. N. XXXVII. 2, 9.—The ЛD?, the mention of which precedes, seem to be "corals," an explanation favored by what is conjectured to be the radical signification of this word, horns of bulls, or of wild oxen" comp. Pliny XIII. 51), as well as by its being placed along with the less costly crystal; comp.also Ezek. xxvii. 16, where indeed corals from the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean are mentioned as Tyrian articles of commerce. On the contrary D'' in 6 must be, according to Prov. iii. 15;

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Ver. 12. But wisdom-where is it found? And where (lit. "from where?" as in ch. i. 7, and accompanying as in Hos. xiv. 9 [8]) is the place of understanding? , with the article, because wisdom is to be set forth as the well-known highest good of man. With the principal term is connected as an alternate notion, as is often the case in Proverbs, especially chs. i.-ix. The first term denotes wisdom rather on its practical side, as the principle and art of right thinking and doing, or as the religious and moral rectitude taught by God; the second (with which , Prov. viii. 1, and л, Prov. i. 2, alter-viii. 11; xx. 15; xxxi. 10, an exchangeable nate) pre-eminently on the theoretic side as the correct perception and way of thinking which lies at the basis of that right doing. Comp. the Introd. to the Solomonic Literature of Wisdom, 2, Note 3 (Vol. X., p. 7 of this series). Ver. 13. No mortal knows its price.(from vers. 17, 19) means lit. equivalent, price, value for purchase or exchange, the same with elsewhere. The LXX. probably read 7, which reading is preferred by ]. Delitzsch renders the former of the two some moderns, e. g., by Dillmann, as agreeing better with ver. 12.

commodity of extraordinary value, which decides in favor of the signification "pearls" assigned (although not unanimously) to this word by tradition, however true it may be that in Lam. iv. 7 corals seem rather to be intended (or perhaps red pearls artificially prepared, like the Turkish rose-pearls of to-day). Comp. Carey [who agrees in rendering by "corals," and doubtfully suggests "mother-of-pearl" for

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words by "pearls," the second by "corals" [so J. D. Michaelis, Rödiger, Gesenius, Fürst; the Ver. 14. With "the land of the living" [ver. two latter regarding and D'' as equi18] i. e., the earth inhabited by men (comp. Ps. valent. See also in Smith's Bib. Dic.,-Art's., xxvii. 13; Is. xxxviii. 11, etc.) are connected the Rubies," "Pearls," "Coral"]. The word two other regions beneath heaven, in which wis-, "acquisition, possession," (from JD, "to dom might possibly be sought: (1) The "Deep" draw to oneself") only here in the O. T.; re(Din) i. e., the subterranean abyss with its lated are pup, Gen. xv. 2, and pupp, Zeph. waters, out of which the visible waters on the ii. 9. surface of the earth are supplied (Gen. vii. 11; xlix. 25):-(2) The "Sea" (='Nкeavós) as the chief reservoir of these visible waters. Ver. 15. Pure gold is not given for it. 1 is the same with 2, 1 Kings vi. 20; x. 21, not "shut up" [= carefully preserved], but according to the Targ. "purified" gold (aurum colatum, purgatum), hence gold acquired by heating, or smelting; comp. Diodor. l. c.

Ver. 19. The topaz from Ethiopia (Cush) is not equal to it. The rendering topaz (70Tátov) for 1 is established by the testimony of most of the ancient versions in this passage, as well as in Ex. xxviii. 17; Ezek. xxviii. 13. It is also favored by the statement of Pliny (xxxvii. 8) that the topaz comes principally from the islands of the Red Sea, as also by the probable identity of the name 770 with the San

scrit pita, yellow (comp. Gesen.) [and see the the subject God [should be if the verse Lexicons, Delitzsch, Carey, etc, on the probable were antecedent]. Furthermore the Divine transposition of letters in the Hebrew and Greek forms]. In regard to b, comp. the very similar passage in ver 16 a).

Ver. 20 again takes up the principal question propounded in ver. 12. The in is consecutive, and may be rendered by "then" (Ew., 348, a).

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Ver. 21. It is hidden (y, lit., "and moreover, and further it is hidden") from the eyes of all living, i. e.,, especially of all living beings on the earth; - as in ch. xii. 10; xxx. 33. Of these "living" b then particularly specifies the sharp-sighted, winged inhabitants of the upper regions of the air; comp. above

ver. 7.

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Ver. 22 follows up the mention of that which is highest with that of the lowest: Hell and the abyss [lit. "destruction and death"] say, in connection with 1 (see on ch. xxvi. 6) means the realm of death, the abyss; comp. ch. xxxviii. 17; Ps. ix. 14 [13]; Rev. i. 18. For the rest comp. above, ver. 14; for to say that they [destruction and death] have learned of wisdom only by hearsay is substantially the same with saying, as is said there of the sea and the deep, that they do not possess it. ["The 'n ha ryp mpy, ver. 21, evidently points ver. 10. In ver. 11 it is said that man brings the most secret thing to light. In ver. 22 that Divine wisdom is hidden even from the underworld." Schlott.].

ראתה עינו back to the יקר כל

"looking to the ends of the earth," etc., ver. 24, would need a telic qualification, referring the divine omniscience [God's looking every where and seeing every thing] to the creation and preservation of the order of nature, in order that it might not be understood as declaring the omniscience of God in abstracto. That He may appoint to the wind its weight, and weigh the water by measure.

The careful "measurement" of wind and water, i. e., their relative apportionment, governpeculiarly characteristic example of God's wise ment, and management (comp. Isa. lx. 12), is a administrative economy in creation: "Who sends the wind upon its course," etc. Instead of the Infinitive the finite verb appears in b, and that in the Perf. form, j, because the expression of purpose passes over into the expression of sequence, precisely as in chap. v. 21 (see on the v.).

Ver. 26 seq. As the wisdom of God furnishes the means and basis of His government of the world, so in the exercise of His creative power was it the absolute norm, and is in consequence thereof the highest law for man's moral action, positively and negatively considered. When He appointed for the rain a law (when and how often it should fall, where it should cease: comp. Gen. ii. 5) and for the thunder-flash a path (i. e., through the clouds; comp. chap. xxxviii. 25), then saw He it and declared it-i. e., in thus exercising at the beginning His creative power, He beheld it, contemplated it (we 6. Conclusion: Third Strophe: Vers. 22-28. are to read with Mappiq in 17), as His eterThe final answer to the question, where and how nal pattern, according to which He made, orwisdom is to be found: to wit, only with God, dered, and ruled His creatures, and declared it and through the fear of God. [The last of, lit. "and enumerated it"), i. e., unfolded these three divisions (of the chap.) into which its contents before men and His other rational the highest truths are compressed is for empha- creatures throughout the whole creation, which in sis the shortest, in its calmness and abrupt end-truth is nothing else than such a "development ing the most solemn, because the thought finds and historical realization" of the contents of eterno expression that is altogether adequate, float-nal wisdom. The attempt of Schult., Ew., Dillm. ing in a height that is immeasurable, but opening to explain D as meaning "to number through, a boundless field for further reflection." Ewald.] to review all over" (after ch. xxxviii. 37; Ps. Ver. 23. God knows the way to it, and He knows its place.-D and N, in emphatic contrast with the creatures mentioned in ver. 13 seq., and ver. 21 seq. The suffix in

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cxxxix. 18) is less natural.-He established it, and also searched it out, i. e., He laid its 22, 23, where both verbs, p and 7, convey foundations in the creation (comp. Prov. viii. the same idea of founding, establishing wisdom

as here), brought it to its complete actual

277 is objective (comp. Gen. iii. 24) "the way Vers. 24, 25 constitute one proposition which ization in creation, and then reviewed all its illustrates and explains the Divine possession of individual parts to see whether they all bore wisdom by a reference to God's agency in cre- the test of His examination. Comp. what is ating and governing the world (so correctly said in Gen. i. 31: "And God saw everything Ewald, Arnh., Dillm.) [E. V., Conant, Rodman]. that He had made, and behold, it was very good." Against connecting ver. 25 with what follows, -Or again: "He set it up before Himself," for more immediately with ver. 26, and then regard- more attentive contemplation ( according ing vers. 25, 26 together as constituting the pro- as in chap. xxix. 7), and searched it out thotasis of ver. 27 lies the objection that wy Dillmann) [the latter of whom says: "He set it roughly, exploring its thoughts (so Wolff and cannot properly be translated either "when He up for contemplation, as an artist or an archimade," or "in that He made," as well as the tect puts up before himself the "]. It is fact that the gerundive Infinitive with cannot not necessary, with some MSS. and Eds. to read be put before its principal verb, together with, instead of ', as Döderl. and Ew. do. Ver. 28. And said to man: Behold, the the absence of a suffix after y referring to fear of the Lord is wisdom, etc.—He would

accordingly not reserve to Himself the wisdom | to demonstrate the unsearchableness and unfawhich had served Him as a pattern of creation, thomableness, from a sensuous and earthly point but would communicate it to the human race of view, of an attribute, or a hypostasis of God, which He had made and put into His world, because this fact is self-evident, and because which He could do only by setting it before the whole tendency of his discourse was not thethem in the form of an original command to fear oretic and speculative, but practical, aiming at God and to depart from evil (740, comp. the establishment of right principles to influence ch. i. 2; Prov. iii. 7; xvi. 6. Instead of human struggle and action.-The view accord, very many MSS. and old editions readingly held by quite a number of modern exegetes since the time of Schultens (especially Hirzel, Schlottmann, Hahn, also W. Wolff's articleDie Anfänge der Logoslehre im A. T. in the Zeitseq.), that the object of the description in ch. schrift für Luth. Theol. u. Kirche, 1870, p. 217 xxviii. is the wisdom of God as exercised in the universe, as the divine principle sustaining the moral and natural order of the universe, is erroneous, to say nothing of the fact that in that case one might find here, with A. Merx (Das Gedicht von Hiob, etc., p. 42) a "concealed polemic" against the doctrine of Wisdom as set

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forth in the Solomonic Proverbs.

, which reading seems to have in its favor: (1) That , occurring only twice elsewhere in our book, might easily be set aside as being too singular; (2) that in Jehovah's own mouth does not occur elsewhere in the Old Testament, not even in Amos vi. 8; (3) that the parallels of the primitive saying before us in the Proverbs and in the Psalms constantly exhibit (comp. Prov. i. 7; iii. 7; ix. 10; xvi. 6; Ps. cxi. 10).-On the other side it is true the Masoretic tradition expressly reckons this passage among the one hundred and thirty-four 2. We cannot say indeed of this theory, to wit, passages of the Old Testament, where is that ch. xxviii. discourses of the Sapientia sciagranot only to be read, but is actually written phica, God's wisdom in creation and the governinstead of (Buxtorf, Tiberias, p. 245). As regards the thought, it makes no difference whether we read "fear of the Lord" ("the Lord of all," Del.), or "fear of Jehovah (Jahveh)." [It may, however, be said, that there is an especial appropriateness in the use of here, in view of the fact that God is spoken of in connection with the creation, as the product of wisdom; and not only so, but God in His Lordship, His supremacy, His claim to be feared, i. e. revered and obeyed, whence " is used rather

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DOCTRINAL, ETHICAL AND HOMILETICAL. 1. According to the connection of the Third Section of this discourse with the two preceding, as explained in the remarks on ch. xxviii. 1, it can admit of no doubt that the wisdom described in it is conceived of as essentially a human acquisition, as a blessing bestowed on man by God, consisting in the fear of God and in right

eousness of life. This connection lies indeed in this

that in order to prove that which is said in ch. xxvii. 12 seq. of the perishable prosperity of worldly-minded sinners, the uselessness of all accumulation of earthly treasures is shown, it being entirely out of their power to secure the possession of true wisdom, and of that enduring prosperity which is connected with it. In addition to this connection with ch. xxvii., the human character of this wisdom, rather than its hypostatic character, or that which belongs to it as a divine attribute, is shown secondly by the way in which the same is represented in vers. 15-19 as a possession, being compared with other possessions, treasures and costly jewels, and the question submitted how its possession (, ver. 18) is to be attained. To which may be added, thirdly, the consideration that it could scarcely be the speaker's purpose

ment of the world-that it is altogether incorrect. In the concluding verses Job evidently lifts himself from his contemplation of wisdom as a human possession to the description of its archetype, the absolute divine wisdom, by means of which God has established alike the physical and the moral order of the universe. The passage in vers. 23-28 comes into the closest contact with the two well-known descriptions of the Book of Proverbs which are occupied with this eternal world-regulating wisdom-Prov. iii. 19-26, and Prov. viii. 22 seq. It resembles them particularly in the fact that a preliminary meditation on the human reflection and emanation

of this primordial wisdom, on the practical Chokmah of the God-fearing, righteous man, prepares the way for it, precisely as in those two passages. The "knowledge of the place" to God, reminds the reader of Prov. viii. 30, in of the Creative Wisdom, which ver. 23 ascribes like manner as that which is said of its mediating agency in determining the laws of wind, water, rain and thunder (vers. 24-26) reminds what is said of "seeing and declaring," "estabhim of Prov. iii. 19 seq.; viii. 27 seq. And lishing," or "setting up and searching out" the in Prov. viii. 22 seq., presents Wisdom as the heavenly architectress in ver. 27, precisely as infinitely many-sided pattern of the Krisis Kóσμov,

all things that were to be created, as the comas the ideal world, or the divine imagination of plex unity of all the creative ideas or archetypes present to God from eternity. This divine crein the two parallel passages in the Solomonic ative primordial wisdom, as described here, and writings (and not less in those passages of the Apocrypha which in some respects are still more full, viz. Sirach, ch. xxiv., and Wisdom, ch. vii. ix), 18 without question closely related to the It is very true that the idea of Wisdom, espeidea of the Logos given in the New Testament. cially in the passage before us, the oldest of all pertaining to the subject, has not yet shaped itself into a form of existence so concretely personal, and a filial relation to God so intimate

that the wicked are punished in this life (ch xxvii. 11-23)-seems to go too far in an opposite direction; for after what he has said repeatedly heretofore in favor of the teachings of experi ence touching the temporal prosperity of the ungodly, he could not properly concede the point which he now maintains, and that so completely without qualification. The first half of his discourse accordingly seems liable to the charge of being egregiously one-sided and of departing from strict actual truth in two respects

and so indicative of similarity of nature, as characterize the Johannean Logos. It appears rather simply as an "impersonal model" for God in His creative activity, while the New Testament Logos is the "personal architect" working in accordance with that model, the demiurg by which God has called the world into existence according to that ideal which was in the divine mind" (Del.). But notwithstanding this its undeveloped character, the Chokmah of our passage is the unmistakable substratum and the immediate precursor of the revealed percep-in declaring that Job's suffering was wholly, tion of a personal Word, and of an only-begotten Son of God. And as the older exegesis and theology was already in general correct in referring our passage to the Divine in Christ (the copía Tov vεov, Matt. xi. 19; Luke xi. 49) the attempts of more recent writers to deny any genetic connection of ideas between it and the New Testament doctrine of the Logos, and in general to regard human wisdom as the only object described, even in vers. 23-28 (e. g. Bruch, Weisheitslehre, etc., p. 202; V. Hofmann, Schriftbew. I: 95 seq.; Luthardt, Apologetische Vorträge über die Heilswahrheiten des Christenth., 2d Ed. p. 227), have rightly evoked much opposition. Comp. Philippi, Kirchl. Glaubenslehre II. 192 seq.; Kahnis, Luth. Dogm. I, 316 seq.; III, 209 seq.; Bucher, Des Johannes Lehre vom Logos, 1856; also B. Couve, Les Origines de la Doctrine du Verbe, Toulouse, 1869, p. 36 seq. The latter indeed denies in respect to the present passage (in which, like Hofmann, he is inclined to find merely a poetic personification of human wisdom) that it is related in the way of preparation to the New Testament doctrine of the Logos, but admits this in respect to the parallel passages in Proverbs, and the later passages. Against Merx's view, which in part is similar, see above No. 1, near the end.

and in every respect unmerited, and in admitting that even in this life there is a divine judgment awaiting the wicked, from which they cannot escape. The second principal division of the discourse prepares the way at least for supplementing and correcting both of these one-sided representations through its elevated eulogy on true wisdom, founded on constant undivided surrender to God, however much there may be still that needs purifying and improving. He dwells with special emphasis on the fact that the eager striving and longing of the wicked reaches not only after earthly treasures and jewels, such as are to be procured out of the depths of the earth only with much toil and effort. He thus intimates that their whole prosperity, being founded on such earthly treasures (comp. ch. xxvii. 16), is in itself perishable, unreal, a mere phantom, and emphasizes all the more strongly in contrast with it the incomparable worth of a prosperity consisting in the fear of God and in strict rectitude, in surrendering oneself wholly to that which is divine, in the pursuit of heavenly treasures, in a word in true wisdom, the image and emanation of the eternal divine wisdom of the Creator, a prosperity of so high an order that he would possess it as the foundation, and at the same time as the fruit of his inno3. Taken in connection with the preparatory cence, and that it would not forsake him even train of thought in ch. xxvii. this description of now, in the midst of his fearful sufferings and wisdom, or more strictly, of the way to true conflicts. There is much in this train of thought wisdom, forms one of the most important, artis- that is not brought out with such clearness as tically elaborated portions of the whole poem. might be desirable. Some of it must even be It is a suitable conclusion to the first principal read between the lines as being tacitly taken division of the poem, or the entanglement which for granted, particularly that which refers to results from the controversial passage between Job as having formerly possessed and as still Job and his friends, taking the form of a Con- possessing this heavenly practical wisdom, and fession of Faith, in which Job, after victoriously also to its relation to his temporary misery. But repelling all the assaults of his enemies, states although the discourse may lack that close conhis position on all the chief points, about which secutiveness and thorough completeness of plaz the controversy had revolved, in a manner full which modern philosophic poets or thinkers at once of a calm dignity and the consciousness might have impressed upon it, it nevertheless of victory. The one favorite proposition of his forms a truly suitable conclusion to the preceopponents, that his suffering could not be un-ding controversies, and at the same time a strideserved-he solemnly and unqualifiedly repels by again asseverating his complete innocence (ch. xxvii. 2-10). In asserting here that his conscience does not hold up before him one of his former days as worthy of blame or punishment (ver. 6) he transgresses in a one-sided manner the bounds of that which could be maintained with strict truth concerning himself (comp. ch. xxvi. 13), and so causes that foul spot to appear clearly enough on his moral conduct and consciousness, for which he must needs implore forgiveness. On the other hand, the confession which follows of his belief in that other favorite proposition of his opponents

king transition to the gradual solution of the whole conflict which now follows. As regards its significance in the structure of the poem it may be termed "Job's Eulogy on Wisdom,” in which he announces his supreme axiom of life, and characteristically gives to his vindication against the friends its harmonious peroration, and its seal. It appears in the structure of the book as "the clasp which unites the half of the déotc with the half of the boç," and on which the poet has characteristically inscribed the well-known axiom of the Old Testament Chokmah-"The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom" (Delitzsch).

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chance, it does nevertheless come from God because of their sin (Am. iii. 6).

Ch. xxviii. 1 seq. ZEYSS: If men are so ingenious, and so indefatigably industrious in discovering and obtaining earthly treasures, how much more should they toil to secure heavenly treasures, which alone can give true rest to our souls, make us rich and happy (Matt. xvi. 26)! however deeply hidden, can be searched out and valued by human labor and industry; the wisdom of God alone can neither be sought out, nor judged by human endeavor. Although the veins of silver and gold lie hidden in the most secret recesses of the mountains, they are nevertheless discovered by great labor, and riches, which incite to so many evils, are dug out. In like manner iron, however it may be hidden in the most secret depths of the earth, can nevertheless be discovered; but no one anywhere has found the wisdom of God by human endeavor.

4. For the homiletic treatment of this section it is more important to call attention to the close family relationship existing between this eulogy of Job's on wisdom and such New Testament passages as Paul's eulogy on Love (1 Cor. xiii.), our Lord's admonition in the Sermon on the Mount to seek treasures in heaven (Matt. vi. 19 seq), the similar exhortations of Paul and James (1 Tim. vi.; James v.), than to take pains-BRENTIUS: All else in the nature of things, to exhibit the plan of the section, lacking as it is in complete thoroughness, and to show its subtle, oftentimes completely hidden connections with the previous course of the colloquy. A large number of hearers would scarcely be prepared to follow with profit such elaborate disquisitions concerning the niceties of plan in the discourse, and by reason of the not inconsiderable expenditure of time requisite for such an object, they would be quite, or almost quite untouched by so much beauty and impressive power as the details of the discourse present. A division of the whole into smaller sections, at least into the three, which constitute the natural partition of the discourse, seems here also to be required for homiletic purposes, in order that every part of it may be suitably appreciated and unfolded.

Particular Passages.

Chap. xxvii. 2 sq. V. GERLACH: If by God's grace a holy man then (under the Old Dispensation) kept his life pure, and observed God's commandments, albeit in weakness, to which the speeches of Job himself bear witness (this very confession especially), it was of the highest importance that this his life should not be judged falsely, that he should be recognized as God's visible representative, as a revealer of His law, as a support of God's servants such as were weaker, not free from blame. Such a prince among God's saints on earth as Job lived preeminently for God's people, and he could not, without throwing all into confusion, deny his position, could not through false humility surrender his righteousness, which for very many was the righteousness of God himself; he must on occasion declare boldly that his enemies were also enemies of God. Hence his showing himself on the spot in this confession as a victor after the struggle was not only a comfort to the sorely tried man, but also of importance for the complete establishment of that which he affirmed.

Ch. xxvii. 10. BRENTIUS: When he says that the hypocrite does not always call upon God, he has reference to the duty of praying without ceasing (1 Thess. v. 17). For where there is faith, prayer is never suspended, although one should be asleep, or should be doing something else. Unbelief indeed never prays, except with the mouth only; but such praying cannot reach through the clouds.

Ch. xxvii. 13 seq. OSIANDER: God does not forget the wickedness of the ungodly, but punishes it in His own time most severely, and generally even in this life (Ex. xxxii. 34). The destruction of the ungodly is therefore to be waited for in patience. Although these think that when misfortune befalls them, it comes by

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Ch. xxviii. 12 seq. OECOLAMPADIUS: Corporeal substances, of whatsoever kind, can be found somewhere. Wisdom is of another order of being: you can ascertain neither its place nor its price. In vain will you journey to the Brahmins, to Athens, to Jerusalem; although you cross the sea, or descend into the abyss, you but change your skies, not your soul. Neither schools, nor courts, nor temples, nor monasteries, nor stars, will make one wiser.

Ch. xxviii. 23-28. OECOLAMPADIUS (on ver. 27): Not that we should think of God so childishly, as though in His works He had need of deliberation or of an external pattern, but in His nature He has such productiveness that He both wills and produces at one and the same time (Ps. xxxiii. 9).-CoCCEIUS: Distinguish between the wisdom which is the pattern and the end, and that which is the shadow [image], and the means. The former is with God, is God, and is known only to God; the latter is from God in us, a ray of that Wisdom. In like manner, we are said to be kovovoì delas proews (2 Pet. i. 4), i. e. through having God's image, being one with Him, and enjoying Him.-JAC. BOEHME (according to Hamberger, Lehre J. Böhme's, p. 55): Wisdom is a divine imagination, in which the ideas of the angels and souls and all things were seen from eternity, not as already actual creatures, but as a man beholds himself in a mirror.-W. WOLFF (Die Anfänge der Logoslehre, etc. Zeitschrift f. Luth. Theol., 1870, p. 220): What is wisdom? It is not measuring space with the help of mathematics, it is not contemplating cells through the microscope, it is not even resolving things into their original substance, and determining their relations one. to another, but it is having an insight into their nature, having full knowledge of their original condition. Yea, more; absolute wisdom is essentially creative. We can search out indeed God's thoughts (in His creation), but we cannot gather up any truth into a vital point, out of which anything can proceed or originate; we cannot (to use the language of J. Böhme) "compress it into a centre." God alone has that creative wisdom. He must know it, for He has it first and foremost in Himself. It is not discovered and searched out by Him, but it is in His

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