Job 27:8

What hope, he says, does the impious have, even though he has lived so far? With what sort of assurance does he expect any salvation from God like that by which I trust to be saved? How will he confidently invoke God, after falling into misfortune, as if his prayers should be really heard?

"What are the expectations of the ungodly? He is waiting. "For fear that he will be accused, of making his enemies guilty of imprecations, he discovers to us the intention which makes him speak here. He wants their impiety to be confounded, and their pride annihilated, what happens when a soul chained, by its crime is at last delivered from the bonds of impiety: these bonds are broken by the confession of the repentant man and the grace of the forgiving God. So, he asks, "what are the expectations of the ungodly? He answers: "He is waiting: He puts his trust in God, to be delivered. "

For what is the hope of the hypocrite, if he seize with covetousness, and God free not his soul? Will God hear his cry, when trouble cometh upon him? The hypocrite, who in the Latin language is termed pretender, aims not to be but to appear just, and therefore he is a covetous robber, because whereas while doing wickedly he desires to be revered for sanctity, he seizes on the praise of a life not his own. But it is said to be the aim of hypocrites, that both what they are they may keep back, and what they are not they may make themselves known to men as being; so that they should surpass their own measure in esteem, and by credit for conduct shew themselves to excel the rest of the world. They eschew the seeming to be that which they are, and before the eyes of men they clothe themselves with a kind of overlaid respectability of innocency. Hence in the Gospel they are rightly upbraided by the voice of our Redeemer, when the words are spoken to them, Woe unto you, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear to men beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of covetousness and iniquity. Contrariwise all that are Saints really not only do not ever at all covet glory that is beyond their measure, but do also eschew appearing that very thing, which they have obtained to be. And hence that great Preacher of truth, in speaking against the false apostles; while he was relating the extraordinary excellences of his practice for the instruction of his disciples; whilst he was describing that he had undergone such countless perils in accumulated persecution, and after this made mention of his having been carried up to the third heaven, and into Paradise again, where he had power to learn things so great, as he had not power in any degree to tell; was on the point perhaps of telling things still more marvellous of himself, yet holding himself in from human applause by deep reflecting he adds, But now I spare, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me. He then had somewhat yet further to be declared concerning himself, who 'forbears' to speak. But the great Preacher did both, that both by telling the things which he had done he might instruct his disciples, and by being silent…