An exposition with practical observations continued upon the eighth, ninth and tenth chapters of…An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the eighth, ninth and tenth chapters of…

Verse 23. If the scourge slay suddenly, he laugheth at the trial of the innocent.

Verse 23. If the scourge slay suddenly, he laugheth at the triall of the innocent.

The former words gave offence to some minds, conceiving them inconsistent with grace and holiness. Others are more offended with these. And in the letter it is strange language to say,¹ The Lord laughs at the trial of the innocent. This verse, with the fifteenth of the 7th Chapter: So that my soul chooseth strangling, are concluded by a learned Writer, the sharpest and most questionable passages in the whole book. Hence his conceit, that in the 40th Chapter, vers. 5. Job aims at these two speeches, Once have I spoken, but I will not answer; that is, I will never speak such a word again, that, I choose strangling, yea twice, but I will proceed no further, I said also, That thou laughest at the trial of the innocent, but I will never say so any more. I am ashamed that ever I opened my lips so unadvisedly; tis too too much that I have spoken twice so sinfully, I will not speak so thrice. The conceit is witty, but the charge lies too heavy. The sense of the former hath been made out fair for Job, and I doubt not but his meaning may be so cleared in this later, that he will need neither reproof nor apology for saying, If the scourge slay suddenly, &c.

The former words gave offence to some mindes, conceiving them inconsistent with grace and holinesse. Others are more offended with these. And in the letter it is strange language to say,¹ The Lord laughs at the triall of the innocent. This verse, with the fifteenth of the 7th Chapter: So that my soul chooseth strangling, are concluded by a learned Writer, the sharpest and most questionable passages in the whole book. Hence his conceit, that in the 40th Chapter, vers. 5. Iob aims at these two speeches, Once have I spoken, but I will not answer; that is, I will never speak such a word again, that, I chuse strangling, yea twice, but I will proceed no further, I said also, That thou laughest at the triall of the innocent, but I will never say so any more. I am asham'd that ever I opened my lips so unadvisedly; tis too too much that I have spoken twice so sinfully, I will not speak so thrice. The conceit is witty, but the charg lies too heavy. The sense of the former hath been made out fair for Iob, and I doubt not but his meaning may be so cleared in this later, that he will need neither reproof nor apology for saying, If the scourge slay suddenly, &c.