First, Positively, thus, Job would here express that the Lord carries himself in outward things, with an equal hand both to the good and to the bad, as was touched before. The Lord laugheth at, and derideth the wicked (Prov. 1.28.) I will laugh at their destruction, and mock when their fear cometh. The carriage of God to his own people is such, as if he did mock and laugh at them also.1 He that laugheth and derideth at a mans affliction, doth not regard what he suffers, he gives him no help, nor delivers him out of his sufferings. Nay, a man that laugheth at another in affliction, will lay more affliction upon him. Even thus in regard of outward dispensations, God deals with his own people, that is, when innocent ones are in affliction and cry unto him,2 he makes as if he did not hear or regard them, but lets them lie crying it may be day after day in their pains and wants, yea sometimes in stead of easing them, he lays more afflictions upon them; poor souls, since they sought the Lord they find an increase of their sorrows. God seems to deal with them, as Pharaoh did with the Israelites in Egypt, who crying to him for release of their burdens, are answered only with, Ye are idle, ye are idle; let more work be laid upon these men, Exod. 5. Or like Rehoboam, who threatened his people to make their yoke heavier, while they petitioned he would make it lighter, and told them of scorpions, while they complained of whips. David gives us this in his own experience (Psal. 77.2, 3.) In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord, my sore ran in the night, and ceased not (or, my hand was stretched out in prayer, and bedewed with tears) my soul refused to be comforted (David sought for comfort, but his troubles increasing, he could not take in the comforts administered) I remembered God, and was troubled, I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. If any thing in the world can ease a troubled heart, thoughts of God can. Thus David once relieved himself, When the people talked of stoning him, he encouraged himself ⟨p. 318⟩in the Lord his God (1 Sam. 30.6.) Yet sometimes God seems to think of us least, when we think of him most. A soul complaining may be over-whelmed, in stead of being helped. Now, he that lays on further afflictions,3 slights and laughs at the former. And this is the first way, in which it may be made out, how God laughs at the trial of the innocent.
First, Positively, thus, Job would here expresse that the Lord carries himself in outward things, with an equall hand both to the good and to the bad, as was touched before. The Lord laugheth at, and derideth the wicked (Prov. 1.28.) I will laugh at their destruction, and mock when their fear cometh. The carriage of God to his own people is such, as if he did mock and laugh at them also.1 He that laugheth and derideth at a mans affliction, doth not regard what he suffers, he gives him no help, nor delivers him out of his sufferings. Nay, a man that laugheth at another in affliction, will lay more affliction upon him. Even thus in regard of outward dispensations, God deals with his own people, that is, when innocent ones are in affliction and cry unto him,2 he makes as if he did not hear or regard them, but lets them lie crying it may be day after day in their pains and wants, yea sometimes in stead of easing them, he laies more afflictions upon them; poor souls, since they sought the Lord they finde an encrease of their sorrows. God seems to deal with them, as Pharaoh did with the Israelites in Egypt, who crying to him for release of their burdens, are answered only with, Ye are idle, ye are idle; let more work be laid upon these men, Exod. 5. Or like Rehoboam, who threatned his people to make their yoke heavier, while they petitioned he would make it lighter, and told them of scorpions, while they complained of whips. David gives us this in his own experience (Psal. 77.2, 3.) In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord, my sore ran in the night, and ceased not (or, my hand was stretched out in praier, and bedewed with tears) my soul refused to be comforted (David sought for comfort, but his troubles encreasing, he could not take in the comforts administred) I remembred God, and was troubled, I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. If any thing in the world can ease a troubled heart, thoughts of God can. Thus David once relieved himself, When the people talked of stoning him, he encouraged himself ⟨p. 318⟩in the Lord his God (1 Sam. 30.6.) Yet sometimes God seems to think of us least, when we think of him most. A soul complaining may be over-whelmed, in stead of being helped. Now, he that laies on further afflictions,
- 1Dicitur ridere, quia sic judicant hominum vulgus.Dicitur ridere, quia sic judicāt hominum vulgus.
- 2Ridere dicitur, cum contemnere videtur orationem postulantis opem.
- 3Post orationes meas, ita me semper in miseriis reliquit, ac si me derideret.
