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…

First, As if Job had spoken his wish or his desire, I am (said he before) full of confusion, see thou mine affliction, O that mine affliction might increase, and that I might be fuller of confusion! O that my troubles might be strengthened upon me, and that I might be weak enough to see an end of my troubles, I am yet too strong for death, O that thou wouldest quickly dispatch me, more weight, deeper wounds, harder blows would be welcome. As if here again Job had assumed and renewed that complaining desire mentioned (Chap. 6.7, 8.) O that I might have my request! and that God would grant me the thing that I long for! (What was that?) Even that it would please God to destroy me, that he would let loose his hand, and cut me off! But I shall let this pass; Job hath spoken these wishes plainly, and in the letter too often; I will not charge him with another from a questionable interpretation.

First, As if Iob had spoken his wish or his desire, I am (said he before) full of confusion, see thou mine affliction, O that mine affliction might encrease, and that I might be fuller of confusion! O that my troubles might be strengthened upon me, and that I might be weak enough to see an end of my troubles, I am yet too strong for death, O that thou wouldest quickly dispatch me, more weight, deeper wounds, harder blows would be welcome. As if here again Iob had assumed and renewed that complaining desire mentioned (Chap. 6.7, 8.) O that I might have my request! and that God would grant me the thing that I long for! (What was that?) Even that it would please God to destroy me, that he would let loose his hand, and cut me off! But I shall let this passe; Iob hath spoken these wishes plainly, and in the letter too often; I will not charge him with another from a questionable interpretation.

Rather take the words declaratively, not for a wish of greater future afflictions, but for a manifestation of the greatness of his present afflictions: so we express them, I am full of confusion, ⟨p. 553⟩See thou mine affliction, for it increaseth. This is a clear and a fair sense: Job intending to describe his estate more fully, showeth it still upon the increase, waxing worse and worse, greater and greater. As if he had said, mine are a pile or heap of afflictions, and still more are piled up, and heaped on.