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…

¹Thirdly, Some refer it to God himself, If he, (that is, man) should contend with him, he would not answer him one of a thousand, that is, God would not answer him one of a thousand: as if he had said, the matters will be so trivial and so sleight, the charges that a man can bring against God, or the objections he can make will be so easy, that the Lord will not vouchsafe to answer one word of a thousand. Some men will plead privilege to some charges, and all their answer shall be, they may choose, or it is at their liberty whether they will answer or no. Here he would not (referred to God) is as much as he needs not, he is no way obliged to answer, he may claim privilege. Further, when arguments are poor and empty, a man will say in dispute, These things are not worth answering; or of a book, there is not one page that is worth a confutation, it carries its own confutation. Such a sense may be made out here, God will not dishonour himself by contending with so weak an adversary as man, or by answering such simple arguments.

¹Thirdly, Some referre it to God himself, If he, (that is, man) should contend with him, he would not answer him one of a thousand, that is, God would not answer him one of a thousand: as if he had said, the matters will be so triviall and so sleight, the charges that a man can bring against God, or the objections he can make will be so easie, that the Lord will not vouchsafe to answer one word of a thousand. Some men will plead priviledge to some charges, and all their answer shall be, they may chuse, or it is at their liberty whether they will answer or no. Here he would not (referred to God) is as much as he needs not, he is no way obliged to answer, he may claim priviledge. Further, when arguments are poor and empty, a man will say in dispute, These things are not worth answering; or of a book, there is not one page that is worth a confutation, it carries its own confutation. Such a sense may be made out here, God will not dishonour himself by contending with so weak an adversary as man, or by answering such simple arguments.

1. 1Vilem hominum conditionem judex contemnet. Polychron. Tantum non est homo, ut Deus eum sua responsione dignetur. Vatabl. Illud non poterit, idem erit quod nolet, vel per transpositionem verborum, poterit non respondere.