624 Chap. 21. An Expofition upon the Bookof J o B. Verf. 3' fweet favour fChrifl, in them that arefaved, and in them that perifh, in them that entertaine the word, and in them that mock at ir. Secondly Note , Someare readierto mockthofe who oppofe them, then ether to anfiwer their arguments, or to recover them from their fuppofed errors. Surely ?ob tooke notice of fuch a fpirit moving in his friends, elfe he had not fuggefted this unto them. Aman of judgement and underftanding falls upon the Arguments ofhis opponent with reafon, not uponhis perfon with fpleene. A tender heart pities thofe that are miflead, and mournes over themwhom he conceiveth in an error, he doth not mock or triumph over them. Yet 'cis often feene that when men ofcon- trary perfwafions ingage upon a difpute, whether about mat- ters of providence (as ?oband his friends did) or offaith, they who judge themfelvesviâors, deride the weakneffe and hiffe at the miftakesoftheir brethren ;and they who are overcome and have nothing more to fay, will yet wrangle and revile rather, then faynothing: And thus 'tis not only in fpeaking, but in writing, pens as well as tongues drop fcorne, when they thinke they have their adverfaries at anunder, or are not indeed able to deale with their aelvecfaries. Wemay fay to fuch (though they are, not onely in their own conceits, but in commonefteeme, as ftrong as Oakes in judgement and as tall as Cedars in knowledge ) as the Lorddoth in the Prophet to 7erufalem, becaufe of her fpirituall Adulteries (etch, r6.3o.) Howweake arejour hearts feeirg ye do all thefe things, the workof an imperioue wharifh wc. man. To mock and fcorne any man upon fuch termes as thefe, is below a man,yeabelow any humble- minded modeft woman: Howmuch then doe they degrade themfelves, below man, be- low reafon, and good manners, who fall to mocking the per- fon, inhead ofanfwering his arguments, or who'mocks thofe who may poflibly fayle eyther in arguingor anfwering ? He is weake who indeed fayles thus, but he is weaker who mocks thus. Secondiy,_AfierThemefpoken,mcckon;carrieth in it thefence of
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