John Trapp on Job 6:24

Verſe 24. Teach me, and I will hold my tongue] If I be in an errour, I am willing to be rectified. Hitherto you have miſtook my caſe, and ſo your ſpeech hath been to ſmall purpoſe. But if you will come home to my caſe indeed, and weigh things in an even ballance, I ſhall gladly ſubmit to your more mature judgement and direction. Teach me, and you ſhall find that I am not indocible, that I am not as horſe and [illegible: 1 word] that have no under standing Pſalm 32.9. nor will learn any muchleſſe then the creature called Rhinoceros, untameable and untractable. It ſhall appear to you that I am not utterly uncounſel[illegible: 1 letter]able, as thoſe of whom Bail complaineth, qui q[illegible: 1 letter]id verum ſit neque ſciunt, neque ſustine diſ[illegible: 1 letter]e[illegible: 1 letter]e, that neither know what truth and right is, nor will endure to be taught it. Job was not to be told that it was eaſier to deale with twenty mens reaſons, then with one mans will!Epiſt. ad E[illegible: 2 letters]gr. 10. he promiſeth therefore not to ſtand out againſt his friends, becauſe hee will ſtand out. It is not my will, ſaith he, that oppoſeth what you have ſpoken, but my underſtanding. I am a ſlave to right reaſon: and if convinced thereby, I ſhall ſoon lay down the bucklers. Teac[illegible: 1 letter] mee, and I will hold my tongue, and not ſtrive for the laſt word to lengthen out the contention: I am willing to reaſon, but not to wrangle. See Prov. 30.32.

Cauſe me to underſtand wherein I have erred] An humble man will never be an heretick▪ erre he may (that's common to mankind, iriſte mortali at is privilegium) but convince him by ſolid reaſons, and good arguments, and he will not long ſtand out; [illegible: 1 span] child ſhell lead him, Iſa. 1[illegible: 1 letter] 6 It is by pride that contention cometh, Prov. 13.10. for it maketh a man drunk with his own conceit, Hab. 2.5. and who ſo wilfull, ſo quarrelſome as he that is drunk? An heretick may be condemned of himſelf, Tim 3[illegible: 1 letter].10. but he will not be convinced by another (ſuch is his pertinacy, or rather, obſtinacy) no, though he be ſtoned with hardeſt arguments, holden out of that cryſtal-brook of the holy Scriptures, he ſtands as a ſtake in the midſt of a ſtreame: and you may as ſoon remove a rock,Lapidandi ſunt b[illegible: 1 letter]r[illegible: 1 letter]tiel. Ath[illegible: 1 letter]n. as cauſe him to underſtand wherein hee is out in his judgment or practiſe.