Exposition of Job 35-37, Exposition on Job · Chapter 35 · Verses 9-13

Exposition of Job 35-37 · Exposition on Job · Chapter 35 · Verses 9-13

p. 54JOB, Chap. 35. Verſ. 9, 10, 11, 12, 13.

9. By reaſon of the multitude of oppreſſions they make the oppreſſed to cry: they cry out by reaſon of the arme of the mighty.

10. But none ſaith, Where is God my maker, who giveth Songs in the night?

11. Who teacheth us more than the beaſts of the earth, and maketh us wiſer than the fowles of heaven.

12. There they cry (but none giveth anſwer) becauſe of the pride of evill men.

13. Surely God will not hear vanity, neither will the Almighty regard it.

I Have diſpatched the firſt of thoſe great Objections which Elihu made afreſh againſt Job in this Chapter, his ſpeaking unduly of God. This context contains a ſecond, with the anſwer to it.

The Connection is given by ſome thus; Whereas Elihu told Job at the 8th verſe, That his wickedneſs might hurt a man like himſelf; He here proves, that the wickedneſs of man is very hurtfull to men, ſo hurtfull, that by reaſon of the multitude of oppreſſions they make the oppreſſed to cry: They cry out by reaſon of the arme of the mighty. Yet I ſhall not proſecute the words in that dependance, but as they are matter of a ſecond complaint or charge brought by Elihu againſt Job. The charge is laid down in the 9^th verſe, and his anſwer is proſecuted in the 10th, 11th, 12^th, and 13^th verſes.

Verſ. 9. By reaſon of the multitude of oppreſſions they make the oppreſſed to cry.

This offended Job; the poor cryed, and they had no helper, no deliverer. We may conceive, that Elihu gathered up this complaint from the words of Job, (Chap. 24.12.) Men groan from out of the City, and the ſoul of the wounded cryeth out, yet God layeth not folly to them: As if he had ſaid, The Lord lightly paſſeth p. 55by, and takes little notice of the greateſt afflictions, the oppreſſions of the poor, though righteous men.

Elihu grants theſe general truths; Firſt, that many are oppreſſed; Secondly, that many cry out in their oppreſſions; Thirdly, that many remain undeliveeed from, and unreliered in their oppreſſions. God ſometimes ſeemeth not to regard the groans and cryes of the afflicted, nor doth he alwayes preſently take vengeance of oppreſſors according to their folly. Elihu grants all this, he grants that many poor men are ſo mightily oppreſſed by the mighty, that they are forced to cry mightily; yet he ſtrongly acquits God from any ſuch imputation, as thoſe words of Job ſeem to admit or inſinuate. And in the proſecution of his anſwer (as will appear in opening the 10^th and 11^th verſes) he ſheweth, that the reaſon why the oppreſſed are not delivered, or anſwered when they cry, is in themſelves, and not in God, (and he would have Job conſider, whether he were not of that number) they cry (ſaith Elihu) but they do not cry with ſuch a frame of heart, with ſuch a diſpoſition of ſpirit, as they ought; they cry as men preſſed rather with the weight of their own ſufferings, than toucht with any ſenſe of their ſins, or reverence of the ſoveraignty of God, giving them up to the power of oppreſſors; or as having any faith in him for their deliverance, or quiet ſubmiſſion to him, who is ready to help all thoſe who religiouſly fly to him for refuge, and is able to bring them out of their da…keſt and moſt deplorable condition. Theſe may be ſaid either not to pray at all, or they pray not with ſuch holy aims and deſigns, with ſuch integrity and uprightneſs of heart, as becometh the people of God: They pray under the power of impatience, or moved with envy at the power of their adverſaries, or with a deſire of utmoſt revenge, which nothing ſtops them from, but their own want of power, or becauſe they cannot; and therefore God takes no notice of their prayers, (v. 12, 13.) There they cry, but none giveth anſwer; Surely God will not hear vanity, neither will the Almighty regard it. That's the ſumme and ſcope of the Context. I ſhall now open the words in order.

Verſ. 9. By reaſon of the multitude of oppreſſions, they make the oppreſſed to cry.

Here are oppreſſions, and a multitude of oppreſſions.foreign The word p. 56ſignifieth magnitude as well as multitude, the muchneſs as well as the manyneſs (if I may ſo ſpeak) of the oppreſſions which were upon them. Any one great oppreſſion will make men cry, how much more many great ones? We render it as a word of number. By reaſon of the multitude Of oppreſſions.

foreign Oppreſſit, vim fecit, quavis injuria affecit.The Original notes oppreſſion of all ſorts: Firſt, oppreſſion upon the credit and good name of another, by ſlander and falſe accuſation; So the Septu…gint render it, By reaſon of calumnies, or unrighteous charges, or Sycophantiſmes, (that's the word in the Greek Tranſlation) they cry. Falſe accuſers undermine others, and bring them into danger by burdening them with lyes. Secondly, it notes uſually oppreſſion upon a mans eſtate, (1 Sam. 12.4. Iſa. 33.15. Ezek. 18.7. Mal. 3.5.) Thirdly, upon his perſon, (Iſa. 52.4.) Now when a man is oppreſſed all over, when his credit or good name is oppreſſed by calumniation, his eſtate by wrongfull ſeiſure, and his perſon by violent reſtraint, here's a troop, a multitude of oppreſſions. By reaſon of the multitude of oppreſſions They make the oppreſſed to cry.

That is, the oppreſſed do not only complain a little, but are forced to open lamentations; the load upon them is ſo heavy, that they cannot contain, they cry; yea as the next clauſe hath it, they cry out, as a woman in travel, when her paines come upon her.

They make the oppreſſed to cry.

They make them cry upon a double Conſideration; Firſt, becauſe of the miſery which they feel, and are burdened with; Secondly, for the mercy which they deſire, expect, and think long a-coming; men cry for eaſe, for help, for aſſiſtance, for deliverance: we may ſuppoſe the oppreſſed ones in the Text crying in all theſe reſpects; the burden was ſo heavy upon them, that it made them cry out for the very weight of it, and they cryed and called for ſome charitable, or tender heart, to come and eaſe them of it, and deliver them from it. Elihu doth not reſt in ſpeaking this once, but repeats it again; By reaſon of the multitude of oppreſſions p. 57they make the oppreſſed to cry.

They cry out by reaſon of the arme of the mighty.

Theſe words poynt us expreſly to the cauſe of their cry, or out-cry; it was the arme of the mighty; which may be taken either properly, or figuratively. Properly, the Arme is a well known and moſt uſefull member of the body: And becauſe there is a great deal of ſtrength and power in the arme, therefore by a figure, the arme ſignifieth ſtrength, might, or power; and to ſay, they cry out by reaſon of the arme of the mighty, is as much as to ſay, they cry out by reaſon of the power of the mighty. Severiſſimum dei ſupplicium immiſſione aut deſcenſione Brachii ſignificatur.The arme is frequently in Scripture put for power; the powerful wrath of …od is called the arme of God. The Prophet (Iſa. 30.30.) ſpeaks of the lighting down of his arme. When the Lord lets his arme fall, o… light down upon a man, a family, or a Nation, in wrath, it cruſheth either or all of them to pieces. And as the powerful wrath, ſo the powerful grace of God is called his arme, (Iſa. 53.1.) Who hath believed our report? to whom is the arme of the Lord revealed? That is, his mighty power, working by and manifeſting it ſelf in Chriſt, and in the miniſtery of the Goſpel, for the conviction, converſion, and ſalvation of ſinners. Thus alſo the arme of man, is the power of man, (Dan. 11.6.) She ſhall not retain the power of the arme; neither ſhall he ſtand, nor his arme: That is, his power ſhall fall, or both he and ſhe (Bernire and Antiochus Theus) ſhall fall and be powerleſs. (Pſal. 37.16.) The arme of the wicked (that is, their power) ſhall be broken, but the Lord upholdeth the righteous. They cry out by reaſon of the arme Of the mighty.

The ſame word which in the firſt part of the verſe is tranſlated multitude, is here tranſlated, The mighty. foreignBut what was the mightineſs of theſe men? There is a four-fold mightineſs. Firſt, there is mightineſs of body, that is natural might, and 'tis properly the might of the arme. Secondly, there is a mightineſs in valour and in Armes: Thus ſouldiers and warriers are mighty men; they who having courage in their hearts, have alſo weapons in their hands, and ſwords by their ſides, are the mighty. Such a one was Gideon, to whom the Angel ſaid, (Judg. 6.12.) The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour. Thirdly, there is a mightineſs p. 58of Authority: And thus the Magiſtrate is a mighty man; ſuppoſe he be weak in body, yet he is mighty in power, and can do great things. Fourthly, there is a mightineſs of wealth and riches: Thus Boaz is called a mighty man of wealth, (Ruth 2.1.) Riches have ſo much might in them, that in the Hebrew one word ſerves to ſignifie both might and riches. We may underſtand the mighty man here in any or all theſe four ſenſes. The oppreſſed cry out by reaſon of the arme of the mighty. They who have much bodily ſtrength, often oppreſs the weaker, and ſo do the mighty in Armes, and ſo do the mighty in Authority, and ſo the mighty in riches have often done, making the poor and the oppreſſed cry; They cry out by reaſon of the arme of the mighty.

From the former part of the verſe; Obſerve.

Oppreſſion is a common ſin.

Not only was Babylon ſtained with it, but Jeruſalem. That's an amazing paſſage (Jer. 6.6.) Thus hath the Lord of hoſts ſaid; hew ye down trees, and caſt a Mount againſt Jeruſalem. This is the City to be viſited, ſhe is wholly oppreſſion in the midſt of her. Not only was Jeruſalem a City, but, The City, a City above all Cities, to be viſited by an oppreſſing enemy; and wh…? even becauſe ſhe not only had oppreſſors in her, but was oppreſſion, O how oppreſſive was that City, which was oppreſſion, and that not only in ſome parts of her, but wholly, and that not in her skirts and ſuburbs, but in the midſt of her! The Lord, to ſhew that the Jewes were ſuperlatively rebellious, or moſt rebellious againſt him, calleth them (in the abſtract) rebellion, as the Margin hath it, (Ezek. 2.7.) and to ſhew how ſuperlatively oppreſſive they were one againſt another, He calls Jeruſalem oppreſſion. Here in the Text we have a multitude of oppreſſions, ſurely then, there were a multitude of oppreſſors. To heare of a multitude of ſins of all ſorts, is very ſad, but when there is multitude of one ſort, and that one of the worſt ſort, and ſuch a ſin as cannot go alone, but draws after it a heap of almoſt all ſorts of ſin: what a multitude of ſins are there! It cannot be denied, but that oppreſſion is a very common epidemical ſin, if we take and conſider it in the full latitude of it. For there is a two-fold oppreſſion. Firſt, there is a ſecret oppreſſion. To deceive, defraud, or go beyond another, in the Apoſtles ſenſe, is to oppreſs him. And thus 'tis ſaid, (Hoſ. 12.7.) He is a Merchant, p. 59the balances of deceit are in his hand, he loveth to oppreſs. He doth not oppreſs by violence, with a ſword in his hand, but by craft with balances in his hand; he oppreſſeth while he over-reacheth in dealing and trading. This ſort of oppreſſion runs up and down every where; and though this kind of oppreſſion make not a great cry, yet it is a great ſin, a crying ſin. There is alſo a ſecret oppreſſion under colour of Law; many turn the very Rules of Juſtice into rods of oppreſſion: And this is by ſo much the worſe, by how much it hath the better cover. Secondly, there is an open oppreſſion, the Nimrods of the world, the mighty Hunters ta…e and vex and trouble all they can, and would make all tremble before them, or run from them, as the Hare and Hart from their merry, but mercileſs purſuers. Now if both ſecret and open oppreſſions are ſo commonly practiſed, oppreſſion may juſtly beare the title of a common ſin.

Secondly, Note.

Oppreſſion is a very crying ſin.

That cannot but be a crying ſin, which makes ſo many cry. Oppreſſion then is a crying ſin. Firſt, as to the nature of it: Secondly, as to the effect of it. Oppreſſion cryeth, and it makes thoſe cry who are oppreſſed. Solomon ſaith, (Eccleſ. 7.7.) Oppreſſion maketh a wiſe man mad. That which puts a man even out of his wits, or beſides the right uſe of his reaſon, will put him much to the uſe of his tongue, cauſing him to complain, cry out, and clamour. But who are they that are moſt given to, and deepeſt drencht in this ſin of oppreſſion? The Text anſwers, They cry out by reaſon of the arme of the mighty.

Hence note, Thirdly.

Power is commonly abuſed to oppreſſion.

We read indeed of a poor man oppreſſing the poor, (Pro. 28.3.) And Solomon tells us, that ſuch a mans oppreſſion is the ſoareſt oppreſſion; for he compares it (in the ſame verſe) to a ſweeping raine, which leaveth no food. They who have nothing, will take all when they can come by it, and get it. If all men in power ſhould be as hard to their inferiors, as ſome are who have little or no power, there were no living in the world. Neceſſity may drive the poor to be more oppreſſive, than Ability draws the p. 60rich. 'Tis a ſad encounter when the poor contend with the poor; The neceſſity of the one knows no mercy, and the imbecility of the other, can give him no help. Nothing hardens the heart ſo much as want or hunger, (Lam. 4.10.) They have little or no ſenſe of anothers miſery, who are under the extream ſmart, and feel the biting of their own. But though poor men oppreſs ſoreſt, yet they oppreſs ſeldomeſt and feweſt. They can oppreſs none, but ſuch as are poorer or weaker than themſelves, and cannot do that often. There muſt be an over-matching power in all who oppreſs; and uſually, they who oppreſs, are great and mighty in power. (Pſal. 52.1.) Why boaſteſt thou thy ſelf in miſchief, O mighty man? The man was mighty, and what did this might ſerve him for? what uſe did he put it to? even to do miſchief. Many have a mind and will enough to do miſchief, who want both power and opportunity to do it: But they who have power and opportunity to do miſchief, ſeldome want a mind or will to do it. Power is of great uſe to do good, and 'tis a great temptation to do bad things. As Laban bragg'd to Jacob, and crowed over him as his underling (Gen. 31.29.) It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt; And what hindred him then, or what hath hindred many in all Ages of the world, from doing that hurt to others, which they had power to do? Not a diſlike or abhorrence of the fact (which through grace ſtops every good man from hurting others, how great ſoever his power is) but a ſecret reſtraint upon their heart, like that, which Laban had in a dream, or viſion to his eare; Take heed thou ſpeak not to Jacob good or bad; that is, meddle not with him in any caſe to ſtop his journey. The Prophet (Ezek. 22.6.) deſcribing the ſinfulneſs of thoſe times, ſaith; Behold the Princes of Iſrael, every one were in thee, to their power, to ſhed blood. They did it, to their power; we put in the Margin, To their arme; That is, they uſed and improved their arme or power to the utmoſt length and ſtretch for the oppreſſion of others. The Prophet Jeremie chargeth that people with ſinning in general at that rate, (Chap. 3.5.) Behold thou haſt ſpoken and done evill things, as thou couldeſt. Some men ſin (as all men ſhould love and ſerve God) with all their might, with all their ſtrength; they do evil with both hands greedily; that they ſin no more, is not for want of will, but ability. As the people were thus ſet upon all manner of ſin, ſo the Princes upon that ſpecial ſin oppreſſion. They were to p. 61their powe…, for ſhedding blood; yea many deſire to get power into their hand, that they may avenge themſelves by their own hand, and be ready to hurt whom and where they do not love. 'Tis not ſo much ambition which provokes ſome men to affect power and greatneſs,Parati…res ad nocendum. as malice and a deſire of having their ends upon whomſoever ſtands in their way. Theſe like the great Fiſhes of the Sea, delight to ſwallow up and feed upon the leſſer; or like the great and ſtrong Beaſts of the Forreſt, they tare and devoure the Lambs or Sheep of the paſture. They uſe (that is, indeed abuſe) their power, not ſo much for their own good, as in wronging their neighbours, whoſe hurt they ſhould never ſeek, and whoſe good they ought to ſeek and promote next their own. Power ſhould be uſed and put forth, for help, not hurt, for protection, not ruine; and therefore Magiſtrates, who are the chief mighty men of the earth, who are called Powers, (Tit. 3.1.) are alſo called the Sheilds of the earth; implying, they are to uſe their power for the defence (a Sheild is for defence) of the oppreſſed, not to oppreſs. The Scripture calls Magiſtrates Sheilds, but it never calls the Magiſtrate a Sword. It ſaith indeed the Magiſtrate hath a ſword, and that he beareth not the ſword in vaine, (Rom. 13.4.) that is, he doth not bear it ſo as to bear with evil doers, and never draw it, nor uſe it. But the Scripture doth not ſay, the Magiſtrate is a Sword, as it ſaith, he is a Shield; hereby intimating, that the Power of the Magiſtrate ſhould rather be exerciſed in protecting than in puniſhing, rather in ſaving than deſtroying. What the Apoſtle ſaith concerning the deſigne or purpoſe of his miniſterial office, We have this power to edification, and not to deſtruction, (2 Cor. 13.10.) is true of all power; the primary deſigne of it is for protection, rather than for deſtruction, and not at all for oppreſſion or vexation. Magiſtrates have Swords, but they are Shields, not Swords; they have a Sword to cut off evil doers, and by that the good are preſerved and defended. Such mighty ones, who delight to be Swords, but care not to be Shields, who are all for cutting and deſtroying, not at all for ſaving, relieving, and protecting, (ſuch mighty ones, I ſay) cauſed the oppreſſed to cry, yea to cry out in Jobs time; and in what times ſoever they are, they make the oppreſſed cry out. And the matter, that Elihu ſuppoſed Job was offended at, was, that God did not hear the cry of theſe oppreſſed ones, nor appear p. 62for their deliverance; which yet he hath declared himſelf ready to, as David afterward deſcribeth him, (Pſa. 12.5.) For the oppreſſion of the poor, for the ſighing of the needy, now will I ariſe (ſaith the Lord) I will ſet him in ſafety from him that puffeth at him. But Job hearing this cry of the oppreſſed, or crying out of his own oppreſſion, and God ſeeming not to regard it, was ſtumbled at the matter. To remove this, Elihu anſwers in the next verſe.

Verſ. 10. But none ſaith, Where is God my maker, who giveth ſongs in the night?

There is a two-fold Expoſition of theſe words, ariſing from a doubt about the Antecedent to none, or who is meant by thoſe that ſay not, Where is God my maker? Who are thoſe?

The firſt Interpretation gives it to the oppreſſors, to the mighty men before ſpoken of; They make the oppreſſed to cry by reaſon of the multitude of oppreſſions; but none of theſe mighty oppreſſors ſay, Where is God my maker, that giveth ſongs in the night? Thus the verſe is tranſlated quite through, with reſpect to wicked oppreſſors, who caſt God out of their thoughts, never ſaying, Where is God my maker, who hath ſet me up, who hath given me this power, and given me ſongs, (that is, occaſions of joy) in the night? The wicked have abundance, they can feaſt it and ſing it day and night, yet mind not God the fountain and beſtower of all. This is a truth in it ſelf; and becauſe the interpretation is inſiſted upon by ſome as the truth intended in the preſent Text,

Take this Note from it.

Oppreſſors put away the thoughts of God, or mind not God, when they do, or are about to do, miſchief.

They make the oppreſſed cry, but they ſay not, Where is God? They neither ſpeak nor think of God, who hath cloathed them with power, and made their arme mighty. We finde this frame frequently aſcribed in Scripture to oppreſſors; Elihu chargeth Job with it, (Chap. 22^d) where having told him to his face, of many acts of oppreſſion; Thou haſt ſtripped the naked of their clothing, (v. 6.) Thou haſt withholden bread from the hungry, (v. 7.) And the armes of the fatherleſs have been broken, (v. 9.) Having (I ſay) reckoned up theſe his ſuppoſed oppreſſions, he concludes, p. 63(v. 13.) And thou ſayeſt, How doth God know? can he judge through the dark Cloud? David in prayer, ſpeaks the ſame of his oppreſſors, (Pſal. 86.14.) O God, the proud are riſen againſt me, and the aſſemblies of violent men have ſought after my ſoul, and have not ſet thee before them. (Pſal. 94.5, 6.) They break in pieces O Lord thy people, and afflict thine heritage; They ſlay the widow, and the ſtranger, and murder the fatherleſs: Yet they ſay, the Lord doth not ſee it, neither ſhall the God of Jacob regard it. All theſe Scriptures may be reſolved into the Text; They ſay not, Where is God my maker? They who do all they can to unmake and undo their fellow-creatures, care not to remember him, who is the maker and creator of us all. But

Secondly, I conceive, thoſe words, None ſaith, Where is God my maker? are rather to be referred to the oppreſſed, than to the oppreſſors: The oppreſſed cry indeed, but not unto God their maker. As Job ſaid; (Job 24.12.) Men groan from out of the City, and the ſoul of the wounded cryeth out, yet God layeth it not to heart; ſo here Elihu ſaith, men groan and cry, yet themſelves lay not God to heart; None ſaith, Where is God my maker? Thus our tranſlation ſeems to carry it, and thus 'tis moſt generally underſtood; None of the oppreſſed ſay, &c.

Taking this ſenſe, Elihu here begins to aſſigne the reaſon why the oppreſſed are not delivered. As if he had ſaid, 'Tis true, there are a multitude of preſſures and oppreſſions, and they tranſport all manner of men with paſſion; the oppreſſed cry, they make much ado, when they ſuffer, againſt them, under whom they ſuffer: But few or none are ſo wiſe, in ſuch a caſe, as to recollect themſelves, and make ſerious application to God, putting him in mind of his own gracious nature towards the work of his hands, to have mercy upon it, and in faith to ſeek to him for remedy and comfort, as being only able to relieve and glad the heart in great extremities; they look not to the hand of God, when they cry out by reaſon of the arme of the mighty: they only toyle and teare themſelves with complaints, they cry out of this and that man, of this and that inſtrument; but, alas, they find neither redreſs nor deliverance, becauſe they ſay not, Where is God my maker? That is, they are more forward to complain of wrong done them by men, than to remember what good, or what favours God hath done them; They do not particularly and ſpecially apply themſelves p. 64to God in their trouble, they do not ſeek nor enquire early after God,Non habet cogitationem deliberationem, propoſitum quaerendi deum, neque agnitionem aeſtimationem que beneficiorum ejus; ſunt foreign. Coc: nor humble themſelves before him, or under his mighty hand, neither do they conſider what God is to them, nor whether he be with them, and in them; and if they find not God near them, not in them, they conſider not how they may be united to him, or get him near them. We find God, when we heare his voyce ſpeaking to us by his Word and Spi…it, and hearken to his voyce; we find God when we are at peace with him, truſt upon him confidently, and rejoyce in him comfortably. The oppreſſed conſidered not theſe things.

None ſaith.

Here is an univerſal Negative, none; that is, not ſo much as one; yet we may underſtand it with an allay, none, that is, few or none (as we commonly ſpeak) ſay, Where is God my maker? Poſſibly many ſay it with their mouths, but few or none ſay it; either fi…ſt, heartily; or ſecondly, ſpiritually; or thirdly, humbly; or fourthly, repentingly; or fifthly, believingly; or ſixthly, ſubmittingly; and therefore no wonder, if they are not heard and helped when they cry. It is a common thing for men in diſtreſs, or under oppreſſion, to cry out, O God, O Lord, The name of God is taken by many in vaine, when any thing afflicts or hurts them; but few call upon his name. It is no eaſie matter to cry out, in deed, O God my maker, or to ſay with a ſerious holy and gracious frame of ſpirit, Where is God my maker?

There is a twofold underſtanding of theſe words.

Sunt verba optontis.Firſt, Some look upon them, as an earneſt wiſh or prayer for help; None ſaith, Where is God my maker? That is, none ſaith, O that God my maker would appear in the preſent manifeſtations of his power to ſuccour and deliver me. In which ſenſe Eliſha is conceived to ſpeak when he ſmote the waters with Eliahs Mantle, (2 Kings 2.14.) And ſaid, Where is the Lord God of Elijah? As if he had ſaid, O thou God of Elijah come, ſhew thy glorious power, and divide theſe waters.

Sunt verba gratulantis.Secondly, Others expound them as an expreſſion of praiſe, or as the words of a man looking up to God in thankfulneſs for former benefits, in preſent ſtraights. Where is God my maker? Where's he that made me, and hath preſerved me hitherto? As if Elihu had ſaid, none of theſe oppreſſed ones have recourſe to God p. 65in the day of their calamity, confeſſing and acknowledging his great goodneſs to them in their creation and further preſervation, which might much comfort and encourage their hearts under preſent grievances and preſſures; None ſaith, Where is God my maker?

The word maker, may be taken in a threefold notion; Firſt, for him that hath given us our being. As God is the maker of heaven and of earth, ſo he is our maker, (Gen. 1.26, 27.) Secondly, for him that hath continued us in and preſerved our being; for providence is a renewed creation. Thirdly, for him who ha…h raiſed us up, or preferred us, and done us good all our dayes. In which ſenſe the word is uſed (1 Sam. 12.6.) And Samuel ſaid unto the people, it is the Lord that advanced Moſes and Aaron. We put in the Margin, made Moſes, &c. it is this word,Eloah nomen ſingulare foreign participium plurale. Factores mei; ſic uſu obtinuit: de deo loquuntur promi…cue modo ſingulariter modo pluralitur. Senſus autem ubi que ſingularis eſt. Ideo nomen foreign Elohim quando de vero deo dicitur interpretes reddunt ſemper deus, ubi ratio habetur ſenſu…, non terminationis. Druſ: vid: Merc: Ʋbi eſt deus qui fecerunt me. Heb: foreign he made them g…eat, and put them in thoſe high places of Government and Truſt. The Lord is he that maketh men in this ſenſe. We ſay commonly of a man that is advanced to ſome great place, He is a made man; and on the contrary, of a man that is thrown down, He is an undone man. God giveth us a being, and a bodily fabrick, he protects us in our being, he advanceth us to a wel-being, in all we may call him, and call upon him as our Maker. And when men would unmake us, that is, oppreſs and undo us, then we ſhould ſay in faith, Where is God our maker? who once gave us life, and hath ſince lifted us up from the gates of death, and put us into a good condition. Many are crying out upon, and poſſibly, ſome railing and raging at men, but who ſaith (in the ſenſe opened) Where is God my maker?

There is one thing further conſiderable in the Grammar of the Text. The Hebrew is plural, or a plural with a ſingular; as (Gen. 1.1.) In the beginning God created: The word Elohim, rendred God, is plural; The word Bara, created, ſingular. Thus here, Where is God my makers? M^r Broughton tranſlates, Where is the puiſſant my makers. I might ſpend much time in ſhewing the conſent of ſeveral Scriptures in that poynt. Joſhua ſaid to the people, (who promiſed and engaged to ſerve the Lord) ye cannot ſerve the Lord. Why could they not? the reaſon follows; For he is an Holy God, (Joſh. 24.19.) The Hebrew ſtrictly is, God holyes he. Thus the Prophet expreſſeth it, (Iſa. 54.5.) Thy makers is thy husband. Solomons admonition runs in the ſame plural ſtile, (Eccl. 12.1.) p. 66Remember now thy Creators in the dayes of thy youth. Deus ſanctus eſt. Ad verbum. Dii ſancti ipſe. Mont:But though the Scrip…ure ſpeaks of God ſometimes in the ſingular, ſometimes in the plural number, yet the ſenſe is alwayes ſingular. The true God being but One, and the onemoſt one, and therefore the plural word (Elohim) is alwayes rendred in the ſingular number God, where men…ion is made of the true God; they having regard to the true meaning or Divinity of the Text, not to the Grammar, or termination of the word. There are uſually two reaſons given by learned tranſlaters and interpreters, why the true God who is but one in eſſence and being, is ſo often expreſſed in the Hebre… text plurally. Firſt, to inſinuate or intimate unto us that Great and glorious myſtery of the Bleſſed Trinity of perſons in the God-head; I ſay, to intimate it, we cannot make a full or convincing proof from it againſt any Antitrinitarian Adverſary; becauſe though the word Elohim notes a plurality, yet we cannot by any force of the word, determine that plurality preciſely to a Trinity, that muſt be done by other Scriptures, of which we have an abundant ſtore to ſtop the mouth of all gainſayers. Secondly, they tell us, This plural word is uſed to ſet forth the honour of God, according to the uſage of Kings and Soveraigne Princes (called Gods) who ſpeak of themſelves (though ſingle perſons) in a plural ſtile, We and Ʋs. But I conceive, neither is this cogent, though both this and the former may be piouſly improved. So much for the opening of theſe words, No man ſaith, Where is God my maker?

Hence obſerve.

Firſt, Many cry and complain in affliction, but look not to God in affliction.

(Deut. 32.18.) Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindfull, and haſt forgotten God that formed thee. Which as it is often verified in times of peace, plenty, and proſperity, ſo not ſeldome in times of trouble, preſſure, and affliction. Yea, there are ſome who cry and complain in affliction, yet turn away from God in affliction, (Hoſ. 7.14.) They have not cryed unto me with their heart, when they howled upon their beds; they aſſemble themſelves for corne and wine, and they rebell againſt me. Theſe are ſo far from ſeeking God indeed, or ſaying, Where is our maker, with their heart, that they rebell againſt him, while they would be relieved and fed by him. How frequently, even at this day, do ſome men p. 67ſtorme, and fret, and rage, little minding God in their afflictions, though formally or vocally calling on him. 'Tis eaſie to complain, but hard to pray in a day of trouble. The Jewes are reproved for their regardleſneſs of God, while they made great preparations in a time of danger and war, or of a feared ſiege, (Iſa. 22.8, &c.) Thou didſt look in that day to the armour of the houſe of the forreſt; ye have ſeen alſo the breaches of the City of David, that they are many, &c. And the houſes have ye broken down to fortifie the wall: Ye made alſo a ditch between the two walls for the water of the old pool, &c. Here were politick warlike preparations, yea God was little thought upon in all this; as it followeth, (v. 11.) But ye have not looked unto the maker thereof, neither had reſpect unto him that faſhioned it long ago. 'Tis thus with the moſt of men; when outward miſery comes upon them, what crying? what working is there? yet little returning to God, little turning into their own hearts.

Secondly, Note.

When men oppreſs and vex us, it is beſt to have our recourſe to God, and apply to him.

That counſel, Look to me and be ſaved, (Iſa. 45.22.) is true of temporal as well as of eternal ſalvation. God is our beſt friend at all times, even in the beſt times, and it is beſt to look to him in the worſt times. David could ſay, (Pſal. 73.28.) when fleſh, and ſtrength, and heart, when all fayled him; It is good for me to draw near to God. Let our condition be what it will, but eſpecially if we are in a bad condition, it is good, yea beſt to go to him who hath our times, that is, all the changes of our condition in his hand, to him, in whoſe hand the arme of the mighty is, and in whoſe hand alone there is might to help and deliver us from the arme of the mighty. Is it not beſt to look to him in affliction, who can either ſupport us in, or bring us out of our affliction as pleaſeth him? He that made us can protect and ſave us; therefore in every pinching ſtrait, in every preſſing danger, let us go to God in faith and hope, and he will either give us enlargements, or do us good by and in our worſt and greateſt ſtraits.

Thirdly, Note.

As it is good, when at any time we are in trouble to look to God, ſo we ſhould then look to God, ſpecially under this relation, as he is our Maker.

p. 68It is good then to ſay, God is my maker, and I am the work of his hands, therefore he will take care of me, and deliver me out of the hand of my oppreſſors. There are five duties which ariſe from this Conſideration, that God is our Maker. Firſt, We ſhould highly eſteem and be thankfull for this benefit, our making. Secondly, We ſhould be confident that he who hath made us will preſerve us. Thirdly, We ſhould patiently ſubmit to him, when he afflicteth us himſelf, or ſuffers others to afflict us. Fourthly, We ſhould give him glory, by believing that he will take care of us in, or deliver us out of all our ſufferings and afflictions. Fifthly, We ſhould not think nor ſpeak hardly of God, becauſe he hath made us ſubject to tryals, and the exerciſe of patience; neither ſhould we take it ill, that he hath made others ſo high or great, that they have power to oppreſs us. In all theſe reſpects, we ſhould look to God our maker, and neither murmure at, nor be afraid in a day of …ffliction. The Lord himſelf poynts us to that, (Iſa. 51.12, 13.) Who art thou that thou ſhouldeſt be afraid of a man that ſhall dye, and of the ſon of man which ſhall be made as graſſe, and forgetteſt the Lord thy maker? It is good in time of affliction to remember God in all our relations, and in this, as our maker, in a three-fold making of us. Firſt, As our maker in a natural capacity, that is, as he hath made theſe bodies of ours; we may plead with and urge the Lord to take care of and preſerve our bodyes, becauſe he ha h made them; preſervation is an act of providence, and p…ovidence followeth creation. Secondly, As our maker in a civil capacity, that is, as he hath made us rich or poor, high or low in the world, or in any worldly enjoyments. Pharaoh that great Dragon, lying in the midſt of the rivers, ſaid, (Ezek. 29.3.) My river is mine own, and I have made it for my ſelf. But grace teacheth us to ſay otherwiſe; if we are rich or ſtrong, God hath made us ſo; if our river be broad and deep, full and over-flowing, God hath made it ſo; and if we are poor, and weak, if our river be na…row and ſhallow, empty and dry, God hath made it ſo; and who ſhall ſay to him, Why haſt thou made it ſo? That God is the maker of our croſſe, ſhould make us quiet under it. Thirdly, A godly man ſhould look to God in affliction, as his maker in a ſpiritual capacity; I do not mean as he hath made our ſpirits, but as he hath made us ſpiritual, or as we are his workmanſhip, (that's the Apoſtles word) created in Chriſt Jeſus p. 69unto good works, (Eph. 2.10.) That we are thus wrought, works much upon the heart of God in the day of our affliction. That God hath made us men, that we are his creatures, is a good argument, a faire plea, and moves much; but that he hath made us new men, or new creatures, his Sons by grace, and Temples of his Spirit, that he hath made us holy, believing, righteous, is a far ſtronger argument, a ſuller plea, and moves much more. A ſoul that can go to God thus, and tell him he is his maker; a ſoul that can ſay, (as 'tis ſaid of the Church, Iſa. 54.5.) My maker is my husband; He that made me, hath married me to himſelf; a ſoul that can ſay this, may indeed triumph in and over all his tribulations. How ſweet is it to have an intereſt in Chriſt, and by him a relation to God as our maker in this reſpect. When the Lord rejects a people to the utmoſt, he ſaith he will not be ſtayd, no not by this relation as their maker, from doing it, (Iſa. 27.11.) This is a people of no underſtanding; therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them, and he that formed them will ſhew them no favour. As if the Prophet had ſaid, If any argument could move the Lord to ſhew mercy, this would do it, to tell him, he hath made ſuch a people, or, he is their maker. But there are none whom the Lord hath made in the third ſenſe, as to a new creation, but he will have mercy on them, and ſhew them favour; his making of them ſuch, is a g…eater mercy and an higher favour, th…n any they can ask of him; nor are there any of that making, who are of no underſtanding. So then, he that is made of God ſpiritually, needs not care for all the unmaking or undoing he can receive from men, nor fear that he ſhall ever be unmade or unmercy'd by God. All he can loſe in this world, doth not, cannot make him miſerable, who is made fit for the world to come: He knoweth he hath an eſtate ſetled upon him by his Maker, which cannot be taken away. A man thus made, may ſay to his ſpoylers, Ye have taken nothing from me but the ſcraps and ſweepings, the parings and chippings of my eſtate: The Archers indeed have ſorely grieved me, and ſhot at me, but my bow abides in ſtrength, and the armes of my hands are made ſtrong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob. He that is ſpiritually made, or made a new creature, is made for ever, and in every ſtrait he may look to God his Maker, as a helper and reſtorer. He that made us when we were nothing, can help us when we are reduced to a very nothing. p. 70It is an encouragement to go to God for healing, becauſe he hath wounded us; Come, and let us return unto the Lord, (ſaith the Church) for he hath torne, and he will heale us, he hath ſmitten, and he will bind us up, (Hoſ. 6.1.) Much more is it an encouragement to go unto God to be our healer, becauſe he hath been our Maker. He that hath made us, can mend us; He that built us, can repaire us, if we ſay, as we ought, and have been taught, Where is God our maker?

Who giveth ſongs in the night.

Thoſe words contain a ſecond Conſideration, why the oppreſſed ſhould ſeek to God; he giveth ſongs, that is, matter of ſongs, or cauſe of ſinging, joy and comfort, even in the night. There are ſeveral opinions about the meaning of theſe words. Some (as I ſhewed before) interpret this verſe of the oppreſſors; None (of them) ſay, Where is God my maker, who giveth ſongs in the night? So the words are a deſcription, as of the great worldly ſecurity, ſo of the great worldly felicity of thoſe oppreſſors. Poor men labour all day hard, and being wearied out with their labours, when night cometh they go to bed; But prophane great and rich men, idle away the day, and ſport and play and ſing away the night. As good men have holy ſongs in the night, (Iſa. 30.29.) Ye ſhall have a ſong as in the night, when a holy Solemnity is kept, &c. So the wicked have their wanton, vaine, revelling ſongs in the night, when their ſenſual Solemnities are kept. Belſhazer was drinking in the night, and doubtleſs, he had his muſick & ſongs that night: And as he had his ſongs, mirth, and muſick in the night, ſo he ſaid not Where is God my maker, who giveth me ſongs in the night: he inſtead of minding God his maker in his mirth, minded only the gods which himſelf had made (as the text ſpeaks, Dan. 5.4.) They drank wine, and praiſed the gods of gold and of ſilver, &c. And thus 'tis in proportion with all the wicked to whom God gives ſongs in the night, they ſay not, Where is God my maker? This interpretation which carrieth the ſongs to the oppreſſors before ſpoken of, contains a truth, yet I ſhall not ſtay upon it, but take the words as referring to the oppreſſed.

Here it may be queried, how doth God give them ſongs in the night? I ſhall not inſiſt upon thoſe conjectures, which ſome have made about this giving ſongs in the night. As Firſt, implying God p. 71ſo gracious, that he giveth us not only in the day, but in the night, occaſion of joy in ſorrow, namely, the view and contemplation of the Heavens and Starrs, which are very pleaſant and refreſhing, (Pſal. 19.1.)

Others, Secondly, conjecture, that God may be ſaid to give the ſorrowful and oppreſſed ones ſongs in the night, by the ſinging of birds in the night, of that bird eſpecially which hath its name from ſinging in the night, the Nightingal. Some inſiſt much upon theſe interpretations. It is, I grant, a great mercy of God that when the Sun is down, we have Moon-light and Star-light, and that in the night we have the innocent harmleſs birds to ſing and make us pleaſant melody. But leaving theſe, we may take the words in a double notion; Firſt, Properly; Secondly, Metaphorically.

Properly, and ſo to give ſongs in the night, as the night is taken for night time, imports the goodneſs of God to man, not only in the day time, but in the night.

Hence Note.

God in the night ſeaſon, as well as in the day, gives his people matter of joy.

Night-mercies deſerve and call for day-praiſes; eſpecially two ſorts of night-mercies; Firſt, Night preſervations, (Pſal. 3.6.) I laid me down and ſlept, for thou Lord makeſt me to dwell in ſafety. The night is ſubj…ct to many dangers;Qui diſtribuit nocturnas cuſtodias. Sept: The Septuagint render fully to this ſenſe; Who giveth watch or preſervation in the night; that's matter of praiſe and thankſgiving to God. Secondly, he gives us cauſe of praiſe and ſinging, not only for preſerving our lives while we ſleep in the night, but for refreſhing us with ſleep in the night, (Pſal. 127.2.) So he giveth his beloved ſleep. The Lord gives us not only ſafety, but ſleep. Sweet ſleep is a great mercy, (Eccl. 5.12.) The ſleep of a labouring man is ſweet, whether he eat little or muc…; and they who ſleep ſweetly get refreſhing and renewings of ſtrength after all their fo…mer labours, for new labours. So tha…, if we take night properly for the night time, there is much occaſion of rejoycing given by God to mankind in general, and more peculiarly to his faithfull ſervants, in reference to thoſe common mercies of bodily ſafety, and the return of natural ſtrength and ſpirits.

p. 72Secondly, Take night properly; and then this aſſertion, He giveth ſongs in the night, may have this meaning; The Lord gives his people a praiſing frame of heart in the night ſeaſon! Et…am cum nulla ad eum laudandum documenta circumfulgent, intus Spiritu excitat ad laudes. Jun:When they are wrapped up and compaſſed about with outward darkneſs, when they are ſolitary and alone, when no worldly object holds out any occaſion of comfort to them, yet then the Lord lets in a light, or ſhines into their ſ…uls by his good Spirit. The Lord may well be ſaid to give ſongs even in the night, when by the immediate work of his Spirit, he filleth our ſpirits with joyes unſpeakable and glorious. Theſe a…e the moſt raviſhing ſongs of the night.

Hence Note.

God by his good Spirit doth often ſuggeſt ſweet meditations and comfortable thoughts to his people in the night.

In the night the Lord minds his ſervants either of ſuch mercies as they have already received, or of ſuch, as according to his promiſe, he is ready to, or will ſurely beſtow, that ſo they may be buſied in that heavenly work of praiſing him, and rejoycing in him, when they awake or cannot ſleep. This was Davids experience, (Pſal. 17.3.) Thou haſt viſited me in the night. Men uſe to viſit us in the day when we are up or awake. But (ſaith David) God gives me viſits in the night, when I am in bed he gives me many a ſong, or makes me to rejoyce. When we are in our retirements, or freeſt from the hurry of worldly buſineſſes and enjoyments, then we are in the fitteſt poſture for the entertainment and enjoyment of God. The Lord viſits his ſervants in the night, not only (as David there) to try them, or as elſewhere to inſtruct them, but to com…o…t them, as David was aſſured, (Pſal. 42.8.) The Lord will command his loving kindneſs in the day time, and in the night his ſong ſhall be with me. That is, a ſong concerning him. I will ſing and rejoyce, even in the night time, becauſe of the goodneſs and kindn…ſs of God to me in the day. The experience of Aſaph, or of David, communicated in that Pſalm to Aſaph, gives further proof of this, (Pſal. 77.6.) where having ſaid, (v. 1.) I cryed unto God with my voyce, and he gave eare unto me: he adds, (v. 6.) I call to remembrance my ſong in the night; that is, thoſe occaſions of joy and ſinging which God hath heretofore given me: Theſe ſongs were ſweeter p. 73to me than ſleep. As it ſheweth an excellent frame of ſpirit to remember the Commandments of God in the night, which David alſo profeſſed as his practiſe, (Pſal. 119.55.) I have remembred thy Name, O Lord, in the night, and have kept thy Law. The name of God is any manifeſtation of God, either in his word or works. And again, (Pſal. 119.62.) At midnight I will riſe to give thanks to thee, becauſe of thy righteous judgements. Some watch in the night to give thanks, (Pſal. 134.1.) others give thanks when they wake at any time in the night; both are acts of pureſt love to God, and proceed from pureſt conſolation in God. (Cant. 3.1.) By night on my bed I ſought him. The Spouſe doth not ſay only, by night I ſought him, but by night on my bed, I ſpend not the night in ſleeping, but in ſeeking him whom my ſoul loveth. (Pſal. 16.7.) My reines inſtruct me in the night ſeaſon; That is, I have as it were diſcourſes and ſoliloquies, ſecret debates about, and ſtrong deſires after the things of God, even in the night. That ſoul is indeed awake to God, which is acquainted with and uſed to theſe divine ſongs in the night, the time of ſleep.

Further, Take the word night in a metaphorical notion, as night ſignifieth a troubleſome ſtate; God may be ſaid to give ſongs in the night, when he comforts us in or at any time of affliction. I need not ſtay to prove that in Scripture the night is put for affliction, nor need I prove, that, to give inward joy in a day of outward ſorrow, is to give ſongs in the night. The obſervation riſing from this metaphorical underſtanding of night, is this, which the Scripture and experience are full of.

God ſends comfort to his people, or cauſeth them to rejoyce in the midſt of their afflictions.

It is the Apoſtles deſcription of God, (2 Cor. 1.3, 4.) The God of all comfort, who comforteth us in all our tribulation. What ſweet ſongs have ſuffering Saints ſound in the darkeſt midnight of their affliction! What inward peace in outward troubles! What ſoul freedome in bodily reſtraint!Carmen in nocte eſt laetitia in tribulatione. Greg: One of the Ancients hath put the queſtion, and anſwered it. What's a ſong in the night? 'Tis joy in time of trouble. Whenever God gives a ſoul joy in time of trouble, he gives a ſong in the night. Paul and Sylas ſang in the night, in both notions of night. If we take night in a proper ſenſe, they ſang in the night, and in an improper ſenſe, they p. 74were in priſon, that was a night of affliction to them, yea it was midnight with them, the power of darkneſs, or the darkeſt outward affliction to them, yet, ſaith the Text, At midnight Paul and Sylas ſang: They had ſongs in their mouths, and in their hearts too; they ſang ſo loud that all heard them. And hence we may collect the ſtrength of the argument or reaſon upon which Elihu here ſaith, God doth not regard the cry of many under oppreſſion, they make a noyſe, but none ſaith, Where is God my maker, who giveth ſongs in the night, who is able to comfort us in all our afflictions, who is able to make darkneſs light to us, and turn our ſorrows into ſongs of joy; they had not theſe high thoughts of God, not theſe holy confidences in God, while they lay under the oppreſſions of men, and therefore God did not regard their cry, nor ſave them from the arme of the mighty. This is the firſt part of the anſwer which Elihu made to Jobs complaint, that the oppreſſed were not delivered, though being preſſed ſo ſorely they could not forbeare to cry, yea to cry out in their miſery. The next words give us a fuller and more expreſſe anſwer to that complaint.

Verſ. 11. Who teacheth us more than the beaſts of the earth, and maketh us wiſer than the fowles of heaven.

Verſ. 12. There they cry (but none giveth anſwer) becauſe of the pride of evil men.

Verſ. 13. Surely God will not hear vanity, neither will the Almighty regard it.

Elihu proceeds in aſſigning a ſecond reaſon to highten their ſin, who being in diſtreſſe, ſay not, Where is God my maker? or he giveth a further account, why the Lord doth not preſently attend to the prayers and crys of ſome men under great oppreſſion. He had ſhewed in the former verſe one reaſon of the Lords forbearance to help them in ſuch diſtreſſes, they did not ſay heartily, Where is God our maker? nor did they remember him according to the ſpecial benefits which they ſometimes had received from God, even ſongs in the night.

In this 11^th verſe, Elihu aggravates the ſin of ſuch oppreſſed perſons by the conſideration of that light, & underſtanding wherewith God hath indued, and inriched man above the irrational creatures, p. 75and which he hath therefore furniſhed man with, that he might know what to do in a time of diſtreſs, in the day of affliction; they ſay not, Where is God my maker?

Who, not only gives us ſongs in the night, (matter of praiſe, but) teacheth us more than the beaſts of the earth.

Some of the Jewiſh Interpreters read theſe words poſitively, not (as we) comparatively, or …hey render them, to ſhew that God hath appoynted the very beaſts to be our Tutors, not (as we) that himſelf tutors us beyond the beaſts: Thus; Who teacheth us by the beaſts of the earth, and maketh us wiſe by the fowls of heaven. This anſwers what Job ſpake in the 12^th Chapter of this book, (v. 7.) Ask now the beaſts, and they ſhall teach thee: and the fowls of the air, and they ſhall tell thee. 'Tis a truth that God doth teach us by the beaſts of the earth, and makes us wiſe by the very fowls of the air. We may learn much in the School of thoſe creatures who have not only no learning, but no underſtanding, and may be ſtirred up to the exerciſe of excellent vertues, by thoſe which have not the exerciſe of reaſon. The Scripture ſendeth man, the higheſt of viſible creatures, to the loweſt of viſible creatures, to creatures ſo little, that they are ſcarce viſible, for inſtruction; Go to the Ant thou ſluggard, conſider her wayes, and be wiſe, (Pro. 6.6.) There are ſeveral obſervable qualities, and, as I may call them, vertues, not only in the beaſts of the earth, and fowls of the air, but in the meaneſt creeping things, which are very imitable by man; and thus God doth teach us by the beaſts of the earth, and by the fowls of the air, vertually, though not formally, by their practiſe and example, though not by their precepts or rules; for ſuch teachings neither the beaſts of the earth nor the fowls of the air have any competency at all. Man alone cannot teach man …fectually to converſion and ſalvation; all that are ſo taught, are and muſt be taught of God, (1 Cor. 3.5, 6, 7.) yet the beaſts of the earth, and the fowls of the air, may and do teach us inſtrumentally to conviction, and if we learn not by them, their teachings (as rude as they are) will be to our ſhame, confuſion, and condemnation.

But I rather take the words, as we tranſlate them, comparatively; Who teacheth us more than the beaſt of the earth: As if he had ſaid, God teacheth the beast ſomewhat, but he teacheth man much more.

p. 76Quidem Hebraeorum ſpecialiter eo reſerunt, ne beſtiarum aut avium more invicem rapiamur. Merc:They who expound this context of the wicked man, who oppreſſeth the poor, give the ſenſe thus; God teacheth us more than the beaſts of the earth, and maketh us wiſer than the fowls of heaven; that is, he teacheth us that we ſhould not like beaſts, vex, tear and rend one the other, that we ſhould not like the Bear of of the Wood, and the Lyon of the Forreſt, nor like the Vultures and ravenous Birds of the air, …ey one upon another; They who are fierce againſt, and unmerciful to their brethren, degenerate into beaſts, whom God hath taught no better, but left them to live by rapine and ſpoyle: Whereas he hath laid more noble principles into the heart of man, and taught him to be kind & charitable, loving, and compaſſionate, not to devoure and vex thoſe of his kind, how much ſoever inferior and below him in degree. And therefore what a ſhame is it for men to be more oppreſſive and cruel to men like themſelves, than beaſts are to beaſts, or fowls to fowls? This is a truth: yet I conceive the context is rather to be underſtood of the oppreſſed, (as hath been touched before) than of the oppreſſor, and therefore our reading runs moſt clearly; Who teacheth us more than the beaſts of the earth.

foreign in …il diſcere in piel docere ſignificat. Deus nos majori familiaritate & conſuetudine dignatur, quam …oſtias.That is, though the very beaſts of the earth, are taught ſomewhat by God, and have a kind of knowledge, yet men are taught of God in a more eminent, tranſcendent, and noble way, than they, whether wild, or tame, one or other. God doth not ſet up ſuch a School for beaſts, as he doth for man, nor provide ſuch inſtructions for them, as he doth for man; He gives men more means of inſtruction, he gives them more time for inſtruction, he takes (as I may ſay) more paines to inſtruct them, riſing early, and ſending his Miniſters now, as the Prophets of old, to teach his people. He every way teacheth us more than he teacheth the beaſts of the earth; And maketh us wiſer than the fowls of heaven.

But what? Are the fowls of the air indued with wiſdome? I anſwer, Firſt, wiſdome is put ſometime for that inbred ſubtlety, which is no more than an inclination to avoyd that which is hurtful to nature, and to follow that which is ſuitable to it. That which is wiſdome indeed is the proper and peculiar gift of God to men and Angels only. God hath given ſomewhat like wiſdome to the p. 77fowls of heaven, they have a natural forecaſt; But what is the wiſdome, with which the fowls of heaven are indued, to that wiſdome with which man is indued, thoſe men eſpecially, who (through grace) are heires of heaven? What is the wiſdome which beaſts have by a common inſtinct, to the wiſdome which man hath by divine inſtruction, yea ſometimes by divine inſpiration. Beaſts and birds are wiſe, they are taught by God what is convenient for their ſtate, yet the beſt of their knowledge is ignorance, and the top of their underſtanding folly, compared with man. And hence it is that when men act fooliſhly or uncomely, they are ſaid in Scripture to be like beaſts, to corrupt themſelves like brute beaſts, to be brutiſh in their knowledge.foreign De formicis, cuniculis, locuſtis, araneis dicitur; non quod ſciant quid & cur agant, ſed quod ipſum opus habeat ordinem utilitatem & rationem. Coc: We may eaſily conclude the wiſdome of birds and beaſts extreamly below mans, ſeeing whenſoever man acts below himſelf, or doth any thing unwiſely, he is ſaid to be and do like a beaſt. The Hebrew word which we tranſlate wiſer, being applyed in Scripture to Emmets or Ants, to Conies, to Locuſts, to Spiders, (Pro. 30.24.) doth not imply, that they truly know either what or why they do ſuch or ſuch a work, it only ſheweth that the work which they do, hath an order, uſefulneſs, and reaſon in it, according to knowledge. Solomon ſaith indeed, thoſe foure little creatures are exceeding wiſe, not that they exceed the wiſdome of man, but among brutes they exceed, or are among them of the firſt forme for wiſdome. He maketh us wiſer than the fowls of the air.

Hence obſerve, Firſt, The beaſts of the earth, and fowls of the air, have a kind of knowledge, and wiſdome;

They have ſomewhat which is Analogous to or like knowledge and wiſdome, yet neither knowledge nor wiſdome ſtrictly taken. Some of the Ancients have reported to us,Auguſtinus lib. 6. c…ntra Fauſtum Manichaeum. Epiph: lib. 1. Haer: 42. the opinion of the Manichees, and Marcionites, who maintained, that the beaſts of the earth, and fowls of the air, were indued with reaſon, properly ſo called; which opinion was by them juſtly numbred among hereſies, and indeed a little reaſon may ſerve for the refutation of that opinion, which aſſerts beaſts and fowls indued with reaſon; Though ſome other learned men in their time, and Great Philoſophers have aſſerted as much as the Manichees or Marcionites in this poynt. Quintilian ſaid, that beaſts did rather want an ability p. 78of ſpeaking, than of underſtanding: And Plutarch endeavoureth to prove the ſame in his Dialogue about that Queſtion, Whether brute Beaſts have or are endued with Reaſon? But we affirm the wiſdome of Brutes is only brutiſh, and at moſt, but ſimilitudinary to the rational actings of man & a ſimilitude of, or ſomwhat like wiſdom and reaſon cannot with reaſon be denyed them. It's ſaid of the Serpent (Gen. 3.1.) that he was more ſubtil than any Beaſt of the field, which the Lord God had made. And when Chriſt ſaith, (Math. 10.16.) Be ye as wiſe as Serpents, he implyeth, according to that in Geneſis, that Serpents have ſome ſhadow of wiſdome, ſomwhat like wiſdome. And when the Prophet Jeremiah (Chap. 8.7.) ſaith, The Stork, the Turtle, the Crane, and the Swallow, know the time of their coming, he affirms that thoſe Fowls have a kind of knowledge. Another Prophet upbraids men with the Knowledg of Beaſts, (Iſa. 1.3.) The Ox knoweth his Owner, and the Aſs his Maſters Crib, but, &c. Here in the Text, to learn or be taught is aſcribed to Beaſts, becauſe they are tamed, broken, brought to hand, and made uſeful for the ſervice of man. And wiſdome is aſcribed to the Fowls of the Air, becauſe they keep their ſeaſons duly, make their Neſts ſafely and fitly, and bring up their young ones tenderly, with pains and diligence. There are very ſtrange inſtances, ſcarce credible, given by Pliny and others, concerning the ſagacity and docibility of ſome Beaſts of the earth, and Fowls of the Air; we are told how they have acted more like rational creatures, than brutes: And daily experience gives proof enough, that they have a kind of knowledge, reaſon and wiſdome, only we cannot allow them reaſon, wiſdome, or knowledge in kind: They do works of Reaſon and Underſtanding, only (which is mans excellency) they underſtand not the reaſon of their works.

Secondly, Note; The knowledge or w…ſdome (ſuch as it is) that the Beaſts of the Earth, and Fowls of the Air have, is of God.

If he teacheth men more than the Beaſts of the earth, and maketh them wiſer than the Fowls of the Air, then in ſome way and meaſure he teacheth them, and maketh them wiſe. That wiſdome and knowledge, whatſoever it is, which Beaſts and Fowls have, is planted in them by God; they have that which ſerves their p. 79turn, and anſwers their ſtate, by a common inſtinct of nature, which man hath anſwerable to his ſtate, either by immediate Revelation, or by means of inſtruction from God. So then, Beaſts and Birds receive their peculiar qualities and abilities from God, as well as their Being: And God hath beſtowed thoſe qualities, which are ſhadows of wiſdome and underſtanding, upon Beaſts and Birds, not only for their own preſervation, but for the benefit of man, that they may be more uſeful to him, and fitter for his ſervice. As God hath made both Man and Beaſt for himſelf, ſo he hath made the Beaſts of the Earth, and Fowls of the Air for Man, either to ſerve mans neceſſity, or to procure his honeſt delight: And that they might reach both theſe ends, he hath furniſhed them accordingly. A creature which hath not ſomwhat in it like Reaſon, could be little made uſe of by the Reaſon of Man.

Thirdly, Note; Man is far better taught, than either the Beaſts of the Earth, or Fowls of the Air.

Man, as Man, hath that in him, which wonderfully exceeds the Beaſts of the Earth and Fowls of the Air; he hath Reaſon in him, which they have not; he is a reaſonable creature, which they are not, and ſo can do that which they cannot. Man, by the power of Reaſon is able, firſt, to propoſe to himſelf an end in what he doth; ſecondly, to chuſe fit means for the attaining of that end; neither of which Beaſts can do. And if any man be without wiſdome to propoſe to himſelf a right end, and to chuſe due means lo…ding thereunto, there's little difference between that man and a beaſt, ſurely all his wiſdome is but brutiſh. Further, God hath not only given Man a ſenſe of thoſe things which are hurtful to him, as he hath to the Beaſts of the Earth and Fowls of the Air; but God hath given Man an Underſtanding, by which, he knowing God, may worſhip him, by which alſo he may ſee into and foreſee the cauſes of things, and likewiſe rightly apply known means, either to prevent or remedy evils, and to bring about that which is good. Again, as God hath beſtowed that wonderful bleſſing of Reaſon upon Man, above Beaſts and Fowls, which makes him capable of higher inſtructions and fruitions, than either of them; ſo God hath provided higher and better means for the inſtruction of Man, than he hath for the inſtruction of Beaſts. He teacheth us more. For,

p. 80Firſt, He hath given his Word to Man, not to Beaſts; he hath not made a Bible for the Beaſt of the Earth, and the Fowls of the Air; but for Man he hath, that he might both know his will and do it, know his favour or good will to him, and enjoy it. Secondly, He hath given ſome men his Spirit; he hath not beſtowed his Spirit upon any Beaſts, nor upon any Fowls of the Air: and becauſe his Spirit teacheth us, we are ſaid to be taught of God, eminently taught of God. Thirdly, he hath given us his Ordinances, and appointed Officers, or ſet perſons in Office, to mannage and hold out thoſe Ordinances, wherein himſelf is both honoured and enjoyed. He (ſaith the Apoſtle, Eph. 4.11, 12.) gave ſome Apoſtles, and ſome Prophets, and ſome Evangeliſts, and ſome Paſtors and Teachers; for the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the Miniſtry, for the edifying of the Body of Chriſt, for the bringing in, and building up of ſouls. He ſheweth his Word unto Jacob, his Statutes and Judgments unto Iſrael, (Pſal. 147.19.) and as it follows in the next verſe of the ſame Pſalm, He hath not dealt ſo with any Nation, as with his Iſrael, his Church, to be ſure he hath not dealt ſo with the Beaſts of the Earth, nor with the Fowls of the Air, as was ſhewed alſo in opening the Text.

Further as to the matter in queſtion about the Providences and dealings of God with man; God hath taught Man much more than Beaſts: As Firſt, That all things which befall us, come from, and are ordered by himſelf. Secondly, That we ought to receive the Rule and take inſtruction from God, how to behave our ſelves under his various dealings. Thirdly, He hath taught us at all times, and in all turns of Providence, to ſtay our ſelves in waiting upon him, (Pſal. 37.7.) Fourthly, He hath taught us in times of trouble and affliction, to cry to him, and call upon him as his children in faith, not barely to complain, much leſs to be impatiently outragious like Beaſt….

Now if God hath taught us more than the Beaſts, then, we ſhould not live by ſenſe, nor purſue ſenſible things, as Beaſts do, but aſpire to and ſeek after union and communion with God, whom the beaſts of the earth know not. How greatly will this aggravate the ſin of man, if having been taught more than beaſts, any man ſhould be found to have learned leſs than beaſts; as will appear yet more in the next obſervation but one.

p. 81Fourthly, Elihu at leaſt intimates this Note; Men ſometimes act but as, or indeed below, the very beaſts of the earth, and the fowls of the air:

For (ſaith he) they ſay not, Where is God our maker, who gives us ſongs in the night? who teacheth us better, or more, than the beaſts of the earth. As if he had ſaid,In extremam ſtultitiae meam incidimus, ſi ſapientiores nos eo putemu…, qui ſapientes nos facit. The beaſts of the earth anſwer the inſtinct of nature, (which is all the coſt God beſtows in teaching them) better than men do thoſe coſtly teachings and inſtructions which God beſtows upon them by his Word, by his Spirit, by his Miniſters, by his Ordinances, and by his Providences; for all theſe wayes doth the Lord teach and inſtruct men from day to day; yet men often act, not only beſide and below, but quite contrary to all theſe teachings. The beaſts of the earth keep up to the inſtruction which they have received, the inſtinct of nature, they move according to that; but man who hath an underſtanding, doth not alwayes move ſuitably to his underſtanding; man hath reaſon, yet he doth not alwayes regulate his motions by reaſon, but is hurried by paſſion, or led by ſenſe, as a beaſt. (Pſal 49.20.) Man that is in honour, and underſtandeth not, is like the beaſts that periſh; that is, though his ſtate and ſpheare be higher than a beaſt, yet he moves by as low a principle as a beaſt, even by ſenſe, or ſenſual appetite, either irraſcible, or concupiſcible, as a beaſt doth. By the man in honour, that underſtandeth not, the Pſalmiſt intends not a fool that hath no underſtanding, nor an Idiot that hath no uſe of reaſon, but he is ſaid not to underſtand, becauſe he doth not uſe his underſtanding; as he in the Parable that did not uſe his Talent, is ſaid to have none, (Mat. 25.29.) Underſtanding is a Talent, and a great one, a choyce one too. A man that hath the greateſt natural underſtanding and reaſon, yea poſſibly the greateſt learning, and experience, may be ſaid, not to underſtand, when he doth not behave himſelf underſtandingly, or according to the Lawes and Rules of reaſon. Men of the beſt underſtanding and greateſt honour are like the beaſts that periſh, as to …heir frailty, that is, they dye; which may be the meaning of the Pſalmiſt at the 12t^h verſe, where he ſaith, Man being in honour abideth not, he is like the beaſts that periſh. But all men that are in honour and underſtand not their du…y, or do not what they underſtand, are like the beaſts that periſh, as to their p. 82inability, that is, they live as if they had nothing, but (what beaſts have) ſenſe and appetite to govern their lives by. He that doth not practiſe according to knowledge what he knows, is like, and worſe than a beaſt that hath no knowledge. For when a beaſt doth any thing abſurdly, he doth like a beaſt; but when man doth any thing abſurdly, he degenerates or falleth from his own forme, he doth not like a man, and therefore is worſe than a beaſt. And that's it, I conceive, which the Apoſtle Jude aimes at in the 10th verſe of his Epiſtle, where rebuking a very vile generation of men, Revilers, who ſpeak evil of thoſe things which they know not; he preſently adds, But what they know naturally as brute-beaſts, in th…ſe things they corrupt themſelves. When he ſaith, What they know naturally as brute-beaſts, his meaning is, what they know in common with beaſts, that is, by ſenſe and appetite, which are common to man and beaſt, (as reaſon and underſtanding are common to Man and Angel…:) Now (ſaith the Apoſtle) what they know naturally as brute beaſts, in thoſe things they corrupt themſelves, which brute beaſts do not. For theſe words, as brute beaſts, are to be taken in conſtruction and interpretation, with the former part of the ſentence, What they know naturally, not with the latter, they corrupt themſelves. Their knowledge indeed is no better than the knowledge of brute beaſts, natural, but in corrupting themſelves they are unlike to, and do worſe than brute beaſts, who run not to ſuch exceſſes; yet there is nothing more common in Scripture, than to ſay that men act the beaſt, when they ſin, and put off thoſe manners which become and are worthy of an ingenuous and rational man. For as man is partaker both of a ſpiritual and ſenſitive nature, ſo he takes his denomination from that part to which in his diſpoſition and converſation he moſt inclines: Hence he is ſometimes called God, or an Angel of God, and ſometimes he is compared to the moſt hurtful of beaſts, a Lyon, ſometimes to the worſt of beaſts, to a Fox, to a Wolfe, to a Dog, to a Swine, to a generation of Vipers, to what not, which may put a mark of diſhonour and reproach upon him.

Fifthly, Note; It's a great ſhame, reproof, and reproach to man, when he acts unanſwerably to the teachings of God.

It is better to be a beaſt in or by nature, than to be a beaſt (and p. 83continue ſo) in qualities and conditions. O what a reproach is it, that they who have a far better nature than beaſts, ſhould lead no better lives than a beaſt, yea poſſibly much worſe! The Pſalmiſt crys ſhame upon ſuch (Pſal. 32.9.) Be ye not as the Horſe, or as the Mule, which have no underſtanding, whoſe mouth muſt be held in with bit and bridle, leſt they come near unto thee. The Horſe and Mule are unruly creatures, if left to their own rule, they have no underſtanding how to mannage and order themſelves; they muſt be mannaged and order'd by bit and bridle in the hand of a skilful rider, elſe they do more hurt than good ſervice to thoſe that come near them: Now, ſaith the Lord to man, Be not you like the untaught or unmannag'd Horſe and Mule; as ye are better taught, ſo ye ſhould have better manners. We ſay of ſome men, they are better fed than taught; and we may ſay of many men, they are better taught than manner'd; they mend not their manners, though daily taught, yea urged to mend them. For this neglect the Lord reproves the ſluggard, (Pro. 6.6.) Go to the Ant thou ſluggard, conſider her wayes, and be wiſe; thou doeſt not anſwer natural, much leſs Scriptural light, thou doeſt not learn by any teachings; one of the leaſt of my creatures may teach thee more than thou haſt yet learned of all the teachers which I have ſent thee. The little Ant that dwels upon a Mole-hil, that creeps upon the ground, may teach thee better manners, and make thee wiſer. Art thou not aſhamed to need ſuch a teacher, having had ſo many teachers? That's alſo the ſenſe of thoſe rebukes which the Prophet powres out (with a ſtrong conteſtation) upon the people of Iſrael, calling Heaven and Earth to witneſs againſt them, (Iſa. 1.2.) Hear O Heavens, and give ear O Earth, I have nouriſhed, and brought up children, and they have rebelled againſt me. But how doth the Lord convict them of rebellion, and by whom? even by the teachableneſs and trac…ableneſs of the dulleſt brutes, The Ox knoweth his owner, and the Aſs his Maſters crib: but Iſrael doth not know, my people doth not conſider. As if he had ſaid; The Ox, and the Aſs out-do you, the Ox knoweth his owner that feeds him, and the very Aſs knows the crib where he is fed. Theſe beaſts take notice of, regard and ſubmit to their Maſter and Benefactor: but Iſrael doth neither obſerve nor ſubmit to me, who have tenderly nurſed and plentifully nouriſhed them; who have (as the Lord ſpake by his Prophet, Hoſ. 11.4.) been to p. 84them, as one that taketh the yoke off their jawes, and layeth them meat, the fat and the ſweet, the fineſt of the wheat, and honey out of the Rock to feed upon; and, which is more than this, who have not only fed them better, but taught them better than the Ox or Aſs; O ye Heavens, be aſtoniſhed at this! Further, as in this Scripture the Lo…d conteſted with, and reproved his people by the beaſts of the earth, ſo he doth it in another by the fowls of the air, (Jer. 8.6, 7.) I (ſaith the Lord) hearkned and heard, but they ſpake not aright, &c. every one turned to his courſe, (his ſinful courſe, or his courſe in ſin) as the Horſe ruſheth into the battle; that is, fiercely, fearleſly, preſumptuouſly, at once ſlighting, at leaſt forgetting, both their own danger, and my command. As the Lord thus rebukes the head-ſtrong obſtinacy and wilfulneſs of that people, by their likeneſs to the Horſe; ſo in the next verſe he reproves their blindneſs and blockiſhneſs, by their unlikeneſs to the Sto k, &c. Yea the Stork in the Heaven knoweth her appoynted time, and the Turtle, and the Crane, and the Swallow obſerve the time of their coming, but my people know not the Judgements of the Lord. Then followeth, (v. 8.) How do ye ſay, we are wiſe, and the Law of the Lord is with us; Lo certainly in vaine made he it, the pen of the Scribe is in vaine: As if he had ſaid; You have been taught, you have had the Law of the Lord, and you a…e ready to boaſt of it, as the Apoſtle obſerved (Rom. 2.23.) but with what face can ye take it upon your ſelves to be wiſe men, or arrogate wiſdome to your ſelves, or ſo much as own the Law, when you are ſo unready to pay that obedience which you owe to it. The Crane, the Turtle, and Swallow, the very fowls of Heaven, follow the light of nature better than you have done the light of Scripture and daily inſtruction. Theſe reaſonleſs creatures, reaſon with themſelves more rationally than you have done; They ſay thus in themſelves, It is beſt for us to change our quarters, and take our flight to ſome more benigne or milder region, for here the ſeaſon grows ſharp, and the weather tempeſtuous, if we abide here we ſtarve, we periſh with cold and hunger: But you my people are ſo ſottiſh, that you change neither your minds nor manners, you mend neither your wayes nor your works; what changes ſoever I bring upon you, or how much ſoever I vary my wayes and workings towards you, you apply not your ſelves to my courſe and dealings with you, but ſtill take your own courſe, p. 85ſay I or do I what I will; you neither embrace ſeaſons of grace and offers of mercy, nor do ye labour either to prevent or to avoyd thoſe ſtorms of wrath and divine vengeance, with which you have been often threatned, and which hang in the clouds ready to drop down and overwhelme you. And will ye ſay after all this, we are wiſe, when the fowls of the air appear wiſer than you? And will you ſay, the Law of the Lord is with us, when they guide themſelves better by the Law of nature? And foraſmuch as it is thus with you, have I not reaſon to conclude, that, Lo, certainly in vaine made he it, the pen of the Scribe is in vaine; that is, it was to little or no purpoſe that God at firſt enacted and publiſhed his Law, (Exod. 20.) or appoynted Scribes to write it out, that Copies of it might be transferred to and read by his people, (Deut. 17.18. Chap. 31.9.) Is not both the making and writing of the Law vaine, (as to you) ſeeing you are thus vaine and fooliſh, even much more vaine and fooliſh than the Stork in the Heaven, than the Turtle, Crane, and Swallow, notwithſtanding the making and writing out of the Law for you?

This will fill the faces of the wicked, that is, both of the prophane and formal profeſſors of the Lords name, with ſhame and confuſion for ever, when they ſhall be made to ſee and confeſſe, that the beaſts of the earth have followed their light, better than they, though God hath taught them more than the beaſts of the earth; and that the fowls of the air have carried themſelves more wiſely than they, though God hath made them wiſer than the fowls of the air.

Verſ. 12. There they cry (but none giveth anſwer) becauſe of the pride of evil men.

When Elihu had thus cloſely hinted the ſin of thoſe perſons that acted below beaſts and birds in their afflictions, he proceeds to tell us, what they do in their affliction; There they cry (but none giveth anſwer.) We tranſlate theſe words, But none giveth anſwer, in a parentheſis; we may read the verſe without it, and transferre thoſe words to the end of the verſe, There they cry, becauſe of the pride of evil men, but none giveth anſwer. That is, (as ſome give the meaning) they being oppreſſed by the pride of evil men, cry out of their inſolencies, and their own miſeries, and yet can get no anſwer; for the reaſons given in the two former p. 86verſes, that is, becauſe they do not heartily and believingly apply themſelves to God their Maker.foreign A faciebus ſuperbiae malorum. Mont: Propter ſuperbiam malorum. Pagn: Ibi vel tunc, A…verbia loci pra adverbiis temporis paſſim ſ…untur. Merc: M^r Broughton underſtands it thus of the pride of oppreſſors; There (ſaith he) they cry, but he anſwers not concerning the wrong-doers pride. Others take it for the pride of the oppreſſed; There they cry. The word rendred there, is an Adverb of place, but here it notes the time or eſtate rather in which theſe perſons lived; they were in an oppreſſed eſtate or condition, when they cryed, yet ſaith the Text, None giveth anſwer; that is, they have no help when they cry; they cry to men, yea they cry to God for help, but have none, help is far from them. God doth not anſwer them immediately by himſelf, neither doth he ſend them anſwer by the hand of any other. Now, what is the reaſon of this? The Text gives it partly (yet ſomewhat obſcurely) in this verſe, more fully and clearly in the verſe following. The reaſon given here is their pride, Becauſe of the pride of evil men; that is, becauſe themſelves are ſo proud, they are at once poor and proud, humbled but not humble; they are oppreſſed and ſubdued under the power of men, yet their pride remains unſubdued and in full power; they are laid low in eſtate, but they are not lowly in ſpirit: proud men oppreſs them, and they, though oppreſſed, are ſtill proud; their hearts are not brought down, though they are come down wonderfully, as the Prophet ſpake of the captivated Jewes, Lam. 1.9. They are fallen before men in miſery, but they are not fallen before God in humility; they cry of wrong, but themſelves are not right, and that's the reaſon why they are not righted; There they cry (but none giveth anſwer) becauſe of the pride of evil men. This alſo is a good ſenſe, and may yeild us profitable inſtruction; I leave the Reader to his choyce, both being ſafe and uſefull. There they cry, &c.

Note hence.

Firſt, They that are oppreſſed, and brought low, will be crying and complaining,

Both God and Men ſhall hear of them: There they cry. An afflicted condition, is a complaining condition; Nature being pinch't will ſpeak. I (ſaid Job, Chap. 7.11.) will not refraine my mouth, I will ſpeak in the anguiſh of my heart, I will complain in the bitterneſs of my ſoul. I mourn in my complaint, ſaid David, p. 87(Pſal. 55.2.) The title of the 102^d Pſalm runs thus; A prayer of the afflicted when he is overwhelmed, and powreth out his complaint before God.

Note; Secondly, Some in their afflictions do nothing but cry, nothing but complain.

Elihu doth not ſay, There they repent, and there they humble themſelves, and there they turn to God, but there they cry; that they are troubled is the all, the only thing that troubles them. 'Tis ſaid before, God teacheth man more than the beaſts of the Earth; but many in a day of affliction, do no more than the Beaſts of the Earth. A Beaſt, when hurt, will cry, he will rage and roare; and that's as much as many men do when they are hurt, though God hath taught them more, many leſſons more, which they ſhould be practiſing under ſorrowful diſpenſations. The Ox loweth, and is taught no more, when he wants fodder, the Aſs brayeth, and is taught no more, when he wants graſſe; but man is taught to act repentance, and faith, and patience, and ſubmiſſion to the will of God in want. How ſad is it when we hear nothing but fleſh cry in man, or when nothing is cryed for by man but fleſh, that is, the ſupplyes of Nature, in the day of his diſtreſs. As 'tis ſaid of thoſe (Hoſea 7.14.) They have not cryed unto me with their heart, when they howled upon their beds; they aſſemble themſelves for corn, and for wine, and they rebel againſt me. How miſerable are they in their miſeries, whoſe tongues cry to God, but not their hearts, or their hearts being ſilent; who cry for corne and wine, not for grace and repentance, or not for grace to repent; who cry much becauſe they ſuffer evil, but not at all becauſe they have done evil, yea who are doing evil at the very time when they are crying out becauſe of the evils which they ſuffer: Such was the wretched frame of thoſe in the Prophet; They aſſembled themſelves for corne and for wine, and rebelled againſt God. 'Tis bad enough, when there is crying, and nothing but crying, this is to cry but as beaſts cry; but to cry and rebel againſt God, is to be worſe than beaſts, for beaſts do not rebel againſt God when they are pinched with want, and cry. It is ſad to be in afflictions; to be put to cry in afflictions is more ſad; only to cry for the affliction is yet more ſad, when nothing p. 88comes from a man but a cry, there is nothing in the cryer, but what is meerly of man; but to be found ſinning againſt God, while we a e crying out in our affliction is moſt ſad, that's the ſaddeſt and worſt condition of man in affliction. The Lord teacheth his people better, let us ſhew our ſelves better taught, than only to cry in our afflictions; and let it be the abhorrence of our ſouls for ever to ſin at all, much more to ſin up to rebellion againſt God in our affliction, that it ſhould be ſaid of any of us as of that wicked King Ahaz, (2 Chron. 28.22.) that in the time of any diſtreſs, we have treſpaſſed more againſt the Lord.

Thirdly, Whereas thoſe oppreſſed ones cryed, yet (according to the ſecond interpretation) continued proud and naught.

Obſerve, The greateſt oppreſſion and worldly trouble, cannot break the power of ſin, nor bring down the proud heart of man.

Neither oppreſſion from man, nor affliction from God, can break the pride of mans ſpirit. Theſe were oppreſſed, yet proud ſtill. Our eſtates may be broken, our relations broken, our comforts broken, yet our hearts remain unbroken. The oppreſſed are many times, as proud as their oppreſſors, and they who are unjuſtly dealt with, are …s bad as they that deale unjuſtly with them. Oppreſſors (though not all who oppreſs) are alwayes bad, and the oppreſſed are many times ſo too, even as bad as their oppreſſors. There is no proof of any mans grace or goodneſs by this, that he is oppreſſed, or wronged; for he may be wronged, and ground to powder with oppreſſion, yet his heart as hard as a nether Milſtone, and his ſpirit as high, and as much lifted up as Lucifers. There is nothing in affliction, trouble, or oppreſſion, that can humble the heart of man; the Spirit of God, God himſelf muſt do it. Outward changes work no inward change; we may be emptied from veſſel to veſſel, from one condition to another, yet have our ſin-ſent remaining in us. It was, indeed, ſaid of Moab, (Jer. 48.11.) He hath not been emptied from veſſel to veſſel, neither hath he gone into captivity, (that is, he hath not been troubled much in his own Land, nor carried into ſtrange Lands, as Iſrael hath been) therefore his taſt remained in him, and his ſent is not changed; that is, as he ſtill retains his civil ſtate and ſtrength, ſo his ſpiritual vanity, impiety, and impurity, even as Wines that p. 89have not been drawn off the Lees, and put into other Cask, (to that the Scripture there alludes) retain their firſt taſt and ſent or ſmel, and are not meliorated or made more fit for the palat and ſtomack of thoſe that drink them. Now (I ſay) as many for want of changes or afflictions, are not mended, ſo ſome mend not though they have many changes and afflictions; nor can any thing or affliction mend us, or work a change of heart and life in us, unleſſe grace work with it.

Fourthly, Whereas it is ſaid, they cry, but none giveth anſwer, God doth not hear and anſwer them;

Note; The crys of proud, or bad men, how much ſoever they are oppreſſed, do not move God, nor will he anſwer them.

There is no reaſon he ſhould anſwer their cry, (though they have reaſon enough to cry) who will not anſwer his call, his command; let ſuch cry and cry, tear the air, and rend their throats with crying, they ſhall not be anſwered. Job ſaith of the hypocrite, (Chap. 27.9.) Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him? No, he will not. Solomon leaves the contemners of wiſdoms counſel under the ſame doom, (Pro. 1.28.) Then ſhall they call, but I will not anſwer; they ſhall ſeek me early, but they ſhall not find me. But when was this Then in which they called, and the Lord would not anſwer? The 27^th verſe tells us, The when or time of this rejection, it was when they had moſt need of hearing and acceptation, even when their feare (that is, the thing feared, or at leaſt which made them afraid) came upon them, as deſolation, and their deſtruction as a whirlwind; when thoſe ſad Meſſengers came they ſought God early, that is, earneſtly and diligently, but could not find him: But what was the reaſon of this refuſal? They hated knowledge, and did not chuſe the fear of the Lord, (v. 29.) They had been wicked, and nought, before trouble came, and when trouble was come they were no better, therefore the Lord regarded not either their perſons or their cryes. The Lord (ſaith the Apoſtle preaching to the Athenians, Acts 17.27.) is not far from every one of us; yet 'tis ſaid (Pro. 15.29.) The Lord is far from the wicked, but he heareth the prayer of the righteous: He is far, that is, far from hearing and anſwering, far from helping and relieving the wicked when they pray. The p. 90Lord is not far from any of us as men, for in him we live, move, and have our being, (v. 28.) and he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things, for the ſupport of life and natural being; but he is far from all proud men, as to any complacency in their perſons, and as to the hearing of their prayers. He is far from hearing them, and he knows them a far off, (Pſal. 138.6.) that is, he deals with th…m as with men at a diſtance. Thus the Lord told the impenitents among his own people by the Prophet, (Iſa. 1.15.) Though you make many prayers, I will not hear, for your hands are full of blood. Ye are full of bloody ſins, and ye have not humbled your ſelves, nor cleanſed your hearts and hands by the blood of the Covenant to this day; and being in that caſe, you may cry and pray till your hearts ake, and your tongues ake too, yet no prevailing with God, no grant, no hearing. Another Prophet tells them as ſad newes from the Lord, (Jer. 11.11.) Behold, I will bring evil upon them, which they ſhall not be able to eſcape, (or, go forth of) and though they ſhall cry unto me, I will not hearken to them. Though the Lord threatned, I will bring ſuch evil upon them, that they ſhall not eſcape; they might ſay, well, but when the evil hath taken hold of us, we hope God will hear us, and deliver us. No, ſaith God, when the evil hath overtaken and arreſted you, yet your prayers ſhall not overtake me; Though you cry, yet I will not hearken unto you. That's a dreadful Scripture of the ſame import, (Pſal. 18.41.) They cryed, but there was none to ſave them: even unto the Lord, but he anſwered them not. They cryed being in great diſtreſſe, and they cryed to the Lord; he brings in that, leſt any ſhould ſay, they cryed indeed, but poſſibly 'twas to falſe gods, to idols, poſſibly they knockt at a wrong doore, and ſo were not heard: No, they cryed to the Lord, to the Lord by name; they were right as to the object of prayer, but their hearts were not right; they were not right ſubjects of prayer. That once blind man ſaw this truth, when anſwering the Phariſees about the perſon by whoſe power he received his ſight, he told them plainly, (Joh. 9.31.) We know that God heareth not ſinners; that is, Such as love and live in ſin, ſuch as go on impenitently in their ſins. By this anſwer he cloſely, but ſtrongly confuted that blaſphemous opinion and cenſure of the Phariſees, who reputed and reported the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who came into the world to ſave ſinners, as one of the vileſt ſinners in the world, and upon that account p. 91got him crucified at laſt. As if the man had ſaid, Were he that cured me of my blindneſs ſuch a ſinner as you reckon him to be, he could never have obtained power from God to cure me of my blindneſs, for we know God heareth not ſinners. When men ſin and pray as it were by turns, their prayers are turned into ſin, and therefore will not be returned in mercy. God ſometimes hears ſinners in wrath and judgement, and he ſometimes will rot hear Saints, as to the grant of the thing in hand prayed for, in love and mercy; but he never denies praying Saints in wrath, nor doth he ever hear a ſinner (ſuch a one as is here intended) in mercy when he prayeth.

Now, as when the Diſciples heard Chriſts anſwer to the Phariſees queſtion about Divorce, they preſently ſaid, (Math. 19.10.) If the caſe of the man be ſo with his wife, it is not good to marry; ſo ſome hearing this doctrine, that God heareth not proud ſinners when they cry or pray, may poſſibly ſay, if the caſe of the proud be thus with God, it is not good for them to pray at all. To ſuch I anſwer, this doctrine is not urged to make proud or impenitent ſinners to leave praying, but to leave their pride, 'tis urged to make them humble under their oppreſſions and afflictions, not to make them prophane. They who (as they are) cannot get by prayer, certainly they cannot get by caſting off prayer. What anſwer can they have who cry not at all to God, when ſome may cry and get no anſwer! as Elihu here ſpeaks, There they cry, but none giveth anſwer, becauſe of the pride of wicked men. This ſenſe or interpretation moſt inſiſted upon in this 12^th verſe, will appear more full and faire in opening the 13^th,Ad dicti ſuperioris confirmationem Epiphonemaris vice ſubjicit. in which Elihu brings down what he ſaid here into a ſtrong and peremptory concluſion; or the next verſe renders another reaſon why God would not relieve thoſe oppreſſed ones, It was not only for the pride of their ſpirits, (v. 12.) but alſo for the emptineſs and heartleſneſs of their prayers; or becauſe the prayers of proud and evil men are heartleſs or empty.

Verſ. 13. Surely God will not hear vanity, neither will the Almighty regard it.

They cry, but God will not hear: why will he not hear? what hinders? He tells us both why and what.

p. 92Surely God will not hear vanity.

What is vanity? What ſaith vanity? hath vanity a tongue? can vanity ſpeak? the Text ſaith, God will not hear vanity. 'Tis frequent in Scripture, to aſcribe a tongue, and a voyce to ſin of any kind; though ſome ſins are more vocall, and ſpeak louder than others, yet all ſpeak. But when he ſaith, Surely, (or, without all Queſtion) the Lord will not hear vanity, by vanity we are to underſtand vaine men praying; or vanity is put for the prayers and crys of thoſe perſons who are as vaine as vanity it ſelf. The word rendred vanity, foreign temeritas, falſitas, mendacium; dicitur de re ſalſa vana, levi & mutili.ſignifieth a lie, as alſo raſhneſs, temerity; God will neither hear raſh-headed, nor falſe-hearted prayers, he will not hear vaine prayers, or the prayers of vaine men. The Abſtract is often put for the Concrete in Scripture, (Pſal. 107.42.) All iniquity ſhall ſtop her mouth. When the Lord brings about that mighty work, the bringing down of the mighty, & ſets the poor on high, (thoſe that are at once poor and humble the Lord will ſet on high), then Iniquity, that is, wicked men, men of iniquity, ſhall ſtop their mouths, or have their mouths ſtopt, they ſhall not have a word to ſay, as gaine-ſaying that righteous and glorious work of God. So here, God will not hear vanity, that is, vaine men, or men that pray vainly; all that, which men ſpeak, or act, is vaine or vanity, if it be not good, if it be not anſwerable to the will and ends of God; yea whatſoever prayer doth not proceed from faith, and flow from a pure heart, is vanity, 'tis but ſtraw, and ſtubble, droſs, and dung. God will not hear vanity, Neither will the Almighty regard it.

He that will not hear, will much leſs regard vanity. The ſenſe is gradual, regarding is more than hearing, we may put both together, he will not hear with regard, nor regard what he hears from ſuch. The ſtrong God, who hath all power in his hand, the power of Authority, or the power of a Judge, will not hear vanity. The All-mighty, The All-ſufficient, who hath all power of efficiency in his hand, the nouriſher, and preſerver, the puniſher and correcter of all men;foreign intendit oculos & viſum, intentis & fiaeis oculis intuitus eſt, ſolicitè obſervavit. this Shaddai will not regard vanity, he will not give it a look with reſpect, no not one good look. The word ſignifies to fix, or ſet the eye with ſtrong intention upon any thing or perſon. The Prophet Eliſha ſpake to this ſenſe, though he uſed p. 93another word, when he ſaid to the King of Iſrael, (2 King. 3.14.) Were it not that I regard the preſence of the King of Judah, I would not look to thee, nor ſee thee. The Lord will not regard, he will not look to vanity, to the prayers of vaine men, he will as it were ſhut his eyes, he will not ſee though he doth ſee; The Almighty will not regard it.

Hence Note; Firſt, The prayers of vaine and evil perſons, are vaine things.

The Text doth not ſay, their oaths are vaine, and their lies are vaine, and their idle words are vaine, but their cry, their crys in prayer to God are vaine, yea vanity. There may be vanity in the prayer of a good man, but his prayer is not vanity. That's a juſt reproof upon the good works of many, which Chriſt gave the Angel of the Church of Sardis, (Rev. 3.3.) I have not found thy works perfect, or, I have not found thy works full. Though that Angel had done good works, and poſſible was full of good works, yet his works were not full. A man may be full of prayer, pray often, yet his prayer not full, his prayers may be empty, vaine prayers; that's a vaine thing which is an empty thing. How vaine are they whoſe beſt things are vanity! If the prayers of a man are vanity, then certainly all is vanity; and we may ſay of him in the whole bulke of all, he is vanity of vanities, all is vanity. When once God calls a mans prayer, and hearing, vanity; when he calls thoſe works, which are good for the matter of them, vanity, then the man is indeed altogether vanity. You will ſay, when is prayer vanity, or a vaine thing? I ſhall anſwer it in a few particulars.

Firſt, That prayer is vaine, or vanity, which is not put up in faith. A faithleſs prayer is a fruitleſs prayer. All the prayers of an unbeliever, or of him who is in a ſtate of unbeliefe are vaine; and the prayers of a believer, that is, who is in his ſtate a believer, are vaine, if he hath not faith about that thing for which he prayeth. Now if the prayer of a believer is vaine, when he hath not actual faith, then the prayer of an unbeliever muſt needs be vaine, who hath no habitual faith.

Secondly, All the prayers that are for our luſts, or when we reſolve to continue in the practiſe of any luſt, are vaine prayers. When we do not pray with a purpoſe to glorifie God, with what we ſhall obtain by prayer, but only to ſerve our own turns, and p. 94ſo beſtow it upon our luſts, that's a vaine prayer, (James 4.3.) Such praying is rather a mocking than a worſhiping of God, a ſerving of our ſelves rather than a ſerving of God. How do they abuſe God in prayer, who cry to him for help, whom they have no mind to honour? who would faine be heard of God, yet have no heart to hear God?

Thirdly, That's a vaine prayer, when we pray meerly to get eaſe, or deliverance from an affliction, not at all minding our profiting by, or the improvement of an affliction. 'Tis not faith in God, but ſenſe of our own ſmart, which moves to pray, when we rather look how to get off our burdens,Tales clamores non fides, ſed malorum ſenſus extorquer. than out of our ſins, or to get out of the fire, than to get out our droſs; when we pray more to have the plague taken away, than our hard and proud hearts, that is a vaine prayer; 'tis like the prayer of Pharaoh, who begged that he might be delivered; but it was the plague of God for his ſin, for his hard heart, that troubled him; his hard heart, his ſinning againſt God never troubled him. Pharaoh-like prayers, are vaine prayers.

Fourthly, Thoſe prayers are vaine which we make in our own ſtrength. What can thoſe prayers be, which go forth in our ſtrength, ſeeing we are told that we know not what to pray, much leſs then how to pray, but as the Spirit of God helpeth our infirmities, (Rom. 8.26.) Unleſſe the Spirit make interceſſion for us, that is, make our interceſſions for us in our hearts, as Chriſt maketh interceſſion for us in heaven, we pray in vaine.

Fifthly, Thoſe are vaine prayers, which we make in our own name, not in the name of Chriſt. And remember, though it be an eaſie matter to name Chriſt in prayer, yet 'tis no eaſie matter to pray in the name of Chriſt. 'Tis as common as that which is commoneſt, for all ſorts of people, yea for children, to name Chriſt in prayer; but to pray in the name of Chriſt, is the peculiar work of the Spirit in the heart of a true believer. If the Reader deſire to know more diſtinctly what it is to pray in the name of Chriſt, I refer him for ſome help towards it to the 17^th verſe of the 16^th Chapter, where alſo the requiſites of pure and powerful prayer, are more fully held out.

Sixthly, Angry paſſionate prayers are vaine prayers. The Lord loves zeal and much warmth of affection in prayer, but he cannot abide wrath, or any the leaſt ſparks of paſſion in prayer. The p. 95Apoſtles Rule is, (1 Tim. 3.8.) I will that men pray every where, lifting up pure hands, without wrath, and without doubting. A peaceable heart is as neceſſary in prayer, as a pure hand. When a ſoul coming to God in prayer, hath I know not what wrathful and angry diſputes within himſelf againſt his Brethren, how can he look for a gracious acceptance with God? Will the Lord be pleaſed with us, while we nouriſh ſecret diſpleaſure againſt our Neighbour? Now be ſure when you go to God for mercy and favour, that ye carry no wrath in your ſpirits towards man, one or other; therefore Chriſt hath taught us in that moſt perfect model of prayer, which he hath left us, (when we ask the forgiveneſs of our own treſpaſſes) to forgive thoſe that treſpaſſe againſt us. We muſt lay down our unquiet thoughts of revenge, if we would have favour with, and compaſſion from God.

Seventhly, Thoſe are vain prayers, which are not both formed and matter'd according to the Will of God, (1 John 5.14.) which are not grounded upon a juſt cauſe, and which are not directed to a right end. Beſides all theſe I may add all cold Prayers, ſleepy Prayers, ſlight-ſpirited or heartleſs Prayers, meer fo… mal Prayers, tongue-wording Prayers, which are not ſoul-working and ſelf-affecting Prayers, are, to them who pray ſo, but vain Prayers, or as the Text ſpeaks, vanity.

Theſe Rules muſt be obſerved in all our prayer-addreſſes to God, elſe prayer is vain, or vanity; and when the prayer it ſelf is vain, the perſon praying hath no hearing: God will not hear vanity, neither will the Almighty regard it. Conſider that, Elihu doth not only ſay, God will not hear, but he adds, neither will the Almighty regard it. The doubling of the matter in higher Language intima…es ſomthing to us; and we may note this from it; As the Prayers of evil men are vain, ſo they have not any, the leſt regard from God:

He will neither hear, nor regard. David ſaith (Pſal. 66.18.) If I regard iniquity in my heart, God will not hear my Prayer. God will not hear a David, a good man, as to that particular prayer, if he regard iniquity in his heart, that is, if he hold any, the leaſt complyance or ſecret correſpondence with any ſin, yea, if he hath not repented of, and laboured to mortifie every known ſin: Doubtleſs then he will not regard the prayers of evil men, p. 96when they pray alſo with an evil mind. And when this, and other Scriptures ſay, he doth neither hear nor regard them; there is more intended than expreſſed, even that he doth reject and abhor them, that they are a burden and an abomination to him. The Scripture is much in ſhewing how much God makes of holy prayers. For firſt, God hath not only promiſed to hear, but regard ſuch prayers, (Pſal. 112.17.) He will regard the prayer of the deſtitute, and not deſpiſe their prayers; that is, he highly prizeth and eſteemeth them. Secondly, The Scripture telleth us, God delighteth to hear ſuch prayers, they are ſweet to him, they are the beſt muſick in his ears; Let me hear thy voyce, for ſweet is thy voyce (her prayer-voyce he means chiefly) ſaith Chriſt to his Spouſe, (Cant. 2.14.) Thirdly, The Scripture aſſureth us, that God looks upon or reckoneth prayer as an honour done to him, 'tis an eminent part of worſhip, 'tis the giving of him glory; certainly therefore (take prayer purely) God doth regard it very much; he will have regard to that which he hath promiſed regard to, he will have regard to that which is ſweet and delightful to him, which is an honour and brings glory to him; therefore there muſt needs be a great matter in it, when he ſaith, He will not regard a prayer; ſuch a prayer muſt needs be very vile, impure, and ſtark naught in it ſelf, which he thus thruſteth from him, or cannot away with.

It muſt be confeſſed, that God ſometimes defers to hear (that is, to anſwer) the prayers of thoſe that call upon him in faith, and even their prayers who call upon him humbly and ſincerely. Holy prayers are not alwayes preſently anſwered, but holy prayers are never unregarded, never rejected. 'Tis never ſaid in Scripture, God doth not regard the prayers of a godly man. God may let him ſtay long for the anſwer of his prayer, to try his faith, and patience; but he will not ſlight his prayer. As it is the duty of all men to pray, and the deſire or delight of a godly man, (when his heart is in a right frame) to pray, ſo it is the priviledge of every godly man, that his prayer is heard and regarded. And as it is the ſin of moſt wicked men that they pray not at all, (Pſal. 14.4. Jer. 10.25.) ſo it is the miſery of all wicked men, that their prayers, though they make many and long prayers, are not heard, are not regarded. They are far from the grace and feare of God, who regard not to pray unto him; and they are as far from the p. 97mercy and favour of God, whoſe prayers are not regarded. And if a man be upon ſuch bad terms with God, that he is not regarded, when he is at his beſt work, his praying-wo…k, O how little is ſuch a one regarded when he is at his worſt work, his ſinning-work! If ſome men are not regarded, when they are praying to God, what are they when they are ſwearing, and blaſpheming God, when they are cauſleſly vexing or oppreſſing their brethren? If ſome men are not regarded when they are praying, what are they when they are revelling and reviling! The Lords indignation breaketh out to the utmoſt againſt wicked men, when he tells them, the beſt of their duties, their prayer, is vanity, and though they cry much to him, he will not hear nor regard them. The Lord hath not ſaid to the ſeed of Jacob, ſeek ye me in vaine, (Iſa. 45.19.) that is, ye ſhall not ſeek me in vaine, no, as your prayers are honourable and acceptable unto me, ſo they ſhall be profitable and beneficial unto you; you that go forth weeping, bearing, and ſcattering this precious ſeed, ſhall doubtleſs come again and bring your ſheaves with you, your prayers ſhall be returned with bleſſings upon your ſouls, upon your bodies, upon your eſtates, upon your families, in which you live, as alſo upon the Nations and upon the Churches among whom you live. Thus the ſeed of Jacob have found and ſhall further find by the bleſſed experiences of all theſe bleſſings, that God hath not ſaid to them, Seek ye me in vaine. He hath only ſaid of them who are vaine, your ſeekings of me are vaine in themſelves, and will be vaine, fruitleſs, anſwerleſs unto you; for I the Lord will not hear vanity, neither will I the Almighty regard it.