74 Chap. 3 5 an Expofstion open the Beek of j o ta. Verf. a T. were in prifon, that was a night of affliction to them , yea it was midnight with them,the power of dal knefs,"or the darkefl out- ward adli&ion to them, yet,. faith the Text, At to dnigbt Paul andSylas fang : They had fongs in their mouths, and in their hearts too ; they fang fo loud that all heard them. And hence we may colle& the tlrength of the argument or reafon uponwhich E- lihu here faith, God doth not regard the cryof many under op- preiliion, they make a noyfe, but none faith , Where if Gel my ma- ker, who giveth fongs in the night, who is able tocomfort us in all our afIiieiions, who is able to make darknefs light to us, and turn our forrows intofongs of joy g they had not thefe high thoughts of God, nor thefe holy confidences in God, while they lay under the opprefliions of men, and thereforeGod did not regard-their cry, nor fave them from the arme of the mighty. This is the firft part of the anfwer which Etihamade to robs complaint, that the oppretred were not delivered; though being preffed fo forely they could not forbeare to cry, yea to cry out intheir mifery. The next wotdsgive us a fuller andmore expreffe anfwer to that complaint. Verf. z r.. Who teacheth set more than the beafbs of the earth, and makstb ses-wifer than the fowler ofheaven. Verf. r a. There they cry (bat nonegiveth anfwer) becaufe of thepride cfevil men. Verf. r 3._ SurelyGod will not hear vanity, neither will the. At- mighty regard it. Elihs proceeds in affigning a fecund reafon to highten their fin, who being in di(lreffe,fay not,Whcre is God mymaker ? or he giv- eth a further account, why the Lord Bothnot prefently attend to the prayersand crys of fomemen under great oppreffion. He had (hewed in the formerverfeone reafon of the Lords forbearance to help thèm in fuck diflretfes,_they didnot fay heartily,. Where is God fur maker ? nor did they remember him according to the fpecial benefits which they fometrmes had received fromGod, . even fuses in the night, In this z tthverfe,Elihst ageravates the fin of fuchoppreffedper- Tons bythe confideration of that light,& under fending wherewith Cod hash indued,and inrichedManabove the irrational creaturens,
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=