Chap. 3S. e4n expeftïox upon the Nuke( o s, Verf> have not been drawn off the Lees, and put into other Cask, ( to that the Scripture there alludes ) retain their fiat tail and ¡tilt or ftnel, and are not meliorated or made more fir for the palat and fiomackof thofe that drink them. Now (I fay ) as many for want of changes or afflirStions, are not mended, fo totemend not though they have many changes and afff ions; nor can any thing or a(lii Lion mend us, or work achange of heart and life in us, unlefle brace-work with ir. Fourthly , Whereas it is faid, they cry, btunone giveth anfwer, God doth not hear and anfwer them; Note; The crys of proud, or bad men, howmuch fetter theyare op- preifed, do not mov4 God, nor will he anfwer them. There is no reafon he fhould anfwer their cry, ( though they have reafon enough to cry) who will not anfwer his call,his com- mand; let fuch cry and cry, tear the air, and rend their throats with crying, they (hall not be anfwered. Job faith of the hypo- crite, (Chap. 27.9. ) Will Godbear his cry when trouble cometh uponbim ,? No, he will not. Solomon leaves the contemners of wif- doms counfel under the fame doom, ( Pro. T. 2S.) Then god they call, but Iwill not anfwer they/hallfeekme early, but they fkall not findme. But when was this Then in which they called, and the Lord would notanfwer ? The 27th verfe veils us , The when or time of this rejeEìion, is was when theyhad moll need ofhearing and acceptation, even when their feare ( that is, the thingfeared,or at leaf+which made themafraid)came upon them, as deflation, and their defirmtlion as a whirlwind ; when thofe fad Mefl`engers came they fought God early, that is,ernefily and di- ligently, but could not find his-i : But what was the reafon of this refufal ? They bated knowledge, and did not chafe thefear of the Lord, (v. 29.) They had been wicked, and noughr, befo-e tr.( u- ble came , and when trouble wa come they were no better, therefore the Lord regarded noreither their perfons or their cryes. The Lord ( faith the Apofile preaching ro theAthen'anf, Aítf17.27.) is not farfrom evert one of us ; yet 'cis laid (Pro. S. 29. ) The Lord is farfrom the wicked, but he heareth the prayer of the righteous: He is far, that is, far from hearing and antuering, far from helping and relieving the wicked when they p-ay. The N Lord
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