1ßq. Chap. 19. efln Expojition upon the Book of J o B. Verl.7o not to heare their cry is very fìnfull. To deliver thepoore and nee- dy, to rid him out ofthe hand cfthe wicked, is at once the duty and the honour of thofe who are in power, (Tfal.82.3, ) And if man will not, god will are efor the cpprefon ofthe poore, and the fighing of the needy, to [et himat libertyfrom him that peleth at him, (Ffal.12,5. ) Thirdly, note ; 2(2.t to hear when the diJ ref`edCry oat ofwrong andoppreffion, ce it felfe a wrong andopprefflon. lob Both not onely cry out, becaufe he was in trouble, but becaufe his cry was not heard in trouble ; That he was not heard, was more grievous to him then any of his troubles. When theywho have power and troll for thehelpe of thofe that are oppreffed, will not beare and helpe them, their not helping them is a fecond, a renewedopprefling ofthem. Yea, whereas an act of oppreffion is wrong done at once ; the not hearing the oppreffed, is the continuing, or ( as I may fay ) the perpe- tuating of their wrong. The anger of God will burne as hot againft the Judge whohath notdelivered the oppreffed, as a- gainft his adverfary,or the Author ofhis oppreffion. Secondly, As thefe words, I rtsri not heard, referre to God, note, that godhimfelfefometimes deferrer the hearing, or relieving of hispeople when they cry tohim. TheLord fometimes anfwers before we pray 7 It(hallcome to palfe that before they call Iwill anfwer, andwhile they areyet (peak ing I will heare, (Ifa.65, 24. ) As there is a grace ofGod al- wayes preventing our converfion, He turnes to us before we turne to him ; fo there is a grace often preventing our petiti- ons, and our mercies are given in by God, before our delire of mercy is made knowne to God. Yet mercy Both not al- wayes out-run our motions, yea the Lord lets us move and move againe, aske andaskeagaine, before the mercy asked and moved for is given in. God fees it needfull to exercife our pa- tience as well as to fupply our needes, and therefore lets us tarry before he heares our requefts ; as we put him very often, if not aiwayes to exercife of his patience, and let him tarry before 0
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=