Some translate thus, Will he regard thy crying or clamour? As if Elihu had said, Cry as much as thou wilt, the Lord will not regard it. This goes higher. Many possibly will not be taken off from the process of Justice, by greatness or riches, who yet by our humble supplication and cry may be taken off; But will the Lord regard thy cry? or as the Septuagint read it, Will he have regard to thy prayer? Wicked men that have rejected the Lords commands, will yet hope, or rather presume, the Lord will hear their cry, and therefore they will be at their prayers in times of trouble, when the wrath of God breaks out; this is their last resort and refuge. They who never made the Lord their choice in good times, will yet make him their refuge in evil times, or in days of trouble; they think surely to be sheltered, and saved, and spared, when they pray: but this will not do neither; Will he esteem thy prayers? The Hebrew Text, at least, allows, if not clearly holds ⟨p. 308⟩out this reading, and it can be no hurt to take in as much profitable sense, as the words, without undue straining, may hold out to us. So then, when the Lords wrath appears, neither riches, nor honour, nor prayers, nor tears can give sinners any relief. The cries and prayers of the wicked are no more regarded by God, than their riches or greatness. Then they shall call upon me, (saith Wisdom, Pro. 1.28.) that is, When their fear cometh as desolation, and their destruction cometh as a Whirlwind, when distress and anguish cometh upon them, (v. 27.) when 'tis thus with them, then they shall call upon me, but I will not answer; that is, I will not esteem their cry. That's a very remarkable Scripture, (Psal. 18.41.) where David speaking of his enemies, how the Lord had given him their necks, and a power to destroy them that hated him, presently adds, They cried, but there was none to save them, (but it may be they cried where they should not for help; no, saith the Text, they cried) even to the Lord, but he answered them not: then did I beat them as small as the dust before the wind, &c. The Lord having declared how resolved he was to proceed in a way of wrath against the Jewish Nation, adds (Jer. 14.12.) When they fast I will not hear their cry. That people had been very obstinate and rebellious, they had withstood the call of God by the Prophet;
Some translate thus, Will he regard thy crying or clamor? As if Elihu had said, Cry as much as thou wilt, the Lord will not regard it. This goes higher. Many possibly will not be taken off from the process of Justice, by greatness or riches, who yet by our humble supplication and cry may be taken off; But will the Lord regard thy cry? or as the Septuagint read it, Will he have regard to thy prayer? Wicked men that have rejected the Lords commands, will yet hope, or rather presume, the Lord will hear their cry, and therefore they will be at their prayers in times of trouble, when the wrath of God breaks out; this is their last resort and refuge. They who never made the Lord their choyce in good times, will yet make him their refuge in evil times, or in dayes of trouble; they think surely to be sheltered, and saved, and spared, when they pray: but this will not do neither; Will he esteem thy prayers? The Hebrew Text, at least, allows, if not clearly holds ⟨p. 308⟩out this reading, and it can be no hurt to take in as much profitable sense, as the words, without undue straining, may hold out to us. So then, when the Lords wrath appears, neither riches, nor honour, nor prayers, nor teares can give sinners any relief. The cryes and prayers of the wicked are no more regarded by God, than their riches or greatness. Then they shall call upon me, (saith Wisdome, Pro. 1.28.) that is, When their feare cometh as desolation, and their destruction cometh as a Whirlewind, when distress and anguish cometh upon them, (v. 27.) when 'tis thus with them, then they shall call upon me, but I will not answer; that is, I will not esteem their cry. That's a very remarkable Scripture, (Psal. 18.41.) where David speaking of his enemies, how the Lord had given him their necks, and a power to destroy them that hated him, presently adds, They cryed, but there was none to save them, (but it may be they cryed where they should not for help; no, saith the Text, they cryed) even to the Lord, but he answered them not: then did I beat them as small as the dust before the wind, &c. The Lord having declared how resolv'd he was to proceed in a way of wrath against the Jewish Nation, adds (Jer. 14.12.) When they fast I will not hear their cry. That people had been very obstinate and rebellious, they had withstood the call of God by the Prophet;
