An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty-fifth, thirty-sixth, and thirty-seventh chapters of…

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 transfer 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. 86⟩verses, that is, because they do not heartily and believingly apply themselves to God their Maker.¹ Mr 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 rendered 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 cried, 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 Jews,