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

¹First, Some conceive that Elihu meaneth their own wrath. Hypocrites in heart heap up wrath, that is, when God doth at any time bind them in fetters, and holdeth them in the cords of affliction, as he spake in the former context, these hypocrites in heart, what do they? Do they obey? Do they turn from iniquity? Do they amend their hearts or lives? No; They heap up wrath, they grow angry, they vex and rage instead of repenting; that's all these hypocrites do; when the Lord hath bound them in fetters, and holds them in the cords of affliction, they are all in a flame, they are mad with rage and fury. Some both of the Ancients and Moderns, insist upon this opinion, and it is a very great truth, that when the hypocrite in heart is under the hand of God, when God hath him fast in his fetters, his wrath doth boil, his fury comes up in his face, as it is said (Ezek. 38.18.) concerning the wrath of God towards his enemies: this fully answers that assertion of Eliphaz, (Job 5.2.) Wrath killeth the foolish man. What wrath? his own wrath; he kills himself with vexing and fretting. The hypocrite in heart is a wrathful man, when things go not right with him. Some have so expounded that (Eph. 2.3.) Ye were by nature children of wrath, even at others. Children of wrath, that is, wrathful children; we are full of wrath, full of anger by nature. Though I do not take that to be the sense of the Apostle; but that by children of wrath, he means all men as borne under the wrath of God, nor do I conceive this the proper meaning here, though not unuseful. They heap up wrath, that is, they grow angry, vexed, and troubled; But

¹First, Some conceive that Elihu meaneth their own wrath. Hypocrites in heart heap up wrath, that is, when God doth at any time bind them in fetters, and holdeth them in the cords of affliction, as he spake in the former context, these hypocrites in heart, what do they? Do they obey? Do they turn from iniquity? Do they amend their hearts or lives? No; They heap up wrath, they grow angry, they vex and rage instead of repenting; that's all these hypocrites do; when the Lord hath bound them in fetters, and holds them in the cords of affliction, they are all in a slame, they are mad with rage and fury. Some both of the Ancients and Moderns, insist upon this opinion, and it is a very great truth, that when the hypocrite ih heart is under the hand of God, when God hath him fast in his fetters, his wrath doth boyl, his fury comes up in his face, as it is said (