Vers. 1. Then answared Eliphaz the Temanite , and said :

Then ; that is , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 excipiens , Sept. Quilibet pro suis socijs velut in solidum respondet , ut nunc patet . Sopharis enim defensionem contra . Jobum manifeste assumit Eliphaz . Bold . when Job had made an end of answering Zophar , then Eliphaz answered or replyed upon Job . That 's properly a replication which takes off the answer given to a former Argument ; and in this Eliphaz also makes a defence for his Brethren Zophar , and Bildad . These three stood to one another , as much as any one of them did for himselfe ; as if they had all entred Bond , and given security for reciprocall assistance . Thus the dispute growes hot , but still 't is orderly , according to that Apostolicall Canon , ( 1 Cor. 14.29 . ) Let the Prophets speake two or three , and let the other judge . Eliphaz is now up , let us consider what he saith .

Vers. 2. Should a wise man utter vaine knowledge ?

The question denyes ; he should not : No man should , least of all he .

The wise man is here opposed to the crafty man , at the 5. Verse . There is a wide difference betweene wisedome and craft , betweene prudence and cunning ; A crafty man knoweth what is good , but he commonly doth what is evill ; he is able to see the right , but if it be not for his turne , he turnes from it , and cares not to doe wrong : A wise man is he that knoweth how to distinguish betweene good and evill , and ever aimes to act what is good ; his understanding is well enlightned , and his conscience binds him to follow the light of his understanding ; as he can see what is just and right , so he cannot but embrace and doe it . A wise , man in Scripture-language , is a holy man , and a foole , is a wicked man ; holinesse is the best wisedome , and wickednesse is the worst of folly : Eliphaz seemes to admit Jobs challenge of being a wise , man , that he might check him with more advantage for speaking so unlike one : As if he had said , Should a morall wise man , much more a spirituall wise man , should he that is , or pretends to be thus wise ( as thou dost , should he ) utter vaine knowledge ?

Job at the 12. Chapter of this Booke , Vers. 2.3.4 . objected ignorance , or but popular knowledge to his Freinds ; I have understanding as well as you ; I am not inferiour to you , who knoweth not such things as these ? as if he had said ; You thinke your selves among knowing men , the highest in knowledge ; but who knoweth not such things as these ? Eliphaz turnes it here upon Job , by the way of recrimination or counter-charge , he brings in a crosse Bill : Should a wise man utter vaine knowledge ? Thou dost arrogate to thy selfe the reputation of a wise man , but art thou wise , who speakest at such a rate of folly ? The Image of thy mind is stampt upon thy words , it may be seene as well as heard what thou art , by what thou speakest .

〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scientiam venti vel ventosam i. e. vanam . Numquid sapiens respondebit scientiam venti , vel scientiam ventosam . Merc. Numquid sapiens respondebit quasi in vētum loquens . Vulg. Vaine knowledge . The letter of the Hebrew is knowledge of winde , or windy knowledge : The Metaphor is elegant ; vaine knowledge is justly called windy knowledge ; Vaine knowledge makes a great bluster , and noise , like the wind , but it passeth away , and though we cannot tell whither it goes , yet we may easily tell whence it comes , even from the fancie , and out of the mouth of a foolish man . It was usuall of old , to call that which is vaine , windy ; those despisers of holy counsells , and Divine Alarums , given by the Prophets , said , The Prophets shall become wind , and the word is not in them , Jer. 5.13 . That is , both the Doctrine and the threats which these Prophets utter , are vaine and ineffectuall ; they will doe us neither good nor evill ; no mans finger shall ake , though their tongues ake with talking .

The Prophet Hosea at once reproves and terrisies the Jewes in this language , They have sowne the wind , and they shall reape the whirlewind ( Hos. 8.7 . ) To sow the winde , is to doe a vaine thing ; our actions are as seed : such as we sow , such shall we reape ; they sowed sin , and they reaped trouble . Themselves sowed the wind by what they did , and they thought the Prophets sowed the winde in what they spake : And indeed the words of the Prophet were wind as the peoples works were , in reference to the issue ; those produced a whirlewind to scatter their contemners , as these did to scatter their actors . The old Satyrist calls vaine words , bubly toyes , Bullatas nugas utpote similes bullis vento plenis , Pers. Sat. 5. because such words are like a bubble , full of wind ( possibly full of wit ) but empty of wisedome and good instruction .

Should a wise man utter vaine knowledge ? The Scripture calls that vaine :

First , which is unprofitable , these mutually expound each other , Eccles. 1.2 , 3. Vanity of vanity , saith the Preacher , &c. What profit hath a man of all the labour which he taketh under the Sunne . There 's most vanity , where there is least profit , and where there is no profit at all , there is nothing at all but vanity . Turne not aside from following the Lord ( saith Samuel ) for then should you goe after vaine things which cannot profit , 1 Sam. 12.20 , 21.

Secondly , the Scripture calls that and those vaine , which hath or have no solidity in them ; vanity hath so little weight in it , that when the Spirit would expresse men who have no weight in them , he saith , They are lighter then vanity , Psalm . 62.9 .

Thirdly , the Scripture calls that vaine which is alwayes moving , varying , and unsetled , ( Psal. 144.4 . ) Man is like to vanity , his dayes are as a shadow that passeth away : He is therefore like to vanity , because he is so like a shadow , continually passing , but never continuing .

Fourthly , the Scripture often calls that vaine which is sinfull in practice , or unsound and erroneous in opinion , I hate vaine inventions ( saith David ) but thy Law doe I love . Whatsoever opposes either truth of Doctrine , or purity of Worship is a vaine invention of man , and opposite to the Law of God ; he utters vaine knowledge , who utters false Principles which subvert the Faith , or superstitious formes which endanger the life and power of godlinesse . Eliphaz supposed , that somewhat of vanity in all these notions , was rallyed together into the discourse of Job , that it was light and froathy , that it was erroneous and full of incongruity , especially ( which carries all these in it ) that it was worthlesse and unprofitable to the receiver , as he expresseth in the third Verse , Should he reason with unprofitable talke ?

Should a wise man utter vaine knowledge ?

Hence observe :

There is a vanity in some kind of knowledge , and folly in that which not a few call wisedome : It hath been the businesse of some mens knowledge , to finde out a vanity in all sorts of knowledge . Eliphaz spake well for the matter , though ill to the man . Job did not utter vaine knowledge , but , we know , too many doe . The old Gentiles waxed vaine in their imaginations , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , vani facti sunt in ratiocinationibus suis , Baz . their very reasonings were vaine ; so the Originall word tells us : It was not their phansie but their understanding which was vaine . The Apostle cautions the Colossians , Let no man spoyle you through Philosophy and vaine deceit ( Col. 2.8 . ) Philosophy in it selfe is an excellent knowledge , yet it may be vainely taught , and so deceive us , as to spoyle us : I may say also , let no man spoyle you through Divinity and vaine deceit . Divinity , which is in it selfe the most excellent knowledge , the knowledge of God , may be vainely taught , and so deceive us , as to spoyle us : That knowledge which is best in it selfe , is vainest to us , when it is unduely or falsely uttered .

Secondly , observe , It is most uncomely for those , who either have , or would have the reputation of wisedome , to speake vainly ; Should a wise man utter vaine knowledge ? 'T is no wonder to heare a vaine man speake vainely , and for a foole to utter folly . Doe men gather Grapes of thornes , or Figgs of thistles ? The vile person will speake villany , and his heart will worke iniquity , to practice hypocrisie , and to utter errour against the Lord ( Isa. 32.6 . ) If a foole , a vaine man , or a vile person , speake thus , he speakes like himselfe , but if a wise , or a good man speake thus , he speakes so unlike himselfe , that the Chaldee Paraphrase puts not onely an undecensie , but an impossibility upon it , Can a wise man utter vaine knowledge ? It is impossible . Estne possibile , &c. Chald. Paraph. Men act according to their principles ; every thing is in working , as it is in being ; if there be wisedome in the heart , it will be heard at the tongue : A wholesome Fountaine will send out wholesome waters ; He that is borne of God ( saith the Apostle John , 1 Epist. 3.9 . ) cannot sinne ; though he hath not a naturall impossibility to sin , Sapiens ad mensuram sermones profert libra examinatos justitiae , ut sit gravitas in sensu , in sermone pondus in verbis modus . Ambros . l. 1. Offic. c , 3. yet he hath a morall impossibility to sinne , because the seed of God remaineth in him , the frame and bent of his heart is set another way : Now , as there is a morall impossibility that a godly man should commit sin , so that a wise man should speake sin , or utter vaine knowledge . A wise man speakes , as well as acts , by measure ; he waighs what he saith , as much as what he doth ; the tongue of the wise is as a Tree of life : Grace in the heart blossomes at the lips , in savory words , which minister grace unto the hearers . Should a wise man utter vaine knowledge ?

And fill his belly with the East winde ?

A belly full of windy meat is bad enough , a belly full of wind is farre worse : But what is here meant by the belly , what by the East-wind ?

The belly is put for the heart and affections , together with all the intellectuall powers of the minde , John 7.38 . Out of his belly ( that is , out of his whole soule ) shall flow Rivers of living water . This water is the holy spirit ; the holy spirit is sometimes compared also to the wind . Venter pro corde , cor pro intellectu & mente accipitur in Scriptura . A wise man should desire that his heart may be filled , with the sweet gales and holy breathings of the spirit of God , by heavenly inspirations : And shall hee fill his heart with the East-wind of earthly passions ?

The word which we translate East wind , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rab. Mardoch . Observat hunc ventum a Graecis appellari Ape●●oren quod a sole spiret atque eadem ratione appellatur a Latinis subsolanum . signifies onely the East ; Should he fill his belly with the East , we rightly add the East wind ; he compares Jobs passions unto the winde , and unto the East wind ; to the wind , because of the vanity of them , to the East wind , because of the hurtfulnesse of them . For , as by wind in the former clause he meanes worthlesse things , so by East wind in this he meanes dangerous things . There are two reasons why he expresses such inwa●d motions by the East wind .

First , The East wind is a vehement and strong wind ; wee read Exod. 14.21 . Portae Eurum Appellans truculemum , rapidum , animosum , tumidum & indomitum . that when God divided the Red Sea , to make a passage for his people , he caused an East wind to blow all night , and divided the Sea with the force of it . Poets describe the East winde to be feirce , heady , turbulent , and impetuous , that s one ground of it .

Secondly , The East winde is observed by Naturalists to be a hot and fiery winde ; Ardore . Hence the Vulgar translates , Thou fillest thy belly with heate : The East winde parcheth and blasteth Corne and Fruits . Pharoah beheld in his Dreame seven eares withered , Sub calidi & aestuantis aeris similitudine sermones ejus exspaeratos & excandescentia plenos describit . thin , and blasted with the East wind ( Gen. 41.23 . ) So then , under this notion of the East winde . Eliphaz closely censures Job ; First , that his thoughts were violent , and impetuous : Secondly , that they were angry , fiery , furious ; as if coales were kindled in his bosome , and a flame ready to blaze at his lips : As if like Paul , while Saul ( Acts 9.1 . ) he breathed out threatnings and slaughter , or was inwardly heated with resolutions of revenge . The Prophet Jeremie saith , The Word of God was as a fire in his bosome , and he could not refraine : Jobo attribuit vanitatem in sententia , tempestatem in affectu , imbecillitatem in argumento . superfluitatem in verbis . Coc. Many a mans breast is like a heated Oven , he is ready to consume all with the breath of it .

But why doth Eliphaz charge Job with such unruly perturbations ? Some assigne the reason from those words , Chap. 14. v. 14. where he desires that God would even hide him in the grave ; he was so vext and troubled at the state wherein he lived , that he preferred death before it , and thought a not being in the World , better then a being in his condition . But we may rather leave the reason more at large , to all that vehemency of spirit , with which Job had prosecuted and pleaded his sorrowfull case .

From the scope of Eliphaz in this part of his reproofe , we may observe :

First , That violent passions are the disguise of a wise man . We cannot see who he is , while he acts unlike himselfe : anger lodgeth in the bosome of fooles ; and when it doth but intrude into the bosome of a wise man , he ( for the time ) looks like a foole .

Secondly , Passions in the minde are like a tempest in the ayre , they disturbe others much , but our selves more : Many a man ( like a Ship at Sea ) hath been overset and sunke with the violent gusts and whirle-whinds of his owne Spirit .

Observe thirdly , He that fills his owne minde with passionate thoughts , will soone fill the eares of others with unprofitable words ; this is cleare from that which goeth before , He utters vaine knowledge ; and it is clearer from that which followes after ; when a mans thoughts are like a winde , his words ( which are the first borne of his thoughts ) must needs be windy . A passionate man speakes all in passion , and sometimes cannot speake at all for passion ; his extreame desire to say much stops him from saying any thing : But whatsoever he saith , is the copy of his present selfe , fierce and boysterous . The image and superscription of our hearts is stamped upon our words . Some can speake better then they are , but usually men speak according to what they are , and then especially when they are ( which passionate men alwayes are ) not themselves . Thus it followes in the next Verse .

Vers. 3. Should he reason with unprofitable talke ?

Eliphaz speakes all Interrogatories ; and these speak him in anger , if not in some distemper . Should he doe this ? and should he doe that ? doe shew that either another hath very much done , what he should not , or that he who reproves him hath not such a spirit of meeknesse , as a reprover should , Gal. 6.1 .

The words shew the effect of what he taxed him with before ; as if he had sayd , Cum interrogatione & stomacho legenda sunt haec . Merc. Would you know what to expect from a passionate man , from a man whose belly is filled with the East-wind ? You shall have him shortly filling your eares with an East wind , even reasoning with unprofitable words : And ( as the next clause gives it , which is onely an exposition of this ) with speeches wherewith he can doe no good : Some words are great doers , they doe much hurt , or they doe much good , and those words usually doe some hurt , which can do no good ; yea , that which is weake and unable to doe good , may be strong and powerfull to doe evill . However , not to doe good is to doe evill , because it is every mans duty , whatsoever he doth , to be doing good : Here Eliphaz reproves Jobs words as evill , while he onely saith , they doe no good . And yet he saith somewhat more then that , for he saith , They can doe no good : It is ill not to doe good actually , but not to have a possibility of doing good is farre worse . When the Apostle would say his worst of the best of mans sinfull flesh , he doth not onely say , It is not subject to the Law of God , but adds , Neither indeed can be ( Rom. 8.7 . ) So here , Words wherewith a man can doe no good , how bad are they ?

Hence observe :

First , That which can doe no good , should not be spoken : Before we speake a word , we should aske this question , to what purpose , Cui bono . to what profit is it ? shall he that heares it be made more knowing , or more holy by it ?

Observe secondly , Vnprofitable talke is sinfull , and speeches which doe no good , are evill : Every idle word that men shall speake , they shall give an account thereof in the day of judgement , Matth. 12.37 . and though a man be very busie , and take much paines in speaking , yet if his words be unprofitable , and his speeches such as can doe no good , they will come under account as idle . Now , if unprofitable talke be sinfull , and speeches that can doe no good , then what is prophane talke , and speeches which doe hurt , ( infection gets quickly in at the eare ) defiling the minde and corrupting the manners of those that heare them . The Apostle gives us the rule of speaking , both in the negative and in the affirmative ( Ephes. 4.29 . ) Let no corrupt communications proceed out of your mouths , but that which is good to the use of edifying , which may administer grace to the hearer . Againe , ( Colos. 4.6 . ) Let your speeches be alwaies with grace ; that is , such as testifieth that there is grace in your heart , never speake a word but such as may stand with grace ; yea , speake such words as may be a witnesse of grace , wrought in your selves , and a meanes of working grace in others . Let your words be seasoned with salt ; the salt of our words , is holinesse , and truth ; prudence also is the salt of words ; good words , and true , spoken unseasonably , may doe hurt : Prudence teaches us the time when and the manner how to answer every man . Belial ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod in hiphil significat prodesse ; ut denotet inutilem , qui nec sibi , nec alijs prodest .

Thirdly observe , It is matter of just reproofe against every man to be unprofitable , and to doe no good : Every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewen downe and cast into the fire , ( Matth. 3.10 . ) Some conceive that the word Belial comes from Beli , which in Hebrew signifies Not , and the word Jagnal , which here in the Text signifies to doe good : Because a Belialist , or a Son of Belial is such a one as neither doth good to himselfe nor to any other . The unprofitable Servant who hid , and did not improve his Talent , shall be condemned : And he who uses his talent unprofitably and vainely , shall not escape : Should he reason with unprofitable talke ?

Thus farre we have seen Eliphaz reproving Job of folly in speaking unlike , and below a wise man ; he proceeds to reprove him for acting unlike , and below a godly man : This he sets home with a particle of aggravation .

Vers. 4. Yea , thou castest off feare , and restrainest Prayer before God .

As if he had said , besides , or above all this , that thou hast uttered vaine knowledge , words that cannot profit , thou hast also cast off the feare of God , &c. The word which we translate to cast off , signifies to make voyd , to scatter , to dissolve , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Labefactasti , irritum fecisti , dissolvisti , fregisti , to break in peices ; to make as nothing , or to make nothing of . It is often used in Scripture , for breaking the Commandements of God , imploying such a breach as makes the Commandements voyd , which is the proper character of an evill heart ; A godly man may sin against the Commandements , but a wicked man would sinne away the Commandements ; he would repeale the Law of God , and enact his owne lusts : Such is the force of the word here , Thou castest off feare .

There is a naturall feare , and a spirituall feare ; we are not to understand this Text of a naturall feare ( which is a trouble of spirit , arising upon the apprehension of some approaching evill ) but of a spirituall : Feare is here put alone , but we are to take it with its best adjunct , the feare of God ; for as the word sometimes is put alone , to signifie the word of God , as if there were no word but his ; and as the word Commandements is put alone , to note the Commandements of God , as if no Commandements deserved the name , but onely the Commandements of God , so feare is put alone , by way of excellency , for the feare of God ; as importing , that his feare is excellent , and no feare to be desired but his . This Divine feare comes under a double notion :

First , it is taken for the holy awe or reverence we beare to God in our spirits , which is the worship of the first Commandement , and the sanctifying of God in our hearts .

Secondly , For the outward acts of Religion , which is the worship of the second Commandement , Their feare is taught by the precepts of men ( Isa. 29.13 . ) that is , their outward worship and Religion , is such as men have invented , not such as God hath appointed : Some take it here in the first sense onely , thou castest off feare ; that is , thou castest off that awe , reverence , and regard thou owest to the Name of God ; others understand it in the second , Thou castest off feare ; that is , the outward worship and service of God : but I conceive we have that expressed in the next clause , Timor hoc loco pro reverentia & tremore , potius quam pro religione & cultu , licet utrumque cohaereat . Pined . And restrainest prayer before God ; there he taxeth him with neglect of outward worship , and here with neglect of inward , Thou casteth off feare ; feare is as the bridle of the soule ; feare holds us in compasse , it is the bank to the Sea ; feare keeps in the overflowing of sinne , Thou casteth off feare .

But what cause had Job given Eliphaz to charge him with casting off the feare of the Lord ; we finde Eliphaz touching upon this point before , and upbraiding Job , ( Chap. 4.6 . ) Is this thy feare ? Nullo pudore loquutus es coram Deo . Symmach . Is this thy confidence ? As if he had sayd , Is all thy profession come to this ; here he chargeth him expresly , thou hast cast off feare ; Job had not given him any just cause to speak or thinke thus hardly of him ; but Eliphaz might possibly ground this accusation , upon those words ( Chap. 9. v. 23. ) This is one thing , therefore I sayd it , he destroyeth the perfect and the wicked , &c. Which Eliphaz did interpret as a casting off the feare of God ; hath he awfull and reverent thoughts of God , who affirmeth , that God laugheth at the afflictions and tryals of his people ? Againe , Chap. 12.6 . The Tabernacles of Robbers prosper , and they that provoke God are secure , into whose hands God bringeth abundantly : Hath not this man cast off all feare of God , who dares say , the wicked prosper , and are secure ? Is God become a freind to those that professe themselves enemies to him ? Others referre the ground of this to Chap. 13.21 , 22. where he seemes to speake boldly , and as some have taxed him , impudently , Doe not two things to me , withdraw thy hand from me , &c. Then call thou , and I will answer , or let me speake , and answer thou me : Hence Eliphaz concludes , surely the man hath cast off the feare of God ; he speaks to God as if he were Gods fellow , Speake thou and I will answer , or let me speake , and answer thou me ; are these words becomming the great God of Heaven and Earth ; art not thou growne over bold with God , doest thou speake as becomes the distance , that is betweene the Creator , and the Creature ? the Greek translates to this sense , Thou speakest to God without any modesty , thou hast put on a brasen face , and hardned thy heart against the feare of the Almighty . These shewes of a ground Eliphaz might take , but Job had given him no reall ground to pronounce this heavy censure , Thou castest off feare : But passing by the rigid hypothesis of Eliphaz , we may from his words , as they are a Thesis , observe ,

That to cast off the feare of God is highest wickednesse ; to cast off the feare of God is the beginning of wickednesse , as to entertaine The feare of God is the beginning of wisedome ; the word , here used , signifieth not onely the beginning but the top , the chiefe , the head and highest perfection of a thing : the feare of God is both first and last , the beginning and end of holinesse . To feare God , and keep his Commandements , is all man in goodnesse , to cast off the feare of God , is all man in sinfulnesse : the beginning and end of wickednesse ; It is ill not to have the feare of God , but it is farre worse to cast of the feare of God ; it is ill not to chuse the feare of God ( Prov. 1.29 . ) but to reject the feare of the Lord that is desperate ; if once feare be cast off , all wickednesse is let in ; at the same doore , at which the feare of the Lord goes out , any sin may enter : As Abraham sayd , The feare of God is not in this place , and they will kill me for my Wives sake ; they have no impediment of lust to cast off , who have once cast off the feare of God . And as they who cast off this feare are ready to doe or say any thing that 's evill ; so they are unready to doe or say any thing that is good ; as they have no restraint upon them from iniquity , so they can easily restrain themselves from duty : The next words shew this .

Thou restrainest prayer before him : Prayer is a principall part of the outward worship of God , and is both here and elsewhere put for the whole outward worship of God .

The word signifies also , meditation , musing , or thinking : Detrahis confabulationem cum Deo . Jun. So some render here , Thou takest off conference with God ; thou wast wont to keep continuall correspondence with Heaven , and maintaine a sweet humble familiarity with God by holy meditation , but now thou art like a stranger and commest not at him . But whether we translate the word by Prayer , or Meditation , the sense is the same ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Meditatio , loquela , etiam oratio . for praying is speaking to God ; yea an arguing and pleading with God : And so 't is used in the Titles of the 102. and 142. Psalmes . The word which we render to restraine , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Significat , 1. prohibere , 2. diminuere . Non est intelligendum quasi arguatur Job , quod remiserit vel prohibuerit orandi studium : sed potius è contra , quod multiloquio , vel battologia usus erat . Bold . Hoc est vitium dictum a Theophrasto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & proprie a Graecit dicitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 minutiloquium . Minuere stillas aquarum , est minutissimas frequentissimasque pluviae guttas mittere . signifies two things ; First , to withdraw or stop ; Secondly to lessen and diminish , Jer. 48.37 . Every beard clipt or diminished : we may take it in both senses here , as reproving Job either for a totall forbearance , and throwing up the duty of Prayer , or for shortning and abating it ; Yet there is an opinion that Job is not here charged for lessening or abating , but for lengthening and encreasing Prayer ; Thou castest off feare , and multiplyest Prayer : The Hebrew word notes the cutting or dividing of a thing into small peices or portions ; which is indeed to multiply it , and to make it , though not more in bulke , yet more in number , Job 36.27 . Thou makest small the drops of raine ; that is , thou multiplyest the drops of raine ; so here , thou makest small thy Prayers , as so many drops of raine , thou hast never done dropping Prayers ; thou dost mince thy supplications , or cut them out into many small shreads , as if thou didst hope to be heard for thy much speaking : Such were the silly devotions of the old superstitious Gentiles , which the hypocriticall Pharisees imitated , and were therefore reproved by Christ , under the name of vaine repetitions ( Matth. 6.7 ) Of which fault a learned Interpreter , judges Eliphaz , reproving Job in this place But I rather keep to our owne Translation , Thou restrainest Prayer .

Here againe it may be questioned , What cause had Eliphaz to charge Job with restraining prayer ? The Jewish Writers say , it was because he denyed Providence , Hebraei ad id referunt , quod putant Jobum Dei providentiam negasse , quod nos non putamus . Mer. q d. ista tua assertio & doctrina , quod mala & supplicia eveniant bonis & justis tollit religionem & publicum divini numinis cultum . and so by consequence Prayer ; for if God doe not order the affaires of the World , the afflictions and deliverances of his people , why should we pray to him about them ? Others referre it not to his denyall of Providence , but to that which Eliphaz supposed a fundamentall errour against the Doctrine of Providence , That God destroyeth the righteous and the wicked ; That he laughs at the tryall of the innocent . Now will any innocent man pray to God in his affliction , when he is told that God laughs at his affliction ? Will any righteous man call upon God for help , when he is taught that God destroyeth the righteous ? Who would serve a Master who gives such wages , and payes those that honour him with disgrace , yea with destruction ? So that Job is charged with restraining Prayer according to this answer to the question , not because he totally forbore prayer himselfe , or perswaded others to forbeare it ; but because Jobs assertions were such as might yeeld those consequences , and cause many to suspend Prayer , or give over calling upon the Name of God in the day of trouble . We may be charged to say or doe that , which flowes from what we doe or say , though we neither say nor doe the thing it selfe .

Many are guilty of those errors consequentially , which yet they never affirmed thetically or directly . We may be so farre from asserting , that we may professedly abhorre an opinion which yet lyeth secretly under some of our assertions . We say justly , That the Pope is Antichrist , and that pure Popery is Antichristianisme ; yet the Pope doth not deny Christ , for the Pope thinks himself Christs Vicar upon earth , and therefore must needs acknowledge him to be come in the flesh , yet by consequence , the Pope is an opposer both of the Person and Offices of Christ , and popish Doctrine fights against the truth of Christ . As prophane men Professe they know God , yet in their workes they deny him ( Tit. 1.16 . ) So many erroneous persons professe they love and honour those holy truths and spirituall duties , which by consequences they indeed deny , as Eliphaz ( though unduely ) supposed Job had done , the duty of Prayer .

Thou restrainest prayer before God .

Taking the words abstractly , they yeeld us this usefull observation , That it is an argument of an evill heart , to shorten , Hic proponitur tanquam ingens piaculum quod homo afflictus remittat orandi studium . or restraine , to lessen , or to give off Prayer in times of trouble . That King spake to the height of prophanenesse , when he said ( 2 Kings 6. ) This evill is of the Lord , and why should I waite on the Lord any longer ? When we have done waiting , we have done praying . No man will aske for that which he doth not expect to receive . How long so ever affliction lasteth , so long prayer-season lasteth ; if the Winter day of our trouble , be a Summer day in length , if it be continued many dayes , yea many moneths , and yeares , prayer should continue ( Psal. 50.15 . ) Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will heare , and thou shalt glorifie me ; Let the day of trouble be short or long , God lookes to heare of us all that day . Is any afflicted let him pray , saith the Apostle James ; it is a duty to pray , when we are not afflicted , when we prosper in the World : But is any man afflicted , then is a speciall season for prayer . A sincere heart prayes alwayes , or continues in prayer ; an hypocrite never loves to pray , and at two seasons he will restraine , or lay aside prayer : First , when he is got out , or thinks he hath prayed himselfe out of affliction . Prosperity and worldly fulnesse stop the mouth of prayer , and he hath no more to say to God , when he hath received much from God . Secondly , a Hypocrite restraines prayer , when he perceives he hath got nothing by prayer ; he sees he cannot , or feares he shall not get out of trouble , and therefore he will pray no more in trouble ; his spirit failes , because his afflictions hold out . Upon which soever of these two grounds , the Hypocrite restraines prayer , he shewes the wickednesse of his heart . If from the former , he shewes , that he beares no true love to God ; if from the latter , he shewes that he hath no true faith in God , or dares not trust him . Further , to cast off prayer , is to cast off God ; and he that lives without prayer in the World , lives without God in the World : Hence the Heathen who know not God , and the Families that call not upon his Name , are joyned together , or rather are the same ( Jer. 10.25 . ) Further , to restraine prayer , is worse then not to pray : The latter notes onely a neglect of the duty , the fromer a distast of the duty . To give over any holy exercise is more dangerous then not to begin or take it up . The one is the prophane mans sin , the other is the Hypocrites . Thou restrainest prayer : and hee that doth not utter prayer with his mouth , will soone utter wickednesse with his mouth , as it follows .