John Trapp on Job 35:10

Verſe 10. But none ſaith, Where is God my maker?] Heb. My makers: to note the Trinity, ſay ſome: others think, that he ſpeaks of God in the plural number only for honours ſake. They call not upon God as their Creator, they praiſe him not as their Preſerver and Benefactor, ſaith Elihu in this and the next verſe: but expreſs a g[illegible: 1 letter]eat deal of pride and vanity, verſe 12, 13. and thence it is, that their prayers are unanſwered, and themſelves unrelieved. The oppreſſed ſhould not only make moan and fill the air▪ vagis clamoribus, with bruitiſh out-cryes (the fruit of the fleſh for eaſe, rather than of the ſpirit for grace) but beg help of God by faithful prayer,Qui nos fecit, idem ille eſt qu[illegible: 1 letter] nos fovet, co[illegible: 2 letters]ſervat ae ſuſtentat, &c. Brent. Englands Elizabeth. and ſay, Where is God my maker? as Eliſha once ſaid, Where is the Lord God of Eliah? Did he not make me, and will he not maintain me? built he not the earthly houſe of this tottering Tabernacle, and is not he bound to repairs? will he caſt off the care of his own handywork? Is he not my Maſter, as well as my Maker? and ſhall other Lords beſides him have Dominion over me, and do with me at their pleaſure? Lord, look upon the wounds of thy hands (ſaid Q Eliz. whiles ſhe was a Priſoner at Woodſtock and had like to have been burnt in her bed, one night) and deſpiſe not the work of thine hands. Thou haſt written me down in thy book of Preſervation with thine own hand: Oh read thine own hand-writing, and ſave me, &c.

Who giveth ſongs in the night] As the oppreſſed pray not, and therefore are not eaſed, (they are deſervedly miſerable, that might, but will not make themſelves happy by asking) ſo they praiſe not God for former deliverances by day and night conferred upon them. Thou haſt compaſſed me about, ſaith David with ſongs of deliverance, Pſal. 32.7. that is, Thou haſt given me plentiful matter of praiſing thy name. So here, Qui dat Pſalmorum argumentum de n[illegible: 1 letter]cte as Tremellius tranſlateth it: who giveth cauſe to praiſe him with Pſalms by night, as David did Pſal. 119.62. and as Paul, and Silas, Act. 16.25. and as Mr. Philpot and his fellows did in the Biſhop of London's Coal-houſe. In the night-ſeaſon it is,Act. and Mon. that God giveth his beloved ſleep; and keepeth them and theirs then in ſafety. Or, if he hold them waking, he filleth them with many ſweet meditations, (their reines at that time eſpecially, inſtructing them, Pſal. 16.7.) ſhineth upon them by his Moon and Stars (which praiſe God in their courſes, and twinkle as it were at us to do the like) and inmindeth them by the melody made by the Nightingale, which ſingeth for fifteen nights and dayes together without intermiſſion,Plin. l 10. c. 29[illegible: 1 letter] Luſcinia diciu[illegible: 1 letter] quia ante lucep[illegible: 1 letter] canit. Nec quantum luſciniae dormiunt. Proverb. In En[illegible: 1 letter]hir. if Pliny may be believed: putting a thorn to her breſt to keep her waking, for that purpoſe. Hereupon Epictetus hath this ſavoury ſaying, Si luſcinia eſſem, facerem quod luſcinia; Cum antem homo rationalis ſim, qui[illegible: 1 letter] faciam? Laudabo Deum, nec ceſſabo unquam; Vos verò ut idem faciatis hortor: that is, if I were a Nightingale, I would do as the Nightingale doth; But ſince I am a man endued with reaſon, (ſith God hath taught me more than the fowles of heaven, as Elihu hath it in the next verſe) what ſhall I do? I will unceſſantly praiſe God; and I exhort you to do the like. But this is not done, ſaith Elihu here, or very ſlenderly; and hence it is that men complain of their many and mighty oppreſſions, without remedy from God, who ſeeth that his favours and benefits would be even loſt and ſpilt upon them; according to that of the Philoſopher, Ingrat[illegible: 1 letter] quicquid donatur deperditur; All is caſt away, that is conferred upon an ungrateful perſon.