Wesley Corpus

Shall he - That is unrighteous. Govern - Elihu's argument is the same with that of Abraham, Gen 18:25, and that of St. Paul, Rom 3:5,6. If God be unrighteous, how shall he judge or govern the world And the argument is undeniable: if God were unjust, there would be nothing but injustice and confusion in the world, whereas we see there is a great deal of justice administered in the world, and all this must proceed from him who is the fountain of all justice, and rule, and authority. And he that makes men just, shall he be unjust Most just - God, who hath given so many clear and unquestionable evidences of his justice, in giving just and holy laws, in encouraging and rewarding righteous persons in this life, and inflicting dreadful judgments upon tyrants and oppressors. Wicked - Though a king may be wicked, yet his subjects neither may nor dare call him so. For - God doth not destroy either prince or people unjustly, no nor out of his mere pleasure, but for their sins, which he sees exactly, although they use all possible arts to hide them. As - Because they are wicked men. In the open light - In publick view for their greater shame, and for the greater glory of his justice. Cry of the poor - Their case is bad, who have the prayers and tears of the poor against them: for these will draw down vengeance sooner or later, on the heads of their oppressors. Whether - God can carry on his work either of mercy or justice, as irresistible upon an whole nation as upon one particular person. Reign not - May not continue his tyranny, lest the people be ensnared, lest the people should be longer kept in the the snares of oppression; God doth this to free poor oppressed people from the snares which ungodly men lay for them. That - The secret sins which I cannot discover, manifest thou to me. Should it be - Doth God need thy advice how to govern the world, and whom, and when to reward or punish Refuse - To submit as is expressed, ver.32. Therefore - If thou canst say any thing for thyself, I am ready to hear thy defence.