-chap.z.Sed.9. Lookingtmto 1efns. Book III. no vyay but perUhing if it continue in its natural fratr, therefore itrefolvesto gotoGod; doth the L ord fay,jn/zmy face? why, thy jlflh Lord will I feekf. - Doth the L ord/«) , come unto me! why, bfflold Lord, I come un.to thee,Jor th~u ttrt t~e Lurd our God. Jcr. 3 .12., And now the k:ml betakes 1t felf unto l.iod; tt fends up complaints of it felf, it laments it own finful rebellions, it put> out a whole volley offighs ,groanes, and il:rong cryes towards heaven; it confeffeth with grief and bitter mourning, all its former iniquites: it fmites , with repenting Ephraim, upon its·thigh; it Iyes down at Gods footftoole, it puts its mouth in the dufr; it acknowledgeth Gods righteoufneffe if he fuould condemne, and caft off for ever; and yet withall it pleads for grace that it may be accepted as one of his; it fayes unto God, Lord. I h11ve nothing to pleadwhy tmu maJfl not condemne me, but if thou wilt receive ~m, thy mercy foal! appeare in me; 0 let thy mercy appe01re tllk,t 4W.fJ all iniquity, and receive me graciOJtjly. Thus the foul lieut Gods thrt>ne, and pleads for grace. , S· As faith is thus earnefi: in fuing to God for grace, fo it is no leffe vigilant and watchful in obferving what anfwer comes from the Lord; even as the prifontr at the barre, not ondy cryes for mercy, but he marks.-every word which falls from the Judges mouth; if any thing may give him hope; or as Benhadads fervanes lay at catch with the King of Ifr11el, to fee: if they could take occafion by any thing whi<;h fell from him to plead for the life of'Benhadad; fo the poor foul that is now pleading for life and grace, it watcheth narrowly to fee if any thing may come from God, any intimation of favour, any word of comfort, that may tend to peace. 0 let me hear joy and gladnef[e.-I will hear what the Lord wilt fay, for he will fPealz peace unto his people, 6. As faith waits for an aofwers, fo accordingly it demeans it. felf. I. Sometimes God anfwers not, and faith takes on, and follows God frill , and cryesafrer him with more fi:rength, as refolving never to give over, till the Lord either fave or de- · firoy: nay ifthe Lord will defi:roy, faith chofoeth to dye at Gods feet, as when {oab was bidden to come forth from the horn~ of the ~Iter,& to take his death in another place, nay, .faith f'Oitb, but ! w1lt d;e here; or as when Chrift faw no.deliverance cornein his . · agony/
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