Chap. 7 An Expofitio+r upe» the Beek of JO B. Verf.' 6, 60g., defrayed them not, yea many a time turned he his anger away, and did notffirr up all leis wrath ; But what moved the ',Ord to deal thus with his people ? What was it, out ofhimfelf ? We know, the inward moving caule was his own freegrace,but what did he look upon abroad in the creature ? He remembred that they were but flefh, a win-I that papa, away, and cometh not again. fobs argument to a letter. He confidered how eafilyabd quickly they might be defiroyed, and therefore he deftroyed them not, Pfdt, 103. 14. Like as afather pitieth his children, fa loth the Lord, &c. Why , what ttirr's up this pity ? For be knoweth our frame, and he remembreth that we are but duff ; Now, that which God himfelfmakes the argument,all the argument in us,ofhis turning to us in mercy ; that we thould manhage, efpecially as our argu- ment,when we turn to him in prayer.Shoulcl we plead before God our perfeétions, and fay, Lord remember our holinefs, our zeal, our prayers, our teases,our fallings and humiliations, could any of this moveGod, or be any attractive ofhis companions toward us ? 1f we will plead our perfe&ions, -God will defpife our pray- er. Our irongea argument is to fay, we are weake; and to tell God we are fitful, prevailes more, then to tell him, we are righ- teous : We (hall gain moti by Paying we are unprofitable fer- wants. But didnot Hezekiah,entreat the Lord to remember that he hadwalkedbefore him in truth and with a perfell heart, and done. that:which was good in his fight? Ill 38, ;.Anddoth not Nehemiah ufe the like plea, Chap. 13: 14, 22. I anlwer, frrtt, that, thefe were the belt, the mote fpiritual and powerful pleadings with God is not proved, becaufe ufed by good men. Grace dothnot ad alwayes at the height, nor bring out it'schoifeft treafures at all times. Secondly ,they move theLord to remember what good they had done, but they donot movethe Lordby that remembrance to do them good. Ititezekiah was fo far from rejoycing in his own righ- teoufnefs, that the text faith, He weptfore. And Nehemiah with the fame breath,defires the Lord to rememberwhat he had done, and to (pare him,according to the greatnefs or multitude ofmer- cy.He,that when he bathdone beft,beggs a multitude ofinercies to (pare him is far enough from challengingjuftice toreward him. Men; thatare but ingenious,will be moved moftwith a lîgh to report ofanothersweaknefs Thebeggar fpeaks moti effeaually by
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=