154 Chap. 9, An Expofttion upon the Bookpf j O B. Vert 3, with a great deal of trembling and fubmiWon; he feerns to ask leave bL.fore he doth it. Hypocrites contend with God proudly a- bout their own good works, (lfa.58.3.)Wherefore have wefailed, and thou Jéetl not ?As if they had done fo well,. that God himfelf could not mend it. Carnal then plead withGodprofanely about his works ; as if he had done fo ill,that they could mendit.Te fay, the way of the Lord is not equal:hear now, 0bout ofIfrael,ir not my . way equal ? Are notyour mayes unequal? Ezek.r 8.25. Theycharg4 ed God with ill dealing ,becaufe he punithed them, who did evil, Wherefore willyeplead with me?ye all have tranJgrefedagainfime, faith theLord,(Jer.2.29.)they began toplead with God about his difpenfations , as if he had been unrighteous or rigorous; Wherefore millyepleadwith me ? l will plead withyou, faithGod, verf9.GOd may plead and contend with man,but fhall man plead and contend with God ? Ye have all finned and tranffreffed a- gaink me; that's enough to flop your mouths ; I can anfwer you . with one word,Te are a company offinner,r, then plead not with me, Plead with your mother, plead, HOG2.2. let manplead with man, man with his neighbour. The wit ofone man may compare with the wit of another, and their juffice may hold plea with one another.But neither the juflice, nor the wit ofman wiltferve him to hold plea with God. That is a fecondobfervation, Man ie not able to maintainhis caul, andholdplea, either againfi, the works ofGod, orfor hie ozvn. Ifhe difpute with God in the.fchooles,or feeanadvocate to im- plead him at the bar, he is not able to anfwer himone of a thou- fond (Ifa. 45.9.)Wo be to him thatffriveth with hie maker;it is this word, Wo be to him that contendeth with his maker, for he (hall not be able to make out one argument,orprove any thingagainfihim; fuch a man is in a very,fad condition,wo unto him:Davidprayes, Ff:I43.2,Enternot into judgement with thyfervant,for in thyfight fhall noflefh living bejuffified ; as ifhe had laid, Lord, iftheholieft and pureft,if the bell ofmen fhould come and 'land before thee in judgement,or plead with thee,they could not be juflified : there- fore Davidwas fo far from contendingwith God, that he depre- cates God, contending with him, enter not into judgement with thy:fervant:fuch a charge is laid uponJob(Chap.33.:13.) Why doff Avail-rive with him ?for begiveth not an accountofany ofhis mat- ters.And if he Ihould coudefcend to give an account, can any man gain by it ? The Lord argues fo convincingly, ghat every month muff
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=