18 Chap.$. An Expoftion upon the Bookof JOE. VerC3. M _ ved wrong from the hand of God : fo at tail all fnall confeCs they have not. Further , Bildad Speaking upon fuppofition , that God was wronged in juftice, teacteth us, That It is a duty to vindicate thejuftice of God, whenfoever we hear it ri'ron;ed. W heìi we hear any wounding God in his faithfulnefs, truth, or juftice, we fhould prefently Rand up to plead forhim; What, will God be unfaithful ? Will Cod pervert judgement ? Will God be untrue ? &c` Thuswe ibould plead for God. When Jeremy could not makeout the juftice of God , he is an advocate for his juftice, Lord, thou art righteous, yet let meplead with thee. He would not have the matter once questioned, though the man- ner was enquired. Latily , Obftrve , That 7-he judgements ofGod maybefecrets to us, but they arenever in. juries to us. Juftice is in all the dealings of God, but his juftice is not alwayes v,lible.His judgements are founded upon reafon,wherí uponhis will, for his will is the higheft reafon. God cannot be un- juft, and he ever punifhes thofe who are. He is fo far from fub- verting judgement, that he Cubverteth Kings and Magiflrates, yea Nations and Kingdomes for fubverting judgement; To-rubvert a rnjn in his caufe, "the Lord approveth not,Lam 3.36: The Hebrewis' The Lordfeeth not : That is, he dothnot fee it to approve it ; but he doth ice it to punifh it. He is an avenger of thofe who willnot avenge the oppreffed. Andas he looks for judgement in all places, fo efpecially among his ownpeople,upon whom he bellowes mof- mercy: (Ifa.S.a.) when the Lord had done fo much for his vine- yard , He lookedfir Judgment,and behold opprefion; for rigbteouf- nefs,but behold a Fry. God makes privy fearch thorow a Nation to find this Jewel : Judgement betweenman and man in commerce, which is,commutative juftice ; judgement from Magiftrates to the people , which is, diJtributive juftice: for there God is fearching at this day ; one of the greatefi fins among us, is, the perverting of judgement : And until Judgment return toman; how can we expect mercy fhould return from God ? (Jer.5.1.) Run to andfro tborow thefireets ofJerufalem,andfeelinthe b:oadplaces thereof, if you canfind a man, if there be any that eXea-u-te-tb-judgement,`that Ives the truth,& Iwill pardon it. ALand is feldome fr1Pd with the' judgementsof God , till it is emptied ofjudgement among men. What afad thing is it that these fhouldbe fo many cries againft in- j nftice
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