26o Chap. 9. An Expofitionupon the Bookof j (5 B. Verf.i5, Verfe 15. Whom, though Iwere righteous , yet would I not anfwer but 'wouldmake fupjílication to my judge. This brings the matter to the helght;Who ? I re'afOn and plead with God? 1 anfwer him ? No, Ihiug{h Iwere righteous, yet would I not ,znJirer him. The frengthof the argument lies thus, as ifj ob had faid, I am f'o far from entering a contt.fi withGod, that I profeJa I wouldnot doe it, though Ihad the'gre.iieft adv.ntage'andittnejï to duel: of Ony man in the world , though I were righteous ,1 would not do it.I doe notfly, that thereatn why I wieldnot' pleadwith God,is becauf lamwicked, finfìell and abominable,moreguilty and unrigh- teous ¡ben my neighbours, or thenyou, myfriends, but how righteous fie;;er I were,Iwculdnot do it.job fpcaks as a man who would thew how much he dreads the power and iirength ofanother; What I figkt with. Joieh a man?' I contend with'fuck a titan ? .11o, Í profefs I wouldnot fight withhim, though I wereas wellweapon'd,ar,n'dand prepared, ,as any man in the world, I wouldnot come near him. If -there be any armour or weapon, and furniture or preparations which may enable man to contend with God, it is the armour of righteoufneJ}, and the furnitures of grace. Now, faith fob,trhough I had that armour,Thou h Iwere righteoùs"I wouldnot contendwith him. TheApaItle argues much after this rate (r Cor. Ia.) about that great point ofGot-Pei-charity , where he toheth us, that all things are as nothinglwi thou t charity: and he intianceth inthofe thingswhich Rand highett in the thoughts Of man, to commend him to the acceptation both of God and man, verf. 2,3 ThoughJ 'have the gift ofprophzfre, and underfland all myftertes andall k,now- ledge,and thutt h 1have allfaith, fo that I could remove mountains,. and though 'lfhouldgive my body to be burned, and have not love, what would it advantage me? ''hough Ifhouldgive all my goods, to . thepoor,and have not love, &c. It is.po(lible for a man togive away abundance to the poor, and yet have a dearth of love both to them and to God in this heart : all the love that moveth him may be love to himfelf; therefore (faith he) Though Igivemy goods to the poor, it crofts me nothing ; he puts all there fuppofitions, which are the greaten advantages forheaven (except Chritt ) imaginable, and yet concludes all, but as founding brafs, or a tinkling Cymbal, nothing but noife without charity. So here, to thew how impoflible a thing it is for creatures in their own lirength to. contend with God, he puts-a fuppofition upon that which
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