3 Chap. 9. An Expofition upon the Book of J O B. Vert 32 next words give usan account ofthat, Thou thoughteff that Iwas altogether )(itch an one as thyfelf; that is,thoudidft frame concepti. ons ofnie according to the Idea ofthine own brain, or the model of thine own heart. Thouwaft well pleafed with fuch filthinefs and abominations, therefore thou didft conclude, I would not be difpleafed with them. Tfee true reafon why molt men make no- thing of evil,is,becaufe theymake God nothing in goodnefs (as to that point) beyond themfelves; this doth not trouble our fpirits, we fie no hurt in what we do: Surely thenGod fees nohurt in it, neither is his Spirit troubled with ourdoings. Secondly, Boldnefs in pleadingwith, and complaining againft God, when he doth what likes not us, arifes from thoughts that we arc likehim.None would quarrel at what God doth,in cutting out and proportioning their own eflates to them orincafting down the humble and meek ; in exalting the proud and vile, if they did fully believe God had as much right and reafon as they fee he bath power to do what he doth: Man draws God intohis own compafs, and then wonders to find himwork fo out of corn- pats. If I were as God, faithone, I would do thus and thus ; furely,God is as I am, he hath fuch thoughts as I have, faithano- ther, then why doth he thus ? Till we have fully ftudied this point, That God is not as we are, we (hall never reft fully fatisfied in what God doth, ifhe doth what we would not. Thirdly,Unbelief fprings from the fame muddy Fountain : un- belief of the power of God to deliver us, when weare in out- ward >rtraits and dangers; and unbelief of the mercyof God to pardon us , when we are in fpiritual ftraits- and defertions. What's the reafon why, when great dangers encompafs us, we cannot believe deliverance ? Do we not make God like to our (elves ? Do wenot fhorten his hand to our own meafure, and think it cannot be done, becaufe men cannot do it ? Andfor mercy about the pardon of fan; man being awakened ('ces how he hath provoked God, fin Bares upon his face, and hé finds out many aggravations upon his fin then he begins to coiled thus, certainly if a man had Co , provoked his neighbour, he could never pardon or forgive him; Can then Inch fins as thefe be forgiven by God ? Mans mercy cannot reach fo hign as this, therefore (Ludy the mcrciss of God wile not. We have a verygracious promife, backt with a caution toprevent thefe jealoufies ( Ifai. 55. 6, 7.) 0 the wickedforfakehis way and the unriihteouo:man his thoughts, ac
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=