^.^--. . . .......:... .._.__._... ._ ...... . ..... ......,_k...._ Chap.Q. Att Ëxpofition upon the Bookof 7 Cy'G, erí6. i5 hands,I will bidemine getfromyou yca,wbenyemake rnanyprayert,I will not hear,your bands arefull of bloud. As he fpeaks out the fu I- nefs of thegrace ofGod (Come let nc reafon together , thoughyour finsbe asJsarlet, theyfhall beas white as fnow;&c.) So alto the ne- ceflity ofgracious purity in man, Wathye,makeye clean, &c. Ob- (erve, Secondly , Theprayers of the pure andupright are prevailing; prayers. In the next words God awakes, Jam.5.16. The effeelual fervent prayerofa righteous man availethmuch. Fervency ofprayer effeOs nothing,unlefs the perfon praying be righteous. God is not mel- ted into compaflion by the heat ofour words, but by the holitnef; ofour hearts. In the prayer ofa righteous man there is llreugth, prevailing ftrength, fuch, as God himfelfyeilds to. As a Prince thouhaft power with God,andhaftprevailed, faith he to jacob,when he wref led withhim. Obferve, Thirdly , It is no way contrary to the doi1rine off,eegrace to fay we muff be holy, if we defire to be heard. Bildads doc`;trine is an excellent piece ofDivinity , Though he laidbefore, Thoumufifeek untoGod, and make fupplication to him, that out of his free-grace he would bellow a bletíing upon thee, yet he adds, If thou wertpure andupright. Though we are not heard , becaufe we are pure and upright, yet none can come with a warrantable confidence to be heard in their impurity and hypocrifie : if they do, God will reje4l' their confidences,and they (hall not profper in them. It is impudence,not confidence,to make fupplication to God with a referve, or a refolve in ferret, to go on in linne. The greatefi finners in the world may come toGod,they that are moil impure and filthy, may find favour ; yet every man that cometh unto God , mull come with this delire, to have his impurities removed, and his backflidings healed. 7Jnto the wicked, faithGod, What haft thou to do to declaremyftattetes, or to take my covenant in thymouth, feeing thouhateft inftruîiion, and cajtejt my words behind thee, PfaI.50.16. It no way croflès the doOrineof grace, when with the fame breath we fay , God will do us good freelyfor his ownnames fake, and that, we mull be pure and up- right who come to God:With thepure thou wiltfhera thyPelfpure, and with the upright man thouwiltthew thyfelfupright , andwith thefroward thou wilt'hew thyfelffroward, Pfal.18.25,26.ßut doth the Lord take colour from everyone he meets , or change histem- F 2
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