466 Chap. 13..ßn Expofitionupon theBook of JoB. Verf. 16. I anfwer, Wemaybe faid toilofe a thing three wales. r. As having had and poffeffed it before; thus hypocrites donot lofe the pretence of God. 2. We may be Paid to lofe that which bath been offered and tendered to our enjoyment: and 3. That which we have hoped to enjoy : In thefe two later fences, hÿ- pocrites lofe the pretence of God, together with all the blefièd concomitants of it. For falvatinnbath beenoffered unto them, and they have profeffed, yea, poilibly, they have had ftrong hopes that they íhould be faved. Whence,elfe is that challenge of admittance (Matth.7.22.) Many Jhallfay unto me in that- day, Lord , Lord , have we not prophefyed in thy name, &c. towhom Chrifl will profefs, 1never knew you, depart frommeye workers of sntgaotty. Again, Anhypocritefhall not come beforehim; Then, who ¡hall come before bim ? Take the anfwer to this queftion, from the mouth of Chrift himfelf.( Mattb. 513.) Bleffed are thepure in heart, for they(hallfie God. And the Apolile's negative, without holinefs noman fhallfee theLord, may berefolved into this affir- mative, Holy ones ¡hall fee the Lord, the holy one; they fee God here in aglafs darkly, and they íhall fee him face to face clearly inheaven. The reafon why we fee fo littleof God'in she glafs of Ordinances andpromifes, is becaufe there is fo much unhol nefs in our hearts :Thehypocrite cannot fee him at all; and the fincere cannot fee much of him, becaufe remaining corruption Rands between God and them hindriug their fight. When we íhall fee God as he is, we íhall be likehim ; and as we grow now to a clearer fight ofhim, we íhall alto grow into a fuller likenefs with him. Laftly , For as much asan hypocrite ¡hall no come beforehim, We learn, That there is no coming before God without Urifl. The reafon why an hypocrite (hall not come before God, is becaufe he cannot bringCIOwith him, he comes in his own name, and therefore receives nothing from God but frowns or a command to depart and be gone. Through Chriff we have accefs with boldnefs to the throne ofgrace, and we may fpeak to Godas to a friend : but they who cote boldly before God. without Chrift,. come ,prefumptuoufly, not believingly ; and (hall find, thatfool=bardinefs, not faith, bath acted them up to filch a confidence. For as no man can comç untoChroil, except the Father
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=