352 Chap. 23. As expoftion upon the Toofcof J OB. Vert. I. fpeak, andanfwer thou me. Thofe Texts already opened are ofthe fame general! fcope and tendency with this underhand ; There (that is, All things beingput into fuck a pofture) the righteous might difpute withhim. Some read the text in the firft perfon; There,l,being righteous, might difpute with him. Others, thus, l lhould befoundrighteous ifI diddifpute with bim ; A s if he had Paid ; I make no doubt of provingmy [elfe righteous or innocent in this controverfie with my friends ; There I Jhoseld not befounda falfe heartedhypocrite, God who IZnowes both my thoughts andmy wayes, would judge ctherwife ofme, then menhave done. We trade the text indefinitely, not reftraining it to his perfon, but as taking inany that are righteous; The righteous, that is,any righteous man might difpute with him there; his Court,his tribunal is free, and open for all thatare upright or righteous. In what feefe the word righreous is ufed in this Booke bath been opened more then once. In a word, the righteous man is not he that is legally righteous, but righteous in a redeemer,or righteous as op poled to an hypocrite.In both thefe fenfes,we may take the word here ; The righteous may difpute with him. t11 i of a- The word is properly applyed tofcholaficke exercifes; where pudatix;n ita queflions being put, a,gumenrs are brought by the opponent, a>gu;nenrari «t which the refpondent rakesaway, and the Moderator ftates be- perm re/pouf tween them both.This is the natureand manner ofa flricî difpute, neon «a val - f guider- But ina large orvulgar fence, every difcourfing and reafoning rave-is redar- about a doubtful! poynt is called difputing. There the righteous g«arir< ;Merc maydifpute with him. Hence note. God is free, and ready to Tare, the pleadings, and rcafonings of thofe wbo are upright and righteous. As the prayer of the upright is the delight of God, fu their mo. deft' an r1 humble difputings arenot-difpleafing to him. A righte- ous man may plead withGod freely, but he muff not plead with God proudly, either crying up and boafling in his owne righte- oufneffe, or laying the leaft imputation of unrighreoufneffe upon the wayes of God in dealing with him. The righteous difpute withGod, yet they know-and keep their diflance, and while they do fo,God is willing they fhould, and welcomes themwhen they doe i
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