354 Chap. 23 . An Expofstion up n the Book-of JO E. Verf. 7. 78 ) I regard iniquity in my heart, Cod will not bear n:e , God will not regard his prayers,thcrefore not hisdifputes,who regards iniquity but to the righteous and to fuch as repent of and turn from their unrighteciulàeffe, the Lord faith,('r.rne Irt ue reafon to- gether, let us.dtfpote the poynt ; Tb ugh your Ji inrs be at scarlet, theyfhall bear white ae face, thugh they be r t l: {e cri,, `ó,,, they fhall be at woo /.Where take notice, by the way, that While God faith,yorr fins which w re at fearlet fball beas ;hits Írr.w,we arc not to thinks that fin (hail ever change colour, or be other then it is in the eyes ofGod : fo thatjourfin fh?llbe ac fn.w, is you finners (hall be fo. It is a very hard thing,and neat to an impoffi- bility.to change the nature of finner, yea or the cuftome of finneracr. 13. 23.) but it is altogether imprfiibie to change the nature andcor.ftitution, yea or the comp!exion and colour of a fin, that lookcs ever red, but the read:(finner may turne white ud fnow. Acd when once the finner is turned white,God is ready' to hear both his prayers, and ditputes. God loves tohcare fuch .prnitentr confef(ìng their finne, unburdening their confcience, pleading the promife..And he loves to hear the righteous hold- ing out andmaintaining the righteoufnef£eof their wayer(againft all the clamours and calumnies ofmen) before him. There the r.ig!rtec wway difpute with him.. Secondly, Note; The righteota are Willing and haveprivilege to difpute or ar- gue their caafe withGcd. The righteous have cceffe to God, and boldneffewith him in the blood ofChrifl ; So that they dare not only, faro, tell him of their own wants, or fecondly,of their wrorgs fromothers, or 31y, of their integrity, and the uprip,htneffeoftheir hearts with him,. and that he knows it is fo,bur fourthiy(which argues the greate(t height of holy bo!dteffe) they dare tell himof all the fins which they bavecommitted againft him,and difpute with him for mercy as their right upon the account of his own pre mite and covenant made with Chriff in their behalfe,while refpeCting and refle hng- upon themfelves theycan juftifie God in condemning. them for ever under wrath. Here is the right Gofpe!-Logicke ; Thefe are the holy fubtleties which the Spirit teacheth ; Thefe are noneof- the difputersof rho world wbúfe trifdotne (as the Apofile faith, z. Cor. r.,.
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