374 Chap. 23 o AnExpofition upon the Bookof J O B. Verf i o. A-d feeingGod knows all the wayes which man takes ; let no man goe about to hide his wayes fromGod ; 'Tis vaine to hide any thing from him, who fees all that is hidden, He that comes before a Judge that knowes what he bath done, and is able to prove it, why ibould he deny is ? The heart ofa naturali man is not morebufied about any thing then in making veils for his fin; the firft thing that man did after he had fin'd was,to make fuch a veile. Asgall men have finned after the fimilitude ofAdam, trang greffion,fo they cover their tranfgreffions according to the fimi. litude ofhis covering. TheHoly Ghoft (Pfal. 32. i. ) calleth them bleffedwhsfe fan, are covered, but it is with a covering of Gods providing, not of their owne woe to thofe whole finnes are hidby a covering of their own providing ; God bath given us his Son our Lord Jefus Chrift in his righteoufneffe, for our co- vering ; while our fins are fo covered blefffd are we,but if we co- ver them with a coveringofour owne, Godwill lay them open for ever toour fltame Wo ro the rebellious children, faith the Lord, (Ifa. 30. 1.) that take counfell but not of me,andthat cover with a covering, but not of my Spirit, that they may adde finunto fin . if we cover our fins with any thing but the righteoutnefsofChtift, we cover them with a fin, not onlybecaufe all our righteoufnefs (which is the belt thing ofour owne that we have tocover them with) is finfull, but hecaufe the very a&ofcovering them fo is a fin ; and therefore in fo doing, what doe we but aside fin:Intofin; And ifto cover our fins with our owne righteoufneffe be a fin, how doewe heape fin upon fin while we cover it (as many en. deavour todoe) with our denyalls, diffemblings and excufes ? Secondly, Confider with what Confidence lob fpeskes; he had difcourfed ofhis fruitles labourand travels in the ufe ofall means to finde God; well ( faith he) yet it is a Comfort that God knowes my wayes, though I cannot finde out his. Hence Note. It ra the Toyoftheupright that godknew, themand their wait,, yea tke wayes that are in them. Thus 7eremy (Chap. i Z. 3.) having complained of the pro- fperity ofevill men before the Lord, concludes. But thou 0Lord knoweft me, thou haft fees mee and tryed myheart toward thee; this was the Prophets joy, and fo it was the Apoftlee, whenhe faid;
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=