: After the ſtating the Equity of God's Ways in his dealings with Parents and Children, and his Mercy in dealing with Sinners that return, according to his own Promiſe, he proceeds to vindicate the Equiry of his Ways in another caſe. « Or zf ; ſhould it fo happen at any time. x One who really had obſerv'd the Commands of the Law, not done the abominations the Wicked do, but done the Good which the righteous doth, and in the ſight of man appears as righ- teous and as good as any one ; whoſe Apoſtacy is firſt full Proof of his Unſoundneſs and Hyprocriſy. y Changeth his courſe into ſinful PraCtices, like the wicked. z There is a Righteouſneſs which is of God, and there is a Righteouſneſs which is a Man's own,fuch as does ariſe from a Man's own Reaſon and Will, improved by common Grace, ar Education, or awed by Fears, or ſway'd by Intereſt, or maintain'd by ſome failing Spring which may eaſily dry up ; theſe righteous ones eaſily fall away, and of ſuch the Prophet ſpeaks. a Makes Sin his Work and Buſineſs, John 8. 34. 1 John 3.8, 9. b Forgets all better Rules, derides his own former Preciſneſs, and ſhakes off all Re. Nraints, that he may run to the exceſs of Sin. c Recounted wer, 10, IT, 12, 13- d See ver. 21. e Do you think I will be partial asto acquit him from real Wickedneſs committed with his whole Heart, from his laſt Works which are abominable ? Do you think his firſt heatleſs, partial, temporary Righteouſneſs will counter-ballance his laſt and final Apoſtacy ? I tell you nay, but he ſhall die in it. f Tho he could produce his own Righteouſneſs ( as Heb. ) and theſe multi- plied to many. all, and that they were really done ; yer theſe ſhould not avail be fore a juſt judg, who by a Law that requires Man ſhould ever be and do what he was and did at beſt, is to determine his Re. wards or Puniſhments, according to what the Man is at laſt, not ac. cording to what he was or ſeemed to be at firſt. s The Parable tells us, Mat. 25. *44. 45. ſome will plead that they did what they had op- portunity of doing ; and others, Mar. 7. 22. will mention what they have done : but,tho they may mention theſe, the juſt Judg will nor, nor the Law by which they are to be judged, will not allow it for a good and ſufficient Plea : See the Phraſe, ver. 22. hþ This Expreſſion ſhews that this Man's Heart was on his Sin : In his Trangreſſion he trangrefſed with tull bent of Mind, with Delight and Conſent he did what he did, and could not ſay, 7 do what I would not; or, ſo then "tis 20 more 1 that do it, but Sin that dwelleth in me : as Rom. 7. 17, Leſtany ſtumble at Sight of Infirmities in all, or needleſly diſquier themſelves with Fears of Wrath at laſt, becauſe they cannor be finleſs, yet they do not fall under the CharaGter of ſuch as here are threatned. 7 In theſe great, wilful, continued, and multiplied Sins. & Every ſuch ob- durate and final Apoſtate ſhall be condemned and puniſhed temporally and eternally ; and therefore look to it ye wicked Jews, and conſider
ye ſinful Chriſtians. Ch.33, 25 © !Yet ye * ſay, The 2 way of the» LORD is not o 17, 22 equal. p Hear now, O q houſe of lfrael,Is r not my way
equal ? are not your s ways unequal ? ;
I You perſiſt in your hard, unjuſt, and ungodly Sentiments of an Inequality in my ways, and are not afraid to ſpeak as much, » *T'weretoo much for Sinners to charge God with Inequality in a ſingle A&,but here are fome dare cenſure the Way, the whole Management of Affairs. n Strange Frowardneſs, own him for Lord,yet condemn his Government; grant his Sovereign Authority, and yet arraign the Exerciſe of it. o Not right, teddy, or conſiſtent with his own De- claration and Law ; ſo the word Heb. This prodigiouſly wicked Afler- tion they build upon a moſt groſs Ignorance, and intolerably proud Conceit of their own Righteouſneſs ; We, ſay they, are righteous, not wicked, yet puniſh'd : Unheard of Pride, to condemn God, with whom is no Iniquity, and acquit themſelves, in whom is all Iniquity! p Canſider what I have propos'd to clear my Juſtice, hear me and my | Defence e're you condemn me, weigh well my Defence. 9 Both you that are in Jeruſalem, and you allo that are in Babylon at Tel-abib. + Do you ſpeak what you think ? Does your Judgment thus conclude, when you know or might know, that this is the Genera] RuleI pro- ceed by ; the Righteouſneſs of the Righteous is upon him,and the Wic- kedneſs of the Wicked is upon him ? Can there be Inequality here ? s Which you chooſe, keep, plead for, and obſtinately hold to ; theſe are the crooked, unſteddy, and unjuſt Ways : for the Queſtion 1s to be
*Ch. 3.20. and 32. $2, 33.
26 t When a righteous #4 turneth away from hi: righteouſnels, and committeth iniquity, and dieth bi them ; for his iniquity that he hath done, ſhall he die.
t See ver. 24. where the whole of this Verſe is explained.
27 « Again, when the wicked 7a» turneth aw; from his wickedneſs that he hath committed, and doth, co which is lawful and right, he ſhall fave his ſoy alive. ; u See ver. 21, 22. Where this Verſe is interpreted. 25 x Becauſe he y conlidereth, and & turneth away from all his crangreflions that he hath committed, he « ſhall {ure] live, he ſhall nor die. d x God's Promiſe 1s to pardon, ſpare, and V ; ſuch therefore ſhall not "%y See ny I4. agg Ao hetar wk ver. 28. let. g. a Secure ſelf-juſtifying Sinners miſapprehend the Juſtice of God, as we have heard; and repenting Sinners are Apt to miſtruſt the Mercy of God, and therefore 'cis doubly aſſured in this Promiſe. 29 b Yet faith the houſe of Iſfael, The way of the LORD is not equal. O houſe of Iſrael, are not my ways equal ? are not your ways unequal ? |
6 This is the third or fourth Appeal to the very Conſciences of Iſrael, on whoſe fide the Injuſtice lieth. The words are already un. folded, wer. 25. and the Juſtice of God, and the wickedneſs of ſich Quarrellers declared. ' 30 c Therefore T will 4judg you, O e houſe of Ifae!
every one according to g his ways, faith the Lord IK GOD: h repent, and #7 turn * || your ſelves from alli: your trangreffions ; ſo & iniquity ſhall not be your |:
Tune.