t 8 Chap._3 3. An Expofation upon the Boçk, of J o B. Verf. p7.. Pride is a fin whichGod proCecuçes both night and day ; if fpeaking by day doth not mortifie ir, fpeaking in the night by dreams 1h,ll. Nebuchadnezzar was full ofpride, andGod hum- bledhim by a dream, and brought downe the haughtinelleof his heart by a vifion of thenight. This great Monarch of the world was fo full ofpride that heboafted it our ( Dan:, 4. 3o. ) Is not this great Babylon that Ihave built for the hottfe of the kingdome, andby the might ofmy power, and for the honour of my Mayfly. Nowwhile he fpake thus walking in the Palace of the kingdome of Babylon, there fell avoycefrom heaven, flaying, OKing Nebu- nhadnezzarf to thee it is fpoken, 76íe kingdome is departed from thee, &c. And they fhall drive thee from among men , And thy dwelling (who haft thought thy felfe more then man)(hall be with the beafls of thefield. The efFe6t of this voyce Nebuchadnezzar had in a dreame, as appeares by Daniels interpretation of it in the former part of the Chapter. God (hewedhim in that dreame what his condition fhould be, andhe executed it uponhim to the full, topull downe his pride ; That, he at fait might know that themoll High ruled) the Kingdomes of men , andgiveth. them' to whomfoever he will. Whereas then he thought that he alone ruled the world, and could give kingdomes to whom he would. How wonderfully did God oppofe the pride of Pals fpirir, he could not favour pride, nonot in that eminent Apofile, Leib through the abundance of revelations he 'hold be exalted above me-afore, there was givenhim a thorne in the flefh, the mffenger of Satan to buffet him, (2 Cor:t 2.7.) that is, God ufed extraordinary means tohumble him. As here God is Paid to humble by vi ions,fo there Paul being endanger'd to pride by receivingvifions, God found a frrange way to humble him, evenby the buffetings of the mef- fenger of Satan, who is the Prince ofpride, and as (God (peak- eth of the Leviathan at the 4.1c1 Chapter of this booke, v. 34 ) a_ksrg over all the childreno fpride, God doth fo much refill pride, that he cannot but refiff theproud ( fames 4.6.) and fcorne the fcorners, (Pro: 3. 34. ) yea he bath told us ofa day (Ifa: 2.55 .) wherein the lofty looker ofmanfhallbe humbled,and thehaughtinefs ofmenfhall bebowed downer and the Lord alone(hall be exalted in that day. There are foure fpeciall pride-fubduing ConGderations. Firfl They who are proud of what they have, are like tohave no
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