Chap. 36. an E. rpo f i tïan Kpon the Boe,f;, of J o.B. serf. 2 a. 343 teach, to take men off from their own Will and Reafon, from their own Rules, as allo from thole Cufiót ies which they have received by tradition from theirfathers. If you would appear as taught of God,youmuff lay down all thefe.The teachings ofgrace empty the foul of what it hath taken up by Nature. Secondly, the teachings of God empty the foul of all felf-righteoufnefs. If ye be taught of God ye will be nothing in your felves. Pan!, before the teachings of God came , hid confidence in the flefh, and boafied in his own righteoufnefs; but when he was taught of God, he threw of all thole. Thirdly, Ifye are taught of God, that will certainly unteach andempty youof all unrighteoufnefs. The Apoffle fpeakes fully to that(ephef 4. 20, 21 .) re have not fo learned Cbri/î, iffo be that ye have been taught as the truth is in Jefus.Ifye have been divinely taught, then this teaching hath emptyed youof the old man ; as of all felf- righreoufnefs fo of all tlnrtghteoufnefs towards others.It is impoffìble any fhould take in the teachings of God, andyet hold any finfull praóifns. Secondly,divine teachings,as they empty and unteach the foul, fo they keep it very humble. Knpwledg endangers us naturally tohigh thoughts of our felves, and bath a tendency in it to pride (t Car. 8. i.) Knowledge prffeth up, but charity edifieth. Take knowledge barely as received of men, even the knowledge of divine things ( for ye may have a humane knowledge of divine things ) this ufually makes the heart fwell; but the kno ,ledge we have from the teachings of God, makes us humble, it will caufe us tocry out (as the Prophet did, when the Lord appeared and let out a more than ordinary manifef}ationof his glory, 6. 5. ) weare undone. It was fo with fob, when the Lord had fchooled him, and made himlelf more fully known to him than ever before , he prefently criedout (Chap.4t. 5.) Ihave heard of thee by the hearingof the ear, but nowwine eyefetch thee; where- fore I abhor ruyfelf in dui and afhies. Nothing keeps the foul fo humble as the teachingsof God. Where we fee any proud of what they have learned, it is an argument that either they were never taught ofGod, or, thatas yet they have not underfIood his teachings. Thi dly, The teachingsofGod donot onlyempty and humble the foul, but they transform the foul, and change it into another thing than kwas, as to its fiate and qualitiest The teachings of G.o
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