Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37 v12

Chap. 4o. An Expefatson upon theBook of J e s. Verf. 2. 509. in our (elves. Many are quick- fighted at finding faults in others, but very blind as to finding out their own. i may adele, it is both a great duty, and a lgn of much grace, meekly to take and re- ceive a reproof from others. Now, as it is our duty to take a re- proof from others, when we have failed, and to fee our own faults and reprove our felves for them; as alfo wifely to reprove others for the faults we fee in them, fo it is our fin, danger and peril,to reprove God,in whom there is no fault, nor canbe. And if any fay, we never had a thought of reproving God, know, if you find fault with the works of God, you rep:ove God , to find fault with what God bath done to you, or your rely ions, is to Nernoino ce reprove God, and this you mull anfwer, or anfwer fo: it. Will raáúdetrCB- a Mailer in any . Art, endure that an ignorant pe:fon fhould find hendercf:- fault with his work ? how then will the Lord take it, if men fhall bn,m9 &,Q;,det come into his great,fhop, the world, and find fault with this and bs ,o to Floc that, and the other work of his ? There is no temptation that hendere pro- Satan our great enemy dothmore followus with, than this, even Au ufi. is, tomake us find fault with the works of God. There are thefe pftf rqs. two things aboutwhich Satan labours much ; Ertl, tokeep us from finding out the faults of our own works, which are almoR nothing elfe but faults. Satan would perfwade us that we have done all well, when wehave done that which is altogether evil, or (lark naught for the matter of it ; and how doth he hinder us from teeing our faults, in the manner of our doing good works l he would not Puffer us to have the lea(l fufpicion that we may have done evilly, while we have been doing good. Secondly , Satans great bufinefs is to put us upon finding faults (where none are) in Godsworks. Almon all themurmurings ofsthe Eons of men, arife from this tnifcorceit in man, that there is fomewhat amifs in the works of God towards them; or that he bath not dealtwell and wifely with them. This falfe and blafphemous principle Satan would plant and water in thehearts of all men, as he did (to the overthrow of mankind) in the heart of the firll man : This this is his work; and he bath got a great vidlory over that foul, who either fees not the faults of his own works, or finds fault with the works of God. rurther,thefe words,Let'bim anfwer it,may imply theLords gen- tlenefsand mildnefs in (peaking to fob. The Lord doth not thun- sler againfl hire; but faith, come let me lie what you-can anfwl

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