Chap.40. efln Exporition upon the Book of Jots. Verf.4. Hence, Obferve ; The dealings of Gad with man aime mflly at this great mark, to.humbichim, and to make him fee his ownvilenefs. We quickly fee, or are quick- lighted to fee and cake notice of any good in us, or done byus, to make us proud infcead of thank- ful ; but we are dull of fight to fee or take notice of that in us, or done by us, which may humble and lay us low And therefore we put God to it to (hew us our vilenefs, by fevere andrum- blingdifpenfations. There are two great things. which God would bring man to. Firft,. To make him know how vile he is Secondly, To make him know how excellent, howglorious him- fell is. The Lord never left battering fob by affi Lions, and following him with queflions, till he brought him to both ihefe points ; Behold ! am vile (faith he in this place ) I know thou canfl do every thing, and that no thought can be with holden f2om thee,_faid he afterwards (Chap. 42. 2.) in which words he high; ly exalted God, in the glory both ofhis power and wìfdom. As one great purpofeof the Gofpel is to exalt man and lift him up unto a molt glorious condition in and through Chrill ; foanother great purpofe of the Got-pet, is to lay man low in himfelf, or to take himquite off from his own bottome. The Apoille often infifts upon that, as one grand deign of the Gospel with refpe t to man (I ('or. T. 26. ) re fee your calling brethren , that not many wife men after the flefh, &c.-. are called. He tellsus at the 29th verf why it is fo, Even that no flefh Mould glory in his pretence; But (ver. 3i..) that according ae it is written, he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. All the dealings of God, both in Law and Got-pet, both in his providences and in his ordi- nances, tend to bring manoff from, and out of himfelf ; and till that beeffe&ed, neither ordinances nor providences have their due.effettk upon him. We muff come to Jobs acknowledgmenr,, that we are vile, that we arenothing, and that God is all to us in Chrift, before we are Chriaians indeed. Fourthly, The former difcourfe (heweth, that God was corne very near to yob, he fpake tokimout of the whirl-wind, his appea- rance was verydreadful : Md then Jeb"cryed our, Behold I am áaileg Hence. Sß7
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