584 Chap. 4e. an B.xpojiition uponthe Book of J Verf. 12. great goodnefsof God, or the greatnefs of his goodnefs ap- pears chiefly in this, that he can make all things, even evil things, and thofe not only the evils of trouble, but the evil of fin, work together for our good (Rom. 8. 28:) fo the great evil of mans heart, or the greatnefs of that evil, appears chiefly in this, that it caufeth all things, even good things, and thofenot only the good thingsof this natural life, but the good belonging to, and done in the power of a fpiritual life, towork to our hurt, fometimes fora time, and would to our ruine for ever, did not the Lord overrule ir. Seventhly, the favour which they have withmen, whether they be themighty, the Princes andpowers of the world, or the many, the common people of the world. How art force lifted up, becaufe they are the darlingsof the people, becaufe the multitudeeyes them, points at them, and applauds them ! To be lifted up in any of thefe thins, or in any thing elfe (and what is there, not only of an earthly, but of an heavenly pedigree and extraóion, in which the vain heart of man is not ready to be lifted up unduly, forgetting God from whom all good comes; to be lifted up,I fay,in anyof thefe things) layes manopen to the wrathful refiflance of God, and all fuch Godwill bring down and abate ; therefore let us be empty of our felves, and beware of being found among the proud, yea, of being in any kind or degree proud. It is dangerous to have any pride found inus, but woe to thofe whoare found proud. Thirdly, If the Lord hash fuch an eye to, and upon proud men, and will thus bring them low, Then let us not he afraid of proud men ; why fhould we be afraid of themwho are falling (Prov. a 5. 33.) Thefear of the Lord is the inftruttion of ay; gam , and before honour Le humility. But what faith the fame Solomon (Prov. i-8. 3 2.) Before deftru5tion the heart of man is haughty. As foon asever we fee any man (hewing a proud heart by pride of life, we may quickly conclude the Lord is about topluck him down. One very great reafon why the Lord bath laid many, whowere once asmountains, low as valleys, was thepride of their hearts. When pride buds, the rod bloffometh ; that is, Good is preparing for the correaion, if not for the deflru&ion of proud ones. And as iris fad to fee pride bud at any time, fo then efpecially, when the redhi/or/nth, that is, when God is correctingus with his rods. Fourth-
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