Chap. 42. In Expofition upon the Book of o B. Verf. 6. there ; did we underhand how deceitful and falte our hearts are, both towards God, our felves, and towards one another, we fhould abhor our felves exceedingly. There are two things which we fhould ffudy, that we may walk humbly, Firfi, To knowGod ; Secondly, To know our felves. AHea- then laid that word (know thy fedf) camedown fromhaven ; and did we once know our felvesaright, what frail, and blind, and fin- ful creatures we are, how humble and heavenly fhould we be ! rightly to know thatwe are creatures would caufe us to live more like new creatures. Davidf cing forne men do things fo unlike men (Pfad. g. 2o.) prayed thus, Tut them in fear, O Lord, that the Nation; may know themfelves to be but men. There are fuch in the world as know not themfelves to be but men ; they behave themfelves as if they were gods, and not men, as if they were all-fufficient,or as if all their fufficiencyproceeded of themfelves, and they the founders of their own greatnefs and power. The Affyrian faid in plain terms, Iwill be like unto the mofi high, (Ifa. 14. a4,) I do not reckon my felf3 amongft mortals. There are many, who never attained that Afyrian Princes height, who yet have much of his fpirit, and fpeak as if they knew chernfelvesto be more than men, at leaft, asif they knew not themfelves to bebut men, nor confidered themfelvesas frail, dying, and accountable creatures. Did we remember that we are but creatures,thac we are the work of Gods hand, this would keepus low and humble ; but did we knowwhat finful polluted creatures we are, we fhould foon come, not only to a lower efli- mate, but an utter abhorrence of our felves. We over-think oar [elves, becau(e we donot know our felyft ; we overrate our felves, becaufe we do not underhand our felves. Even fob was too high in his own thoughts, in his own books, till he came to know and underhand, that hehad uttered things that he knewnot, that he underftood not, Wherefore, Iabhor my felf, and repent in doff and afhes. Obferve, Thirdly; True repentance is joyned with Pelf- abhorrence, andwith an abhorrenceof all that do, of all that we are. True repentance is joyned with an abhorrence, Firft, Of finful felf, or of our felves for fin. The Prophet fpeakingof their repentance, who had gone a whoring from trod O ooo o z faith 8
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