Chap.:}. An Expofition upon the Book of J.0 B. Vert. t.y. r r a not only a %oL e other men, but even beforeGod himfelf. A Princid ple of "pride dwells in our hearts by nature, which at forne times, . and in Come cafesbrccds better thoughts in us of our felves, then of God himfc!f.And it Is'this height of fpirít,which this heavenly vilion here would level to the ground. We know it was the fiat lin of man, that man dented to be like God, Gen. 3. The fiat temptation was baited with a parity to ti.ie Divine powers, Te ¡hall be as Gods knowinggood andevil. This alto was the language of Lucifers heart ; Thou haft faidin thyheart, Iwill afcend into. heaven, I will exalt my throne above the Stars of God, I will afcend above the heights of the Clouds, I will be like the molt High, Ifa. 4. 13, 14. And the praEkife of the man offin, is thus prophefed, .7bat be"hall exalt himfelf, above all that is called God, 2 Theft 2. 2. But the heart of man is yet more mad, and hath out- grown thofe finful principles. For in troubles and temptations, when things go not according to his mind, he fometirnes hath thoughts not only that he is likeGod:but that he is more juft then God,and if he had the ordering of`things,he would order them better then God : he fometime thinks himfelfjufter then God, and ifhe had the punifhing of offenders, juftice thould proceed more freely and impartially then it doth : which is upon the matter, not only to exalt himfelf(as the man of fin Both) above Nuncupative Gods, or all that is calledGod,but to exalt himfelfabove him who is God: by nature,above the onely one-molt God. Even to fpeak in this Dia, led of higheft blafphemy, that he is more juft then God,marepure then his Maker. Secondly, take thisconclufion, That it is a matt highhprefump tion', not onlyfor low weakman, but for thebelt, the bigheft ofmen, to, compare themfelves withGod, or to bave any thoughts concerniughis wayes, as if they could mend them. WhenGod calls us toamend our wayes, for us toprefume we couldamend Gods wayes, is the very top branch,the higheft towcr,yea,the mofi towring Pinnacle ofprefumption.We fay amongft men,that comparifons areodiou i.\ but thisis the moft odious comparifon ofall,for a man to compare himfelf with God, his thoughts with Gods thougbt,r,what hekath dóne or would do, with what GodBoth. If youconfider the terms of oppofition that are in the Text, thisconclufion will be more clear unto you. Confider how Enofh, . weak mortal man isoppofite to Elohab, the mighty, the firong God ; it is prefumption for a weakman to comparewith a thong man ;..
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=