300 Chap. 9. An Expofition upon the Bookof JOB. Verf. 21 Though I wereperfeft, yet, &c, There is a contention among interpreters, towhich part of the Chapter this 21. verfe belongs, whether to that which went be- fore,or to that which follows after. I dull open it firft,as the fenfe of it may be connefed with the matter precceding. vale 21. Though I wereperfe yet would I not know myownfoul I would defpiJemy li Though I wereperfect. Obferve the gradation. He had laid before, III plead with God, and juftifie my fell, I ¡hall be condemned and proved per- verfe.But put my cafe at the beft,that I juftifying my felf,theLord thould accept my j unification, and fhould concur withmy vote, that Tam perfea,yet I could take no joy in this:Ifthe Lord fhould condefcend to know me under that notion,I would not adventure to knowmy own foul under the notion of my perfefioils. The thing is an abhorring to me, /wouldnot knowmy foul. Why not ?There are two fenfesgiven .: fii(,thus,IfI wereper- feel, that is, ifupon debate and pleading with. God I lttould come offperfeEt in my own judgement, certainly then I did not know my own fout,That's one fenfe,and fo it falls in well with the for- mer words , IfI fliouldjuffif[e my Pelf, my mouth wouldprove me perverte. And fo the point that I (hall note from it, is, `7óat ignorance ofourfelves is the caufe ofproudand high thoughts ofOur felves. He that knows himfelf,muft know himfelf to be imperfef:},fee- ing our greaten perfeifion in this life,is,to know our own imper- fec`ions. when we fee any (landing upon their own bottoms,and crying up therr,felves, poor fouls, how are they benighted ! How little do they knowof their own hearts or lives! How little do they know of God ! they are in darknefs, therefore they fee not their own (pots. If a man , whole face is foul or deformed thould boatt of his beauty, would you not fay, this man knows not his own face ? Or furely,hebath not looked in a glafs.to days May wenot much rather fay to him who juftifies hímfelf, and faith he is perfef ? Sure younever faw your face in the glaf's, in that pure Chryi{al glafs of the Word. He that is in Gofpel-light fees
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