Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37 v3

Chap. 9> ,fin Expofitionupon the Book of J '.0 B. Vert. 32. 377 nity of.God, obfcure the lufire and darken the beauty of all crea- tures? Is the shining ofthe Starsany thing,when the Sun appears? Much lets is the holinefs,firength,and goodnefsofman any thing, when the goodnefs, holinefs and firengthof. God fiand forth or appear : we muff fay we are nothing, when we. fee what God is. The fight of him, in whom nothingof our imperfe6ions can be found, cannot but humble us in the fight of all our perfusions. Hence, when the Lord would abafe man, and extoll himfelf, he removes äl1 ofman from himfelf ( Sam. 25. 29. ) God it not a man that he Jhould repent ; Men are full of repentings, and that i they are fo, thews them tobe men. There is a repentance which is a grace of God, and there is a repentance which is an infirmity inman. By the former, men turn to God from that tin, in which they were, or have done. By the latter, men turn both from God and man in what they promife or purpofe, either to be or do. They are this day of one mind, and to morrowof another; to day.they love, and to morrow they hate;., now they will, and a- non they will not. They are in and out, no man knows where to find them ; but God is ever the fame,he changesnot. Elihu fends a challenge to all Teachers, in the Name ofGod,Who teacheth like him ? (Chap. 36; 22.) God himfelf challengethJob in his own name ( Chap. 4o. 9. ): Haft thou an arm like God? Or canfí thou thunder with a voice like him ? To Whom will you linen me ( faith God, whenhe would bring down the pride of thecreature) To whomwillyou liken me,andmake me equal., and compare me,that we may be like? (Ifa. 46. 5. ) .Why do ye exalt your felves ? Why haveye fuch high thoughts of your felves ? Canye find out any tocompare with me ? Or can ye make aparallel ofme among all my creatures ? All the unevennefs of man towards God, arifes from prefum.. ptuous thoughts of his evennefs with God. Take a talk in two or three particulars. Fiat, Mangrows intoa boldnefs ofTinning againfi God r be- caufe he thinks God isbut fo holyas man is , he conceits that which futes his fpirit,fiftes GodsSpirit alfo : This caufeth him to do many things moft unfutable to the Spirit of God (Pfal.5o. i8.) When thou fawefi a thief, then thou confenteft with him, and thou baji beenpartaker withthe adulterer7: thougiveft thy mouth to evil, andthy tongueframethdeceit, &c,- theft things haft thoudone, Andwhat encouraged or hardned.him to do thefe things ? The Ccc vests

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