Chap. 13. .fln Expofation upon the Book of Jos. Verf. 23. sox prayd : &c.'. but he fpake not a word, either of confeilìng his known tins , or begging a fight of what he did not know. Soiorimperceived thatthis fpirit of Pelf-flattery potffeffed many in his time (Prow. 20,6.) doff men will proclaim every one his owngoodnsfs, but afaithful manwho canfind? Hypocrites labour: much ro ew others their goodnefs : 7-he f ncere labour, more tofee their ownvileneff. A godlymar, finds delightonly in the know ledge o his graces, but he finds profit in the knowledge of his corruptions. We are pleafed only with the fight offriends,or of wife andchildren inour bodes, but ifa thief be got in, we thank him that (hews us who and where he is. There are two things which argue a gracious frame of fpirit : Fir!}, when we delire to know how frail we are; fecondly, when we delire to know how finfull we are.A natural man loves not to takenotice either of the infirmities of his body, or of the prefumptionsofhis foul : And though fomewicked men will fay, from a fpirit of impudence,. theycare not who knows their iniquities, tranfgretfions and fins, yet nowicked man ever did or can fay, froma fpirit of repen- tance, Lord, make me to knowmine inrquities,tny tranfgreflions andmy fins. A carnal heart is morewilling that others fhould knowhis fins, thenhe is ( under this notionof knowledge) to know them himfelf ; he knows them in the hiftory or matter of taa, with a.kind of delight, it fometi'mepleafes him to remem- ber theevil ;which he bath done but he cannot abide to know them in their nature, it never pleafes him to repent of the evilJ. Whichhe bath done. Secondly, Obferve, whileIi Chrift is known to usewe need not be afraid tohave our fins known to us. To know fin, andnot to know Chrift is fad. One fin feen without a tight ofChrift fwallows up the foul:buta fight ofChrift fwallows up all our fins. None can be truly willing that God fhould íhew them their fins,but they tovvhomGod bath chewed a Savour. Job had faid, He (hallbe myfalvaiion, before he Paid, fhewmemytranfgrefsion. When vvehave leen heaps upon heaps of mercy in God,vve cannot defpair(though weought to grieve) waenwe fee heaps upon heap; of tin in our felves. Heaps of mercy raft down o, cover heaps offin. All our mountains o. fin become mole-hits, yea, plains before this Zerubb.ábel.' Again, It is remarkable, that Job having asked the quettion, ,Hato
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