Chap.' 5. fln Expofitzon upon the Boókof J OB. Verf.8: it. Thus to impofe upon men, is to let our felves in the placeof the God of. Heaven ; yea, to arrogate to our (elves that we areGodsonearth. So the Apoflle hath charaeteriz'd that man-of fi i'('a Thefí:a 4.) He oppofeth`andexalteth himfetf above all that is called God, or that is zvorfhipped, that is, above all Civil powers or Magifiracy) Sothat he as Godfitteth in the Temple ofGod, fhereing hirmfelfthat he is God. And as he out of all meafure wickedly, fo many others in a very great meafur have fhewed rhemfelves`as God, while they have taken upon them (as we (peak proverbially) To give the Law , yea , to give the GofE;él to other mens Confciences, or to bind up all mens tongues and judgements unto the rule of their appre- henfions. When the Apof le had called God to record,that he always purpofed to be bold and plain with the Corinthians, he prefently íubjoyns this'correerive (2 Core r. 24 ) Not that we have Dominion over your Faith, but are helpers ofyour joy As if he had laid, Do not think that I take upon nee as a Lord over your confciences, to charge any command or obferva- tions of my own upon them : No, I am but as a fervant of God to inftrud you in his counfels, and to comfort you with his promifes, The Grecians,who were menof great knowledge and learn- ing, a very witty and Philofophical people, called all other Nations Barbarians : Such pride appears among Tome (in name) 'Chriflians , they fpeak and a fk as if all knowledge and truth were centred in them, or as if all were in the dark who fee not by their light. Knowledge is apt to puff up; how are they puffed up, who think they know all ? though indeed they who think they know any thing, know nothing as they ought to know, r Cor. 8.2. God reveals that to Babes and. Sucklings, which he hides from loch wife and prudent ones, who reifrain all wifdom to themfelves, God in judgement re- trains wifdom from them, who in pride reftrain it to themfelves ; and as God takes all wifdom from them, who in another'fenfe reffrain wifdoin to themfelves, that is, who will not life it becaufe theyhave but one talent ofit, or but a Iittle ; -fo he will give them no wifdom at all , who think they are poffeffors, or Lord Treafurersof all the talents of it,as if all wifdom were laid up in them. The Babes and Suck- lings, fuch as axe low, humble, and meek, are the ob'etts of this,
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