ON HOSEA XIV.- VERSES 3, 4. 129 making itself the first cause and the last end of its own motions ; is by divines conceived to have been the first sin by which the creature fell from God ; and it was the first temptation by which Satan prevailed to draw man from God too. For since, next unto God, every reasonable created being is nearest unto itself, we cannot conceive how it should turn from God, and not in the next step turn unto itself, and by consequence, whatsoever it was in a regular depend- ence to have derived from God, being fallen from him, it doth by an irregular dependence seek for from itself. Hence it is that men of power are apt to deify their own strength, and to frame opinions of absolute- ness to themselves, and to deride the thoughts of any power above them ; as Pharaoh, Exod. v. 2. and Go- liath, 1 Sam. xvii. 8. 10. 44. and Nebuchadnezzar, Dan. iii. 15. and Sennacherib, 2 Kings xviii. 33 -35. Isa. x. 8-11. 13, 14. And men of wisdom to defy their own reason, and to deride anything that is above or against their own conceptions ; as Tyrus, Ezek. xxviii. 2. 6. and the pharisees, Luke xvi. 14. John vii. 48, 49. 52. Acts iv. 11. Isa. xlix. 7. liii. 3. and the philosophers, Acts xvii. 18. 32. 1 Cor. i. 22, 23. And men of morality and virtue to deify their own righteousness, to rely on their own merits and per- formances, and to deride righteousness imputed and precarious ;* as the Jews, Rom. x. 5. and Paul before his conversion, Rom. vii. 9. Phil. iii. 6. 9. so natural is it for a sinful creature, who seeketh only himself, and maketh himself the last end, to seek only unto himself, and to make himself the first cause and mover towards that end. But because God will not give his glory to another, nor suffer any creature to encroach upon his prerogative, * Dependent.
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