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Self jealousing becomes us better, who have so little to make any good of.

Laftly, Self-righteoufnefs. This is the worst kind of felfiíhnefs, whereby men puffed up with an opinion of their own works, put them in Chrift's room, and look to procure the favour of God by them, If. lviii. 3. This is a fubtil idol, venting itfelf many ways; as, (1.) Reckoning more on the quantity than the quality of duties, Luke xviii. 11. (2.) More on the quality of duties, when they are done vigorously, than on our intereft in the blood of Chrift. (3.) Expecting returns of favour or debt upon the well-doing of our duty. And (4.) Fretting and rifing of the heart against God under difappointments, &c.

4. Whereas humility of heart is required in this command, there is forbidden in it pride of heart, with all the branches of that curfed tree. It is a fetting up of a man's felf inftead of God; a fwelling of the empty heart, that is moft hateful to God, 1 Pet. v. 5.; a fin that deftruction naturally follows. It has many poisonous branches; for it turns itfelf into many fhapes, all here forbidden; as,

1, Counterfeit humility. Pride often goes abroad under the mafk of humility, as a devil transforming into an angel of light. There was as much pride in the disfigured faces of the Pharifees, Matth. vi. 16. as in the proud looks of others; in Diogenes as in Plato, Men had need take heed they deceive not themfelves; for pride of heart may put them upon and make them please themselves in great external humiliations,

2dly, Infenfiblenefs of our own weakness, finfulnefs, and infufficiency, Hab. ii. 4. There is little im preffion of that on our hearts for the moft part; and when at any time it is made, how quickly does it go off? for our hearts are like a ftiff flick, that will quickly lofe the bend. This infenfiblenefs vents itself in, (1.) A woful felf-fufficiency, whereby men are carried off from depending on God, and hanging conti

nually about his hand, Jer. ii. 31. (2.) A miferable fecurity as to fin, efpecially fins of the groffer fort, to which we think we have no need to take heed. But if the pride of our hearts were fallen, we would fall in with the warning, 1 Cor. x. 12. Let him that thinketh be ftandeth, take heed left he fall. (3.) Rigid cenfuring and rejecting of those we judge have finned. What is the cause of that, but the beam of pride and infenfibleness of our own weakness in our own eye? Matth. vii. 1. 2. 3. Therefore the apoftle recommends lenity and meeknefs on this confideration, Gal. vi. I.

3dly, Meddling with things without our fphere, Pfal. cxxxi. 1. 2. thrusting ourselves on duties that are not the duties of our ftation. This proceeds from pride of heart, that waits not for God's call, but invades the province given of God to others. Uzziah fmarted for this; as did alfo Uzzah.

Lastly, Refufing any duty we are called to for the meanness of it. It is pride of heart that reckons any thing unbecoming us that God requires of us; yet in many cafes our honour with us takes place of God's honour; and men not only do not do their duty, but fcorn to do it. God fays, Seek my face, be reconciled to me; but they fcorn to do it. They may honour God by fubmitting to inftruction, the difcipline of Christ's houfe; but they fcorn to do it as unbecoming them, 1 Sam. ii. 30.

5. Whereas refignation to the will of God is our duty required in this commandment, here is forbidden,

ift, All, even the least discontent with our lot, or any thing that God puts in it. If God be our God, he muft chufe our inheritance for us, Pfal. xlvii. 4. It is a fad character to be complainers, viz. of their lot, Jude 16. that blame or are angry at their lot, Gr. A perfon has fomething in his ftate and condition that is not according to his mind and will, a husband a wife of a ditagreeable temper, fomething they want

which they would fain have, fomething they have that they would fain be free of, and they fret themfelves, becaufe what God has made crooked they cannot make ftraight. It is ftraight enough to God's will, though not to thine, Job xxxiv. 33. The confequnce of that discontent is, We will not have this man to reign o ver us. It is people's duty not to quarrel with their lot, and be always fcrewing up their lot to their mind, but to bring their will to their lot, because it is God's will.

2dly, An unfanctified contentment with their lot; and that is, when people carry easily under any hardship in their lot, but not upon the Chriftian principle of refignation to the will of God. There are many other ways to fatisfy a discontented mind; business and company may put it out of their heads, taking that content in one creature comfort which they cannot get in another, fome in a lawful, others in an un lawful way, confulting of their own peace. But in the mean time the confideration of the will of God does not prevail with them to a contented refigna

tion.

3dly, The bearing of any hardship in our lot as juft, but no fatisfaction with it as good, If. xxxix. ult. What he does, is not only well done, but beft done. It reflects difhonour on God, only to think the work of his providence towards us to be tolerable. Surely we come fo far fhort of our duty, as we do not with fatisfaction acquiefce in the hardest piece of our lot, as beft for us.

6. Lastly, Whereas patience is here commanded under croffes, here is forbidden,

ift, All impatience, grudging, murmuring, and quarrelling under the hand of God, Pfal. xxxvii. 7.8. This is a fire kindled by the devil, by ftriking a proud heart against firm providence, firm as mountains of brafs. It is kindled in mens breafts by the heart's rifing against the crofs. It often fends out its hellish fmoke in paffionate expreffions by the mouth, and fcorches

others by the finful deeds it puts them on: for such are as madmen throwing about firebrands, arrows, and death. It makes a man an enemy to himfelf; and flies up against God, accusing him of injuftice, folly, and cruelty.

2dly, Infenfibleness under the hand of God, If. xlii. 25. who ftand unmoved under afflictions, as if they were stocks and ftones, and cry not when he bindeth them. Thus men are feveral ways guilty. (1.) Sometimes they are brutish under afflictions, and will groan in their troubles like fick beafts, but nothing more. (2.) Stupid and indolent, without fenfe of trouble. If they be not the better, they are as little the worfe of it. (3.) A Roman courage and brifkness of fpirit, that will not ftoop under what they meet with. And, (4) Patience perforce; they bear the yoke, because they cannot get it off, and they will not worry in the band.

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Thirdly, There is a profanenefs of the affections, Rom. i. 25. 26. The affections or paffions in themfelves are neither good nor evil; but they should be confecrated to God chiefly, and to their proper objects in God, and then they are good. But being denied to God, or fet on improper objects, they are profaned; and if they be given to their proper objects as much or more than to God, that is idolatry; of which I am to fpeak afterwards.

I then, Whereas it is commanded here to love God, there is forbidden,

ft, All want, yea and weaknefs of love to God. It is a profaneness of heart to be coldrife in love to the moft lovely object, this being efpecially the principal duty of holiness. 2dly, Love to thofe things we should hate. How often is our love miflaid thus? The co:rupt heart faftens on thofe things that are like itself. 3dly, Hatred of God, and enmity against him, Rom.i. 30. This vents itfelf, (1.) In fecret wishes there were no God, Pfal. xiv. 1. (2.) 1 hat he were not fuch a God as he has revealed himielf in his word, not juft, holy, VOL. II.

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c. (3.) In rifings of the heart against his holy law, which is a tranfcript of his nature. 4thly, Hatred of his people that bear his image, for that they are strict and holy in their lives. That is malignancy. Lafly, Hatred of his ordinances, work and intereft, and of his kingdom in the world.

2. Whereas our defires fhould go out after God, here is forbidden,

It, Ali want and weaknefs of defires after God, Pfal. x. 4. How often are our hearts free of thefe, no breathings, no longings after the Lord? How weak and languilhing, while defires after created things throng in one upon another? Thefe can have no end, while the other have no beginning.

2dly, Defires after unlawful things which we fhould abhor. Though thefe defires be not accomplished, we muft not wipe our mouths, and fay, We have not finned, Rom. vii. 7. They are the breathings of the corrupt heart after finful things, fuitable to the corrupt nature.

3dly, Averfion to God and communion with him, Job xxi. 14. This is a backwardnefs in the heart to the duties of communion with God, when the heart, inftead of fightering towards him, draws back, like a refractory backfliding heifer, that flides back, and will not let on the yoke. A fin which all have reason to be humbled for.

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3. Whereas it is our duty to delight and rejoice in the Lord, this command forbids, ft, The omiffion of that duty emptorily requires, Phil. iv. 4. always and again I fay, Rejoice. this. What hufband would take it well, if his wife had no delight in him? and with what confidence can we call God our God, if we know nothing of delighting and folacing ourselves in him? It is natural to us to delight in our comfortable relations; and fo it is to the new nature to delight in God.

2dly, Deadnefs in duties, going to them and going

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