Is out of a sense of a mans unworthiness to say 1thus unto the Lord: Oh Lord, I ha•e done exceeding wickedly, and am worthy to be destroyed. I have been ⟨p. 117⟩in the wrong way, and done exceeding foolishly; but thy ways are righteous, and thou art just: yea I have dealt unthankfully and unequally with thee, who hast been so good to me. That was it melted the heart of Josiah, and made Job abhor himself; as vile as the dust I tread upon, as ashes that are good for nothing, or but as sackcloth (in which they used to humble themselves, the worst of garments, I am ashamed and confounded. This is the first act which is a sense and an acknowledgement of our own unworthiness and vileness. And the 2second a sight of a mans worthiness to be destroyed, unability to help himself, and of the vanity of all things else. A man must further say, that I am not only unworthy, but guilty of death; my sins will break my back; I am not able to stand under them, and I am utterly undone; and when I look upon all the props of my life, my health, and riches, &c. I see they are but vain things, reeds and feathers, and as hollow ground whereon I can set no footing: Therefore LORD, be thou a rock to me, on whom I may pitch and build my self. And that this sight of our own unability is also necessary we see by that 1 Tim. 6. 17. Charge them that are rich, that they be not high minded, nor trust in uncertain 3riches: they are both joined together: For so far as a man doth trust in them, he is high minded; and the soul of man doth trust in them so long as it apprehends substance in them, and that they are not vanity, so far the heart bears it self upon them, and so is careless of the LORD; and why else do afflictions humble men, as Manasseh, but ⟨p. 118⟩because a man then sees the emptiness of all things, it brings him to say with the Prodigal, I die for hunger, and these cannot feed me, and so to hold fast to the LORD: which a man must needs do, when he hath but one thing to hold to. Now when thou art wrought on so as to express this unfeignedly, this is it, to humble thy self.
Is out of a sence of a mans unworthinesse to say 1thus unto the Lord: Oh Lord, I ha•e done exceeding wickedly, and am worthy to be destroyed. I have beene ⟨p. 117⟩in the wrong way, and done exceeding foolishly; but thy wayes are righteous, and thou art just: yea I have dealt unthankfully and unequally with thee, who hast beene so good to me. That was it melted the heart of Iosiah, and made Iob abhorre himselfe; as vile as the dust I tread upon, as ashes that are good for nothing, or but as sackloth (in which they used to humble themselves, the worst of garments, I am ashamed and confounded. This is the first act which is a sence and an acknowledgement of our owne unworthinesse and vilenesse. And the 2second a sight of a mans worthinesse to be destroyed, unability to helpe himselfe, and of the vanity of all things else. A man must further say, that I am not onely unworthy, but guilty of death; my sinnes will breake my backe; I am not able to stand under them, and I am utterly undone; and when I looke upon all the props of my life, my health, and riches, &c. I see they are but vaine things, reeds and feathers, and as hollow ground whereon I can set no footing: Therefore LORD, bee thou a rocke to mee, on whom I may pitch and build my selfe. And that this sight of our owne unability is also necessary we see by that 1 Tim. 6. 17. Charge them that are rich, that they bee not high minded, nor trust in uncertaine 3riches: they are both joyned together: For so farre as a man doth trust in them, he is high minded; and the soule of man doth trust in them so long as it apprehends substance in them, and that they are not vanity, so farre the heart beares it selfe upon them, and so is carelesse of the LORD; and why else do afflictions humble men, as Manasses, but ⟨p. 118⟩because a man then sees the emptinesse of all things, it brings him to say with the Prodigall, I die for hunger, and these cannot feed mee, and so to hold fast to the LORD: which a man must needs doe, when he hath but one thing to hold to. Now when thou art wrought on so as to expresse this unfainedly, this is it, to humble thy selfe.
- 11 An acknoledgi•g our vile sins
- 22 To acknowledge he is worthy to be destroyed.
- 31 Tim. 6. 17
