An exposition with practical observations continued upon the eighth, ninth and tenth chapters of…An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the eighth, ninth and tenth chapters of…

Job having much knowledge of God, quickly found out his own utter insufficiency to deal with God; How much less shall I answer him? Not, that he had less ability to answer God then others, but being more acquainted with God, and living nearer God then others, he saw his own insufficiency more then others. The more communion we have with God, the more knowledge we have of God, the less and the lower we are in our own eyes. The reason why men are so full of pride, is, because they are strangers from God, they know nothing of him as they ought. And proportionably, as any one is further distant from, or more ignorant of God, the more doth pride prevail upon him, even as humility grows more humble in proportion to his nearer approaches. When Job was yet brought nearer to God, he was more humbled, Ch. 42.5, 6. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye seeth thee; that is, I have a clearer and more glorious manifestation of thee to my soul then ever, I now perceive thy power, thy holiness, thy wisdom, thy faithfulness, thy goodness, as if they were corporeal objects, as if I saw them with mine eye, Wherefore I abhor my self in dust and ashes; he could not go lower in his thoughts of himself, then this expression laid him. Abhorrence is a perturbation of the mind, arising from vehement dislike, or extremest dis-esteem. Abhorrence, strictly taken, is hatred wound up to the height. As exulting is the highest act of joy, and delighting the highest act of love, so abhorring is the deepest act of hatred, and to abhor, repenting in dust and ashes, is the deepest act of abhorrence: Thus low Job goes, not only to a dislike, but to the furthest degree of it, abhorrence of himself, when he saw the Lord. So Isaiah (in the 6th of his Prophecy) when God came near him, and he saw so much of God, cries out, I am undone, for I am a man of polluted lips; but did not Isaiah know he was a sinful man, a man of polluted lips till then? Yes, but he was never so sensible of it, as then. He saw his own pollution more then ever by the light of the glory of God that shone round about him. He never saw himself so clearly, as when the majesty of God dazzled his eyes. When the Sun shines ⟨p. 253⟩bright into a room, we may see the least mote in the air;

Job having much knowledge of God, quickly found out his own utter insufficiency to deal with God; How much lesse shall I answer him? Not, that he had lesse ability to answer God then others, but being more acquainted with God, and living nearer God then others, he saw his own insufficiency more then others. The more communion we have with God, the more knowledge we have of God, the lesse and the lower we are in our own eyes. The reason why men are so full of pride, is, because they are strangers from God, they know nothing of him as they ought. And proportionably, as any one is further distant from, or more ignorant of God, the more doth pride prevail upon him, even as humility grows more humble in proportion to his nearer approaches. When Job was yet brought nearer to God, he was more humbled, Ch. 42.5, 6. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now mine eie seeth thee; that is, I have a clearer and more glorious manifestation of thee to my soul then ever, I now perceive thy power, thy holinesse, thy wisdom, thy faithfulnesse, thy goodnesse, as if they were corporeall objects, as if I saw them with mine eye, Wherefore I abhor my self in dust and ashes; he could not goe lower in his thoughts of himself, then this expression laid him. Abhorrence is a perturbation of the minde, arising from vehement dislike, or extreamest dis-esteem. Abhorrence, strictly taken, is hatred wound up to the height. As exulting is the highest act of joy, and delighting the highest act of love, so abhorring is the deepest act of hatred, and to abhorre, repenting in dust and ashes, is the deepest act of abhorrence: Thus low Job goes, not only to a dislike, but to the furthest degree of it, abhorrence of himself, when he saw the Lord. So Isaiah (in the 6th of his Prophecy) when God came neer him, and he saw so much of God, cries out, I am undone, for I am a man of polluted lips; but did not Isaiah know he was a sinfull man, a man of polluted lips till then? Yes, but he was never so sensible of it, as then. He saw his own pollution more then ever by the light of the glory of God that shone round about him. He never saw himself so clearly, as when the majesty of God dazel'd his eyes. When the Sun shines