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…

Let men think what they will of him, and judge him as severely as they please; this moves him not at all to think, that God judges him so too. He can see the love of God through all the anger of creatures. He likes not his condition the better, because some men tell him it is good, nor the worse, because any man tells him it is ill, while he finds himself bottomed upon the free grace of God, and cheered with the clearness of his own integrity. The gates of hell shall not (much less shall the uncharitableness of men) prevail against such a man. Happy is he, who can say unto God, Thou knowest that I am not wicked, while men are saying, thou art wicked. And how miserable is he, whose heart tells him he is wicked, though men say, surely, thou art good. If our heart condemn us, God is greater then our heart, and knoweth all things, (1 Joh. 3.20.) Doth conscience tell you that you are wicked, God can tell you so much more? It is a woeful thing for any man to be under the just condemnation of his own heart, though it is more woeful to be under the flatteries of his own heart. It is bad enough to be daubed by others with untempered mortar, it is far worse to be a self-dauber; No man hath cause to rejoice in what himself, or be troubled at what others say of him, unless God say so too.

Let men think what they will of him, and judge him as severely as they please; this moves him not at all to think, that God judges him so too. He can see the love of God thorow all the anger of creatures. He likes not his condition the better, because some men tell him it is good, nor the worse, because any man tels him it is ill, while he findes himself bottomed upon the free grace of God, and cheared with the clearnesse of his own integrity. The gates of hell shall not (much lesse shall the uncharitablenesse of men) prevail against such a man. Happy is he, who can say unto God, Thou knowest that I am not wicked, while men are saying, thou art wicked. And how miserable is he, whose heart tels him he is wicked, though men say, surely, thou art good. If our heart condemn us, God is greater then our heart, and knoweth all things, (1 Joh. 3.20.) Doth conscience tell you that you are wicked, God can tell you so much more? It is a wofull thing for any man to be under the just condemnation of his own heart, though it is more wofull to be under the flatteries of his own heart. It is bad enough to be daubed by others with untempered morter, it is far worse to be a self-dauber; No man hath cause to rejoyce in what himself, or be troubled at what others say of him, unlesse God say so too.