An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty-fifth, thirty-sixth, and thirty-seventh chapters of…

Not only natural and carnal men, who see that they have sinned, do not at all see the exceedingness of their sin, but some good men see that they have sinned, but see not presently the exceeding, no nor half, the evil of their sin; therefore, saith Elihu, He showeth them their transgression, that they have exceeded. Paul before his conversion, knew that he had sinned, but he knew not the sinfulness of his sin, which yet afterwards was to him exceeding sinful, (Rom. 7.13.) As it is the height of our corruption to commit sins exceeding sinful, so it is a very high point of grace, to see the exceeding sinfulness of our sin.

Not only natural and carnal men, who see that they have sinned, do not at all see the exceedingness of their sin, but some good men see that they have sinned, but see not presently the exceeding, no nor half, the evil of their sin; therefore, saith Elihu, He sheweth them their transgression, that they have exceeded. Paul before his conversion, knew that he had sinned, but he knew not the sinfulness of his sin, which yet afterwards was to him exceeding sinfull, (Rom. 7.13.) As it is the height of our corruption to commit sins exceeding sinfull, so it is a very high poynt of grace, to see the exceeding sinfulness of our sin.

You will say, how is it that sin doth exceed, or wherein consists the exceedingness of it? I answer,

First, There is an exceedingness of sin, in the strength that it hath over us, when it doth easily command and prevail, then we sin exceedingly, o• then sin is exceeding sinful, it hath got a mighty hand over us. O how sadly do the sins of many exceed thus! they are held down by their corruptions as slaves and captives, they cannot get themselves out from under the power of a base