They who are not taught of God are full of mistaken and false principles, among which, this is a principal one; They suppose they can do well enough without God, whereas indeed there is nothing can do us good without him who is the chief good. Now, that the natural man believes he can do well enough without God, is plain from this abominable and hateful motion which such make to God in the Text, Depart from us. No man would desire God to depart from him, if this persuasion did abide upon his heart, That he could not subsist without him; or that he depended upon God for his subsistence. Therefore this is their opinion (though possibly they are as far from acknowledging it, as they are from the true knowledge and love of God) That they can do well enough alone, that they can stand upon their own bottom without God, yea that they are self-sufficient, as God is; for ⟨p. 160⟩whosoever doth not see an emptiness and insufficiency in himself, and so place his all in God, makes himself a God. This is the way of wicked men, and this their way is their folly, (as the Psalmist speaks, Psal. 49.13.) Though their posterity approve their sayings. Who but they? they can maintain their being, yea their well-being without God; they can live, and live happily whether he will or no. Surely if they thought they were beholding to him, either for being or well-being, either for life, or a happy life, they had never been heard saying to God, depart from us. And if this be a truth that they have said so, and say so still every day, we need not stay to prove this a truth, that they show their blindness and foolishness in saying so. Is not he foolish who would have the Sun depart from him, which enlightens him? or who would have the Shield depart from him, which protects him? or who bids the fountain be gone which gives him drink; God is all this to all men in some degree or other, and he promiseth himself such in the highest and best degree to all such as walk uprightly, even to be their Sun, their Shield, their fountain, their spring. Then, can folly it self utter more foolishness then this, To say to God, depart from us? Further, how foolish are they to refuse that, as if it were a hurt to them, which Saints who have the true wisdom, have prayed for, and still do pray for, as the greatest blessing and privilege, The presence of God with them.
They who are not taught of God are full of mistaken and false principles, among which, this is a principal one; They suppose they can doe well enough without God, whereas indeed there is nothing can doe us good without him who is the chiefe good. Now, that the natural man beleeves he can doe well enough without God, is plaine from this abominable and hatefull motion which such make to God in the Text, Depart from us. No man would desire God to depart from him, if this perswasion did abide upon his heart, That he could not subsist without him; or that he depended upon God for his subsistence. Therefore this is their opinion (though possibly they are as farre from acknowledging it, as they are from the true knowledge and love of God) That they can do well enough alone, that they can stand upon their own bottome without God, yea that they are selfe-sufficient, as God is; for ⟨p. 160⟩whosoever doth not see an emptinesse and insufficiency in himselfe, and so place his all in God, makes himselfe a God. This is the way of wicked men, and this their way is their folly, (as the Psalmist speakes, Psal. 49.13.) Though their posterity approve their sayings. Who but they? they can maintaine their being, yea their well-being without God; they can live, and live happily whether he will or no. Surely if they thought they were beholding to him, eyther for being or well-being, eyther for life, or a happy life, they had never been heard saying to God, depart from us. And if this be a truth that they have sayd so, and say so still every day, wee need not stay to prove this a truth, that they shew their blindnes and foolishnes in saying so. Is not he foolish who would have the Sunne depart from him, which enlightens him? or who would have the Sheild depart from him, which protects him? or who bids the fountaine be gone which gives him drinke; God is all this to all men in some degree or other, and he promiseth himselfe such in the highest and best degree to all such as walke uprightly, even to be their Sunne, their Sheild, their fountaine, their spring. Then, can folly it selfe utter more foolishnes then this, To say to God, depart from us? Further, how foolish are they to refuse that, as if it were a hurt to them, which Saints who have the true wisdome, have prayed for, and still doe pray for, as the greatest blessing and priviledge, The presence of God with them.