*Shall a creature in such a condition, that he could not support himself under the shame of being known to the world in his _real state_; shall such a creature, because his shame is only known to God, to holy angels, and his own conscience; shall he, in the sight of God and holy angels, dare to be _vain_ and _proud_ of himself? 5. If to this we add the _shame_ and _guilt_ of sin, we shall find still a greater reason for humility. No creature that had lived in innocence, would have thereby got any pretence for pride; because, as a creature, all that it _is_, or _has_, or _does_, is from God, and therefore the honour of all that belongs to it is only due to God. But if a creature that is a _sinner_, deserving nothing but pains and punishments for the _shameful_ abuse of his powers; if such a creature pretends to glory for any thing that he is, or does, he can only be said to glory in his shame. Now, how _monstrous_ and _shameful_ the nature of sin is, is sufficiently apparent from that _great atonement_ that is necessary to cleanse us from the guilt of it. Nothing less has been required to take away the guilt of our sins, than the sufferings and death of the Son of God. Had he not taken our nature upon him, our nature had been for ever separated from God, and incapable of ever appearing before him. And is there any room for _pride_, whilst we are partakers of _such a nature_ as this? *Have our sins rendered us so abominable ♦to him that made us, that he could not so much as _receive_ our prayers, or _admit_ our repentance, till the Son of God made himself man, and became a suffering advocate for our whole race; and can we, in _this state_, pretend to high thoughts of ourselves? Shall we presume to take delight in our _own worth_, who are not worthy so much as to _ask pardon_ for our sins, without the mediation and intercession of the Son of God? ♦ duplicate word removed ‘to’ Thus deep is the foundation of humility laid, in these deplorable circumstances of our condition; which shew, that it is as great an offence against truth for a man, to lay claim to any degrees of glory, as to pretend to the honour of creating himself. If man will boast of any thing as his own, he must boast of his _misery_ and _sin_; for there is nothing else but this, that is his own property. 6. Turn your eyes towards heaven, and fancy that you saw what is doing there; that you saw _cherubim_ and _seraphim_, and all the glorious _inhabitants_ of that place, all united in one work; not seeking _glory_ from one another, not labouring their own _advancement_, not contemplating their own _perfections_, not singing their own _praises_, not valuing _themselves_, and despising _others_, but all employed in one and the same work, all happy in one and the same joy; _casting down their crowns before the throne of God, giving glory, and honour, and power to him alone_. Rev. iv. 10, 11.