No title to the praise of God
And, first, it is clear from what has been said that no man has a title to the praise of God unless his heart is circumcised by humility; unless he is little, and base, and vile in his own eyes; unless he is deeply convinced of that inbred corruption of his nature, by which he is very far gone from original righteousness, being prone to all evil, averse to all good, corrupt and abominable; having a carnal mind which is enmity against God (Romans 8:7), and is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be; unless he continually feels in his inmost soul that, without the Spirit of God resting upon him, he can neither think, nor desire, nor speak, nor act anything good, or well-pleasing in his sight.
No man, I say, has a title to the praise of God until he feels his need of God; nor indeed until he seeks that honor which comes from God only (John 5:44), and neither desires nor pursues that which comes from man, unless so far only as it tends to this.
1771 text
And, first, it is clear, from what has been said, that no man has a title to the praise of God, unless his heart is circumcised by humility, unless he is little, and base, and vile in his own eyes: unless he is deeply convinced of that inbred “corruption of his nature, whereby he is very far gone from original righteousness,” being prone to all evil, averse to all good, corrupt and abominable; having a carnal mind, which is enmity against God, and is not subject to the law of God; nor indeed can be: unless he continually feels in his inmost soul, that without the Spirit of God resting upon him, he can neither think, nor desire, nor speak, nor act, any thing good or well-pleasing in his sight.
No man, I say, has a title to the praise of God, till he feels his want of God: nor indeed, till he seeketh that honour, which cometh of God only: and neither desires nor pursues that which cometh of man, unless so far only as it tends to this.