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Man's nature inclines to boasting, to glorifying in something, and this ariseth from some apprehended excellency or advantage, and so is originated in the understanding power of man. There is a glorying and boasting which is good, especially a boasting in God. It is the apprehended personal interest in a thing which makes it become a subject of boasting. Nothing is truly the soul's own but that which survives all changes, and is inseparable from it. There may be a lawful glorying in the works of God. Oftentimes men are found glorying in that which is their shame. The object of degenerate and vicious boasting is presented in this text. "Boast not thyself," or of thyself. Self is the centre of man's affections and motions. This is the great "Diana" that the heart worships. Men's affections part themselves into three great heads of created things.

1. The goods or perfections of the mind.

2. The goods or advantages of the body.

3. The things that are without us, bona fortunae, riches and honour.There is also a strong inclination in man towards the time to come; he has an immortal appetite. If the soul of man were in the primitive integrity, this providence of the soul would reach to eternity, which is the only just measure of the endurance of any immortal spirit. But since man's understanding is darkened, he can see nothing further than "to-morrow." But confidence in to-morrow is folly, because of the instability of all outward things, and because of our ignorance of future events. Of all boastings the most irrational and groundless is that which arises from presumption of future things, which are so uncertain both in themselves and to us. Self is the great and ultimate object of man's glorying. No man's present possession satisfies him, without the addition of hope and expectation for the future. Our present revenue will not content the heart. Therefore the soul, as it were, anticipates and forestalls the morrow. But consider —

1. How independent all things are of us and of our choice.

2. The inconstancy of all material things. There is nothing certain but that all things are uncertain.

3. Our ignorance concerning coming changes. All things proclaim the folly and madness of that which the heart of man is set upon. "The counsel of the Lord," that alone shall "stand."

(H. Binning.)

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KJV: Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.

WEB: Don't boast about tomorrow; for you don't know what a day may bring forth.