Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37 v11

374 Verf. 26. an Expofitios upon the Book of J o s. Chap. 36. God,. that is, they may knowhim in fornedegree or other, they may, yea, they do know him ( as the Apoflle faith , Rom. 1.20.) fo far as to leave them without excufe ; they have no plea, nor can they make any apologie for themfelves. Secondly, 'Tis cer- tain, all believers,' mean all true believers, knowGod favingly, or fo far as is fnfcient for their falvation. Every believer knows God. There is no fáith in Codwithout the knowledge of God. Thirdly, Which ¡hall be the point of Obfervation from thispart, as well as an anfwer to the quellion; None know Godfolly,perfeWy, comprebenfively. That's Eliba's meaning when he faith,God is great, and rotknorm him not ; that is, we knownet how great he is, or we know not the utmofl of his greatnefs. God only knoweth himfelf fully and comprehenfively. There is no proportion between the great- nefs of God and the underflanding of aman. The greatnefsof God is infinite, the underflanding of a man is butfinite and li- mited ; the deepefl underflanding among men, yea, the under- ¡landing of Angels is but {hallow, compared withGod. Thus we are to underfland this text, god is great, and we know himnot. There is a greatnefs in every thing of God, tranfcending the poi- fibility of any created underflanding. This force give for the reafon, why the Seraphims fpokenof f Ifa. 6.) are laid with two of their wings to cover their faces, they were not able to bear the light ofthe knowledge of the glory of God. For, though Chrift, in that admonition which he gave, to take heed of offen.1- ing anddefpifng the little ones, gives this reafon for it-. ( Mat. a S. io.) For in heaven there Angelldo always: behold theface of my Father which is in heaven ; though (I fay) ie be a truth, that the holy Angels, and bleffed Saints above, do alwayes be- hold the face of Cod, yet neither Saints nor Angels, not the Saints in glory, nor the glorious Angels, can fully comprehend the greatnefs and majefly of God ; and therefore the Prophet (as was laid) reprefenred the Angels covering their faces with their wings.We have heard of King Piero putting the quefiion to Simonides, a Philofopher, vbat God woe, who defired ( not be- ing able to give a fudden atifwer) that the King would refpit him till next day ; when next day carne he defired a fecond, and when that came hedefired a third;and fill the more he fearched, the

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