Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37 v11

Chap. 3 6. *A/ Expefstionwpm the rook of Jo s. Verf. 26. 375 the farther he was from findinghis aafwer. This is true, not only of Philofophers, who fee but by the dark light of Nature, but of thofe who are enlightened divinely, or from above, they who re- ceivemuch light fromGod,cannot comprehend thelight of God; themore they fearch into ir, the more they fee themielves thou of it. The moll we know of God is not fo much as the leall part of that whichwe know not of him ; and when we know as much of God is is knowable by man, yet it may be faid, as in the text, God isgreat, and we khew him net. Hence take three brief Corolaries or Deductions. Erik, If God be great and *skeanehim not, that is, we are VA able to comprehendhim ; then we mull tell fatisfied with what God bath manifefted of himfelf and of his will. God bath tnanifefted himfelf there four wayes. Pirft , In his Word. Secondly, In his works of Creation andProvidence. Thirdly, In his Sono Fourthly, By his Spirit. Thefe wayes God is plea- fed to manifell bimfelf, or make himfelf known unto his People; now what knowledge of God can be gatheredup in three wayes what can be learned of himout of his word, out of his woks, by cenfidering him in his Son,and by waiting for the helpof his btef fcd Spirit, we mutt labour to take in ; but take heed of a bold pre1fing into the fecrets ofGod, or of a curious prying into the nature of God, which indeed will but dazle our eyes, and the more we think or look into it, theblinder we {Fall be. Secondly, If God be Co great that we know himnor, 'Menwe misfit net preJunepruessJly to enquire into a rearm of the works and zvayes ofGod ; frlr that which is true of Codhimfelf, is trueof his works and of his wayes, we cannot know them in the fence opened : Therefore the Apofile fpeaking about that wonderful difpenfationof God, the laying &fade of the Tows and calling of the Gentiles (Rom.ti.33.) cryeth our, O the depth of the know- ledge and wifdoru ofgod ! hownnfearchable are bis'udgments, and his wayes pailfinding out ! As God himfelf cannot be fully known, fo neither can his wayes nor works. Thirdly, If God cannot be fullyknown, neither in himfelf, nor in his work, Then take heed ofmurmuring or- complaining of the wayes, worlds, and dealings of God. Will you find fault with that which youneither do, nor can fully know ? how little is it of any of the works of God that we knew 1 how little a way dowe fee

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