Chap. 22. An Expofttion upon the Book. of JOB. Vert. ä 2. ' 07 in heaven, he teacheth us, as to pray with confidence, becaufe God is our father, fo,to.pray with reverence, becaufe he is a father in heaven, (Matth. 6. 9.) The Preacher ( Secl. 5.2. ) makes this an argument why we fhould be taken up in high thoughts of God, whywe fhould fpeak in a reverential! man. net both of him, and to him ; Benot rallo with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be bah to utter any thingbefore God. He puts (as it were) a double bridle upon man in his drawing cetre co God ; firft, upon his mouth, Let net thy mouth be raíb ; and le- condly, upon his heart ( for the heart will talke at randome as well as the mouth, yea the heart will talke more at randome then the mouth can ; and there is praying with the heart alone, as well as with the heart and mouth together, therefore faith he) Let not thy heart be loaf) toutter any thing beforeGod;1Vhy? for God it inheaven; and thou art upon the earth, therefore let thy words befew. Here are indeed two arguments so enforce this cocnpofureoffpirit ; firft,the highueffe and Greatneffe of God; fecondly, the lowness and vilenefs of man. Confides God is a- bove, and thou art below, not onefy in regard of piace, but ofRate and dignity, of power and majefïy. The being ofGod in heaven, noses not tamely a power of foveraignty co com- mand us, but a power of abilityboth to punifh and to provide for us, to punifh our rafhneffe, and to fupply all our wants wherewith we acquaint him, and humbly mention before him ; therefore Be not kWh with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hafty, &c. The fame Solomon in the fame booke, allegori- cally defcribing thedeclined decrepid condition of man, faith of the old man, that he is afraid cf that which ú high (Ecc!. 12. 5.) Young men will be clambering and afcending, but old men are afraidof that which is high, they dare not goe up a high fteepeplace, lean their ftrength or breath fhould fayle, or kalt their braise thould turne, and they through giddineffe tumble downs. Old men love to keepe upon level! or even ground, and are afraid of that which is high. Surely both young and old, have reafon tobe afraid ofhim that is high, to have reve- rential( thoughts of God, who is in the height of heaven, high- er then the heavens. The diftance ofman fromGod, as God is in heaven and man on earth, is great, and the diffimilittide ofman to God, as God is holy and man corrupt, is farre P z greater,
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=