of the PERSON of CHlzisT. 29 manifeft how all divine truths docenter inthe perfon of Chrift. And the con- fideration of fundry things are neceffary unto the explicationhereof. I. God in his own effence, being and exiflence is abfolutely incompre- henfible. His nature being immenfe; and all his holy properties effentially infinite, no creature can dtredtly or perfectly comprehend them, or any of them. He muff be infinite that can perfecly comprehend that which is infinite. Wherefore God is pettedly known unto himfelf only; but as for us how little a portion is heard of him ? Hence he is called the in- vifihle God, and faid to dwell in light tnaccefiible. The fvrbfrffence of his molt fingle and fimple nature in three dfinu7peefotu, though it raifes and ennobles faith in its revelation, yet it amazeth reafon which would trutt to its f If in the contemplation of it ; whence men grow giddy who Will own no other guide, and are carried out of the wayof truth. No nuns bath fees God at any time; the only begotten who is in the bofom of the Father he bath declaredhim, John i. r8, r Tim. vi. 16. 2. Therefore we can have no direft intuitive notions or apprehenfions of the divine effence or its properties. Such knowledge is too wonderfssl for us. Whatever is pleaded for an intelledual vifion of the effence of God in the light of glory, yet none pretend unto a pofiibilityof an immediate full compreheefoes of it. But in our prefent ftate God is unto us, as he was un- to sidofes under all the external manifeltations of his glory, in thick dark- nefs, Exod. xx. 2t. All the rational conceptions of the minds of men, are fwallow'd up and loft, when they would exercife thetnfelves diretlly on that which is abfolutely immenfe, eternal, infinite. When we fay it is fo, we know not what we fay, but only that it is not otherwife. What wedeny ofGod, we know in fome meafure, but what wea/firm we know not ; only we declare what we believe and adore. Neque fenfics ef{ ejus, segue phantafia, nque opino, nec ratio, sec fcientia, fays Diosyf de Devin. No- nein. (r.) We have no means, no corporal, no intelleftual inftrument or pow- er for the comprehenfton of him ; nor bath any other creature : 'Ezra sebod ïor os 'Qw Cads, b gilvcv of rieopium, eb s7c áhi kfTm kii-t v, km 12 :QU,lEToy áTT fáv its: avt vele dobop 2A psis mi6 éaiq.5 éhiv ói0sn6cvogkveç efo éu k4 çct5 /Nlv,v áIvziS zrf 04 ode zri0 s d XEgafi(so r, w b45 pc-y, obW ,-tube zfs `ytzo¡ae" uhT áeIste, tÿ Zn se ahpnt i aspgsvl,- i yñ b fose c Iti. For that which is God (the effence of God) not only have not the prophets fees, but neither the angels nor the archangels. If thou wilt enquire of them, thou 'Halt have nothing of thefubflance of God, but only hear them fay, Glory to God on high. If thou askefi the cherubim: andferaphims, thou foalt only hear the praife of Millets, the whole earth is fill of his glory, fays, Chryfo(lom, in chap. r john v. 18. That God is in himfelf abfolutely incomprehenfible unto us, is a ncceffary effeft of our infinitediftance from him. But as he externally reprefents himfelf unto us, and by the notions which are ingenerated in us by the effcds ofhis proper- ties, are our conceptions of him, Pfal. xix. s. Rom. i. 21. This is declared in theanfwer given unto that requeft ofMotes ;1 befeecb theeflew me thy glory, Exod. xxxiii. 18. Modes had beard a voice fpeaking unto him, but he that fpake was in thick darknefs, he fawhim not. Glori- ous evidences he gave of lais majeflatical pretence, but no appearance was made of his effence or perfon. Hereon Motes defireth for the full fatis- fadion of lais foul (as the nearer any one is unto God, the more earneft will be his defire after the full fruitionof him) that he might have a fight of his gloat', not of that created glory in the tokens of lais pre - lance and power whirls he had beheld, but of the incteatsdgluey of his effence and being. Through a tranfport of love to God, he would have I been
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