54, The MORTIFICATION.; 33A3#3AkAkAAAiA.iáA9kAAAAAAAAA1'*AáJAAAiA44 CHAP. XII. The Eighth Diretlion. Thoughtfulnefr'Of the excellency ofthe Majefy of God. Our unacquaintednefc with him, propofed and confidered. fghthly, Ufe and exercife thy felf tò Such medications as nìaÿ ferve to fill thee at all times with Pelf abafement and thoughts of urine own viienefs : As, r. Be much in thoughtfulnefs of the excellence of the Majefty of Goa and thine infiniteinconceivable diftance from him; many thoughts of it cannot but fill theewith a fenfe of thine own vilenefs; which ftrikes deep at the root of any indwelling fin. When job, comes to a clear difcovery of the greatnefs and the excellency of God, he is filled with felf abhorrence, and is tpreffed to humiliation, job. xlii. 5. 6. And in what ftate doth the prophet' Habakkuk affirm himfelf to be cafe upon the appreenfron of the majefky of God Chap. iii'. t6. With God, Pays job, is terrible Maje Hence were the thoughts of them of old, that when they had feen God, they fhould die. The fcripttsee abounds in this felf abating confederation, comparing the men of the earth to grafs-hoppers to vanity, the duff of the ballante in refpe&' of God, be much in thoughts ofthis nature, to abafe the pride of thy heart, and a to keep thy foul hum- ble within thee. There is nothing will render thee a greater indifpofitton to be impofed on by the deceits of fin, than fuch á frame of heart. Think greatly of the greatnefs of God:' 2. Think much of thine unacquaintednefs with. him. Though thou knoweft e.. :tough to keep thee low and humble, yet how little a portion is it that thou know- eft of him? The (contemplation hereof raft that wife man ihto that apprehenfiöri of himfelf, which -he.. exprelfes, Prov. xxx. a, 3 e q.. Surely I am more brutiJh than any man, and have not the underflanding ofaman. I neither learned wifdom,nor have the knowledge of the holy. Who bath afrended up into heaven sr defrended? Who hath gather- ed the wind in his filio? Who bath bound the waters in a garment? who bath eflablßed the ends of the earth? What is bis name, and what is his fin's name, if thou canfb tell? La- bour with this allo to take down the pride of thy heart. What doff thou know of God ? How little a portion. is it? How immenfe is he in his nature ? Can't thou look without terrour into the abyss of eternity: Thou milt not bear the rays of his glo- rious being. Beaaufe I look on this confideration of great ufe in our walking with God, fo far as it may have a confiftency with that filial boldnefs which is given us in Jefus Chrift to draw nigh to the throne Of grace, I Shall. farther infift upon ir, to give an abiding impreffion of it to the fouls of them who define to walk humbly with God. Confider then, I fay, to keep thy heart in continual awe of the Majefty of God, that perfonrof the moilhigh and eminent attainment, of the ncarea and molt fa- miliar communion with . God, do yet in this life know but a very little of him, and his glory. God reveales his name to Mofes, the moll glorious attributes that he bath manifested in the covenant of grace, Emil. xxxiv. 5, 6. yet all are but the back parts of God. All that he knows by -it, is but little low, compared to the per- fe&ion of his glory. Hence it is with peculiar-reference to Mfs, that it is faidNo man bath feen God at any time, job. i. 18. of him in comparifon with Chill loth i- he fpeak m, ty. and of him it is here Paid, No man, no not Mofes, the an molt ml- nent among them, bath feen God at any time. We fpeak much of God, c of him, his ways, his works, his counfels all the day long; the truth is, we very little of him ; our thoughts, our meditations, our expreffions of ham are low. many of them unworthy of his glory, none of them reaching his perfe&ions. You will fay, that Moles was under the law, when God wrapped up him felf in darknefs, and his mind in typesand clouds and dark inftitutions. Under the glori-, ous Shining of the golpe?, which hath brought light and immortality to light, God * yob. 1Xtüi. 22. t t! . áL 13, r4, t5, 22. being
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