The Incomprehensibleness of God, Sermon 1
A Humble DISCOURSE OF THE Incomprehenſibleneſs of GOD.
JOB xi. 7, 8, 9
Canſt thou by ſearching find out GOD? Canſt thou find out the Almighty unto Perfection? It is high as Heaven, what canſt thou do? Deeper than Hell what canſt thou know? The Meaſure thereof is longer than the Earth, and broader than the Sea.
THEY are the ſublime Words of Zophar concerning the Ever-glorious and moſt Bleſſed GOD. He had ſaid very ſevere and harſh Things of Job in the preceeding Verſes, wherein we cannot juſtifie him: but now that he comes to ſpeak of GOD, His Greatneſs and Glory, it is in the beſt Manner that can be, and we cannot but admire him. Yet the Sum of all that he at laſt ſays of GOD is only this; That the Great GOD is Unſearchable and Incomprehenſible in His Being and in His Works.
THESE infinitely exceed the Capacity of our Underſtandings. Canſt thou by ſearching find out GOD? No: What canſt thou do, what canſt thou know? The Interrogation vehemently and elegantly rebukes the vain Pretences of any mortal Men; tho' never ſo Sagacious, Inquiſitive and Induſtrious. We may by a humble, diligent Search find out ſomething of GOD, but cannot ever find Him out unto Perfection. We may apprehend Him, but cannot comprehend Him. We may know that He is, but not what He is. The Eye may ſee the Ocean but not over it. *Mr. Henry in Loc.. The unmeaſurable Dimenſions which the great Apoſtle aſcribes to the Divine Love, Zophar here attributes to the Divine Eſſence and Operations. The Breadth and Length, the Height and Depth of them paſſes Knowledge. The Heavens, Earth and Sea have their Bounds, but GOD has none.
DOCTRINE. GOD is Unſearchable, Incomprehenſible.
How little then are you to expect from Me of HIM? How unfit am I of all Men to ſpeak of HIM? How Unequal the Beſt of Men, the Beſt of created Minds, to this mighty Subject? Let Humility preſerve us in the devout Attempt, while Senſe of Duty imboldens and neceſſitates us to ſpeak. And becauſe GOD is in Heaven, and we upon Earth, therefore let our Words be few.
HOWEVER, Surely the preſent Subject is the part of Creatures, and may become well the loweſt of them; being to confeſs our Diſtance from GOD, and Ignorance of Him after our beſt Attainments! that He is Incomprehenſible to the higheſt Orders in Heaven, and that much leſs can We Duſt and Aſhes in our fallen ſinful State, ſearch out His Greatneſs by the utmoſt Study and Labour. This muſt needs be Glorious to GOD, tho' our Thoughts and Words do at laſt but detract from Him. For what ſpeaks His Perfection more, than that the Higheſt finite Underſtanding muſt have imperfect Thoughts of Him? Let us then make up in Reverence and Veneration, what we fall ſhort of in Knowledge †Arch Bp. Tillotſon.Let me uſe the Words of Elibu, inverting the Order of them that I may the more accommodate them to the preſent awful Thought I am upon: Job 37.19, 20. Shall it be told Him that I ſpeak? If a Man ſpeak ſurely he ſhall be ſwallow'd up! O therefore teach Thou us thy Self what we ſhall ſay unto Thee and of Thee; For we cannot order our Speech by reaſon of Darkneſs.
LET us contemplate the Unſearchable GOD,
(1) In his Eſſence.
(2) In his Works.
1. GOD is Unſearchable in His Being and Eſſence. The eſſential Perfections and Glories of the GODHEAD are Incomprehenſible GOD is Light and dwelleth in Light, but it is unapproachable: more eſpecially to our mortal Eyes. Yea the bright Intelligence, in Heaven are dazled before that excellent Brightneſs. The Glory of the LORD deſcends to us in a dark Cloud.
TRULY we have but very obſcure Ideas and Conceptions of GOD, notwithſtanding the Illuminations of Reaſon and Scripture.
Firſt, LOOK we into the Ages and Places of this World that have been left to the bare Diſcoveries of Reaſon, and it is eaſy to obſerve of all their Searchings after GOD, that they have felt and grop'd as in the Dark; tho' indeed GOD is not far from us. The World by Wiſdom know not GOD. Mens Luſts ſoon put out the Light of Reaſon, and the Light that was in them became Darkneſ. The eternal Power and Godhead might have been clearly ſeen, but was not; or ſoon forgotten. They became vain in their Imaginations, and their fooliſh Hearts were darkned, and they changed the Glory of the incorruptible GOD into Images, made like to corruptible Man, to Birds and four-footed Beaſts, and creeping Things: they changed the Truth of GOD into a Lye, and worſhipped the Creature more than the CREATOR, who is GOD over all, bleſſed for ever.
How little did the Philoſophy of the Heathen World ſearch out and diſcover of the Great GOD? One of the wiſeſt Things in Athens was (it may be) their Altar to Him as Unknown! confeſſing their own Ignorance, and the Abſurdities of their Idolatry: for their Images they might know could not be GOD, but had confounded them in their Notions of Him.
BUT this is not all: Not only is the Divine Being and Nature Unſearchable to meer natural Reaſon; but alſo,
Secondly, SO is He to us after our Illuminations from his Holy Word, wherein He hath revealed Himſelf to us. GOD has made known ſo much of Himſelf as is neceſſary in order to our ſerving him here, and to bring us to the Enjoyment of him for ever: but no more. The Inſpiration of the Almighty implies nothing of the Comprehenſion of him. The deep Things of GOD are revealed to us to be believed, not to be comprehended by us. We know but little of GOD now to what we ſhall do hereafter, if our Spirits are gather'd to the Aſſembly of the Saints in Heaven; yet they and we for ever, even there, ſhall know but a little part of Him the infinite Being: for finite Natures, how ever vaſt their Capacities and Perfections, can never in any Meaſure contain or attain unto what is Infinite. The Light of Heaven compar'd to what we now can know of GOD, even after ſaving Illumination, and the moſt diligent Study of GOD's Word or the Works of Nature, is as the Day now is with us unto the Night: 1 Cor. 13.12. Now we ſee through a Glaſs darkly, but then Face to Face: Now I know in part, but then ſhall I know, even as alſo I am known. But what is this?—even as I am known? Do Angels know GOD in any Equality as they are known of Him? No: He charges his Angels with Fooliſhneſs! they pry into the Myſteries of his infinite Eſſence, Decrees and Works: they grow daily in Knowledge and Happineſs by ſeeing Him as He is: their Knowledge of GOD is certain and true, diſtinct and clear, ſo far as their enlarged Minds can receive of the bleſſed Object: but a comprehenſive Knowledge is everlaſtingly far from them.
HOW much leſs then can We ſearch out the Almighty unto Perfection in this our imperfect State on Earch? We that have no immediate Viſion of his Glory, but ſee as through a Glaſs darkly: thro' the Glaſs of his Works, his Word and Ordinances. A Glaſs gives but a weak and languid Repreſentation, a vaniſhing and tranſient Glimpſe. We rather can ſay what GOD is not, than what He is.
To deſcend to a few of the endleſs Inſtances, which the Scripture gives us of the Myſteries of the Godhead.
1. HOW Unſearchable is the Eternity of GOD? "A Duration without Bounds or Limits! an Everlaſting Exiſtence! Pſal. 90.2. From Everlaſting to Everlaſting thou art GOD. A glorious BEING who never began to be. Our Reaſon eaſily argues that this muſt be aſcrib'd to GOD, the Creator of all Things: but when we … back an eternal Exiſtence, how are we loſt in a boundleſs Abyſs of Tho't, which yet the Exiſtence of any Thing neceſſitates us to grant. Who can unfold thoſe Words, Iſai. 57.15. The high and lofty One which inhabiteth Eternity. Who can ſearch out or comprehend Eternity? Job 36.26. Behold God is great and we know him not, neither can the Number of his Years be ſearched out.
2. HOW Unſearchable is the Spirituality and Simplicity, Infiniteneſs and Immenſity of the divine Nature? GOD is an infinite Mind or Spirit, included no where, nor excluded any where: So that ſuppoſing Millions of Worlds he is neceſſarily and equally in every Part and with every Creature in them all; at the ſame time and at all times upholding, diſpoſing, governing them all. Now what an unſearchable Idea is this? 1 Kings 8.27. Behold the Heaven, and Heaven of Heavens cannot contain thee. Pſal. 139.7, 8. Whither ſhall I go from thy Spirit? or whither ſhall I flee from thy Preſence? If I aſcend up into Heaven thou art there: If I make my Bed in Hell, behold thou art there: If I take the Wings of the Morning, and dwell in the utmoſt Parts of the Sea; even there ſhall thy Hand lead me, and thy right Hand ſhall hold me. Here is Infinity: and that which is infinite cannot be meaſur'd.
3. HOW unſearchable is the Knowledge and Wiſdom of God, particularly his Preſcience. The LORD is a God of Knowledge: He is the Only-Wiſe; there is no ſearching of his Underſtanding: it is infinite: Iſai. 40.28. Angels are dark and fooliſh and blind when ſet before this Light increated and ineffable. An infinite Underſtanding is viſible in the Frame and Government of the Univerſe; yea in the Formation of the leaſt Creature: There muſt be ſome mighty Mind that has a perfect Comprehenſion of univerſal Nature; the Powers, Qualities and Circumſtances of all Creatures. He who made all, and by whom all things conſiſt, muſt have a perfect Knowledge of all. But who can think what this boundleſs Mind itſelf is? Such Knowledge is too wonderful for us, it is high, and we cannot attain unto it. Job 3….4. He that is perfect in Knowledge is with thee GOD knows the Secrets of all Hearts, and the Imaginations of the Thoughts: yea he ſees them afar off. He knows all future Events, that as yet are in the Womb of Time; and every contingent thing is from Everlaſting with GOD. But what a dazling Light is this to us ignorant Creatures! as the Sun is to our weak Eye, over-pouring and taking away the Sight.
IT is moſt plain from the Holy Scriptures, and is eaſily demonſtrable to our Reaſon, that Preſcience is a divine Attribute. Yet how to reconcile it with the Creatures Liberty is a great deep: and ſo with the Permiſſion of the Sin and Miſery which Men and Devils involve themſelves in. When we are loſt almoſt by plunging into this Abyſs, we muſt recover our ſelves with the Apoſtle's Words, not daring to impeach what we cannot fathom or dive to the Bottom of: Rom. 11.33. O the Depth of the Riches both of the Wiſdom and Knowledge of God! how unſearchable are his Judgments, and his Ways paſt finding out! for who has known the Mind of the Lord? or who has been his Counſellor? or who has firſt given to him, and it ſhall be recompenced to him again! for of him, and thro' him, and to him are all things; to whom be Glory for ever.
4. HOW unſearchable is the Power, Sovereiguty and Dominion of GOD? God has ſpoken once, twice have we heard this, that Power belongeth to GOD. But how little a Portion is heard of it? The Thunder of his Power who can underſtand? Almighty! Omnipotent! how do they found! Abſolute Power is only with GOD. The Powers on Earth would be ſo, and they call themſelves Moſt Potent, High and Mighty; but they are vain and empty Names: GOD is the thing it ſelf: Rom. 1.20. His eternal Power and Godhead.
IN his Power is founded his Dominion; wherein his Majeſty and Empire ſhines forth. Whatſoever the Lord pleaſed that did be in Heaven, on Earth, in the Sea, and in all deep Places. He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can think. All the Powers of Creatures are united in him, for they all flow'd from him; and incommunicable Degrees of Power ſtill remain with him to controul the moſt potent Creatures. At his Word the Worlds and all their mighty Orbs came into Being, and he can caſh them to Pieces one againſt another when he will. In his almighty Hand all Creatures are lighter than the Duſt of the Ballance is in ours. He holds the Waters in the hollow of his Hand; and weight the Mountains in Scales, and the Hills in a Ballance. His Dominion is univerſal, ſupream, eternal. Dan. 4.35. His Dominion is an everlaſting Dominion, and his Kingdom from Generation to Generation: the Inhabitants of the World are reputed anothing, and he doth according to his Will in the Armies of Heaven, and among the Inhabitants of the Earth: and none can ſtay his Hand, nor ſay unto him, what doeſt thou? Thus great is the Lord, and of great Power; his Greatneſs is unſearchable.
5. HOW unſearchable is the Goodneſs, Mercy and Grace of GOD! We may well pry into this with devout Admiration; how great is his Goodneſs! His common Beneficence is for Number, Swiftneſs, Conſtancy, like the Rays of Light emitted daily by the Sun. His Mercy is great unto the Heavens: like it for Amplitude, and like the Stars of Heaven for Multitude and Brightneſs. All Creatures are the Emanations of overflowing Goodneſs, and all do continually ſubſiſt by it. Redeeming Mercy is ſuch in the Salvation of ſinful Man as has aſtoniſh'd Angels; they deſire to look into it. And Saints will to Eternity be admiring and lauding it. Here are the Treaſures of Grace; the unſearchable Riches of Chriſt.
6. HOW unſearchable is the Holineſs, Juſtice and Righteouſneſs of GOD! The Seraphims cry Holy, Holy, Holy, covering their Faces; not able to behold the Brightneſs of the Glory thereof; and being unclean in their own Eyes before it. The crowned and victorious Saints ſing of it as great and marvellous, Rev. 15.4.
GOD is the Holy One: there is none holy as the LORD; the Heavens are not clean in his Sight.
COMPARE the Goodneſs and the Holineſs of GOD together and how wonderful are they! A glorious BEING who made us happy and holy, and is of purer Eyes than to behold Iniquity; and yet has not taken Vengeance of our Sin and Apoſtacy, but has meditated and with an infinite Price accompliſh'd our Redemption; in a Way wherein his Holineſs and his Grace have an equal Triumph. A GOD good to the Evil tho' he be infinitely provoked by our Sins! and who waits to be merciful to that Enmity which he deteſts and can deſtroy! who ſo loves our Souls that rather than theſe ſhonid periſh without Remedy has not ſpared his own Son, but given him up for us all! and yet ſo abhors our Sins that no leſs Atonement for them would he accept than the infinite Sacrifice in his Death.
WHAT unſearchable Holineſs, and unſearchable Grace are here equally diſplay'd! which of the two are moſt to be admir'd and ador'd by us! Myſterious Union, and Exaltation in our Redemption! which Angels pry into with Wonder! they being too good not to commiſerate us, and too pure not to loath us, and not ſo knowing but to deſpair of us! They pitied our loſt Souls, but the Holineſs of GOD was dearer to them far than theſe! nor could they but with high Reſentment doom them a Sacrifice thereto! Then did the holy and juſt One, while holy Angels cover'd themſelves in awful Reverence, and guilty Devils lay proſtrate and trembling in Fear and Horror! while Angels, could they mourn in Heaven, bewail'd our Ruin; and Devils triumph'd in the ſure Deſtruction they hop'd they had effectually betray'd us into! Then (I ſay) did the holy and juſt One reveal his eternal Purpoſes of Grace, his everlaſting Thoughts and Decrees of Mercy, to the Amazement and raviſhing Joy of heavenly Spirits, and to the Confuſion and Anguiſh of envious malicious Devils! But how to be entertain'd with Aſtoniſhment and Thankſgiving by the redeemed Children of Men! before by their Sin the Heirs of Wrath and Children of Death; and now again the Children of GOD and Heirs of Glory by Faith in JESUS CHRIST. In HIM the Holineſs, in HIM the Mercy of GOD have their full Diſplay, their laſt Glory, and are to be ſeen in their trueſt Light! Whom all the Angels of GOD therefore worſhip! congratulate us, and give Glory to GOD on high! Whom Devils tremble before and fly from, tormented at his Name, knowing who he is, the holy One of GOD.
BUT to return from this Excurſion.
7, and laſtly, HOW unſearchable is the Doctrine of the Trinity! The revealed Myſtery of the eternal Godhead! The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghoſt, and theſe Three are One, equal in Being, Perfection and Glory! This we are reverently to believe, but never to expect to be explicated to us. 'Tis above our low Underſtanding, and how ſhould it be otherwiſe? How ſhould a created Mind apprehend all that is in GOD? The leaſt of whoſe Works are full of amazing Myſtery, and we ſee what is ſtupendous to us in the moſt deſpicable things; be it the Life of a Mite, the Wing of a Fly, or the Feather of a Moth; and ſhall we not then allow ineffable Myſteries in the divine Nature, the eternal Godhead?
THE LORD our GOD is one LORD, and there is no other but He: But what he is, and how he is, who ſhould inform us but himſelf? And what he ſays of himſelf ſhall we doubt or deny, becauſe it is incomprenſible? Truly the more likely to be true for that! For how ſhould our narrow Minds contain the immenſe GOD? Shall we ſay of what he has reveal'd to us—It is inconſiſtent and impoſſible? Haſt thou then found out the Almighty unto Perfection? Or canſt thou by ſearching do it? And till it be done art thou a capable Judge? Have we any thing to do but to receive what GOD ſays of himſelf with Adoration? Or if we were daring eno' to enquire of GOD the Modus of theſe Things, could it be revealed to thy Underſtanding? Or would the eternal GOD ſatisfy thee any further of his Name and Eſſence?
EXOD. 3.14. I AM that I am: tell 'em, I AM has ſent me unto you, *See Bp. Patrick and Mr. Henry in loc.I the Fountain of Being, who do eternally and unchangeably Exiſt, of, from and by my Self! The ſelf-exiſtent, the ſelf-ſufficient Being? The ſame Yeſterday to Day and for ever! Who always was what he is, and ever will be what he ever was!
I AM! A Name that ſufficiently hints to us that 'tis Incomprehenſible to us what he is! A Name that checks all bold Enquiries concerning GOD, and in effect ſays to us, as the Angel did to Manoah, Ask not after my Name, ſeeing it is ſecret.
PROV. 30.4. Who hath aſcended up into Heaven or deſcended? Who hath gathered the Wind in his Fiſts? Who hath bound the Waters is a Garment? Who hath eſtabliſhed the Ends of the Earth? What is his Name, and what is his Son's Name? If thou canſt tell—Add thou not to his Words, leſt he reprove thee, and thou be found a Liar.
IF he has told thee of Himſelf, that he is in ſome ineffable glorious Manner and Subſiſtence Three in One, let us receive the myſterious and ſublime Truth, without adding our ignorant Explications of it; leſt by Unbelief and Doubting, or by any bold Poſitions concerning his inſcrutable Eſſence, we do affront, wrong and provoke him, who is jealous for his Name and Glory.
Plutarch tells us, That the Name EI was inſcribed in the Front of the Temple at Delphos; which is the Contraction of the Word EIMI, which ſignifies I am; or as an entire Word it ſignifies Thou art. The Devil herein affected the Name of GOD with his Worſhip. Plutarch alſo reports Ammonius his Senſe of this Name, which is very agreeable and ſurprizing. Says he, "It is the moſt abſolutely perfect Compellation of GOD: the true, undoubted and only Appellation that belongs to him alone.
YET in what ſacred Darkneſs doth this leave us? What Myſtery doth it involve us in? What ineffable thing doth it ſuggeſt to us? He that is! and who is what he is! Eternity, Immortality, Independence, Immutability, Sovereignty, Supremacy, and all Perfection is included in this Name.
LET this ſuffice to ſhow how inconceivable, inexpreſſible GOD is in his Being and Eſſence. He could not elſe be GOD; the Creator and LORD of all. For how ſhould the Creature comprehend his Maker? An utter Impoſſibility and Contradiction in Nature! More than for an Artificer to frame ſomething that ſhould equal or excel himſelf in Underſtanding and Knowledge! More than for a Shell, which the Sea throws up, to pretend to contain in itſelf all the Ocean.
GOD cannot communicate the perfect Knowledge of himſelf to any Creature. The Veſſel can but contain its Meaſure: if we ſtrain it further it neceſſarily burſts, and holds nothing at all.
LET me ſhut up this Head with a few borrowed Paſſages from thoſe two excellent Writers, Mr. Charnock and Mr. Henry.
"GOD ſits above the Cherubims; above the Fulneſs, above the Brightneſs of any created Mind. Nothing is more preſent than GOD, yet nothing more hid: He is Light and yet Obſcurity: His Perfections are moſt viſible but unſearchable. He is known by Faith, enjoy'd by Love, but comprehended by no Mind. GOD is an excellent unlimited Nature; who only underſtands himſelf, and can unveil himſelf.
"THE Ages of his Eternity cannot be numbred, nor the Spaces of his Immenſity meaſured: The Depths of his Wiſdom cannot be fathomed, nor the Reaches of his Power bounded: The brightneſs of his Glory can never be deſcribed, nor the Treaſures of his Goodneſs inventory'd.
O our Inſufficiency to ſpeak in any ſuitable manner of the immenſe Majeſty of Heaven & Earth! As we ſhould begin with Fear and Trembling leſt we ſpeak amiſs; ſo we muſt conclude with Shame and Bluſhing that we have ſpoken no better. Aſtoniſhment may well ſtrike us dumb. If a Man ſpeak ſurely be ſhall be ſwallowed up: Conſum'd by the Flaſhes from the divine Shekinah if he ſpeak preſumptuouſly; or loſt in the inſufferable Luſtre if he ſpeak never ſo well.
I. LET us but carry away a due Admiration of GOD, and it will be a good Uſe and Improvement of all that has been ſaid. Let it enlarge our Thoughts of him, and raiſe our Adorations of him; our Reverence, our Fear, and our Love. Let it ſtrengthen our Faith, and quicken us in his Worſhip.
O how devoutly ſhould the GREAT GOD be approch'd to, tho't of, nam'd, addreſs'd unto and bowed before! How awful ſhould his Preſence be, how awful the Idea of him? Well do the Angels praiſe him, with cover'd Faces! Well may all Minds be full of his Praiſe; when fill'd to the utmoſt of their capacious Natures they know ſo little of him! Aſcribe ye GREATNESS to our GOD!
YOU know there is a great GOD, You ſay: You do well to believe it and tremble. But O what need is there that our Thoughts, our Ideas of this great and bleſſed Being be enlarged! Extended infinitely were it poſſible like his Eſſence. What narrow, low, unworthy Conceptions ſhall we at the beſt have of him? When Saints come into the other World to ſee him as he is, how aſham'd will they be of all their little Ideas of GOD here? "We think as a Child, we ſpeak as a Child. And when Sinners in the next State fall into the Hands of the living GOD, and under his Wrath, how will they be amaz'd at the wretched, carnal, curſed, mean Thoughts which they now have of him.
VAST are the Works of GOD we ſee: Vaſt our own Faculties, the leaſt of us are ready to think: Glorious is the Repreſentation of GOD given us in his Word: Vaſt is every ſingle Perfection which we aſcribe unto him: Vaſt is our Opinion ſometimes of the Goodneſs and Wiſdom of a mortal Man: Yet GOD is often among the leaſt and moſt diminutive Things that occur to the Minds or in the Mouths of Men. We think and ſpeak of him lightly: which we could never do did we conſider how incomprehenſibly Great and Good, and Holy and Wiſe and Powerful a Majeſty he is. No, the boldeſt and moſt profane would not dare then to uſe that glorious Name in helliſh Blaſphemies, looſe Jeſts, licentious Oaths, Imprecations and Curſes, or in guilty Perjuries: Nor others mock him in falſe ſhews of Devotion; Formality, Hypocriſy and Irreverence in their very Prayers. For if GOD be ſo great, can a common thought of him be innocent? And yet how often are we guilty of this even in our expreſs Acts of Prayer or Praiſe.
II. IF GOD be unſearchable, then how faulty are we that we do no more diligently Study, and Search out what may be known of him from his Word and from his Works. How little ſhould we be content in the Knowledge we have attained? What a Progreſs and Improvement is there eternally to be made? and how ſhould we long for that State of Viſion, where all Imperfection ſhall be done away for ever! Let it quicken us in the Study of GOD, his Word, and all divine Things. Our Preparation for the Viſion of GOD hereafter lies in our preſent Increaſe in the Knowledge of GOD.
THE Incomprehenſibility of GOD is no excuſe for Ignorance or Sloth in us. We may know much more of GOD than we do, and it is our Duty to aſpire and labour after more. Our intellectual Perfection and Felicity lies in this. The true Pleaſure and Bleſſedneſs of the intelligent Creature lies in the Knowledge of the Creator. This is the Food of pure Minds, their Light and Radiancy.
SAY not, I can never attain it all: Thou canſt eno', and yet never eno': Thou canſt all that a Creature of thy Faculties was made for; and that is ſo much as ſhall greatly honour thy Maker, and advance thee high in Glory and Joys unſpeakable. This Knowledge will be pleaſant to thy Soul; a continual Feaſt, Refreſhment and Satisfaction: Yea the Fulneſs of Heaven's Joys are at laſt found in it. 'Tis the Manna, the Bread of Angels! and how bright does it render 'em?
WHAT is more valuable than Knowledge? What do vain Men more affect, than to be eſteem'd for it? but what is all Science and Learning to the Knowledge of God? where is the Wiſe, where is the Scribe, and the Wiſdom of this World? Is it not empty, unprofitable Folly, compar'd to this Wiſdom that is from above? As GOD is greater than his Works; ſo is the Knowledge of him before that of all created Things. The Study of Nature is of uſe chiefly and ultimately to lead us to the Knowledge of him. Divine Knowledge exalts the human Soul; purifies it now, and glorifies it hereafter. This is to be wiſe as an Angel of GOD. This is Life eternal.
LET us bleſs GOD for the Knowledge we have; and being found in the uſe of the Means neceſſary to our growth therein, let us pray unto him the Father of Glory, that he would give us the Spirit of Wiſdom and Revelation in the Knowledge of himſelf; the Eyes of our Underſtanding being enlightned, &c.
AND let us deſire that others may know and praiſe him with us. Let us pray that the Knowledge of the LORD may cover the Earth, as the Waters do the Sea! That the People may praiſe him, that all the People may praiſe him! And let the whole Earth be filled with his Glory: Amen and Amen.
III. IF GOD be unſearchable in his Eſſence, then what a great Evil is it to Sin againſt him, and to be under his Wrath? How evil the Nature, how unſearchable the Deſert of Sin? From the Greatneſs of GOD Sin takes it Dimenſions, and is an unknown Evil. It cant be little when GOD is ſo great, againſt whom it is committed.
WONDER not at the infinite Puniſhment threatned againſt it: it can deſerve no leſs than infinite Wrath. Guilt and Wrath take their Dimenſion from the infinite Perfections and Glory of GOD. How then do they paſs all Imagination and Fear. Job 37. ult. With GOD is terrible Majeſty; touching the Almighty we cannot find him out: He is excellent in Power, and in Judgment, and in Plenty of Juſtice: Men do therefore fear before him.
LITTLE do Sinners conſider with what a great GOD they have to do! they have little Tho'ts of him, and ſo eaſily deſpiſe his holy Will and dreadful Vengeance! Whereas an Apprehenſion of the divine Greatneſs ought to ſtrike Terror into the Soul of every impenitent Sinner. What wilt thou do when GOD riſeth up? and when he viſiteth, what wilt than anſwer him? Haft thou an Arm like GOD, and canſt thou Thunder with a Voice like Him? Dick now thy ſelf with Majeſty, and caſt abread the Rage of thy Wrath, or fear that of his, when he ſhall ariſe to Judgment!
WHEN GOD came down on Sinai, and they beheld his Glory, how did the People quake, (both Saints and Sinners fearing to be conſum'd before him. And who ſhall be able to ſtand before the fovereign Judge, when he ſhall come at the laſt Day in his Power and great Glory.
IV. ON the other hand, If the Greatneſs of GOD is unſearchable, then what a great Thing is it to have his Favour and Bleſſing? The Pardon of Sin; Peace with him, a Relation to him, and Intereſt in him; his Image in us, his Comforts with us, and the Hopes of the overlaſling Enjoyment of him in Heaven.
HOW great muſt theſe things be, if GOD is ſo great! Truly Eye has not ſeen, nor Ear heard, neither can it enter into the Heart of Man to conceive, the Things which GOD has prepared for them that love him! How immenſly Bleſſed muſt they be who are the elect and choſen Favourites of this great GOD! who are beloved of him, and ſanctified by him, and who ſhall ſee his Face, and dwell in his Preſence for ever more! When Solomon's Magnificence was beheld, ſaid the admiring Queen, Happy are theſe thy Servants. How bleſſed then thoſe Souls that ſhall be before the Throne of GOD, and of the Lamb above! The Bleſſedneſs of Heaven muſt be like the Greatneſs of the divine Majeſty who dwells there. As is his Perfection, Power, Dominion and Glory, ſuch muſt the Gifts be that he will beſtow, and the Felicity of his Court. If GOD were leſs, ſo would the Bleſſedneſs of Saints be leſs in Heaven: but as his Greatneſs cannot be ſearched out, ſo the Felicity of Heaven muſt ſurpoſs all our preſent Conceptions. Compaſſes all Underſtanding, and therefore ſo does his Peace. As the Height and Depth, the Length and Breadth of his Eſſence can't be taken, ſo neither of his Love.
WHEN GOD appear'd to Abraham it was by the Name of GOD Almighty; GOD Immenſe and Alſufficient: and as was ſaid to him,—Look now to Heaven, and ſee the Stars— ſo ſay I— Look we thro' the immenſe Spaces of the Creation and ſee the Greatneſs of the Former of all Things; ſuch is the Spread of thy Happineſs, if thou art a Child and Servant of GOD. GOD himſelf is thy Portion and exceeding great Reward: this great GOD is thy Friend, and Father, and Saviour: He has bleſſed thee and thou ſhalt be bleſſed.
VERILY, for want of enlarged Tho'ts of GOD Saints themſelves have but too little Tho'ts of the Promiſes of the Goſpel, and the Good contained in them. Does GOD offer his Spirit and Grace, his Son and Juſtification thro' him, his Heaven and Himſelf to us? and are you an Heir of all this, by a Covenant Title, of the free Grace of GOD? O your Bleſſedneſs! while others ſet ſo light by the Offer! ſo eaſily hear it made to them and neglect it! Ah, dull Souls that we have, to be no more affected with, nor moved at, nor wrought upon by theſe incomprehenſible things! Think only what GOD is, and it gives all the Motives of the Goſpel their true light. Such is his Wrath, ſuch is his Love; Such is the Loſs, and ſuch the Gain; according to the Greatneſs of GOD. The Light of Heaven is unapproachable, becauſe GOD is the Light thereof? The Blackneſs of Hell is inſufferable, becauſe the Vials of page missing his Wrath are pour'd out there: In his Favour is Life, and his loving-Kindneſs is better than Life.
V. IF GOD is ſo great, then how great are our Souls? Whether we conſider them, I. As the Offspring of this great Being, and bearing his Image; in Spirituality, Knowledge, Holineſs, Immortality. Or, 2. In his Deſires and Labours for their Salvation: the Price he has given for their Ranſom from eternal Death.
HE has given his own SON to die in our Nature, and redeemed us by his own Blood. He has united himſelf to us and became Man, and advanced our Nature in that perſonal Union above all Angels and every Name in Heaven.
OF what Worth and Value then were our Souls in his Eyes? What Thoughts and Counſels has the great GOD ſpent upon them? That ſo mighty a Being, the Maker and LORD of ſuch mighty Worlds, ſhould ſhow ſuch solicitude, and condeſcend to ſuch Methods for their Salvation! truly it ſhould inconceivably magnify them in our Eyes, and inhance the Dignity of them to us; the Redemption of which is ſo precious to the infinite Mind and Underſtanding.
THE leaſt Thought taken by ſo great a Being, the leaſt Thing done by him for our Salvation, would argue the Worth of the Soul exceedingly. But that GOD ſhould think and do ſo much herefor, even himſelf take our Nature and die therein, is ſo amazing a thing, when we realize the Greatneſs of GOD, that we ſhould have thought the human and angelical Natures united could never have had the Offering given for them.
THUS the Doctrines of Chriſtianity are exalted from thoſe of natural Religion. There is a great God and our Saviour! And how great are thoſe Souls, and how greatly to be priz'd and cared for, which are the Subjects of ſo great Salvation?
VI. and laſtly, LET me infer the Duties toward GOD from us, which do naturally reſult from his unſearchable Greatneſs; and the Meaſures of Grace we ſhould aſpire after; the meet Offering to ſo great a Majeſty. Great is the Bond upon us unto the Duties of Religion and Devotion, if GOD be ſo great; and great ſhould be the Engagedneſs and Fervency of our Souls always in them. With what raiſed, enlarged Minds and Hearts ſhould we always worſhip, ſerve and obey ſo high and incomprehenſibly Great a Creator? Our beſt, our utmoſt, our all is his due. Certainly we may be juſtly aſhamed of our little Devotions, when we conſider the Greatneſs of GOD. Pſal. 145 3. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praiſed; his Greatneſs is unſearchable.
BUT to be particular:
1. IF GOD be ſo great, how greatly ſhould he be loved by us? With all our Heart, and Soul, and Mind, and Strength; which is the firſt and great Commandment. A GOD of unſearchable Glory and Excellency—How great is his Beauty? He is altogether lovely.
2. So great a GOD is greatly to be ſeared. With what Reverence and Awe ſhould we think of him? With what holy Dread ſhould we approach him? With what godly Fear and Trembling ſhould we ſerve him? — That glorious and fearful Name, the LORD thy GOD.
3. IF GOD be ſo great, what Humility and Abaſement becomes us before him? What are we? Nothing and Vanity! a Breath of Wind, a Mote of Duſt! "All Nations as the Drop of a Bucket, and leſs than nothing.
4. WHAT great Penitence doth Sin againſt ſo great a GOD call for? What great Fear of his Curſe? What great Solicitude after Peace with him thro' Chriſt? What great Thankfulneſs for a Saviour? Say, "O that my Head were Waters, and my Eyes a Fountain of Tears, that I might weep in ſome Proportion to the leaſt of my Sins! Now mine Eye ſeeth thee, wherefore I abhor my ſelf and repent in Duſt and Aſhes. For it is this great GOD whom I have deſpiſed. deſied, grieved, affronted, rebelled againſt and diſhonoured; cut my ſelf off from, and expoſed my ſelf to his Wrath. O what Confuſion of Face belongs to me! What Contrition of Soul and Brokenneſs of Spirit does Sin call for? The Heavens may be aſtoniſh'd at it, and the Earth be deſolate. More than Shimei's Remorſe and Terror becomes us, till we have got the Pardon of our crying Guilt granted to us. We ſhould fall in the Duſt, as that vile Traitor at the Feet of his excellent King, ſaying, Let not my Lord impute Iniquity to me, nor remember my Perverſneſs.
To conclude, Great is the Faith, Adoration, Submiſſion and Obedience, which the unſearchable Greatneſs of GOD demands from us. We muſt revere his Oraclds, nor wonder at revealed Myſteries; we muſt bow our Wills to his Laws, tremble at his Threatnings, and rely on his Promiſes. We muſt reſign to him in all his unſearchable Providences, and not dare to find Fault with him, whom we can ſo little find out to Perfection: for if we are ſo little acquainted with the divine Nature, we are moſt incompetent Judges of the divine Providence. And finally, we muſt awfully adore and praiſe and pray to this great and glorious BEING, according to his excellent Greatneſs.
BUT what Offering can we bring that is worthy of ſo great Majeſty? What are thouſands of Rams, or ten thouſand Rivers of Oyl? We and our firſtborn? Lebanon is not ſufficient to burn, nor the Beaſts thereof for a Sacrifice. Yet may we not withold our low Oblations; the beſt of our Flock; or bo it but a Turtle-Dove, or a Widow's-Mite. And let is pleaſe us to think that GOD has Myriads of holy Angels who know how to praiſe him; and with whom we hope ere long to be eternally imployed in that bleſſed Work.