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nature and perfection, and our finite apprehenfions. S Worldly greatness will caufe wonder, the thoughts of earthly majefty will compofe us to reverence; how much more fhould thofe excellencies which are beyond what we can imagine? Ifa. vi. you have there God reprefented "fitting upon his throne," and the "feraphims about him," which are described to us as having each fix wings, and with twain "they cover their faces." Creatures of the bright eft understanding, and the moft exalted purity and holiness, "cover their faces" in the presence of God's glory, they choose rather to venerate GOD than look upon him.

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II. This calls for humility and modefty. The confideration of GOD's unfearchable perfections should make" the haughtiness of man to ftoop, and bring "down his proud looks, and GoD alone should be "exalted." The thought of GOD's excellency fhould abafe us, and make us "vile in our own "eyes," it fhould make all thofe petty excellencies that we pride ourselves in, to vanish and disappear. "Those treasures of wisdom and knowledge" which are in GoD, fhould "hide pride from man." It fhould hide thofe little parts and gifts which we are fo apt to glory in, as the fun hides the ftars. When we confider Gop, we should be fo far from admiring ourselves, that we should with an humble thankfulnefs wonder that GOD fhould regard fuch inconfiderable nothings as we are, Pfal. viii. 1, 3, 4. "O "LORD our GoD, how excellent is thy name in all "the earth, who haft fet thy glory above the hea"vens! When I confider the heavens, the work of "thy fingers, the moon and the ftars which thou "haft ordained; what is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the fon of man, that thou vifiteft

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CLVI.

SERM." him? He that confiders the glory of GoD, and CLVI. the greatnefs of his works, will think fo meanly of

himself, that he will be aftonished that GOD fhould mind him or vifit him. This is a noble strain of humility in David, by which he acknowledgeth that the greatest king of the earth, how confiderable foever he may be in refpect of men, is yet but a pitiful thing to GOD.

When we fpeak to GoD, we fhould do is with great humility, Ecclef. v. 2, 3. "Let thy words be "few, for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth." We fhould fay to GOD, Job xxxvii. 19. "Teach

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us what we fhall fay unto thee, for we cannot "order our fpeech by reafon of darkness." And when we think or fpeak of him, we should do it with great modefty, we fhould not rafhly pronounce or determine any thing concerning GOD. Simonides being asked, what GOD was? defired one day's time to confider, then he defired two, and then four. The more we think of GoD, the lefs peremptory fhall we be in defining him. He that confiders that Gop is incomprehenfible, will not pretend to know all the ways of infinite knowledge, and the utmost of infinite power, and all the reafons of God's ways and providences. He that rightly values his own fhort understanding, and the unlimited perfections of God, will not be apt to fay, this GoD cannot do, this he cannot know, fuch ways are not agreeable to his wifdom. He that knows GoD and himfelf, will be modeft in thefe cafes, he will inxe, abftain from all peremptory pronouncing in these matters; he confiders that one man many times differs fo much from another in knowledge and skill of working, that he can do thofe things which another believes impoffible: but we have pitiful thoughts

CLVI.

of GOD, if we think the difference between one man S ER M. and another is any thing to the vast distance that is between the divine understanding and our ignorance, the divine power and our weakness, the wisdom of GOD and the folly of men.

II.

III. The incomprehenfibleness of GOD's perfections calls for the highest degree of our affection. How should we fear this great and glorious God! Pfal. xc. 11. "Who knoweth the power of thine anger? "even according to thy fear, fo is thy wrath. Fear is the moft infinite of all our paffions, and fills us with the most endless jealoufy and fufpicions; GOD's wrath is greater than our fear, " according to thy fear, fo is thy wrath."

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66

How should we love him, when we are aftonished with admiration of GoD's goodness, and fay, " how "great is thy goodness, and how great is thy beauty? Behold, what manner of love the father hath "bestowed upon us!" How great fhould our love be to him! What manner of love fhould we return to him!

This calls for the highest degree of our faith. With what confidence fhould we rely upon him, "who is able to do for us exceeding abundantly "above what we can afk or think!"

To conclude. This requires the highest degree of our fervice: how fhould our hearts be "enlarged to "run the ways of his commandments," who hath "laid up for us" fuch things, "that eye hath 66 not feen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the "heart of man?"

THE

THE

CONTENT S.

All

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SERMON CXXXI.

Concerning our imitation of the divine perfections.
MATT. v. 48.

BE ye therefore perfect, even as your father which is in hea

ven is perfect.

SERM. CXXXII.
The happiness of GOD,

I TIM. i. II.

The bleffed GOD.

The whole verse runs thus,

page. 3.

According to the glorious gospel of the blessed GOD, which

committed to my trust,

SÉR M. CXXXIII.

The unchangeableness of GOD.

JAMES i. 17.

was

P. 28.

With whom is no variableness, nor shadow of turning.
The whole period runs thus,

Do not err, my beloved brethren, every good gift, and every
perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the father
of lights, with whom there is no variableness, nor fbadow
of turning.

SER M. CXXXIV, CXXXV.
The knowledge of Gop.

P. 47.

I SA M. ii. 3.

The LORD is a GOD of knowledge.

p. 63, 83,

SER M. CXXXVI.

The wisdom, glory, and fovereignty of God.

JUDE ver. 25.

To the only wife GOD our SAVIOUR, be glory and majefty, dominion and power, now and ever.

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The wisdom of GOD, in the creation of the world,

PSA L. civ. 24.

O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom haft they

made them all,

P. 125.
SER

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