CHAP. XII. (2)

Our Darkness and Weakness is no Plea for our Negligence and Disobedience. Who is it that hath walked up to the Knowledge that he hath had of the Perfections, Excellencies, and Will of God? Gods End in giving us any Knowledge of himself here, is that we may glorifie him as God; that is, love him, serve him, believe and obey him, give him all the honour and Glory that is due from poor sinfull Creatures, to a sin-pardoning God, and Creator; we must all acknowledge, that we were never

throughly transformed into the Image of that Knowledge which we have had. And had we used our Talents well, we might have been trusted with more.

2. Comparatively, that knowledge which we have of God by the Revelation of Jesus Christ in the Gospel, is exceeding eminent and glorious. It is so in comparison of any knowledge of God that might otherwise be attained, or was delivered in the Law under the Old Testament, which had but the shadow of good things, not the express Image of them. This the Apostle pursues at large, 2 Cor. 3. Christ hath now in these last dayes revealed the Father from his own bosome, declared his Name, made known his Mind, Will and Councel in a far more clear, eminent, distinct manner than he did formerly, whilest he kept his People under the poedagogy of the Law: And this is that which for the most part is intended in the places before mentioned; the clear, perspicuous delivery and declaration of God, and his Will in the Gospel is expresly exalted in comparison of any other way of Revelation of himself.

3. The difference between Believers and Ʋnbelievers as to Knowledge, is not so much in the Matter of their Knowledge, as in the Manner of knowing. Unbelievers some of them may know more, and be able to say more of God, his Perfections and his will, than many Believers,

but they know nothing as they ought: nothing in a right manner, nothing spiritually and savingly; nothing with an holy, heavenly light. The excellency of a Believer is not, that he hath a large Apprehension of things, but that what he doth apprehend (which perhaps may be very little) He sees it in the light of the Spirit of God, in a saving soul-transforming light: And this is that which gives us communion with God, and not prying Thoughts, or curious raised Notions.

4. Jesus Christ by his Word and Spirit, reveals to the Hearts of all his, God as a Father, as a God in Covenant, as a Rewarder, every way sufficiently to teach us to obey him here, and to lead us to his Bosome, to lye down there in the Fruition of him to Eternity: But yet now,

5. Notwithstanding all this, it is but a little portion we know of him, we see but his back-parts. For,

(1) The intendment of all Gospel Revelation is not to unveil Gods Essential Glory, that we should see him as he is, but meerly to declare so much of him as he knowes sufficient to be a bottom of our Faith, Love, Obedience, and coming to him. That is, of the Faith which here he expects from us: Such services as beseem poor Creatures in the middest of Temptations; but when he calls us to eternal Admiration

and Contemplation, without Interruption, he will make a new manner of Discovery of himself, and the whole shape of things, as it now lies before us, will depart as a shadow.

(2) We are dull and slow of heart to receive the things that are in the Word revealed. God by our Infirmity and weakness, keeping us in continual dependance on him, for Teachings and Revelations of himself out of his Word, never in this world bringing any Soul to the utmost of what is from the Word to be made out and discovered; so that although the way of Revelation in the Gospel be clear and evident, yet we know little of the things themselves that are revealed.

Let us then revive the use and intendment of this Consideration; will not a due Apprehension of this unconceivable Greatness of God, and that infinite distance wherein we stand from him, fill the Soul with an holy and awfull Fear of him; so as to keep it in a Frame unsuited to the thriving or flourishing of any Lust whatever? Let the Soul be continually wonted to Reverential thoughts of Gods greatness and omnipresence, and it will be much upon its watch, as to any undue deportments; consider him with whom you have to doe; even our God is a consuming fire; and in your greatest Abashments at his presence and eye,

know, that your very Nature is too narrow to bear apprehensions suitable to his essential Glory.