(2d.) From self. A sight of God will best discover thyself unto thyself, that in the light of God's glorious majesty thou mayest dis- tinctly behold thine own vileness and misery. Esaias, when he saw God in vision : L'^a. vi. 5, ' Then said I, Woe is me, for I am undone,
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because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips, and mine eyes have seen the kinf]c, the Lord of hosts.' That is the use he made of this glorious sight : he knew, doubtless, something of this before, but now is affected as if he had never seen it. The glory of God shining on him doth not lift him up in arrogancy and conceit of the knowledge of such profound mysteries, but he is more abased in himself ; this light made him see his own uncleanness. So Job xlii. 5, 6, ' I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye seeth thee ; therefore I abhor myself in dust and ashes.' As long as it was hearsay, Job thought himself some- thing, and might reflect upon himself and actions with a kind of com- placency and delight ; but now he could not look upon himself with iiny patience. Self-love maketli us loathe other men"s sins more than our own, and hinderetli us from representing ourselves to ourselves in a true shape. It is the mere speculative knowledge of God, and science falsely so called that puffeth up ; but a true knowledge of God breedeth self-loathing.
(3d.) From sin : it draweth off the heart. This remembrance will re- present filthiness as filthiness without a covering. Sin is a deformity to God, as contrariety to his laws, the purity and goodness of his essence, and wisdom of his laws ; yea, an act of rebellion and disloyalty against his sovereignty. Sin still is greatened by the consideration of God and a reflection upon his nature ; as against his authority, purity, goodness, so there is unkindness, disobedience, and a blot in it. Well may the apostle say, 3 John 11, ' He that doth evil hath not seen God.'
(2.) The heart must be drawn unto God by love, fear, and trust ; for unless we meditate upon God to this end, ' Though we know God, we do not glorify him as God,' Kom. i. 21, till your hearts be moved and inclined to love, fear .him, and obey him. His being calls for it, that we should seek after communion with God, who is such a self- sufficient, all-sufficient, and eternal being. Whom would we own, or whose favour would we seek ? The favour of poor creatures, who are now one thing, now another ? or the favour of God, who can still say, I am that I am ! what I was I am, and I will be what I am ? Friends are changeable, their affections dry up, and they themselves die, and their favour and all their thoughts of doing us good perish. There is no end of his duration or affection. His attributes call for love ; his power rendereth him the most desirable friend and dreadful adversary. What more dreadful than power that cannot be resisted, wisdom that none can be hid from ? and what more lovely than his love ? Surely if we did study his name, his promises, and threatenings, it would have more power with us : how would we seek to him, and submit to his blessed will, and depend on him, as those that have nothing in our- selves, nor anything else in the world had being without him ! We would then believe all opposite powers to be nothing, and wink at either the dreadfulness or loveliness of the creature, while the eye of our souls is wholly taken up with the sight of God ; our desires would be to him, and our delights in him, and being deadened to the creature, would wholly cleave to him.
Doct. 3. Those that have spiritual affections will take all occasions to remember God's name. In adversity, for their comfort : Isa. xxvi.
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8, 9, ' Yea, in the way of thy judgments, 0 Lord, have we waited for thee : the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee : with my soul have I desired thee in the nio^ht ; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early;' Isa. 1. 10, ' Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness and hath no light ? let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God/ In prosperity, for a regulation and restraint to their affections, that they might not too freely run out on the creature to the wrong of God. It is said of the wicked, Ps. Iv. 19, ' Because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God ;' but God's children remember him in their comforts: Deut. viii. 10, 11, ' When thou hast eaten and art full, thou shalt bless the Lord thy God for the good land which he hath given thee ; beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God ;' so ver. 18, ' Thou shalt remember the Lord thy God, for he it is that giveth thee power to get wealth.' In company they will be speaking of God : Eph. v. 4, ' aWa ev')(api(n[a, but rather giving of thanks.' Alone they will be thinking of God ; so that when they are alone, they are not alone ; God is with them in their solitude : John xvi. 32, ' Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered every one to his own, and shall leave me alone ; and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.' By day they redeem time, God's statutes are their songs ; by night when they cannot sleep : ' When I awake I am still with thee,' Ps. cxxxix. 18. Oh, what an advantage it is to have the heart thus thronged with thouglits of God in the night ! When others sleep, good men are awake with God.