410 SERMONS ON MIC AH VI. S.
Lord, who am but dust and ashes.' The term dust refers to our original. When the soul was formed out of nothing, the body was made of the dust of the ground. Ashes refers to the curse or wrath of God that came upon them by the ftill. So Job xli. 5, ' I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye seeth thee ; wheiefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.' By God's appearing in so great glory and majesty he had a deeper sense of his own vileness than ever before. If God were indeed seen and duly apprehended by the eye of faith, the most holy of all his saints would become loathsome and vile in their own eyes. When we compare ourselves with other creatures, we seem wise, good, powerful, as they are foolish, wicked, and bad. The stars differ from one another in brightness and glory in the night; but when the sun appeareth, all these differences are obscured and vanish out of sight. So where God is thought on and rightly apprehended, our wisdom is but folly, our power but weakness, our righteousness as filthy rags. He is all, we are nothing but what he maketh us to be. All the creatures are to him 'as nothing, less than nothing,' Isa. iv. 17; nothing in opposition to him, nothing in comparison with him, nothing in exclusion of him. Now the mind of man should be often seasoned with these thoughts.
2. ' Thy God ; ' which noteth our interest in him. He is our God, partly by his own condescension, and partly by our choice. The one noteth our ingratitude, the other our treachery and breach of covenant if we do not humble ourselves to walk with him.
[1.] His condescension. He hath crowned thee with his grace and favour. He must not be the lesser for that, but the greater in our esteem ; because that through Christ in the covenant he becometh ours : Deut. sxviii. .58, ' Thou shalt do all the words in this law, tba*- thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful name. The Lord thy God.' You above all others are most obliged to God, and singled out to hold forth the name of God with honour to the world, that by the impres- sion upon your hearts and lives the world may know what a great and glorious being he is: 1 Peter ii. 9, ' A peculiar people, that show forth the praises of him,' &c.; ra.'^ dpeTa<i, his properties and excellences to the world, that others might have a reverence of God. The world must know from you that God is wise, powerful, good, his counsel the wisest course you can take ; his power in an holy awe, not daring to offend him. There are the greatest advantages on the one side, the greatest terrors on the other, discovered by the joy of your faith, readi- ness of your obedience, and patience under the sharpest af&ictions.
[2.] Our choice. We have taken upon ourselves to serve and honour him, believing his excellences and waiting for his reward. Now, for us to be disobedient to God, or murmur against his providence, and to carry it high against him, it is to be rebels to God while we profess to be his people, and, in confidence of our privileges, to break his law, Luke vi. 46, and John vi, 67, 'Will ye also go away?' It goetli near his lieart. So that our interest in him doth not make void our duty, but establish it rather. Who will reverence him if his people do not ? those whom he hath known of all the families of the earth, who have devoted themselves to him, and chosen him for their God.
SERMONS ON MIC AH VI. 8. 411
[3.] Yvn are with him, always before him in liis eye and presence : Luke. i. 75, ' In holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life.' To be proud and undutiful before God is to affront him to his face. Others sin behind God's back, you before his very face: ' Will he force the queen before my face ? ' Esther vii. 8.
[4] In the word lucdk there is an argument which noteth a continual converse with God and communion with him. Can they be proud that have so often to do with an holy and glorious God? Surely every glimpse of his majesty should take down their self-exalting thoughts. For those who are strange to God, and have little business with him, to contemn and slight him, is not so great a wonder: but you have continually to do with that majesty that is so much to be reverenced and dreaded ; this should move you ; the bent of your iiearts are towards him, your thoughts are on him, your work lieth with him, even with so holy and so great a God ; therefore surely we should walk humbly. If you know the God whom you worship, if you be serious with him, as you are often with him, the very thoughts of God will teach you humility and reverence.
Use 1. If walking humbly with God distinguisheth the sincere from the hypocrites, let us see if we walk humbly with God.