624 AN EXPOSITION UPON PSALM CXXX. [Ver. 5, 6.
is perverse and evil. Hence tlie prophet who had a representation of the glory of God in a vision, and heard the seraphim proclaiming his holiness, cried out, " Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips," Isa. vi. 5. He thought it impossible that he should bear that near approach of the holiness of God. And with the remembrance hereof doth Joshua still the people, — with the terror of the Lord, chap. xiv. ] 9. Let such souls, then, as are under troubles and perplexities on any account, endeavour to exercise their thoughts about this infinite purity and fiery holiness of God. They will quickly find it their wisdom to become as weaned children before him, and content themselves with what he shall guide them unto ; which is to Avait for him. This fiery holiness streams from his throne, Dan. vii. 10, and would quickly consume the whole creation, as now under the curse and sin, were it not for the interposing of Jesus Christ.
4. His glorious majesty as the Euler of all the world. Majesty relates unto government, and it calls us to such an awe of him as doth render our waiting for him comely and necessary. God's throne is said to be in heaven, and there principally do the glorious beams of his terrible majesty shine forth; but he hath also made some representation of it on the earth, that we might learn to fear before him. Such was the appearance that he gave of his glory in the giving of the law, whereby he will judge the world, and condemn the transgressors of it who obtain not an acquitment in the blood of Jesus Christ. See the description of it in Exod. xix. 16—18. " So ter- rible was the sight" hereof, " that Moses" himself " said, I exceedingly fear and quake," Heb. xii. 21. And what effect it had upon all the jDeople is declared, Exod. xx. 18, 19. They were not able to bear it, although they had good assurance that it Avas for their benefit and advantage that he so drew nigh and manifested his glory .unto them. Are we not satisfied with our condition? cannot we wait imder his present dispensations? Let us think how we may approach unto his presence, or stand before his glorious majesty. Will not the dread of his excellency fall ujDon us? will not his terror make us afraid? shall we not think his way best, and his time best, and that our duty is to be silent before him? And the like manifestation, hath he made of his glory, as the great Judge of all upon the throne, unto sundry of the prophets: as unto Isaiah, chap. vi. 1-4; to Ezekiel, chap. i. ; to Daniel, chap. vii. 9, 10; to John, E.ev. i. Read the places attentively, and learn to tremble before him. These are not things that are foreign unto us. This God is our God. The same throne of his greatness and majesty is still established in the heavens. Let us, then, in all our hastes and heats that our spirits in any condition are j^rone unto, present ourselves before this throne of God, and then consider
Ver. 5, 6.] god himself the object of our waiting. 625
Avliat will be best for us to say or do ; what frame of heart and spirit will become us, and be safest for us. All this glory doth encompass us every moment, although we perceive it not. And it will be but a few days before all the vails and shades that are about us shall be taken away and depart; and then shall all this glory appear unto us unto endless bliss or everlasting woe. Let us therefore know, that nothing, in our dealings with him, doth better become us than silently to wait for him, and what he will speak unto us in our depths and straits.
5. It is good to consider the instances that God hath given of this his infi^iite greatness, power, majesty, and glory. Such was his mighty work of creating all things out of nothing. "We dwell on little mole-hills in the earth, and yet we know the least part of the excellency of that spot of ground which is given us for our habitation here below. But what is it unto the whole habitable world and the fulness thereof? And what an amazing thing is its greatness, with the wide and large sea, with all sorts of creatures therein 1 The le^t of these hath a beauty, a glory, an excellency, that the utmost of our inquiries end in admiration of. And all this is but the earth, the lower, dejoressed part of the world. What shall we say concerning the heavens over us, and all those creatures of light that have their habitations in them? Who can conceive the beauty, order, use, and course of them? The consideration hereof caused the psalmist to cry out, " Lord, our Lord, how excellent and glorious art thou ! " Ps. viii. \. And what is the rise, spring, and cause of these things? are they not all the effect of the word of the power of this glorious God? And doth he not in them, and by them, speak us into a rever- ence of his greatness? The like, also, may be said concerning his mighty and strange works of providence in the rule of the world. Is not this he who brought the flood of old upon the world of ungodly men? Is it not he who consumed Sodom and Gomorrah with fire from heaven, setting them forth as examples unto them that should afterward live ungodly, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire? Is it not he who destroyed Egypt with his plagues, and drowned Pharaoh with his host in the Red Sea? Is it not he, one of whose servants slew a hundred and fourscore and five thousand in Sennache- rib's army in one night? that opened the earth to swallow up Dathan and Abiram? and sent out fire from the altar to devour Nadab and Abihu ? And have not all ages been filled with such instances of his greatness and power?