II. What effect the consideration of it should produce upon us —
Every perfection of the Deity should occasion some correspondent emotion in our hearts. The thought of his unbounded power over us should produce in us,
1. A holy fear — [What our deserts are, both individually and collectively, none can doubt. To repent then of all our sins, and to turn to the Lord with all our hearts, is our first duty. This is the special point inculcated on the Jewish nation by God himself11. And where is the individual who does not feel the necessity of having it impressed on his own mind? Know then, all of you, that you are at this instant preparing either for heaven or for hell. If in your final condition you are " vessels unto dis- honour," the fault will be your own. If happily you prove vessels of honour, it will be solely in consequence of God's
c Job xxxiii. 19-25. d Ps. cvii. 12—20.
e Job i. 18,19. and xlii. 12, 13. f Isai. li. 1, 2. Deut. vii. 7.
s 2 Kings xix. 35. Exod. xiv. 28. If this be the subject of a Fast Sermon, the circumstances of the nation may properly he ad- verted to in this place, and the duties inculcated under the second head must have a national, as well as personal bearing.
h Read ver. 7 — 10. and mark emphatically ver. 11.
electing love1, and his new-creating power k. Cry then mightily to God to " accomplish for you and in you all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power."]
2. A meek submission —
[God best knows how to effect in you the purposes of his grace. For the most part he makes use of afflictive dispensa- tions for our good; and, of whatever kind they be, we can have no just reason to complain. If the clay has no right to complain of the potter who forms of it a vessel such as he himself pleases, much less can " a living man," who is out of hell, have right, under any circumstances, to " complain" of God1. Under every trial, of whatever kind it be, we should say, " It is the Lord : let him do what seemeth him good."]
3. A humble trust —
[If only we lie as clay in his hands, we have nothing to fearm. Both men and devils are with him but as an axe or saw, with which he accomplishes his own purposes". We have only to commit ourselves to him, and we shall have his work perfected in our hearts, and be made vessels of honour meet for the Master's use °. How weak soever, or worthless we be, God will glorify himself in our complete salvation p.]
1 Acts ix. 15.
k Rom. ix. 21 — 23. Distinguish between iccn-»jprt<7/ii£Va by them- selves, and God's agency in a Tvporiroi^amv.
1 Isai. xlv. 9. with Rom. ix. 19, 20. m Isai. li. 12, 13,
» Isai. x. 15. ° 2 Tim. ii. 20, 21. p Isai. xl. 27 — 31.