us hear the gospel with attention, meditate with devotion, pray with faith, and in all things seek the glory of God, and look to him through Christ, that he would not take his Spirit from us. Thirdly, We here learn the great duty of caution; that we never yield to any temptations, or indulge ourselves in sin, whereby the Spirit may be provoked to withdraw from us. The Spirit never withdraws from the christian, but by reason of sin. And how unhappy is the soul of the saint in a season of desertion? He is destitute of light, peace and consolation. Fears and doubts,. misgivings of heart, and evil forebodings swallow up all his hopes; gloominess and darkness spread thick clouds over his soul. And in anguish of mind, he often cries out, "Where is "God, my Maker? O that it were with me as in times past," when I enjoyed the light of God's countenance, and experienced the preciousness of Chirst, and the loving kindness of heaven. Let us ever bear upon our hearts the divine injunctions, "Quench "not the Spirit. Grieve not the Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption." And that we may be all directed, drawn and led by the Spirit, and be blessed with the consolations of the Spirit, in life, in death, and throughout eternity, may God of his infinite mercy grant, through Jesus Christ our Lord.. Amen.. SERMON VI. SOME OF THE NATURAL PERFECTIONS OF GOD CONSIDERED. PSALMS CXLV. 3. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable. PROPER meditations on the glorious attributes, and perfections of Jehovah, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, the one living and true God, are productive of useful instruction, and great pleasure and delight. Writers on the lofty subject of the divine attributes, often arrange them under two eminent heads, to wit, his greatness and his goodness. Under the former, they compre hend all his natural-and under the latter, all the moral perfec tions of God. The greatness of Jehovah, is indeed a grand and exalted subject. When we set ourselves to meditate upon, and contemplate the same, how should we raise, enlarge and expand our souls? How should we lift our hearts in fervent and devout supplication to the throne of grace, that our understandings may be eradiated with light from on high, with rays from the sun of righteousness, and that beams of glory may shine around us, as they did around Moses of old, when God in splendor passed by, and proclaimed his name before him. The greatness of God is beautifully expressed in this text, by the sweet singer of Israel. "Great is the Lord, and greatly to ส "be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable." David here, as was usual with him in his Psalms of devotion, is extolling and praising God, upon the account of the transcendent glory of his greatness, as well as of his other adorable perfections. Hence, let others do whatsoever may seem meet to them; let them speak of the might of his terrible acts;" as for my part, I will make it supremely my employ, "to declare his greatness.". Truly, "great is the Lord, and greatly to be feared and praised. I "will speak of the glorious honor of thy majesty, and of thy won"derous works." He is not only engaged in the dignified work of praising the Most High himself, but his whole spirit is exerted in inducing others also to praise him. "Let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever. They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteous"ness." And he was not merely engaged, that the then existing people should celebrate in their praises, the exceeding greatness of their Creator and Redeemer, but that this should be the business of all future generations. "One generation shall praise 66 thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts." How exalted and expanded is the idea contained in these words, "Great is the Lord ?" His presence is unbounded, his glory inconceivable, his power irresistable, his brightness insupportable, his majesty awful, his dominion infinite, and his sovereignty incontestable. Surely then, "Great is the Lord, and greatly to be "praised." He is greatly to be praised by all intelligences; by Cherubim and Seraphim, by all the hosts of heaven, and all the myriads of inhabitants on earth; he is to be praised, to the utmost extent of their abilities, and those abilities wrought up to the highest pitch of energy, with all the most exalted circumstances of devout and holy solemnity. The greatness of God is declared to be altogether inscrutable: "His greatness is unsearch"able." No created mind can conceive or exhibit his greatness. He is higher than the heavens, what can we say? Who by searching can find out God? This inconceivable summary of the divine attributes, cannot be comprehended. Its height, and depth, SERMON VI. SOME OF THE NATURAL PERFECTIONS OF GOD CONSIDERED. PSALMS CXLV. 3. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable. PROPER meditations on the glorious attributes, and perfections of Jehovah, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, the one living and true God, are productive of useful instruction, and great pleasure and delight. Writers on the lofty subject of the divine attributes, often arrange them under two eminent heads, to wit; his greatness and his goodness. Under the former, they compre hend all his natural-and under the latter, all the moral perfections of God. The greatness of Jehovah, is indeed a grand and exalted subject. When we set ourselves to meditate upon, and contemplate the same, how should we raise, enlarge and expand our souls? How should we lift our hearts in fervent and devout supplication to the throne of grace, that our understandings may be eradiated with light from on high, with rays from the sum of righteousness, and that beams of glory may shine around us, as they did around Moses of old, when God in splendor passed by, and proclaimed his name before him. The greatness of God is beautifully expressed in this text, by the sweet singer of Israel. "Great is the Lord, and greatly to *be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable." David here, as was usual with him in his Psalms of devotion, is extolling and praising God, upon the account of the transcendent glory of his greatness, as well as of his other adorable perfections. Hence, let others do whatsoever may seem meet to them; let them "speak of the might of his terrible acts;" as for my part, I will make it supremely my employ, "to declare his greatness.". Truly, "great is the Lord, and greatly to be feared and praised. I "will speak of the glorious honor of thy majesty, and of thy won"derous works." He is not only engaged in the dignified work of praising the Most High himself, but his whole spirit is exerted in inducing others also to praise him. "Let all flesh bless his "holy name forever and ever. They shall abundantly utter the K memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteous"ness." And he was not merely engaged, that the then existing people should celebrate in their praises, the exceeding greatness of their Creator and Redeemer, but that this should be the business of all future generations. "One generation shall praise "thy works to another, and shall declare. thy mighty acts." How exalted and expanded is the idea contained in these words, "Great is the Lord ?" His presence is unbounded, his glory inconceivable, his power irresistable, his brightness insupportable, his majesty awful, his dominion infinite, and his sovereignty incontestable. Surely then, "Great is the Lord, and greatly to be "praised." He is greatly to be praised by all intelligences; by Cherubim and Seraphim, by all the hosts of heaven, and all the myriads of inhabitants on earth; he is to be praised, to the utmost extent of their abilities, and those abilities wrought up to the highest pitch of energy, with all the most exalted circumstances of devout and holy solemnity. The greatness of God is declared to be altogether inscrutable: "His greatness is unsearch"able." No created mind can conceive or exhibit his greatness. He is higher than the heavens, what can we say? Who by searching can find out God? This inconceivable summary of the divine attributes, cannot be comprehended. Its height, and depth, |