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There is an infinite distance and
disproportion between God and man; yet he came over all that to
love man…If God so loved us, should not we love one
another?...How can I withhold my affection where God has
bestowed his?...Since infinite wrongs have not changed his,
shall poor, petty, and light offences, hinder mine? [31]
The practice of the most common things, out of
the love of God, and respect to his commands, is more real and
true religion that the most profound and abstracted speculations
of knowledge; then only is God known, when knowledge stamps the
heart with fear and reverence of his Majesty, and love to his
name; because then only is he known as a true and living God.
[44]
Here is the wonder, that he who knew himself
to be equal to God, should notwithstanding become lower than
men; that the Lord of all should become the servant of all, and
the King of Glory make himself of no reputation; that he pleased
to come down lowest who knew himself to be the highest of all.
No necessity could persuade it, but charity and love has done
it. Now, then, how monstrous and ugly a thing must pride be
after this! That the dust should raise itself, and a worm swell;
that wretched, miserable man should be proud when it pleased the
glorious God to be humble; that absolute necessity did not
constrain to this; that simple love persuaded him! How this
heightens and elevates humility, that such a One gives out
himself, not only as the Teacher, but as the Pattern of it. [80]
Strength perfected in weakness, grace
sufficient in infirmities, has some greater glory than strength
and grace alone. Therefore he hath chosen this way as most fit
for the advancing of his glory, and most suitable for our
comfort and edification, to give us but little in hand, and
environ us with a crowd of continued necessities and wants
within and without, that we may learn to cry to him as our
Father, and seek our supplies from him. [90]
I know not anything that will either fix your
hearts from wandering in prayer, or establish your hearts from
trouble and disquiet after it, nothing that will so unburden and
ease your spirits as care of this – to lay hold on God as
all-sufficient, and lay this constraint on your hearts, to wait
on him and his pleasure, to cast your souls on his promises that
are so full and so free, and abide there, as at your anchorage
point, in all the vicissitudes and changes of outward or inward
things. [104]
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