Page:Comer's conflict, or, The beginner's battle with the devil, when essaying to come to Christ by faith.pdf/17

 The Beginner's Battle with the Devil. 17

5thly, There are temptations of Satan with reference as to unworthy apprehenſions of God. Satan may ſuggeſt very ſtrange thoughts of God, very baſe thoughts of God, moſt unſuitable apprehenſions of him, ſuch as are not to be ſpoken of; and the prince in this world hath much in jus, who are ſo ignorant of God, to further theſe miſhapen thoughts of God. And to fortify you againſt theſe aſ- ſaults, there are theſe two directions I would offer anent the way how we are to conceive of God. (1.) We are to conceive of him as inconceivable; for and the thoughts we are to have of him are overwhelming thoughts. As long as we are merely active, and are able to maſter our thoughts of God, they are utterly unworthy of him. Whatſoever we know, comprehenſively I mean, except we ſee it be infinitely beyond us, that is not God, nor to be adored. I have read a dialogue between a Chriſ- tian and a Gentle: The Gentle feeing the Chriſtian very fervent in prayer, and ſeeing no image before him, aſked him,. Whom he worſhipped' he anſwered, I know not.' ' Why then do you worſhip him ? I therefore worſhip ' him, fays he, becauſe I cannot know him.' 'It ſeems ' ſtrange, ſaid the Gentle, to ſee one ſo ſeriouſly worſhip ' that he knoweth not.' More ſtrange it is for one, ſaid the ' Chriſtian, to worſhip what we comprehend. If we are not loft in our thoughts of God, our thoughts of God are loft. When we throw a ſtone into a pond, it makes circles larger and larger, and quickly they come to the fore; but it one ſhould throw a milſtone into the midſt of the cahn ocean, tho' it would make larger and larger circles, yet it would not reach the ſhore, becauſe the ſtrength would be ſpent long before it came the length; ſo when we think on the creatures, we eaſily enlarge our thoughts ſo as to ſee an end of their perfection, and to be more than comprehenſive of their excellency; but when we think of God, we can never know him to perfection. Pſal. exix. 96. Here our know- ledge muſt end in admiration, and our love in extaſy. Nay, we muſt conceive of God as above all words, above all knowledge, and above all admiration; and above all love, and above all extaſy. But let us go to ſcripture, God knows beſt how to ſpeak of himſelf, and we may ſafely acquieſce in ſcripture expreſſions, Neh. ix. 5. by name is exalted above all praiſe, above the praiſe of men