nge of his dispensations, when his
way to us changes, that we may know what is past. This is the great design
that God hath in the world,--to declare himself and his own name, that it
may be wondered and admired at by men, and this cannot be but by our ruin,
abasing us in the dust. He therefore uses to stain the pride of all glory,
that his alone may appear without spot. This is then the great controversy
of God with men and nations in all generations. They will not see him
alone exalted, and will not bow before him, and see their own vileness.
Why doth he overturn kingdoms and thrones? Why doth he shake nations so
often? Here it is; God's controversy will never cease, till all men
acknowledge him in his highness and holiness, as the sole fountain of all
life, and find themselves vile, less than nothing, nay, worse than
nothing, and emptiness. If ye would then have God at peace with the land
and yourselves, here is the compendious way,--set him up a throne of
eminency in your hearts, and put yourselves in the dust, take with your
own guiltiness and naughtiness, and impossibility to help yourselves in
yourselves. Hold these two still in your eyes, that he may be alone
exalted.

Look how unequal a match, ver. 4, 5, "He is the Rock," a rock indeed! If
we speak of strength, lo! he is strong; if of stability, he is the Lord,
and changes not, "the Ancient of days." Hast not thou heard and considered
this, that the Almighty faints not, and wearies not? He holds forth
himself in such a name to his people, a ready, all-sufficient, perpetual,
and enduring refuge to all that trust in him, and fly unto him as a rock
higher than they. And this is the foundation that the church is builded
on, against which the gates of hell shall not prevail. God's omnipotency
is for defence, his eternity, faithfulness, and unchangeableness to make
that sure. His mercy and goodness makes a hole in that rock to enter in, a
ready access for poor shipwrecked and broken men, who have no other
refuge. This is our rock, on which the church is builded, Jesus Christ, 1
Cor. x. 4.; Matt. xvi. 18. Were God inaccessible in himself, an
impregnable rock, how would sinners overcome him, and enter in to him to
be saved from wrath? Nay but Jesus Christ hath made a plain way and path,
out of the waves of sin and misery, into this rock higher than we; and so
the poor soul that is lost in its own eyes, and sees no refuge, is forced
to quit the broken ship of created co