A33361:52
A discourse of the saving grace of God
A discourse of the saving grace of God by ... David Clarkson ...
London: printed by J. Astwood for Tho. Parkhurst, 1688
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
But we yet go lower. Worms and Grass-hoppers, tho' most despicable, are yet animate Beings; and the soul of the least Creature, in Augustins account, is more excellent than the Body of the Sun. This is too high yet; ⟨p. 7⟩What then are men in Gods esteem? see ver. 15. The Nations are as the drop of a Bucket, and are accounted as the small dust of the Balance: behold he takes up the Isles as a very little thing. What? all the Nations of the Earth as one drop? As an Atom? What proportion then do ye think we bear to this drop, to this Atom, who are but as drops and Atoms in comparison of all the Nations of the Earth.
But we yet go lower. Worms and Grass-hoppers, tho' most despicable, are yet animate Beings; and the soul of the least Creature, in Augustins account, is more excellent than the Body of the Sun. This is too high yet; ⟨p. 7⟩What then are men in Gods esteem? see ver. 15. The Nations are as the drop of a Bucket, and are accounted as the small dust of the Ballance: behold he takes up the Isles as a very little thing. What? all the Nations of the Earth as one drop? As an Atom? What proportion then do ye think we bear to this drop, to this Atom, who are but as drops and Atoms in comparison of all the Nations of the Earth.
Sure now we are low enough. Our thoughts can scarce go lower. I, but stay, we are not in Gods account thus much. A drop, an Atom is something, tho a very little thing. But Ver. 17. All Nations before him are as nothing. Alas, where are we then, so near the low condition of Non-entity? Yes, and lower too; for it follows, and they are accounted to him less than nothing.
See then what Man is in Gods account, as less than that which is less than nothing. And can you imagine any thing in this Nothing, man, that should oblige the great God to save him? O, sure it is Grace, free Love; and such as may astonish Heaven and Earth; that the great God, who measures the Seas in the hollow of his Hand, who spans the Heavens, and weighs the Mountains, should condescend to do thus much