Now, if we cannot reach the depth of the natural sea, then (which is the scope of this place) surely there are depths and secrets in the ways and counsels of God, which no man can earch or find out. David (Psal. 139.9.) speaking of the Omso presence of God, saith, Whither shall I go from thy presence? If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; there shall thy hand find me. There is no depth, no breadth, but God can find it out; but how little of the depth or breadth of God can we find out! (Psal. 36.6.) Thy judgements are a great deep; that is, thou O Lord dost terrible things in judgement as angry, yet such righteous things, as just and wise, that 'tis very hard for any, and impossible for the many, or most ⟨p. 149⟩of men to see the reason of them. And doubtless, it was the deep of his own divine judgements that God intended to lead Job to, when he spake here of the depth of the Sea. We read what the Apostle was forced to, when he was but, as it were, dipping his feet into this sea of the Counsels and Judgements of God, even to cry out, O the depth (Rom. 11.33.) As if he had said, I dare not enter into the springs of this sea, nor into the search of this depth. O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgements, and his ways past finding out! This was Davids express Confession concerning the providential way of God, His way is in the sea, and his path in the great waters, and his footsteps are not known (Psal. 77.19.) Goings upon the water leave no print behind them, we cannot observe a track in the sea. God walks sometimes as upon the land, we may easily discern his footsteps, and see whe•e he hath gone: But he often walks as upon the sea, where no man can see his paths, nor are his footsteps known. The Lord is known by the judgement which he executeth (Psal. 9.16.1) yet his judgements are seldom known, they are a great deep, a sea. The sea is a clear emblem of all obscure and unknown things, especially of those ways of God which are too deep for our discovery, and lie beyond the reach of our knowledge. And indeed, as soon may we hold the sea in the hollow of our hand, or lade it dry with a Cockle-shell, as comprehend the deep counsels of God, and the mysteries of providence, by which they are acted and effected in our shallow understanding.
Now, if we cannot reach the depth of the natural sea, then (which is the scope of this place) surely there are depths and secrets in the ways and counsels of God, which no man can earch or find out. David (Psal. 139.9.) speaking of the Omso presence of God, saith, Whither shall I go from thy presence? If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; there shall thy hand find me. There is no depth, no breadth, but God can find it out; but how little of the depth or breadth of God can we find out! (Psal. 36.6.) Thy judgements are a great deep; that is, thou O Lord dost terrible things in judgement as angry, yet such righteous things, as just and wise, that 'tis very hard for any, and impossible for the many, or most ⟨p. 149⟩of men to see the reason of them. And doubtless, it was the deep of his own divine judgements that God intended to lead Job to, when he spake here of the depth of the Sea. We read what the Apostle was forced to, when he was but, as it were, dipping his feet into this sea of the Counsels and Judgements of God, even to cry out, O the depth (Rom. 11.33.) As if he had said, I dare not enter into the springs of this sea, nor into the search of this depth. O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgements, and his ways past finding out! This was Davids express Confession concerning the providential way of God, His way is in the sea, and his path in the great waters, and his footsteps are not known (Psal. 77.19.) Goings upon the water leave no print behind them, we cannot observe a track in the sea. God walks sometimes as upon the land, we may easily discern his footsteps, and see whe•e he hath gone: But he often walks as upon the sea, where no man can see his paths, nor are his footsteps known. The Lord is known by the judgement which he executeth (Psal. 9.16.1) yet his judgements are seldome known, they are a great deep, a sea. The sea is a clear emblem of all obscure and unknown things, especially of those ways of God which are too deep for our discovery, and lie beyond the reach of our knowledge. And indeed, as soon may we hold the sea in the hollow of our hand, or lade it dry with a Cockle-shell, as comprehend the deep counsels of God, and the mysteries of providence, by which they are acted and effected in our shallow understanding.
- 1Profunditas maris rei obscurissimae & ignotissimae humanae intelligentiae soli deo perspectae symbolum.
