An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty-eighth, thirty-ninth, fortieth, forty-first, and forty-second,…

Hence Note, First; There are secrets or depths in the sea, beyond mens searching or finding out.

The sea in many parts of it may be searched. Some have been at the bottom of it, many have let down a line to the bottom of it; yet it is usual in Scripture to speak of the sea as a thing unsearchable, or so deep, that none can find the depth of it. The sea is so deep, that it is sometimes called the depth (chap. 28.1.) The depth saith (that is, the Sea saith) it (that is, wisdom) is not in me. 'Tis also called the deep (Luke 5.4. chap. 8.31.) That is very deep, which is called the deep; and that's of an unsearchable depth, which is called the depth. Such a depth, so deep is the sea, that no man knows how deep, or what the depth of it is?

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 (