A treatise of the incomparableness of God in his being, attributes, works and word…

CHAP. XXI. If God be incomparable, how monstrous is their Pride who compare themselves to the incomparable God.

Thirdly, If God be such an incomparable God, it informeth us, what abominable Pride and desperate presumption they are guilty of, who compare with, and prefer themselves before this God. If he be so transcendently excellent in his Being, Attributes, Word, and Works; how desperately saucy and impudent are they who put themselves in the balance with God? Behold all Nations to me are as nothing, yea, less than nothing, and vanity: To whom then will ye liken me? or to what will ye compare me? Isa. 40.17, 18. To liken God to any is the grossest Idolatry, and to liken any to God is the highest arrogancy. Babylon that sets her self in the Throne of God, and exalteth her self above all that is called God, is the mystery of iniquity, the man of Sin, in truth the dregs of the very Devil, 2 Thess. 2.9. It's a debasing God, not to adore him, and admire him according to ⟨p. 210⟩his excellent Majesty, and vast immensity; what a debasing then is it of God to compare him to poor pitiful nothings, as all Men and Angels are to him? He debaseth himself to open his eyes upon men, upon Angels, to behold things that are done in Heaven and Earth, Ps. 113.5. But he will not debase himself to compare with Men and Angels, he scorneth to put himself into the Scales with them, he is infinitely above and beyond all Comparatives, all Superlatives. Comparisons (we say) are odious; but no comparison that ever was, hath in the least degree that odiousness which this hath, for a Man or an Angel to compare with their Maker. The slime, and clay, and earth, may very much better compare with the Potter; both are narrow limited beings, both are earth and clay; yet the Potter would think it a great dishonour to him, (who hath a body curiously wrought, and an Heaven-born spiritual immortal soul) and desperate arrogancy in the clay and dirt which he trampleth on, to compare with him. And is it not greater pride in man to compare with God, when there is an infinite distance between them in all things? yet so ambitious and arrogant