The first is this , That a gracious heart is not satisfied with praising God onely for his works , but rises higher to praise him , and especially to praise him for himself , for that that it sees in himself .

I say , a gracious heart doth not stick in the Works of God ; nor is it onely inlarged to praise God for what it sees in Gods works , but it will rise higher than all the works of God , and praise him especially for that it sees in himself ; Thy self O Lord is excellent , the glory that is in thy self , it is above the earth , and above the heaven . While wee praise God for what wee see in his works , our thoughts and hearts are limited ; for Gods manifestations of himself are finite , and so there is not that spaciousness that a gracious heart desires to let our its self in : but when it can rise up to God himself , and look at the infinite excellency that there is in himself above all that doth appear in his works , then the heart inlarged with grace can expatiate it self to the uttermost , and that is that which doth delight him , then is a gracious heart indeed in its own element , when it is expatiating it self even in God himself .

And further God in setting himself before the soul in way of Covenant , Jer. 31.33.32.39.24.7 . Ezek. 11 . 2● . Gen. 15.1 . hee doth not onely tell those that hee takes into Covenant , that hee will do such and such things for them , but hee would have them to close with himself , I will bee your God . The Lord told Abraham that hee would bee his exceeding great reward , but that would not satisfie Abraham , What wilt thou give mee ? Vers. 2. having an eye to Christ , and the enjoyment of God in him ; so let God say that hee will do never such things for a gracious heart , that is not enough , except God himself bee the portion of the soul , the soul cannot bee satisfied with any thing that God doth ; if God should say to one whose heart he hath inlarged with grace , I will give thee all the world to possess , thou shalt have all the glory , all the pomp , all the sweetness , all the comforts in the world ; nay more than that , I will make ten thousand worlds more , and give thee them all , and they shall have all of them more excellency than this present world hath ; why all this would not satisfie a heart inlarged with grace for the portion of it , though such a one sees its self unworthy of the least crum of bread , yet it cannot bee satisfied with all the world , what then will satisfie him ? onely God himself , for so God propounds himse f unto his people in way of Covenant , Psal. 16.5 . I will bee thy God , I will bee your portion ; And upon this , those that are in Covenant with him , though they do rejoyce to see God manifesting himself in all his Names , they bless God for the beholding so much as they do of him in his works ; but the thing that their hearts are most upon ; is God himself , the excellency that there is in God above all his works .

And as it is in praising God , so also it is in other workings of the heart towards God , as now grace doth not love God so much for what God gives to it , as for what God is himself ; that is the difference between true sanctifying grace , and common grace ; common grace may make mee love God for what I receive from him , o● for what I hope to receive from him ; but sanctifying grace makes mee to love God for what is in himself , more than for what I receive from him , or expect to receive ; and so there may bee the fear of God for some works of God , when God doth manifest his power and dreadfulness in his works , in thundring or lightening , then the heart of a sinner may fear God , though there bee no grace ; but now where there is grace , such a one fears God more , because of that excellency hee sees in God himself , than from any dreadful works of God ; and this would bee a good rule to try your selves by : You say you fear God , why ? if you fear God , if it bee the right fear of God , you will fear God more for what you see in God himself , than for any works of God , than for any works of his judgements , or threatnings , and the like : And so in the desires of the heart after God , why , where the heart is gracious it works after God for himself , and not for his gifts ; It is an argument of a false love , a whorish love , for the wife to love her husband for that shee shall have by him , and not to love his person more : And so it is a sign of a base slavish spirit for a childe to love his fathe● because hee gives him meat and drink , and cloaths , and will leave him an inheritance , and not rather to love the very person of his Father ; so the heart is but false with God that loves God , and that desires after God , more for any thing that God doth , than for what God is ; and as these workings of heart , love , and fear , and desire , are more in respect of God himself , than of his works ; so praises of God , and delighting in God , where it is from true grace , it is more from what the soul sees in God , than from the manifestation of all the glory of God in all his works , for , Praise the Name of the Lord , For his Name is excellent , his glory is above the earth and heaven ( but wee shall let this pass . ) The main Point in the Text which wee are to pitch on is this ,

That God is a most excellent being above all things . Doct. 2

This is the work that now I have to do , to endeavour to present God in the excellency of his being to you , onely you must by way of caution know before wee do begin , That God dwells in that light that is unapproachable , 1 Tim. 6.16 . That it is but little that wee do , or can know of God . And before wee begin to set forth the excellency of Gods being to you , you must know , that there is infinitely more than either the tongue of Man or Angel can express ; when wee have done all wee can , there is more in God that is beyond what wee can say , or Angels could preach unto you ; I say , more than the glorious light of the Sun is more than a little glittering of a gloe-worm in the night , more than all the Sea is beyond , and above a spoonful , a drop of water .

And further by way of Caution , you must know this , that it is impossible to set before you the excellency of Gods being , and yet to speak so as every thing should bee plain to every one . Many things in the opening of Gods Nature to you , must needs have some difficulty in them , because the subject that wee are speaking of , is so high above us ; especially it must needs bee difficult to unclean spirits , to spirits that have alwayes been groveling below in the dirt , to drousie spirits that think nothing to bee excellent , but onely to eat and drink , and satisfie their flesh ; when they hear the excellency of Gods Being set out unto them , it must needs bee an argument above their reach ; it cannot bee expected that it is possible to speak so as their hearts should close with what is said , to apprehend it .

But howsoever wee do not know what God may do in going along with his word , how hee may come by his Spirit even to those that are of the weakest capacity , therefore I shall endeavour to do that that is my work , that is , to shew you somewhat of God , what an excellent being hee is , and so leave the work of the Spirit of God to himself , to make known those things that shall bee propounded , and to settle them upon your hearts . Wherefore then God is an excellent being above all things .

First , Hee is , and there is none else besides him . The truth is , wee can scarce say that any thing is but God , Exod. 3.14 . When God came to Moses to send him to Pharaoh , and Moses would know the Name of God , hee bid him say , I am that I am ; I am hath sent mee ; and God only describes himself thus unto Moses , I am , I am a being ; and so the name Jehovah is a name proper to God , that signifies Gods being : Now might Moses say , Lord , is this a name that will distinguish thee from any thing else , to say I am ? cannot any man say so , I am ? but yet God gives this name of his , as his proper name meerly , I am a being , and I am that being that I am ; and that is all the name God would tell Moses , when Moses did desire to know so much of him , and how hee might express him that did send him , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am that I am :

Vt haereditare faciam id quod 〈◊〉 est , from thence comes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 essentia , substantia . For indeed Gods being it is that that is proper , and all other creatures in comparison of this God , have but a shadow of being , therefore in Prov. 8.21 . saith Wisdome there ( that is Godliness ) I cause to inherit substance , the words are translated by the Learned , that which is Grace carries to God , and so by Grace being carried to God , wee come to inherit that which is , as if all the while wee inherited any thing in the world , wee did not inherit that which is . God himself properly is ; So in Isa. 45.5 , 6. I am Jehovah , and there is none else besides mee . There is nothing that hath a being besides mee ( that is ) not such a being , as we sha●l further open , yea and in comparison no being ; therefore in Isa. 40.15 , 17. Wee have a most excellent expression of the excellency of Gods being in comparison of all other things , All the Nations of the world they are as the drop of the bucket , and as the small dust of the ballance in comparison of God , Yea they are all nothing , less than nothing ? What an expression is here ; take all the Nations of the world , put them all together , they are all but as the drop of the bucket , that you shall see hang a little at the bottome , but as a little dust of the ballance ; how soon may you take your finger , and wipe off the drop of the bucket ? why so even all Nations of the world may as soon perish in respect of God ; yea as if the Holy Ghost had said too much when hee compared the Nations of the world to God ( as if hee should say ) what , did I say they were as the drop of the bucket , and as the small dust in the ballance ? nay , they are nothing at all ; nay , and I must go lower , they are less than nothing . And thus you see the Name of God is alone excellent , because indeed hee is such a being , as in comparison of him there is nothing that is worthy of the name of a being . That 40. of the Prophecie of Isaiah , when you come home , it will bee a good Chapter to read in your Families , to set out the greatness of God , for that is the work wee are about to shew , you what a God you have to deal withall in all your wayes , the Name of God is excellent ; Read that Chapter , and you will finde Gods Name set out as excellent indeed there . But that is the first .

In the second place , God , hee is a present being , I am , saith hee , that is , God injoyes himself , that infinite being of himself altogether , there is no succession at all in the being of God , as there is in other creatures , the creature injoyes but little of its own being ; I beseech you consider the difference between God and the creature in this , when ( I say ) hee is a present being , that is set forth in the words I am ; I say the creature injoyes but very little of its own being ; why , because whatsoever is past , it cannot injoy , and whatsoever is to come it injoyes not ; now all that it doth injoy of it self , it is only what it hath at an instant , this present instant what it hath , that it may be said to be ; but now with God there is nothing past , there is nothing to come ; there is nothing past , I say , in respect of Gods beeing , there is nothing to come , but his beeing is alwayes present , he alwayes saith , I am ; therefore Christ speaking of his Divine Nature , in John 8.58 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . saith hee , Before Abraham was , I am ; Christ doth not say , I was before Abraham was , no , but before Abraham was , I am . Certainly this had been no good English to have spoken of any creature ; If any man should say thus , Before such a thing was , I am ; if any Angel should say so , this were no proper speech ; but Christ saith so , Before Abraham was , I am , because Christ in regard of his Divine Nature hath no succession of beeing at all ; wee cannot say that God hath so many years added to him since the world began , God was as eternal before the world was , as hee is now , or ever shall bee ; it cannot bee said that hee was , not will bee , but alwayes it may be said I am ; I am , was , and will bee , the difference of time , it is in respect of the creature , not in respect of God , and that is the reason of those phrases in Scripture , That a thousand years with God are ●s one day , 2 Pet. 3.8 . and one day as a thousand years ; There is no difference of time with God at all : And that is the second thing , therefore hee alone is excellent .

Thirdly , This beeing of God it is in all places . His excellency it is every where throughout the world , and that , first , Not virtually onely , God is not in every place onely virtually by his power , Enter , praesenter Deus hic & ubique potenter that is , hee works in every place , but hee is in every place essentially . Secondly , God is not in every place by motion , from one place to another , and so gradually is in all places , but God is every moment in every place .

Thirdly , God is not in every place to fill heaven and earth , Deus est nullibi inclusive , sed ubique secundum existentiam . that is , one part in one place , and another in another , as a great thing that fills such a room , one part is in one place , and another is in another ; but God fills heaven and earth , that is , all of God is every where , all that God is , is in every place : Yea further , Centrum ubique circumferentia nullibi . God is as much beyond every place , as hee is in every place ; hee is as much beyond the circumference of the heavens , and the earth , as hee is in them ; yea if God should make ten thousand worlds more , hee would fill all those as well as hee doth this , without any motion at all , hee would not move from one place to another to fill up ten thousand worlds ( if there were so many new ones made ) but in the same instant in which they were all made , that immense being of his would fill up all . Surely God is a most excellent Being then above all other things whatsoever .

Fourthly ( for I intend but meerly to present the chief things of the excellency of God before you , and not to stand handling of these at large , for every one of them might require a large tractate , but now onely to present before you what a God it is that you have to deal with ) God is a Being that is All-sufficient in himself ; Hee stands in no need of any creature ; in Acts 17.25 . verse . Hee hath need of nothing , of none of us , hee hath enough within himself ; before the world was , God was as blessed in himself as now hee is ; there can bee nothing added to him , there is such an excellency even in Gods being its self , that there can be nothing added to him ; wee are poor creatures , that stand in need of a thousand things continually , the air to breathe in , the earth to bear us , fire to warm us , cloaths to cover us , meat and drink , a thousand things ; wee stand in need of the meanest creature , and if God should take away the use of some mean contemptible creature , our lives would bee made miserable to us ; but that is the excellency of Gods being that hee hath need of nothing , hee hath all within himself , all the creatures in heaven and earth , cannot adde to him ; no if there were ten thousand worlds more , although God did possess them all , yet they would not adde one whit unto what is in God himself ; therefore though the Lord hath made the heaven and earth , God hath an essential and an attributed glory , his attributed glory is augmented or diminished by mans obedience or disobedience , therefore sinners are said to rob God of his glory , and Saints to give him glory ; but his essential glory cannot bee increased or diminished . and all things therein , yet wee must not think that God is ever a whit the better for these things , or hath the more glory ; hee had as much glory and blessedness in himself , as now hee hath , or can have ; when all the Angels and Saints shall bee eternally blessing God in heaven , yet they can adde nothing to Gods glory : Wee say the Sun is a glorious creature , but doth that adde any light to the Sun ? so for Saints and Angels to bee praising and blessing God , what doth that adde to God ? And in this the Name of God is excellent .

5 But further , in the fifth place , His Name alone is excellent in this thing , that his excellency is universal , that is , all excellencies that are in all creatures in heaven and earth , they are all in him virtually , and eminently , hee hath them all in his own being , Psal. 94.9 . Shall not hee that made the ear hear , hee that formed the eye shall not hee see ? the argument there will confirm this to us , that whatsoever is in the creature that hath any excellency in it , that excellency is in God in an eminent way ; the creature , one hath one drop of excellency , and another hath another drop of excellency in it , and so a third a third , every creature hath its particular excellency in it , but God is an universal good , all excellencies in all creatures are in God , all beauty , all comfort , all goodness , whatsoever hath any loveliness or desireableness in it , I say it is all in God , and I know not any one consideration that will help us more to understand God while wee are here in the flesh than this , for in regard of our weakness , wee can know little or nothing of God , but by looking into the creature , and so rising from them .

Now then when wee come to look upon the creatures , and wee see an excellency in one creature , and another in another , Now if wee can conceive as it were the quintessence of all these excellencies drawn out , and conceive a being that hath all these together in him , this being is an excellent being indeed ; this would make us to look upon God above the creature when wee look upon every thing that is good in the creature to bee in God himself , why then what ever the creature hath to draw the heart , why that the soul saith is in God ; and indeed this one consideration of God , and the presenting of God to the soul in this manner , is a special work of Gods converting a soul to himself ; when I say , the Lord intends to draw a soul to himself , to have the heart that was let out after creature-comforts , now to close with himself , and choose himself for his portion , the Lord doth shew this to the soul : Soul what wouldest thou have , thou wouldest have this comfort , and the other comfort to delight and content thee ; Know there can bee nothing in any creature that thou seest , but thou mayest have it in mee . Now this indeed wee cannot by sense see , the comforts of the creature are sensibly before us , and wee see them by our senses ; but now God is above our sense , God hee is above our reason , and there must bee faith to close with him ; but now when God would convert a soul to himself , hee doth shew himself in such a way to the soul , as the soul doth see that there is all good in him that there is in the creature , and that it is in God in a more satisfying and eminent manner .