othing. Among things created, some are greater,
some lesser. "When I consider the heavens, the work of thy fingers," says
David, "the moon and stars which thou hast ordained: What is man, that
thou art mindful of him? and the son of man that thou visitest him?" Psal.
viii. 3, 4. But when all these are compared with God, then the difference
of greater and lesser disappears. In the night there are different lights,
the moon and stars, "and one star," says Paul, "differeth from another in
glory." Some are of the first, some of the second, and most of them the
third magnitude. Nay, but let the sun arise--and all these are alike, they
are all darkness when compared with the sun's brightness. What then are
angels and men to God, who is a light inaccessible and full of glory, whom
no eye hath seen or can see? "All nations before him are as nothing, yea,
they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity," Isa. xl. 12-19; 1
Tim. vi. 15, 16. The sun himself shines not before him, and the moon gives
not her light. Now is it not so proportionably here? If we stay within the
sphere of temporal and worldly things, some are great, some small, some
things of greater, some things of less consequence, greater or smaller in
their appearance to us, and in men's fancies. But if we go further and
look into eternity, then certainly all these will appear small and
inconsiderable. This earth seems very spacious, and huge in quantity unto
us who dwell upon it. We discern mountains and valleys, sea and land, and
do make many divisions of it. But if one man were above where the sun is,
and looked down upon the earth, he would consider it but as one point
almost invisible, that had no proportion to the vast dimensions of heaven.
Even so it is here, while men abide within their own orb, their natural
understanding, and do compare time only with time, and temporal things
with temporal, riches with poverty, honour with disgrace, pleasure with
pain, learning with ignorance, strength with weakness, pleasant lands and
goodly houses with wildernesses and wild deserts where none do well. It is
no wonder, I think, that those who compare themselves with some that
commend themselves, are not wise, 2 Cor. x. 12, 13. There is but one
perfect pattern they should look to, if they would not be deceived. While
ye stay your thoughts within these bounds, ye apprehend in yourselves
great odds between one thing and another. But if once the Spirit of God
enlightened yo