Wesley Corpus

dowment, to that another ; why he distributes the several blessings, and his Holy Spirit, in such a measure and at such a time ; why but it is vain to attempt to enumerate all the in stances of this one branch of human ignorance, unless we could declare all the depths of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God. Attempt we rather to search after that part of his ways which is not past finding out, and to inquire, as we proposed to do in the third place, why this ignorance is our portion. And one great cause why (as we may reason ably suppose) our Heavenly Father permits this cloud to rest upon us, prohibits our knowledge, and displays so small a part of his ways is, that our profound ignorance may teach us the most useful knowledge humility ; that, conscious how little we can know of the Most High, we may be the more intent upon knowing ourselves ; that, from a due sense of our utter inability to understand either the manner or reasons of the divine operations, we may seriously apply to what we are able to understand the manner and reasons of our own actions. Nor is any thing more suited to give us a just, that is, a mean opinion of our selves, than to have so many proofs daily be fore us of the imperfection of our noblest en dowments ; if reason, boasted reason, be so imperfect, what must be the meaner parts of our frame. If thy understanding, the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness ! By pride, saith the prophet, didst thou, O Lucifer, son of the morning! fall from heaven. Lest his next race of creatures should also fall from it, the Almighty God particularly guarded them against it. He made them lower than his angels, that, not having the same temptation, too high an opinion of their own perfections, they might continue capable of that glory and honour wherewith he designed to crown them ; that he permitted man so strangely to debase all his powers, corrupt his will, and obscure his understanding, that he might withdraw pride from man. Here then is one wise and merciful reason for the present.blindness of our understanding.