William Hone

The spirit of the Lord is a candle, searching out the inward parts of the belly.

3 Let us therefore consider how near he is to us; and how that none of our thoughts, or reasonings which we frame within ourselves, are 309 hid from him.

Many are the troubles of the wicked; but they that trust in the Lord, mercy shall encompass them about.

O ye fools ! 322 consider the trees: take the vine for an example. First it sheds its leaves; then it buds; after that it spreads its leaves ; then it flowers ; then come the sour grapes; and after them follows the ripe fruit. Ye see how in a little time the fruit of the tree comes to maturity.

14 Of a truth, yet a little while and his will shall suddenly be accomplished.

15 The Holy Scripture itself bearing witness, That 5 He shall quickly come and not tarry, and that the Lord shall suddenly come to his temple, even the 323 holy ones whom ye look for.

By the word of his 332 power he made all things; and by 333the same word he is able (whenever he will), to destroy them.

When the Most High divided the nations, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the nations, according to the number of his angels; 343 his people Jacob became the portion of the Lord, and Israel the lot of his inheritance.

By his 361 Almighty power he fixed the heavens, and by his incomprehensible wisdom he adorned them.

4 He also divided the earth from the water, with which it is encompassed; and fixed it as a secure tower, upon the foundation of his own will.

5 He also by his appointment, commanded all the living creatures that are upon it, to exist.

And above all, he with his holy and pure hands, formed man, the most excellent, and, as to his understanding, truly the greatest of all other creatures, the character of his own image.

Let our boasting, therefore, and our confidence be in 369 God: let us submit ourselves to his will. Let us consider the whole multitude of his angels, how ready they stand to minister unto his will.

By him we look up to the383 highest heavens; and behold, as in a glass, his spotless and most excellent visage.

17 By him are the eyes of our hearts opened; by him our foolish and darkened understanding rejoiceth to behold his wonderful light.

18 By him would God have us to taste the knowledge of immortality: 384who being the brightness of his glory, is by so much greater than the angels, as he has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

But what can a mortal man do? Or what strength is there in him that is made out of the dust?