“They limited the Holy One of Israel” Psalm 78:41

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"They limited the Holy One of Israel." _ Psalm 78:41
The Sacred writer is giving an animated recital in
this psalm of all the dealings of the God of Israel
with His unbelieving and wayward people in their
entire history up to the period of which he
was writing. In the narrative he had reached
that point where on the return of the Spies One from each tribe,
sent over Jordan to the promised land to view the
country, [had returned and reported] the result
of their examination, was given to the people.
It will be remembered that of all these spies
only two made an encouraging and favorable
report. Caleb and Joshua, men of heroic courage,
men who feared & trusted God also, and who had at
heart the good of country and people, boldly denied
all the false statements of the other spies, and

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represented to the Elders and the people that the country
was beautiful, fertile and attractive, and that the difficulties
and perils had been greatly exaggerated, and
that the land of Canaan would be of easy conquest
to the armies of Israel going forward
under the guidance of Jehovah. On the
other hand, their colleagues came back with
terrific statements of the huge stature of the giants
who held the land in possession, and the impregnable
fortresses in which they had intrenched
themselves, and the consequent impossibility of the
Israelites succeeding in the conquest of the land.
Such was the influence exerted over the minds
of the mass of the people as to discourage
them very greatly insomuch that they lifted up
their voice and wept and said: "Would God

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that we had died in the land of Egypt, or in this
wilderness;" and they proposed to select a Captain
and return to the land of their bondage,
rather than encounter the perils reported.
As the inspired Psalmist presents this case as
one illustrating the conduct which he
characterizes by the words "Limiting
the Holy One of Israel;" -- we may
consider it in all its bearings so as to
make a practical application of it
to our own experience, and endeavor
to derive from it the proper lessons.
1. We define this thing of "limiting God" as that
[operation] act of our minds whereby we set bounds
to His operations; circumscribing and confining
Him either in His ability or in His Willingness

to effect certain purposes of works". Now whenever
men undertake to set [???] bounds to God
in any way they [transgress] go violently beyond their own
rights, and trench upon ground wholly forbidden,
bordering upon blasphemy. God may set whatsoever
bounds or limits He may please to His
own nature, or will, or power, and of course
He may lift the creature; but no other
Being in the Universe may.
A practical benefit to be obtained from such
a discussion is to inquire
I. What evils are implied in limiting God? & to point out
II. How we may be guilty of this offence.
1. The Evils. They are
1. Degrading God to the level of a created Being
There are known to us only two general orders of

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Being, and they are the created, and created. The
subdivisions of the ??order (the created,) are vastly multiplied,
including all things in Heaven & Earth and
in the waters under the earth, and all beyond
this sphere of ours, -- & all in the multiplied
worlds, & spheres of all the Universe. In the
Second (The uncreased) there is but one Being
that is God. Take all that constituted the
first Order beginning with the lowest & ascending
to the Highest, & in their varied succession
there is one fast true of them all, i.e, they
are all limited; -- they have certain bounds beyond
which they cannot pass; their powers are
all limited; their sphere of action is limited;
all their nature is limited, no matter how
vastly extended the most exalted of these created orders

may be still it is true of even these though they
may denominated "Thrones, dominions, principalities,
or powers, Angels, Archangel, Seraphim,
or Cheribum," there is a point of attainment
at which when they have arrived
the law of their nature meets them and
declares "Hitherto shalt Thou come & no
further' " "Thou hast fixed his bounds that He cannot
pass"
X
But of God, it may be said and of Him alone,
He is infinite eternal & unchangeable in His
Being, Wisdom, Power, Holiness, Justice, Goodness,
and Truth." This being true, it followers that whenever
we attempt to limit this unlimited, this Infinite Being
we degrade Him to the level of a Creature.
And that this is an evil deeply offensive
to Him, who says My Glory will I not give

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to another." But it is an evil.
2. Because it is discredit cast upon His
own declarations; in other words it is the
Sin of Unbelief. Not to mention that the entire
Bible is a declaration from God, look to
three actual statements made to men by God;
(1) To confirm the faith of Abraham in the
marvelous promise God was making to Him.
God prefaces it by saying "I am the Almighty."
(2) On the occasion of XT.'s statement
to his disciples that it was "easier for a camel
to go through"[?] & the bewildering & staggering question
of amazement by his disciples "Who then," text
says "With men it is impossible but with God
all things are possible" (3) Paul in rapturous
recognition of this truth exclaims that God " is able

to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask
or think." He therefore that limits God's operations
in any way, is guilty of this great
and crying Sin of Unbelief; the crowning curse
of this Sin smitten Earth. But it is an evil
3. Because it evinces ingratitude to God for
His past mercies; and forgetfulness of His
benefits. In the past of our lives there have
been periods when Paul's experience was
reproduced in us; when we were troubled & perplexed
and cast down, & persecuted; without were fightings,
within were fears," and yet we were not permitted
to be overmuch "distressed, nor in despair, nor forsaking
nor destroyed" -- & nevertheless, God that comforteth
those that are cast down, "comforted us" also.
Now is it nothing that after all our experiences

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of His infinite, undeserved, and unexpected [?]
in the past, when He has so often done more, & vastly
[more] better than our fears; When light & guidance has
come to us in our darkness, -- when in our perils
guardian care & protection has come; -- when
in our sickness, & imminent prospect of death
health & vigor has again come to us
from God; -- is it nothing that we should forget
all this and again limit this Infinitely Good
& Gracious God? And lastly is it an evil to
us personally since it
4. Limits God's mercies to ourselves, and
it limits our enjoyments even here below.
"Be it unto you according to your faith"
is the rule. He has established in the imparting
of His blessings to His people. Our Savior never

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performed a miracle of beneficence, -- healing [?] without
requiring faith in the recipient in advance.
If thou canst believe all things are possible";-- &
great is thy faith be it unto then even as thou will."
Observe how this truth is illustrated in Scripture
History, and how the same truth is set forth by James
who after giving us the consoling statement that "if any
may lack wisdom tc." proceeds to say by way of
caution to us "But let him ask in faith
nothing wavering." so also he adds "let not
that man" (i.e. the wavering of faithless man,) "think that
he shall receive anything of the Lord."
"Unbelief" says one, "shuts up God's hand, and turns away
His face from us."
Of all the 3,000000, of the [?] of Is. that left Egypt
Only two entered the promised Land;_ Caleb & Joshua

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the rest being excluded by reason of their unbelief,
rebellion and ingratitude. Even Moses
and Aaron were so dealt with by God.
When therefore we limit God in any of these
ways 1. Degrading Him to the level of the creature;
2. By disbelief of His own declarations; 3. By ingratitude
& forgetfulness of His past favors; or,
4. By want of trust and confidence in the future,
We are guilty of great & offensive evil in
the sight of God. But let us now
II. Specify more particularly how we may
in various ways be guilty of this great evil.
And I remark
(1.) It is done when we limit the full extent,
and absolute freeness of God's mercy.
There is a tendency to selfishness in most of us

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which would induce us, if not affected, to indulge
the idea that God's mercy is limited to us, If
those of our class, or connection, and it seems
one of the most difficult of eradication of all the errors
of the human heart that men will hold the
[doctrine] notion that there is something we can
do to purchase, or merit God's mercy. It
occurs inseparable from our nature to be
proud & conceited, and the humiliating doctrine
that the Salvation of Jesus Christ is for the vilest
sinner; -- that "God is no respector of persons"; --
and that His mercy is infinitely free, -- without
money and without price, cannot be read into
the unrenewed heart, and the notion of human merit pushes
itself even into the conceptions of many who
profess to be the Children of God, & the followers of

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the Lord Jesus Christ
This tendency of human nature was manifested in
the Jewish Church. "Salvation is of the Jews."
Thus they excluded all other Nations, and it was
in existence even among the early members of
the Christian [?] until seven years after the
Ascension. This proud and haughty feeling & narrow conception
also gave rise to the Sect of the Pharises who
felt that publicans & sinners were beyond the reach
of salvation, and it was in their estimation
a reproach to our Savior that "he receiveth
sinners & eateth with them"; hence the self
praising address of the Pharisees in the temple
to God, & his contempt of the Publican;-- hence
the elder brother of the Prodigal. The promise
[??] Ch. also limited God's power to save, when

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they refused to believe that Saul of Tarsus was truly
converted. Whenever we [???] indulge therefore [?????} any
of these [two] notions - 1. That we, or our Church,
constitute the only recipients of God's grace &
mercy; that if any others are saved, it is only on
the "uncovenanted mercy" of God; or
2. Whenever we in our unbelief, deem any
case of a hardened sinner so vile and deeply
dyed in guilt as to be beyond the reach of the
mercy of God; Or,
3. Whenever we suppose it possible for a
poor creature to deserve salvation, or to have
it in his power to buy it by anything
he can say, think, or do, we limit the
extent, and deny the absolute freeness of
the Gosepl Ogger. When we do this we forget

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the cases of Manasseh & of Saul of Tarsus; we forget
the cases of Bunyan, the swearer, and Muller the thief.
we forget our own cases as "sinners saved
by Grace," if saved at all. e forget the initiation
of the prophet [??] every one" tc. -- the closing declaration
of God's Book: "The Spirit & the Bride say
come! tc. But we limit God
2. In dictating to God how to [bless] relieve us, when
in trouble. We have fallen it may be under
sore trials; deep waters of affliction come over
us; friends fail; some dear object of affection
in our circle is in perilous sickness, -- a wife
a husband, a child; [pe????ry] embarrassments
have fallen upon us. How the removal of the trial
& the affliction; the sparing of the lives of those who
are likely to die; the direct relief of our [p??iary]

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difficulties, are the only answers we expect in
our prayers, under such circumstances,
and our poor rebellions, shortsighted hearts
ship up God to this form of deliverance,
and our feeling is, (if we do not utter the
sentiment,) that if God does not send the relief
exactly as we wish it, it will not be any
relief at all, and God cannot answer
our prayer in any other way.
Mary & Marth both said this, "Lord if thou hadn't
been here" tc. Now they were limiting God, & the result
showed this in a marvelous way. Paul's thorn tc.
We may not discuss this point;-- but we warn you
my XT brethren, that when you dictate to God
how He shall answer your prayers in trouble &
think He has no other way to answer you, you are guilty
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of limiting the Lord in a way very offensive
to Him. He has 1000 ways of answering [??].
"Set thy mercy be upon us, OS., according as we hope
Let me say here that this dictating to God leads men not
infrequently to wicked attempts to help themselves,
when they do not accept God's way of relief.
But we limit God not only by dictating
prayer, but (3.) by narrow & contracted prayers.
"Open thy mouth wide & I will fill it;"
is God's command to us. "Prove me now herewith
faith the Lord of Noah, if I will not open you. The
window of Heaven "t.c. "Ask & ye shall receive" &
When we confine our prayers to our personal
wants, or those of our families we
limit God, & He abhors selfish prayers.
When our desires for spiritual blessings are feeble,
When our requests are bounded by selfish limits;

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When our faith is weak and wavering, when we
think of God as "altogether such as one
as ourselves," we lift God [Him] in this
essential Nature; in His Omnipoteness;
in His Infinite good will toward us all, &
especially towards His own people. How
great an offence this is, in His sight, can
be made to appear by recollecting that
His promises are exceeding great, precious
and absolute "Yea, & Amen in
Christ Jesus our Lord." But I remark
4 & Lastly. That the Holy One of Israel
is often limited by the sinner under conviction
for Sin, when he doubts either the
Ability or Willingness of Jesus Christ to
save him. Often he feels an earnest wish

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to be saved, but there is upon his mind much
doubt, and much vagueness of apprehension
as to the manner in which the work is
effected. He feels as did the father whose
son had a dumb spirit, and after detailing
to Christ all the symptoms & all the
sufferings of the child & his ineffectual
efforts for relief, he added "if thou cann't
do anything, have compassion on us, and
help us' " Doubting His power; willing to have
Him try, but having little confidence in
His success. He supposed the case too hard.
But Xt. laid down the condition "If thou canst
believe, all things are possible to him that believe".
This cured his doubts- "Lord I believe - help thou
mine unbelief!"

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Or he comes as did the Leper; "Lord if thou wilt,
thou canst make me clean!" Not doubting the
Saviors power, but His willingness. But
Jesus showed him that His will to heal was
as great as His Power, by putting forth His
hand & touching him saying "I will; be thou
clean!"
The Sinner may think when he comes in this
way doubting either Xt's Will or His power, that
it is humility; but he must be told that in
coming for salvation he approaches one
mighty and able to save unto the uttermost
all who come, that "There is nothing too
hard for the Lord," that this is a faithful
saying and worthy of all acceptation that
Jesus Christ came into the world to save

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sinners, even the Thief" If He came
for this purpose He certainly shows by
that fact that He promises the good will
to do it. And all the record of God's
Revelation abounds with declarations
of this same truth. Every invitation to
the sinner; every warning to flee from
the wrath to come; every promise of
salvation; every threatening against
the finally [impe??tent]; every description
of Heaven; every picture of Hell given
in the word of God, constitute just such
a cumulative mass of proff of the will
of God that He delighteth not in the death
of any; not willing that any should die, but
that all should turn to Him & live.

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This is the revelation of what He desires to
do. You cannot doubt it; and if you say
that you doubt not His willingness but you
do doubt even God's power to save one
so guilty as yourself, that your guilt exceeds
the mercy of God in its greatness &
power, then although you consider this
as no disparagement to God, you must
be warned against it as a direct contradiction
of the declaration of God
Himself that "I am the Almighty;" and
beware how you doubt God's power to
do all His Holy Will.
My brethren, to this I will [only] add, that the only
safe, and unerring method of securing a calm,
peaceful, and happy life in this world, is to have

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faith in God." You must trust in some one. It is not
criminal to trust in your fellow man to a certain extent;
indeed were all confidence in others around
us destroyed Society would be an unmitigated
evil, and its bonds social and relative would
be sundered, and its entire structure would
be dissolved. Nor is a certain amount of
self trust improper. There is a principle of independence
that all men should cultivate
and self-reliance in regard to being aided
which is but another name for Christian
manliness. But be it known to you that God
your Savior is the Only Being in all the
Universe in whom your trust may be
placed with implicit and understanding faith.
Men are weak, and self predominates, and you

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may find that few will [go] accompany you on the path of your difficulty, doubt,
peril, trouble, beyond the point where their safety & their
interest is found. Even those few, who may have all the
good will that is needful to help you, often find themselves
impotent. So you may limit men,-- you may limit
yourselves, because you are weak and finite.
But he who makes God's Word "the man of his Counsel,"
the [light to his feet&, the lamp to his path,"] lamp unto my feet & light unto my path;" he who
relies for salvation upon Christ alone; he
who lives a life of prayer,-- a life of Communion
with God, trusting him for guidance,
guardianship, direction, and protection,
will find that God is infinite in His Mercy
Love, Compassion, and Power; that this God is his
God forever & ever; that He will be His guide even unto death;
& When flesh & heart shall fail that He will be the strength of his
heart & his [?ortion] forever! "