A Dogmatic Devotion from John Brown of Haddington

Someone recently recommended to me the work of 18th-century Scottish theologian John Brown of Haddington. I spent some time this evening paging through hisA Compendious View of Natural and Revealed Religion in Seven Books (free digitally here, hard copy for sale here). It is pretty great. One of the unique features is that Brown includes doxological and applicational digressions at the end of sections, so you don't just learn doctrine, you also find yourself pointed to respond in worship to God. What follows is a selection from the section Of the Nature and Perfections of God:

Stop, my soul, thy contemplation of the Most High, and ask thyself, as in his presence: If God be a Spirit, am I spiritually minded —and a worshipper of Him in spirit and in truth? Do I detest and banish every carnal imagination of him from my heart? —Is he the all–knowing and only wise God? Do I then behave as one ever naked and open to his view? Do I reverently avoid all prying into his secrets? Do I relish all his oracles, as the storehouse and fountain of all true wisdom and knowledge to my heart? Do I cordially approve all his ordinances; and admire his whole word, purpose and work? Do I acknowledge him in all my ways, that he may direct my paths; and, in the most perplexing cases, trust to his skill and power, for my deliverance? —If he be Almighty, —a Sovereign Ruler, am I, in the view of my own weakness, still blushing, still trembling before him? Do I always labor to check the very first risings of my heart in rebellion against Him? Do I, without staggering, rest the whole burden of my salvation upon him? Do I rejoice in him, and firmly expect deliverance from him, when I apprehend all things working against me? Do I ascribe all that I am and have, except my sinfulness, to him? And am I contented with all that I meet with in his providence, as the doing of my Lord? — Am I holy as he is holy; pure as he is pure? Do I chiefly delight in his holiness? and doth even the contempt of it by others, excite my love to, and esteem of it? Do I, in all my dealings with him, labour to act under a deep impression of his holiness? Do I, above all things, hate sin? —my own sin? —my most refined and secret sin? Do I alway labour, in the gospel–glass to behold his holiness, that I may be changed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord? —Under the affecting views of his Justice do I revere every dispensation of his providence, and kindly acknowledge, that unto him as my Lord belongeth righteousness, and unto me shame and confusion of face? Do I live in perpetual wonder, that his infinite equity can suffer such a sinner to live; nay, will save me? Do I continually flee from all my own righteousness to that of Jesus Christ, and rest on it alone for my eternal salvation? —If God be good, —be Love, am I, with amazement, believing his loving–kindness, and applying it to my own heart? Am I opening my mouth wide, that he may fill it? Am I satisfied with his goodness, as the source and substance of all my happiness? Do I reckon all things as coming from his hand, as good —very good for me? Do I, above all, desire to be an eternal debtor and unparalleled miracle of his redeeming goodness? And, all inflamed herewith, how burns my heart with love to Him, that first loved me, and gave his Son for me? —Do I love them that hate me? and do good to, and pray for, them that despitefully use me? —If he be the God of truth, have I set to my seal, that he hath given me eternal life in his Son? Have I found his promises, and eaten them, and they been to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart? Do I hold them fast, and refuse to let them go? Have I rejoiced at finding them, as one that findeth great spoil —and chosen them to be my heritage forever? —Is this God, who is manifested in all around me —in all before, behind, above, or below me, for ever in mine eye, and in all the powers of my soul? —Is he my Saviour, my Father, my Husband —my Friend, my Master, my Portion, my Pattern, my God —my All?Brown, A Compendious View, pp.139-141.