Excellency with some Considerations to enforce it Chap. 27. Comforts to those that have this incomparable God for their Portion PSALM 89.6 For who in the Heavens can be compared to the Lord who among the Sons of the Mighty can be likened to the Lord. CHAP. I. The Preface and meaning of the Text. IT is certain that our happiness in the other World will consist in part in our perfect knowledge of the blessed and boundlesse God When we shall know him as we are known of him we shall be blessed as he is blessed and when we shall see him as he is we shall be like him in purity and felicity we shall be fully satisfied with his likeness and his love Rich must be the delight which the most large and noble faculty of man his understanding shall receive in its intimate acquaintance with and clear full apprehension of the highest Truth And it is as certain that our holiness in this World doth not a little depend upon our knowledge of him whose Name alone is excellent None wander from him prefer the Flesh and World before him and in their whole lives walk contrary to him but from their ignorance of him They are estranged from the life of God i. e. a spiritual heavenly conversation through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their Hearts Eph. 4.18 Dark corners of an House are filled with Dust dark Cellars with Vermine and dark Hearts with cursed Lusts None are enlarged in desires after God or ravished with delight in God or can cast their Souls and all their Concerns on God but those that are acquainted with him They who know his beauty and bounty cannot but love him and they who know his power and faithfulness cannot but trust him They who know thy Name will put their trust in thee Psal 9.10 Whence comes it to pass that Believers can trample on the Riches and Treasures and Wealth of this beggarly World that they can lay their white and yellow Earth their Silver and Gold at the Apostles Feet that they can suffer the spoiling of their Goods not onely patiently but joyfully Heb. 10.34 but from the knowledge of him who is true riches Luke 16.11 Substance Prov. 8.21 an enduring Substance Job 10.34 A bottomless Mine of unsearchable Riches Eph. 3.8 Whence is it that they can refuse to be called the Sons of Kings Daughters that they can contemn Honours and Preferments spurn Crowns and Scepters under their Feet but from the knowledge of him who is their Crown of Glory their Diadem of Renown and the praise of all his Saints Heb. 11.24 25. That which to the sensual Worldling is so glorious hath no glory in the Believers Eye by reason of the Lord of Glory who doth so infinitely excel Whence is it that they can hate Father Mother Wife Child Liberty yea Life it self and leave all at the Call and Command of their Maker but from the knowledge of him who is as Elkanah said to Hannah better to them then ten Sons then all Relations then the whole Creation Those Stars vanish and disappear when once this Sun of Righteousness ariseth How quickly how quietly without any hesistancy or reluctancy will Abraham leave his Country and Kindred and Fathers House when once the God of Glory appeareth to him Acts 9.2 3 4. In a word whence is it that they escape the pollutions of the World in which others are mired drown'd and destroyed but through the knowledge of God 2 Pet. 2.20 Well may our Lord Jesus say It is life eternal to know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent To know God affectionately as our chiefest good so as to give him our superlative esteem and intensest love is spiritual life here in the habit or principle as also in the act and exercise of it and it is the beginning seed preparation way of our eternal life hereafter But who can know that being which infinitely passeth all knowledge He that would know God fully must be God himself and he who would tell you what God is in any measure answerable to his excellency had need to know him as he is known of him And supposing I were able to speak of the perfection of God as one that like the great Apostle had been caught up into the third Heavens I question whether if I had a Tongue to speak of him after that manner ye had Ears to hear of him or Hearts to understand what I should speak But though I am not able to speak nor you to hear of God according to his perfection yet through the assistance of the Holy Ghost so much may be spoken and heard of him as may tend to our present Sanctification and future Salvation Though we cannot see him as he is yet we may see him as he is not though the height of his being be above the reach of our Understandings we may get some-what nearer to him and indeed we have no other way while we are here then by climbing upon the shoulders of all created excellencies and there proclaiming That none in the Heavens is to be compared to the Lord that none among the Sons of the Mighty is like unto the Lord. In the words the Psalmist compareth God with and prefereth God before the highest the greatest in Heaven and Earth In the words we have a Comparison and a Praelation 1. A Comparison and this is between God and those that are most excellent in Heaven and the mightiest on Earth 2. A Praelation or preferring God before whatsoever is excellent in Heaven or Earth The Interrogation is a strong negation as is frequent in Scripture Prov. 20.9 Who can say I have made my Heart clean I am pure from my Sin i. e. None can say I have made my Heart clean or am pure from my Sin So Exod. 15.11 Who is like to thee O Lord among the gods Who is like thee glorious in Holiness fearful in Praises doing Wonders that is None is like Thee among the gods none is so glorious in Holiness so fearful in Praises such a wonder-working God as thou art Thus the Psalmist understandeth the Text For who in the Heavens is to be compared to the Lord Who among the Sons of the Mighty can be likened to the Lord i. e. None in the Heavens none among the Sons of the Mighty on Earth is comparable to Jehovah The interpretation of the words I shall first give you the meaning of the words and then lay down the Doctrine which will be the foundation of my Discourse on the Subject For this causal Particle gives the reason why Saints and Angels should joyn together in the praise of God The Heavens shall praise thy Wonders O Lord Verse 5. thy faithfulness also in the Congregation of the Saints For who in the Heavens is to be compared to the Lord. By the Heavens Calvin understandeth the holy Angels who rejoyce in the Churches welfare
and bless God for preserving his People and performing his Promises to them and 't is apparent by the Apostle that Angels are present in the Congregation of the Saints 1 Cor. 11.11 And so this Text addeth another Ground for their admiration of the great God viz. his incomparable excellency His high and matchless Perfections call for high and matchless Praises Others take the Text as a ground for the confirmation of the Psalmists Faith in the Covenant God had made with him mentioned Verse 3 4. namely God's Superiority over Angels in Heaven and Men on Earth therefore they cannot hinder him in the accomplishment of his Word being infinitely inferior to him Who in the Heavens Who in the Skie Ainsworth reads it In the Clouds in Nubibus aequabitur is to be equal'd saith Calvin to Jehovah Quis enim in superiore nube par aestimetur Jehova Who in the higher Clouds is equal to Jehovah so Tremell reads it Who in the Heavens i. e. say some in the Starry-Heavens among the Coelestial Bodies Sun Moon or Stars which were adored as gods not onely by the Persians but also by some Idolatrous Jews because of their brightness and beauty their lustre and glory Which of all those famous Lamps and heavenly Luminaries is to be compared to the Father of Lights and Sun of Righteousness They may glister like Glowormes in the Night of Paganisme among them who are covered with the Mantle of Darkness but when this Sun ariseth and day appeareth they all vanish and disappear Who in the Heavens i. e. say others in the Heaven of Heavens the highest the third Heavens among the Coelestial Spirits Cherubims and Seraphims Angels and Arch-Angels Principalities and Powers Thrones and Dominions Who among the innumerable company of Angels who among those pure those perfect Spirits who are the ancientest the honourablest House of the Creation is to be compared to the Father of Spirits Though Angels are glorious Creatures considered simply and in themselves in respect of their Power Wisdome Purity and Beauty yet if they be considered comparatively with the blessed God I may say of them as the Apostle doth of the Jewish Worship which was glorious by reason of its Divine Institution in comparison with the Christian Worship 2 Cor. 3.10 Even that which was glorious had no glory in this respect by reason of the Glory that excelleth Is to be compared to Jehovah Is to be likened to Jehovah Is to be equal'd to Jehovah Is to be put in the Scales and worthy to be weighed with Jehovah that Being of Beings that God of Gods To Jehovah This name Jehovah is the chief and most proper name of God It is derived from Haiah fuit and signifieth that Being which was is and is to come which is alwayes the same and the cause of all other Beings Rev. 1.4 6. Psal 102.28 Acts 17.28 and which gives a being to his Word and Promises In Heaven there is among glorious Angels no such Being Who amongst the Sons of the Mighty Inter filios fortium Who among the Sons of the strong Jun. reads it Among the Sons of the Gods saith Calvin so the Seventy read it and understand with the Chaldee Paraphrase Angels who are called Sons of God Job 1.6 and Job 38.7 But we having understood Angels the best and highest in Heaven by the first interrogation Who in the Heavens is to be compared to the Lord It may be most convenient to understand in this place by Sons of the Mighty the best and highest on Earth the greatest and most gracious Princes and Potentates who are higher by head and shoulders then others These are called Gods and Sons of the most High or Almighty Psal 82.6 And hereby the Prophet challengeth both Worlds Heaven and Earth to bring forth any that may equal or compare with Jehovah Can be likened to the Lord Is such a Being as he is can speak or act as he doth is in any respect worthy to be named with him CHAP. II. God is incomparable 1. In his Being THe Doctrine which I shall raise out of the words is this That God is incomparable Or there is none among the highest the holiest in Heaven or Earth like unto Jehovah Take the greatest the most excellent of Beings in this or the other World yet they come infinitely short of this Being of Beings Psal 86.8 Among the gods there is none like unto thee O Lord Mark the Psalmist doth not choose a weak Adversary for God to contend with and conquer but the strongest He doth not compare God with the meanest and lowest but even with the highest and prefers God before them Among the gods there is none like unto thee O Lord. 1. Among those that are Gods by unjust usurpation as evil Angels are who are called The Princes of the Powers of the Air Eph. 2.2 And the gods of this World 2 Cor. 4.4 Or as Antichrist who exalteth himself above all that is called God or is worshipped So that he as God sitteth in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is God 2 Thess 2.4 Among these there is none like unto thee O Lord. These unclean Beasts are unworthy to be mentioned with the High the holy God 2. Among those that are gods by mens erroneous Perswasions and Opinions as Idols and those Deities which the Heathen worship There is none like to thee O Lord. Their Idols are Silver and Gold the Work of mens hands They have Mouths but they speak not Eyes have they but they see not They have Ears but they hear not Noses have they but they smell not They have Hands but they handle not Feet have they but they walk not neither speak they through their Throat Psal 115.4 5 6 7. Idols are the work of the Creatures and their Makers are infinitely below the Creator therefore they themselves are much more We know that an Idol is nothing in the World and that there is none other God but one 1 Cor. 8.4 Though an Idol be somewhat materially yet it 's nothing formally as to the intent or purpose for which it is worshipped 3. Minuisti illum paululum à deo Calvin Among those that are gods by Divine Ordination as Angels Psal 8.5 Magistrates Psal 82.66 who have the Image of a Deity stamped on them in their Authority and Dominion over others none is to be compared to Jehovah These are gods by derivation by deputation as subordinate Magistrates are commissionated by the Supreme and have a Beam of his Power communicated to them but still remain weak Creatures limited by his Precepts and liable to his Judgment So Angels and Kings have some impressions of a Deity on them but their Power is derivative from God and limited by his will yea their Essence is from him their Subsistence is by him and their Dependance is every moment upon him Hence he is called the most high Psal 92.1 O thou most high Kings and Princes are high Angels and Arch-angels are higher
the matter but man's work cannot make the matter exceed it self But God can not onely make the matter to exceed it self as in man who is formed of the Dust of the Earth he hath such curious Parts Veins Sinews Arteries c. such Members Eyes Cheeks Ears c. Such Characters of Beauty in the whole that he looks nothing like his Parent Earth the matter of which he was made but also make matter He hath brought something nay all things out of nothing All the Angels and Men cannot create one grain of Corn one pile of Grass one mote of Dust but the great God hath erected the stately Fabrick of Heaven and the Earth with the curious steps and stories thereof and the various Creatures and Furniture therein of nothing Hereby he proves himself the true God The living God that made Heaven and Earth all things therein Act. 14.15 He proves his Deity hereby Jer. 10.10 11 12. The gods that have not made the Heavens and the Earth shall perish from the Earth and from under the Heavens He hath made the Earth by his Power He hath established the World by his Wisdom and stretched out the Heavens by his discretion i. e. Can you be so foolish and sottish as to imagine that blind dumb deaf dead Idols can compare with him who created you and all things beside When God would proclaim his Soveraignty and incomparable Excellency he challengeth Job Where wast thou when I laid the Foundations of the Earth declare if thou hast understanding Who hath laid the measures thereof or stretched the line upon it Whereupon are the Foundations thereof set or who laid the corner-stone thereof Job 38.4 5. God would here denote the exactness and acurateness of his Works and so he alludes to men who when they would set up a strong stately neat compact Dwelling lay the Foundations and corner Stones and all the rest by line and measure But that which God would principally intimate here is his own Omnipotency and mans Impotency Where wast thou when I laid the Foundations of the Earth c. Didst thou then lend me an helping-Head how to do it or an helping-Hand in the doing of it Surely No I did all my self Those innumerable Beings which are on Earth and in the Ocean yea that are included within the vast Circumference of the highest Heavens are all made by him out of nothing Through Faith we believe that the Worlds were made by the Word of God so that things which are seen were not made of things that do appear Heb. 11.3 The great God had no materials to make the great House with he did not frame it of his own Essence or any pre-existent matter Isa 45.12 Yet such admirable qualities are every where intermixt matter and form subject and and accidents power and goodness wisdom and order a rare symmetry exact proportion and beauty in the whole a dependent subordination and useful subserviency in every part so equally poiz'd that it 's hard to determine which bears the greatest weight in the mighty work and gives abundant cause to cry out with the Psalmist O Lord how marvellous are thy Works in Wisdom hast thou made them all Psal 104.24 2. He is incomparable in regard of Providence 1. For Preservation none is like him nay none beside him doth this O thou Preserver of Men Job 7.20 Thy Visitation preserveth my Spirit Job 10.12 God is unlike to Men The Carpenters or Masons build Houses and then leave them to the care and charge of others but God keeps up what he sets up His Providence succeedeth Creation and is indeed a continual Creation Thou preservest Man and Beast Psal 36.6 Not Food or Air or Sleep but Thou preservest Man and Beast And not onely Men and Beasts but all things subsist by him Colos 1.17 That Hand alone which made all can maintain all and that Power onely which produced out of nothing must preserve from nothing Acts 17.28 In him we live and move and have our beings That Being which gave us our Beings must uphold us in our Beings Heb. 1.3 He upholdeth all things by the Word of his Power 1. Sustinendo As a Pillar or sure Foundation upon which they stand The Air which surrounds the Earth and Ocean cannot bear a Feather yet in it hangeth the massy weight of Earth and Sea Job 26.7 He hangeth the Earth i. e. Earth and Sea the terrestrial Globe upon nothing His Power is the only Pillar that bears them up 2. Influendo As a Fountain from which they derive all their virtue and operations The beings and motions of all his Creatures depend wholly upon his concurrence If he suspend his Influence Coctum secundum according to the School-men the Fire will not burn Dan. 3.27 Neither can the best Eyes see though the faculty be well disposed and the object be coloured and at a good distance Gen. 19.7 as hath been hinted before It 's natural to the Sun to run his Race strongly and swiftly yet if he doth not concur as swift as the Sun is he cannot creep a Snails pace he standeth still in Giboah Joshua 10.13 Job 9.7.3 Constringendo As a Soveraign Bond and Ligature by which the parts of all things hold together and are kept as water in a Vessel from flowing abroad to their dissolution No Man no Angel can bear its own weight much less the weight of another Creature Every Creature is like a Glass without a bottom which cannot stand alone but must alwayes be in hand It 's impossible for the Creation or any part of it to bear up a moment if God should forget it and deny his actual concurrence to it It doth constantly depend on God as the Figure of the Seal imprinted on the Water which being with-drawn the impression is instantly defaced God is to the World as the Soul to the Body which alone can actuate and move it without which it cannot stir at all but is as a dead Corps 2. For Gubernation He governeth all and neither Men nor Angels can govern themselves The great Family of the World would soon lose its beauty yea its being if he did not maintain its harmony and concord by guiding them in their motions keeping them in their several stations and directing them to their ends The Lord hath established his Throne in the Heavens and his Kingdom ruleth over all Psal 103.19 One Creature would most cruelly devour another Beasts would prey on Men All Creatures would become their own Enemies and Executioners The whole Earth would be turn'd into an Acheldama and a Golgatha a Field of Bloud and Place of Skulls yea into an Hell if he did not order and guide and govern all Treasons Incest Slaughters Parricides would over-whelm the whole World pervert the order of Nature turn all into Confusion and Destruction if he did not keep the Reins in his own Hands and govern all things in every of their actions every moment He governeth the highest even the
9.20 He is a bold Man indeed that will contend with his Maker Who art thou what manner of Man what monster of Men Who art thou a clod of Clay a lump of Earth a sink of Sin a fire-brand of Hell that thou darest chop Logick with God For shame set still lay thy Hand on thy Mouth and be silent CHAP. XIII God incomparable in his Working He doth the greatest things with ease and without any Help 3. HE worketh at all times without weariness and doth the greatest things with ease As there is nothing too hard for God so there is nothing hard to God He doth the hardest things that are with the greatest ease Indeed the great God doth the greatest and hardest things with the same ease that he doth the least things It 's all one to him whether his Work be small or great easie or hard to others all is easie alike to him In the Creation though the building be large and vast yet with what ease did he set it up He did not blow or sweat no nor so much as stir at his Work The whole World consisteth of the caelestial and terrestial Globe and both were the product of his Word For the Heavens Psal 33.6 By the word of the Lord the Heavens were made and all the Host thereof by the breath of his Mouth It was but a word a breath that produced that vast circumference of the Heavens and all those great Luminaries there So for the Earth He spake and it was done he commanded and it stood fast verse 9. He onely spake the word and even non-entities obey'd and became Beings Therefore in the story of the Creation Gen. 1. we find in every Days-work God only commanding and and immediately all things concurring verse 3 9 12. In his Works of Providence he doth all things with unconceiveable ease If he destroy and pull down it is done with ease They are crushed as a Moth Job 4.19 How easily doth a Man crush a Moth between his Fingers with more ease doth God crush his stoutest Enemies He destroyeth the highest the greatest the strongest the Lions young Lions with a breath with a blast By the blast of God they perish by the breath of his Nostrils they are consumed Job 4.9 10. By a blast a breath it 's easie to breath to send forth a blast for a Man but much easier for God who breathed into Man the breath of Life This can put him to no pain no toil no trouble at all Zenacherib comes against Jerusalem with a great Army of Warriers and had as he saith Counsel and Strength for War God undertakes to deal with him on the behalf of his own People and to destroy him but see with what ease God doth it 2 Kings 19.17 I will send a blast upon him I will never trouble my self to use my Artillery or draw out my great Ordnance of Heaven my Thunders and Lightnings against so many thousand Souldiers I will onely blow upon them that shall be all He destroyeth with a word If he do but speak it 's done His saying is doing At what time I speak concerning a Nation to pull down and to destroy Jer. 18.7 8. When the Prophet would speak the certain ruine of the Philistins he doth it in this manner Woe to the Inhabitants of the Sea-coasts the Word of the Lord is against you Zeph. 2.5 i. e. The case is woeful your condition is desperate the whole World cannot save you for the Word of the Lord is against you Men may talk and boast and threaten what they will do when all the while their Words are but Wind and their threatned Folk live long but the Word of God like Lightning or Mildew blasteth where-ever it goes and burns up to the very root Julius Caesar told Metellus when he would have prevented his robbing the Roman Treasury Young Man be quiet or I 'le lay thee dead at my Feet And then to magnifie his own Power addeth It is harder for me to speak it then to do it But this is certain it 's as easie for God to do any thing as to speak of it yea he doth what he will with a Word Now how easie is it to speak He destroyeth with a Look with a glance of his Eye and surely that is easie to him that is all Eye that made the Eye In the Morning-Watch the Lord looked through the Pillar of Fire on the Host of the Egyptians and troubled them Exod. 14.24 He darts out beams of Death from his Eyes One look from God will take away the life of the greatest of his Adversaries He destroyeth with an hiss O how little how easie a thing is hissing Isa 7.18 I will hiss for the Flies of Egypt and the Bees of Assyria and they shall come c. He destroyeth with a turn of his Hand Psal 81.13 14. I would soon have subdued their Enemies and turned my Hand against them that hated them A turn of his Hand would have subdued the proudest Enemies of Israel and have stab'd them to the Heart He delivereth his People with the greatest ease Whatsoever their Straights be though various and difficult yet he helpeth them out with ease When they were in Captivity scatter'd up and down as Exiles out of their own Country he bringeth them Home but how truly He saith to the North Give up and to the South Keep not back c. Isa 43.6 And both hearken to his Word That his Sons come from far and his Daughters from the ends of the Earth When the Prophet would beg of him to help his afflicted People he only desires him to Command Deliverance for Jacob Psal 44.4 If he will it and command it the Work is done He succeedeth his Ordinances and maketh them effectual for enlightning the Blind and enlivening the Dead great Works with ease He saith Live and the dead Sinner liveth John 5.24 He commandeth success and Ordinances are effectual There the Lord commandeth his Blessing even life for evermore Psal 133.3 Yea the Ocean that is such a frightful Monster which makes such an horrible Noise and openeth its Mouth roaring and raging as if it would certainly devour us is quell'd and quieted with ease by him Job 38.8 9 10 11. When the Sea was tempestuous and frighted the Disciples that they awake the Lord Jesus with what ease doth he cause a Calm Peace be still Matth. 8.27 As a Mother would still a crying-Child Hush be quiet peace no more be still and immediately there was a Calm 4. He worketh wholly by his own Power without the least help from any other Creatures are all Instruments and act in the vertue of the principal Efficient Angels and Men act not in their own but in the strength of God they have not some help from God but all the Power by which they work from God But God acteth wholly in his own strength he never had nor desired an helping-hand from any of his Creatures In the Work of
ye see but ye conceit so therefore your sin remaineth Joh. 9.40 41. therefore your ignorance continueth When Ignorance and Confidence which are often Twins go together the condition of a man is helpless partly because such a person will not take that pains in reading and praying and conference and meditation without which the knowledge of God cannot be had Dan. 12.4 Many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall be encreased It 's an allusion to Merchants that run to this and that Port to sell out and take in commodities or to a Tradesman that runs to this and that Mart or place to buy and sell whereby their stocks are increased But a conceited man will never labour thus for that which he thinks he hath already If thou diggest as for silver and searchest as for hid treasure then thou shalt understand the fear of the Lord and attain the knowledg of God Prov. 2.4 5. Men count digging hard work and will sweat at it when they dig for silver such diligence must they use who will get the knowledge of God But though poor men who are sensible of their want of the knowledge of God and of their woful condition thereby will work to preserve themselves from perishing yet rich men who think they can do well enough without it will spare their pains partly because all knowledge must be obtained from God by fervent prayer and a conceited man will neither be instant with God for it nor will God give it to him God is the God of knowledg 1 Sam. 2.2 And from him all true saving knowledg cometh Prov. 2.6 The Lord giveth wisdom out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding As none can see the Sun by candle light but by its own light so none can know God savingly by the light of nature but by light derived from himself Now a conceited person will not go to God for knowledge What need I thinks he I have enough already Poverty is a friend to prayer the poor useth intreaties Prov. 18.23 But pride or conceitedness is an enemy to prayer The wicked through the Pride of his countenance will not seek after God Psal 10.4 Who will beg that of his neighbour which he is confident he hath at home Neither will God undertake the instruction of proud Scholars The humble he will teach the meek he will guide in judgment Psal 25.9 Such as are willing to be taught will be thankful for their learning and are fitted for guidance and direction but conceited persons are quite contrary Therefore Reader beware of this mist in which many miscarry He that thinketh he knoweth any thing knoweth nothing as he ought to know 1 Cor. 8.2 But labour to get thine heart affected with thine ignorance and the woful consequents of it Psal 95.10 11. This will be a good step to knowledg The Apostle gives thee the same direction 1 Cor. 3.18 If any man seem to be wise let him become a fool that he may be wise If thou seemest to be knowing be ignorant in thy own sense and feeling and apprehension that thou mayst be knowing Our Lord Jesus gives the same counsel to the sick and dying Lacdiceans Rev. 3.17 18. and acquaints her that her ignorance of her ignorance and conceitedness of her knowledge was the great hinderance of her recovery 2. Study much the works and especially the word of God The works of God are a Book wherein you may read of him and by which you may hear of him The heavens declare his glory Psal 19.1 The earth is full of his goodness Psal 33.5 As the shadow hath some proportion to the body to which it relates so the works of God are some representation of the wise powerful gracious God to whom they belong Rom. 1.19 21. The invisible things of God are seen by the things that are made even his eternal power and Godhead Therefore consider the works of the Lord and the operations of his hands The word of God is a glass wherein thou mayest see his beauty and grace and glory and so see him as to be transformed into his likeness 2 Cor. 3.18 In the works of God you may see his steps the prints of his feet they are therefore called his paths and his goings Psal 77.19 But in his word we may see his face the comliness of his countenance how lovely and amiable he is therefore it is called a glass 2 Cor. 3.18 So that as the sight of a mans face helpeth and conduceth more to our knowledge of him than the sight of his steps so the word of God is a far greater means of our acquaintance with him than the Works of Creation and Providence Therefore I say study especially the word of God The Scripture is the key of knowledg Luk. 11.52 and unlocks the mysteries which were kept hid from Ages and Generations and opens the secrets of heaven to thy soul It 's therefore called light Psal 119.105 and a Lamp Prov. 6.23 Because it discovers hidden things helps thee to see what thou canst not without it and directs thee in thy motions and actions David had more knowledge than his enemies and they were subtil than his Teachers and they were no dwarfes in knowledge such as Gad and Nathan than the Ancient and with the ancient is wisdom and in length of days is understanding Job 12.12 13. and what was the means of it For thy testimonies are my meditation Psal 119.97 98 99. The Gospel is the eye-salve by which the blind come to see Psal 19.7 The fragrancy and attractiveness of the incomparable God increaseth up and down in the world as the Gospel is propagated Thanks be to God who maketh manifest the Savour of his knowledge The knowledge of God like a rich perfume causeth and leaveth a fragrant odoriferous scent where-ever it comes by us the ministers of the Gospel as the instruments hereof in every place 2 Cor. 2.14 The ministry of the word is the Chariot of the Sun of Righteousness whereby he conveyeth the light of the knowledge of God to the world Therefore attend on Preaching and give diligence to reading Search the Scriptures for they are they that testifie of me Joh. 5.39 3. Be frequent and fervent with God to give thee the knowledge of himself There is a twofold light requisite to bodily vision a light in the eye A blind man cannot see at noon day and a light in the air the best eye cannot see in the dark So there is a twofold light requisite to the effectual sight of God viz. The light of the word and the light of the Spirit the word cannot do it without the Spirit and the Spirit will not do it without the word where the word is afforded both are needful There is a spirit in man a passive receptiveness as a capable subject But the inspiration of the Almighty giveth understanding Job 32.8 All natural abilities all acquired endowments all the reading and learning all the Teachers and
infinite being should much affect our hearts Praise ye the Lord Praise him O ye servants of the Lord Praise the name of the Lord Blessed from this time forth and for ever From the rising of the Sun to the going down of the same the Lords name is to be praised why the Lord is high above all Nations and his glory above the Heavens who is like to the Lord our God who dwelleth on high Psal 113.1 to 6. Praise him for his incomparableness in his attributes for the incomparableness of his power O Lord God of Host who is a strong Lord like unto thee Psal 89.8 For the incomparableness of his holiness Who is a God like unto thee glorious in holiness Exod. 15.11 For the incomparableness of his mercy Who is a God like unto thee pardoning iniquity and passing by the transgressions of the remnant of his heritage because he delighteth in mercy Praise him for the incomparableness of his Words O that men would praise the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderful works to the children of men Psal 107.8.15 21 31. Psal 72.18 Psal 136.4 Praise him for the work of Creation Psal 114.1 2 3 4 5. Job 38.4 5 6. Praise him for his works of Providence Psal 97.8 9. Psal 136. throughout Psal 107. Praise him especially for the work of Redemption Blessed be the Lord God of Israel who hath visited and redeemed his people Luk. 1.68 Psal 9.1 Rev. 15.3 Praise him for the incomparableness of his Word Wonderful are thy Testimonies Psal 119.129 How often doth the sweet Singer of Israel praise God for them as a singular kindness Psal 147. two last verses He gave his Statutes to Moses his Laws and Commandments to Jacob He hath not dealt so with every Nation Praise ye the Lord. Praise him by admiring him Wonder at his being As they of Christ What manner of man is this that the winds and seas obey him Math. 8.27 What manner of God is this who knoweth no bounds no beginning no succession no addition An amazing admiration of him is an high commendation of him And indeed our silent wondering at his perfections is almost all the worship we can give him Psal 65.1 Praise waiteth for thee O God in Sion Heb. Praise is silent for thee O God in Sion not that praise was dumb or tongue-tyed in Sion for praise in no part of the world speaks higher or louder than in Sion but to shew that when the people of God set themselves to praise him they are struck with amazement and wonder at his matchless being and beauty at his infinite excellencies and perfections and wanting words to express them they sit down in a silent admiration of them Thou wouldst wonder at Adam if he were now alive for his age O wonder at him that is from everlasting to everlasting that is the cause and original of all things that is what he is that is and nothing else is that is all he is in one indivisible point of eternity Wonder at his attributes admire his holiness Behold he putteth no trust in his Servants he chargeth the Angels with folly Job 4.18 Behold wonder at it Again Behold he putteth no trust in his Saints the Heavens are not clean in his sight Job 15.15 Admire his wisdom cry out with the Apostle O the depth of the wisdom and knowledg of God Rom. 11.33 Admire his love Behold what manner of love hath the Father loved us with 1 Joh. 3.1 Admire his power that he can do what he will do Who is a strong Lord like unto thee Psal 89.8 Wonder at his Works Thou art ready to wonder at the rare works of some curious Artist alass all their works are toyes to the works of the mighty Creator and Possessor of Heaven and Earth O Lord how marvellous are thy works Psal 104.24 His work is honourable and glorious Psal 111.3 and worthy thy greatest wonder What a piece is the Creation how marveilous how mysterious Psal 8.1 2 3 4 5. The Heavens declare his glory Psal 19.1 and the earth is full of his goodness Psal 104.24 What a work is Providence read Psal 104. and 107. How many rarities curiosities mysteries are wrapt up in it which are only seen in the other world Psal 77.19 What man is this say they for he commandeth with authority and the unclean Spirits come out of men Mark 1.27 What a Master-piece what rare workmanship indeed is Redemption a work that the Angels are alwayes prying into and wondering at Eph. 3.8 1 Pet. 1.10 Wonder at his Word When thou hearest it dost thou not perceive a Majesty and Authority awing thy Conscience accompanying it And they were all amazed and astonished at his Doctrine Luk. 4.32 The very Officers who were sent to apprehend Christ could not but wonder at his words and returned to them who set them a work Never man spake as he spake Joh. 7.47 There are great things in the Law of God Hosea 8.12 things that are wonderful Psal 119.18 which may well be wondered at And all saith the Evangelist bare him witness and wondred at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth Luk. 4.22 Praise him by speaking alwayes highly and honourably of him If his name alone be excellent take heed that thou dost not take his excellent name in vain Thy apprehensions of him must be ever high and thy expressions of him honourable Thy Tongue is therefore call'd thy glory because therewith thou mayest glorifie thy God Psal 57.8 Never speak of God rashly or at random without a serious consideration of whom thou speakest and let thy expressions of him and to him be becoming his vast perfections Ascribe greatness to our God Deut. 32.3 Speak honourably of his being So Moses Exod. 15.11 Who is a God like unto thee glorious in holiness fearful in praises So Solomon 1 Kings 8.23 Lord God of Israel there is no God like unto thee in Heaven above or in the Earth beneath So David 1 Chron. 29.11 Speak honourably of his attributes Psal 68.34 of his power mercy truth justice wisdom and holiness Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Hosts Isa 6.3 Speak honourably of his words Psal 86.8 Among all the Gods there is none like unto thee neither are there any works like unto thy works Psal 145.10 Speak honourably of his Word The Commandments of the Lord are pure Psal 19.7 Thy word is very pure The Statutes of the Lord are right Psal 19.10 The Law is holy just and good Rom. 7.12 Though Paul's corruption took occasion by the Laws prohibitions to become the more unruly as the water at a Bridge roars the more for the stop yet he dares not lay the least fault upon the Law but layeth all upon himself was the Law Sin God forbid v. 7. Far be it from me to have the least such thought No the Law is holy but I am carnal sold under sin v. 14. So when he speaketh of the Gospel how honourably doth he speak of it
but Jehovah onely is the most high Eccles 5.8 He that is higher then the highest considereth For the explication of this Doctrine the truth of it will be evident if we consider the true God and compare him with the highest and most excellent in Heaven and Earth 1. In his Being 2. In his Attributes 3. In his Works 4. In his Word 1. God is incomparable in his Being God hath not onely a Being but an excellency in his Being therefore he is called His Excellency Should not his Excellency make you afraid Job 13.11 And he is said alone to be Excellent Thy Name alone is Excellent Psal 148.13 By Name is meant sometimes any thing whereby God makes himself known Exod. 20.7 But here the Being of God or God himself as Prov. 18.10 The Name of the Lord is a strong Tower i. e. God himself is a strong Tower Psal 76.1 His Name is great in Israel i. e. The Being of the great God is magnified in his Church or among his Chosen Now his Being alone is excellent because there is no such Being as his There is no Being excellent besides his because there is no Being excellent like his He is excellent in all above all and beyond all His Being is such a Being that he alone is and all besides are non entities and no Beings in comparison of him His Name speaks the incomparable nature of his Being And God said unto Moses Thus shalt thou say unto the Children of Israel I am hath sent thee I am I a Being that really is beside whom there is none hath sent thee What Prince what Potentate can say I am What Angel what Arch-Angel can say I am No this is the proper name of Jehovah Therefore when he promiseth himself to be the Reward of his People he doth promise himself under the Notion of Essence Being Substance in opposition to all others which are but Shadows and Nothings to him Prov. 2.7 He layeth up sound Wisdom Hebr. essentiam Essence for the Righteous Prov. 8.21 I will cause them that love me to inherit Substance Junius reads it Vt posside aut id quod est I will cause them that love me to possess that which is God is and all other Beings are not in comparison of him Dan. 4.35 All the Inhabitants of the Earth are reputed as Nothing God is and all others are Nothing yea if it were possible to apprehend it less then Nothing It 's a notable expression of the Holy Ghost to set forth the excellency of Gods Being and the pitifulness meanness and nothingness of all other Beings Isa 40.15 16 17. Behold a note of Attention and Admiration the Nations the Chaldeans that are our Lords and Masters or all Nations of the World be they never so high great strong or glorious are as the drop of a Bucket which falleth from the Bucket or hangeth on it when the water is powred out yet diminisheth not the measure and the small dust of the Ballance which cleaveth to the Scales when the Spice is put out yet altereth not the weight it is so little Behold wonder be amazed at it he taketh up the Isles the great large vast Islands of the World as a very little thing as poor small inconsiderable things All Nations before him are as nothing Not onely the great Islands but also the Continents with the several innumerable Creatures in them are not onely little to this God but as nothing as no Being to his Being and they are counted to him less then Nothing and Vanity Put them in the Scales with God and they are not only leight and without any weight Nothing at all but if Men were capable of concieving any thing less then nothing such were all the World to God Though the World be absolutely somewhat yea very great yet comparatively to God it 's nothing less then Nothing and Vanity CHAP. III. The incomparableness of God in his Being It is from its self for its self and wholly independent THe incomparableness of the Divine Being will appear in several particulars 1. His Being is from himself No Being in the World beside his is its own Cause or Original Angels Men the highest yea the lowest Creatures are derivative Beings They have what they are from another even from God They are drops that flow from the Ocean of all Beings they are Rays derived from the Sun the Fountain of Light and Entity The Apostle tells us That Men are beholden to God for their Beings Acts 17.28 In him we have our Beings They were nothing till he spake them into something He formed and fashioned their Bodies Psal 139. 13 14 15. He created and infused their Souls He put that Heaven-born Inhabitant into the House of Clay Gen. 2.7 Job 10.11 12. The whole visible World is his Workmanship Acts 17.24 God that made the World and all things therein The invisible World are also the effects of his powerful word Angels as well as Men may thank him for what they are The greatest Angel is as much bound to him for his Being as the smallest Atome Coloss 1.16 For by him were all things created that are in Heaven and that are in Earth visible and invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers But God is beholden to none for his Being He was when none else was even from eternity Psal 90.1 Therefore none could contribute the least to his Being I am Jehovah and there is none else besides me Isa 45.5 6. I am he that giveth a being to himself that am what I am from my self and of my self and there is no such Being beside me 2. God is Being that is for himself as he is his own first Cause so he is his own last end as he is wholly from himself so he is wholly for himself All other Beings are not for themselves but for another All things were created by him and for him Coloss 1.16 Since all are from God it is but reason that all should be for God The Rivers that run from the Sea return to the Sea again owning and acknowledging their Original Eccles 1.7 Good Men are for God None of us liveth to himself or dyeth to himself but whether we live we live unto the Lord and whether we dye we dye unto the Lord and whether we live or dye we are the Lords Rom. 14.7 Good Angels are for God for his glory Isa 6.3 Evil Men evil Angels are for God though not in their intentions and purposes yet in his intention and by his wise powerful Government of them and their practices Prov. 16.4 The Lord made all things for himself even the Wicked for the day of Slaughter Good Beings are for him intentionally and evil Beings are for him eventually Nay all Beings are for him Of him and through him and for him are all things Rom. 11.36 But God is altogether for himself as his highest end and not for any others He is his own end as well as
Eyes Ears or Tastes or by species taken in by the Sense and imprinted on the phantasie which are thence offered to the Understanding or else by Faith and the report of others or by discourse and ratiocination He knoweth one thing by another the Conclusion by Mediums and Premises the Causes by the Effects and the Consequents by the Antecedents Saints and Angels in Heaven know things in God not in themselves God knoweth all things in themselves and seeth all things in himself as in a Glass Man in this World must have a two-fold Light to see by A light in his Eye and a light in the Air But the Father of Lights needs no light to see by Darkness and Light are both alike to him Psal 139.12 His Eyes are as a Flame of Fire He seeth in the Dark Revel 1.14 God knoweth all things at once uno actu uno ictu as they say Creatures know one thing by another and one thing after another Their Understandings are unable to take in many Objects at once much less able to take in all Objects at once but God seeth all things at one View The Lord looketh down from Heaven he beholdeth all the Children of Men's From the place of his Habitation he beholdeth all the Inhabitants of the Earth Psal 33.13 14. The Eye of Man may see many things at once as an Hive of Bees but if it will see other things it must remove the sight though the Mind of Man can take in more then the Eye as a whole Country or World at once yet 't is onely the lumpe of gross if it would take the distinct knowledge of them it must remove from thought to thought but God takes all distinctly particularly at once God knoweth all things from everlasting before ever the World had a Being Men and Angels may know what is when it is but cannot know it as God doth before it was Acts 15.18 Known to God are all his Works from the beginning of the World Before he erected the curious frame of the World he knew all the Rooms and Furniture in it all the motions and actions of all the Inhabitants of it He doth by one pure simple undivided eternal act of his Understanding know all things perfectly immediately distinctly every moment 6. God is incomparable in his Truth and Faithfulness Truth is that Attribute in God whereby he is in himself as he reveals himself to be and in his sayings and doings as he speaketh and acteth God is Truth in himself and Truth towards his Creatures He is Truth in himself 1. As he truly is and really existeth Hence he is stiled the true God Jer 10.10 John 17.3 in opposition to Idols or false gods 1 Thess 1.9 So he is truly infinite truly all-sufficient truly eternal truly immutable c. 2. As he is the unchangeable Archetipe and Idaea of all true things without himself so all created things are true as they answer their patterns in his mind 3. In his immanent Actions as his Decrees and eternal Resolutions are all certain and attain a punctual accomplishment Psal 33.11 He is never deceived nor disappointed in his Purposes God is Truth towards his Creatures 1. In his Works as all his Actions of Creation Preservation Government Redemption are real and not chimera's or appearances Rev. 15.3 Psal 111.7 Deut. 32.4 Psal 25.10 2. In his Words all he saith is Truth His Precepts are true a perfect Rule of holiness without any defect Psal 119.86 All thy Commandements are Faithfulness verse 142. Thy Law is the Truth All his Promises are true and shall be performed Not one good thing faileth of all that the Lord our God hath promised Josh 23.14 Hence the Gospel the compendium of all the Promises is often called The Word of Truth James 1.18 And the Covenant of Grace is called Sure Mercies Isa 55.3 All his Praedictions are true and come to pass in their Season Hab. 2.3 Rev. 22.6 7. These are true and faithful Sayings Gen. 49.10 His Threatnings are true and fail not Rom. 2.2 of their accomplishment 2 Kings 9.26 36. He is Truth it self John 14.6 John 17.6 Abundant in Truth Exod. 34.6 Truth Truth The Lord God of Truth Psal 34.5 A God that cannot lie Titus 1.2 All lying ariseth either from forgetfulness Men break their word because their Memories are slippery but Oblivio non cadit in Deum He is ever mindful of his Word Luke 1.72 To remember his holy Covenant Psal 106.46 Psal 111. 5. He will ever be mindful of his Covenant Or from weakness some would but want power to make good their Promises though they were able when they promised yet they are by some Providence or other disabled before the day of performance comes but the strength of Israel cannot lie 1 Sam. 15.29 The Rock the eternity of Israel cannot lie Or from Wickedness some can but will not make good their words but God cannot be charged with any wickedness Psal 92. ult There is no unrighteousness in him 1 Kings 22.23 Ezek. 14.9 Men may be true Psal 15.4 Angels are true but neither Men nor Angels are true as God is let them be put in the Scales with God And Men of high degree are Vanity and Angels of the highest degree are a Lie to be laid in the Ballance they are altogether lighter then Vanity Psal 62.9 Read over God's Truth in himself and you will see how far Angels come short thereof Are they the Exemplar of all things are all things true as they agree with the Idaea's in their minds Consider his Truth towards his Creatures Can it be said of an Angel as of God The Angel that cannot lie hath promised Titus 1.2 Are they under an absolute impossibility of deceiving Surely if they be considered in themselves it was as possible for them to lie as for the Father of Lies It 's said of God It is impossible for him to lie Heb. 6.18 But this cannot be spoken of Elect Angels considered in themselves God is so true that he onely is true all to him are Lyars Rom. 3.4 Revel 3.7 14. CHAP. IX God incomparable in his Mercy and Patience 7. GOD is incomparable in his Mercy Mercy is an Attribute of God whereby he pittieth and relieveth his Creature in misery It 's an Attribute which relateth to the Creature onely God knoweth himself and loveth himself and glorifieth himself but he is not merciful to himself It is an Attribute that relateth to the Creature in misery Justice seeks a worthy Object Grace is exercised towards an unworthy Object but Mercy looks out for a needy an indigent Object God is bountiful and gracious to Elect Angels because they could not deserve that perfection and happiness which they enjoy but he is not merciful to them for they were never miserable Fallen Man is the proper Object of Mercy as being not only undeserving of the least good but as also having plunged himself into all evil Mercy is an Attribute whereby he pittieth his
Properties are really distinct from the Essences of Men or Angels but in God they are his very Being and Essence they are himself and can no way be separated from him no more then he can be separated from himself God could not be God if he were not most wise most holy most just most patient c. God's Attributes are one most pure Essence diversly apprehended of us as it is diversly manifested to us God's punishing the Wicked is his Justice God's performing his Promises is his Faithfulness His relieving the Miserable is his Mercy His bearing with the Guilty is his Patience so all are his Essence himself 3. Those Attributes are all one in God His Justice is his Mercy and his Wisdome is his Patience and his Knowledge is his Faithfulness and his Mercy is his Justice c. Though they are distinguished in regard of their Objects and in regard of our Apprehensions of them and in regard of their Effects yet they are all one in themselves and this floweth from the former head because they are the Essence of God and his Essence is a pure undivided Being In Men and Angels these Attributes or Perfections are different and several for they may have one without the other Their Righteousness is one thing and their Power another thing and their Truth a third thing For we see in Angels some that are strong and powerful that are not righteous or faithful and among Men some have one of these Perfections who have not another yea though in good men all these perfections are in some degree yet all are not in any one in the same degree there is scarce any Saint who is not more eminent for some spiritual excellency then for others But in God they are all one and the same As when the Sun-beams shine through a yellow Glass they are yellow a green Glass they are green a red Glass they are red and yet all the while the beames are the same Or as when the Sun shines on Clay it hardens it on Wax it softness it on sweet Flowers it draweth out their fragrancy on Dunghills and Ditches it draweth out their ill savours yet still it 's the same Sun and the same Influences the difference lyeth in the Objects and the Effects So the great God who is alwayes working in the World when he worketh towards the Wicked in punishing he is righteous towards the Godly in saving them he is merciful yet still the same immutable God 4. All these Attributes are in God in the highest degree yea beyond all degrees These communicable Attributes which are in Angels and Men in degrees and limited for a finite Substance will not admit of an infinite Property are in God infinitely Immensity like a golden Thread runs through all his communicable Properties His Vnderstanding is infinite Psal 147.5 So his justice is infinite his Mercy is infinite and all the rest They have no bounds no limits but his own will and pleasure He never acted to the utmost in any of them he never put forth so much Power but he could put forth more if he pleased He never exercised so much Patience but he could exercise more if he would Hence it is That in Scripture that they are affirmed of God not onely in the concrete but also in the abstract He is not onely loving but Love God is love 1 John 4.7 He is not onely wise but Wisdom Prov. 9.1 Wisdom hath built her House He is not onely good but goodness I will make all my goodness i. e. my self pass before thee Exod. 33.19 He is not onely holy but holiness Look down from Heaven the Habitation where thy holiness dwelleth Isa 63.15 Therefore these Attributes of God must be boundless because they are his Being himself CHAP. XI God incomparable in his Works Creation and Providence Thirdly GOD is incomparable in his Works as well as in his Being and Attributes None hath such a strong Hand such a stretched out Arm or can do like him O Lord saith Moses thou hast begun to shew to thy Servant thy Greatness and thy mighty Hand For what God is there in Heaven or on Earth that can do according to thy Works Deut. 3.24 He is a God doing Wonders Exod. 15.11 His Doings are like his Being He works like a God Isa 28.29 He is wonderful in Counsel and excellent in working His Works are all wonderful Psal 86.10 Thou dost marvellous things thou art God alone He doth miranda stupenda so that it is said of him Numb 23.23 What hath God wrought His Works are great Joel 2.21 Honourable and glorious Psal 111.3 Perfect Deut. 32.4 God thundereth marvellously with his Voice great things doth he which we cannot comprehend Job 37.5 The Works of Men and Angels are little small some mean things they do by Divine concurrence but his Works are great and unsearchable which we cannot comprehend If Creatures do great things in a sense or comparatively yet they may be found out their Fellow-Creatures have a Clue which will lead them into all their Labyrinths and a Line which will sound the bottome of all their Actions but God's Works cannot be comprehended by the understandings of any Creature O the depth of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God how unsearchable are his Wayes and Doings past finding out Rom. 11.33 His Foot-steps are not known Psal 77.19 Yea He doth great things and unsearchable and marvellous things without number Job 5.9 till there be no number If Creatures could do great things and marvellous and unsearchable yet you might soon reckon up all such works of theirs one great marvellous unsearchable thing were enough for the whole Creation But God doth great things and unsearchable yea marvellous things without number His wayes are not as Mans wayes as far as the Heavens are higher then the Earth so far are his wayes above the wayes of man Isa 55.8 9. No wayes like his Among all the Gods there is none like unto him neither are there any Works like unto his Works Psal 86.8 Whether you consider the matter of his Works and the Works themselves or his manner of Working 1. His Works themselves and therein I shall pass by his internal Works both personal and effectual and mention only his external Works 1. He is incomparable in what Works he is pleased to do or hath done 1. Creation Herein he is incomparable Creatura non potest creare The Creature cannot create Ex nihilo nihil fit with them Man may do something towards the emendation of the form but he cannot produce matter no nor mend it when 't is before him A Goldsmith may make a sparkling Jewel but then you must give him Gold and pretious Stones to make it of he can put the matter into a better form but he is so far from making matter where there is none that he cannot mend the matter which you give him He cannot make Gold of Silver nor Diamonds of common Stones Man's work may exceed
in the latter his Law Justice the Devils of Hell nay Man himself did resist and oppose him It had been impossible for the Mediator to have born up and held out under all those contests with the Powers of Darkness the Malediction of the Law the Fury of his Father if the Almighty everlasting Arms had not been under him Isa 42.1 2. Behold my Servant whom I upheld Isa 49.8 9. Therefore you read of Power great Power mighty Power greatness of Power exceeding greatness of Power put forth in the Work of Redemption Eph. 1.19 20. And what is the exceeding greatness of his Power to us-ward who believe according to the working of the mighty Power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead And the Redeemer is called The Power of God 1 Cor. 1.24 The Arm of the Lord Isa 53.1 His Strength Isa 27.5 Once more we read Thy Redeemer is mighty the Lord of Hosts is his Name Jer. 50.34 2. He is incomparable not onely in what he hath done but also in what he can do He can do what he will nay he can do much more then he will do He can do what he will His Arm is as large as his Mind and his Hand equal to his Heart His will and pleasure is the onely boundary of his Strength and Power Whatsoever the Lord pleased that did he in Heaven and Earth and the Seas and in all deep Places Psal 135.6 Psal 115.3 Can this be said of Men or Angels Can they do what they please surely No. But the Lord doth what he hath a mind to do He is of one mind and who can turn him and what his Soul desireth that he doth Job 23.13 His Heart onely can limit his Hands and his Strength is determined by nothing but his will It was the saying of a Prince that he could bear a Circle about his Head meaning his Crown but he could not bear a Circle about his Feet he would go and come at his own pleasure and do what he thought fit but all the Princes in the World have Fetters about their Feet and Chains about their Hands They cannot go whither they please Isa 37.33 34. Zenacherib would needs go up to Jerusalem and bringeth an Army against it for that end but his Feet were fettered Thus saith the Lord concerning the King of Assyria He shall not come into this City by the way that he came by the same shall he return Neither can they do what they please As they go not whither they will but whither God pleaseth so they do not what they will but what God pleaseth Acts 4.27 28. It 's Gods incomparable Prerogative to go whither and do what he will God doth not do many things that he can but he doth all things that he will He can do more then he will He cannot do what is sinful he cannot lie Titus 1.2 He cannot deny himself 1 Tim. 2.13 He cannot do that which implyeth a contradiction He cannot make himself a Creature or make a Creature a God because the doing of these things speak weakness and imperfection but whatsoever speaketh power or perfection that he can do He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think Eph. 3.20 A man may ask much this World the other World a thousand Worlds after them millions of Worlds after those better Worlds greater Worlds the Soveraignty and Dominion over them the Command and Rule of them for Ages for Generations for ever A man may conceive more then he can ask the Mind of Man is much larger then his Tongue His apprehension doth far exceed his expressions especially of such a man whose mind is enlightned and enlarged for of such the Apostle speaks and not contracted and narrowed to sublunary sensual Objects But God can do more then we are able to ask or think yea abundantly more so much more that we cannot think how much more nay exceeding abundantly more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 valde abundanter above abundance Is any thing impossible to God Luke 1.37 With God all things are possible Math. 19.26 He is good at every thing that is good Men are good some at one thing some at another thing so are Angels but no Man no Angel is good at all things God only can do every thing as God only can be every thing He only that is universal in his Being is universal in his doings He can make millions of Worlds in a moment and unmake them again as soon He can kill and make alive in the twinkling of an Eye He can build up and pluck down take Nature off its Hinges and set it on again make the Waters when they run never so violently to stand still stop the Sun in its full career keep the hottest Fire from burning or so much as singing an Hair Shall the Sun go backward saith he ten degrees or forward 2 Kings 20.9 10. Take either it 's all one to me chuse which thou likest best To me both are equally easie CHAP. XII God incomparable in the manner of his Working He worketh irresistibly arbitrarily 2. IF you consider the manner of his Working He is incomparable therein also 1. He worketh irresistibly He worketh so as none can hinder him All the united Wisdom Power of Men of Angels cannot stop him at his Work The mighty King Nebuchadnezzar was taught this Truth when he was grazing among the Beasts Dan. 4.35 He doth according to his will in the Armies of Heaven and among the Inhabitants of the Earth and none can stay his Hand Mark He doth what he will and none can stay his Hand the Prayers of his People have sometimes stay'd his Hand when he was going to slay and destroy but it was because out of his Grace he stay'd it himself Alas what Creature can see or know or reach his Hand that is invisible and omnipresent Isa 48.10 My Counsel shall stand and I will do all my Pleasure The Counsels of Men do not alwayes stand he makes them to fail and fall He bringeth the Counsels of the Heathen to naught and maketh the Devices of the People of none effect Psal 33.10 But none can make his Counsel void or his Devices invalid What he will do he doth and there is no withstanding him If he will bring an Enemy against a Nation none can prevent their coming Calling the Ravenous Bird from the East the Man that executeth my Counsel from a far Country Cyrus that should seise on Babylon as a Ravenous Bird on his Prey yea I have spoken it and I will bring it to pass Let me see who shall hinder it I have purposed it and I will do it I would see who dares undertake to oppose it Isa 40.11 12. If he will deprive Men of their Honours and Grandeur of their Estates and Treasures of their Might and Power there is no contending with him it must be done Job 9.4 12. Behold he taketh away who can hinder him
Creation he erected this curious large Fabrick without any Tool or Instrument Isa 44.24 I am the Lord that made all things that stretcheth forth the Heavens alone that spreadeth abroad the Earth by my self Mark he made the Heavens alone had none with him to assist him and he made the Earth by himself call'd none from Heaven to his Aid As he said to Job Where wast thou when I laid the Foundations of the Earth declare if thou hast understanding Job 38.4 Thou wast far enough off from giving any help so he may say to Angels Where were ye when I stretched out the Heavens declare if ye have understanding Some give that reason why they are not mentioned in the Creation of the World in the first of Genesis to assure us that God did not use their help in his Work The Heavens are compared to a Curtain Psal 104. and â—o a Tent Isa 40.22 Now we know that when Curtains or Tents that are very large are to be stretcht out as the phrase is in that Isa 44.24 there needs many Hands to it one hand will not do it many pair of hands must be put to it but God spreadeth out those wide large Curtains of Heaven alone Job 9.8 He borrowed not one hand to it Hast thou with him spread out the Skie which is strong as a molten Looking-Glass Job 37.18 Was God beholden to thee for affording him thine Arms in the unfolding and spreading that broad vast piece In works of Providence He doth some great things alone by himself Job 26.7 He hangeth the Earth on nothing without an Atlas to bear it up and he preserves Moses forty days without Food Exod. â—2 And he doth all things without the help of his Creatures even there and then when he makes the most use of his Creatures He useth Angels and Men in the Government of the World he useth many means as Food and Rayment and Physick and Sleep for the preservation of our Health and Lives but he doth all as much and as surely as if he made not use of any means at all He is the Soul of the World that actuates every thing in it Hence we read That Instruments are called his Sword Psal 17.14 His Rod Isa 10.5 What can the Sword or the Rod do without an Hand to cut or scourge with them therefore when his Rod boasteth as if it could scourge of it self Isa 10.12 13. and as if it were the Hand too By the strength of my hand have I done it I have removed the Bounds of the People and robbed their Treasure God quickly contradicts such vain babling and confutes such vain glorious boasting verse 15. Shall the Axe boast it self against him that heweth therewith or the Saw magnifie it self against him that shaketh it Thou poor proud vain-glorious Wretch Thou art a meer Axe a Saw and canst no more move or cut of thy self then a Saw or an Axe that lyeth on the ground which no man medleth with Thou talketh arrogantly and saucily as if thou didst all when thou didst nothing I did all thou wast all the while but the Axe and Saw in my Hand which I made use of 1. Whether God have little or great means means or no means it 's all one to him there is not a pinn to choose as we say for he doth as much when he hath means as when he hath none 2 Chron. 14.7 It 's all one with thee to help with many or with them that have no Power It 's not the least difference to him 't is not so much as the smallest dust in the Ballance to turn the Scale of Victory whether God have many or few any or none of his side God never made use of any Creatures because he had the least need of them or the least help by them but partly because it is his pleasure he useth them because he will use them It 's his pleasure by the foolishness of Preaching to save them that believe 1 Cor. 1 21. Not that he hath the least aid from Preachers so it 's his pleasure by Food and Sleep to preserve mans life not that he hath any help from them Thy Visitation preserveth my Spirit Job 10.12 Partly from his own Honour Hereby he magnifieth his Sovereignty and sheweth his Dominion over all his Creatures that they are all at his beck and he can with a stamp of his Foot or a glance of his Eye or an hiss of his Mouth call them from the uttermost parts of the World to execute his Command My Hand hath laid the Foundations of the Earth my right Hand hath span'd the Heavens when I call they stand up together Isa 48.13 The Flies Caterpillars Locusts Stars in their courses c. all come at his call Hereby he magnifieth his Power that can do such great things by weak means He got himself glory on Pharaoh when he made pitiful contemptible Creatures as Lice and Flies such Plagues to him And by opening the Eyes of the blind and quickening the Dead by such weak poor Instruments as Men are his strength is exceedingly exalted We have this Treasure in earthen Vessels that the excellency of the Power might be of God 2 Cor. 4.7 Hereby he magnifieth his Wisdom viz. in discovering the fitness and aptitude of his Creature to those ends and purposes for which they were created The use of a Tool discovers its worth by discovering its serviceableness to that for which it was made Partly to endear Creatures one to another their mutual serviceableness each to other causeth the greater amity and unity between them 1 Cor. 12.21 22 23. In spiritual things also God worketh alone even when he hath many Ordinances and Ministers to serve him Thou workest all our Works in us and for us Isa 26.12 Not any Visions or Prophets or industry of our own but thou workest all What is Paul what is Apollos Paul planteth Apollo watereth but God giveth the increase So then Observe He that planteth is a great Apostle No nothing and he that watereth is an eloquent excellent person No nothing but God that giveth the increase 1 Cor. 3.5 6 7. God doth not use Preachers because they help him in the conversion of Souls but as I said before because it is his pleasure 1 Cor. 1.21 And he turneth it to his honour 2 Cor. 4.7 Therefore it is often seen that Ministers of the largest Gifts of the greatest Grace are not often the most successful in their Labours because God would have us know that it 's not the Parts or Piety of the Preacher but his Grace and Spirit that doth the Work They are nothing he is all in all He made light the first day of the Creation and not the Sun or Stars till the Fourth to tell the World that he can enlighten it without the Sun It is a great Honour to God that he hath so many millions of Creatures at his will and pleasure that he hath so many Eyes to see for him
it in delight The former is the motion the latter the rest and repose of the soul Now the Incomparable God must have incomparable desires panting Psal 42.2 longing yea fainting out of vehemency of desire Psal 119.20 40 80. God must be desired above all Psal 73.25 Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee The Incomparable God must have incomparable delight I will go to the Altar of God my joy of God my exceeding joy Psal 43.4 The soul must be ravished extasied in the presence and enjoyment of God Cantic 2.4 4. The Incomparable God must have incomparable trust The more able and faithful any person is the more firmly we trust him Now God is incomparable in power he hath an Almighty arm incomparable in faithfulness he cannot lie Tit. 1.2 It 's impossible for him to lie Heb. 6.18 Therefore God must have our surest love and firmest faith Heb. 6.18 Rom. 4.20 We must esteem his words as good as deeds and rely on all he promiseth as if it were already performed We must not stagger or waver but draw nigh to him with full assurance of faith Heb. 10.22 His bonds must be lookt upon for they are as good as ready money and we must rejoyce in hope of the good things promised as if we had them in hand Rom. 5.2 3. 5. This incomparable God must have incomparable obedience in the whole course of our lives The more vertuous or gracious or honourable or excellent the person is with whom we walk the more we weigh our words and ponder the paths of our feet and watch over our selves God is incomparable in purity in jealousie in Majesty in excellency therefore they who are ever under his eye and in his presence and who walk with him must walk not as they do when with ordinary persons carelesly and negligently but circumspectly accurately exactly to an hairs breadth as on a ridge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 5.15 His law must be kept to a tittle in every punctilio as the apple of the eye Prov. 7.2 which is offended with the least mote of dust And this obedience must be not only at some seasons and in some actions but always and in all things As he who hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation 1 Pet. 1.15 All our service to this incomparable God must be incomparable Little service is unsuitable to a great God 1 Chron. 29.1 2. David the King said unto all the Congregation Solomon my Son whom alone God hath chosen is yet young and tender and the work i. e. of building the temple is great for the Palace is not for man but for the Lord God Now I have prepared with all my might for the house of my God c. Fifthly If God be an incomparable God it informeth us of his infinite grace and condescention to take so much notice of and do so much for man The height of the Person that bestoweth a favour and the meanness and unworthiness of the object on whom it is bestowed doth exceedingly advance and heighten the grace and goodness of him that doth it O what grace is it then for the most high the God of heaven the God whom the heaven of heavens cannot contain to manifest such respect to vile sinful dust and ashes yea to them that are rebels and Traytors against his Majesty and thereby worthy of Hell David admireth it and is amazed at it Psal 8.1 O Lord our Lord how excellent is thy name in all the earth and thy glory is above the heavens What followeth What is man that thou art mindful of him or the son of man that thou visitest him That God the excellent God the God famous in all the earth the God glorious above the heavens should mind man poor silly simple man weak frail dying man sinful filthy polluted man lost wretched miserable man could not but affect the heart of David with admiration and astonishment What is man that thou art mindful of him He is altogether below thy thoughts and unworthy to be a moment in thy mind Or the Son of man that thou visitest him he doth not deserve to be visited by the beasts of the earth much less to be visited by the Angels of Heaven and least of all by the God of heaven He may well say as the Centurion Lord I am unworthy that thou shouldst come under my roof neither thought I my self worthy to come unto thee Mat. 8.8 David wonders that God should mind man so much as to make the heavens and those glorious Lamps there for his use and comfort When I consider the heavens the work of thy fingers the moon and the stars which thou hast made what is man that thou art mindful of him But how much more cause had he to wonder that the heaven of heavens the God of heaven the Sun of righteousness the light of lights should do so much and be so much himself for the good and comfort of man God doth manifest much grace and condescention in taking such care of mens bodies and outward concerns You would think it a great grace and condescention in a King to take care night and day of a poor beggar to see to it himself and not to leave it to servants or any others that he have food and raiment and liberty and peace and safety every day that his bed be made well and easie for him every night that when he is sick he have physick cordials and tendance and should constantly visit him himself in person that in all his wants he be supplyed in all his weaknesses supported in all his dangers defended and in all his distresses delivered If this King should never stir from this beggar but do all this in his own person if he himself should spread his table and provide his food and be at the sole charge of his garments and put them on and make his bed and stand by him all night while he slept to prevent any evil that might befall him and go up and down with him all day to protect him and counsel him and relieve him as occasion required you would be amazed at the favour and kindness and condescention of this Prince Believe it Reader surely seeing is believing the King of Kings and Lord of Lords he whose name is I am he to whom all the Kings and Princes and Potentates of the world are dross and dirt and dung the Incomparable God doth more than all this very much more for thee every day and every night and that in his own person He sendeth thee all thy bread and drink and cloaths and makes them refreshing to thee he provides thy habitation and lodging and commandeth sleep for thee He is with thee continually in all thy out-goings incomings to preserve thee alive to enable thee to thy motions to succeed thy lawful undertakings to relieve thee in thy necessities and to defend
his own beginning who never had a beginning nor shall ever have an end Revel 1.8 As all God doth is for himself Revel 4.11 Thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created So all God is is for himself He is infinite wise almighty everlasting unchangeable holy righteous faithful Being is for himself It is the prophaneness of some Men to be somewhat for God more for the World and most of all for their carnal selves But it is the perfection of God to be somewhat for the World in general more for his Elect in special and most of all for Himself Nay in all that he is for the World or his Elect he is still most for himself It is the excellency and purity of Saints and Angels to be what they are and to do what they do for God to make him who is the efficient the final Cause of their Beings and Actions But 't is the excellency and purity of God to be what he is and to do what he doth for himself He who is his own happiness must be his own end 3. His Being is an independent Being He is by himself as well as from and for himself None ever in Heaven or Earth contributed the least towards the maintenance or continuance of his Being Neither the Creatures goodness nor their Goods do him the least good Not their goodness Men may be advantaged by the goodness of Men but God cannot My goodness extendeth not to thee but to the Saints that are on Earth Psal 16.3 Not their Goods He is the Lord Proprietor of the whole world and if he wanted any thing he would not ask the leave of any for all is his own but he is above all want If I were hungry I would not tell thee for the World is mine and the fulness thereof Psal 50.12 i. e. I declare to the World That I am uncapable of the least want or if I needed a Meals-Meat I would scorn to go to the Creatures Door to beg it I could supply my self out of my own Store if there were need but there is no need at all He challengeth all the World to produce any Being that ever obliged or ingaged him in the least Who hath prevented me that I may repay him Job 41.11 Where is the Man where is the Angel where is the Creature that can say He ever did me the least kindness that hath been before-hand with me in courtesie to whom I am the least in debt for my subsistance I am here ready to make him amends Who hath prevented me that I may repay him But all other Beings are dependent the highest the strongest of them are not able to bear their own weight but like the Hop or Ivy must have somewhat to lean upon By him all things subsist Coloss 1.17 He preserveth them in their Beings and in their Motions In him we live and move and have our Beings Acts 17.28 As the Beams depend on the Sun and the Streams on the Fountain so do the Creatures for their beings and actions depend on God He upholdeth all things as the Foundation the Building by the word of his Power Hebr. 1.3 He is the Atlas that bears up the whole World without whom it would fall to nothing Thou preservest Man and Beast Psal 36.6 Dependentia est de essentia Creaturae God is to the World as the Soul to the Body He animates and actuates every thing in it and enableth his several Creatures to all their motions Men are apt to think that Fire can burn of it self it being so natural to the Fire to burn yet if God do but suspend his influence actum secundum as they speak a Furnace heated seven times hotter then usual burns no more then Water Dan. 3.27 We are ready to conceive that it 's easie for a Man to see when the Organ is rightly disposed there is a fit medium and a due distance of the Organ from the Object But yet if God deny his concurrence though there are these three Requisites to sight a man can see no more then if he were stark blind Gen. 19.11 2 Kings 6.18 Angels themselves must have their Maker for their mover or as active Spirits as they are they must stand still CHAP. IV. God incomparable in his Being as he is absolutely perfect universal unchangeable HE is an absolutely perfect Being There is a two-fold perfection competible to Beings Some are perfect in their kind that is have all things requisite to that Species of which they are So we say the World is perfect because it hath all things needful to a World A man is a perfect man that hath a body with all its parts and members and a Soul with all its powers and faculties But secondly A Being is absolutely perfect when nothing can be added to it or taken from it when it is uncapable of the least Accession or Diminution Now such a Being is God and none but God As the Sun gets nothing by the shining of the Moon and the Stars neither loseth any thing by their Eclipses or withdrawing So the self sufficient God gains nothing by all the Suits and Services Prayers and Praises of his Creatures neither looseth any thing by their neglect of their Duties He is above the influence of all our performances our holiness addeth not the least to his Happiness Can a Man be profitable to God as he that is wise may be profitable to himself Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that thou art righteous or is it gain to him that thou makest thy wayes perfect Job 22.2 3. He is beyond the malice of Sin As Holiness doth not help him so the Sin of his Creatures doth not hurt him All those Darts of Sin which the Wicked shoot up against Heaven fall short and fall down upon their own Heads If thou sinnest what dost thou against him or if thy Transgressions be multiplyed what dost thou unto him If thou be righteous what givest thou him or what receiveth he of thine hand Thy Wickedness may hurt a Man as thou art and thy Righteousness may profit the Sons of Men Job 35.6 7 8. Flesh and Blood may be injured and pierced by the Weapons of unrighteousness but not the Rock of Ages that is impenetrable They who are of the same make and mold with our selves may be advantaged by our Blessings and Praises but not he who is above all Blessing and Praises What doth the great Light of the World get by the Persians admiration and adoration of it What is a Fountain the better if Men drink of its water and commend it or the worse if Men pass by and despise it What would God get if he should make millions of Worlds to land and magnifie him or what would God loose if there were no World no Creature at all Who hath given to him and it shall be recompenced again Rom. 11 35. He hath given to all what-ever they are or have but none
ever gave to him They who give to him their Love and Fear and Trust and Names and Estates give nothing to him We can give nothing to him to whom we owe all Besides all we have and are and do and suffer for him addeth nothing to him His declarative glory may but his essential glory or glorious essence admits not in the least of any increase or decrease But no other Being is absolutely perfect Men are exceeding imperfect since their Falls They are so far from being above all additions that they stand in continual need of Additions They need the Air to breath in the Earth to bear them Food to strengthen them Rayment to cover them Fire to warm them Sleep to refresh them They want Righteousness to justifie them the Holy Ghost to sanctifie them Love to comfort them and Mercy to save them Man is an heap of Infirmities an Hospital of Diseases and a bundle of Imperfections He is so far from being absolutely perfect that in a moral consideration since his Apostacy he is not perfect in his kind And though Angels are more perfect then Men yet they are imperfect to God Angels 't is true are perfect in their kind but not perfect in all kinds something may be added to them something may be taken from them The highest Angel may be higher and the holiest Angel may be holier and the best of them may be better Though the Stars differ from each other in brightness and glory yet none of them is a Sun Though Angels differ from Men and each from others in honour and excellency yet none of them is a god none of them is absolutely perfect 5. God is an universal Being he hath all good eminently and virtually in himself Whatsoever excellencies are scattered and dispersed among the Creatures in Heaven or in Earth they are all united in and centered after an infinite manner in the Creator It 's a true Rule in Phylosophy Quod efficit tale est magis tale Whatsoever good is in the effect is more abundantly in the cause Now God being the principle and cause of all the good and excellency that is in every Creature it must of necessity be more abundantly in him As some Potions have the quintessence of many Herbs many Drugs in them so God hath the quintessence of all Creatures and infinitely more in him For this cause he is called by and compared to whatsoever is good and answerable either to necessity conveniency or delight Sometimes to that good which is necessary as to life John 1.4 To the Fountain of life Psal 36.9 To Light John 1.9 To the Father of Lights James 1.17 To Food as to Bread yea living Bread John 6.51 To water yea living water John 4.10 To Rest Return to thy Rest O my Soul for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee Psal 116.7 He is the onely Ark wherein alone the Dove wearied about the waters of this World can find rest Sometimes he is compared to that good which is convenient as to an Habitation Psal 90.9 10. O Lord thou hast been our dwelling-place from all Generations To Health Psal 42. ult To Peace 2 Cor. 13.11 To Protection or Defence as a Shield which defends the Body from the shot or thrusts of men Gen. 15.1 To a Wall of Fire which defends the Traveller from the fury of Beasts Zechar. 2.5 To a Refuge which secures the Army when 't is foy'ld by the Enemy Psal 57.1 To a Rock a Fortress an high Tower Psal 18.2 Sometimes he is compared to that good which is delightful As to Riches Job 22.24 25. To unsearchable Riches Eph. 3.8 Durable Riches Prov. 8.18 To Honour and Glory as a Royal Diadem He is called a glorious Lord Isa 33.21 Said to be the Glory in the midst of his People Zach. 2.5 To joy and pleasure Psal 43.4 To Relations he is a Father 2 Cor. 6.18 An Husband Hos 2.19 To a Feast of fat things of Marrow and Fatness of Wine of Wine on the Lees well refined Isa 25.6 Which are the delight of the Pallat To Beauty which is the delight of the Eyes Cantic 5.10 ult To sweet Smells which are the delight of the Nostrils Cantic 4.10 Cantic 1.3 To the most harmonious Musick which is the delight of the Ears His mouth is most sweet or sweetnesses Cantic 5.16 My Soul failed when he spake so ravishing was his Voyce Cantic 5.6 To Truth which is the delight of the Understanding Psal 31.5 John 14.6 To Good which is the delight of the Will Math. 19.17 Thus God is not one good but all good The truth is all the good all the excellencies that are in Men or Angels are not worthy to be a shadow or foyl to set off those excellencies that are in God All good is in one God Mark 10.29 30. But Creatures are but particular Beings Man is but a particular Being a low limited Being What is Man that is a Worm or the Son of Man that is a Worm Job 25.6 There is some good in one man and some good in another man but not all good in any man no not in all men Angels are but particular Beings little Beings One Angel is one drop another Angel another drop a third Angel a third drop every one is but a drop None of them is an Ocean as God is which containeth all those drops and infinitely more 6. God is an unchangeable Being not only without but uncapable of the least alteration He is the same Yesterday to Day and for Ever Heb. 13.8 He is what he was and what he will be eternally He is the same since the World was made that he was before the World and that he will be when this World shall be no more With him is not the least variation or shadow of turning James 1.17 No 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or variableness It is an Astronomical word taken from the heavenly Bodies which suffer many Declensions and Revolutions which they call Parallaxes Though those heavenly Lights are variable have their increases and decreases their times of rising and setting yet our Father of Lights is not variable He knoweth no rising or setting no increasing or decreasing but shineth alwayes with the same light and lustre with the same beauty and brightnesse Nor shadow of Turning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The lesser Luminaries or Stars according to their different Postures have divers shadowings or obumbrations according to their nearness to or distance from the Sun their shadows are greater or lesser but our Sun is still the same knoweth no clouding no shadowing no eclipsing When God hates those Angels as Apostates whom first he loved as created pure and holy he is still the same the change is not in God but in them Bring Clay to the Sun it hardens it bring Wax to the Sun with the same influence it softens it without any alteration in the Sun When God punisheth a Man that is wicked and prospereth the same Man becoming a Penitent he
is still the same If a man walk on one side of a Church the Pillars are on his left hand if on the other side on his right hand The Pillars remain where they were the motion or change is in the Man But Creatures are all mutable the Heavens seem constant but it is in inconstancy their perpetual motion speaks their perpetual alteration Psal 102.26 27. They shall perish but thou shalt endure they shall wax old as a Garment that is wearing out and wasting every day as a Vesture shalt thou change them and they shall be changed but thou Lord art the same for ever The old Heavens will pass away and new ones succeed in their room at the general Conflagration but the God of Heaven will never pass away Man is ever in motion from one condition to another His Body changeth in its age constitution temper at last into rottennesse dust and corruption I have said to Corruption thou art my Father and to the Wormes ye are my Brother and Sister Job 17.14 His Soul changeth in its passions affections love hatred delights desires His whole man changeth in its place company carriage conversation He hath no consistency while he is he continueth not what he was Job 14.2 3. Angels are changeable even the good Angels though not as Men yet as Creatures as perfect as they are they have this imperfection 1. They are who once were not and in regard of themselves have a possibility not to be 2. Angels may loose what they have and attain what they have not 3. Angels are mutable in regard of place sometimes in Heaven sometimes on Earth What little unchangableness is in Angels is derivative God is the original of it their immutability at most is but from their Creation I suppose some time since for the good Angels as well as bad were created mutable but Gods immutability is from eternity The whole World indeed is a Sea of Glass Rev. 4.6 alwayes ebbing and flowing never at a stay but the Maker of the World may well say I the Lord change not Mal. 3.6 CHAP. V. God incomparable in his Being as it is eternal and without composition GOd is an eternal Being and none is eternal but he Time which hath a beginning and end is competible to Men and other visible Creatures in this World Aeriternity which hath a beginning and no end is competible to good and evil Angels and to the Souls of Men but Eternity which hath no beginning succession or end belongs onely to God 1. God hath no beginning He who in the beginning created the Heavens and the Earth could have no beginning himself Gen. 1.1 Before the Mountains were brought forth or ever thou hadst formed the Earth and the World from everlasting to everlasting thou art God Psal 90.2 God is eternal a parte ante and puzleth the most enlarged Understanding to conceive his duration Behold he is great and we know him not neither can the number of his years be searched out Job 36.26 Psal 93.2 2. God hath no succession in his Duration He dwelleth in one indivisible point of eternity He is what he is in one infinite moment of being His duration knoweth nothing of former or latter past or to come His Essence is not bounded by those Hedges but he enjoyeth his whole eternity every moment Hence he is said to inhabit eternity to be fixt alwayes in eternity Isa 57.15 Time is nunc fluens but eternity is nunc stans One day with him is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day 2 Pet. 3.8 He inhabits a million of years in a moment and each moment to him is as a million of years He hath not the least added to his duration since the World was though it hath been near 6000 years It 's not proper to say of him He was for none of his duration is ever past with him or he shall be for none of his duration is ever to come but he is his full eternity is alwayes present Hence his Name is I am Exod. 3.14 Not I was or shall be and Christ tells the Jews Before Abraham was I am John 8.58 It seems false Grammar but it 's the most proper true Divinity Indeed had Adam been then alive it had been proper for him to have said Before Abraham was I was or if an Angel had spoken it had been proper for him to have said Before Abraham was I was because Men and Angels enjoy their Being by piece-meals now a little and then a little somewhat of their duration is gone and somewhat to come but it was most proper for him that was God to say Before Abraham was I am because his duration is without all succession the whole of it is ever present The Psalmist further cleares this Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee Psal 2.7 Which words are interpreted of the eternal Generation of the Son of God before all Worlds and also of his Resurrection in time which was to be some hundreds of years after as the Apostle either expounds it or alludes to it Acts 13.33 But it 's all one for both are to day that which was from eternity and that which was to be many hundred of years after are both with him present this day Past or future is all present this day that was not past to God which never had beginning his Sons eternal Generation nor was that to come to God which was alwayes before him his Sons Temporal Resurrection 'T is still this day have I begotten thee millions of years yea of Ages add not the least moment to his duration 3. God hath no ending As he is from so he is to everlasting Psal 90.2 Without beginning or end of days Psal 102.27 But thou art the same and thy years never end O what an excellent Being is this eternal Being He onely hath immortality 1 Tim. 6.16 And he is eternity it self 1 Sam. 15.29 Aeternitas Israelis Jun. The eternity of Israel cannot lye But are Men or Angels comparable to God in this Surely no As for Man he is a Bird of Time here to day and gone to morrow Job 14.1 Of few days As for Man his days are as Grass Psal 103.15 Now flourishing but quickly perishing Man hath a beginning succession and ending There was a Time when Man was not Man enjoyeth his time by parts and parcels and Man ere long shall be no more All men in this are alike high or low good or bad There is a vast difference between God and all Men in their duration Are thy dayes as the dayes of Man are thy years as Mans years Job 10.5 No in no respect Man's days begin succeed and end not so God's dayes Well might David say though he had lived as long as Methuselah Mine age is nothing unto thee Psal 39.5 And truly as Men are far from being comparable to God so are Angels Angels had a beginning Coloss 1.16 Angels have a succession in their
duration they enjoy part to day part to morrow part the next day every moment addeth to their duration what is past they do not enjoy nor what is to come but onely what is present and thus it is also with Souls of Saints in Heaven 8. God is a simple Being In this I take simplicity not as opposed to Wisdom for in him are all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge Coloss 2.9 but as simplicity is opposed to mixture and compositon Thus there is a simplicity in the Gospel 2 Cor. 12.3 So any thing the more simple it is the more excellent it is God is a most pure simple unmixed indivisible Essence he is uncapable of the least composition and therefore of the least division He is one most pure one without all parts members accidents and qualities Whatsoever is in him is himself his very Being therefore that which is a quality in a Man or Angel is attributed to God in the abstract Men and Angels are wise but God is wisdom Prov. 9.1 Men and Angels are holy but God is Holiness Isa 63.15 God is all Essence all Being and nothing else But how unlike are Men or Angels to God in this Man is a grosly compounded being he is compounded of a Body and a Soul Gen. 2.7 His body is compounded of members and parts his members and parts are compounded of bones and bloud and flesh and skin and sinews Job 10.11 His Soul is compounded and so are the highest Angels of substance and accidents of essence and faculties the substance of Man's Soul and of Angels and their qualities are distinct things Their Wisdome is one thing their Power another thing their Holiness a third thing and all distinct from their Essence An Angel may be an Angel and a Man may be a true Man and yet be foolish weak and wicked Their Understanding differeth from their Wills their Wills differ from their Affections their Affections differ from both and all from their beings But in God all these are one indivisible Essence to will and to understand and to love and to hate and to be are all the same and one in God CHAP. VI. God incomparable in his Being as it is Infinite and Incomprehensible GOd is an infinite Being He is a Being that knoweth no bounds no limits His Being is without all measure all degrees and determinations His Vnderstanding i. e. Himself who is all Understanding is infinite Psal 147.5 God is a Sphear whose center is every where and whose circumference is no where Behold the Heavens and Heaven of Heavens cannot contain thee how much less this House which I have built 1 Kings 8.27 The starry Heavens or Firmament is large it compasseth the whole Earth and Ocean this terrestial World is but a point to it but the Heaven of Heavens or the emperial Heaven is larger it containeth the lower Heaven but cannot contain the God of Heaven No ubi no place can define or circumscribe him He is neither shut up in any place nor shut out of any place He is above place without place yet in all places Whither shall I go from thy Spirit or whither shall I flee from thy presence If I ascend up into Heaven thou art there If I make my Bed in Hell Heaven and Hell are most opposite places Behold thou art there If I take the wings of the Morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the Sea Even there shall thy hand lead me and thy right hand shall hold me Psal 139.7 8 9 10. God is in Heaven Earth Sea Hell and infinitely more where there is neither Heaven nor Earth nor Sea nor Hell O what a Being is the blessed God who is boundless not onely in his duration of which we have spoken before and in all his Perfections and Attributes of which we shall speak hereafter but also in his Essence and Being No place can circumscribe him and no ubi can define him He is over all Creatures by his Power and Dominion in you all by his Essence and Influence and through all by his Providence Ephes 4.6 He is every where not onely virtually as the Sun by his beams nor authoritatively as a King by subordinate Officers not at all by multiplication as the Loaves filled that place which they did not before the Miracle or by extention as the rational Creature filleth that place when a Man which he did not when an Infant nor by local motion from one place to another as all bodily animate Creatures or by division as our Bodies are part in one place and part in another or by commixtion as the Air mingleth it self with the terrestrial World but essentially after an unspeakable manner As Philosophers say of the Soul It 's whole in the whole body and whole in every part of the body So I may say of God He is whole in the whole World and whole in every part of the World yea if he should please to make 10000 Worlds he would fill all and his whole Essence be in every part of each World and yet without the least extension or multiplication or motion Homo est in loco circumscriptive Angelus definitive Deus Repletive But are Men or Angels like to God in this Alas they are finite limited Beings less then drops to this Ocean Man is in a small place so as to fill it up by commensuration of parts and to exclude all other Bodies but himself is circumscribed in it Angels though they are not in a place so as to exclude Bodies yet they are in an ubi or space so as to conclude themselves therein they are in a finite compass beyond which their being extendeth not they are so here that they are not there so in Heaven that they are not on Earth at the same time But God is every where in his whole Essence every moment He filleth all in all Eph. 1. ult God is an incomprehensible Being such a Being as no Creature whether Man or Angel can comprehend or perfectly understand This floweth from the former if he be infinite he must of necessity be incomprehensible for a finite Being as all are beside himself can never comprehend what is infinite There is no proportion between a boundless Being and a bounded Understanding But there must be a proportion between the mind of the Creature and that object which is fully understood by it The Sun may be contained in a small chink and the Sea in a Nutshell sooner then God can be contained in the limited understanding of Men or Angels Job 26.14 Lo these are parts of his wayes viz. Hell is naked before him ver 6. He hangeth the Earth upon nothing ver 7. He bindeth up the Waters in his thick Clouds and the Cloud is not rent under them ver 8. He hath compassed the Waters with bounds ver 10. The Pillars of Heaven tremble at his Reproof ver 11. c. but how little a portion is heard of him The Vulgar read it How little
a drop Others A whisper or smallest part of a Voice that which is known of God to that which God is and is in God is but like a drop to the vast Ocean and as a Whisper to a loud terrible Thunder How little a portion is heard of him Surely much is heard of him from the Voice of his Almighty Works of Creation and Providence and especially from the Voice of his Word and his own Mouth in the holy Scriptures But how little is heard of him in comparison of that immense excellency which is in him and which he is Heathens hear somewhat of him Rom. 1.20 21. His Saints on Earth hear much more of him Psal 63.3 4 5 6. Perfect Spirits in Heaven hear most of all of him 2 Cor. 12.3 4. 1 Cor. 13.12 Yet by all these a very little portion is heard of him The Being of God is like the Peace of God which passeth all understanding Philip. 4.7 And like the Love of Christ which passeth all knowledge Ephes 3.19 This onely can be known of God that he can never be known fully and this onely can be comprehended of him that he cannot be comprehended Canst thou by searching find out God Canst thou find out the Almighty to perfection It 's as high as Heaven what canst thou do Deeper then Hell what canst thou know The measure thereof is longer then the Earth and broader then the Sea Job 11.8 9. Canst thou by searching find out God It 's a strong Negation i. e. 'T is impossible by all the help and advantage of Nature and Art and Grace and Diligence yea and perfect Glory too to find out God fully Dost thou a poor mean vile man saith Zophar think to contain and comprehend him whom the Heavens and Heaven of Heavens cannot contain or comprehend Art thou so silly as to conceive that the short line of thy understanding should fadom his bottomless Being It is not in vain for thee to seek him but it is altogether in vain for thee to search him Though he be not far from thee yet he is far above thee and far beyond thee far above thy thoughts and beyond thy conceptions He dwelleth in that Light that is inaccessible whom no man hath seen nor can see 1 Tim. 6.16 They who see him face to face i. e. most clearly and fully see but little of him Clouds and Darkness are in this sense ever about him As in a dark day we see the beams but not the body of the Sun so even in Heaven the highest Angels rather see his rays and beams then his infinite Being Canst thou find out the Almighty to perfection Men who seek God may find him Prov. 8.17 Math. 7.7 but they cannot find him to perfection The word for perfection signifieth the height or utmost accomplishment of a thing Somewhat of God may be known but not all They who find out most are far from finding out the utmost of him The Sun and all the coelestial Lights may sooner be grasped in the hollow of mans hand and the vast Hills and Mountains weighed in a pair of common Scales then the Almighty found out to perfection Natural questions soon pose the most learned men the forms even of inanimate Creatures are Riddles to most How frequently do the greatest Schollars betake themselves to secret Sympathies and Antipathies and occult qualities as the Cloak and cover of their Ignorance Eccles 11.5 Canst thou know how the Bones grow of her that is with Child O how much more must Divine questions exceed humane understanding It is as high as Heaven what canst thou do It 's as the highnesses of Heaven Take all the Heights and Elevations all the Spheres and Altitudes of Heaven and try if thou canst reach them with thy short Arm yea climb up the highest Stories the loftiest Pinnacles touch if thou canst the several Orbes yet the knowledge of this God or this God the object of knowledge is above and beyond all What a Fool would he be thought who should undertake to ascend the starry Heavens yet he who would find out God to perfection must climb much higher The Heavens are famous for their height yea the starry Heavens that some wonder that the eyes of man are not tired before they reach them Prov. 25.3 The Heavens for height and the Earth for depth Yet the third Heavens are much higher then they but the most high God is far higher then the highest Heavens Deeper then Hell what canst thou know Heaven and Hell are at the greatest distance and are most remote from our apprehensions Who knoweth what is done in Heaven what in Hell what is enjoyed in the one or suffered in the other no more can any know what God is Who knoweth the nature number order motions influence of the heavenly Bodies something is conjecturally delivered about them nothing certain much less doth any know the number nature order wonder worship of the coelestial Courtiers in the third Heavens of the thousand thousand that are before God the ten thousand times ten thousand that minister to him least of all can any know that Being that made all these that preserveth all these that ordereth and governeth animateth and actuateth all these that gives them all that they are and enableth them to all that they do Deeper then Hell what canst thou know Who knoweth the Mines and Minerals which lie in the bosome in the bowels of the Earth Who knoweth the place of Saphires the Coral the Pearls and the precious Onix Job 28.5 6 7 8. Out of the Earth cometh Bread c. The stones of it are the place of Saphires and it hath dust of Gold There is a path which no Fowl knoweth and which the Vultures Eye hath not seen The Lyons Whelps have not trodden it nor the fierce Lyon passed by it Much less doth any know the Miseries of the Damned the extremity universality eternity of their Torments Who ever returned from that place to tell us what they suffered there or if they had whose Understanding is large enough to conceive them Who knoweth the Power of thine Anger according to thy Fear so is thy Wrath Psal 90.11 Least of all can any know that God Job 28.3 who setteth an end to Darkness and searcheth out all Perfection the stones of darkness and the shadow of Death Before whom Hell and Destruction are naked and open who formeth the costly Jewels secret from the Eyes of covetous Mortals who layeth the dark Vault of Hell and storeth it with Fire and Brimstone and gnawing Worms and blackness of darkness and all the Instruments of eternal Death The measure thereof is longer then the Earth The Earth is long from one end of it to another Mathematicians tell us from East to West it 's 22000 miles but the knowledge of God is much longer the measure thereof is beyond all measure And broader then the Sea The Ocean is exceeding broad it seems to them that Sail on it to be
without Banks or Bounds Hence we read of the Arms of the Sea Dan. 11.22 because of its breadth And David calls it Psal 104.25 A great and wide Sea So is this great and wide Sea wherein are things innumerable both small and great But the knowledge of the great God is far greater and wider How are the Dimensions of height depth length and breadth in their greatest extent and dimensions obvious to humane Understandings The Heavens are high yet their height is finite Hell is deep yet its depth is determined the Earth is long yet its length is limited the Sea is broad yet its breadth is bounded But God is infinite boundless and beyond all these CHAP. VII God incomparable in his Attributes in his Holiness and Wisdom II. GOd is incomparable as in his Being so in his Attributes The Attributes of God are those perfections in the Divine Nature which are ascribed to him that we might the better understand him They are so called i. e. Attributes because they are attributed to him for our sakes though they are not in him as they are in Men or Angels Vocantur Attributa quia ea sibi attribuit Deus nostra causa Zanch. de Attribut lib. 2. cap. 12. Attributa Dei dicuntur quae Deo adscribuntur in Scripturis sacris non tam ad essentiam naturamque Dei explicandam quam ad declarandum nobis aliquo modo pro nostro captu illud quod de ipso a nobis cognosci potest Polan Syntag. lib. 2. cap. 6. There are some Attributes of God which the School-men call Incommunicable which I have spoken of under the former Head because the Creature as a Creature is uncapable of them and therefore they cannot be attributed to Man or Angels It 's impossible for a Creature to be independent self-sufficient eternal in a strict sense infinite c. so that all will acknowledge God incomparable in those excellencies There are other Attributes of God which are called Communicable viz. His Power Holiness Wisdome Faithfulness c. because they are communicated by him to his rational Creatures and there is some shew or shadow of them in Men and Angels For though it was the horrible Pride and monstrous presumption of evil Angels and Adam at first to rival God in his Properties that were incommunicable to aspire to be like him in his Independency and Soveraignty for their Sin was that they would have cut off the Entail and have held all of themselves as their own Lords and Masters And the Prince of Tyre Ezek. 28.6 is indicted by God of inexpiable arrogancy That he durst set his heart as the heart of God Yet it is the only godliness of the Creatures to be like God in those Attributes of his which are communicable The new man is after God Ephes 1.24 The re-impression of his Image on the Creature David is therefore called a man after Gods own heart because he was a man after Gods own Holiness yea 't is the perfection and felicity of the intellectual World Psal 17. ult 1 John 3.3 4. in Heaven But even in these Properties wherein Man resembleth his Maker he is exceedingly unlike him and falls infinitely short of him That God is incomparable in his communicable Attributes I shall discover 1. More generally 2. More specially 1. More generally and here I shall enumerate some of those Attributes wherein Men and Angels are conformable to God and in each of them shew that in those in which they come nearest him they come far behind him 1. He is incomparable in his Holiness Holiness in general is the moral goodness of a thing or its conveniency or agreement with its rule Holiness in the Creatures is their conformity to the will of their Creator in the principle rule and end of their actions and motions Holiness in God is that excellency of the Divine Nature by which he acteth from himself for himself and according to his own will God is the holy One Hos 11.9 by way of eminency and excellency because he surpasseth all others in holiness He is the holy One of Jacob Isa 49.23 The holy One of Israel Isa 43.14 because of their special interest and propriety in the excellent Being He is holy holy holy Isa 6.3 Rev. 4.8 His Nature is the onely pattern of Holiness therefore he commands us to look on him as our Example Be ye holy as I am holy 1 Pet. 1.15 16. Man was made holy Eccles 7.29 i. e. According to the Image of God Gen. 1.26 Ephes 4.24 His will is the onely rule of Holiness Hence our holiness is called a proving his good and perfect and acceptable will Rom. 12.2 and our fulfilling the will of God Acts 13. And a walking according to his Word which is his reveal'd will as our Rule Gal. 6.16 He is universally holy in his Name Luke 1.49 In his Nature Psal 5.5 6. Hab. 1.13 In his Works Psal 145.17 In his Word Rom. 7.12 Psal 119.140 He is the Original of all holiness in Men or Angels they are beholden to him that they are not as unholy as the Damned as the Devils James 1.17 Ezek. 37.28 Ezek. 38.26 27. 1 Thess 5.23 Now what Man or Angel is comparable to him in holiness May I not with Moses make a Challenge Who is a God like unto thee glorious in holiness Exod. 15.11 Are Men holy as he is holy nay are the spirits of just Men made perfect and Angels equal to him in holiness Behold he putteth no trust in his Saints the best on Earth the Heavens the holiest there are unclean in his sight Job 15.15 16. As for man he is a Sink of Sin a Stye of Filth over-spread from Head to Foot with the Leprosie of Sin Gen. 6.5 And therefore instead of comparing with God for holiness is bound to abhor himself for his unholiness yea Angels who have nothing amiss in their Natures who never took one step awry in their lives who have ever continued Gods Loyal Subjects and faithful Servants observant of all his Calls and obedient to all his Commands whose obedience to him and observance of him is made the Copy for us to write after Math. 6.10 are yet unholy in comparison of God The Heavens are unclean in his sight The Heavens not onely the place which hath a relative holiness in regard of Gods special presence but even the persons in Heaven perfect Spirits who have no blemish in their Beings or disorder in their motions are unholy to him and unclean in his sight The holiness of Angels is but the holiness of obeying a Law Psal 103.20 21. the holiness of God is the holiness of being a Law 1 Thess 4.3 The holiness of Angels is but a conformity to the pattern set them the holiness of God is the holiness of setting them a pattern and of being their pattern The holiness of Angels is but a derivative Gods is an Original holiness God is so incomparable in holiness that it 's said He onely or
but such is the Creators Power and Perfection that he cannot possibly wander because he is his own way Dan. 4.35 I Nebuchadnezzar blessed the most High who doth according to his Will in the Army of Heaven and among the Inhabitants of the Earth Observe who doth according to his Will that is his essential eternal Rule God doth so much surpass Men and Angels in Justice that he is said to be the Habitation of Justice Jer. 50.7 They have sinned against the Lord the Habitation of Justice as if Justice dwelt no where had no abode but in him and with him CHAP. VIII God incomparable in his Attributes in his Knowledge and Faithfulness 5. GOd is incomparable in his Knowledge Knowledge is that Attribute of God whereby he understandeth all things in and of himself He is stiled in the Scriptures 1 Sam. 2.3 A God of Knowledge The Lord is a God of Knowledge and by him Actions are weighed As Christ is called a Man of Sorrows Isa 53.3 To express the greatness of his Griefs to denote him one made up of Sorrow little else then Sorrow So God is called a God of Knowledge to express the greatness of his Knowledge as if he were wholly and onely Knowledge Hence he hath Eyes and Ears attributed to him because he knoweth all that is done as an Eye-witness and whatsoever is spoken as an Ear-witness 2 Chron. 16.9 Psal 11.7 The Understanding of God is like himself infinite without bounds or limits Psal 147.5 His Vnderstanding is infinite He is said Job 37.16 To be perfect in Knowledge not onely comparatively as one man may be in respect of another or as an Angel may be in respect of Man but absolutely to his Knowledge nothing can be given or added from his Knowledge nothing can be taken His Knowledge is so perfect that it admits not of an increase or decrease Men are knowing Solomon was famous for Knowledge 1 Chron. 1.12 He could speak of the nature of all Plants from the Cedar to the Hysop 1 Kings 4.33 The Romans are said to be filled with all Knowledge Rom. 15.14 Angels are more knowing then Men Flesh is dull-sighted and of dim understanding Spirits have sharper Wits and quicker Apprehensions The Devil though a fallen Angel hath one of his names Daemon from his Knowledge Elect Angels surely know much more then Devils for they alwayes Behold the Face of their Father and in that Face as in a Glass behold more then humane Eyes can discern or evil Angels conceive The Spirits of just Men in Heaven see Face to Face and know as they are known understand very much more then they could here below but Angels as their Understandings are of larger capacity and their Natures more excellent must needs know more then Men But do Men or Angels know as God Can it be said of any Man of any Angel He is perfect in Knowledge His Knowledge is uncapable of addition or diminution Can it be said of any Man any Angel his Knowledge is infinite Man's knowledge in this World is little in comparison of what it shall be yea nothing We are but of Yesterday and know nothing Job 8.3 He is but of small continuance here and hath but little experience and therefore must have but little knowledge yea so little that it 's call'd nothing yea the knowledge of Men and Angels in the other World will be so little though enough for their perfection and satisfaction that it will be nothing in comparison of the knowledge of God finite knowledge is nothing compared with that knowledge which is infinite Whether you consider the matter or object of God's Knowledge or the manner or way of it he is incomparable in it 1. If you consider the matter or object of his Knowledge God knoweth all things John 21 17. Lord thou knowest all things 1 John 3.20 God is greater then our Hearts for he knoweth all things He knoweth whatsoever hath been whatsoever is whatsoever shall be whatsoever can be whatsoever cannot be He knoweth all substances accidents necessary contingent things He makes all upholds all governs all and discerneth all The Eyes of the Lord are in every place 2 Chron. 16.3 He knoweth those things that are most hidden most secret the Hearts the Thoughts the most close retired motions of the Spirit of Man 1 Cor. 2.11 What man knoweth the things of a man but the spirit of a man that is in him Yea what Angel knoweth the things of a man but God doth Hell and Destruction are before the Lord how much more the hearts of the Children of Men Prov. 15.11 Hell seems to be far from his sight and very remote from Heaven his Seat The hearts of the Children of men seem to be unsearchable so deep that none can fathom them but he hath a Line that will sound these depths He knoweth the spirit of man better then man knoweth himself The heart is deceitful and desperately wicked who knoweth it No Man no Angel knoweth it I the Lord search the Heart Jer. 17.9 10. And none knoweth it but he therefore he is incomparable herein For thou thou only knowest the Hearts of the Children of Men 1 Kings 8.39 It 's his sole Prerogative Men and Angels may see the Skins and Colours and Lineaments and Proportions and Faces and Garments or out-sides of things but God seeth the in-sides he pryeth into the very bowels of things 1 Sam. 16.7 All things are naked and dissected and anatomized before him Heb. 4.13 1 Chron. 28.9 Psal 7.10 Jer. 11.20 He knoweth what is future as well as what is past and present Thou knowest my Thoughts afar off Psal 139.2 Long before I think them They are in thy Thoughts before they are in my Heart Man knoweth not what a day is big with or may bring forth Prov. 27.1 nor Angels neither but God knoweth what is in the Womb of eternity what all Ages and Generations shall produce He declares the end from the beginning and from ancient time the things that are not yet done Isa 46.10 And tells us this is proper to himself Let them declare the things that shall come to pass that we may know that they are gods Isa 41.23 Let them fore-tell what is future and we will believe their Deity Predictions are Arcana Imperii those secret things that belong onely to God Deut. 29.29 Isa 41.22 23 26. 2. He is incomparable in the manner of his Knowledge God knoweth all things fully and perfectly Men and Angels know what they do know but imperfectly and by halves They know but part of what is knowable and they know this but in part God beholds every thing throughly as if like a well-drawn Picture he beheld that alone and none but that 2 Chron. 16.9 His Eye-lids try the Children of Men Psal 11.5 i. e. He hath a distinct certain critical through knowledge of them God knoweth all things immediately by immediate intuition not by species Men know things either by the Senses the
If he will take away nothing shall stand in his way The four great strong Monarchies of the World that successively were the dread and terrour of the Earth were taken away by him and who hindered him All their Policy and Power could not prevent him or hinder their Ruine Dan. 2.44 God hath a Negative Voice upon the motions of all the Creatures Who is he that saith and it cometh to pass if the Lord commandeth it not Lament 3.27 They who reckon without him must reckon again They must ask his leave as well as have his assistance or sit still and do nothing Their Wheels though never so well oyl'd stand still or go backward if he say Nay to their motion forward He speaketh to the Sun and it riseth not and sealeth up the Stars Job 9.7 No day not the least light in the Heavens at night without his leave but no Creature hath a Negative Voice upon the least of his Actions What he will do he doth and never asketh Men or Angels leave Nay challengeth them to hinder him if they can Isa 43.13 I will Work who shall let it Observe his Resolution I will Work He speaks like one in Authority that is above all Checks and Controls that can make good what he purposeth in spight of all opposition I will Work Observe also his Challenge who shall let it Would I could see the Man the Angel that durst stand in the way of my motions The Jews might think Babylon will let I saith God have sent to Babylon and destroyed all their Princes I have broken in pieces those Iron Bars There is no fear that they should hinder my entrance into their City He can give a Supersedeas to the highest Attempts and strongest Designs of Creatures He can blow on them and they are soon blasted all their politick Conceptions prove abortive Take Counsel together and it shall come to nought Isa 8.10 Their most powerful Engins prove ineffectual Verse 9. Gird your selves and ye shall be broken in pieces Some of them talked at a great at a high rate We will go up against Judas and destroy it and set a King in the midst thereof even the Son of Tabeal But they speak beyond their strength and reckon as we say without their Host Thus saith the Lord God It shall not stand neither shall it come to pass Isa 7.6 7. But none can give a Supersedeas to the least of his Attempts Behold he breaketh down and it cannot be built up again he shutteth up a Man and there can be no opening Job 12.14 2. He worketh arbitrarily according to his own will He doth what he will and he alone may do what he will It is argued by many that some Princes are not accountable for what they do to any Men but all hold they are accountable to God They are his Stewards and Deputies and must give an account to him of their Stewardships They are his Creatures and are or ought to be limited by his Laws and so must be responsible to him for their Carriages and Government No King is absolute or arbitrary in his Governments because all Kings are his Subjects and owe Allegiance to His Majesty and Obedience to his Commands But God is absolute and arbitrary and may do what he will do every thing that he doth is just because he doth it He doth what he will in Heaven and Earth and none can say unto him what dost thou Dan. 4.35 He is responsible to none for any of his Actions none may question him much less quarrel with him for what he doth Angels are far from being arbitrary His will not their own is their Rule Psal 103.20 Ye Ministers of his that do his Pleasure He onely that is above all Law is above all Transgression 1 John 4.3 And he whose will is the onely Rule of Rectitude and Righteousness may well do what he will Rom. 12.2 He hath an absolute illimited Propriety in all the Works of his Hands He is the great Proprietor of all the World and therefore may dispose of all at his pleasure Psal 24.1 Matth. 20.13 15. May I not do what I will with mine own Friend I do thee no wrong Though men may have a civil Right to their Estates and a natural Right to themselves and their Children yet the Original in all is still God's He divests himself of nothing by lending any thing to us or trusting us with it and therefore he may use what is his own at his own liberty and pleasure and none may question or quarrel With him for it Again He is Supreme and so above all answering or accounting for any thing he doth He is the most high Psal 92.1 It 's no disparagement to Men or Angels to be under a Law nay 't is essential to them as they are Creatures But he that is Supreme and giveth all Laws to others is under no Law himself Indeed if he had a Superior he might be called to account by him But why strivest thou against him he giveth no account of any of his matters Job 33.13 Why strivest thou against him Not by open force but secret murmurings and logical arguings against his providential Dispensations It 's vain for he giveth no account of any of his matters He is not bound to tell thee what he doth or why he doth it He hath received nothing from thee and so not bound to account to thee Rom. 11.35 Thou hast no Authority to call him to account what Man or Angel hath Power to call him to account In the next Chapter the Holy Ghost doth fully speak for our purpose Job 34.10 12 13. Far be it from God that he should do wickedly and from the Almighty that he should pervert Judgment Who hath given him a Charge of the Earth Whose Deputy is he in the Government of the World If he be a Deputy or Vice-Roy to any Superior Power then he must keep close to the Instructions and act according to the Commission he receiveth from them or be accountable for his wandrings and deviations But who hath given him a Charge over the Earth What Man what Angel where is he what or who is he that hath given him a charge If there were one higher then God to give him a Rule then if he swerved from it he was faulty but because he is higher then the higest of Beings and his own Law therefore he may do what he will without blame Who hath enjoyned him his way or can say unto God Thou hast wrought Iniquity Job 36.23 God's way is his method of Working his manner of governing the World Now saith the Holy Ghost Who hath any authority over him to injoyn him his way of working the Path in which he should walk that in case he stept aside he might say unto him Thou hast wrought Iniquity No not any and therefore its desperate presumption for any to complain of him what ever he doth Who art thou that replyest against God Rom.
and so many Ears to hear for him and so many Hands to work for him but it is a greater Honour to him that he needeth none of them He can do all without them that though they are serviceable to him yet they are not necessary to him For God and all his Creatures do no more can do no more then God without any of his Creatures CHAP. XIV God is incomparable in his Word He speaketh with incomparable Authority Condescension and Efficacy Fourthly GOD is incomparable in his Word He speaketh after an unspeakable manner Never man spake like him no nor Angel his Enemies themselves being Judges John 7.46 Men may speak high and speak holily Angels may speak higher and holier but neither speak like God Behold he exalteth by his Power who teacheth like him Job 36.22 Behold I wonder at it he exalteth by his Power is good at acting who teacheth like him Is good at instructing and best at both and beyond all that ever were Who teacheth like him The words are a Challenge to the whole World Bring forth the Man let me see the Angel that can speak or teach like God He doth not not say Who teacheth beside God There are many Teachers beside God the inanimate Creatures are Teachers the Heavens by their constant regular motion the Earth by its fecundity and fruitfulness according to the law of their Creation teach Man Obedience and Proficiency Isa 48.13 The irrational Creatures are Teachers Man is sent to School to the Ant and Swallow and Oxe and Ass to the Beasts of the Field and the Fowles of the Air to learn Providence and Prudence to learn Wisdom to discern and improve his Opportunities and gratitude to his Father and Benefactor Prov. 6.6 Jer. 7.7 8. Isa 1.5 Job 12.8 9. Men are Teachers one to another Parents and Ministers do or should teach those that are committed to their Charge or Trust Prov. 22.6 Ephes 4.6 Angels are Teachers The Angel taught Daniel and helpt him to understand Dan. 10.14 And surely of all finite they are the most learned and able Masters But he saith Who teacheth like him Though many teach beside God yet none teacheth like God none speaketh like him whether you consider the manner the matter or the effect of his Speech 1. He is incomparable in the manner of his speaking 1. He speaketh authoritatively and in his own Name Good Men and good Angels may command but it must be as subordinate Magistrates in the Name and Authority of their Prince and Soveraign but God commandeth in his own Name and Authority God gives Authentity to what-ever he speaks and he speaks with Authority when he speaks God speaks as one that hath Right and Power to Command and as one that upon his own account expecteth to be obeyed I am the Lord is enough to warrant Obedience to the whole Decalogue Thou shalt have no other God Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven Image c. For I am the Lord thy God His Authority is the highest the greatest reason of any Precept and the strongest warrant for Obedience Therefore Thou shalt not swear by my Name falsly why I am the Lord Thou shalt not curse the Deaf nor lay a stumbling block before the Blind why not the Deaf cannot hear if I do curse them nor the Blind see if I do lay a stumbling-block before them I am the Lord c. Levit. 19.12 c. It 's said of Christ He taught as one having Authority and not as the Scribes Matth. 7. ult He did not beg attention but enjoyn it nor beseech Obedience but command it As when Princes Enact Laws they do not intreat but require Obedience at the peril of their Subjects This is the Word of the Lord and Thus saith the Lord and the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it is sufficient to awe and require Subjection from all that hear it God is his own Authority not so Men or Angels They speak from God but he from none but himself His Word is a Light Psal 119.104 105. that discovers it self And therefore it is called The Testimony of the Lord Psal 19.7 Because it beareth witness to it self and needeth not testimony from Men or Angels What the essential Word speaketh may be spoken of the declarative Word It receiveth not Testimony from Man John 5.34 Men need Grounds and Reasons and Witnesses too to prove and vouch what they say to be true and to be so as they speak but the Word of God is a sufficient authentick Testimony to it self It 's his own Proof because what Truth it self speaks must of necessity be true 2. He speaketh condescendingly to the condition and understanding of those to whom he speaketh He considereth the Natures and Tempers and Capacities of his Hearers and accordingly speaks to them He doth not as some Ministers speak in an unknown Tongue or soar into the Clouds exceed the Capacities of his Hearers that he might be wondred at not understood but he observeth their Weakness and Infirmities yea their dulness and incapacity and teacheth them as they are able to hear him There are Depths in his Word for Elephants to swim in to tell the World what and how he could speak to exercise our industry and prevent our contempt of it for its plainness and there are Shallows for Lambs to wade through that none might be discouraged Christ is our Priest and the Priests Lips teach knowledge and he is a merciful Priest Heb. 2.16 Condescending in what he teacheth and in the way of his teaching to the capacities of his Hearers In what he teacheth How chary was Christ of charging his Disciples with any thing that they could not brook John 16.12 I have many things to say unto unto you but ye cannot bear them now I have some harder Lessons to teach you but ye are young Schollars and not able yet to learn them till ye have been longer in my School and have attained more ripeness of understanding therefore I will not trouble you now with them but leave them to my Spirit who shall prepare you for them and enable you to learn them Your Stomachs are weak and yet must have that onely which is of light Digestion Milk not strong meat 1 Cor. 3.2 Your Backs are not strong and therefore I will lay on you none but light burdens But ye cannot bear them now and therefore ye shall not hear them now least ye should be offended and discouraged at them When the Jews enquired of Christ why his Disciples did not fast often as well as the Disciples of John and the Pharisees Observe the reason our tender-hearted Lord gives Math. 9.15 16 17. No man saith he puts new Wine into old Bottles least the Wine burst the Bottles or soweth an old Garment to new Cloth least the rent be worse Alas saith he my Disciples are young Beginners Babes in me at best but little Children not strong Men or Fathers and therefore they must not be
Just in what it forbids us to do and good in both What Laws in the World are in any degree comparable to the Laws of God The Mahometan Laws which have gained so much credit in the greatest part almost of the known World are impure Laws allowing Revenge Poligamy and commanding Slaughters Oppressions c. for the Propagation of their Religion The Laws of the severest Heathen Lycurgus c. contained but the Carcass and Body of Purity had nothing of the Soul and Life thereof How many Sins against the very Law of Nature did that Lacedemonian Law-Giver allow of and where he or any of the rest did forbid Sin it was in the outward actions not in the inward affections Their Laws did rather Command the covering of Sin that it might not appear abroad then the killing of Sin that it might not be at all Their Laws were defective as to persons some Men were usually priviledged and not bound to them as to the parts of men they gave the inward man liberty though they restrained the outward as to Punishments the greatest Penalty they could think of or impose was a Temporal Death They never dreamed of an Hell in another World But O how pure how perfect is the Law of God! Thy Word is very pure saith David Psal 119. So pure that there is not the least mixture falshood or error in it It commands all and nothing but conformity to the mind of the great Soveraign and Lord of all things The Law of the Lord is perfect Psal 19.7 So perfect that it is not deficient in any thing It commandeth purity in the whole man in every faculty of the Soul in every member of the Body It commandeth purity in this whole man at all times in all companies in all conditions in all relations in all manner of conversation 1 Pet. 1.15 16. Psal 119.1 2. It 's apparent to common sense that fallen man could never dream of such strict exact Precepts no he is so far from it that he is wholly contrary thereunto Rom. 8.7 And Angels could not imagine them unless God had signified his mind to them For all holiness being a conformity to the Will of the most high God they could not discern what was holy what was unholy any farther then they could discover the Will of this incomparable God 2. The mystery of its Doctrines It containeth such Depths such bottomless Profundities that could not possibly have been imagin'd by Men or Angels had not God reveal'd them It acquainteth us with things far above the reach of created Reason though not contrary yet being told us are so correspondent that there is no ground left for the questioning them What the great Apostle saith upon occasion of one mystery we may say upon the whole O the Depth O the Depth of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God! Rom. 11.33 O the Depth of the holy Scriptures There is a Depth in them that none can fathome because a Depth in them that hath no bottom Great is the mystery of the Bible Who could think of a Womans coming into the World without a Woman as Eve of a mans coming into the World without a man as the Son of man nay without man or woman as Adam who could think that the same Woman should be a Mother a Virgin But these are small mysteries who could think that many thousands millions living many Miles and Ages distant should be fellow members and be truly one Body sympathising with serviceable to rejoycing in the welfare of each other all be united unto receive influence from and live wholly by one Head as far from them as Heaven is from the Earth Eph. 5.27 28 29 30. Coloss 2.19 Who could have thought that three really and personally distinct should be equal and one in nature and essence 1 John 5.7 Who could have imagin'd that God should become Man infinite become finite the Creator a Creature the Father of Spirits become Flesh and the Lord of Life be put to Death Who could conceive that he who made all things of nothing should be made himself of a Woman made by him That he whom the Heavens and Heaven of Heavens cannot contain should be contained in the narrow Womb of a Woman That the onely Bread of Life should be hungry the onely Water of Life be thirsty the onely Rest be weary the onely Ease be pained and the onely Joy and Consolation be sorrowful exceeding sorrowful unto Death Who could have imagin'd that one yea millions should be rich by anothers poverty filled by anothers emptiness be exalted by anothers disgrace healed by anothers wounds eased by anothers Pains be absolved by anothers Condemnation and live eternally by anothers temporal Death Who could have imagin'd that infinite Justice and infinite Mercy should be made fast Friends and fully satisfied by one and the same action that the greatest fury and the greatest favor the greatest hatred and the greatest love should concur in and be manifested by one and the same thing Could Men or Angels speak such Mysterles surely No. Several Mysteries in the Scriptures were hid from whole Ages and Generations of Men Which in former Ages was not made known to the Children of Men Eph. 3.5 No nor to Angels neither Verse 10. To the intent that now unto Principalities and Powers might be made by the Church the manifold Wisdom of God 3. The Prophesies and Predictions of the Word Neither Men nor Angels can fore-tell those things which depend not on natural Causes or which may not be deduced from moral or political Grounds and even in such things as these are they may be and have been deceived Therefore it was the subtilty of the old Serpent to deliver his Oracles often in ambiguous words and in deceitful Speeches that whatsoever happened his Credit might be salved as his Aio te Aeacida Romanos vincere posse Ibis redibis nunquam per bellae peribis c. But God fore-tels what hath no print of any footing in Nature what neither moral nor political Principles can direct unto and never fails in his Predictions He fore-tells the Birth of Cyrus 100 years before he was born Isa 48.28 The Birth of Josiah 200 years 1 Kings 13.2 The Conversion of the Gentiles and falling off of the Jews above 2000 years before it came to pass Gen. 9.27 Isa 49.6 Isa 54.9 10. He fore-tells the Birth of Chirst near 4000 years before he came into the World Gen. 3.15 And it is very observable how punctual and particular he is herein as knowing how much the well-fare of the World did depend upon the Knowledge of the true Messiah he tells you long before-hand of what Tribe he should come of Judah of what Family Davids of what Person a Virgin where he should be born in Bethlehem whence he must be called out of Egypt what his condition should be in general full of Sorrows and Griefs in particular that he should be disgraced and reviled tempted betrayed
that the great God shall deal with him Ezek. 22.14 2. Again How great is their madness who will venture the eternal loss of this God this incomparable God for every base lust what a mad man is he who will stake a Million against a Mite a Crown against a Crum Substance against Shadows all things against nothing the blessed boundless God against a moments sensual delight Was not Shimei bereft of his wits to hazard his life for a little uncertain worldly profit by his Servant The Lord Jesus doth most fitly call him a fool who would hazard and lose the incomparable God for a little corruptible Gold Luke 12.20 The Spirit of God speaks the Prodigal to be beside himself when he left bread bread enough bread enough in his Fathers house for husks and not a Belly full neither and among Swine Luke 15.18 19 20. and when he came to himself he considered what a mad man he was to wallow among Swine and feed on such bruitish fare which could never fill his belly when he might have been feasting among the Children of God in his Fathers house with plenty of what is bread indeed able to satisfie a capacious Heaven-born Soul Friend think of it seriously the next time thou art tempted to Sin will this Oath or this Cup or this Theft or this Wantonness or this neglect of Duty ballance the everlasting loss of the incomparable God will this lust this moments pleasure make amends for the loss of him who is eternal life and a River of unconceivable and unchangeable pleasures shall I be so besotted bewitched distracted as to lose real mercies for lying vanities the fountain of living waters for Broken Cisterns the food of Angels for the worlds scraps a precious Soul an inestimable Saviour an incomparable God for a toy a trifle a poor empty guilded nothing Did ever any in Bedlam buy so dear or sell so cheap or manifest the like madness 2. Of the misery of Sinners They shall lose this incomparable God for ever nay they must have him for their everlasting enemy 1. Their misery consisteth partly in this that they must depart for ever from this incomparable God Math. 7.23 Depart from me ye workers of iniquity Math. 25.41 Depart from me ye cursed O how dreadful a sound will the word Depart make in the Sinners ears yea what a deep wound will it make in his heart Depart from me Ah! whether do they go that go from God To depart from riches and honours and carnal comforts for ever will affect and afflict him to purpose who placeth his happiness in them to lose health and liberty and friends and relations for ever is no inconsiderable loss to him that knoweth not where to have them made up To lose the Ordinances of God seasons of Grace the tenders intreaties invitations of the Gospel for ever is such a loss that a sensuallist is uncapable of conceiving the greatness of To lose the Communion of perfect Spirits the company of glorious Angels the blessed exercises of the Heavenly Host for ever will not a little affright and amaze and vex and terrifie the wicked when they once come to have their eyes opened and their Consciences awakened in the other world But to depart from the incomparable God for ever to lose the only Paradice of pleasures the only fountain of living Waters the only author of true felicity to lose the unsearchable Mine of Riches the inexhaustable well of Salvation the inestimable Sun of Righteousness to lose the dearest Father the wisest Guide the strongest Shield the sweetest Love the closest Friend the tenderest Mercy the richest Grace the highest Honour the only happiness to lose the Lord of Life the Lord of Glory the Lord of Lords to lose the God of Hope the God of all Grace the God of all Consolation the God of Peace the God of Gods the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ the incomparable God and to lose him totally and for ever is the loss of all losses is such a loss as no tongue can declare no mind can conceive is such a loss as never was the like before it nor shall nor can be the like after it He that hath lost God hath nothing left that is good he hath lost all that was worth having or saving Lord whether shall we go if we go from thee thou hast the words of eternal life Joh. 6.68 Reader how great is the Sinners loss in the other world how great soever his gain is in this Ah where is his hope though he hath gained when God shall take away his Soul Job 27.8 Can the greatest gain Counter-ballance the loss of him to whom the whole world yea millions of worlds are trash and trifles The greatness of any loss is to be measured by the excellency and value of that which we lose therefore if God be so incomparable in all perfections the loss of Sinners who lose this God totally and eternally must be an incomparable loss As there is no gain equal to the gain of a God all other gains are but painted Babies or Butterflies to this so there is no loss equal to the loss of a God all other losses are but Bug-bears to fright Children with to this this is a loss with a witness a loss which nothing can countervail supply or make up in which all that is good is gone for ever As Micah said to the Israelites when they asked him what he ayled to cry out so Ye have taken away my God and what have I more Judg. 18.22 So will the Sinner in the other world screech horribly and complain heavily of his deceitful Flesh which now he makes such provision for Thou hast taken away my God and what have I more I am poor a beggar nothing worth worse than naught wholly ruined utterly undone by thee I have lost my God and with him all that is good Reader if thou livest without God ponder O ponder in the midst of all thy gettings what thou art loosing yea what thou shalt loose if thou dost not return for ever and ever Did the Disciples weep and wail that they should see the face of a good man no more on earth Sorrowing most of all for the words that he spake unto them that they should see his face no more Acts 20.38 And dost thou think it will not fill thy heart with sorrow and cut it with anguish to hear the blessed God the incomparable God say to thee Sinner farewel farewel for ever thou shalt see my face no more for ever Believe it those words will sound more dolefully in thine ears than thou art now aware of they will be a Passing Bell to all thy hopes and joyes and comforts and delights they will be a knell to Toll the Death and Burial of whatsoever may be refreshing and reviving to thee of all thine ease and rest and liberty and peace and health and strength and friends and relations and all that may in the
long if his anger causeth them to roar uncessantly and his terrors make them distracted if he be to them as a Bear lying in wait and as a Lyon in secret places How will he wound thee his enemy how will he deal with thee whom he infinitely hateth what a Bear what a Lyon what a Fire will he be to thee how unable wilt thou be to stand under and yet how impossible to avoid the weight of his Omnipotent arm and infinite anger Lay it to heart timely and make thy peace with him through his Son that thou mayest prevent it Sure I am thou wouldst not fry in flames or boyl alive in a Furnace of scalding Lead a thousand years for this whole worlds command 10000 years Ah why then shouldst thou for a little profit a little pleasure a little honour for a few dayes for thy life is but a vapour bring thy self under a necessity of frying in the flames and boyling in the Furnace of the Almighty Gods anger for ever and ever O friend be wise on this side the other world CHAP. XXI If God be incomparable how monstrous is their Pride who compare themselves to the incomparable God THirdly If God be such an incomparable God it informeth us what abominable Pride and desperate presumption they are guilty of who compare with and prefer themselves before this God If he be so transcendently excellent in his Being Attributes Word and Works how desperately saucy and impudent are they who put themselves in the ballance with God Behold all Nations to me are as nothing yea less than nothing and vanity To whom then will ye liken me or to what will ye compare me Isa 40.17 18. To liken God to any is the grossest Idolatry and to liken any to God is the highest arrogancy Babylon that sets her self in the Throne of God and exalteth her self above all that is called God is the mysterie of iniquity the man of Sin in truth the dregs of the very Devil 2 Thess 2.9 It 's a debasing God not to adore him and admire him according to his excellent Majesty and vast immensity what a debasing then is it of God to compare him to poor pitiful nothings as all Men and Angels are to him He debaseth himself to open his eyes upon men upon Angels to behold things that are done in Heaven and Earth Ps 113.5 But he will not debase himself to compare with Men and Angels he scorneth to put himself into the Scales with them he is infinitely above and beyond all Comparatives all Superlatives Comparisons we say are odious but no comparison that ever was hath in the least degree that odiousness which this hath for a Man or an Angel to compare with their Maker The slime and clay and earth may very much better compare with the Potter both are narrow limited beings both are earth and clay yet the Potter would think it a great dishonour to him who hath a body curiously wrought and an Heaven-born spiritual immortal soul and desperate arrogancy in the clay and dirt which he trampleth on to compare with him And is it not greater pride in man to compare with God when there is an infinite distance between them in all things yet so ambitious and arrogant is man that he dares to do this Angels and Adam both aspired to equal their Maker they would needs be independent and self-sufficient they endeavoured to cut off the entail and to hold wholly and only of themselves but they ruin'd themselves and made themselves baser than beasts by aspiring thus to raise themselves to that impossible pitch of a Partnership with God It 's a favour that Men and Angels may be like God in some rayes and beams of his holiness and purity but it 's impossible for Men or Angels to be like God in the rich Jewels of his Crown his independency absolute perfection self-sufficiency infiniteness and supremacy He stampt some impressions of himself upon his creatures but he took no impressions of his creatures upon himself if they were made in his likeness he was not made in their likeness it is devilish impudency and blasphemy for the highest Creature to weigh with the Creator This was Lucifer's pride I will ascend into Heaven I will exalt my Throne above the Stars I will be like the most High Isa 14.13 14. But his pride got a fall and a shrewd one too God cannot brook a Rival he cannot bear an equal there must be but one Sun in the Heavens A Prince may take it kindly from his Subjects if they endeavour to imitate him in his mercy justice temperance chastity and in those things that are general and common to him and them because hereby his Subjects honour him for by their imitation of him they acknowledge excellency in him but if his Subjects shall undertake to imitate him in his regalia those things that are proper to him as a King should they aspire to make Laws to make Peace and War to wear the Crown sway the Scepter and ascend the Throne he could not bear it but would judge them Rebels guilty of High Treason and worthy of death because hereby they extreamly dishonour him viz. in making themselves equal to him and robbing him of that Superiority which God hath given him So God is pleased and delighted that Men and Angels should resemble him in those perfections of his that are common and communicable as to be patient and meek and loving and righteous and heavenly and holy because hereby they glorifie him Math. 5.16 But if the creatures should go about to be like him in the peculiar Cognisances of the Deity his Self-sufficiency Independency Governing others at their will Enacting Laws to oblige the Consciences of others exacting Worship from their fellow Creatures so God cannot God will not suffer it for hereby they go about to rob him of his Supremacy to dethrone and ungod him How often doth God tell us in Scripture to quel such presumptuous thoughts that he is not mans fellow mans familiar God is not a man Numb 23.29 I am God and not man Hos 11.9 He is not a man as I am saith Job 9.32 v. Though God was pleased out of his infinite grace to become man that man might once more be like God in those communicable properties forementioned yet he will not permit it nay it is altogether impossible for man to become God and be like him in the special prerogatives of the Deity There is still an infinite distance between the divine and the humane nature They who prate of being Godded and turned into the essence of the Deity as some have impudently and blasphemously written are either intollerably weak or devilishly wicked or both Now because many are guilty of the strange presumption to compare with God who little think it I shall very briefly name two or three sorts of men 1. Such as quarrel with the Precepts of God as if they were too strict too precise too pure and that
conversations we must walk with God therefore we are commanded to be in the fear of the Lord all the day long Prov. 23.17 But because in Ordinances we have more immediately and specially to do with him then we are said to appear before him Psal 42.2 therefore we are bound therein to be most aweful and reverential Subjects shew most reverence in the presence Chamber of their Soveraign O with what awe and dread should mortals appear in the presence of him who inhabiteth eternity should dust and ashes draw nigh to the mighty Possessor of heaven and earth Eccl. 5.1 2. Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God and be more ready to hear than to give the Sacrifice of Fools be not rash with thy mouth let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God but why all this care and caution for God is in Heaven and thou art on Earth His incomparable Majesty calleth for incomparable reverence Majesty is dreadful He is cloathed with Majesty Ps 39.1 All over Majesty therefore let all the earth stand in awe of him He is adorned surrounded with Majesty therefore we must be filled with the awe of him Isa 2.10 19 20. Fear and Majesty are three times conjoyned His incomparable power calls for incomparable reverence Power is aweful and the greater the power is the greater awe is required Math. 10.28 Fear not them that can kill the Body and can do no more but fear him who is able to cast Soul and Body into Hell As if Christ had said I know you are of timerous spirits and men of fearful tempers ye are apt to tremble and to be frighted at every thing well I will direct you how you may make this passion advantagious to you viz. by turning the stream into its proper channel by placing your fear on its proper object I will tell you of one worthy of your fear who deserveth to be feared So Luke 12.4 5. I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear I will offer you an object meet for your fear Fear him who after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell yea I say unto you fear him You are apt like Children to be frighted with Bug-bears and to dread them that can onely raze the Skin and pinch the Flesh and at the most can but take from you a life that will fall of it self within a few dayes well I 'le advise you whom to stand in awe of fear him that can kill you and damn you that can send your bodies to the grave and your souls to unquenchable flames yea I say unto you fear him 2. This incomparable God calls for incomparable humility and lowliness of Spirit from us The height of God must lay man low and the matchless excellency of God make him base in his own eyes When we behold our selves in the Glass of those that have little or nothing that is good or praise-worthy or that have less than our selves then we spread out our plumes and are puft up with pride and judge our selves comely creatures but if we would behold our selves in the glass of the Incomparable God in whose sight the Heavens are unclean in whose presence Angels vail their faces to whom ten thousand Suns are perfect darkness and all the world less than nothing how should we pluck in our plumes and abhor our selves for our pride Man never comes to a right knowledge of himself what a pitiful abominable wretch he is till he comes to a right knowledge of God what an excellent incomparable Majesty he is As when men stand high and look downward on those below them that are meaner and viler than themselves their heads are giddy and swim with conceitedness they then are some body in their own opinions but when they look upwards to the Great God the Sun the Soul the substance of all worth and excellency that Meagrum or high-mindedness is prevented The best men upon a sight of God the incomparable God though the more excellent he is the more cause they have of joy in having so rich a portion yet instead of loving have loathed themselves and instead of admiring have abhor'd themselves When Isaiah saw the God of glory sitting on his Throne in his brightness and beauty encircled with Millions of coelestial Courtiers covering their faces as ashamed of their drops in the presence of the Ocean and crying Holy Holy Holy as apprehending his purity beyond all their expressions and his perfections exceeding all their apprehensions what thoughts had he of himself O what a poor pitiful contemptible creature did he think himself yea what an uncomely loathsome abominable creature was he in his own eye Woe to me saith he I am undone I am a man of unclean lips for mine eyes have seen the Lord of Hosts Isa 6.4 5. 3. This incomparable God calls for incomparable love the top the cream of our affections Good is the object of Love Amor est complacentia boni according to the Moralists the greater therefore the good is the greater love it requireth and God being the greatest good must have the greatest love This is the great and first command Math. 22.37 this is as I may say the only command Deut. 10.12 this is all the commands in one Rom. 13.10 Love is the Decalogue contracted and the Decalogue is love opened and explained Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soul with all thy strength with all thy mind Math. 22.37 God being the greatest perfection must have the greatest affection The greatest love for God is Love 1 Joh. 4.8 calls for the greatest love He deserves the greatest extensively the heart soul mind strength the greatest intensively all the heart all the soul all the mind all the strength Reader thy love to him must be so great that thy love to thy father mother wife child house land and life must be hatred in comparison of it and in competition with it Luk. 14.26 The truth is there is nothing worthy of our love like God nay there is nothing worthy of our love beside God All our Friends and Relations and Estates and worldly Blessings are nothing lovely but as they are his creatures his comforts instruments for his glory and as they have relation to him Nay Sabbaths Sacraments seasons of grace are no more lovely than as they are his institutes and means of communion with his Majesty I love the habitation of thy house why because it is the place where thine honour dwelleth Psal 28.8 Once more grace it self is not lovely but as it 's the image and conformity unto the pleasure and delight of that which fitteth and maketh meet for the love embraces and fruition of this incomparable God Desire and Delight are the two acts of love distinguished only by the absence or presence of the object When the object beloved is absent the soul acts towards it in desire When the object is present the soul acteth towards
thee from all thine Adversaries And is not this condescention worthy of all admiration O what grace is it that the incomparable God who hath millions of glorious Angels waiting on him and ten thousand times ten thousand always ministring to him should thus wait on and watch over poor crawling worms night and day for good Act. 7.2 Job 7.20 Psal 4. ult Hosea 2.8 Gen. 32.9 10 11. Psal 34.3 4 5. Heb. 1.3 Psal 145.5 7. Job wonders that God should condescend to correct man for his faults What is man that thou dost magnifie him that thou settest thine heart upon him that thou visitest him every morning c. Job 7.17 18. How much then doth God condescend to be his constant guide and guard to keep him night and day least any hurt him O the grace of this God! This incomparable God doth much more magnifie his grace and condescention in the care he is pleas'd to take of mens precious souls Herein he sheweth the riches of his mercy the exceeding abundant riches of his grace Eph. 2.5 and 7. Reader is it not condescending grace in the highest degree nay beyond all degrees for this self-sufficient absolutely perfect incomparable God when the soul of man lay naked starving restless encompass'd with enemies unpittied of all creatures weltring in its blood gasping for breath ready every moment to fetch its last and to be siezed on by Divels drag'd to their Dungeon of darkness there to fry in untollerable flames for ever for him to look on man in this loathsom condition with an eye of favour and love to cloath it with the righteousness of a God to feed it with that flesh which is meat indeed and with that blood which is drink indeed to give it rest in his own bowels and bosome to bind up its wounds and raise it from the dead and make it free from the slavery of Satan and his bondage to sin and death and hell and to adopt it for his own child accept it as perfectly righteous marry it to his onely begotten the heir of all things dwell in it by his own blessed Spirit and carry it on eagles wings and conduct it safe through the wilderness of the world and in spight of all the Lyons and wolves and serpents and adders and Giants and Anachims and Canaanites that opposed it to bring it to an heavenly Canaan to fulness of joy and rivers of pleasures and crowns of life and weights of glory there to reign in and with his own incomparable Majesty for ages generations millions of ages yea unto all eternity Friend friend what is condescending grace if this be not Alas the incomparable God had no obligation to man he stood in no way need of man he is uncapable of the least good by man he would have been as happy as he is at present if the Race of mankind had been ruin'd and had perished Besides he was infinitely disobliged by man and had all the reason in the world to destroy him and yet he is pleased to be as studious of mans welfare and as solicitous about it as if it had been his own Abigail wondred that David anoynted to a Kingdom should take her to be his wife she scarce judged her self worthy to wash the feet of his servants 1 Sam. 25.41 Mayst not thou wonder more that the incomparable God should marry thee to himself who art unworthy to be his servant David admired that God should do so much for him hast thou not cause to say as he did Lord what am I and what is my Fathers house that thou hast brought me up hitherto pardoned instructed renewed me taken me into thy own Family and yet as if this were a small thing in thy sight thou speakest of thy servants house for a great while to come thou art pleased to speak of thy servant for an everlasting kingdom of honour and pleasure 2 Sam. 7.18 And this condescending grace or gracious condescention is much the more admirable if we consider the means by which this great work of mans recovery was effected The incomparable God that is so great so high without all bounds beyond all understanding becomes a weak weary hungry contemptible man Reader here is amazing condescension The Lord of all becomes a servant the Lord of glory becomes of no reputation the bread of Life is hungry and the only rest is weary and the Prince of life is put to death This is that which Angels pry into with such astonishing pleasure that God should become man the Lawgiver be made under the Law he that tempteth no man to evil neither can be tempted to evil should be violently tempted many days together by all the powers of darkness the only blessing should be made a curse that Liberty should be in bonds and truth itself belied and justice condemned and heaven be layd in the belly of the earth This is marvelous grace indeed such as passeth all knowledge Eph. 3.18 19. If all the glorious Cherubims and Seraphims Angels and Arch-angels had condescended to have been turned into Toads and Serpents it had not been by the thousandth part so great a condescention as for the incomparable God to become man for those Heavenly Spirits and Toads and Serpents do convenire in aliquo tertio meet in the Genus of Creatures there is but a finite difference between the former and the latter But God and Man meet in no Third in no Genus between them there is an infinite distance There never was there never shall be there never can be the like condescension CHAP. XXIII Labour for acquaintance with the Incomparable God Motives to it The knowledge of God is sanctifying satisfying saving SEcondly This Doctrine may be useful by way of Counsel 1. Study the knowledge of this God who is so incomparable We are all ambitious to be acquainted with persons that are eminent and excellent in place or power or parts or piety and judge it our interest and an honour to us so to be If we could hear of one as strong as Sampson whom no cords could hold who could slay hundreds with a Jaw-bone or of one as old as Methuselah who could tell us what was done in many Centuries of years or of one as wise as Solomon who could speak to the nature of all creatures and answer the hardest Questions we could put to him or of one as Holy as Adam in innocency or the elect Angels who never broke the law of their Maker but were as pure and perfect as when they came immediately out of his hands How should we throng and thrust and crowd to such men what pains should we take what cost should we be at to obtain the favour and honour of their acquaintance Surely we should think we could never view them enough or value them enough or know enough of them or discourse enough with them But alas what are such men if we could find them in the world to the blessed God what motes what drops
what poor pitiful Nothings what is a strong Sampson to the Almighty God but as straw as chaff as rotten wood as all weakness what is the Age of Methuselah to the duration of the eternal God to whose Age Millions of years add not a moment but as a minute as nothing Psal 39.5 What is the wisdom of Solomon to all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge which are in the only wise God but a curious web of folly Coloss 2.9 What is the holiness of an Angel to the holiness of God but as a candle to the Sun yea as perfect night and darkness to the Noon-day O therefore how shouldst thou labour to know this God how industrious shouldst thou be to be acquainted with him When the Queen of Sheba had heard of the extraordinary knowledge and abilities of Solomon she came from the utmost parts of the earth to see his person and to hear his wisdome But behold Reader a greater than Solomon is here Solomon was an Ideot an Innocent to this object which I request thee to know The understanding of God is infinite Psal 147.5 There is no searching of his understanding Isa 40.28 Indeed it is bottomless and therefore can never be found out His knowledge can never be known fully no not by Angels themselves Do men beat their brains and consume their bodies and waste their estates and deny themselves the pleasures of the flesh as many Heathen have done for the knowledge of nature of the heavenly bodies and their motions of the Sea and its ebbing and flowing of the earth and the creatures thereon when after all their search they were still at a loss and for all the knowledge they attained they proved but learned Dunces what wouldst thou then do for the knowledge of the God of nature of the mighty possessor of Heaven and Earth of him to whom all things are less than nothing of him the knowledge of whom will make thee wise to Salvation O Friend this is the only knowledge worth seeking worth getting worth prizing worth glorying in Jer. 9.23 24. Thus saith the Lord let not the wise man glory in his wisdom neither let the mighty man glory in his might nor the rich man glory in his riches Worldly knowledge strength wealth are not worth glorying in what then is The next verse tells you But let him that glorieth glory in this in what that he understandeth and knoweth me that I am the Lord c. This is a jewel that a man may boast of and glory in that he knoweth me that I am the Lord. There is an excellency in all knowledge Knowledge is the eye of the Soul to direct it in its motions it is the lamp the light of the Soul set up by God himself to guide it in its actions The understanding of man is the candle of the Lord Prov. 20.27 Without knowledge the Soul is but a Dungeon of darkness and blackness full of confusion and terror But there is an incomparable excellency in the knowledge of this incomparable God The object doth elevate and heighten the act There is a vast difference between the knowledg of earthly things and heavenly things between the knowledge of wise strong faithful merciful just holy men and the only wise omnipotent unchangeable righteous most holy God Only before I proceed to the urging this Use I would desire thee Reader to take notice what knowledge of God it is which I am pressing thee to labour for it is not a meer notional speculative knowledge though a knowledge of apprehension is a duty necessary Eph. 5.17 Psal 143.8 Heb. 8.9 10. but an experimental knowledge Thou hast made me to know wisdom in my secret parts Psal 51.6 The heart is called the secret part because known only to God 1 Kings 8.39 such a knowledge as affecteth the heart with love to him and fear of him and hatred of what is contrary to him true knowledge takes the heart as well as takes the head Psal 1.6 1 Kings 8.38 Phil. 3.10 and influenceth the life 1 Joh. 2.4 He that saith I know him and keepeth not his Commandments is a lyar and the truth is not in him Coloss 1.9 10. John 10.4 5. Right knowledge though it begin at the head doth not end there but falls down upon the heart to affect that and floweth out in the life to order and regulate that Coloss 1.10 We pray for you that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding for what end and to what purpose that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing being fruitful in every good work To enforce this Use I shall give thee two or three Motives and as many means To encourage thee to study the knowledge of this God consider these three properties of it 1. The true knowledge of this God will be a sanctifying knowledge If thou hast any thing of a man I mean of Reason in thee holiness which was thy primitive perfection which is the Image of the incomparable God and will fit thee for his special love and eternal embraces will be a strong and cogent argument with thee Now this knowledge of God will conform thee to God render thee like unto him who is the pattern and standard of all excellency As I said before knowledge is the eye by which we see God and the vision of God causeth an assimulation to him But we all with open face beholding as in a Glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of our God 2 Cor. 3.18 The Blackamore that often look'd on beautiful pictures brought forth a beautiful Son We are often changed into the postures and fashions yea and dispositions of those whom we much converse with on earth surely then acquaintance with the gracious and Holy God will make us in some measure to resemble him Other knowledge pollutes and defiles the soul Oftentimes the more men pick the lock of Natures Cabinet and look into her riches and treasury her secrets and mysteries the more Atheistical they are and forgetful of the God of Nature Hence Religio Medici is irreligion they see so much of the operations of nature that they ascribe the principal efficiency to the instrument And hence the wisdom of the Philosophers counted the wisest men in the world is folly 1 Cor. 3.19 And though they professed themselves to be wise yet they became fools and were guilty of all manner of wickedness Rom. 1.22 to the end And what was the reason but this they knew not God with all their knowledge 1 Cor. 1.21 Ignorant heads are ever accompanied with irreligious hearts and both are attended with Atheistical lives Eph. 4.18 The Apostle tells us of the Heathen that they were estranged from the life of God an holy life through the ignorance that was in them because of the blindness of their hearts So Hos 4.1 2 3 4.
Soul cannot be perfectly happy and till it find that which can make it perfectly happy it will be restless If it meet with an object that is suitable to its nature yet if it be not answerable to all its wants it will still be complaining wherein it is unsupplyed and so unquiet If it meet with an object that is suitable to its nature and answerable to all its wants yet if it be not eternal it must needs be full of fears and troubles in the fore-thoughts of its amission of so great a good which would imbitter the present possession of it For the soul being incorruptible and immortal it self cannot but desire that good which will run parallel with its own life and if it desire it nothing will fully satisfie it till it obtain such a good Now nothing in this world is suitable to the Souls nature the Soul is spiritual the things of this world are carnal nor answerable to the various indigencies of the Soul the Souls wants are many and in a manner infinite besides they are spiritual as pardon of Sin peace with God peace of Conscience c. when the good things of this life are particular finite and bodily nor equal to the Souls duration the Soul will abide and continue after millions of ages and generations for ever and ever but this world passeth away and all the good things thereof But this God whom I am perswading thee Reader to know and acquaint thy self with is in all these respects perfect and so will satisfie thy soul God is a spiritual good a Spirit Joh. 4.23 the Father of Spirits and so suitable to the nature of thy soul He is an universal good all good and so answerable to the many wants of thy Soul He is an eternal good a good that never dieth never fadeth a good that only hath immortality and so is equal to thy souls duration therefore the Disciple cryeth out to Christ shew us the Father and it sufficeth Joh. 10.8 and David tells us that he is fully pleased in having God for his portion Psal 14.5 6. Give any man both that which he would have and that which he should have and he is contented If indeed you give a man what he would have supposing it be that which he should not have his desires being depraved and vitiated he cannot be contented when he hath what he desired because lusts are unsatiable and sinful desires never satisfied thence the Heathen Emperours had their Inventors of new pleasures and possibly that may be the meaning of that place Rom. 1.28 The Heathen wearied with common invented unnatural delights But give a man what he would have suppose it be what he should have his desires being rectified and he is then at ease and rest He who knoweth God aright is fully satisfied in him when he once drinketh of the Fountain of living waters he thirsteth no more after other objects Joh. 4.14 Though the Soul stil desireth to know more of God till it come to that place where it shall know as it is known as David though satisfied with his portion Psal 16.4 5. yet thirsted after more of it Psal 63.1 2. yet it is quiet and contented in God And indeed the sweetness which it tasteth in acquaintance with the incomparable God makes it long after nearer and fuller acquaintance with him When Moses was once acquainted with God he begs that he might see and know more of his glory and the reason is because while God is the object there can be no satiety he being the God of all joy and consolation neither can there be such a full acquaintance as to cease desires after farther acquaintance he being an object still too great for the faculties to comprehend The desires of the glorified are without anxiety because they are satisfied in the object of their desires and their satisfaction or enjoyment is without satiety or loathing because they see still infinite cause to desire him When the Soul once comes to know God as the needle touch'd with the Loadstone when it turns to the North it is then quiet though before like the Dove it hover'd up and down over the waters of this world and could find no rest This knowledge if right diffuseth into the Soul a sweet tranquillity silent peace secret setled calmness besides a ravishing praevision and blessed fore-fruition of its fuller acquaintance in the other life 3. The knowledge of God is a saving knowledge Many perish for all their great knowledge of Creatures their knowledge may light them to the more dismal Chambers of death of blackness of darkness for ever Joh. 15.24 And indeed their knowledge like many Pigs of Silver in a Vessel sinking presseth them the deeper into Hell but the knowledge of God is saving God will know him in the other world who knows him in this He will be so far from knowing them hereafter who are ignorant of him here that he will come in flaming fire to render vengeance on them that know not God 2 Thess 1.7 8. But he will own them and take acquaintance with them then that own him and are acquainted with him now Psal 91.14 I will set him on high because he hath known my name God will set him as high as Heaven who knoweth his name on earth Reader it 's as much worth as Heaven to thee to know this incomparable God This is life eternal to know thee the onely true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent Joh. 17.3 It is the morning though not the Meridian of Heaven it is the Bud though not the ripe fruit of glory it is the seed though not the harvest of the Inheritance above to know the true God and Jesus Christ This knowledge is of the same nature though not of the same measure with that in the other world Eph. 4.13 Now the Christian knoweth as a Child then he shall know as a man now he seeth God as it were at a distance through the prospective glass of faith but then he shall see God face to face Now we see through a glass darkly but then face to face now we know in part but then we shall know as we are known 1 Cor. 13.12 CHAP. XXIV The Means of acquaintance with God A sense of our Ignorance Attendance on the word Fervent Prayer THe means which I shall offer as helpful to the attainment of his knowledge of God are these 1. Be sensible of thine ignorance of him A conceited Scholar is no good learner He that thinks he knoweth enough already will never be beholden to a Master to teach him more Seest thou a man wife in his own conceit there is more hope of a fool than of him Prov. 26.12 This was that which lock'd up the Pharisees in the dark dungeon of Ignorance they were blind Truth it self called them blind Mat. 23.16 17. But they conceited their eyes were good and so neglected the means of curing them Ye say ye see I do not say
Tutors in the world cannot help one poor soul to the saving knowledge of God It is God that teacheth man knowledge Psal 94.10 He who made light in the first Creation only can cause light in the new Creation 2 Cor. 4.6 But God who caused light to shine out of darkness hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ He that at first said Let there be light when darkness cover'd the face of the world and there was light a corporeal light can command spiritual light and the knowledge of his glory in the face of Christ who is the express Image of his person Therefore the Apostle betakes himself to God for the gift Praying that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ would give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him c. 1 Eph. 17 18. So David often Psal 119.18 34 35 125 143 144. Rev. 3.18 Reader art thou blind take the Counsel of thy Saviour Go to him for eye salve that thou mayest see and be confident he that bids thee come to him for that will bid thee welcome when thou comest Rev. 3.18 None knoweth the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal him Math. 11.27 Therefore whoever thou art that sittest in darkness and in the shadow of death go to the Sun for light go to the Sun of Righteousness in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge Col. 2.9 for the light of the knowledge of God Dost thou not know the sinfulness and misery of a blind dark state that vengeance is the fruit of this ignorance Psal 79.6 that God will pour out his wrath upon them that know him not Go therefore as the blind man to the Lord Jesus Christ Cry sigh mourn pray Jesus thou Son of David have mercy on me though he hear not presently hold on continue instant in Prayer though the Devil and flesh rebuke thee as the multitude him yet hold on call louder Jesus thou Son of David Mat. 32. to 37. Have mercy on me Lord that I might receive my sight And doubt not but he will have pity on thee as he had on him and touch thine eye and give thee to see the things of thy peace for thine encouragement thou hast his promise Jer. 24.7 I will give them an heart to know me that I am the Lord Jer. 31.34 They shall all know me from the least to the greatest So James 1.6 Hoseah 2.20 Heb. 8.8 9. O with what hope may'st thou sue these Bonds and plead these promises when he that made them is a God that cannot lye 1 Tit. 2. and therefore cannot but perform them Again observe how kindly he took it of Solomon when he bid Solomon ask what he would that he asked wisdom 2 Chron. 1.10 Give me wisdom and knowledge saith Solomon And the thing which Solomon asked pleased the Lord 1 Kings 3.10 And the Lord said unto Solomon Because this was in thine heart because thou hast not asked riches nor honour nor the life of thine enemies nor long life Wisdom and knowledge is granted to thee and I will give thee wealth and honour v. 11. When a poor creature sensible of its blindness and darkness lyeth at the feet of God begging spiritual light and sight the heart of the Redeemer is taken with such a request and subscribes the petition with Wisdom and Knowledge is granted to thee Be but diligent Reader in the use of these means and thou mayest be confident of success If thou cryest after knowledge and liftest up thy voice for understanding if thou seekest her as Silver and searchest for her as for hidden treasure then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God For the Lord giveth wisdome out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding Prov. 2.3 4 5 6. CHAP. XXV 2. Ex. To choose this incomparable God for our portion with some Motives thereunto 2. IF this God be such an incomparable God then choose this God for thy portion and take him for thy happiness Is it possible for thee to read so much of the incomparableness of God in his Being Attributes Works and Word and not desire him Thou canst hardly see an excellent person but thou art wishing him for thy Friend thy Companion nor an excellent Estate but thou art wishing it were thine Inheritance thy portion and canst thou hear of him who is excellency it self originally Job 13.11 the spring and standard of all excellency in others whose name alone is excellent Psal 14.13 and not wish O that this incomparable God were my Friend my Father my Head my Husband my Lot my Portion Who will give me to drink of the water of the Well of Bethlehem O who will help me to drink of the well of Salvation of the fountain of living waters of the pure River that floweth from the throne of God and the Lamb Canst thou hear so much of his worth though infinitely short and not desire him Is it possible for a rational creature to read of such a bottomless treasure of such boundless pleasure of such an infinite unconceivable good and not covet the enjoyment of it O man where are thy wits whither art thou fallen art thou a man or a beast Ah didst thou know the gift of God and what it is that is offered thee thou wouldst scorn the highest honours sweetest carnal delights greatest riches yea trample upon all the Crowns and Kingdoms of this world for it It 's an ineffable priviledge that thou art a creature capable of so vast an happiness it 's a special favour that thou hast leave to aspire after such an immense inheritance and when it s tender'd to thee wilt thou refuse it wilt thou neglect it O wilt thou not give it all acceptation Having spoken in another Treatise to this particular I shall here only offer two or three things to thy serious thoughts and proceed to a third exhortation 1. Consider what is offer'd thee when the incomparable God is offered thee for thy portion And truly to explain this head fully would require the Pen yea exceed the skil of an Angel None can tell what God is but God himself All the sheets in the explication of the Doctrine speak somwhat of him but not the thousand thousandth part of that excellency that is in him Reader I may tell thee when God is offered thee the greatest good that ever was that ever will be that ever can be is offered thee there never was or can be the like offer'd thee more than Heaven and Earth than both Worlds than Millions of Worlds is offered thee This God who is offered thee is the King of Kings the Lord of Lords the God of Gods the blessed and glorious Potentate the first Cause the original Being Self-sufficient All-sufficient absolutely perfect uncapable of any addition or diminution This God who is offer'd thee
somtimes he calls it the glorious Gospel 2 Cor. 4.4 the mysteries of the Gospel Eph. 6.19 the word of Truth 1 Coloss 5. Praise him by walking circumspectly and closely with him Live alwayes as one that believeth he hath at all times to do with this incomparable God and is created and preserved and redeemed to shew forth the praise of this God When the Psalmist had admired the incomparableness of this God in his being and doings Psal 86.8 he presently subjoyns v. 9. All Nations whom thou hast made shall come and glorifie thy name and worship before thee For thou art great and dost wondrous things thou art God alone O Friend this incomparable God must have incomparable obedience Be still and know that I am God Psal 46.10 Be still be quiet O sinner cease forbear any farther to offend me and know that I am God incomparable in knowledge acquainted with all thy wayes and works inward outward secret private publick incomparable in holiness and perfectly hate all thy wickedness incomparable in power able to revenge my self on thee every moment to turn thee body and soul into hell incomparable in justice and will by no means clear the guilty yet incomparable in mercy and will accept and receive Prodigals that sensible of their folly and filthiness return home to me their Father in the Son of my love Be still sinner Know this that I am God and obey my Laws But I have spoken more fully of this in the informations only remember that the praise of thy life is the life of thy praise because hereby thou dost in some measure represent the excellencies of this incomparable God visible to the world 1 Pet. 2.9 Math. 5.18 Offering praise and ordering the conversation aright are joyned together by God himself and let not us part them asunder Psal 50. last verse but one To help thee a little that thou mayst give God the praise of his incomparable perfections Consider 1. This God is excellency it self he is not only excellent Psal 8.1 and alone excellent Psal 148.13 but excellency Job 13.11 Should not his excellency make thee affraid nay he is greatness of excellency Exod. 15.7 nothing but excellency 1 Joh. 1.6 Now think with thy self what honour is due to one that is excellent alone excellent excellency it self and nothing but excellency Can thy highest honour be high enough or thy most excellent praises be excellent enough for such an excellency 2. This God is the standard of all excellency Nothing is excellent but because of its relation or likeness to him Every thing is more or less excellent as it is more or less related or conformable to him Saints are the excellent of the earth Psal 16.3 more excellent than their neighbours Prov. 12.26 but it is because of his affection to them Since thou art precious in my sight thou art honourable The excellency of Jacob whom he loved Isa 43.4 and because of their relation and likeness to him Deut. 33.29 1 Pet. 2.9 Psal 48.2 3. The Scriptures are the most excellent of books none like them I have written unto thee excellent things Prov. 22.20 But what 's the reason Surely because they are the word of God Eph. 3.16 his mind 2 Cor. 2. ult All Scripture is given by inspiration of God 2 Tim. 3.18 The Sabbath is the most excellent of days the queen of days the golden spot of the week because it is his day set apart by him and devoted to him My holy day the holy of the Lord honourable Isa 58.13 Grace is excellent the beauty and glory of the creature Prov. 4.7 2 Cor. 3.18 more excellent than gold or fine gold than rubies or pearls Prov. 3.14 15. but why because it 's his Image it 's a conformity to his nature 2 Pet. 1.4 2 Cor. 3.18 When the Holy Ghost would render any thing excellent he mentions it with relation to God The Cedars of God the City of God the Trees of God the Mountains of God c. that is the most excellent Cedars Cities Trees and Mountains 3. He is so excellent that even Angels vail their faces in his presence The excellent Cherubims Seraphims who are spotless in their natures and faultless in their lives who are the highest and honourablest and ancientest House of the Creation who as his special friends and favourites are allowed to wait on him continually to behold him face to face and to enjoy him fully and perfectly yet these Angels vail their faces before him as it were ashamed of their Star-light in the Presence of the Sun and their drops in the presence of the Ocean Isa 6.1 2 3. I saw the Lord sitting on a Throne high and lifted up about it stood the Seraphims each had six wings with twain he did fly with twain he cover'd his feet with twain he cover'd his face To cover the face is a sign or fruit of bashfulness as in Rebekah Gen. 24.65 The face of an Angel is void of all spots and wrinkles it is full of beauty and brightness a most excellent face And all the Councel looking stedfastly on him beheld his face as if it had been the face of an Angel Acts 6. ult yet this face as excellent as it is they cover as it were ashamed of it before that God who alone is excellent 4. He is so incomparably excellent that he humbleth himself to take notice of his perfect Spirits his heavenly host and their perfect Service in Heaven It is not only great and infinite condescention with him to observe the highest persons on earth as Kings and Princes and the holiest persons on earth as the most eminent Saints and the highest and holiest performances of these Saints but it is boundless humiliation in him to look upon with the least respect the perfect Spirits of just men the Principalities and Powers that are in Heaven and their pure perfect Worship and Service Psal 113.5 6. Who is like unto the Lord our God who dwelleth on high who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in Heaven 5. He is so incomparably excellent that he is above the highest adoration and worship of his Creatures Worship is the most high and honourable of all our works Blessing and Praising God is the most high and honourable act of worship therefore this is that part of worship which suits the highest and honourablest state of the Creature in Heaven and must continue for ever As all our graces of faith and hope and patience c. shall e're long be melted into love and joy and delight so all our duties of Confession Petition Hearing and Reading the Word receiving the Sacraments shall all be melted into Praise and Thanksgiving Rev. 7.11 12. And the Angels and Elders that stood about the throne fell on their faces before the throne and worshipped saying Amen Blessing and honour and thanksgiving be unto our God for ever and therefore David calls upon Angels and the Heavenly Host to praise God Psal