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
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
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
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
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
solely is holy Revel 15.4 Who will not fear thee O Lord and glorifie thy Name for thou only art holy None is holy besides him because none is holy like him 1 Sam. 2.2 There is none holy as the Lord therefore none holy but the Lord Saints are holy 1 Pet. 2.9 Angels are holy Mark 8.38 But they are not holy as the Lord is holy Without question the heavenly Host who see him face to face and are satisfied with his likeness are glorious in holiness shine brightly with those perfect beams and that pure light which they borrow from the Sun of Righteousness but truly they are poor Gloworms to the Father of Lights Even that Grace that Holiness that Glory of Saints and Angels which infinitely surpasseth the natural Heavens in all their beauty and brightness is no Grace no Holiness no Glory in this respect by reason of that Grace and Holiness and Glory in God which doth so infinitely excel 2. God is incomparable in his Wisdom I shall not stand upon the critical distinctions which some give between Understanding Prudence and Wisdom Wisdom in general is a right understanding of things and the ordering our selves and actions sutable to that understanding It appears chiefly in these three acts 1. In discerning the nature causes effects contraries and consequents of things of which we shall speak hereafter and this we call Science 2. In propounding the best and highest and noblest end to our selves in our actions and undertakings and this is called Vnderstanding 3. In suiting and fitting and ordering the most proper means as may be best for the attaining our ends and this is called Prudence which as the Rudder of the Ship steers and directs and governs all In all these respects God is incomparable in Wisdom He is wise in heart Job 9.4 i. e. most wise for the heart is the seat of Wisdom And to be foolish and without an heart is all one Ephraim is a silly Dove without an heart Hos 7.11 There are in God all the Treasures of Wisdom Coloss 1.19 A Treasure denotes 1. Preciousness an heap of Dust or Coals is not a Treasure but of Silver and Gold 2. Plenty one or two pieces of things that are precious will not make a Treasure there must be an heap or some quantity In God there is the most precious Wisdom therefore called Counsell the effect of serious and mature deliberation and he is called The mighty Counsellor Eph. 1.11 Isa 9.6 In God there is plenty of it Treasures a Treasure notes abundance but Treasures speaks superabundance a redundance In God are all the Treasures all kinds all sorts of Wisdom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 manifold Wisdom Eph. 3.10 embroydered Wisdom wherein is all variety of rich and curious Contrivances These are all in God He ingrosseth them all in himself therefore you read With him is Wisdom and Vnderstanding Job 12.13 With him as with its Master and Soveraign Lord with him as with its sole Owner and Proprietor Some men are wise Light and Vnderstanding and excellent Wisdom was found in Daniel Dan. 5.14 David was very wise wiser then his Teachers then his Enemies then the Ancient Psal 119.97 98 99. Solomon was a wise man he exceeded in Wisdom all that were before him and all that came after him And God gave Solomon Wisdom and Vnderstanding exceeding much and largeness of heart even as the Sand on the Sea shore And Solomons Wisdom excelled the Wisdom of all the Children of the East-Country and all the Wisdom of Egypt For he was wiser then all men than Ethan and Heman c. 1 Kings 4.29 30 31. But was Solomon comparable to God in Wisdom Truly he that was wiser then all men was a stark Fool to God The Wisdom of man is foolishness with God 1 Cor. 3.19 The subtilty of the Heathen and I may say the greatest understanding of the Christian is folly with God The foolishness of God is wiser than Man 1 Cor. 1.25 If it were possible that there should be any thing in God which might look like folly or if it were lawful for us to conceive any action of Gods which compared with his deeper Contrivances might have a shew of foolishness yet even this were wiser than the greatest wisdom of man Angels are wiser than Men. When the Woman would speak David to be very wise above the rate of Mortals she saith My Lord is wise as an Angel of God 2 Sam. 14.20 The excellency of their Natures speaks the excellency of their Wisdom for it 's the Understanding that is the chief distinguishing faculty But are Angels like God in Wisdom No they are Fools to him Behold he putteth no trust in his Servants he chargeth his Angels with folly Job 4.18 Though they never thwarted the Divine pleasure nor in any action manifested the least imprudence yet before him they are indicted of folly and to him will be proved guilty of it Though they are not chargeable with actual yet they are with potential folly though God doth not indict them of absolute yet he doth of comparative folly God doth so far exceed Angels and Men in Wisdom That he is said onely to be wise To the onely wise God 1 Tim. 1.17 To God onely wise Rom. 16.27 None are wise beside him because none are wise to him Dan. 5.20 Wisdom is his his Peculiar his Prerogative his wholly his onely so his that 't is none 's but his The wisest Men and Angels stand in need of a Master to teach them and a Tutor to instruct them and were it not for the onely wise God they would be as unwise as the wild Asses Colt as foolish as Idiots Psal 94.10 But God is above all Teachers all Tutors Job 21.22 Shall any teach God knowledge Some persons are uncapable of teaching because of their extreme weakness Ex quoris ligno non fit Mercurius their parts are so very low and mean that they cannot be taught But God is uncapable of teaching because of his immense Wisdom His abilities are so high that they are above and beyond all instruction Isa 40.13 14. Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord or being his Counsellor hath taught him The wise Solomon had his Privy-Counsellors the wisest Princes and States have their Council-Tables and there is reason enough for it because two Heads are better then one as we say and two Eyes see more then one Two are better then one Eccles 4.9 And in many Counsellors there is safety But God who is all Head all Eye all Understanding needs none to advise or counsel him Two Candles indeed are better then one because the light of each is little and small and capable of increase but one Sun is better then a million of Candles because its light is after a sort boundless and uncapable of the least addition or increase by millions of Candles Verse 14. With whom took he Counsell with what Angel with what Man with what Politician did he ever
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
is discover'd by the injury it doth to the incomparable God because our Estates our Names our Families our Neighbours our Nations our Bodies our Souls are all nothing infinitely less then Nothing to the great God the incomparable This this is the only Glass that discovers the horrid ugly features the monstrous frightful deformities of sins face that it is a wrong to the blessed God to him who is the high lofty one Isa 57.15 1. In that sin is a breach of this incomparable God's Law a violation of his Command a contradiction of his Will Whosoever sinneth transgresseth the Law for sin is a transgression of the Law 1 John 3.4 Neither the greatness nor smallness of our obedience or disobedience is to be valued according to the greatness or smallness of the thing commanded or forbidden nor according to the greatness or smallness of the good or hurt done to man by it but according to the greatness of the Person who commandeth or forbiddeth 2. In that it is a contempt of this incomparable God's Authority a slighting his Dominion a denying his Sovereignty Who is the Lord that I should obey his Voice Exod. 5.2 is the Voice of every Sinner We are our own say they Who is Lord over us Psal 12.4 They know no Maker and therefore own no Master For this cause the Sinner is said to cast the incomparable God behind his back as not worth minding or regarding 1 Kings 14.9 And to despise him as some mean inconsiderable Being 1 Sam. 2.30 2 Sam. 12.9 10. 3. In that it is a dishonouring this incomparable God whose name alone is excellent It layeth him low who is the most high Psal 92.1 Through breaking the Law dishonourest thou God Rom. 2.23 24. It is ill to reproach a common man worse to reproach a Noble man or a Prince but O how bad is it to reproach the great God! to blaspheme that worthy Name Sin layeth the honour of this incomparable God which is more worth then millions of Worlds in the dust and trampleth on it The Romans when they would mark one with ignominy and brand him with reproach would put him out of their Senate or any place of Credit in which he was and pull down his Statue or Monument if any were erected to his Honour Sin degrades and dethrones God it will not allow him to be the Lord and Supreme of the World and it defaceth his Image where-ever it finds it as one contrary expels another It disgraceth his Justice thence is called Vnrighteousness 1 John 1.6 His Wisdom thence is called Folly Prov. 5.23 His Patience thence is called Murmuring Jude 16. His Power thence is called Weakness Rom. 5.8 His Mercy thence is called Vnthankfulness Luke 6.35 His Knowledge thence is called Ignorance and a work of Darkness 1 Pet. 1.14 Eph. 5.8 His Truth thence is called a Lye and lying Vanity Psal 58.2 Jonah 2.8 In all these and every way it disgraceth his Holiness which is his Glory and the glory of all his Attributes Exod. 15.11 thence is called Filthiness 2 Cor. 7.1 Vncleanness Rom. 1.24 4. In that it is a fighting with and to its power a destroying this incomparable God The murther of any man is hainous it is horrid 't is against nature and 't is the extremest mischief that one Creature can do to another Gen. 4.10 Math. 10.28 The murther of a Father or a Sovereign is far more hainous as being more against Nature and against more ingagements to the contrary He is cursed that mocketh his Father and his Heart smote him who did but cut off the skirt of his Kings Garment thought his Enemy what a Monster then is he that kills either but O what a Monster what a Devil is that which destroyeth as far as it is able the good the gracious the great the glorious the incomparable God Truly sin is such a Monster such a Devil that were its power equal to its spite and its strength answerable to its malice the living God should not live a moment Omne peccatum est Dei-cidium All sin is God-murder The Sinner hates God Rom. 1.30 and hatred ever wisheth and as 't is able worketh the destruction of its object The Fool hath said in his heart There is no God Psal 14.1 i. e. It is a pleasing thought to him to suppose there were no God as to guilty Prisoners to imagine there were no Judge to arraign and condemn them whom we fear as hurtful to us we hate and wish he were taken out of the way In order hereunto the Sinner strives with God and contendeth with him Job 34.7 fighteth against him Acts 5.39 He stretcheth out his hand against God and strengtheneth himself against the Almighty He puts forth all his force and venteth all his strength He runneth upon him even on his neck upon the thick bosses of his Bucklers Runs upon him as one Enemy upon another furiously without fear and as he is able gets him down sets his Feet on his Neck trampleth on him and crusheth him Job 15.25 26. O how odious how loathsome how abominable is sin that breaks the Law slights the Authority dishonors the Name and to its utmost dethrones and destroys the Being of this incomparable God this self-sufficient independent absolutely perfect eternal incomprehensible infinite Being which alone deserves the name of Being and to which all other Beings are no Beings Reader should this God of Glory appear to thee as once to Abraham and shew thee a glimpse of his excellent glory that is above the Heavens should he discover to thee but a little of that greatness which the Heavens and Heaven of Heavens cannot contain of that duration which had no beginning hath no succession knoweth no ending of those perfections that admit of no bounds no limits that are uncapable of the least addition or accession to them and then should say unto thee as when he appeared to Saul Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Man man why despisest thou my Commands why despisest thou my Authority Sinner how darest thou dishonour my Name and seek my destruction What wouldst thou then think of Sin O what wouldst thou then think of thy self for thy sins Shouldst thou not have other thoughts of sin and of thy self for sin then ever yet thou hast had Wouldst thou not even loath thy self for being so base so vile so unworthy yea so mad as to offend affront and fight against such a God wouldst thou not cry out as Job I have sinned against thee and what shall I do unto thee O thou Preserver of men Job 7.20 I have sinned against thee an incomparable infinite unconceivable Being I have wronged thee the most high most holy most blessed God and what shall I do unto thee what amends shall I make thee what reparation shall I give thee It is impossible for me should I weep wail and lament and grieve millions of Ages to make the least satisfaction for the injury I have
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
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
But the knowledg of God purifieth the soul As the Sun conveyeth heat along with its light so grace is multiplied through the knowledge of God 2 Pet. 1.2 When Moses had convers'd with God in the Mount his feet shone that the Jews could not behold him When a Soul hath once acquainted himself with the blessed God his life will shine with holiness therefore David counselleth his Son Solomon to know the God of his Fathers and to serve him with a perfect heart and willing mind first to know him then to serve him 1 Chron. 28.9 This knowledge must needs be a sanctifying knowledge because it renders sin abominable the world contemptible God honourable and the soul the more humble The knowledge of God will render sin most abominable to the Soul it renders sin to be exceeding sinful The miseries that befall us in our estates names bodies souls nay all the curses of the Law and torments of the damned do not discover the ugly loathsome features and monstrous deformed nature of sin like the knowledge of this incomparable God Job confesseth his sin Job 42.2 I uttered things that I understood not nay he abhorreth himself for his sin v. 5. But whence came he who sometime justifyed himself too much now to abhor himself He gives us the reason or cause of it I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear I had some knowledge of thee before but now mine eyes see thee I now have a clearer and fuller knowledge of thee wherefore I abhor my self and repent in dust and ashes The more we know the greatest good the more we shall hate the greatest evil The knowledge of God will render the world contemptible to a Christian None undervalue the Creature but those who have had a sight of the Creator neither can any trample on the riches honours and pleasures of this world but those who know him who is the riches and honours and pleasures of the other world They who never saw the Sun wonder at a Candle and they who never knew the blessed God wonder at and are fond of poor low things mean small pitiful things on earth But the whole world with all its Crowns and Scepters and Diadems and Delights is but a dunghill to him that hath seen the incomparable God Moses could refuse the honour of being the adopted Child of a Kings Heir reject the pleasures of Pharaoh's Court and prefer the reproaches of Christ before all the Treasures of Egypt when he had once got a sight of the Incomparable God Heb. 11.25 26 27. For he saw him that was invisible The knowledge of God will render God more honourable in our esteems The more we know of many things and persons the more we sleight and despise them The more we know sin the more we loath it the more we know our selves the more we abhor our selves but the more we know God the more we love him and the more we admire him The reason of all the contempt and affronts which we offer to God is our ignorance of him The whole world lyeth in wickedness as a beast in its dung or vermine in their slime 1 Joh. 5.19 but the reason is what Christ speaks Joh. 17.25 Father the world hath not known thee for the Apostle saith had they known they would never have Crucified the Lord of Glory 1 Cor. 2.8 They who know God cannot but see infinite reason why they should love and fear and honour and please him all their dayes Why do you think is God so much wondred at and worshipped in his Church more than in other parts of the world Why doth he inhabit their highest praises Psal 22.3 and greatest blessings and thanksgivings but because he is known more there than in other parts of the world In Judah is God known therefore his name is great his name alone is excellent in Israel Psal 76.1 The knowledge of God makes us humble We never are so low in our own eyes as when we see the most high God The more we know of men that are more vain and foolish and wicked than our selves the more we are exalted and puffed up but the more we know of God of the great God the incomparable God the most holy God to whom we are as nothing less than nothing worse than nothing the more we abase our selves When David is acquainted with the excellency of God O Lord my Lord how excellent is thy name in all the earth and thy glory is above the Heavens Psal 8.1 What low little diminutive thoughts hath he of himself and others v. 4. What is man or what is the Son of man What a poor pitiful contemptible thing is man What a vain empty insignificant nothing is the Son of man We are ashamed of our rush Candles or Glow-worms hide our heads in the presence of the Sun The holiest man abhors himself for his unholiness before the most Holy God So Job 25.2 Dominion and fear are with him v. 3. There is no number of his Armies v. 5. Behold even to the Moon and it shineth not and the Stars are not pure in his sight How much less man that is a worm and the Son of man that is a worm v. 6. A worm is the most despicable contemptible creature every beast trampleth on it such a creature is man in his own apprehensions when he once understandeth the incomparable God When Isaiah had seen the Lord of Hosts though he were an Holy man he cryeth out I am undone I am a man of unclean lips for mine eyes have seen the Lord of Hosts Isa 6.3 4. He never saw so much of his own uncleanness as when he saw him in whose presence the Heavens are unclean Other knowledge like wind in a bladder puffeth up 1 Cor. 8.2 but the knowledge of God as fire nigh the bladder shrinks and shrivels it up to nothing 2. The knowledge of God is a satisfying knowledge A man may know much of Creatures and the more he knoweth the more unquiet and restless he is his knowledge as wind to the stomack may fill and pain and trouble him but cannot satisfie him for Creatures are not that savory meat which the heaven-born spiritual immortal Soul of man would have and must have if ever it be contented The greatest Students who have wearied and tired out their brains and bodies in the search of Natures secrets have found by experience that they spent their strength for what is not bread and their labour for what will not satisfie and they have known the truth of the Wise mans saying He that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow Eccles 1.18 That knowledge which satisfieth must be of an object that is suitable in its spirituality to the nature of the Soul in its all-sufficiency to the manifold necessities of the Soul and in its immortality to the duration of the Soul if either of these be wanting in it the Soul cannot receive satisfaction by it because without all these the
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
is the high and lofty one that inhabiteth eternity every moment to whom a thousand years yea millions of Ages are but as one day as one moment whose duration is uncapable of the least accession who is boundless in his being omnipotent in his power unsearchable in his wisdom unconceivable in his grace and infinite in all his perfections He dwelleth in that light that is inaccessible before him Angels the highest of creatures vail their faces to him the whole Creation is less than nothing and vanity This God who is offered thee made all things of nothing supports all things influenceth all things and is all things and infinitely more than all things He is so needful a good that thou art undone without him This was the misery of the Heathen on earth Eph. 2.12 and of the damned in Hell Math. 25.41 the very Hell of Hell He is so plentiful a good that thou art perfectly happy in him Psal 144. ult thou needest no more He is the Heaven of Heavens Psal 16. ult the safest refuge O Friend what dost thou think of having this God for thy portion Is it not worth the while to have this God for thy God wilt thou not say Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee O Lord thou art great and thy name is great Who would not fear thee O King of Nations Jer. 10.6 7. Again the God who is offered thee is the Well of Salvation the Lord of life the God of all consolation an Hive of sweetness a Paradice of pleasure an Heaven of joy He is the richest grace the dearest love the surest friend the highest honour the vastest treasure the exactest beauty the chiefest good and the fullest felicity He is one that can enlarge and sute all thy faculties relieve and answer all thy necessities fill up and satisfie all the capacities of thine Heaven-born soul God is a good which Christ died to purchase for thee Eph. 2.13 1 Pet. 3.18 And surely if Christ thought him worth his blood he is worthy thine acceptance God is a comprehensive universal good not one but all good Riches Honours Pleasures Friends Relations Health Life Earth Heaven this World the other World all the good of both Worlds and infinitely more and art thou not covetous of such wealth that is better worth than both worlds Philip. 4.19 Psal 23.1 Gen. 17.1 God is an everlasting good a good that will stand by thee and abide with thee when all other good things shall fail thee 1 Tim. 6.7 Psal 73.25 He is that good which thou wouldst have if thou art well in thy wits he is that good which thou shouldst have if thou answerest the end of thy Creation he is that good which thou must have if thou art not eternally miserable He is the only suitable satisfying good which hits the nature and fits the desire of the rational creature O Reader I say again what dost thou think of having this incomparable God for thy God Surely by this time thy heart may well melt into astonishment that he will allow thee to seek so matchless a portion Well what sayest thou to him Is it not worth the while to have him for thine to whom thou wilt call in the day of distress to whom thou wilt cry in a dying hour when thy Soul stands quivering on thy lips ready to take its flight into the unknown Regions of the other world when Devils will be waiting to seize it as soon as ever it leaves the body to hale it to the unquenchable flames of hell when thy Friends and Relations shall be weeping and wailing by thee but unable to afford thy dying body the least Cordial or thy departing soul the least Comfort Ah friend what wilt thou do in such an hour which is hastening on thee without the incomparable God Believe it though thou mayest live without him thou canst not dye without an infinite horror without him Is it not worth the while to have him for thine to whom thou must stand or fall for ever from whose mouth thy sentence of eternal absolution or condemnation must come and who shall judge thee to thine unchangeable state of life or death though thou mayest think thou canst do well enough at this day with the world for thy portion yet what wilt thou do at that day when the world shall be in a flame if God be not thy portion Art thou willing or not to have this God for thine What sayest thou Canst thou find in thine heart to deprive thy precious soul of such an inestimable treasure and to leave it naked in the other world to the cruelty of Devils and the dreadful curses of the Law Methinks though I have spoken little yet I have said enough to one that will but let his reason judge to draw out thy most earnest desires after this incomparable God 2. Consider upon what terms thou mayst have this God for thy God You may possibly think that so boundless a good must cost you very dear and the price must be vast of a pearl that is so matchless but lo to thy comfort all the condition which God requireth of thee is only to accept him heartily and thankfully in his Son Canst thou have any thing cheaper wouldst thou desire him in his terms to fall lower nay is it possible so to do and make thee happy Nor can he be thine unless thou receivest him for thine It 's a poor favour that is not worth acceptance Do but take him for your happiness and you shall have him for your happiness Thou givest more for thy bread thy cloaths thy house for the needful comforts that are for the support of thy frail body than thou needest give for the great glorious incomprehensible incomparable God Thou payest money for them but thou mayst have him without money and without price One would think that the equity of the condition should both amaze thee and allure thee Consider I say God doth not require of thee things impossible to thee he doth not say if thou wilt remove Mountains dry up Oceans stop the course of Nature create worlds I will then be thine as great as I am He doth not say if thou wilt satisfie my justice answer the demands of my law merit my love and favour then I will be thy God No he himself hath done all this for thee by the death of his Son All he desireth is that thou wouldst accept him in his Son for thy God Nay he doth not require of thee any thing that is barbarous or cruel as the heathen Deities did by the Devil of their worshipers He doth not say if you will lance and mangle your bodies as Baals Priests did if ye will go bare-foot in Sackcloth long and tedious pilgrimages as the Papists do if ye will offer your children in the fire and give the fruit of your bodies for the sins of your souls as some did then I will be your God Again he doth not require of thee
because God is theirs Happy art thou O Israel who is like unto thee why whence comes their incomparable happiness truly from the incomparable God saved by the Lord who is the shield of thine help and the sword of thine excellency Again What Nation is so great which hath God so nigh unto them Deut. 4.7 Israel at this time to flesh and sense seemed a most unhappy people they were in a barren and howling wilderness without an house to hide their heads in without food but what a miracle sent them in without raiment but what was on their backs without any dealings or converse with other people nay in the midst of cruel and potent enemies they must fight their way to Canaan against walled Towns and sturdy Giants and yet even in this plight they are the happiest people under the cope of heaven Because the God of heaven the incomparable God was nigh to them David asserts Gods incomparable Majesty and thence Israels incomparable felicity 2 Sam. 7.22 23. Wherefore thou art great O Lord there is none like thee what followeth thence And what Nation at this day is like unto thy people even like Israel Reader if thou art once effectually called if thou art a regenerated sanctified person know to thy comfort and rejoyce therein that this incomparable God is thine 2. That all his incomparable excellencies are thine 3. That this incomparable God with all his incomparable perfections will be thine for ever 1. This incomparable God is thine That God who hath no superiour no equal no fellow is thine He that is and there is none else Isa 46.9 is thine He that is that he is Exod. 3.14 is thine Thou hast a propriety in him and a title to him This is the great priviledge of heavens favourites Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and he will be their God Revel 21.3 This is the great promise the sum the substance of all the promises I will be their God and they shall be my people Jer. 31.33 This is the great prayer of all that know how to pray or what to pray for Psal 80.12 Psal 4.6 Exod. 33.15 Jer. 14.8 This is the great purchase of the Son of God 1 Pet. 3.18 His name is therefore Immanuel God with us This is heaven it self the very heaven of heavens for it is not the place but his presence which makes heaven to be heaven In thy presence is fulness of joy and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore Psal 16. ult Once more this is the highest the chiefest the greatest gift which the infinite God can give to thee When he giveth thee riches and honours and friends and relations he can give thee greater things when he giveth thee Sacraments and Sabbaths and seasons of grace he can give thee greater things when he giveth thee pardon of sin peace of conscience the graces of his Spirit he giveth thee great things but yet he can give thee greater but when he giveth thee himself he giveth thee the greatest gift that himself though infinite in bounty can give O how sweet is that term of propriety My God My God The Redeemer himself rowl'd in his mouth over and over as if he could never suck out the sweetness in it Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the house of my God and I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the City of my God which is the new Jerusalem which cometh down from my God Rev. 3.12 David dwels on it as one unwilling to leave it Psal 18.1 2. Reader O what cause hast thou to triumph in thy happiness that the infinite God is thine Fear not I am thine Isa 41. Scepters and kingdoms and honours and possessions and friends and relations and liberty and peace and health and strength are not thine possibly but God is thine He that is all these and more than these is thine He is thine own God even mark our own God shall bless us Psal 67.6 Thou canst not call any thing outward thy own thy estate is not thine own I will take away my corn and my wine and my oyl Hos 2.9 Hag. 2.8 Thy relations are not thine own Ezek. 16.20 21. My children which thou hast born to me Thy credit is not thine own no thy very graces are not thine own Cantic 4.16 Nay thou thy self art not thy own 1 Cor. 6.20 Ye are not your own Thy body is not thine own 1 Cor. 6.16 nor your souls Ezek. 18.3 4. All souls are mine But God is thy own God thy own glory thy own exceeding joy Psal 43.4 2. All the incomparable excellencies of this God his incomparable word and works are thine As all he is is thine so all he hath is thine all he can be is thine all he hath done is thine all he can do is thine 1 Cor. 3.22 All is thine All his incomparable attributes are thine His incomparable power is thine to protect thee Gen. 15.1 2. Exod. 15.9 10 11 12. His incomparable wisdom is thine to direct thee Psal 73.23 His incomparable mercy is thine to pity and relieve thee in thy miseries Judg. 10.16 His incomparable grace is thine to pardon all thine iniquities Micah 7.18 Exod. 34.6 7. His incomparable love is thine to refresh and delight thy soul Psal 21.5 6. His incomparable justice is thine to accept thee as righteous for the sake of his Son Rom. 3.24 His incomparable faithfulness is thine to fulfill all the gracious promises which he hath made to thee Psal 89.33 34. His incomparable Majesty and beauty and glory are thine to make thee great and render thee comely and glorious for ever Ezek. 16.14 Isa 43.4 His incomparable joys and pleasures are thine to feed on and be filled with Psal 36.8 Mat. 25.21 His incomparable works are thine His works of Creation Psal 37.11 Mat. 5.4 His works of Providence Rom. 8.28 For your sakes I have sent to Babylon Isa 43.14 and Isa 43.4 His work of Redemption is yours Joh. 10.15 Gal. 2.20 Rev. 1.5 6. His incomparable word is thine indited for thee sanctified to thee making thee wise to salvation It 's therefore called their word the word of their testimony Rev. 12.11 Whatsoever things were written were written for our instruction that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope Rom. 15.4 3. This incomparable God and all his incomparable excellencies will be thine for ever His incomparable eternity will be thine and so long as he is God he will be thy God When the sensualists God is gone thy God will remain when the worldlings God fails him thy God will not forsake thee when all thine honours riches friends relations leave thee thy God will abide with thee This God is our God for ever and ever Psal 48.14 Not for a day or week or month or year or Age but for ever and ever Not for a thousand years or a thousand generations or millions of millions of generations but for ever and ever Not for as many millions of ages as there are stars in heaven drops in the Sea creatures great and small in both worlds but for ever O happy Conjunction of Propriety with eternity this God is our God for ever and ever Thine immortal soul hath an immortal God an immortal good Thou shalt ever be with this incomparable Lord. Comfort thy soul in the midst of all the persecutions and afflictions that befall thee in this world with these words 1 Thess 4.16 17 18. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of the Arch-angel and with the trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with him in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words FINIS
God of Glory appeared to Abraham he quickly and quietly left his Country and Kindred and followed God not knowing whither he went Gent 12.1 2. Acts 7.3 If the God of Glory appear to your Souls you will soon wink upon these withering Vanities broken Cisterns and gilded Nothings and count them all but Dung and Dross for the excellency of the Knowledge of him in Christ. You have begun well go on and persevere in well-doing I shall give you the same Counsel which the Holy Apostle giveth to those of whom he was perswaded that they had those things which accompanied Salvation Heb. 6.9 Take heed least there be in you an evil heart of unbelief whereby ye should depart away from the living God Heb. 3.12 Look diligently least ye should fail of the Grace of God Heb 12.15 When false Coin is common abroad we are the more careful what Money we take when much false Grace is up and down amongst us and so many please themselves with their Profession or spiritual Priviledges or sacred Performances or siding with this or that Party form of Worship or the respect and repute they have with others It concerns you to be the more suspicious of your Selves least you should fail of that Grace of God which conformeth the Heart to the nature and the life to the Will and Law of God SIR YOu are descended of a worthy ancient and religious Family Your Grand-Father as I have heard was eminent for Holiness Your Father is noted and honoured for one that feareth God above many you have hereby the more encouragement advantage and engagement to exercise your self to godliness Tamerlane made it his practice to read often the Heroick Deeds of his Progenitors not as proud of them or boasting in them but as glorious Patterns to inflame his Soul with a love of their Vertues Man is a Creature that is led more by the Eye then the Ear by Patterns then by Precepts and no Patterns are more prevalent then of those whom Nature and Grace oblige us to esteem and affect These examples above all others as flaming Beacons on an Hill call us to a stout defence of Vertue when it 's invaded by its Enemies Alexander finding one of his Name cowardly charged him to change his Name or to become valiant When one of the Scipio's descended of Scipio Affrican became dissolute The Roman Senate order'd him to put off that Ring which he wore as the Badge of his Noble Family because by his vicious Life he was a Reproach to it The truth is a wicked Son of a godly Father as Uriah carrieth Letters of his own condemnation about him causing the Patterns and Precepts of his Family to be Auxiliaries to his own reproach and infamy whilst the light and lustre of his Ancestors renders his works of darkness the more gross and palpable I mention not these things as suspecting your integrity but to provoke and quicken you to the greater care and circumspection in your carriage and conversation MADAM YOur Birth is ††Daughter to the Right Honourable the Lord Paget Honourable but such Honour without Holinesse extends not beyond the Meridian of this World Grace onely is eternal Glory That Honour which is woven in the finest Tapestry of earthly Priviledges will lose colour and fade away but the Knowledge of God is a possession for ever Nobility by Parents is but Nobility by Parchment and that is but skin-deep at most and will wast with time Godliness alone is that Nobility which no Age can consume and which will run paralell with the line of eternity The whole Earth hath not a pleasanter sight then Greatness joyn'd with Goodnesse Greatness it self is venerable but Goodness joyn'd with it addeth a new Splendour and lustre to it as a sparkling Diamond set in a Gold-Ring it attracteth the Eyes and challengeth a greater reverence and respect from all Evil Greatnesse is a swelling Dropsie a Disease of the Body Politick as intolerable a burden as the Earth groanes under but Grace and Vertue are the more excellent and amiable by the greatnesse of the Person in whom they dwell It will be your Crown and Credit to prefer God before the World to esteem Holinesse as the onely Beauty and a Title to the Covenant as the onely Riches of your immortal Soul Ye have both near and dear Relations whose Hearts will rejoyce in your perseverance and progress in the wayes of God's Commandements That you may be helps to each other in the best things provoke one another to love and to good Works live long together on Earth and for ever together in Heaven is the prayer Of your Servant in the Lord Geo. Swinnocke The several CHAPTERS IN THIS TREATISE CHapter 1. The Preface and Coherence of the Text Page 1. Chap. 2. God incomparable in his Being pag. 11. Chap. 3. God incomparable in his Being as from himself for himself and wholly independent on any other pag. 17. Chap. 4. God incomparable in his Being as it is absolutely perfect universal and unchangeable pag. 23. Chap. 5. God incomparable in his Being as it is eternal and without composition pag. 33. Chap. 6. God incomparable in his Being as it is infinite and incomprehensible pag. 40. Chap. 7. God incomparable in his Attributes his Holiness and Wisdom pag. 51. Chap. 8. God incomparable in his Attributes in his Knowledge and Faithfulness pag. 76. Chap. 9. God incomparable in his Mercy and Patience pag. 88. Chap. 10 God incomparable in his Attributes as they are from him as they are his Essence as they are all one in him as they are in him in an infinite manner pag. 99. Chap. 11. God incomparable in his Works Creation and Providence pag. 106. Chap. 12. God incomparable in the Work of Redemption He can do all things pag. 124. Chap. 12. God incomparable in the manner of his working He worketh irresistibly arbitrarily pag. 133. Chap. 13. God incomparable in his working He doth it with the greatest ease and without any help pag. 141. Chap. 14. God is incomparable in his Word in its Authority Condescension and Efficacy pag. 154. Chap. 15. God is incomparable in his Word Purity Mysteries Phophesies pag. 165. Chap. 16. God incomparable in his Word as it is converting affrighting and comforting pag. 174. Chap. 17. How great is the malignity of Sin which contemneth dishonoureth and opposeth this God pag. 182. Chap. 19. Shewing how great is the madness and misery of impenitent Sinners pag. 193. Chap. 21. How moustrous is their Pride who compare themselves with the incomparable God pag. 209. Chap. 22. Incomparable Worship and Service due to God pag. 217. Chap. 23. Motives to acquaintance with the incomparable God the knowledge of whom is sanctifying satisfying and saving pag. 237. Chap. 24. Means of acquaintance with God a sense of our ignorance attendance on the Word servent Prayer Chap. 25. Exhort to choose God for our Portion Chap. 26. Give God the glory of his incomparable