sinne Why do wicked men take liberty to sin 'T is because the fear of God is not before their eyes The Adulterer considers not that he is sinning before God and doing of that in his presence which he durst not do before a child Why do men harbour such unclean thoughts in their hearts and make their very hearts the Bawd Whoremonger and Brothel-house it is because they consider not they act this filthiness before the Lord. A young man being importuned by a Whore to lie with her told her he would if she would go with him to a place where he should Casâ—ian Collat. lead her she asked whether he would go he said to the Market-place she replied there every one will see us Then said he go into the most secret place thou canst find out and God will see us You that take liberty to commit secret sins who if you can keep your selves from the sight of men regard not what wickedness you act in the presence of God let me tell you That secret sinners are as notorious and desperate Atheists as the most shameless Drunkard and open-mouthed blasphemer To this purpose I desire you seriously to consider these things 1. No sin is secret or can be acted in secret because in the presence of God who is more than a million of Witnesses What sins are more secret than our wanton thoughts our proud or worldly thoughts than our vain thoughts yet even these God knoweth altogether not a thought but is present before him Thou hast possessed my reins saith the Psalmist Psal 139. 13. God hath possession of our hearts they are all naked before him 2. There 's no secret sin but God will bring forth to publick Judgment There is a day when God shall judge the secrets of all men by Jesus Christ according to the Gospel Rom. 2. 16. Secret sinners think their secresie will keep them from open shame and publick punishment no God will judge thee for thy secret sins before men and Angels They are apt to bless God they were honest with their bodies but God will tell thee thou hadst not an honest heart whiles thou actedst such secret sins and therefore he will condemn thee What will be the shame of all those at that great day but the ripping up of their secret sins What will the Lord then say You thought thâ—se men to be holy men because you saw nothing but what was commendable in their outward Conversation but yet in my presence they took liberty to be drunk to be adulterous proud covetous c. That chaste man as you thought him was in his heart a most vile Adulterer Sodomite incestuous wretch as any damned Sodomite That sober man as you took him to be was in his heart a vile profane Drunkard as any damned Drunkard They have acted these things in the presence of me their God which they durst not act in the presence of man I was made no more reckoning of by them than as a blind God a careless regardless God rather an approver of them in their sins than an hater of them CHAP. VIII 3. HEnce we may learn the infinite Use 3. patience and forbearance of God how patient he is seeing all sin is acted in his presence and yet the Lord breaks not forth into fury to consume the ungodly in a moment O consider how many thousands of drunkards are reeling and spewing before Gods face from day to day How many millions of Swearers do daily blaspheme the dreadful and glorious Name of the Lord our God! How many thousand shameless Adulterers delight in chambering and wantonness Lay to heart how the whole world of ungodly men do daily act their Villanies before the face of God! He upholds the World feeds cloatheth filleth the world with mercies whereas he might bring a flood to drown the World or rain down fire and brimstone to destroy the World in a moment Could a man endure this If God were man then you Drunkards had been damned before now but surely God is not man therefore ye are not consumed Can a father alwayes bear with a prodigal son that shall go to Taverns and Alehouses and waste his means and run in debt and he often pay all and no sooner is the debt paid but he runs further into debt again Or can a father endure to see his child lie and tumble in the midst of a dirty hole though he take him out wâ—sh his cloaths and put on him clean vestures yet he again runs into the place and there soules them before his fathers face Thus do wretched men before God they wallow in sinful abominations wicked men tumble and plunge themselves in the mire of sin before the face of God and yet the Lord breaks not forth into fury What King would endure to hear a Shimei alwayes railing against him to his face yet God suffers the Swearer the Blasphemer the Scorner to abuse him to his face What King would endure Rebels and Traytors to act Treason continually when it is in his power to take away their lives presently yet God doth patiently bear with many millions of men that rebel daily against his Laws and Government who could in a moment turn all the ungodly into hell this is strong conviction that God is infinitely patient and long-suffering 4. If God be Omnipresent it should Use 4. instruct us in divers things 1. It should teach us to be conscious of private duties as well as publick of prayer in our Closets the door being shut upon us as of prayer in the open Congregation God is present to us and with us in our private Closets as in the publick house of prayer 2. To be the same in our private duties as in our publick services as reverent as fervent as devout and heavenly in the corner as on the house-top because all is done in the presence of God who abhorreth publick fervency and open devotion when he seeth private profaneness and secret coldness and remissness 3. It should teach us to be square in all our aims and intentions in our duties Outward pretences are no cloak to hide rotten aims from God all Hypocrites shew extream folly when they think with Adam to hide themselves among Trees and to cover themselves with fig-leaves from the presence of the Lord none to speak properly are Hypocâ—ites before God Hypocrisie is many times godliness in mans eye but open profaneness in the sight of God When you do duties God looketh to your heart and reiâ—s to the integrity of your hearts Thy spirit and soul is as naked in Gods eyes as thy most glorious performances all the rottenness and filth of painted Sepulchres are still in the Nostrils of God 4. It should teach us to come with preparedness to duties because we go into the presence of an holy God Eccles 5. 1. The Bride puts on her robes to meet her Bridegroom the King looketh upon his guests to see if they come with wedding garments
Stephen that his heart was full of the holy Ghost but of Ananias it is said that Satan had filled his heaâ—t Act. 5. A wicked man is full of the devil and in this respect God is said to know the wicked afar off he looketh on them and all that they do as hateful abominations They are said to be withouâ— Christ and without God in this world So thâ—ugh God be present to the wicked and in the wicked yet he dwells not in them the presence of his essence notes not God's dwelling but his dwelling is the efficacious work of his sanctifying and quickning spirit his supping with his Saints 3. If God be every where present Quest 3. then how is it said that God departs from us and comes unto us God doth not depart and come Sol in respect of his essence but in respect of his efficacy or working God is said to draw nigh to his servants when he gives them the sense of his gracious presence the comfortable sense of his favour and quickning their hearts to run the way of Gods commandements and vouchsaâ—ing his pâ—esence with them in duties God departeth from his servants wheâ— he withdraws the presence of his â—avour the senâ—â— of his grace and the quickning veâ—â—ud of his spirit upon which follows â—â—sâ—â—al â—ears horrour and sadnesse of heart and then their â—â—uls like Pharaoh's wheels drive heavily in duâ—â—â—s when God thus deaâ—eth with his servants he is said to hide himself and to cast them out of his presence Again God is said to draw nigh to the wicked when he knocks at the doors of their souls by the motions of his spiâ—â—t for entrance or when he breaks open the door and cometh in and casteth out Satan and changeth their heart And he is said to depart from the wicked when his Spirit ceaseth to strive with them any longer and leaveth them in their hardnesse and and blindness â—o be blinded and hardened more and gives them up to their lusts and to Satan and to be ruled and swayed by them 4. How is it said that Cain went Quest 4. out from the presence of the Lord seeing God is present every where There is a double presence of God Solâ— his Universal presence his special presence his universal presence the presence of hiâ— essence Cain could not nor can any man â—â—y from but as to his special presence among his saiâ—â—s and in his ordinanâ—es so Cain went from God's presence â—â— when he left society with Adam he forsook the presence of God in the Assembly of his Saints he forsook the Church and worship of God the place where he dwelleth thus every man that absents himself from the communion of Saints in publique worship goes out from the presence of the Lord As often as any one purposely absenteth himself from the hearing of the word and the publick worship he goes from the presence of God hence the publick worship and the coming to the ordinances are called our appearing before God Psal 84. 7. this is called the face of God anâ— the beauty of the Lord Psal 27 4. CHAP. VII 1. THis sheweth the sottish Atheism Vse 1. of many wicked persons who if they can sin in secret from the sight of mortal men promise themselves security and safety from punishment perswading themselves that the immortal eye of the holy God who cannot endure to behold sin can no more see them in thee dark or in secret than the mortal eyes of man Oh tremble rather for here is matter of terrour to such your sins and your persons are always before God he seeth thy secret sins acted in thy bosome thy heart-pride thy heart covetousness thy heart-adultery thy heart-murther as well as the outward act he sees thy filthy thoughts as well as thy filthy actions and heareth every word spoken by thee Thy sins committed in the dark at midnight are all open to him as thy sins committed at noon day in the face of the sun thy sins acted in the most secret place that can be found are open before him as well as Absoloâ—s adultery acted on the house top as 't is said of Nimrod he was a mighty hunter before the Lord so of the secret Adulterer the speculative adulterer he is a mighty adulterer before the Lord so of the secret drunkard he is a mighty drunkard before the Lord therefore in vain do men dig deep to hide their counsels from him in vain doth the Adulteresse wipe her mouth and say she hath done no evil seeing all that men or women think speak or do in publick in secret at midnight and at noon is before the Lord who is more than a thousand eye-witnesses more then if thou shouldst act sin upon a publique Stage in open market Then if thy sins be acted before God never imagine thou art free from vengeance thy person is always before the sin-revenging God who will not acquit the guilty but be sure O sinner his vengeance will pursue thee and overtake thee and never leave till it hath destroyed thee with an everlasting destruction as the Prophet speaketh of an impossibility of escaping his presence the like may be said of his wrath neither shall the wicked flie from his wrath though the wicked be hid from his fight in the bottom of the Sea thence the Lord saith he will command the Serpent and it shall bite them and though they go into captivity before their enemies thence he saith he will command the sword and it shall slay them Amos. 9. 3. 4 God will command this and that Plague to destroy them he that fills Heaven and earth with his Essence is able to fill all sinful places with his wrath 2. The consideration of Gods Omnipresence Use 2. should be a Curb to restrain and keep us back from committing sin we cannot sin but in his presence if it were possible for thee to find out a place where God is not then and there thou might'st take liberty to sin and there thou maist commit folly securely but dic ubi non est Deus said the Philosopher to one who asked Where is God Tell me saith he where God is not It was a Philosophers advice to some That if they would keep themselves from Vanity and Folly they should alwayes imagine some severe Cato were beholding them he had well said if he had counselled them to have set God alwayes before their eyes What preserved Joseph from yielding to the adulterous Temptations of his unchaste Mistress having a fair opportunity to act in secret How shall I do this wickedness and sin against God Gen. 39. 9. As if he had said Though my Master and all his Servants behold us not yet God whom I fear and serve beholdeth me how shall I sin in his presence If we did reason thus with our selves we should vanquish temptations and though we have the fairest opportunities to commit sin yet we should stand in awe of him and not
light and darkness create good and evil Again our own souls are notable instances We see one and the same soul worketh diversly as to will and not will it perceiveth various things it understandeth divers things it move's the body from place to place it resteth the body If one creature can produce various and divers things then much more God we may as well argue that there are two contrary souls in man as argue there be two Gods from diverse operations and effects There is no summè malum principium Arg. 2. as there is summè bonum because God who is summè bonus good in the highest manner can and doth disperse order and govern the greatest evil according as he will for either it is Sin that is summè malum or the Devil now both Sin and Devils are all subject to Gods government which would not be if there were a summè malum principium as there is summè bonum because then there would be an equal power in both that the chiefest evil would never endure the chiefest good but would strongly oppose it CHAP. IV. IT is needlesse for me to confute Vse 1. the Heathens who worshipped many Gods in heaven and earth most kind of creatures were Gods to some nation or other I know there are no such persons here among us we are Christians and all say I believe in God so we profess but one God It were needlesse for me any further to confute the old heresie of the Manichees which heresie St. Augustine Aug. in Haeres c. 1. 7 8. c. 6 22. 46. held before his conversion because I believe there are none here that hold that wretched Tenet There are other Heretiques called Tritheitae who held there were three Gods and that upon this ground because there were three Persons and each person is very God this errour ariseth from the ignorance of this in that they consider not that though the three Persons are truly distinct yet are they but one and the self same glorious Being and Essence I hope there is none that heareth me that thinketh the three persons in holy Trinity to be three gods really distinct Now because the Heathen have worshipped many gods and because mâ—ny errours have sprung from thence I will draw these useful Considerations from the Premises 1. We may see in them the most horrible pollution of nature by the fall of Adam the strong and strange pronenesse of mans heart naturally to idolatry and to make many Gods How can we but wonder to consider how reasonable Man should be so besotted blinded and stupefied as to fall down before stocks and stones beasts and clouts and worship them for gods Hence God compareth them to Oxen and Asses yea makes them more brutish Isa 1. 3. 2. We may see hence the full necessity of having the holy Scriptures which are Gods own Testimony of himself as he is and how many gods there are or rather that there is but one God the onely living and true God Then what a mercy is it to have the scriptures read and diligently preached among us Why did the Gentiles like blind Sodomites go feeling and groping after God as they for Lot's door if haply they might find him and therefore took creature 's for God but because they had not the light of the Word to discover the one glorious God to them So how comes it to passe that Papists are kept under spiritual darknesse and in an idolatrous worship this is one reason because they are kept from reading the Scriptures in the mother-tongue The Psalmist makes the word of God to be the greatest blessing Psal 147. 19. 20. He sheweth his word unto Jacob his Statutes and his Judgments unto Israel he hath not dealt so with any nation and as for his Judgments they have not known them 3. Take heed of foolish reasonings about the Godhead I mean about the Unity of the Godhead and of thy foolish conceits how three persons can be but one God these foolish reasonings were the ground of the heresie of the Tritheites as How can three persons being very God make one God The best answer unto all such thoughts about the unity of the Godhead is to hold to the holy Scriptures God in his word hath given this testimony that there is but one God I will believe no more Gods because God hath said There is but one God I will acknowledg no more His own testimony is the very ground why I will believe and acknowledg but one God Take this for a rule when once a man departs from the word of God he exposeth himself to an hundred errors What the German Proverb is concerning a Lie is true of all errors Nothing is more fruitful one error begetteth another CHAP. V. FRom hence I gather that Christ Use 2. is God equâ—l with the Father contrary to the Arrians of old and Socinians of late who maintain that Christ is God but yet diverse and not of the same substance with the Father for Christ must either be the same with the Father or else there must of necessity be more Gods then one Now if Christ be God and diverse from the Father then the Father and the Son be two real distinct Gods which is blasphemously false 'T is true what learned Zanchy saith A man makes Zanch. de trib Elohim more Gods intra Deum as well as extra Deum Intra Deum as the Arrians and Photinians of old and the Socinians unto this day If there be but one God and we acknowledge Use 3. but one God then as God is to have all worship so only God is to be worshipped Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve Matt. 4. 10. There is the Act that is to give Divine worship unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quae quantum ad religionem attinet non nisi uni et soli Deo debetur Isidor lib. 11. Aug. cont Faust Manic lib. 20. God and the object is both exclusive and inclusive God must be worshipped and served and no other but he only A place if well weighed that would scatter all Popish shifting distinctions concerning Divine Worship given to Creatures as to Angels Saints and Images as the common distinctions of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Creature and to this may be added their hyperdulia to the Virgin Mary But we find that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are promiscuously used for service to God and the creature therefore it is a meer verbal distinction because they signifie one and the same No distinction will excuse the Papists from Idolatry and as they give Divine worship to others rather then to God they make moe Gods then one Their own praiers put up to the Virgin Mary testify against them that they make her a God praying to her for grace and mercy yea their putting up
put indefinitely may signifie four or five persons as well as three less or more so there may be occasion given of making more or lesse persons as well as three 2. Because if Elohim signifie the Trinity here it should signifie the Trinity in all other places of Scripture but it doth not and the placing of of it in the plural number with the verb in the singular is usual in Scriprure without a Mystery as Genes 9. 15. Exod. 2. 3. Jos 24. 19. Some say 't is put in the plural number propter reverentiae amplitudinem because the Majesty power wisdome goodness of God is manifested in the creation Others would gather it from those words of Moses Gen. 1. 26. And God said Let Us make man in our Image after Our likeness Others again gather the Mystery of the Trinity from the unanimous cry of the Seraphims Isa 6. 3. they cry Holy holy holy Lord God Almighty therefore say they the word holy is trebled in relation to the Trinity to the three Persons But these are not plain and evident proofs of the Trinity Holy holy holy is trebled here principally for these reasons 1. To shew that the Angels do continually praise God 2. To shew that the Seraphims do praise God with all vehemency and fervency 3. To shew the infinite Perfection of his holinesse that the tongues of Seraphims and Angels cannot express his holinesse There are more plain proofs of the plurality of persons in the Godhead Mat. 3. there is a clear revelation of the Trinity the Father speaks from heaven the Son is incarnate and is baptized the holy Ghost descendeth in the shape of a Dove Moreover Mat. 28. 19. the Commission that our Saviour gives to his disciples runs thus Go teach all nations Baptizing them in the name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost baptizing them tanquam in nomen unius veri Dei It plainly sheweth that there are three persons in the Deity and that these are but one God To be baptized into the name is to be bound to believe and obey and worship this one God the Trinity in the Unity Joh. 15. 26. These three are one John 17. 22. CHAP. III. THe further explication of this mysterious Doctrine of the blessed Trinity shall be by Questions Quest 1. The first question shall be about the terms used both by ancient and modern Divines Whether seeing the Scripture hath no such terms as Divine Essence or Being Person or Trinity they are then well used by Divines Though these terms are not literally Sol. epxressed in any place of Scripture yet in it there is something fully equivalent to them and so are rightly used by Divines as to instance in all three 1. For Essence and Being the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Essence or Being hath an equivalent phrase from that speech of God to Moses when he nameth himself I AM Exod. 3. 14. and Revel 1. 8. where he is calâ—ed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is it hath the same identity with Divine Essence or Being so then that term may be used 2. For Person 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is a plain place for tâ—is Heb. 1. 3. where Christ is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The expresse Image of his Person It is true Some would have it translated the expresse Image of his Substance rather then of his Person but this cannot be because there can be no impresse of the Fathers substance in the Son because the same â—ssence is in both and then there would be a multiplication of the Divine Essence therefore it is rightly translated the expresse image of his Person 3. As for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Trinity Nomen ab Arithmeticis ad Theologos traductum there is no such term in Scripture but my Text will afford an equivalent term there are three that bear record in heaven this will warrant the lawfull use of the term Trinity In the second place may it be demanded Quest 2 What is a person Solu I answer in general A person is a Substance subsisting by it self individual and incommunicable but this is rather a suppositum then a persona therefore they add Intelligent living and active or doing so Men so Angels are persons other creatures singularia supposita individua not personae So then a Person is thus defined A Person desiâ—ed It is a substance subsisting by it self indivisible incommunicable understanding living and working Now for the Persons in the Godhead they are thus described The Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost are subsisting in the Divine Essence undiviced incommnicable intelligent by their properties distinguished among themselves but not divided from each other or in brief thus A Person in the Godhead is the Divine Essence distinguished by his proper manner of subsisting To illustrate it consider that the Father is the Divine Essence subsisting by himself understanding willing distinguished from the Son and Holy-Ghost by his proper manner of subsisting or by his Personal property As the Father's Personal property is To be of himself and beget The Personal property of the Son is to be of the Father And the Personal property of the Holy-Ghost is to be from the Father and the Son So that the Son is the Divine Essence subsisting by himself undivided incommunicable understanding willing distinguished from the Father and the Holy-Ghost by his Personal property What is the Father the Son and Quâ—st 3. the Holy-Ghost The Father is Deus ingenitus sed Sol. generans God not begotten but begetting The Son is God begotten not begetting the Holy-Ghost God neither begetting nor begotten but proceeding How do the Persons differ Quest 4. They differ from the Essence as Sol. â— modus rei à re ipsa as the manner of a thing from the thing it self for a person is essentia divina modisicata or limited with a certain manner of subsisting Now would you understand how they differ among themselves you must know they do not differ in nature or being for the same nature and being is in all in the Deity there is not aliud aliud but alius alius the whole divine nature in each particular Person They differ these three waies 1. Respectu ordinis in regard of Order the Father is before the Son and Holy-Ghost not in time and in dignity for they are all Câ—-eternal and Coequal but in order the Father is before the son the Father and the Son before the Holy-Ghost 2. They differ in operationibus ad intra where the personal properties or actions in the Father differ from the Son because the Father begetteth the Son is begotten 3. In operationibus ad extra The Father worketh of himself by the Son the Son of the Father by the Holy-Ghost hence Creation is first attributed to the Father Redemption and dispensation to the Son Sanctification to the Holy-Ghost so that the same work is the work
Gods subsistence whose name is I am I will be 4. When all things shall come to nought friends riches health strength life and all and shall subsist no longer in thy self then God will subsist and make thee to subsist in eternal glory then will he say I am that I am thy reward to eternity thy happiness to eternity thy eternal comforter thy eternal God This sheweth the happiness of all Use 3. Gods servants because God doth ever subsist to direct them in all their ways to protect them in all their dangers to comfort them in all their tribulations and abundantly to reward them though they run thorow a thousand changes yet the Lord subsisteth the same to them and carries them thorow as upon Eagles wings let a christians condition change yet God will never leave him nor forsake him Then extol the name of this great Use 4. Jehovah Psal 68. 4. that is acknowledg that God onely is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is of himself and subsisteth by himself that God onely is Riches are not Prov. 23. 5. honours pleasures are not but God onely is by him thou dost subsist CHAP. VI. A Second point I draw from this that the Lord is Jehovah shall be this That the Lord will make good all Observ his promises to his Church and people because he is Jehovah 'T is said that now to them he will be made known by his name Jehovah that he is a God giving being to his promises commanding a full and due accomplishment of them In the handling this point I will do these four things 1. I shall shew the meaning of being made known by the name Jehovah Then 2. I will prove the point by Scripture then by reason 3. I will give the Rules concerning Gods fulfilling of promises 4. Then make Application 1. My name Jehovah implies these things in reference to his promises 1. That I the Lord am faithful in my promises will not deceive those that put their trust in me Let men believe what my mouth hath spoken and my power shall make my word to come to pass 2. That I the Lord am true in my Use 1. promises God is not as man or as the son of man he cannot lie promise one thing and mean another but what the Lord promiseth he decreeth to do Gods actions shall be and are as good as his words Hath the Lord promised deliverance from all trouble pardon of sins peace of Conscience grace and glory every good thing you shall see him true in all failing in none but all shall be made good to his Church and people 3. That I the Lord am constant in my promises Hath the Lord promised this or that mercy to his Church and people he will never repent of his promises Men often waver after promises made he will not waver nor breed suspicion in our hearts the Lord will firmly stand to his word I the Lord have made promises of mercy to my people the word is gone out of my mouth I will never go back from my word all the mercies and good things promised shall accompany my word The Lord hath said of his name Jehovah This is my name for ever and this is my memorial unto all generations Exod. 3. 15. A memorial of what things It is a memorial of Gods faithfulness truth and constancy in his promises that all succeeding generations shall see and acknowledge God to be faithful true and constant in keeping promises in full and due accomplishment of them I will ever be known to my Church and people by the name Jehovah CHAP. VII Sect. 1. NOw for proof of the Point first by Scripture The Lord glorieth in this title a God keeping Covenant what doth bind himself by promise in a Covenant he will not fail in one condition on his part he is circumstantially punctual Behold what he speaks of his Faithfulness in keeping Covenant Jer. 31. 35 36. Thus saith the Lord which giveth the Sun for a light by day and the ordinances of the Moon and of the Stars for a light by night which divideth the Sea when the waves thereof roar the Lord of Hosts is his name If those ordinances depart from before me saith the Lord then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a Nation before me for ever That look as the ordinances of the Sun Moon and Stars of Day and Night remain firm unalterable so shall his Promises and Covenant made to his Church and People be as firm and unalterable And v. 37. he addeth If Heaven above can be measured and the foundation of the Earth searched out beneath I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done saith the Lord. As he proveth the immutability of his Covenant and Promises from the immutability of the natural ordinances so here he proveth it from an impossible thing As 't is impossible to measure Heaven to search the Earth to its center so it is impossible that ever the Covâ—nant between God and his People should be broken All the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth Psal 25. 10. These two are coupled together because God truly performeth what he promiseth to his People sc his mercies his promises of pardon of sins sanctification life eternal direction of his people in the way to eternal life this is his way of mercy His way of truth is to fulfil these promises to command these loving kindnesses to come to all his people this is his way of truth Now these are called the ways of Jehovah because it is Gods constant and faithful course truly to perâ—orm his promises of Mercy S. Paul tells us 2 Tim. 2. 13. If we believe not yet he abideth faithful he cannot deny himself Though men should mistrust the fidelity of his Word and give no credit to him yet God abides faithful and constant in his Promises he cannot lie he will not deny himself Now God will perform all his promises because his Name is Jehovah It is observed by Zanchy that as often as God in his Prophets doth promise any great Mercy or threaten any grievous Judgment he makes mention of this Name Jehovah I am the Lord or Jehovah Take some instances for all Jer. 31. 31 32 33 34. a place full of federal Promises to his Church concerning his putting his Law into their inward parts and writing it on their hearts of enlightening their minds and pardoning the sins of his people and such like there he mentioneth this name divers time Thus saith the Lord or Jehovah Thus saith Jehovah I will make a new Covenant with them Thus saith Jehovah I will put my Law in their inward parts c. Thus saith Jehovah I will forgive their iniquities c. to shew that he will make good his promises they shall surely be pardoned they shall be sanctified they shall obey me The fifth Chapter of Ezekiel is full of severe threatnings of fearful Judgments and that those threatnings
ever he will never desert and forsake those that worship him in Spirit and truth but as he here promiseth Israel so he doth to all his servants the eternal God will be their refuge their habitation 2. If God be eternal then all those make an ill bargain that for the love of some base lust lose an eternal God who prefer the fruition of pleasures and profits before him What shall it profit a man to win the whole world and lose his own soul the same and more may be spoken to such persons what shall it profit a man to win a thousand worlds and to lose an eternal and immortal God The day is coming when all wretched worldlings shall cry out as Israel did at the sacrifice of Elijah The Lord God he is God the Lord God he is God Baal is not God so riches are not an eternal God honors are not an eternal God pleasures are not an eternal God but God only is eternal oh that I could now say the eternal God is mine It will be most just in that day for God to cast thee into eternal torments for rejecting him in this moment of thy life 3. Then surely they are blessed who have the eternal God for their resuge for their portion happy are the people that are in such a case saith the Psalmist Psal 144. ult speaking of outward prosperity who have barns and fields full of corn strong and fruitfull cattle Esau's blessing the â—atnesse of the earth but they rather are blessed that have the Lord to be their God who have the Lord for their portion who have the dew of heaven which is Jacobs blessing yea the very eternal God of heaven All earthly treasures which the word so greedily seeks after and on which wicked worldlings set their hearts will at one time or other take their wings and flee away and will be seen no more but the eternal God never forsakes those who take him for their refuge and portion he is eâ—ernal strength in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength Isa 26. 4. He gives eternal comforts eternal honours eternal riches eternal pleasures Psal 16. ult Eternal glory and if he be once thine he is thine to Eternity 4. Since God is eternal learn hence what ground we have to put all trust and confidence in him trust ye in the Lord for ever Psal 26. 4. There is no trust to the favour of creatures to man the greatest of men because their breath is in their nostrils the doors are always open mans breath goeth forth he returneth to his earth Psal 146. 4. but God lives for ever He is an eternal refuge therefore thou mayest trust to him always in all dangers His strength is eternal therefore thou mayest trust him in thy greatest weaknesses his mercy endureth for ever therefore thou shouldest never despair but trust in his mercy for ever and ever Psal 52. 8. All in God is eternal his Word his Faithfulness his Truth he keepeth truth for ever Psal 146. 6. 5. This should encourage us to undergo momentany crosses losses disgraces troubles for God when God calls us to it because he is eternal Suppose thou endurest the loss of riches they are but momentany God will be eternal riches If thou endurest momentany disgrace and dishonour God will give thee eternal honour and glory I reckon saith S. Paul that all the afflictions of this present time are not worthy to be compared with that glory that shall be revealed Rom. 8. 18. much less worthy are they to be compared with the eternal God of glory 6. Here is an Use of Terrour to wicked men who impenitently live and die in their sins for if God be eternal then your damnation your curse and sorrows in Hell shall be eternal The fire in hell is eternal fire because the eternal God made it and will preserve it to eternity therefore your damnation to that fire O sinners is eternal because God is an eternal Judge and his sentence and punishment shall be eternal Isa 30. 33. Tophet is ordained of old c. he hath made it deep and large the pile thereof is fire and much wood the breath of the Lord like a stream of brimstone doth kindle it CHAP. V. IN the next place consider if God be eternal then is he a King eternal and his dominion is for ever This may appear 1. From the continuance of his government and dominion even from the foundations of the world Earthly Kingdomes have had and have their waxings and wanes their increase and decrease their glorious exaltations and their heavy downfalls and ruinous desolations but the Kingdome of God is the same yesterday to day and for ever All creatures are under his dominion and in subjection to his commands now as at first there is no decay in his government nor in creatures obedience but still his will is fulfilled 2. By his continual protection of his Church and People from generation to generation his Church never wanted Enemies vowing the ruine and desolation of her from her foundation it hath been in all Ages like a Candle set upon the top of an high Hill the blustring winds of malice opposition and persecution pussing blowing and storming against it yet the Eternal King hath preserved it that they could never blow it ouâ— There is a whole Hell of Devils and a World of wicked Men whose hearts Satan hath filled with malice against the Church yet the gates of Hell could never prevail against it 3. Because God to day and yesterday binds the Consciences of men and so for ever Conscience is God's Vicegerent and Lord Deputy in the hearts of men that Government endureth his Laws do still bind the Conscience Men's Consciences are terrified for the breach of his Laws 't is none but he can speak peace or continue terrour 4. His Kingdome is for ever for at the destruction of the world he will reign as absolute King in Heaven and over Hell In Heaven a glorious King over Hell a just and terrible King honouring his Subjects with Crowns of immortal glory and punishing the Rebels with Chains of utter darknes he will tread down his Enemies and they shall be trodden down into the piâ— of everlasting confusion But it may be said Albeit God be Object an eternal King yet the Enemies do sometimes prevail against the Church how then doth he continually protect it 1. It is true they may and do prevail Sol. over part of the Church but not over the whole and never shall prevail they may destroy the suburbs of this holy City but never shall they rase Jerusalem down to the ground 2. They may and do sometimes prevail over persons not over the the cause which is the Truth of God and his â—eligion the bodies of God's Saints have been cast into the streets like mire by the Antichristian party but the Truths of God which they professed shall be preserved as a Jewel in a Cabâ—net 3. The sufferings of
the Saints are their spiritual warfare against the Enemies of Christ's Kingdome Consider this the Saints are never conquered though they suffer the spoiling of ther goods the loss of their lives and liberties While the ship is in a storm we cannot say 't is cast away but when it is split upon a rock and men and goods are sunk in the Sea So it is with Christians while they are in storms they are not cast away but when they make shipwrack of Faith Oh the dominion and power of God over the Enemies malice and a Christians heart that he is not cast away in such storms CHAP. VI. NOw as God's dominion and power so likewise his glory is eternal 1 Tim. 1. 17. the Apostle ascribes it to him Here I will give general Reasons for all 1. Because as God is from everlasting Reas 1. to everlasting Psal 90. 2. so whatsoever is in God is from everlasting to everlasting his dominion his power and glory all his prerogatives and properties are from everlasting to everlasting if his mercy enduseth for ever then his glory will endure for ever so his justice his power and all his divine excellencies being but the divine nature and essence endure for ever his glory then must endure for ever God is glorified in Heaven by his Saints because his mercy endureth for ever he is likewise glorified in Hell because his justice endureth for ever 2. Because God is absolutely independing Reas 2. above all things whatsoever therefore his dominion power and glory and all his divine excellencies are from eternity to eternity What is the reason that all the excellencies in the Creatures are not from eternity it is because they are depending and all came from an external cause Why are the Creatures and created excellencies mutable and fading It is because they depend upon that external cause and according to his withdrawing or putting forth his influence so the creatures do flourish or wither But God's dominion power and glory are originally from himself and not derivatively from an external cause therefore without beginning because he had none and shall have no end because there is none can put an end to his power and dominion 'T is by this eternal King that all earthly Kings do reign and from him they receive honour dominion power and riches and therefore at his pleasure they shall cast down their Crowns and Scepters before him but God reigneth by himself and hath his dominion power and glory in himself and from himself therefore it is from eternity to eternity In the last place the thoughts of this should wonderfully quicken us up to get an interest in this eternal and omnipotent King of glorious state Why do ye spend your days in the pursuit of perishing vanities Suppose you had a Kingdome in this world all the treasures riches strength and all the glory of an earthly Kingdome 't is somewhat that would perhaps make your hearts to overflow with joy and pride yet 't is nothing in comparison of an interest in God An earthly Kingdome is not for ever earthly Princes die like ordinary men then all their earthly honours pleasures treasures and riches die with them the World it self had a beginning and so shall have an end then shall all the glory of the world pass away but God is for ever his Kingdome power and glory are eternal therefore in getting an eternal God you shall obtain an eternal Kingdome and eternal glory Be you Judges whether it be not better to be godly how miserable soever for the present and to be glorious and happy in the enjoying of an eternal God for ever or to be rich potent and glorious in this present world and to be destroyed from the presence of God for ever Lay to heart these things Thy time is drawing nigh when all thy worldly pomp power riches honour credit esteem among the Rich in the world will be at an end if you neglect a diligent seeking after an eternal good what will ye do when your power and glory and esteem and riches shall fail and you have no interest in this God of eternal power and glory Wo unto you when you shall be thrown out of the world shut out of the Kingdom of God and be both thrown and trodden down for enemies into the burning prison to suffer the everlasting vengeance of the eternal King of glory A Discourse of Gods Infiniteness and Incomprehensibility 1 Kings 8. 27. But will God indeed dwell on the earth Behold the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee c. CHAP. I. THese words are part of the preface of Solomon's prayer which he made at the dedication of the Temple in which he sets out the incomparable excellency of God ver 23. And he said Lord God of Israel there is no God like to thee in heaven above or earth beneath who keepest Covenant and mercy with thy servants that walk before thee with all their heart Secondly he sets forth the admirable faithfulness of God in keeping covenant and performing promises ver 24. 25. Who hast kept with thy servant David that thou promised'st him thou spakest also wiih thy mouth and hast fulfilled it with thy hand as it is this day therefore now O Lord God of Israel keep with thy servant David my father that thou promisedst him c. In this verse he sets forth the incomprehensibleness and infinitenesse of his Majesty I shall a little explain the words before I handle the attribute from them But will God indeed dwel on the earth God is said to dwel in heaven per praesentiam gloriae by the presence of his glory because in heaven he sets out the fulness of his glory to the view of Angels and Saints He dwelleth in his Saints per praesentiam gratiae by his grace in their hearts He dweleth in his ordinances so he is said to dwel at Jerusalem because in and by his ordinances he communicateth himself to his people He dweleth every where by his essence and power in heaven earth hell These words shew that God dwels not in earth and much less in that Temple circumscriptivè as if so limited in one place as that he is no where else as bodily things are for here Solomon sheweth that God's essence is infinite and incomprehensible Behold the heaven and the heaven of heavens c. the highest heavens are of a most vast circumference and capacity and yet the heaven of heavens cannot comprehend the infinite essence of God so that his argument is a majori ad minus from the greater to the les if the highest and largest heavens cannot contain God much less this house which he had built which is of a far less capacity than the earth CHAP. II. Observ HEnce I note that God is an infinite and incomprehensible being here in the first place I will briefly shew what it is to be infinite for dâ—stinction of infinitenesse take one for all There is a
I will be sanctified by all them that draw nigh unto me Lev. 10. 3. 5. It sheweth us that we may pray to God in any place I will that men pray everywhere lifting up holy hands c. 1 Tim. 2. 8. We need not tye God to any place but in all places and at all times we may and must lift up pure hands because God is alwayes every-where present Then need we not to direct our prayers to any Saint or Angel what need such Will-worship when as God that heareth our prayers is alwayes nigh to all that call upon him There is as great a distance between us and the glorified Saints as the highest Heaven is from the earth we may cry to them from morning to evening and be no more comforted than Baal's Priests were when they cryed from Morning until Noon O Baal hear us CHAP. IX THe next Use shall be of Exhortation Vse 5. 5. to divers things 1. To walk continually in uprightness and sincere affection as in the presence of God How do Angels live how do glorified Saints live how holy how pure how heavenly are they because they stand continually before God Therefore I say to you as God to Abraham Be thou perfect though we cannot attain to Angelicaâ— perfection yet labour to walk in perfection of sincerity because God besets thee behind and before and observeth thy uprising and down-lying 2. To keep a strict watch over our hearts Keep thy heart above all keeping because God hath possession of thy heart Look to thy thoughts intentions and purposes What shall thy heart be a Den a Sty a Thorow-fare for vain thoughts proud thoughts unclean thoughts Beloved Hearers Are ye not ashamed to speak openly what your hearts do meditate upon and are ye not ashamed then to lodge such thoughts in Gods presence who is and will be a Witness and a Judge of your thoughts A vain mind is a very Atheistical mind he that is proud in his thoughts Adulterous in his thoughts is a very Atheist in his mind God doth in effect say to every sinner I am God and know your thoughts and will judge your thoughts I can see the world in thy thoughts I can see pleasures profits vanities in thy thoughts I can see thy Whores thy cups thy companions in thy thoughts but God is not in all thy thoughts God is most present and yet he is a stranger to thee 3. Be careful to approve your selves to God in an holy Conversation though the World scoff at you account you as Hypocrites for Humorists yet be zealous for God let the World judge as they please Say as David to Michal It is before the Lord I will be holy I will be zealous 4. It should encourage us to be abundant in private duties What! though the World behold you not praying giving Alms you have God beholding you in secret who is more than a world of eye-witnesses not an holy thought of God then which nothing can be more private shall go unrewarded Behold who is coming to give his sincere servants publick rewards of glory for private service let Pharisees have their loud Trumpets to sound forth their Alms God will be thy Trumpetter to speak forth thy private duties that Heaven Earth and Hell shall ring of it Angels and Saints Devils and wicked men shall hear what thou didst for God how uprightly thou didst serve him and walkedst in sincerity before him 6. If God be Omnipresent then Use 6. here is matter of singular comfort to the godly in all afflictions he is and will be a present help to thee in all places in all troubles why should ye be terrified with fears of evil when as God is present Art thou a close Prisoner and in Bonds for Christs sake God is present with thee in Prison Nunquà m minûs solus quà m cùm solus A close Prisoner of Jesus Christ may say he is never less alone than when alone When thy Father and Mother shall forsake thee or cannot or will not own thee help thee and be present with thee God is then present Do evil men plot thy destruction or thy trouble they cannot harm thee because God is present If thou shouldest run thorow St. Pauls troubles all kind of troubles in all places God saith to thee as Ruth to Naomi Where thou goest thither will I go where thou dwellest Isa 42. 1 2 there will I dwell I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Fear not O Israel for I have redeemed thee I have called thee by thy name thou art mine When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee and through the rivers they shall not overflow thee when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle upon thee David was resolved against all fears of man and of all evil Psal 118. 6 7. The Lord is on my side I will not fear what man can do unto me the Lord taketh my part with them that help me therefore shall I see my desire upon mine enemy A midst thine enemies thou shalt have his presence of protection in thy troubles thou shalt have the presence of his supporting comforts in thy temptations the presence of his grace in thy death the presence of his Spirit the presence of his comforts and joyous favour and after death thou shalt enjoy the presence of his glory in which there is fulness of joy and life for evermore A Discourse of Gods Omniscience Psal 94. 8 9 10. Understand O ye brutish among the people and ye fools when will ye be wise He that planted the ear shall he not hear He that formed the eye shall he not see He that chastiseth the Heathen shall not he correct He that teacheth man knowledge shall not he know CHAP. I. FRom God's Omnipresence I proceed to his Omniscience for seeing all things are done in his presence he cannot but know all things he being intimately and indistantially present to every creature and in every creature he must necessarily know the creatures and all their actions inward outward in all circumstances Now for the coherence and opening of these words In the two fiâ—st Verses the Psalmist makes earnest request to God to whom all vengeance belongeth that being Juâ—ge of the world he would lift up his iron rod of vengeance and break to piecâ—s the proud of the earth In the five following Verses he describeth the wicked upon whom he prays divine vengeance may fall 1. They were proud and insolent boasting of their own heart's desire triumphing in their ungodly courses v. 4 5 2. They were such who for a long season had abused the patience of God therefore the Prophet cries out How long Lord shall the wicked thus triumph They grow the more wicked and insolent because thou Lord takest not vengeance long impunity breed's impenitency and impudency Therefore how long Lord shall the wicked triumph how long shall they utter and speak hard things
I know what manner of works they are 2. The Lord knows our hearts he knows the sinfulness of the heart he knows the deceitfulnesse of the heart he knows wâ—at abominations are in the heart The heart of man is deceitfull above all things and desperately wicked who can know it he answereth I the Lord search the heart I try the reins even to give every man according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doings Jerem. 17. 9. 10. The Lord knoweth all the errors and sins which thou didst act in thy heart who can understand his error saith David cleanse thou me from the secret faults Psal 19. 12. They are a people that do erre in their hearts saith the Lord. Psal 95. 10. God knows all the thoughts of our hearts how momentany suddain and transient soever they be though they come in and go out again in a moment in the twinckling of an eye yet he knows and observes them all The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man that they are vanity Psal 94. 11. Job acknowledgeth this to God I know that thou canst do every thing and that no thought is with-holden from thee Job 42. 2. He knoweth all the imaginations of man's heart God saw that the wickedness of man was great upon earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually Gen. 6. 5. The Lord likewise knoweth all the purposes and intentions and counsels of the heart he knoweth what your aimes are in all your undertakings whether you intend his glory or your own self interest his word is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Heb. 4. 12. When the Jews came with questions to Christ as if they desired to be informed by him our Saviour knowing their thoughts knew that they came to entrap him 3. The Lord knoweth all the words that we speak There is not a word in my tongue but loe Oh Lord thou knowest it altogether Psal 139. 4. The Lord knows every idle word that you speak and will one day bring you to an account for it Matt. 12. He hath likewise a book of remembrance to set down every good word that they that fear the Lord speak one to another Malach. 3. 16. 3. God knoweth all things to come Thou understandest my thoughts afar off saith David Psal 139. 2 When God sent Moses to Pharaoh he tells him I am sure that the King of Egypt will not let you go no not by a mighty hand and I will stretch out my hand and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof and after that he will let you go Exod. 3. 19. 20. so he speaks of the Israelites I know their imaginations which they go about even now before I have brought them into the land which I sware Deut. 31. 21. CHAP. IV. Of the Properties of God's Knowledg NOw concerning the Properties of God's Knowledg we are to understand that 1. God beholdeth all things uno intuitu by one simple act not by divers as Angels and Men do he knoweth all things intuitivè not discursivè or successivè as a man may see many particular objects at once that lie before him but God sees infinite objects intuitively at once and therefore all things are said to be before him even things past and things to come there is no praeterition nor futurition in God's Knowledg to speak properly for all things are present before him 2. God knoweth all things most perfectly and evidently not in part or obscurely as men do but he knoweth all things fully and exactly his knowledg is a perfect knowledg that cannot be increased or diminished God most perfectly knoweth himself he also most perfectly knoweth all other things besides himself His understanding is infinite Psal 147. 5. he knoweth things actually infinite 3. God knoweth all things distinctly not confusedly or universally but he knoweth every particular and individual whatsoever and by this distinct and proper knowledg he knoweth singular things to come even contingent for to him their first cause they are necessary things in respect of second causes contingent and by this distinct knowledg of his he knoweth all the circumstances of all our words and actions with all the aggravations of them as to persons time place c. The Lord distinctly knoweth the persons of all his chosen people The foundation of the Lord standeth sure having this seal The Lord knoweth who are his 2 Tim. 2. 19. I am the good shepherd and know my sheep saith our Saviour Joh. 10. 14. he knoweth all their names So the Lord to Moses Thou hast found grace in my sight and I know thee by name Exod. 33. 17. he knoweth the number even of the very hairs of their heads they are all numbred by him Luk. 12. 7. 4. God knoweth all things necessarily immutably and infallibly God is his own knowledg he understandeth all things therefore necessarily and infallibly neither can the knowledg of God be any more deceived than his will this knowledg of God is semper eadem always the same not subject to any change or alteration There be many devices in man's heart but the counsel of the Lord that shall stand Prov. 19. 21. CHAP. V. Reasons to prove God's Omniscience THere are many Reasons may be given to prove God is Omniscient 1. Because God created all things Reas 1. therefore no creature is hid from him but is open and naked before him because all are the works of his hands Now the Rule is this Agentes cum consilio those Agents that do work with counsel do know all their works and what Agent worketh with counsel if the most wise God doth not He makes all things with most deliberate and wise counsel so then for the things themselves God doth fully know them making them by his knowledg and wise counsel he knoweth thee likewise unless thou wilt deny thy self to be his Creature 2. Because there is no action which Reas 2. any creature doth but God cooperates and concurreth with and in the action God enableth natural causes to produce natural actions contingent causes to produce contingent actions free and voluntary agents to produce free and voluntary actions You cannot think a thought you cannot speak a word you cannot do an action without God 'T is the Lord enableth you to lie down to rise up or whatsoever any man doth the Lord enables him to do it yea no wicked man can commit sin act sin either in secret or in publique if God did not uphold him in the act every action as it is an action is from God but the sinfulness or obliquity of it is from the Devil or our selves the Drunkard could not go to an Ale-house nor the Adulterer to the house of the strange woman if God did not uphold them in their actions and motions in Him the worst sinner liveth moveth and hath his being even in the worst action that he goes about Therefore
God must needs know all because God doth not concurr with the creature ignorantly or rashly but with knowledge and counsel 3. God must necessarily know all Reas 3. things because there is nothing done but what God did fore know and from eternity decree should come to pass All his decrees are acts of the Understanding and Will of God but God did decree what should be God knoweth he can make a thousand Worlds and many thousand Creatures more than he hath made onely God decrees to make but so many who took an handful of clay out of the infinite mass and made this world So there is no action of any creature but God hath decreed it as it is an action therefore he must needs foreknow it There is not a thought in thy mind nor a word in thy tongue nor an action of thy hand but comes within rhe compass of God's decree therefore he is said to know our thoughts afar off and the same may be said concerning his knowledg of our words and actions yea every circumstance of all thy actions what words or what thoughts at such a time of such an object therefore he must needs know all things altogether 4. God doth order guide direct Reas 4. all creatures and their actions to some determinate end therefore he must needs know all things otherwise he could not guide and direct them He guides and governeth all the inanimate creatures and all the brutish creatures to their proper particular ends Yea when the World seemeth to be all out of order the course of nature to be in a confusion God wisely guideth tumults and confusions to a good end God doth order guide and direct the sins of wicked men therefore he must needs know all their sins he prefixeth a time how long they shall sinne the number of their sins the measure of their sins therefore he must needs know all their sins he could not otherwise guide direct limit permit restrain them wicked men cannot sin when they please nor do what they list 5. Because God's understanding is Reas 5. infinite intensivè extensivè His understanding is his own Essence therefore he must know infinite objects which could not be if he did not know all things every particular individual object that is or can be Whither shall I go from thy Spirit saith David Psal 139. 7. that is from Gods understanding so Spirit is taken there I can go no where but God will know where I am what I do think or speak in Heaven in Hell at the uttermost part of the earth in dark or lightsom places Gods Spirit is there he understandeth and knoweth what thou and I do 6. Again we may draw a Reason from two Instances 1. That God knoweth what every man doth in publique or secret may appear by the griping accusations of our own Consciences bringing to mind our old transgressions acted a gâ—eat while since and it may be forgotten for a long time yet Conscience hath brought them to mind Now who make Conscience to consider and to call to mind by-past transgressions but God who is greater than our Consciences and knoweth all things and presenâ—s these to the eye of our Consciences And what is the language of our Conscience but God will judge thee for these things 2. Again God manifesteth the knowledge of all our counsels plots and secret devices because he often turneth the malicious counsels of Devilish Achitophels into their own shame and destruction 'T is God that knoweth the thoughts of men to be vanity and turneth their thoughts into vanity their wisdom into folly their mischievous plots into their own downfall and destruction he takes the wise in their own craft God did reveal to David what the men of Keilah would do to him and how Saul would follow him to Keilah and so disappointed them this is a most pregnant Argument of Gods Omnisciency When wicked men sit and take counsel together against the Lord and his Anointed God sits in Heaven and laughs them to scorn 7. Because without knowledge of Reas 7. all particulars of our thoughts words and actions with all their circumstances God who is the just Judge of all the world cannot give righteous judgment God hath said That he will judge every man according to his works which he cannot did not he know the actions of men good and evil with all their circumstances Verily saith our Saviour Men shall give an account of every idle word then God must know every word altogether that we speak In the last day God will judge the secrets of mens hearts how can he judge thee for thy secret thoughts and intents and aims if the Lord did not know thy thoughts every particular action of thy mind though they pass away in thy mind in a moment Gods judgment is infallible if he did not know all he may be deceived and we might hide many things from God Gods judgment is true did not he know all things he would not know how to judge men either to eternal death or eternal life Gods judgment shall be perfectly proportionable to the good or evil actions of men How can he render proportionable vengeance to wicked men and render to every man according to his works if he did not know all particulars Gods judgment will be publique in respect of bringing to light all secret wickednesses and all secret duties and this he could not do did not he know all things CHAP. VI. Sect. 1. 1. THe first Use of this Point is for Vse 1. Terrour to the wicked whose atheistical hearts licence them to commit sin upon this blasphemous conceit Tush God knows not what we do God regards and sees us not Well! He that made the eye and gives to thee a seeing eye he sees thee there is for all thy actions He that gave man the hearing ear he heareth every word there is for all thy words He that gives to man the knowing heart he knoweth all there is for all thy thoughts Therefore rejoyce thou Atheist and let thy heart chear thâ—e be filthy still in thy thoughts and affections be thou unjust still in thy words and actions but yet know the Lord knows all and for these things will bring thee to Judgmâ—nâ— Mark what God will one day say to the wicked and all Hypocrites Depart from me ye wicked I kniw you not ye workers of iniquity You may see God is said to know and not to know the wicked He knows that they are workers of iniquity and knows all their works He knows the Drunkard and his drunkenness c. He knows their persons and their actions so as to hate them He knows them so as to bring them to judgment for all their works of iniquity He knows them so as to take vengeance on them and to destroy them from his blessed presence but yet God knows them not so as to approve of their persons or courses so as to shew them the least
love the least favour or mercy God will say to them I know you not so as to have any communion with you to eternity you shall never know me nor I you better it were to be stricken thorow with a thousand Thunderbolts than to hear God say Depart I know you not So God retaliates wicked men in their own Coyn. The profane Drunkard saith to God Tush thou God knowest us not or seest us not And the Lord in answer saith Tush thou Drunkard I know thee not therefore depart from me Depart from us saith the wicked man we desire not or love not the knowledge of thy wayes the Lord answers them Depart from me I desire not thy company in my Kingdom When God shall thus doom them the wicked themselves shall admire Gods knowledge of them and their wayes when he shall bring to mind their transgressions then they shall be forced to say to their shame and confusion Verily there is not and cannot be a thought in my mind but thou Lord knowest it altogether 2. The second Use is of Reproof Use 2. to those that excuse or hide their sins or like the Harlot Prov. 7. Wipe their mouths and say they have done no evil when she had committed Adultery All excuses and whatsoever men use to justifie themselves are meer vanity because God knows thy ways altogether and will condemn thee yea with a severe condemnâ—tion and that because thou dost justifie thy self Some men conceive themselves to be innocent because the darkness coveâ—s them and their sins but God is light and light will discover the ugly deeds of dâ—rkness to thâ— shame and damnation Some men justifie themselves because of sâ—crefie they act sin in their thoughts and God will condemn them in publique view Job saith How should man be just with God if he will contend with him he cannot answer him one of a thousand Job 9. 2 3. He will bâ—ing forth a thousand sins to condemn hiâ— Job would not justifie himself If I justifie my self mine own mouth shall condemn me if I say I am perfect it shall also prâ—ve me perverse ver 30 31. If I wash my self with Snow-water and make my hands never so clean yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch and mine own cloaths shall abhor me Though thou wash thy self with Snow-water and to publick view thou hast a Snow-like innocency yet God will plunge thee in a Ditch thou wilt be as vile and loathsom in Gods eyes as if thou wert vvallovving in a miry Ditch Sect. 2. 3. The third Use may serve for Use 3. Exhortation to humble our selves before God not to hide or extenuate any sin but lay open our selves to the utmost by acknovvledging all to him vvho is greater than our hearts and knovvs all 1. It is a foolish conceit to think vve inform God by our Self-accusations and confessions God knevv all before and therefore Self-accâ—sâ—tion and confession is for our ovvn abasement and the magnifying of Gods grace to justifie him in all this is and must be the end of all our confessions It is impossible for any one to make a particular confession of all his sins yet God knovvs all both the unknovvn errous and the confessed transgrâ—ssions 2. It is as fond likevvise to fear to confess sins for fear of shame and sorrovv issuing from it because God knovving vvhat sins vve are guilty of can shame and sadden us if vve confess them not God can set our sins in order before us if vve foolishly cast them behind our backs Oh vvhat shame of face and horrour of spirit vvill seize upon all those vvho hide their sins vvhen God that knovvs all shall vvitness to their faces that these things they have done When God shall say You thought that I vvas an ignorant God that I savv not neither regarded vvhat you did in your bodies Lo all ye Angels and Saints these sins did this man commit let him deny one sin among a thousand if he can his ovvn Conscience is my Witnes I vvill appeal to himself and let the vvicked man speak vvhether he be not guilty of all the sins that I novv lay to his charge Therefore Brethren Humble your selves for your secret sins before the great day come when God shall judge the secrets of your hearts If ye will not humble your selves before God the just God wâ—ll humble you to the lowest Hell If you will not confess what God knoweth and your own Conscience with him God will witness all your sins to your faces before Angels Men and Devils Sect. 3. 4. Doth the Lord know all things Use 4. perfectly and infallibly the secret thoughts intents and purposes of all our hearts Then let us be admonished of these following things 1. Let us take heed of acting private sins for God knows what thou art doing He whose eyes are fiery flaming eyes seeth what thou dost in the darkest corner If I say surely the darkness shall cover me even the night shall be light about me yea the darkness hideth not from thee but the night shineth as the day the darkness and the light are both alike to thee Psal 139. 11 12. There is nothing covered that shall not be revealed nor hid that shall not be known Lâ—k 12. 2. Yea there is no sin done covertly and closely but the Lord knoweth it 2. Be sure to walk uprightly and whatsoever ye do do all for God for upright ends for Gods eye of approbation is not upon our duties and works so much as iâ— is upon the sincerity and perfectness of our hearts he discerneth the secret intents of our hearts Hebr. 4. 13. Fair pretences like Jacoh's disguise may make men to hope well and to judge well of men and as Isaac blessed Jacob instead of Esau so may men bless God for your gifts parts dutâ—es and bless you too but the Lord knows all your pretences to be but vain and looks thorough them upon your hearts It is a frequent phrase used of the Kings of Judah They did what was right in the sight of the Lord yet the Lord regarded neither them nor their right actions because they did not right actions with an upright and perfect heart Men may pray and do other duties which are right in Gods eye but 't is the heart the uprightness and perfection of it that makes the work or duty gracious so that the Lord knows with what hearts men do duties confess his Name profess Religion c. 3. Seeing God knows all hears all sees all then so think speak and do all as before one whose eye is upon all thy wayes thoughts and actions Would any proud unchaste or wicked thoughts be harboured by us did we consider that God understood them afar off I may invert that speech of the Apostle to servants exhorting them not to serve their Masters with eye-service implying they should be faithful and diligent in their absence as well as in their Masters presence but walk ye
more to depend upon him in present or in future states and conditions because he is a God that changeth not Are the like fears difficulties dangers upon thee now remember the Lord is the same who changeth not and he will give the like comforts support deliverance as formerly he did David did find a change of his conditions but never found a change in God but when he made him his trust he found God alwayes his Deliverer and Câ—mforter Not only our experience but whatsoever we find Recorded what God hath done for other Saints may strengthen our trust in God Put thou thy trust in God and he will do for thee as great things because he is the same God Did he deliver Lot he can deliver thee Hath God pardoned others he can pardon thee and will do it if thou repentest There is no shadow of change in God but he is immutably merciful and gracious Brethren take the Bible read over the several passages of Gods Wisdom Grace Mercy Power Goodness to his Children and know whatsoever is written is written for your learning and comfort make ye the like use of God who is alwayes the same and changeth not There is no condition can befall thee but in this Paradise thou maist find an healing Herb apply thou the same promises to thy self Sect. 6. 6. If God be unchangeable in his Use 6. Decrees Promises and Gifts what Comfort doth it speak to all the Godly for being once made holy you are immutably holy and shall be immutably happy Gods Immutability is the Jachin and Boaz the firm and inconcussible Pillars of our salvation never shall a child of God fall away finally from God because his Eternal Election is an immutable Decree ordaining thee to holiness to glory his promises are unchangeable Hath God spoken the word it is the word of an immutable God that hath said Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast off Joh. 6. 37. Fear not God will never cast thee off Hath God said That he will put his fear into thy heart that thou shalt never depart from him Fear not falling away though a thousand Devils suggest to thee that thou wilt prove an Apostate and wilt before death depart from God Fear not I say thou jealous Christian God hath promised that thou shalt never depart from him All the Devils in Hell all the glory and miseries in the world all the lusts in thy heart shall never pull thee off from Gods hand for every child of God is a precious Signet on Gods right hand Gods promises are immutable therefore thy state of grace is unchangeable The gifts and calling of God are without repentance Art thou called from a state of Nature to Grace from sin to Christ thou art immutably called Art thou justified thou art immutably justified Ye that are godly take comfort in this ye are eternally immutably gracious and holy and shall be immutably glorious and happy though death change thee yet the Lord our God changeth not and at the Resurrection day thy corruption shall be changed into an immutable state of immortality how unhappy poor miserable despicable soever you are for the present ye shall be changed into an immutable state of happiness because the Lord our God is unchangeable Lastly If God be immutable and Use 7. change not then endeavour to be like unto your God our constancy is our likeness to God's Immutability 1. Be constant in thy Affections to God maintain a burning love to him maintain a vehement desire after him God likes not ebbs and flows in our Affections he regards not blazing Affections like Straw-fires that are quickly in and quickly out He loves thee to the end John 13. 1. Do thou love him to the end he rejoyceth over thee to the end do thou rejoyce in the Lord alwayes Phil. 4. 4. 2. Be constant and immutable in your Promises Covenants Resolutions and Purposes which ye make to God Oh never deny thy self and lye to thy God in promising to be His and then fall off and serve thy lusts far be it from thee 3. Be constant and immutable in all thy Duties and in a course of holines Pray continually rejoyce evermore in every thing give thanks Hear the Word upon every occâ—sion walk all the dayes of thy life in the fear of God all things to thee are Mercy and Truth let all thy wayes be Sincerity and Righteousness God will make thee immutably happy and glorious if thou wilt be constant to him as the old men said to Rehoboam concerning the Tribes of Israel Be thou theirs to day and they will be thine for ever So say I to thee Be thou the Lords to day and he will be thine for ever A Discourse of God's Invisibility 1 Tim. 1. 17. Now unto the King eternal immortal invisible c. be honour and glory for ever and ever Amen CHAP. I. SAint Paul having in the foregoing part of this chapter laid down the sâ—pâ—rabundant grace of God in Christ in making him of a persecutor to become a nursing father of the Church of one that was injurious to the saints to be most loving and tenderly affected to them of a blasphemer to be an excellent preacher of the Gospel and in receiving him into special favour that was the chiefest of sinners such are the the miraculous effects of God's superabundant grace in Christ here his zeal love and thankfulness to God breaks forth into fervent praising of God giving him the honour due unto his name Now to the King eternal invisible c. be honour and glory for ever and ever Amen As if he should say seeing God hath evidently manifested to me his goodnesse grace and mercy in my conuersion let him have all the honour and glory for ever and ever And lest his conversion should seem strange he sheweth who was the Author of it 'T is God that hath converted me who is an eternal King who can do all things with whom nothing is impossible the eternal King can raise children out of stones can make the greatest sinner the greatest Saint 'T is an immortal God who ever liveth and can give life to the dead he that can make the earth to yield up her dead he can make the graves of sin likewise to give up their dead this immortal God raised up me from this death of sin It is an Invisible God man cannot see him nor his way of working his works are visible but the manner of his working is Invisible that Paul was a convert is as clear as the sun shinneth but the manner of Gods working in his conversion was invisible it was above the ken of a carnal eye It is a wise God who sweetly ordereth wisely brings to passe his counsels therefore it is not impossible with God to convert the greatest sinners Here you see are four attributes given to God 1. King everlasting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 King of Ages so called for two reasons 1. Because
consideration of God's perfection may teach us what a woful creature a wicked man is Hell is not more contrary to Heaven and the blackness of darkness to the brightest shine then a wicked man is opposite to God The Lord is perfectly full of all divine excellencies and perfections A wicked man is full of all hideous deformities and imperfections God is perfectly pure the wicked are perfectly impure God perfectly holy and righteous the wicked perfectly unholy and full of all unrighteousness You that call God Father as there is no wicked man but calleth God Father if he be your Father where is your perfection of likeness of resemblance to him What to be a swinish drunkard is this to be perfect as God is perfect What to be unclean and filthy is this Gods perfection the most pure and perfect God disclaims you all and looketh upon you as Bastards and not as Sons and gives you up to your Father the Devil You are perfect as the Devil your Father is perfect perfectly wicked perfectly blasphemous perfectly hating holiness hating it with a perfect hatred And God will make the impenitent to be like the devil perfectly cursed and perfectly miserable as the Devil is A discourse concerning Gods Omnipotency Gen. 17. 1. I am the Almighty God Walk before me and be thou perfect CHAP. I. I Proceed to another of Gods glorious attributes viz. his Power or Omnipotency whereby he is able to do whatsoever is possible whatsoever pleaseth him but before I handle it I will first open the Text. God as we may see in the foregoing Chapters had vouchsafed to speak to Abraham four times First In Chaldea Gen. 12. 1. when he bade him to leave his Country and Kindred promising to bless him and of him to make a great Nation Sâ—condly he appeared to him in Sichem in the land of Canaan Chap. 12. 7. promising him that land for his inheritance Thirdly At Bethel after Lots departure from him Gen. 13. 14. There he promiseth him a numbeâ—less posterity Fourthly At Hebron Gen. 15. 13. Now in this Chapter is Gods appearing to Abraham the â—ifth time and for the time when God appeared to him it is here set down when Abraham was ninety nine years old the place where is concealed It is thought to have been in Hebron it is very probable that this apparition of God was visible because Abraham being struck with a reverential fear of God fell on his face Chap. 17. 3. At this time God doth renew the Covenant and his promises made with Abraham long before and for confirmation hereof God did ordain â—ircumcision to be a sign and seal of the Covenant to all generations For the description of the Covenant it is first in general Secondly more specially described The general description is in the Text This is the very sum of the Covenant it sheweth the interchangeable on mutual bargain Covenant or promise between God and Abraham The Covenant on Gods part is I am God Almighty The Covenant on Abrahams part is Walk before me and be thou perfect Now for the opening of the words I am the Almighty God I am 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here are two names of God El which denoteth the power and strength of God I am a strong powerful God I make all things and uphold all things by the word of my power and Shaddai this hath two significations it is translated Almighty or Omnipotent from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 destruere to destroy because God is a strong God to destroy his enemies the strongest creatures are not able to stand before him if his wrath be kindled but a little or it signifieth his Alsufficiency I am God alsufficient either from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mamma signifying a Dugg because God filleth every living thing with every good thing or else from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qui est sufficiens who is self-sufficient and all-sufficient he needeth nothing to make him happy and he is able to make all others happy The Septuagint leaves out the Epithite Almighty and reâ—deth the words Ego sum Deus tuus I am thy God I am the Almighty God This doth not onely set forth what God is in himself but what God is to Abraham and to all the faithful seed I am thine Almighty God I am Almighty to save thee Almighty to destroy thine enemies This title or Epithet calleth for three things from all that enter into Covenant with God 1. To reverence and worship his glorious and Almighty Majesty Abraham in token of his reverence and adoration presently fell upon his face 2. To trust in him as if God had said Know for certain what I covenanâ— to do I will do for I am Almighty there is no good so great but I can and will give it to you there is no evil so great and terrible but I can and will remove and keep off from the people that are in Covenant with me 3. I am God Almighty Therefore fear to provoke me to anger it is in vain for proud miscreants to rise up in Rebellion against me for I am an Almighty God I can and shall easily destroy you This is the Covenant on Gods part which is promissory Now the Covenant on Abrahams part is obligatory binding Abraham and all the faithful to walk before God in uprighteousness The people in covenant with God are bound to perform two things 1. To walk before God This phrase imports this sc what the constant course of people in Covenant with God is for walking in Scripture denoteth the whole course and progress of a mans life from step to step till he cometh to the end of his life and it concerneth faith and manners to walk before God or with God It is to beleive in God to put all thy trust in him to depend upon God onely to serve him onely to obey him according to his will Or in a word walking before God or with God importeth these two things 1. To embrace the promises by faith 2. To do all duties and acts of obedience which God requireth And be thou perfect Here is modus ambulandi the modification of a Christian course that we walk before God sincerely and uprightly without hypocrisie and dissimulation to have a due respect to all Gods Commandments to be consciencious of all duties little and great and not to fail in any I shall now speak of the first interpretation I am the Almighty God and shall first treat of these words absolutely not as they are Gods promise what he will be to all that are in Covenant with him CHAP. II. GOd is an Almighty God Here Observ you have his own testimony what a God he is who knoweth his own strength and power I am God Almighty So when he appeared to Jacob Gen. 45. 11. I am God Almighty Rev. 1. 8. he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Almighty I know some distinguish these two words