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
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
what the Lord Jehovah doth fot thee it is for the best 3. That the Lord performeth his Promises in his own time not in times that we prescribe to him Heb. 4. 16. He will give grace and mercy in a time of need 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in opportunum auxilium for a seasonable aid It is said 2 Cor. 6. 2. In a time accepted have I heard thee and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee Therefore blessed is the man that waiteth always when Gods time begins to dawn then mercy shall shine forth The Israelites did endure a long and sore bondage in Egypt did groan heavily yet Moses came not to deliver them till the appointed time came 4. When God's determinate time is come then he will be made known by his Name Jehovah the Lord is very punctual in the observation of moments days and years as the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt was at the end of 430. years determined before and then Moses came at the fulness of time Christ came in the flesh so in the fulness of time pardon of sin peace of conscience comfort and deliverance shall come or whatsoever it be thou standest in need of When we would have things done in our time the Lord answers us as Christ did his Mother complaining there was no Wine Woman what have I to do with thee mine hour is not yet come Joh. 2. 4. When his hour was come then he turned Water into Wine So when thou art in affliction thou prayest Lord comfort now send deliverance now send assurance now our Saviour answereth My time is not yet come when that is come then will I turn thy Water into Wine then be it unto thee according to thy faith 5. Now the Rule for temporal Promises is though godliness hath an interest title and claim to all the Promises of this life yet the Lord performeth not all the promises of this life to all that are Godly but gives to all that which is good for them Now the goodness of an outward thing lies not in the nature of a mercy as in the conveniency and fitness of the mercy to thy heart Though godly men can lay claim to all Promises yet all godly men have not fit hearts for all Promises As for instance Every godly man hath the promises of Riches of Honours of Long-life but every godly man hath not an heart fit for Riches or Honours Should God give them Riches they would perhaps wax proud careless loose wanton and their hearts being puffed up would make them kick and spurn against God therefore God in his wisdome debarreth them from Riches When godly men put temporal promises in suit in the Court of Request God answereth them as our Saviour answered the Mother of Zebedee's children that desiâ—ed that her two sons might sit one at his right hand the other at his left hand in his Kingdome Ye know not what ye ask can ye be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with So ye may ask for Honours and Riches but ye know not what ye ask saith our Saviour can ye be poor can ye be contented can ye be meek and lowly can ye endure tribulation and persecution for righteousness sake CHAP. IX NOw I proceed to make Application of the Point The first Use shall be for terrour to Vse 1. all such as go on in their sins hearing what the just and faithful God doth threaten The Lord Jehovah is as true faithful and constant in his threatnings as in his promises what he hath spoken shall undoubtedly fall upon the generation of the ungodly he will be made known to the wicked by his name Jehovah in the full execution of his threatnings as in the full performance of his promises to the godly and both in due time As in Heaven all the Saints will put their seals to the Lord's truth and faithfulness in his promises so in Hell all the damned will put to their seals that God is true in his threatnings Lay your ears a while to the gates of Hell and hearken to the howling outcries that the damned Drunkards make crying out to those that were their pot-companions that are yet upon the face of the earth Oh ye swinish Drunkards that are yet living believe what your faithful Ministers say unto you from God it is most true what you have been told that no Drunkard shall inherit the Kingdome of God God hath made himself known to us to be Jehovah faithful in his threatnings to us poor creatures Attend to the howling of the damned in Hell and may ye not hear them cry out to you Hearken ye proud wretches will ye proud creatures see that God resisteth the proud oh look upon us that are turn'd into hell for our pride we see we feel now the cursed fruits of our pride Then will the adulterer and the lustful wanton cry out to their companions here upon earth that went with them to harlots Houses Oh we burned in lust and now we suffer the vengeance of eternal fire the Lord hath now made good his threatnings against us Consider what God speaks of his threatnings in Ezek. 5. 13. 15. Then shall mine anger be accomplished and I will cause my fury to rest upon them and I will be comforted and they shall know that I the Lord or Jehovah have spoken it in my zeal when I have accomplished my fury in them so it shall be a reproach and a taunt an instruction and an astonishment unto the nations that are round about thee when I shall execute judgments in thee in anger and in fury and in furious rebukes then he confirmeth it thus I Jehovah have spoken it Threâ— things I will commend to the consideration of all persons concerning Gods threatnings 1. Consider seriously the Lord who threatens thee he is not a man that he will repent he cannot lie but what his mouth hath uttered shall come to pas if he hath threatned damnation to thee O impenitent sinner damnation shall be thy portion if God hath spoken against such a Nation People or Peâ—son that they shall be pluck't up and destroyed it shall certainly come to pass except they repent 2. Consider how God hath threatned and also executed judgment accoâ—ding to his threâ—tnings upon the woâ—ld the old world was drowned according to his threatenings by his name Jehovah he was made known unto them He hath inflâ—cted his judgments upon the Church the vequintessence of the whole world Jerusalem was threatened Jerusalem was accordingly plagued he hath inflicted Judgments according to his threatnings upon his own children the very quintessence of his Church David a man after Gods own heart felt the force of his threatnings And as for particular persons let drunkards look upon Belshazzer let Adulterers look upon Zimry let all profane persons look upon Esau let Worldlings consider Judas and as our Saviour said to the Jews speaking of the death of those men upon whom the Tower of
Siloam fell except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish so say I to all Drunkards and all profane persons Except ye repent ye shall likewise perish because God is Jehovah true and faithful in all his threatnings 3. Consider thine own sins and what God hath threatned against thee if thou persistest in thy Sins Art thou a drunkard consider what God hath spoken against this sin and go home and tremble lest the Lord Jehovah bring that evil upon you hath God said that all the wicked shall be turned into hell then let all wicked wretches fear and tremble lest God indeed turn them into hell for he is the Lord Jehovah CHAP. X. VVIll God make good all his Vse 1. promises to his church and people because he is Jehovah then if ever you desire the accomplishment of Gods promises see that you get into Christ for the Lord is onely made known by his name Jehovah to such as are in Christ all the promises of God in him are yea and in him Amen 2. Cor. 1. 20. In Christ they are all Amen so be it Hath God promised deliverance comfort assurance grace glory whatsoever his promises be they are all in Christ yea and Amen let pardon be given to him that is in Christ let comfort and assurance be given to him that is in Christ c. For God is Jehovah that makes all the promises Christ is the meritorious cause of all the promises he purchased both the making and the performance of them Christ is the ratifier of all the promises he confirmes them to us his blood is the blood of the Covenant Christ is the treasurer of all God's promises all are kept and lock't up within the breasts of Christ and none shall have any but from him Christ is the fulfiller of all the promises therefore if you expect grace peace assurance pardon as they are promised see that ye be first in Christ by faith faith is as instrumentally necessary as Christ is meritoriously necessary The Lord Jehovah answereth every believer that pleads promises Be it unto thee according to thy faith Dost thou ask for pardon dost thou believe is Jehovah's answer if so then be it unto thee as thou wilt A wicked man out of Christ may as soon pluck a star out of the firmament as the performance of one promise to himself CHAP. XI THis point speaks comfort to all Use 3. that are believers what greater comfort can be to such than to have an interest in such a God who is not onely All-sufficient but also Jehovah and so can and will make good all his promises Read over the book of God and pick out all the promises that are and apply these salves to every sore of thine God hath promised thee mercy and good according to thy condition he will make good his promises to thee as far as they are good for thee be confident thou shalt have any good thou needest in Gods due time I have seen I have seen the affliction of my people saith God to Moses then he sent him to fetch them out of the house of bondage so God takes notice of all thy afflictions inward and outward and accordingly in due time he will command deliverance comfort or whatsoever is good for thee That you may get comfort by the promises observe these rules 1. Be sure to lay up all kinds of promises we are liable to sâ—veral wants straits dangers miseries God hath fitted sutable promises as 't is said of the Virgin Mary that she did lay up his words in her heart so do thou the promises against needful times A promise in thy heart in time of need is like a friend in the Court will stand thee in pretious stead 2. Acquaint thy heart with the nature of the promises 1. Labour strongly to apprehend the truth and faithfulness of the Lord Jehovah in his promises that they are yea and Amen he will undoubtedly perform what he hath spoken he will never go back from his word 2. Labour to understand their goodness let thy thoughts dwell upon the promise till thou hast found out the riddle digg into the bowels of a promise as thou wouldst digg into the bowels of the earth for silver Ignorance or weak apprehensions of the truth of the promises of Gods all-sufficiency and faithfulness is the ground of distrustful wavering and unbelieving thoughts Ignorance of the good things in the promises is the ground of the not applying of the promises 3. Labour to know to what special condition the promise is made so thou mayst rightly apply promises to thy spiritual maladies the right salve to thy sore 3. When thou art acquainted with the nature of the promises then set faith a work rely upon God who is Jehovah for the accomplishing of the promises to thee do thou hold fast by the promise and hold God to his word say to him as Jacob did when he wrestled with him I will not let thee go till thou hast blessed me I will never let thee go till thou hast made good this or that promise to me 4. Labour to get a quiet and still frame of heart to wait for the accomplishment of the Promises This is to live by Faith in a Promise to walk by Faith for God will not by and by make good his Promises but for exercise of Faith he defers execution of them David would often call upon himself to wait upon the Lord Wait on the Lord O my soul and would check himself for tumultuous and distrustful thoughts Why art thou cast down O my soul why art thou disquieted within me wait on God for the Lord Jehovah will certainly in his appointed time make good his promises to thee if thou canst live by Faith delays will not be tedious He that believeth will not make haste Isa 28. 16. If the Lord will make his Promises good because he is Jehovah then Use 4. answer all distrustful and unbelieving temptations with this God is Jehovah A Believer shall find many strong temptations to unbelief As about the Promises of Justification this temptation may arise Can the Lord pardon such a vile sinner as I am 'T is true I read how he is a God pardoning sinners but will he pardon me Yes God can pardon thee because he is Jehovah and will make good all his Promises So in temptations against perseverance I fear saith a poor soul I shall prove an Apostate and fall away and the Devil will be ready to second it Answer it by this The Lord Jehovah hath promised to put his fear in my heart that I shall not depart from him Jer. 32. 40. and he being Jehovah can make me to persevere and hold out to the end General Rules for the better understanding What God is Exod. 3. 14. And God said unto Moses I AM THAT I AM. CHAP. I. HAving briefly gone over the glorious Titles and Names of God I will proceed to a plain handling of his glorious
them the Lord look upon you and judge because you have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of his servants to put a sword in their hand to slay us Now in ver 22 and 23. Moses made his and their condition known to the Lord how the People were more vexed then formerly Moses said to the Lord Wherefore hast thou so evil intreated this People Why is it that thou hast sent me for since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name he hath done evil to this People neither hast thou delivered thy People at all In this Chapter God answereth Moses in two things 1. That Pharaoh should be compell'd to let Israel go The Lord said to Moses now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh for with a strong hand shall he let them go and with a strong hand shall he drive them out of his Land ver 1. 2. For confirmation of Moses faith and to calm the murmuring spirits of the distressed Israelites God declareth what a God he is and hath been to their Fathers of old and what a God he will be to them ver 2 3. And God spake unto Moses and said unto him I am the Lord And I appeared unto Abraham unto Isaac and unto Jacob by the name of God Almighty but by my name Jehovah was I not known to them Here it may be demanded how is it Quest said that God did not make himself known to Abraham Isaac and Jacob by his nâ—me Jehovah Nomen the name Jehovah was Sol. 1. known to Aâ—raham Isaac and Jacob but not mysterium nominis the mystery of the Name this was revealed to Moses from God and from Moses to the People It is meant of the performâ—nce of his great promises made to Abraham God did promise to give the land of Canaan to Abraham's Seed for an inheritance which promise was not performed to him but to his Seed after him So that this is the meaning God appeared to Abraham Isaac and Jacob El Shaddai God Almighty in protecting delivering and rewarding them but by his name Jehovah he was not known to them God did not perform his promise made to Abraham unto Abraham Isaac and Jacob but unto their Seed and posterity after them CHAP. II. HEnce I observe that God makes Observ himself known what a God he is to his people by his name and titles Gods names are agreeable to his nature and divine properties as he hath a being from himself and gives being to all so he is Jehovah and called I AM as his nature is omnipotent so he is called El Elohim and Elohah powerfull as he is All-sufficient so he is called Shaddai In the handling of his glorious names I will first give to you all his names and the meaning of them secondly I will insist principally upon the name Jehovah because it is his most essential name The Hebrews have reckoned up many names of God and all of them express God to us 1. The first is here in the Text El Shaddai God almighty I shall speak nothing of the derivation of this word Shaddai in this place because I intend to speak more largely of it hereafter it intimates that God is All-sufficient he wanteth nothing but is infinitely blessed with the infinite perfections of his glorious being by this name God makes himself known to be self-sufficient all-sufficient absoutely perfect If God be All-sufficient then shall Use that man want nothing that hath God for his God he that loseth all for God shall find all in God When Hannah complained for want of children Elkanah said unto her Am not I better to thee then ten sons why weepest thou So the Lord saith I am God All-sufficient and am not I better then all riches honours lands and friends I am more sufficient to reward thee then millions of worlds of creatures can do 2. The second name by which God expresseth his nature is Elohim Eloha this name denote's the power and strength of God to denote unto us that God is strong and powerful If God be Elohim a strong powerfull Use 1. God then he can do great and difficult matters for his Church and people 2. If God be strong and powerful then it is in vain to oppose him to rebel to rage against him and his Church God is too strong for all enemies too powerful for all the powers of hell 3. If God hath named himself Elohim strong and powerfull then fear not thou worm Jacob though the Church be as worms in the esteem of their enemies yet they need not fear because God is their strong and powerful God 3. The third name of God by which he makes himself known is Adonai Dominus Lord some derive the Word from a Word in the Hebrew that signifies judicare to judg because God is Judg of all the world Others derive it from a word which signifieth Basis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a foundation intimating that God is the upholder of all things as the foundation of an house is the support of the whole building so God is the upholder of the world he upholdeth all things by the word of his power If God hath named himself Lord Use and that because he upholdeth all things we may infer this comfort for the Church he will uphold Jerusalem in all dangerous times and troubles his Church is more dear to him than the World and his people than all other creatures which he doth uphold 2. Then acknowledg him to be Lord by paying service to him by obeying him obey him and he will uphold you how did he uphold Daniel in the midst of a Den of Lions because he obeyed him 4. Another name by which God hath expressed himself is the Creator the Maker of heaven â—ne earth Isa 45. 11. 12. This sets forth God as the Author and â—ountain of all our Being out of nothing 5. Another name is the high and lofty one Isa 57. 15. called so respectu loci dignitatis in respect of place and dignity the highest heaven is his lofty throne on which he sits to judg the world therefore God is called altissimus Luk. 1. the highest If God be the high and lofty one Use 1. then let the great ones tremble before him and that because God is higher then they Eccl. 5. 2. This sheweth who it is that brings the proud ones in their proud attempts against his people down with shame and dishonour sc the high and lofty one who is above them in all things wherein they deal most proudly 3. See the love of God to broken hearts in that the high and lofty one that inhabiteth eternity who dwelleth in the high and holy place will vouchsafe to dwell with him that is of an humble and contrite spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the spirit of the contrite ones Isa 57. 15. 6. Another name is Jehovah Tsebaoth the
points that I would draw from hence and handle shall be only these two 1. That the Lord Jehovah doth only Obser 1. subsist of himself and all things subsist by him 2. That the Lord will make good all his promises because he is Jehovaâ— For the first God only subsisteth to speak properly no creature can say I AM absolutely no creature can say I will be but onely God can say I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending which Was and which Is and is to come I will shew the difference between God's subsistence and ours The difference lieth in these things that follow God's subsistence is eternal Thou Differ 1. art God from everlasting to everlasting Psal 90. 2. Before the mountains were brought forth or ever the Earth and the World were formed God had a subsistence and he can subsist if all the world were dissolved again into nothing our subsistence is in time Angels and men that shall live to eternity yet are not from eternity all other suâ—sistent beings shall be turned into nothing God subsisteth independently he Differ 2. depends upon no second causes nor former causes he is All-sufficient his own essence is his own happiness but creatures depend on secondary causes Angels and men and all other creatures depend on him 't is he that continueth all created beings in their being in him we live move and have our being if he command Return ye children of men into dust he turneth them to destruction and they are swallowed up of the grave if he say come again all things shall stand and live before him God subsisteth immutably My Differ 3. name saith he is I AM that is I am the same from eternity to eternity the same yesterday to day and for ever there is not so much as a shadow of change in God There is no encrease or decay in God but he is as holy as just as powerful as merciful as perfect and blessed as ever he was he is God merciful from everlasting to everlasting now the subsistence of the creature is mutable We know there was a mutation among Angels some of them kept not their first estate but left their own habitation Jude v. 6. Man also is a very mutable creature he is subject to many changes we see how all sublunary creatures continue not at one stay but like the Moon sometimes they are in the increase sometimes in the full sometimes in the decrease some creatures as Angels become immutable by participation God keeps and preserves them in their immutable condition God can put an end to all the perfections in the creatures and then change them again God subsisteth immediately by himself Differ 4. without means we do subsist by means and by his blessing upon the means we must eat drink sleep or we cannot long subsist and have a Being in the world The Reason is because the Lord Jehovah hath being from himself therefore he subsisteth by himself and not by any other yea he was from eternity because from no cause therefore independently and immutably because from no first cause but we subsist in time dependently and mutably because we depend on him as the first cause and therefore as God will so we subsist or not subsist According to the presence of the sun so is the light continued in the air if the Sun withdraws his light then darkness covereth the earth because light in the air subsisteth by the presence of the sun so because our life health strength and all the comforts we do enjoy do depend on God and subsist by him according to his presence they stand if he withdraw they soon fall when the sea floweth the rivers swell when the seas ebb the rivers fall so it is with creatures according to the presence or absence of God CHAP. V. THis discovers the folly of all such Vse 1. as set their hearts upon any thing but God that set their hearts upon riches which cannot subsist but take to themselves wings and flie away as an Eagle toward heaven Prov. 23. 5. And as Birds do flye from this tree to that tree so do riches from this house to that house from this man to that man It likewise sheweth the folly of those that set their hearts upon pleasures which are transient and perish in the very use and of those that make flesh their arm put confidence in friends or in the favours of men seeing none of these subsist of themselves but on a suddain perish We see that men do not subsist always sometime their wealth decayeth sometime their favour and love decayeth sometime their beauty decayeth surely then all those that depend upon them do decay with them all outward things are but sandy foundations for us to build all our hopes and comforts upon look over all the creatures and see what creature can say I am that I am I will be what I will be Riches honours pleasures preferments friends cannot say so and therefore it is the greatest folly in the world to set up the creatures that cannot subsist and to neglect God There is a curse pronounced against all those that trust in an arm of flesh and do idolize and deifie creatures and neglect God This may exhort you to trust in the Use 2. Lord Jehovah who onely is and subsisteth by himself who hath said He will never leave thee nor forsake thee Now consider these Motives 1. The Lord Jehovah can give being and doth give being to all things he can create peace comforts mercies health strength friends grace and every good thing he can command loving kindnesse he can command comfort and deliverance to Jacob when he speaks the word all things shall subsist according to thy desire so then let thy condition be what it will if God be thy confidence he can proportion all things to thy condition Art thou in want he can make plenty subsist Art thou poor he can make riches subsist Art thou friendless he can make friends to subsist again Art thou in terrours fears and doubts God can make pardon grace and full assurance of faith to subsist 2 Because God Jehovah as he subsists and gives being so he can continue the being and subsistence of all mercies as far and as long as they shall make for thy good he can make thy health to subsist thy riches to subsist thy strength thy friends thy life it self to subsist all comforts inward and outward spiritual and temporal to subsist for it is God that bears up the world and all the creatures and according to his will and pleasure so shall thy comforts subsist 3. When outward things decay God will subsist God wil subsist immutably when there is a change of conditions fals out as all outward things are perishing unconstant and mutable Jehovah saith I the Lord change not when riches decay God saith I Jehovah am riches c. I AM that is my name so that all decays are made up in
shall be accomplished the wicked shall see him as true and faithful in his Judgments and vengeance as in Mercy and Peace It is said vers 13. They shall know that I am Jehovah that I am a God who will give and command a being to my threatnings as well as to my Promises that I will create evil for the destruction of godless wretches as create good for the peace safety and salvation of them that fear me Sect. 2. Having proved the Point by Scripture I will also prove it by reason Because all the promises made to Reas 1. his church and people are the very expressions of his efficacious will to shew them mercy to supply their wants with desirable comforts what the Lord efficaciously willeth and intendeth shall undoubtedly come to pass All the works of God are but the effects of his will 'T is said God said let there be light and there was light let the earth bring forth herbs let the trees bring forth fruit according to their kind and they did so Gods saying is nothing else but his efficacious willing of the things and as he willed things so they came to pas so his promises in the covenant of grace are nothing else but his will to pardon to sanctifie to comfort to deliver to give grace and glory let mercy embrace such a soul let pardon be assur'd to such a sinner let such lusts be mortifyed let such deliverance betide such a person and all cometh to pass because he willeth the things his promises are the expressions of his will 'T is an observable phrase used in Scripture command deliverance for Jacob and command loving kindness to shew to his people the efficacy of his will in making good his promises he hath promised deliverance loving kindnesse let it be to such a soul 2. Because God is as able as he is willing his name is Jehovah it is the Lord that gives Being to all that have being therefore he is able to give being to his promises as to his creatures to give a being to promised mercy to promised pardon to promised grace and glory and whatsoever good he hath promised See what arguments God useth to encourage his people to ask of him things to come Isa 45. 12. I have made the earth and created men upon it I even my hands have stretched out the heavens and all their host have I commanded he created man and all creatures therefore he can create all good which he hath promised to his Church therefore put God in mind of his promises to his Church and importunately urge him with his promises Say to him Lord thou hast commanded man to keep his promise to be faithfull of his word thou hast promised this and that mercy thou canst not deny thy self being most faithfull command this and that mercy The Prophet Malachy speaking of the creation of womâ—n Malac. 2. 15. saith did not he make one yet had he the residue of the Spirit that is he made but one woman for Adam he could have made more because of his abundance of Spirit the Lord hath abundance of spirit he hath made good his promises to others and can make them good to all that shall trust in him 3. Because Gods performing his promises to his Church and people is God's memorial it is an everlasting memorial of him to all generations succeeding generations come to know what God is by his performance of promises God is known by his name Jehovah his mindfulness of his Covenant and promises makes us mindfull of God As God performing his promise of remission of sins makes men in all ages to know that he is Jehovah that pardoneth iniquity transgressions and sins and they from their own experience will make God known to be a God pardoning iniquity so the accomplishment of promises of deliverance promises of comfort in trouble accomplished promises of the things of this life and and of the life that is to come accomplished makes him known to be faithfull and constant in his promises that he is a God that cannot lie nor deny himself but abideth faithful to all generations CHAP. VIII Sect. 1. IN the third place I willlay down the Rules concerning God's performing of his promises and in the first place I must premise these distinctions 1. That there are promises which concern Church in general and there are promises which concern the members of the Church each particular godly man there are promises made to Jerusalem and promises made to the daughters of Jerusalem 2. There are promises of temporal good things and promises of spiritual good things of spiritual blessings 3. There are promises of grace it self and mercy it self and there are promises of the measure of grace The observable rules are these The promises to the Church in general are propheticall promises they are prophecies as well as promises so the accomplishment of them is to be prayed for it shall be in Gods appointed time The Jews prayed for the comming of the Messiah long before his comming yet he came not in the flesh till the fulness of the determinate time came no question but the seed of Jacob prayed for the possession of Canaan yet no possession till the years were expired wherein God promised to give them Canaan The Church in many ages hath prayed for the subversion of the Kingdome of Antichrist yet Babylon the great is not fallen the Church hath likewise prayed for the conversion of the Jews and the bringing in of the fulnesse of the Gentiles yet the one is not converted neither is the fulnesse of the other brought in yet the Lord Jehovah will make good these and such like promises in his own time then shall the blessings of the promises and the prayers of all Saints fall into the Churches lap We must pray and we may expect the accomplishment of the promises in due time because we have the promises and the prophecies but 't is curiosity to calculate a set time as to say positively that in such a year Antichrist shall be overthrown we are ignorant of the times and seasons when God will accomplish his promises to his Church they are not clearly revealed unto us Sect. 2. Now as touching those Promises that concern each particular member of the Church First concerning Promises about Grace and spiritual Mercies we are to observe these Rules 1. That God will make good his Rule 1. Promises to all Believers concerning pardon of sin sanctification adoption perseverance life eternal and a Believer may be confident that God will bestow these things undoubtedly upon him by this name Jehovah he will be made known to all and for these things thou mayest absolutely pray 2. That God will give such a measure of grace of comfort and assistance as he knowerh to be fit for thee not such and such a measure of grace and assistance as thou thinkest needful Your heavenly Father knoweth what grace what comfort what assistance you most need Be sure
Attributes and properties Before I come to particulars I must lay down some general Rules for the better understanding of the nature of God 1. The Attributes or Properties shew to us what God is in himself declare him to be most Wise most Holy Good Perfect Infinite Eternal c. 2. These Divine Excellencies are called Attributes because the Scripture ascribes them to God acknowledges Him to be Infinite Eternal Omnipotent Omnipresent c. 3. Gods Attributes are not accidental Qualities in Him Goodness Wisdome Infiniteness Omnipotency are his very Essence not Accidents as in creatures Wisdome Goodness Holiness Power are qualities in creatures as in Men and Angels Neither are they in God as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 naturales natural faculties Underderstanding and Will is in Man and Angels Neither are they in God as Affections and Passions Love is in God Hatred is in God Joy is in God not as they are in his creatures affections or passions But all the Attributes are really the same with his Essence therefore they are spoken of God in abstracto God is love God is Mercy God is Goodness God is Justice c. 4. Though there are many Properties attributed to God yet all these Properties are not really distinguished from each other but they are all one and the same Essence As when we say God is infinite God is merciful God is powerful c. we are not to conceive that his Mercy is really distinct from his Justice his Wisdome really distinct from his Power but as they are the same with the Divine Essence so they are with each other As the Divine Essence is omnipotent infinite eternal perfect c. Some Divines express this by a piece of Gold a piece of Twenty shillings doth not contain in it twenty several distinct pieces of Silver but 't is one and the same piece which contains so many pieces in worth and value So that the multitude of Attributes in God is not in respect of so many glorious Excellencies really distinguished among themselves in God but onely in respect of our manner of conceiving Our understandings are unable and too weak to apprehend all his glorious excellencies By one act of conceiving we cannot conceive God to be infinite omnipotent holy just good by one act but by divers acts Then again there is not one Attribute so large as to comprehend or express his incomprehensible and inexpressible Being Therefore this we say the divine Properties are not so many really distinct Vertues in God but they are that Unica Essentia ad omnia sufficiens one onely Essence which is most merciful most perfect most holy most powerful 5. All God's Attributes are equally and most unchangeably perfect in him although we are not able to conceive an equality of them God is as just as he is merciful God is as merciful as just God is infinite in Power in Wisdome in Goodness in Holiness One Reason is Because they are Reas the same with the Divine Essence which is infinite Then God is incommutably just merciful holy good Non recipiunt majùs minùs God is always the same God and always most holy most merciful most good most powerful 2. Because he is infinite A thing actually infinite cannot decrease nor increase then he could not be infinite What unspeakable comfort is this to the godly broken hearts that the Lord is as gracious as merciful now as ever and so to eternity what unspeakable terrour to the wicked that God is as just now as ever and so to eternity 6. There is no contrariety in Gods Attributes His Mercy is not contrary to his Justice nor his Justice to his Mercy Although there be Love and Hatred in God yet none are contrary quia ipsa misericordia in Deo est justitia because the very Mercy of God is his Justice The Attributes are diverse in respect of their objects not in respect of themselees Mercy hath respect to the creature in misery and Justice hath respect to the sinfulness of the creature 1. There can be no contrariety in God's Attributes because contraries Reas work the mutual destruction of each other as heat destroys cold light expels darkness fire quencheth water 2. Because two contraries cannot be in one subject in the highest degree one and the same thing cannot be firey hot and icy-cold Now all God's properties are in summo gradu God is summè just us just in the highest manner and summè misericors merciful in the highest degree 7. The Attributes of God are spoken of God both in concreto abstracto in the concrete and in the abstract God is Justice it self Mercy it self Goodness it self Wisdome it self Holiness it self God is love saith the Apostle it is in the abstract Then in the concrete God is just wise holy good perfect They are spoken of God in the abstract to shew that he is essentially holy good c. and spoken in the concrete subjectivè to shew that God is good to his creatures and that he doth truly exist For the distinction of his Attributes observe but this one There are incommunicable Attributes and communicable per participationem analogiam His incommunicable Attributes are his Infiniteness his Eternity his Simplicity which no creature is capable of His communicable Attributes are his Justice Mercy Holiness Power Goodness c. which are in the creatures as in Man and Angels by way of resemblance and likeness They are in God after an infinite eminency and perfection in creatures by participation as a drop in respect of the vast Ocean are as light in a spark in respect of the light of the Sun CHAP. II. Of the Simplicity of God THese are the General Rules concerning his Attributes or Properties I will now proceed to the handling of each particular Attribute and the first Attribute shall be the Simplicity or simpleness of God's nature which is one of the incomunicable Attributes of God of which no creature is or can be partaker but onely by way of a small resemblance True it is the word Simplicity as applied to God is not used in Scripture yet the sense is found as in this Text wherein God nameth himself I am that I am which noteth that God is simply of himself and by himself most perfect that whatsoever is â—â—i quid in Dâ—o est Dâ—us est in God is God I need not to stand upon the coherence of the words Moses was commanded to fetch captived Israel out of Egypt and before he would go he desired God to tell him his Name what he should say unto them to perswade them to follow him here God commanded him to tell them that I am that I am hath sent him which name importeth that God is simply that he is and the Septuagint translate it â—XX Intâ— â—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am the Being plainly noting to us the Simplicity of God Hence I note That God is most simple Observ In the handling
of this Attribute this shall be my method First to shew what is meant by God's Simplicity then prove it by Scripture and Reason then apply it 1. Simpleness or Simplicity is taken three ways 1. For want of discretion or wisdome So men void of wit or common capacity are said to be simple Prov. 1. 4. Solomon sheweth what the use of his Proverbs was namely to give subtilty to the simple Prov. 9. 15. A foolish woman is clamorous she is simple and knoweth nothing She calleth to passengers Whoso is simple let him turn in hither They are called simple because they want spiritual wisdome and discretion and till Goâ—'s Spirit anoint their eyes they do not or cannot discern what is truly good what is truly evil 2. Simpleness or simplicity is taken for sincerity and uprighâ—ness Simple men in this sense are taken for plain-hearted men void of hypocrisie dissembling and wicked plots and devices Psal 116. 6. The Lord preserveth the simple that is the upright in heart the sincere persons Rom. 16. 19. This simplicity the Lord approves of and it is called by the Hebrews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 uprightness Thus God commanded Abraham to be simple Walk before me and be upright or simple Gen. 17. 1. shun all hypocrisie dissimulation w th men To be without guile and fraud is simplicity uptight dealing is simplicity 3. Simplicity is taken in opposition to mixture and composition Thus refined Gold is pure and simple Gold it is not mixed with dross Water is simple but mix it with Wine 't is compounded of several kinds Simplicity as 't is attibuted to God 't is opposed to mixture and composition There is no composition or mixture in God but he is a pure Essence There are divers kinds of composition there is not the least shadow of any one of them in God There is a Composition Physical Logical Metaphysical 1. A Physical Composition is to be Fâ— materiâ— sormâ compounded of Matter and Form as Man is compounded of Soul and Body the Body compounded of the fouâ— Elements This were gross to conceive such a composition in God 2. There is a composition of a Ex gâ—nere eâ— dâ—ffâ—rentiâ a kind and a restraining difference as man is compounded of a living creature and reasonable this also is gross to conceive of God 3. There is a composition ex essentia Ex actu eâ— so 〈…〉 â. existentia ex actu potentia of being and existence or of an actual being or of a possible being this comâ—osition is in the most simple creatures as in Angels whose essence and existence differ who had once no actuall being but a being in a power termed obedientiall before they were created now God's existence and essence is one and the same and God is purus actus he is eternal he did actually exist from all eternity There is a composition of a subject and accident as the wall and the colour in the wall this composition is likewise in Angels they are compounded of substance and accidents and so the souls of men are which are comparatively simple creatures as the power goodness holiness wisedome in Angels are created qualities in them they are not the essence and being of an Angel now there is no such composition in God his properties are his essence Gods holinesse is not a quality but his very being and nature so that when we say God is most simple we mean that God is void of all composition and mixture CHAP. III. NOw to prove the simplicity of God it is said John 4. 14. God is a Spirit where to take men off from resting in ritual worshipping him he sheweth how God will be worshipped of us in spirit and truth and his reason is because God is a spirit So are Angels so are the souls of men Spirits but God is most spiritual beyond all created spirits there is no composition in God as in created spirits God is light and in him is no darknesse at all 1. Joh. 1. 5. he is all light all mercy and pure mercy he is all justice and pure justice he is all love and pure love he is all holiness without the least spot of defilement he is all power and without the least degree of weaknesse he is all wisdome and without the least degree of folly God is simple holy wise good perfect so when God is said to be life it self it importeth his simplicity 1. One Reason is because if God Reas were not purely simple void of all composition then he could not be from eternity because whatsoever is compounded is made of something which in time is before it all compounds are after the component but God is eternal Before me there was no God saith the Lord. Isa 43. 10. 2. If God be a compounded being then the parts of which he consists must be before him at least before in order of nature if nâ—t in time so God should not be eternal and immutable but may be resolved into nothing 3. If God were compounded then he could not be ens primum ens a se ens per seipsum not ens primum because the efficient would before him not ens a se because then he had being from the efficient not per se by himself 4. Because God is most perfect therefore most simple the more perfection the more simplicity God being most perfect must of necessity be most simple 5. God admits no diversity or composition in himself nor in the persons nor in their operations not in himself because God is his own essence not in the persons because the whole and the same essence is in all three persons not in their operations or works because the same essence which is the principle of all Divine actions is the same in all Before I make use I will deduce these corollaries from Gods simplicity 1. There is but one God because there can be but one most simple being which is God 2. Then Quicquid in Deo est Deus est Whatsoever is in God is God Deus est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 totaliter totum for if there be any thing in God which is not God then he should not be most simple but compounded of his being and that which is of him but it is not God 3. Then whatsoever is spoken of God is not accidentally but essentially spoken of him mercy is spoken of God essentially his very essence is power mercy justice All-sufficiency CHAP. IIII. IF God be most simple then whatsoever Use 1. God giveth promiseth or threatneth he is sincere in all Jam. 1. 5. God giveth to all men liberally saith our translation but the greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sincerely and uprightly without any fraud or dissimulation so the Lord is most upright and sincere and simple in all his promises and likewise in all his threatnings Hath the Lord promised to give such and such mercies a believer may be confident
he shall have them God will not deceive him he will not promâ—se one thing and give another but what he hath spoken be thou upright toward him he will sincerely make good his word God never did nor can deceive any that put their trust in him So again he is sincere in all his threatnings he will execute upon the ungodly what he denounced against them Doth he threaten damnation to an impenitent wretch then there damnation slumbers not men through ignorance and self love think that God is not and will not be so severe and terrible as his word sets him forth to be but deceive not your selves God is sincere and if he speak the word God is sincere and if he speak the word it shall come to pass 2. Seeing God is most simple Use 2. hence it is that he approveth of all sincere hearts and accepts of all duties where he seeth sincerity he passeth by many imperfections of his servants because he sees they pray they hear they give almes and whatsoever they do they do all in sincerity of heart unto him he hath promised to be a shield and sun to them who walk uprightly Psal 84. 11. A shield to preserve those that are sincere and simple in heart a sun to comfort and refresh them And indeed 't is all the comfort of the Godly that whatsoever they do to God and for God is in simplicity of heart 2 Cor. 1. 12. Our rejoycing is this the testimony of our Conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity c. We have had our conversation in the World Though many imperfections and infirmities may adhere to the best duties of upright men yet if conscience testifie to thee thou dost them in simplicity and sincerity of heart here is thy rejoycing uprightness breeds boldness and heavenly joy Hence it is that he abhors all hypocrites in whose heart and performances there is abundance of fraud and guil who have as the Psalmist speaks an heart and an heart a double heart because such persons are most opposite and contrary to his most simple nature therefore he throws away all duties of hypocrites how glorious soever they are to outward shew to publique view as so many abominations as hateful things in his sight for want of simplicity and sincerity of heart which he looks into When we go to duty the Lord speaks as Jehu to Jehonadab is thy heart right plain and simple as mine is then give thee mine hand then pray and I will hear thee then I will accept of all that thou dost but if thy heart be false double full of fraud and guile then bring no more vain oblations your incense your prayers are an aâ—omination to me who am a most simple God upright sincere Sincerity is the life and soul of all our works without which how beautiful soever our works are in the eyes of men they are stinking and abominable in the eyes of God as loathsome in God's eyes as stinking and putrifying carcasses are in ours many splendid performances doth God reject when not done with a perfect heart 3. Seeing God is most simple let Use 3. us strive after simplicity and singleness of heart our simplicity is our sincerity and singleness of heart 't is our perfection 't is our conformity to God What is it to do things in simplicity Quest of heart An heart is said to be simple when Sol. it proposeth one object or end to it self and a double heart when it proposeth a double end or object as when a man proposeth God and himself for his ends God's glory and his own credit and esteem among men to give alms to pray preach hear to aim at himself and God together such an one is an hypocrite and God abhorreth his works But singleness of heart proposeth none but God for his end and object onely I will do such and such good works saith a sincere soul in obedience to God's command that God may be glorified and I rejoyce in my performances as in that which is well-pleasing to him To this purpose consider these Motives 1. 'T is the highest perfection of our works and persons that we are sincere There is no possibility for us to attain to a perfection of degrees but to sincerity in this life 2. The more single in heart and sincere thou art in all duties the more doest thou grow in a conformity to God who is most simple 3. Sincerity and simplicity like love covereth abundance of infirmities and imperfections in our performances Though Satan should feed thee with a thousand suggestions in thy duties yet if Conscience shall give thee this testimony that thou didst them in simplicity of heart thou hast matter of rejoycing 4. It is the highest perfection of glorified Saints in Heaven to be simple and sincere for though neither Angels nor Saints shall have simple beings yet then and there they shall be without the mixture of all hypocrisie and guile they shall be perfectly holy pure upright they shall delight wholly in God and purely love him Admire God's simplicity and give Use 4. him the glory of this most glorious Property of his that he is so pure that there is not in his nature the least mixture of pollution nor the least tincture of defilement he is so holy that he is holiness onely totaliter sanctus wholly and altogether holy A Discourse of the Eternity of God Deut. 33. 27. The eternal God is thy Refuge CHAP. I. THis Chapter as ye may see by the Contents contains three things 1. The Majesty of the God of Israel from the first to the sixth verse 2 The Blessings of the twelve Tribes of Israel from vers 6. to v. 26. Then 3. from the 26. to the end he sheweth the Excellency of Israel above all Nations this belongeth to all the twelve Tribes and not to any one in particular above the other Their Excellency lies in these things 1. That God is the God of Israel vers 26. he is called the God of Jesâ—run 2. That God is for their help and Râ—â—uge Other Nations had their imagined tutelar gods which could not help nor protect them but the true and onely God was Israel's Protector there 's no Protector like to him From this two excellent blessings follow 1. Victory over their Enemies because God is their help and refuge and his everlasting arms uphold them The eternal God is thy refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee and say Destroy them 2. Besides their safety the Heaven from above should drop down blessings upon them and the Earth should yield plenty to them because God is their God Israel then shall dwell in safety alone the fountain of Jacob sâ—â—ll be upon a land of corn and wine also his heaven shall drop down dew Vers 28. Then Moses breaks forth into a gratulatory exclamation Happy art thou O Israel who is like unto thee vers
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
four-fold infiniteness 1. An Infiniteness in respect of quantity as if there should be a body that hath infinite dimensions of infinite breadth length and depth God is not thus infinite because he is not a body neither is there any infinite body the heaven of heavens are of a vast circumference and the greatest of all bodies yet it hath its bounds and limits 2. There is that which is infinite in respect of number so the sands on the sea are said to be infinite because innumerable the stars in the heaven be innumerable yet be they not truly infinite because there can be as many more stars and sands neither way God is said to be infinite because God is but one 3. There is an infinite in respect of qualities inherent so no creature is infinite because there cannot be infinite vertues in finite natures as all created natures are so God is not properly said to be infinite because in God there are no qualities and vertues but improperly God is said to be infinite in qualities as they denote his pure essence infinite in power infinite in goodnesse infinite in mercy all in God is infinite because they are his very nature 4. There is an infinite in respect of Being Nature or substance to have an immeasurable incomprehensible and unlimitted being or nature so God and onely God is infinite who onely is incomprehensible and unlimited therefore he is said to be ubique nusquam every where and no where he is no where circumscriptivè limited and bounded ubique repletivè every where filling all things God comprehends all and is comprehended of nothing his center is every where his circumference no where When we say God is infinite we mean he is a spirit of infinite extension when we say he is extended it is meant secundum totalitem not secundum partes he is wholly extended not part by part therefore he is of infinite extension CHAP. III. NOw that God is infinite and incomprehensible may appear by removing all bounds and limits of Being Creatures are bounded and limited with these bounds with Time Place Efficacy Their own Beings 1. Creatures ar finite and limited with their Essential Terms as the Angâ—lical nature is but God hath no Essential Terms limiting and bounding him his Essence is an unlimited Essence 2. All creatures are bounded with Time The Angels and Souls of Men who have a being to eternity yet had no being of duration when they were created but God is infinite in duration he is not bounded with beginning nor end but from everlasting to everlasting he is God 3. Place is another bound or limit to creatures Angels that are in Heaven are not at the same time upon Earth We see how every creature that is in this place is so bounded that he is not in another And this is one strong Argument against Taansubstantiation Christ's Body is not physically or naturally in the Bread and Wine but onely sacramentally because being a body he is as all bodies in a place circumscriptively but no place sets bounds to God he is every where he filleth heaven and earth the heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain him 4. A thing is limited and bounded in respect of it's efficacy and operation Angels are powerful mighty in power yet their power is limited Nihil agit ultra sphaeram activitatis Nothing can go beyond his power The School-men speaking of Angels in place say they are in loco definitivè that is by applying their actions to this and not to that place the Sun throws out his light and heat at a great distance yet it is bounded Now God is infinite in respect of efficacy and as he is Is there any thing too hard for me saith the Lord Whatsoever is possible he can bring to pas his power is boundless his mercy is boundless not onely in respect of duration but also in respect of operation so that God is infinite in respect of Essence therefore incomprehensible infinite in respect duration therefore eternal 5. Intelligentiâ Great things may be comprehended in the understanding of Angels and Men but God surpasseth our understandings It is impossible Magnus denotat duo magnitudinem extensionis magnitudinem cujustibet perfectionis sapientiae c. for Men and Angels to conceive the greatness of God The Angels shall be prying and prying to eternity yet never shall they see God fully perfectly and comprehensively Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised his greatness is unsearchable Psal 145. 3. When God is said to be Great it always noteth his Infinitenes Great beyond all conception of Angels and Men could they conceive his greatness God were not Infinite 'T is possible to search out the depth of the Sea of the Earth of the height of Heaven but God is a bottomless Ocean of Majesty and perfection 't is impossible to reach the height and to fathom the depth of God's Majesty you cannot come near him whom no man hath seen nor can see visione comprehensiva 1 Tim. 6. 16. his infinite Majesty will find the Angels and Saints work to eternity to find him out to comprehend him and when they have done what they can they cannot comprehend him Do not I fill heaven and earth saith the Lord Jer. 23. 24. The heaven is my throne the earth is my footstool where is the house that ye build unto me and where is the place of my rest Isa 66. 1. Thus Zophar speaks to Job Canst thou by searching find out God canst thou find out the Almighty to perfection It is 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. 7 8 9. CHAP. IV. I Shall now lay down several Reasons to prove that God is infinite and incomprehensible 1. If God were not incomprehensible Reas 1. then there may be something which is extra Deum beyond or above or without God which hath not his being in God but these places of Scripture manifest nothing can be above or beyound God Psal 139. 7. ad 12. sheweth that there is no fleeing from God's presence and that no creature can be where God is not Job 11. He is higher then the heavens c. 2. If God were not infinite and incomprehensible Reas 2. then there would be something that is an adequate measure of his greatness If there be any such measure of his greatness then it should be the Heaven of heavens which is of the largest capacity seeing it containeth within it's compass the whole created world but this is not the measure for behold the heaven of heavens cannot contain him he is higher than the heavens deeper than the earth 3. If God were not infinite but Reas 3. finite then 't is possible that God might move from place to place as finite bodies may 4. If God were not infinite then Reas 4. it is possible for us
a God he is to whom they pray Eccles 5. 2. Be not rash with thy mouth c. For God is in heaven and thou upon earth God is a glorious infinite majesty thou a poor vile worm therefore fear and tremble before him when he beholdeth men behaving themselves irreverently irreligiously in his worship he curseth the man and his service Mal. 1. 14. 2. It instructeth us what a most noble service Gods service is the greater the Person is the more noble is his service it is far more noble to serve Kings than to be a keeper of sheep God is a great King an infinite majesty infinitely exceeding all the Majesty and state of earthly Kings to serve him then and to be his favourite is far more noble than to serve Kings and Emperours Theodosius thanked God more that he was a Christian than an Emperour there 's no title in comparison of this to be the servant of the great and infinite God Great personages can give great gifts to their servants but God will give infinite eternal rewards to all his faithfull servants not the half of his Kingdome but his kingdome to his servants 4. If God be infinite it further Use 4. teacheth us three things 1. That this great God should have all our affections pitch upon him rooted and established in him he is worthy of all possible love possible fear possible joy we may over-love all things except God we may over-love our own selves our wives our children the creatures and sin greatly in loving them but we cannot over-love God he is incomprehensible in respect of our love to him as well as in our conceiving of him God is worthy of more love than your hearts are capaple of love The Angels and blessed Saints burn with Love and shall burn with love to him to all eternity and yet they shall never love him enough God is infinitely good infinitely glorious and therefore deserveth infinite love and indeed none love God with a comprehensive love but himself If ye were the sons of a Father who is infinitely wise infinitely powerful infinitely blessed and glorious how would your natural love be toward him such a one is the Lord our God 2. It teacheth us whether we should go for satisfaction even to God who iâ— infinite and therefore can satisfie the vast desires of man We see finite things cannot satisfie we spend ouâ— thoughts and strength to seek satisfaction in the creatures and all in vain because they are vanity finite things cannot satisfie our infinite desires 'T is God that is infinite that fills Heaven he can fill our hearts with all desirable and possible good The whole soul will be satisfied with God he will fill the understanding with knowledge as he is infinite in wisdom he will fill the will and affections with good as he is infinitely good The eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the ear with hearing nor the heart with desiring because when a man hath seen and heard many things God will satisfie both ear eye and heart Psal 17. 15. 3. It sheweth the wretched madness of most men who spend all their thoughts time affections and labour about poor finite transitory things as worldly Glory Honours Riches c. and neglect God and embrace these shadows these dreams before an infinite God in whom is infinite Glory Honour Riches who is an infinite treasure of all perfections If God be thy portion then hast thou infinite Honours Riches because thou hast an infinite God if thou enjoyest the world and hast a world of Honours of Riches and all worldly Goods and hast no interest in God nor right to him thou art infinitely poor wretched and miserable It is St. Augustins Meditation Should I hear God say to a man here are Riches for thee there are Honors for thee live every day as merry as the Sunshine but nunquam videbis faciem meam thou shalt never see my face I should say much good may the World do such a man I should not envy him A godly man on a Dunghil is better than Ahashuerosh in all his Glory Paul and Silas did sing in the Dungeon because they had God there when Belshazzer wanting him did tremble in his Palace in the midst of his mirth and musick If God be an infinite God then let Use 5. this great God be thy confidence he is infinite in power trust to him he is able to do what is possible to be done for thy good he can do more than thou canst aâ—k or think He is infinitely wise therefore can order dispose all things aright though for the present they go cross to thy hopes and desires yet in the event they shall be for thy good He is infinitely good trust to him in thy wants he can fill thy heart with good thy Barns thy Purse with good God being a great God must be Use 6. greatly praised 't is the Psalmists own use Psal 145. 3. Great is the Lord and greatly to he praised We use to praise great things that are good and excellent we use to praise and commend wise powerful things the Lord is great and infinite in power wisdom goodness give him the glory of his greatness whatsoever excellencies are in the creatuâ—e consider how all are eminently infinitely in God the World is great but God is greater A Discourse of Gods Omnipresence Jer. 23. 23 24. Am I a God at hand saith the Lord and not a God afar off Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him Do not I fill Heaven and earth saith the Lord CHAP. I. I Proceed from God's Infiniteness to his Ubiquity or Omnipresence which well followeth from his Immensity and Infinitenes for if Gods Essence be infinite bounded with no place then God must needs be essentially present everywhere In these words the Prophet confuteth that gross and Atheistical conceit both of Hypocrites and wicked men That God takes notice of things that are done near him but not of things afar off of things done in publick view not in secret he may behold Absalom committing wickedness on the house-top before the Sun but beholds not what men in their secret closets and in dark places do act they think God can no more behold them in the dark than men can do The Prophet or God by him testifieth to these Atheists that he is a God afar off as well as at hand he beholds and seeth what is done in the earth as well as what is done in the Heavens and is as present to thee when thou thinkest thy self afar off from him as when thou wast more nigh Suppose thou hidest thy self in secret places thinking that thou mayest hide thy self and actions from his sight it is in vain Go slie hide thy self under Mountains or ar deep as the centre of the earth or wrap thy self up in Clouds yet the Lord is present and beholds thee and will judge and damn thee for thy secret sins
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
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
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
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
speak think do all with eye-service unto God alwayes considering that God hears thee God sees thee God knoweth thy very thoughts It were good if that Motto were written upon thy Bed thy Couch in thy Shop over thy Table in thy closet or wheresoever thou art Cave Deus videt omnia O mortal Man beware God sees all things that are Sect. 4. 5. This may serve as an an Use of Encouragement Vse 5. to the Godly to go on in well-doing to be fruitful and abundant in every good work because God sees and knows all and will one day acknowledge all that thou dost to thy praise and unspeakable comfort as God said to the Church of Ephesus Rev 2. 2. I know thy works and thy labour and thy patience and how thou canst not bear them which are evil c. The same will he say to all that are Godly I know thy works and what thou dost for me and to me and mine I know all thy secret prayers sighs tears and groâ—ns I know all thy words which thou â—ast spoken Gods knowledge is oftentimes put for his love approbation â—nd â—elight thy Prayers are my delâ—gâ—t thy holy Discourses my delâ—gâ—t yea one day God will openly aâ—kâ—owledge all thy good works Mat. 25. 35. I was an hungred and ye gave me meat I was thirsty and ye gave me drink I was a stranger and ye took me in Naked and ye cloathed me I was sick and ye visited me I was in prison and ye came unto me Yea God will recompence all thy gracious works with glory Small expressions of thy love which thou madest little account of will God recompence in that great day a Cup of cold water the Widows Mite shall have a great reward 6. This may likewise afford singular Use 6. comfort to the Godly in all their afflictions in divers particulars 1. In that God knows thee O Christian by name as he did Moses he will own thee in every condition in thy meanest and most afflicted condition When the World is ashamed of thee and thine ovvn familiar Friends dare not to acknowledge thee he will acknovvledge thee 'T is no small matter for a King to ovvn and acknovvledge a man in his miseries 2. Here 's comfort in that God knows all thy wrongs troubles wants straits temptations â—ffictâ—ons when Israel was sorely oppâ—essed by the Egyptians the Lord said unto Moses I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt and have heard their cry by reason of their task-masters for I know their sorrows and I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians Exod. 3. 7 8. So God saith to his people in affliction I see how it is with thee do not think thou art forgotten or cast out of sight when men are casting stones at thee I see what they do and what thou dost suffer amongst them 3. Here 's special comfort to the godly because when they are walking in their innocence thinking no evil to the wicked but praying for their good yet then wicked men are plotting mischief to ruine them and digg deep to hide their pernicious counsells against the Righteous then the Lord knoweth all their thoughts intents and devilish purposes and can frustrate and often doth disappoint them he sits in heaven and laughs them to scorn and bringeth their consulted designs upon their own head 4. Here 's comfort because when the Godly are entrapped in the snares of the wicked at any time and to present sense no hope of deliverance is manifest yea they know not how it is possible for them to escape yet let them not be discouraged for God knows how when and by what means to deliver his own servants 2 Pet. 2. 9. You are perhaps like righteous Lot vexed from day to day not onely with the filthy conversation of the wicked but also by the malitious machinations of the ungodly to bring you to ruine yet despair not but comfort your selves in God who knoweth how to deliver all that put their trust in him 7. Hence be encouraged in God in all conditions not onely because he knows your conditions but also because he knows how to carry you out in all conditions to his glory and to your comfort There be three times wherein we have need of Gods wisdome to help us lest we be overborn 1. Times of afflictions when these come thick upon thee thou knowst not what to do God by these teacheth thy heart knowledg that these are his hand and providence and their message is to teach thee to repent to pray more fervently to walk more humbly and closely with God 2. Times of tentation not only of tryal but when thou art dogged with sinful tentations God kâ—ows how to turn poison into Physick and our sorest maladies into curing medicines he can turn sinful tentations to a great and spirituâ—l advantage and cause us thereby to be the more fruitful 3. Times of straits and wants then the Lord knoweth how to help and satisfie us Your heavenly Father knoweth what things you stand in need of Mat. 6. 32. And your God will supply all your wants Finally when you cannot see the reason of things Gods ways being above your reach let this be your determination God is wise and knows what he doth and all he doth is most just and cry out with Paul oh the depths of his wisdome how unsearchable are his judgments and his ways past finding out and give to the only wise God the glory of his wisdom and of all his actions A Discourse of Gods immutability Malach. 3. 6. I am the Lord I change not CHAP. I. THis Chapter is a Prophecy of Christ's comming in the fleshâ— and to judgment whose coming â—s most desirable to the Godly but to the wicked most terrible In the first verse he saith Behold I send my Messenger that is John Baptist the forerunner of Christ And the Lord whom ye seek that is Christ after whom the Godly did pant and breath Come Lord Jesus Come quickly Even the Messenger of the covenant scil Christ because in him God hath reconciled the world unto himself and in him hath made a covenant of sure and everlasting peace with his elect Whom ye delight in Christ was is and shall be the onely joy and delight of all his chosen In the 2 3 4. Verses he sheweth the effect of his coming The Prophet puts forth a question Who shall abide his coming he gives the reason because Christ is a refining and purging fire to purge the godly who are here compared to Gold that can abide the fire Christ will be a consuming and devouring fire to burn and devour all the wicked that are not purged the wicked are drosse which consumeth when the Gold is purified when the Godly shall shine like stars in the firmament the wicked shall burn like fiâ—ebrands in hell fire Christ will be the glorious Saviour and the terrible Judg. In verse 5. he
tells the wicked in what manner Christ will come neer unto them I will come neer to you judgment you think I am a God afar off but I will be neer you when I come to judgment I will be a swift witnesse against you I will be a witness and a Judg against you yea a swift one you think I am slack in coming but I shall come to you sooner than you are aware of there are six sorts of persons he threatens to come against sc the sorcerers the adulterers the false swearers those that oppress the hireling in his wages the widow and the fatherless and that turn aside the stranger from his right and those that fear not God he brings in this in the last place because the want of God's fear is the cause of all wickedness and boldness in the practice of sin Now for the confirmation of the certainty of this Pâ—ophecy of his promises and threatnings he draweth an argument from God's attribute scil his immutability for I am God and change not c. as if God had said Be perswaded that what I here promise to the Godly and threaten to the wicked shall undoubtedly come to pass because I am God that change not I am always the same and so is my word always the same my promises are immutable my threatnings are immutable that the rebellious sons of Israel are not consumed it is not through your deserts but for my promise-sake made to your fathers which standeth firm and sure I am now and always gracious merciful long-suffering therefore you sons of Jacob are not consumed you have provoked me to punish and to destroy you with temporal and eternal destruction I might have forsaken you as you have forsaken me and caused my mercy to have departed from you and that long ere now as you have departed from me I might have destroyed your fathers in many foregoing generations because they and you are departed from me broken your covenant cast me your God off from you but I have not cast you away and consumed you with my curses because I am the Lord and change not CHAP. II. THe point here to be considered Observ is That God is unchangeable The Apostle proveth this Jam. 1. 17. Saying that with God there is no variableness nor shadow of turning there he shews that God is the most indificient and unchangeable fountain and giver of every good thing he is still the same in the communication of his goodness God is good and hath done good and manifested his bounty to men in all generations that are past he is still as good and bountifull and doth do good especially to such as are upright in heart he is always the same there is no variableness no diminution yea there is not so much as a shaddow of change in him far more free from any appearance of change than the sun from darknesse or shaddow of darknesse Heaven Earth all creatures are liable to change they shall all be turned in and out but God is the same Psalm 102. 26 27 28. Thou art God from Eternity to Eternity Psalm 90. 2. So that phrase I AM THAT I AM sheweth the unchangeablenesse of God In the prosecution of this I will shew what God's unchangeablenesse is wherein he is unchangeable the reasons of the pointâ— and answer some questions or objections which seem to make against his unchangeablenesse then make use of it To be absolutely and simply unchangeable requireth these Properties 1. There must be no beginning For all beginnings argue a change from a not being to a being as when a creature is created there is a change from a not being to a being So in generation that which was not a child becomes a child so in alteration Now the Lord hath no beginning of his being he is from everlasting 2. There must be no dissolution corruption or alteration Creatures are therefore changeable because the most noble of all are liable to annihilation God can turn Angels into nothing the sons of men into destruction heaven and earth shall wax old like a garment but now there can be no dissolution corruption or annihilation in God Thou art God to everlasting 3. There must be no addition nor diminution nor increase nor decrease as we see in all creatures they may be more perfect then they are they that are glorified may and do increase in knowledge Creatures may become also less then they are as among the Angels some of glorious Angels became ugly Devils of happy Angels miserable Devils of pure Angels unclean Spirits So men may decrease and increase in knowledge and wisdome in all excellencies inward and outward Righteous man is now become sinful he that knew much is become ignorant So all Creatures are liable to alteration either to become better or worse But God is so perfect that he cannot be better or worse than he is so good that he cannot be better so wise that he cannot be more wise so holy that he cannot be more holy he cannot increase in wisdome and holiness c. And though the Lord deriveth and communicateth his bounty and goodness to the Creatures yet there is no diminution of it we see many thousand Stars derive their light from the Sun yet the light of the Sun is no way diminished CHAP. III. MOreover God is Immutable or unchangeable all these ways 1. God is unchangeable in his Being He is the same Being from everlasting to everlasting I am that I am I am the same Being now what I am Before Abraham was I am saith our Saviour Joh. 8. 58. So God may say Before Adam was I am before the foundations of the world were I am and when the foundations of the world shall be no more God is the same Being 2. God is unchangeable in all his glorious Perfections and Properties or Attributes his Almighty Power is unchangeable his infinite Wisdome is unchangeable his Goodness Mercy Justice All-sufficiency are unchangeable therefore his Love is said to be an everlasting love his mercy endureth for ever his goodness endureth continually 3. God is unchangeable in his Decrees Whatsoever God hath decreed shall come to pas accordingly all things shall be and fall out His Decree of Election is unalterable 2 Tim. 2. 19. The foundation of the Lord standeth sure that is his Election standeth sure compared to a foundation for the immutable firmness of it Pilate could say What I have written I have written he would not alter the inscription on the Cross upon the Jews intreaty God much more can say What I have written in my Book of Life shall be written what I have blotted out of my Book I will have never to be altered His Decrees are called his Counsels The counsels of the Lord stand for ever the thoughts of his heart to all generations Psal 33. 11. 4. God is unchangeable in his Promises and Threatnings What good things he hath promised to give to his chosen all shall be
walking or our falling into some sin is the cause of our want of the apprehension of his favour Shall we say that the fire heateth not or that the Sun shines not when we stand behind a Wall in the shade We say that God changeth when as we remove further from God and set up a sin like a partition Wall between our souls and the light of his countenance So that as the Lord in another sense spake to Israel O Israel thy destruction is of thy self Hos 13. 9. But in me is thy help May be spoken to all Christians that have not their former quickning and ravishing apprehensions of Gods favour in Christ Oh thou mourning and disconsolate soul thy sorrow thy spiritual darkness is from thy self in me is thy comfort and in my favour is light without shadow of change yet we are apt to conceive a mutation in God As men in a Boat do think the Trees and Banks on the shore do move when the motion is in the Boat and there 's none in them so we are apt to conceive a mutation in the immutable God when the change is in us How is God immutable in his Word Object 3. Promises and Threatnings when he threatens evil to persons and inflâ—cts it not promiseth mercy and performs it not As when he threatned Hezekiah that he should dye and not live Isa 38. and to destroy Nineveh within 40 dayes and did not and bade Moses to let him alone that he might consume the people Consider that in Promises or Threatnings Sol. 1. though sometime the condition be not expressed yet it is alwayes implied Iâ— God did promise or threaten absolutely without any condition if he fulfilled not he were mutable and should deny himself but seeing he promiseth upon condition if not performed on our part there is no change in God he remains faithful to his Word Do thou what he commandeth God will make good what he promiseth 2. If it be a temporal Promise we must consider whether it be good for us God doth consider it and if it be not good for thee he gives thee another comfort instead of that yet he is immutable because temporal promises have this condition implied If they be good 3. So again for Threatnings they were with a condition of Repentance If men repent not he will shoot out the Arrows of his indignation but if the wicked shall humble themselves and turn from their wicked wayes they shall live Nineveh had been destroyed had not Nineveh repented Israel had been consumed had not Moses made intercession So Hezekiah humbled himself before the Lord and prayed so that still the change is in us not in God he abideth faithful in his promises and threatnings Repent and God will repent of the evil but he that walketh contrary to God God will walk contrary to him Gods Promises are mutable so are Object 4. his Threatnings because they depend upon a mutable condition in men as men are so God makes good both 'T is true in respect of mans nature Sol. will judgment and sense mans Repentance or Impenitency the condition of the promise is annexed to a mutable thing but neither his promises nor threatnings depend on us but upon Gods immutable Decree God makes good his promises to such to whom he Decreeth to give Repentance Faith and new Obedience he executes his threatnings on such who are in his just judgment given up to Impenitency CHAP. VI. Some Corollaries drawn from this point of God's Unchangeableness BEfore I make Application I will draw some Inferences or Corollaries from this Doctrine 1. If God be immutable then all Coroll 1. things are in God from Eternity most perfectly God is so â—ull of all good from Eternity that to Eternity it is impossible there should be any access of more good in him God is so immutably firmly good that a diminution of his goodness is likewise impossible in a whole Eternity 2. If God be immutable then Coroll 2. though God make the World and destroy the World and turns things upside down that nothing continues in one stay he governeth the World punisheth the wicked blesseth the righteous and brings forth innumerable events yet God abideth the same and whatsoever falls out comes to pass according to his immutable Decree 3. If God be immutable then Coroll 3. though the whole World should be turned into nothing all the Angels and men that ever were or shall be should be excluded from his glorious presence and be turned into destruction yet God would be immutably happy and glorious he being infinitely good the whole good of the creature in comparison of him is nothing CHAP. VII The Uses of this Doctrine of God's Unchangeableness 1. HEre is an Use of Admonition Vse 1. and Terrour to wicked men in three things 1. Hath God inflicted wrath upon wicked men in foregoing Ages Hath God damned unclean Sodomites judged Whoremongers and Adulterers destroyed Drunkards in the very act as Belshazzar and turned the Covetous into Hell Then be admonished and tremble lest the like condemnation betide thee for the like sins for God is immutably holy and hates sin in thee as in them immutably he is just and will inflict the like vengeance upon present impenitent sinners as upon former as our Saviour said to the Jews Think ye that the Galileans whose blood Pilate mingled with the blood of the Sacrifices Luk. 13. were greater sinners than you I tell you nay except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish Hath God cast other sinners into Hell for their wickedness think ye they were greater sinners than you I tell you nay except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish For God is immutable in his hatred of sin and in his threatnings against it 2. It should admonish and instruct the wicked of the necessity of Repentance either you must change or God must change but God changeth not therefore either the profane Swearer the beastly Drunkard must change their courses or be damned Except they repent they must likewise perish 3. It sheweth the misery of the Damned God hates them and his hatred is immutable they are the ever living objects of his wrath and of his hatred If there were any probability or possibility of the alteration of their woful condition the Damned might have some hope to be happy and to get out of that fire but the Damned being utterly rejected of God become immutably impenitent being immutably sinful they are immutably miserable Sect. 2. 2. If God be immutable then see Use 2. here the vast difference between God and all creatures he only is unchangeable Look upon our selves we are in daily change to day we are in health to morrow sick to day perhaps we shine like Stars with outward Prosperity anon covered with dismal Adversity We change often in our purposes and resolutions to day we resolve that this we will do to morrow we are off the hinges we
are variable in our affections to day we rejoyce anon we mourn and weep we are constant in nothing but inconstancy Look upon Friends how inconstant are they in love kindness help and assistance to day they love to morrow they hate to day very helpful to morrow miserable comforters Jobs Friends became his Adversaries Look upon your states and conditions nothing continues in one stay all sublunary things like the Moon suffer their changes but now God is absolutely unchangeable and is the same to Eternity and if God be thine once he is thine to Eternity Let health be changed into sickness richeâ— into poverty abundance into want joy into sorrow love of Friends into hatred God will be thy unchangeable health riches comfort friend thy unchangeable God The Lord speaketh thus to us Ye sons of Jacob take me for your portion I change not Look over the World do not ye see that riches change but I change not I am a rich God and will make you immutably rich your states change your lands and possessions go from one to another but I the Lord am an immutable inheritance and possession Your friends change your wives husbands children kindred your nearest and dearest relations are unconstant and mutable like Weather-cocks every blast turns them about but I the Lord am an unchangeable Father an immutable husband a constant friend and when thy natural change by death cometh when all things must and shall change for all together with life must and shall take their wings and flee away with you God then abideth the same for ever why will not then the sons of Jacob take him for their God Sect. 3. 3. We may learn hence the folly Use 3. absurdity and unreasonableness of all Backsliders that in a storm shake off the unchangeable God in departing from his wayes Let me reason with Apostates for God tell me what you find in your God that you leave him and his wayes What is God become a barren Wilderness a dry Heath an exhausted Fountain What is God less good less gracious less merciful Or what is God become like man a Lyar an unfaithful Friend unfaithful in his promises and will not do what he hath spoken Is his countenance changed toward thee as Haman observed in Ahasuerosh Canst thou lay any or all these to Gods charge Why then dost thou leave him and change thy Master Take the world and thy lusts and serve them are these things better than God Is the world more durable than God then dost thou make God a perishing God Speak what thou findest in God I know thou canst not belie so good a God Oh what hellish and damned madness possesseth thy brains that thou art thus changed Why changest thou thy zeal and forwardness in holy Duties to coldness and deadness in Duties Why art thou now so backward to the performance of them Why hast thou changed thy outward professed Holiness into Looseness Dissoluteness and Profaneness wretched Apostate Let me tell thee thou changest the better for the worse and this is thy unhappy portion that thou fallest from the mercies of God into the hands and vengeance of the same Unchangeable God Sect. 4. 4. If the Lord be Immutable then Use 4. if Christians find a change of comforts into sorrows of light into darkness of spiritual agility into spiritual deadness let them blame themselves for these and the like changes For sure the hand of Joab is in these matters There is something in Israel is the cause that God goes not forth with their Armies as the Scripture speaketh When Israel fell before the men of Ai. O Christian there is some change in thy course or in thy heart that thou dost find such a câ—â—nâ—e of the sensible apprehensions of Gods love and favour to thee If thou art unconstant in the strictness of thy course and conversation and givest thy corrupt self and carnal heart some ease some liberty and growest somewhat loose in thy behaviour toward God no marvel if in thy apprehensions God seems as one that hath forgotten to be gracious and merciful and unmindful of his old loving kindnes God is the same but thy unconstant walking with God occasioneth such a change in thy soul It is with Christians as the Papists superstitiously feign of souls in Purgatory sometime they say they are so scorched that to cool themselves they leap out of fire into lakes of cold water then they freeze with cold and from thence leap into the fire again this is a Popish fable we may moralize it thus sometimes while we are in this world we are in one state and condition sometime in another and are changed into divers extreams There are these two special causes of Christians changes in spirituals 1. Uneven unconstant walking with God and before God causeth an uneven and unconstant apprehension of his love and favour though he abide the same for ever when thou walkest close with God keep thy heart close to his wayes and thou shalt alwayes behold the light of his countenance and joy in it but when thou dost walk loosely and securely thy loose walking causeth dimness or no sense and sight of his love and favour thou fallest into a disconsolate condition 2. Some intervening lust or sin causeth a change of thy sense and apprehension of Gods favour The Sun alwayes shineth there is no darknes yet when the earth is betweâ—n us and the Sun as at Midnight or else the foggy vapours arise out of the earth and are condensed in some cloud they hide the light of the Sun So God is immutable and with him there is no shadow of change but when the World or some foggy lust shall intervene and stand between God and us then a Christian sits in dismal darkness beholds not the face of his gracious Father in Christ And now the immutable Lord permits and suffers such a change in thee that thou maist find out that change of thy heart or conversation or the accursed thing within thee or as we see when clouds cover the Sun they are either dispelled with blasting winds or dissolved into rain before we enjoy the warm beams of the Sun so must Christians either dissolve these foggy mists into tears of Repentance toward God or God by some stormy affliction drives them away that they may behold the light of his countenance again Sect. 5. 5. This may serve for Exhortation Vse 5. If God be Immutable then repose all thy confidence in God trust him now and alwayes for as he hath been and is to thee so he will be to thee unto Eternity Hath God been gracious to thee in by-past conditions Hath he delivered thee out of former Tribulations Trust God for the present and for the future Hath he not said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee The reason is because he changeth not he hath been and is now an immutable Buckler Fortress Tower Rock of Defence former experiences should embolden thee the
his glory with the eye of the body to our intimate satisfaction though we shall not see the Divine Essence Philip makes this request to Christ Lord shew us the Father and it sufficeth us John 14. 8. The Saints in Heaven shall see so much of God as shall satisfie them 3. With the eye of the mind we shall see God more clearly our intellectual sight of God shall be much clearer than now it is our understanding and mental sight of him shall be infinitely beyond what now we are able to conceive of him 4. In heaven we cannot see God comprehensively as much as he is to be known thus no man hath seen him nor can see him 1 Tim. 6. 16. Men and Angels shall never be able fully to comprehend him Seeing God is invisible is it lawful Quest 2. for us to frame conceits of God or to frame an image of God in our minds to help us in our devotion 1. It is unlawful because against Sol. 1. the second Commandment which forbids not onely all corporeal but also mental representations of God 2. It is impossible to make an image of God because we never saw him No man hath seen God at any time Joh. 1. 18. Christ tells the Jews speaking of his Father Ye have neither heard his voice at any time nor seen his shape Joh. 5. 37. Moses tells the Israelites a people very prone to Idolatry The Lord spake to you out of the midst of the fire ye heard the voice of the words but saw no similitude or vision onely ye heard a voice Deut. 4. 12. 3. God is a Spirit and no man is able to make an image or representation of a spirit all such mental conceits of God are idolatrous How then may we conceive of God Quest 3. in Prayer We are so to conceive of him as he Sol. hath revealed himself in his Word that hâ— is a Spirit most wise most just most holy most powerful c. CHAP. IV. Sect. 1. THis condemneth the idolatrous Use 1. custome of the Papists who make visible representations pictures and images of the invisible God they picture God the Father like an old man because he is called the Ancient of dayes they make blasphemous pictures of the invisible and glorious Trinity as three heads on one body Monstrous blasphemy Not to meddle with their fond arguments and trifling distinctions by which they would justâ—fie themselves in this practice as that they are Helps to Devotion c. But I may say they are rather Hindrances to Devotion than Helps pulling the mind down from God to the Creature made for the mind will be apt to follow the eye They say they make them not objects of their devotion but motives to stir up and quicken their devotion But whatsoever they can say they cannot answer this one prohibition of God Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven image nor the likeness of any thing that is in heaven c. Exod. 20. 3. a Command which God often repeateth because the Lord knoweth man is naturally prone to Idolatry and that sensual men are prone to a sensual worshâ—p of a sensible Deity Therefore the Papists have taken a wise course to uphold their idolatrous worship by expunging the second Commandment out of the Decalogue but let them look how they can be able to undergo that severe curse Rev. 22 19. threatned against those that shall diminish any of the words or Commandments of God 2. Seeing God is invisible this Use 2. should admonish us to take heed of any mental conceits of God in our minds and representations of him in our fancies When we go to prayer otherwise than what his Word alloweth viz. that we go to one who is most gracious merciful c. we may be idolatrous in respect of our thoughts and conceits as well as in worshipping Pictures and Images and what are these conceits but gods of our own making and framing Conceits of God in our minds beside the Word of God which many apprehend to be good come from these two fountains 1. Partly from our corrupt natures there is a bitter root of Idolatry and Superstition in every man's nature these conceits are blossoms and buds of this cursed root so many Adders bred and crawling out of this dunghil and we are greatly to humble our souls for them as for other sins 2. These fantastical conceits that we have of the invisible God are likewise of the Devil's suggestion who if he cannot bring us to down-right Idolatry to worship Pictures yet he will suggest false resemblances of God to our minds and so to make us commit mental Idolatry Therefore concerning these conceits of God who is invisible and the resemblances of him in our minds I will say thâ—se two things 1. If we harbour such conceits of God though we think to do it to quicken our devotion and to keep our hearts in awe of God during the duty we perform to him yet know they are breaches of the second Commandment which forbids mental resemblances as well as visible by Pictures or graven Images and resolve to offend God so no more 2. Seeing it is exceeding hard for us to abstain from sinful thoughts conceits and mental resemblances of God and that the Devil will ever be suggesting them if you strive agaâ—nst them and do hate them as you hate an idolatrous image of the divine invisible Essence then they are the Devil's sins and your burdens God will then cure you of this infirmity and not condemn Use 3. you for it Sect. 2. 3. Is God invisible then be admonished from hence not to conceive that God cannot see us because we cannot see him as children shutting or blinding their own eyes think that no body else sees them So the wicked because they see not God are ready to say Tush God sees us not they break in pieces thy people O Lord and afflict thine heritage they slay the widdow and the stranger and murder the fatherles yet they say the Lord shall not see neither shall the God of Jacob regard it Psal 94. 6 7. But this invâ—sible God hath an all-seeing eye to behold what we do he sees all our secret thoughts he searcheth and trieth our ways he sees all our hypocrisies filthiness and all our unfruitful works of darkness All the wicked shall one day know to their shame and horrour that he saw them when they saw noâ— him when he shall lay open all their wickedness he will say to the wicked man These things thou hast done I the Judg of all the world am an eye-witness of these things wil testifie against thee Therefore think not ye Atheists that ye can sin securely that no eye seeth you and that ye may take liberty to sin when you are in places where no mortal eye can behold you the immortal all-seeing and every where piercing eye of God beholds you 4. Labour to live and walk as if you
is the thing he so much requireth the service that is onely well-pleasing crowned with perfect reward and without this kind of perfection all glorious duties are no other in God's account than the cursed works of darkness The Exhortation is to a double Duty 1. To be perfect as God is perfect We may be we must be perfect as God is perfect We cannot be equally perfect as God we must strive after a perfection of resemblance although we cannot possibly attain to a perfection of equality created nature being uncapable thereof Now here I will shew how we may be perfect as God is perfect and then shew what it is to serve God with a perfect heart Now first That we may be perfect as God is perfect 1. Let us lahour to get all grace to exist in us As God's perfection is the fulness of all excellencies required to the nature of God so is a Christians perfection an having of all grace requisite to a childe of God as perfection of parts is requisire to make a man perfect Were there a defect but of one excellency in God he were imperfect were there but one member in a body defective it were an imperfect body so the want of one grace makes an imperfect Saint therefore the Apostle Peter exhorteth to add to faith vertue and to vertue knowledge and to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godlines and to godliness brotherlykindnes and to brotherly kindness charity 2 Pet. 2. 5 6. And St. Paul exhorteth us to be filled with the Spirit wherein there is no excess Ephes 5. 18. It is impossible for a man to be too holy too gracious Covetous men add ground to ground house to house field to field when they resolve to be rich thus Saints should add one vertue to another if they will be perfect as God is perfect 2. We must grow in these acquired graces the more we grow in them the more we come near God in perfection the more holy we grow the nearer we come to him that is perfectly holy as a growing childe comes near the stature and perfection of a man He is not in any wise perfect that grows not more perfect A dead childe grows not painted trees grow not and so will never come to perfection Thy holiness is but a dead holiness thy faith but a dead or painted faith if it grow not Gods perfections are eminent in him we must strive to be eminent as he is this was St. Paul's endeavour The perfection of Saints in this life is to be sensible of imperfections and to desiâ—e more perfection Take it my brethren for a sure rule that the work of grace was never begun in that heart where God doth not by dgrees perfect the work for he is perfect in all his works perfect in the work of Sanctification of his elect as in the Creation of them 3. We should extend the work of grace in us as far as possibly we can Let patience have its perfect work that ye may be perfect and entire wanting nothing Jam. 1. 4. Let patience have its perfect work in all afflictions and to all men There are two Graces wherein we should resemble God in our perfections First The one is in love to our enemies the sun of our love must shine upon them so doth God's perfect love and in so doing ye shall be like your heavenly Father Secondly In mercifulnes in the works of mercy to the distressed yea even to enemies themselves Luk. 6. 38. And in so doing ye shall be like your heavenly Father So that from those places we may see what it is to be petfect as God is perfect A merciful man whose mercy runs round the circumference is perfect as God is perfect a loving man that can pray for bless pardon even his enemies is perfect as God is perfect SECT 2. NOw I come briefly to the next branch of the Exhortation Is God perfect then serve him with a perfect heart God speaks to us as David to Solomon And now Solomon my Son serve God with a perfect heart and with a willing mind 1 Chron. 28. 6. Thus God speaks to every one of us Thou my son the son of my grace the son of my love of my mercy serve thou me with a perfect heart Now what it is to serve God with a perfect heart these three things will shew 1. To serve God with thy whole heart with all thy mind will and affections The whole soul must be taken up with God in his service lift up thy heart to God as well as thine eyes bow thy heart as well as thy knees do all thy duties with thy whole heart a divided a distracted heart is an imperfect heart 2. To set up pure aims and ends in thy heart in all services done to God A sincere heart is a perfect heart to serve God with such an heart is to serve him with a perfect heart Then do we serve God sincerely when we seek to advance God in all that we do we seek that God may be glorified and so in all acts of obedience Jehu's heart was not perfect because he did not seek God in doing the will of God A man may serve himself in doing God's will 3. To have in thy heart a full respect to all Gods commandments when it is in thy heart to do all God's Commandments with all thy heart to be wanting in no duty in no act of obedience this is to be perfect Such a man as this is a man after God's own heart Some give this reason why David is said to be a a man after God's own heart viz. because he was so zealous for God Others because he was so full of praises But this is the Holy Ghosts reason Acts 13. 22. David is called a man God's after own heart because he fulfilled all Gods will to do all which God commandeth We say the eye is perfectly drawn in a picture when it equally looks upon all in the same room So that is a perfect heart which equally looks to all Commandments of God Now to stir you up to serve God with a perfect heart consider these Motives Motive 1. Where perfection of heart is there the weakect performances are accepted the Widows Luk. 21. 2 3. two mites were better accepted then the great largesses of the rich the infirmities of the Saints in their faithful services because done with a perfect heart Job had bitter temptations and murmrings and many impatient fits yet all were forgotten for what saith the holy Ghost have ye not heard of the patience of Job Jam. 5. 11. 2. God will surely protect such they are his jewels the Lord highly prizeth them and would have all the world take notice of such men God even boasteth of such men Job 1. 1. the Lord saith of Joh that he was a man that was perfect and upright he speaks it in the commendation of his perfectness Vse 6. Is God perfect the very
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the one signifieth that power whereby he doth all things the other whereby he upholdeth and governeth all things that he maketh so some render this word omnitenens quia omnia tenet Thus the Angels say of God holy holy holy Lord the God Almighty there are two Articles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to shew that nothing is Almighty but God onely In the handling of this Attribute I will first shew what God's Power and Omnipotency is There are two words that signifie power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 potentia potestas they are thus distinguished 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or potestas is taken for authority right or jurisdiction as a King hath over his Subjects a Master over his servant Matth. 28. 18. All power is given me saith Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 omnis potestas authoritas or jus is given to me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or potentia is that perfection whereby one is able to do any thing and of this I shall discourse There is duplex potentia a double power Potentia activa Potentia passiva An active power A passive power There is a passive power which receiveth or suffereth from an Agent but acteth not this is not in God who is purus actus a pure act God is not obnoxious to any alteration or mutation there is nothing but an active power in God So then God is said to be potent powerful because he can do and will do whatsoever he pleaseth and Omnipotens Almighty because he can do whatsoever is possible to be done This Omnipotency is twofold First their is Absoluta Omnipotentia God's absolute Omnipotency He is absolutely and perfectly Almighty he can do whatsoever his infinite understanding conceiveth may be done he can make thousands of worlds if he please he can make infinite moe creatures then there are St. Paul saith Eph. 2. 20. God can do more abundantly then we can ask or think It is impossible for the understandings of men and Angels to conceive what God can do he is able to do more abundantly then the vast thoughts and conceits of Angels can comprehend And of this Omnipotency the Scripture speaketh when it calleth God the Almighty Secondly There is Potentia Dei actualis or ordinaria as the Schools term it the actual or ordinary power of God but more properly called his actual Omnipotency which is this not onely that God can do more then he will but that God effectually perfectly and really doth whatsoever he willeth to be done And it is Zanchi's observation That when soever the Prophets joyn Gods power to his promises it always denoteth Gods actual Omnipotency because God will really and truly make good his promises So that this now is the short description of God's Omnipotency It is the most glorious perfection Description of Gods Omnipotency of God whereby he doth whatsoever he will and can do whatsoever is possible to be done CHAP. III. BUt we shall the better behold the nature of Omnipotency in these following things There are these things required in Almightiness or to be Almighty 1. That he can effect whatsoever is possible to be done So that Omne possibile est objectum Omnipotentiae every thing possible is an object of Omnipotency Mark 10. 27. All things are possible with God So Luk. 1. 37. There is nothing that the heart can conceive or the tongue express but God can do So Jer. 32. 27. Behold I am the Lord the God of all flesh Is there any thing too hard for me Tell me what thing is there that I cannot do I know not any thing that is hard to do but I can do it 2. That he can do all things facillime very easily God Almighty can do all things most easily what more easie then to command a thing to be done if he speak the word it is done instantly If he doth but say Let there be light let a world be created let Heaven and Earth let Sun Moon and Stars be made and they are made instantly according to his word Consider what a great work the whole world is with all the creatures contained in it the Almighty God did but give forth a word of command and they were all made By the word of the Lord were the Heavens made and all the hosts of them by the breath of his month he spake and it was done he commanded and it stood fast Psa 33. 6 9. so God can command mercies comforts and all are done accordingly what more easie way of doing this sheweth that God is Omnipotent 3. That he can do all things irresistibiliter without resistance let hinderance opposition and difficulty this the Lord Almighty doth there is no power can make resistance there is no power can hinder him he can remove Mountains dash Rocks to peices puff and blow away all creatures Omnipotency infinitely surpasseth all power all is subject to this omnipotency Angels in Heaven Devils in Hell Men on Earth and all creatures he saith to the deep be dry Is 44. 27. he commandeth the earth and it openeth her mouth Num. 16. 30 31. 4. To be Almighty is to do whatsoever he pleaseth and to be able to do more then he will this onely God can do whatsoever he pleaseth Psa 115. 3. yea God can do more then he will do Mat. 3. 9. God can turn stones into men into beleiving Children and dunghills into stars CHAP. IV. Reasons to prove Gods Omnipotency THat God is Omnipotent may appear by divers Reasons Reason 1. It is evident from the Creation of the World to create the least creature is an act of Omnipotency incommunicable to any creature Angels are mighty in power yet cannot they create the least contemptible worm if to create demonstrates an Almighty power then much more the creation of this vaste world with all creatures within it sheweth God to be Omnipotent lift up your eyes to Heaven cast them upon the earth behold all creatures in it and all are the work of his fingers Psa 8. 3. As Nebuchadnezzar in his pride boasted Is not this great Babel that I have built for the house of my Kingdom by the might of my power and honour of my Majesty may much better be spoken by the Lord of the world Is not this great Heaven above this great Earth below that which I have builded which I have created by the might of my power and for the honour of my Majesty Expede Herculem you may guess at the giant like stature of Hercules by the length of his foot you may see what an Almighty God I am by the world which I have made which in comparison of my Almighty power is but as a drop of a Bucket to the vast Ocean 2. As the creation so the upholding and preservation of the whole world sheweth his Almighty power the same power is required to uphold which is to make it he made the
Joh. 1. 4. 2. The life of grace and it is God alone that quickens men that are dead in trespasses and sins to live the life of godliness Eph. 2. 1. 3. The life of comfort Sorrow is called death Psa 116. 8. Thou hast delivered my soul from death mine eyes from tears c. What is the eternal death of the damned but eternal sorrow sorrow is called the vale of death Now it is the Lord that speaks peace and creates joy to disconsolate spirits Vita nihil aliud est quam actio cum delectatione as some define it and what is the life of Angels and Saints but unspeakable and endless joy in God 4. Resurrection of dead men to life God onely by his almighty power can command the graves to yeild up their dead and make each soul to possess its own body after a long divorce made by death God alone brings these two old friends together which at first were loth to part and then shall never part again but shall then live with God for ever or else dye a living death with Devils in Hell 5. A life of glory which he alone gives to all the godly Christ saith of his sheep Joh. 10. 28. I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish CHAP. III. Of the Properties of the life of God with reasons to prove him to be a living God NOw I shall explicate Gods life further in the properties of it 1. It is a most perfect and blessed life because there is nothing wanting to make his life most perfect he living of himself independing 2. It is an immutable life there is no change nor alteration of his life man is up and down sometimes brought as low as death anon revived and walks again in the land of the living Gods life is always the most happy glorious and delightsom life 3. It is an immortal and eternal life it hath no beginning neither is it capable of dying God cannot cease to be Now I shall prove that God is a living God by Scripture and Reason For Scripture read Deut. 32. 40. I lift up my hand to heaven and say I live for ever This lifting up the hand was either a sign of swearing or a gesture used by such as took an oath Gen. 14. 22. as Abram said to the King of Sodom I have lifted up my hand to the Lord the most high God the possessor of heaven and earth Sometimes it was a sign to make the hearers more attentive Thus saith the Lord Behold I will lift up my hand to the Gentiles and set up my standard to the people c. Isa 49. 22. Both ways it may be taken here though in the former properly for there Moses brings in God swearing I say I live for ever God speaks like a living God I say saith God None but he can say so Should creatures be so impudent as to say I say I live God will make them appear to be but dead dogs God saith I live for ever admit creatures may say we live yet herein is the living God discerned I live for ever Before the world was I lived and when the world shall have an end I live Psal 42. 2. David calls him the living God Now the Reasons of it are these Reas 1. Because whatsoever is a perfection in the creature is most eminent in God Of all natural perfection life is the principal it is better then beauty strength wisdom nothing is more dear then life Skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life A living Dog is better then a dead Lion Eccles 9. 4. One living Souldier is better then an huge Army of dead Souldiers a living beggar is better then a rich Nobleman Now if life be such a perfection then surely God is living and his life is most perfect and most eminent If God were a dead God he should want the greatest perfection then many living creatures would be better then God himself he is no God if he be not a living God Reas 2. From the actions of God we may evidently argue him to be a living God he knows all things he wills all things he makes all things he is a God that heareth our prayers and granteth the very desires of our hearts giveth the very things we beg which he could not do were he not a living God What makes him the onely true God but because he is a living God The false gods the Idolls the vanities of the Gentiles have eyes and see not ears and hear not hands and work not Baal could not hear his Priests crying aloud to him O Baal hear us therefore they are no gods But God hath eyes to see all things yea the secrets of mens hearts ears to hear the desires and groans of the poor and dictressed therefore he only is the true and living God Reas 3. All our life is from him therefore he is a living God therefore Christ is called The author of life Acts 3. With thee is the fountain of life Psal 36. 9. Life natural spiritual eternal is from God as the fountain therefore he is called life not onely because he is life essentialitèr essentially but also effectivè effectually And by the Platonists he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The soul of the world he quickens and governs the whole world and hath all the lives of his creatures in his hands I kill I make alive I save I destroy Deut. 32. 39. CHAP. IV. Of the Immortality of God NOw because the Immortality of God though it be a distinct Attribute falls under and in with the life of God I will annex a brief discourse of the nature of it and so make application of the life and immortallity of God together God is a living God and this life of God is not subject to death wherefore he is called immortal Now I shall give a brief description of Gods Immortality It is that perfection of God Desâ—r whereby his life cannot be separated from him by death God cannot cease to live God cannot dye 1 Tim. 1. 16. The Reasons of it are these Reas 1. Because God is most simple void of all composition of body and soul or a principle of life and life it self being the same in God his own essence is his life Only things which are compounded are subject to dissolution Man being compounded of soul and body is obnoxious to a separation by death where there is no union there is no separation where there can be no separation of parts there can be no death or mortality Quest But are not Angels and the souls of men immortal who are not subject to death therefore not God onely Sol. 1. It is true Angels and the souls of men are immortal but they are subject to annihilation which God is not Angels and souls of men may cease to be but God cannot cease to be 2. Angels and the Souls of men are immortal dependently God conserveth them in
Lord God of Hosts his name is called by the name of The Lord of Hosts that dwelleth between the Cherubims 2. Sam. 6. 2. He is called the Lord of Hosts for two reasons 1. To shew that he is the sole commander of all creatures in heaven and in earth The Angels they are his Host A multitude of the heavenly Host Luke 2. 12. The Sun Moon and all the Stars are called his Hosts all creatures in the World are the Lord's Host's 2. To shew that God is instar exercituum omnium instead of all Hosts and Armies Then be ye all exhorted to be on Use 1. God's side for his side is the strongest and will be the conquering side he will give an Eternall overthrow to all his enemies 2. Then let the Enemies of God be horribly afraid because every day they walk in the midst of God's Armies take heed you scoffers at Religion ye persecutours of his Righteous Isaac's Take heed ye Drunkards how ye provoke God to anger For if he give a commission to any of his Armies and command the least creature in his Hosts to fall upon you ye are destroyed for ever 7. God nameth himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Holy One the Holy One of Israel Psal 71. 22. If God be Holy then he cannot Use 1. endure any Sin he must needs hate Sin and Sinners Thou art of purer eyes then to behold evil and canst not look on iniquity Habak 1. 13. Thou art not a God that hast pleasure in wickednesse neither shall evil dwell with thee the foolish shall not stand in thy sight and thou hatest all workers of iniquity Psal 5. 4 5. 2. Labour to be Holy as he is Holy As he which hath called you is Holy so be ye Holy in all manner of Conversation Because it is written Be ye Holy for I am Holy 1 Pet. 1. 15 16. God is free from all vice There are three other names whereby God hath made himself known and they are called his Essential names because they do denote 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his being and all from one root havah or hadiah esse to be The first is Exod. 3. 14. Eheje I am that I am or I will be what I will be some make this name to be Gods extraordinary name That of our Saviour Rev. 1. 8. I am he which is and which was and which is to come is the Interpretation of this name Damascene saith this name Damasc containeth all things in it like a vast and infinite Ocean without bounds The reason why God nameth himself I am that I am or I will be that I will be is because he is the Being of Beings subsisting by himself as if he should say I am my Being I am my Essence my Existence differeth not from my Essence because I am that I am and as I am so I will be to all Eternity the same yesterday to day and for ever there is no shadow of change no variablenesse at all in Me. The second Name is Jah Sing unto God sing praises to his Name extol him that rideth upon the Heavens by his name Jah and rejoyce before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him Psal 68. 4. Now this name Jah is but the contract of Jehovah Jah nihil est aliud quam nomen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 decurtatum quod Ebraice doctissimi viri judicant idque per sâ—ncopen qua aliquid è medio dictionis eximitur contractio autem syncopica apud Ebraeos siâ—ri soleat reducta voâ—ali consonantis sequentis ad antecedentem ut cum hac in unam vocem coalescat â—ndè eâ—iam sequi vocales illas esse nomini 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proprias camets terâ—â—am esse camquè propriam Tetragrammati vocalem Rivet exercit 14. in Genes and signifieth the same or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is The last name is here in the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jehovah this is his memoriall to all generations Jehovah Eloha Abraham the Lord God of Abraham Exod. 3. 15. This name was used always when the Priest blessed the people Num. 6. 24 25 26. The Lord or Jehovah bless thee and keep thee Jehovah make his face to shine upon thee and be gracious to thee Jehovah lift up his countenance upon thee and give thee peace It was thrice repeated And this Name they were commanded to swear by Thou shalt fear Jehovah thy God and swear by his Name Deut. 6. 13. The Jews had many grosse conceits of this name and fearing to use it say for it Adonai scarce any but the Priest used it they call it Nomen Dei Zanch. de â—ib Eloham lib. 1. cap. 12. ineffabile but this name Jehovah is not unspeakable in regard of the Name but in regard of the Essence of God set forth by it as Zanchy noteth The Jews observe that in God's Name Jehovah the Trinity is implied Je signifies the Present-tense Ho the Praeter-perfect tense Vah the Future and S. John alludes to this name Rev. 1. 8. Which was which is and is to come The Jews also observe that in this name Jehovah all the Hebrew letters are literae quiescentes that denote rest implying that in God and from God is all our rest every godly man is like Noah's Dove he can find no rest nor satisfaction in any creature but in God God is the godly mans Ark of rest and safety CHAP. III. HEre I will do two things First I will shew what this Name implieth and then draw some observations from it 1. It implieth his Eternity which is excellently interpreted Rev. 1. 8. I am Alpha and Omega the Beginning and the ending saith the Lord which is and which was and which is to come 2. It implieth that God hath Being from himself and subsisteth alone by himself that he is absolutely an independent Being he onely is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. That he is ens entium the efficient Being of all things he giveth to all creatures their Being to Angels their spiritual and intellectual being and to men their being In him we live move and have our being Act. 17. 28. 4 It denoteth that God is most true constant and faithful in his promises as here in the Text Your Fathers knew me by the Name Almighty or El Shaddai that I am a God All-sufficient that I am a rich God by giving them riches a strong God by protecting and defending them and helping them in their straits and extremities 'T is true I did promise to deliver them out of the land of Egypt to give them the land of Canaan for their possession to take them for my peculiar people from among the nations but they saw not the fulfilling of these promises as now you that are their seed shall see for you shall see that I am a God constant and faithful in all my promises made to your Fathers for I will make them good to you because I am Jehovah CHAP. IV. THe