to goe against God for not to love them in God and for God is to denie God and so much for the first Use Vse 2. The second Use Doth God love himselfe doth he love his Sonne and his Spirit then he commends his love to us he makes his love wonderfull and admirable to be seene towards us because he hath given his Sonne yea even the Sonne of his love for us Then he must needs love us when he spared not his owne Sonne but gave him to death for us If he had had many sonnes it had beene somewhat to have given one hut when he had but one sonne even the fonne of his delight this is wonderfull love if he had sent him but to judge the world it had bin somewhat but to be a Saviour and a judge it is admirable love If he had sent him in happinesse and glory c. but when he empties himselfe of all honour and glory and puts on the forme of a servant and became subject to death even to the death of the crosse and became a curse for us oh then how doth this commend the love of God to us Object If any should say to me Sir It should not seeme to me by this that God should love us because that he gave us his sonne is it likely that he can love his enemies that loves not his sonne God did not love his sonne for if he had he would not have given him to death for us and if he loved not his sonne he beares no love to us Answ To this I answer He loves his Sonne even in this that he gave him a Saviour for us that he might give more glory to his Sonne because he dying for us might have a people purchased to himselfe by his blood Saint Bernard saith this was his glory that he purchased a people even with his blood As he was a high Priest he had no people before but that he might have people he dyed c. Thus the Apostle manifests Tit. 2.4 That he might redeeme us a peculiar people to himselfe So Luke 24.26 Thus it became Christ to suffer and to enter into his glory And now to end this point What is his glory if he had not a people to communicate it too For the conclusion This shewes the great love of God therefore let us labour to fill our hearts with the apprehension of Gods love we shall then thinke nothing too deare for him it was said to Abraham Now I know that thou lovest me because thou hast not spared thy onely sonne c. So God commends his love to us in that he hath not spared his onely Sonne The conclusion therefore is that we should thinke nothing too deare to returne to God againe if thou hast any children or any friends or sinne even thy best beloved sinne that most opposes God and thy salvation so shalt thou commend thy love to God and have joy of heart and God will love thee and manifest his love to thee and bring thee to glory and happinesse Vse 3. The next Use then is this If God loves men and loves them freely it hath in it great matter of comfort against temptation when a man doth only judge himselfe and looke into himselfe and sees himselfe altogether unworthy of love and wholly deserving hatred he begins to say with himselfe he is not beloved of God To answer this objection that the poore soule makes upon this ground The love of God is most free and from himselfe the cause is not in man If the cause were in man the more unworthy the more discomfort shall any man say that the fire cannot heat him because he is cold or the Sunne hath no heat in it because he cannot feele it this hath no ground so notwithstanding mans unworthinesse he may be beloved nay the rather beloved of God when he feeles his unworthinesse as the prodigall Sonne was the fittest for his Fathers love when he found himselfe unworthy in like manner when Gods children finde and feele themselves unworthy still the more unworthy they judge themselves the more fit they are for mercy so that this doth not discourage a man but rather incourage him in the assurance of Gods love I doe not say that every man that is unworthy of love but every man that hath a feeling of his owne unworthinesse is more capable of mercy the Publican that thought himselfe unworthy went away more justified then the Pharisee that justified himselfe God casts his love upon man that feeles his unworthinesse and the more unworthy we feele our selves the more capable we are of love so that if we judge our selves God will not judge us if any man judge himselfe unworthy God will esteeme him worthy Quest Why then doth not God love all seeing he loves them for himselfe all are unworthy Answ I answer that which the Apostle Paul saith Rom. 9.22 There are some vessels of honour and some of dishonour what if God to make his power knowne c If any man aske Why will God doe so Why will he shew mercy to some c. The Apostle answers in the 18. vers Hee will shew mercy on whom he will shew mercy if you aske Why upon this man and not upon that nothing but his Wil is the cause and the Apostle saith againe in Rom. 9.20 Who art thou that disputest with God what art thou that callest God to an account Aquinas useth this similitude A Bricklayer in building a house hath all his brick out of one mold and in the building he layes some in the bottome and some on the top if any aske Why is this laid in the bottome and this in the top the Bricklayer answers There must be a foundation and therefore I lay them I but why this brick below and that on the top Because it is my will and if he aske him Why is it your will he shakes him off as a wrangling fellow So if any aske me why he shewes mercy c. because he will shew mercy but why will he I answer still because he will Vse 4. The fourth Use Doth God love man and doth he love them freely but not equally doth he love some better then others Then it admonishes all those that are specially beloved that they would labour to returne a speciall love againe his generall love requires a generall love againe his speciall love a speciall love every man will challenge this that God loves him better then others the Pharisee will challenge this of God If God doth love him he must returne love againe nay every man will professe that he loves God with a speciall love but put this upon the triall First if he have a care to keepe the Commandements of God Secondly if he shew bountifulnesse Thirdly if he be ready to suffer for God For the first If he be carefull to keepe the Commandements of God 1 Ioh. 2.3 Hereby we know we love God if we keepe his Commandements in which
also his sonne therefore he is called his beloved sonne Matth. 3.7 So he loves the spirit as proceeding from himselfe and being properly the love whereby the divine nature loves it selfe so he loves the creatures as Angels and men and other creatures that he loves this appears by many testimonies of Scripture Angels and men are called the children of God Angels Iob 1.6 Vpon a time the children of God came c. So Adam is called the son of God Luke 3. last Next he loves his creatures freely the cause why he loves them is in himself not in them he loves some with a speciall love and some with a generall freely that appears by the Scriptures Iohn 3.16 God so loved the world 1. Iohn 1.3 Herein is the love of God made manifest that he hath given us his sonne 1. Iohn 4.19 God loved us first if first then freely and no love in us procured his love againe he loves them not equally for he loves men more then other creatures Tit. 3.9 The love he beares to man is manifest yet further he loves some men more then others Exod. 19.5 You shall be my peculiar people as if he should say though all the Nations be mine in generall yet ye shall be my chiefe treasure Tit. 2.14 A peculiar treasure these are as treasures that men lock up he loves those that are elected and those that are called those that are elected he loved them when they were enemies Ephe. 1.4 He loved them before the foundation of the world But he loves them better whom he hath called then those he hath not called Pro. 8.17 I love them that love me those whom he hath endued with his spirit Psal 146.8 The Lord loves the righteous c. To conclude this with that of Saint Austine God loves all that he hath made he loves especially men and Angels and among men he loves those especially that are the members of his Sonne and most of all he loves his Sonne c. and so wee have made manifest this description The next question is Quest Why is love attributed to God Answ The answer to this is because there is none wills better none works better acting upon men to make them good nor delights in them more when they are good To explane these First that God is love it is not an accident for Saint Bernard saith let no man understand me when I say God is love that it is an accident for then I should say there were some things in God that were not God Againe there is none wills better you have heard there are three things in love to will good to doe good and to delight in good now none doth this better then God Iam. 1.17 Every good and perfect gift comes downe from the father of lights c. Finally he delights in those that he hath made good Saint Bernard speaking of this saith thou lovedst them when they were not that thou mightest make them to be when they were thou madest them beautifull that thou mightest delight in them The next Question is Quest Why say you that God loves himselfe and his Sonne and his spirit Answ The answer is because they are all infinitely good they are all one Essence and one will as the object of the will is good so the object of love is good and God is love then no marvell that he loves himselfe his Sonne and his spirit because they have the same Essence every thing loves it selfe and then there is no marvell as wisdome speaks Pro. 8. That he was his delight Saint Bernard saith that the love in the Trinity which is divine charity keeps them together and unites them in one and therfore he loves himselfe Quest Why is it added that he loves his creatures freely Answ Because he made them good with a severall goodnesse he loves them First he loves them being enemies he loves them not for benefit to himselfe but for their good therefore we say he loves his creatures freely each of these we will explane he made all things very good Gen. 1.31 He looked vpon all that he had made and behold it was very good but it is said he loves them freely he loved some before they were before they could possibly desire any thing therefore freely he loved some when they were his enemies Rom. 5.8 When we were his enemies God set forth his love insending Christ to die for us as Saint Bernard saith God loveth them for their owne benefit not for his good God hath no neede of the creature he created them not for himselfe but that he might make them partakers of his owne goodnesse and so we see that God loves them freely without any merit or desert in them Quest Why is it said he loves them not equally Answ Because they are not all alike to him Some creatures onely others servants onely some children and among his children he loves those that are called better then those that are not called I say they are not all alike to God man loves the worke of his owne hands well but he loves his servants better and his childe best of all if it be so with man much more is it so with God some are his creatures some his servants some his sonnes so that he loves them not all alike some are his children but not begotten againe he loves those with a good will and purpose to call them those that he hath called he hath justified sanctified and hath bestowed upon them faith repentance and grace and he delights in these especially that he hath bestowed his grace upō And thus I have laid open the love of God now to come to the Uses Vse 1. This teacheth us first that which the Apostle Saint Iohn gives us to know he that loves not his brother knowes not God for God is love let him boast what he will that he loves God if he loves not his brother he is a lyer he knowes not God to be love he hath not the experimentall feeling of it for if he knowes God to be love he cannot but out of his experimentall knowledge love his brother so the Apostle saith that man loves not God that loves not his brother that is he hath no experience of the love of God we may allude to that which is said of Pharaoh Exod. 1. that he used the people hardly the reason is given because he knew not Ioseph for there was another Pharaoh risen that knew not Ioseph so we may say that many men because they are ignorant of God and the love of God use his children hardly they are scoffers and mockers of those that desire to love God certainly these men know not the love of God but they are fed like an Oxe to the slaughter Saint Austin hath a speech to this purpose Doest thou heare the Apostle say God is love and darest thou so goe against God as not love thy brother for to goe against those that are beloved of God is
we manifest our love to God every man hath a double calling and according to them he hath a double command he hath a generall calling and a speciall calling a generall calling as a Christian a speciall in that place and condition of life in which God hath set him for both these he hath Commandments therefore he must labour for this to be able to keepe the Commands of his generall calling but withall of his speciall calling For his generall calling Iohn 15.10 He that loves me keepes my Commandements He that loves God sets himselfe to keepe the Commandements of God and to please God for this is that which God is delighted withall he will have obedience before Sacrifices 1 Sam. 16.22 Againe for his speciall calling there are speciall precepts Iohn 21.15 Simon Peter lovest thou me If ever thou wilt manifest the proofe of thy love to Christ doe the duties of thy speciall calling Magistrates if they will manifest their love to God they must doe the duties of their speciall calling so Masters and servants and so all others then the conclusion undoubtedly is this That many men love not God because they have no care of their speciall calling and lesse care of their generall calling Certainly thy heart deceives thee when it tels thee thou lovest God when thou hast no care of thy generall and speciall calling Secondly True love is bountifull 1 Cor. 13.4 Love is bountifull what love soever even self-selfe-love it is bountifull to the backe to the belly to the children c. So if a man had this love of God he would be as bountifull to God Quest But wherein stands this bountifulnesse Ans In three things in time in labour in cost for whom men love to them they are bountifull in time and labour and cost bountifull in time they thinke no time too long for them bountifull in labour they thinke no labour too much bountifull in cost they thinke nothing too deare so if any man have a love to God he will thinke no time too much no labour too great nor cost too deare to bestow upon his service but alas brethren as the people say to God wherein hast thou loved us so I may say to you who say you love God wherein do you love God how little time can you afford God a day in seven and all that is too much when it is to be performed it is a wearinesse to us it goes against the haire wherein is thy love to God when thou thinkest every houre too much and tedious in his service Finally wherein is thy bountifullnesse in cost but the complaint of the Prophet may be taken up Will a man spoile his gods but you have spoiled me you have robbed God of his due and yet you say you love God but alas you deceive your owne hearts while you erre c. Thirdly true love is seen in being ready to suffer for God 1. Iohn 3.16 Herein is love because he hath laid downe his life for us therefore we ought to lay downe our lives for our brethren for their salvation rather then that any should fall away and perish if for our brethren much more should a man doe it for God the conclusion is thus much if a man will not suffer the losse of any outward thing for God how will he suffer the losse of his life c. Cyprian saith we should not prefer any thing before Christ because he preferred nothing before us but hath laid downe his life for us how doe we love Christ againe when we cannot indure a scoffe and a mock for him when he indured death for us c. what will such a man doe when he shall come to losse of goods and if he cannot doe this what will he doe when he shall come to the losse of life 2. Sam. 16.17 When Hushi the Archite that was the inward friend of David out of policy went back from David Absolom comes to him with this argument Is this thy kindnesse to thy friend so may we say is this your love to God come a little danger come a little trouble then you are offended is this your love to God whosoever thou art thou deceivest thy owne heart therefore he that will manifest his love to God must have a care to give him obedience in his generall and speciall calling c. and so much for the Attribute of love OF THE GRACE OF GOD. CHAP. XVI EPHE 2.8 For by grace c. THE next question is concerning the Grace of God there are three Attributes which are the Attributes of Gods goodnesse which are love mercy and grace now grace and mercy are all one yet the severall handling of these will afford a great deale of comfort and therefore to speak of the grace of God I have made choice of this text wherein I have taken liberty not to shew you the coherence c. Now of this graee the Scripture speakes two waies Grace as it is in the favourite or as it is in the favourer and heer we are to understand it grace in him that shewes grace that we may know what this grace is we must consider it two waies it is either generall or speciall called saving grace which is that we are to speake of and so the question is this Quest What is the grace of God or of the divine Essence Ans It is a communicable Attribute whereby he specially favours some in this some though unworthy of themselves bringing them to salvation here in this description are divers parts we shall explane them as breifely as we can The first is this grace or the saving grace of God contains 2. things the one as the cause the other as the effects the first is the free favour of God to the Elect the second the gifts of grace or meanes of salvation which doe flow out of this to shew each of these first grace signifies the free favour of God We are saved by grace Rom. 3. we are justified freely by grace c. Secondly grace is taken for those gifts of grace that are bestowed upon men Act. 11.23 when they had seene the grace of God that is when they had seene the gifts for so the Apostle speakes Ephes 4.17 Every one have received grace according to the measure in Christ and so the Apostle 1. Pet. 4.10 Let every man that hath received grace as faithfull disposers c. This grace we speake of is to be understood of the former and not the later because it is the grace in God and not that grace which is from God in man againe we say it is a communicable Attribute the reason is not because this grace is communicated to any man that is to say that it is in man in the same manner as it is in God but because there is something in man in a proportion like this therefore we call it a communicable Attribute the next thing is this we say it is that whereby he loves some in his
Father beget his Sonne then he is divided we hold no such thing he did not beget him in time and if they will follow humane generations then the Father must have another sexe to beget him upon and if you will have it as in humane generations then the mother must have a wombe to carry the Son nine or ten monthes if these be absurdities why would you tie us to this contrary to the word this we are to hold and to looke to that which is revealed and to goe no further we conclude this use with a speech of Saint Ambrose it is impossible saith the father for me to know the secrets of this generation he saith well for we may not search into these secret and high mysteries it is such a thing that when I thinke of it my minde failes me I know not how to utter it Phil. 4. the Apostle saith The peace of God which passeth all understanding How much more this the Father begetting the Son clap thine hand upon thy mouth and admire at these things thou knowest he did it but thou must not search how it was he did it let us rest with that which God hath revealed that we may not fall into error Vse 2. Secondly this commends the great love of God to man that when he had a Sonne a naturall Sonne begotten in and of himselfe yet he would adopt other sonnes to be heires of the same glory with this Sonne this is great love It is the love in men that if a man be childelesse and have not a son he adopts a stranger this is accounted great love that he will adopt anothers sonne and make him his own but when a man hath a sonne then to adopt and then to take an others it will be accounted exceeding love many men when they have a naturall sonne desire to have no more some men have many sonnes and desires to make the eldest great the eldest shall have all and the yonger nothing God made another law but we forget nature and law too this by the way but if parents love be such Gods is much more that when he had a naturall Sonne he adopted many to be heires with him Rom. 8.17 Iacob set forth this love to Ioseph that when he had twelve sonnes yet notwithstanding he loved Ephraim and Manasses the sonnes of Ioseph he would adopt them that they should be the heires of the land of promise and yet there was some reason but see here is greater love in God when he had but one Sonne he was content to adopt enemies to make them sonnes that they might be heires together with him of the same heavenly inheritance Object Some may say you talke so much of Gods love to others that you lesson his love to Christ surely the world will say he loves him not that he makes other heires with him Ans I answer the great Emperours of the world cannot make a division of their Empires but they must lessen them but such is the riches of God that this Sonne shall not have the lesse for divisions for as Saint Augustin speakes of the Sunne the Sun saith he God hath so created that it may enlighten many men and so every man hath abundance of the light of it and yet the Sunne hath nothing the lesse it selfe so God can communicate his celestiall glory and heavenly kingdome to all his sonnes he can make them all kings and sonnes and heires and fellow heires with Christ so that man shall have enough and he not the lesse for there is no dividing Vse 3. Againe this teaches us Hath he begotten the Sonne hath he an onely begotten Sonne we remember saith Saint Ambrose the first begotten because there was none before him and the onely begotten because there was none after him he was his owne and onely Sonne What Use make you of this This Consider of the Justice of God and the great strictnesse of justice that he had but one Sonne and he voluntarily tooke our nature upon him and also tooke our sinnes to stand in our roomes to answer for our sinnes yea that this naturall Sonne this onely Sonne intreated his Father that if it were possible this cup might passe from him yet notwithstanding he would have him drinke of it for the satisfying for our sinnes this would be counted great severity with an earthly King if his sonne should transgresse to cut him off but when he had not committed any thing to cut him off for others offences it would be counted great injustice If so be it was an evidence of strictnesse of justice which stories speake of heathen men that an Emperour when his sonne had offended the Law and both his eyes were to be put out put out one of his owne eyes and one of his sonnes to satisfie the law 1 Sam. 14.29 Or that of Saul he that hath done this shall dye though it be Ionathan my sonne how then doth this argue a great strictnesse and love of justice seeing there is one that for our sinnes though he was Gods naturall Sonne was given to death of his Father What of this Marke here the love and justice of God that he hath shewed toward men who that he might spare them would have his justice satisfied by his owne Sonne and though he intreated him yet he would not heare him know hence and see the severity of God to sinners and the mercy of God to us therefore let us make more conscience of sinne let us see the fearefull condition of those that reape no benefit of Christs satisfaction This serves to strike terrour and fear into the hearts of Gods owne children for if they sinne they are subject to the hand of God till they repent for if we be wanton and carelesse he will not spare his owne adopted sonnes that spared not his naturall Son therefore labour to know him and serve him and we shall have eternall life hereafter OF GOD THE SONNE CHAP. XXVI HEB. 1.5 Thou art my Sonne THE first person is the Father of whom we have spoken the second person is the Sonne of whom we are now to speake the ground of both this text of Scripture will manifest Quest What is the Sonne Ans He is the second person in the Deitie begotten of the Father redeeming the World To open this description the Scriptures speake of the sonnes of God foure wayes First by Creation and so are principally men and Angels whereupon in the first of Iob the Angels are said to be the sonnes of God and so Mal. 2.10 men are said to be the sonnes of God we have all one Father so Luke 2.3 Adam is said to be the son of God and successively all mankinde Secondly by Regeneration and so all the elect being begotten anew are sonnes Rom. 8.15 16. they that have the spirit of God are his sonnes Gal. 3.16 by faith we are all the sonnes of God Gal. 4.6 because we are sonnes c. many such testimonies there are but they
lighted two things the light and the fire if the question be what is the cause of the light the answer must be fire but if we should aske whether the light or heat were first we could answer they are both together if it may be thus in the creature how much more in the creator Vse 2. This in the next place commends unto us the love of Christ though he was God and equall to God the Father though he was the eternall and infinite God yet he became our redeemer the worke doth not so much commend his love as the manner of the working if comparisons may be here modestly admitted it seemes there is a greater love that Christ doth manifest then the Father c. the Father sheweth his love in appointing and sending and giving but the Sonne gives himselfe for us the Fathers love is apparent Isai 45.4.5 I will give men for thee c. where God shewes his love to the intent saith the Lord that I might free thee I put thee into their hands yet what are these these are nothing in comparison of his love in redeeming his elect he put his owne Sonne into his enemies hands so we may see Iohn 3.16 So God loved the world Rom. 5. God sets forth his love that when we were enemies Christ died for us Yet notwithstanding see the greatnesse of the love of Christ in this he being God humbleth himselfe to the lowest degree that he might redeem his as first he tooke flesh Secondly he dies c. Now all this is grounded upon this that he being God humbleth himselfe laying aside all his glory to the death of the crosse What shall I say what could he have done more this amplifies the love of Christ to give himselfe freely there was no necessity of nature or sinne compelled him but meerly voluntarily that he might redeem us Saint Augustine saith doe you thinke that the spears could have pearced him unlesse he himselfe had suffered it as he saith Matth. 26. I could intreat my Father and he could give me more then twelve legions of Angels but yet he being the mighty Sonne of God laies all aside and puts on all basenesse what of all this this should provoke us to thankfullnesse as David in 116. Psal to say What shall I render to Christ for all his benefits Israel when they were delivered out of Egypt and passed the red seas sung a song c. if such a small thing required this what doth this that we are delivered from sinne and Sathan require It is not enough that we sing songs and speake good words but let Christ have his end for which he hath redeemed us what is his end Luke 1. That we should serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of our lives let us give our selves to his service and feare 2 Sam. 19.9 There the people reason after this manner David hath delivered us out of the hand of our enemies and shall we be slack thus we should speake to our hearts hath Christ delivered us from death and the thraldome of Sathan and shall we be slack in giving honour to Christ Ezra 9.13.14 the people reason thus that being delivered say they shall we turn back again c. how then should every one speake to his owne heart thou hast tasted of this and shall I turne backe againe and transgresse against Christ therefore learne to remember what the Apostle saith Titus 2.14 He hath redeemed us a people to himselfe to be zealous of good workes and thou that condemnest well ordered zeale thou hast no dram of religion in thee for no true zeale no religion thou criest out of zeale thou art a slave to Sathan still therefore let every man bring forth righteousnesse and deny ungodlinesse and live soberly in this presen world walking and glorifying God here that we may be glorified of him hereafter OF GOD THE HOLY GHOST CHAP. XXVII JOHN 15.26 The spirit of truth which proceeds from the faber he shall c THE third person of the Trinity is the holy Ghost Quest What is the holy Ghost Answ He is the third person of the Diety proceeding from the Father and the Sonne sanctifying the elect The thing that is described is the spirit which in the Scriptures signifies many things it may be reduced to these heads I will but name them First it hath relation to the creature Secondly to the creator as it hath relation to the creature the word signifies many things I will but name them sometimes it signifies power sometimes the soule of man sometimes the life of beasts sometimes Angels sometimes naturall motions in the heart of man and divers others which I passe over In respect of the creator it hath a double signification and it is taken Essentially and personally Essentially and so all the three persons of the Trinity are said to be a spirit according to this we have it Iohn 4.24 God is a spirit where the whole Diety is put under the name of spirit Secondly it is taken personally in the Diety concerning whom spirit may signifie two things either the person or the gifts the person it selfe it is manifest in this place the spirit that proceeds from the Father the gifts and graces of the spirit 2 Kings 2.19 Let thy spirit be double upon me So Numb 7.11 1 Thes 5.19 Quench not the spirit understanding it of the grace of the spirit againe I say the third person I need not stand upon that to shew that it is a person common to him with the other all persons are distinct one from another really and truly he is a person distinct three waies in order in property and working in order he is the third person in property he proceeds from the Father and the Son in working sanctifying the elect the Father is the first not in time not in dignity but in order so the Son the second and so the holy Ghost the third we adde the third person in the Diety that we may have occasion to manifest that he is God as well as the other that he is God there may be many testimonies Samuel 27.23 David the sweet singer of Israel the Lord God spake by me the Lord said that that is in the former the Lord and God in the next is said to be the spirit Acts 5.34 Peter said to Ananias why have you lied to the holy Ghost and in the fourth verse You have not lied to men but unto God that in 1 Gor. 3.16 You brethren are the temples of God and the holy Ghost dwelleth in you temples of God and temples of the holy Ghost both one The next thing I say is the third person proceeding from the Father and the Sonne his property is proceeding he is as Athanasius Creed hath it not made not begotten but proceeding That he doth proceed from the Father and the Sonne appeares first by these places that he is affirmed to be the Spirit of the Father and the Sonne
the reason why It is because the Essence is most simple and without composition where there is no composition there is no number therefore there cannot be many Essences and again from hence it appeares that howsoever these things are attributed to God that he is love mercy favour and anger howsoever they are spoken as though they were many and different yet in God they are but one and the same True it is that we are of a compounded understanding they are as severall things to us because we cannot conceive God as he is yet by faith we are brought to beleeve that there is no such difference between them in God that which is the love of God is the hatred of God and that which is his wisdome is his power also because there is but one and the same Essence Saint Austin speakes to this purpose God is simple he is great and without weight or bulke and he is wise without any wisdome we cannot say that his justice is one thing and his mercy another both these are his Essence but we are of a compounded understanding and cannot but distinguish them Vse 2. Is God thus simple that his love his mercy and his justice are his very Essence we then will joine these two together here then is matter of joy and comfort and matter of terror and feare first matter of joy and comfort mercy and love are Gods Essence What is the comfort of a male factor that he hath a mercifull Judge 1. King 20.31 The servants of Benadad say we have heard that the Kings of Israel are mercifull Kings So is a man in misery what is his comfort he hath a compassionate friend full of compassion and yet these are but accidents in man and may deceive how much greater comfort then is this that God is love it selfe mercy it selfe justice it lelfe with reverence may I speake it he may cease to be before he can cease to be mercifull and good c. This is that the Prophet useth to comfort the children of God with Isai 54.8 For a moment have I hid my face from thee but with everlasting compassions will I imbrace thee So Ieâ— 31.3 I have loved you with an everlasting love Man loves and he loves but for a time the same man that loved upon a small occasion comes to hate as extreamly as he loved tenderly the reason is because man is mutable but God loves more earnestly then man can do for it is his Essence and he never changes heer is the comfort Isa 49.15 Can a mother forget her son her son new born though some mother can be so unnaturall saith God yet I will not forget you yea Christ himselfe saith if you being evill can give good things how much more shall your heavenly father give his holy spirit to those that aske him Secondly this serves also for feare and terror why because Gods anger his mercy his justice are his Essence and he is unchangeable The anger of a King is much to be feared it is like the messenger of death Prov. 14 7. yet the anger of a King is mutable for a man of wisedome will appease it but Gods anger when he sets it upon any it should make him tremble it is his Essence God himselfe is against that man these Attributes are his Essence therefore there 's no reason why any man should presume upon the mercy of God for God is justice nor despaire for God is mercy thus we have ground of comfort and fear there is no sound comfort where there is no true feare these two ever goe together true feare of his justice and comfort of his mercy Saint Bernard speakes to this purpose Bernard sex bre 25. Duo sunt pedes c. God hath two feete and one of these two feete is feare the other love and with these two God walkes in the hearts of men when he comes to the crevice of the heart of man he puts in the foot of feare and looke how much feare so much comfort If thou wilt know that God walks in thy heart in love he first sets in his left foot of feare and therefore know thus much thou must have part in these two first in the feare of God and so in the love and comforts of God these must both goe together and therefore get thy heart smitten with the feare of God or else thou art but a vaine man to presume of comfort and thus much forthe simplenesse of Gods divine Essence The next thing is the Eternity of God and the question is Quest What is the eternity of the divine Essence Answ The answer is it is an incommunicable attribute whereby the divine Essence is without beginning or ending and without succession the parts of this we will explane first it is said to be an incommunicable Attribute because it is communicated to none but proper to God Secondly that it is without beginning or ending all this appeares because God hath this name of eternity given to him Gen. 31.33 Abraham made an Altar and offered to the God of eternity Psal 90.2 From everlasting to everlasting thou art God Isai 44.6 I am the Lord and before me there was no God neither shall there be after me Rom. 1.20 The invisible things of God as his eternall power and god-head are seene To what tends all this but to tell us that he had no beginning neither any ending Thirdly the third thing is that he is without succession that is hath neither first nor latter neither present nor to come There can be no succession without time there is no succession with God for a thousand yeeres with God are but as one day 2 Pet. 3.8 so that with man there are successions but with God there are no successions for all things are naked and bare before him so the holy Ghost Psal 2. speaking of the eternall begetting of the same saith Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee Quest What grounds have you for this Answ The answer is first because he is the true Jehovah that is hath his being of himselfe c. Secondly he is the creator of all things and of time it selfe Thirdly He is the author and giver of eternall life to those that have it To explane these Reas 1. First He is Jehovah so we have heard the word explaned a God that hath his being of himselfe and not receiving it from any other for if he have his being from any he must receive it from himselfe or from some other receive it from himselfe he could not for nothing can be the efficient cause of it selfe againe he could not receive it from any other because that all other have their being after him and from him he is the first and the last Revel 7.8 10. If the first then none before him then he received it not of any other so that this is true which Saint Austin speakes This eternall can speake to the heart of man I am
good thou hast in thy creation redemption and renewing let it be a provocation to returne good againe to God or else the more shall be thy condemnation let every man therefore labour after this manner to answer the goodnesse of God that herein may be his comfort for then we are best to our selves when we returne good againe and worse to our selves when we returne evill therefore we ought thus to approve our goodnesse to him and have this ever upon our hearts how doth the goodnesse of God call for obedience that we may glorifie God heer and then by him we may be glorious in the life to come OF THE GOODNESSE OF GOD. CHAP. XV. 1. JOHN 4.8 God is love ACcording to our order the next that followed was the goodnesse of God and as you heard what it was namely a communicable Attribute c. whereby God was absolutely good of himselfe c. the parts of which have been explaned and you heard we have made two uses according as time suffered us there now remaines divers other uses that might be made of this but to teach two more Vse 3. The use now which is the third is a confirmation of our faith against the Heretiques and Heresies concerning God First against Sardian who first raised up and after him Marcion as Tertullian reports wrot that the God who was the creator was not good as the story reports this Marcion being some times of the Church fell into uncleanesse and being deprived of the Communion of the Church and so cast out for deflouring of a Virgin he in envy taught that God the creator was not good but we see by this description which I have given of Gods goodnesse the falshood of this heresie for God is good and there is no evill comes from him as it is evill though the evill of punishment comes from him for from that which is good as it is good no evill can come therefore when evills of judgement comes from God they are good Saint Chrysostome saith he had a conference with a Marcionite and he reasoned thus God was good saith he if he would not take account for sinne but seeing he doth take an account for sin he is not good Chrysostom saith I answer thee Marcionite that God is good because he doth take account of sinne for if men now exceed Lions and Beares when God doth take account of sinne what would they doe if God should take no account of sin I dispute with thee Marcionite saith the father thou hast a family if thy servants despise thee and thy government and beat thy children thou do nothing to them tell me whether this were good in thee or no every man will conclude no and should we make God idle that will suffer men to do what they list therefore we see the goodnesse of God is very good though he take an account of sin Vse 4. The fourth use is whosoever hath received any good from God spirituall or temporall outward or inward it teaches him that he should be thankfull to God thankes ought to be returned but you will say Quest How shall we be thankfull Answ I answer two waies in word and in deed we must use the goods we receive and use them well whosoever is unthankfull in word he is also in deed unthankfull he that useth not his talent or useth it not well whatsoever his words be is unthankfull to God whatsoever his talent be whether knowledge wisedome or riches if a man shall hoard up riches let him remember what Saint Basil said when he reproved such they answered they did no man injury are they not their owne goods I but saith he didst thou bring them into the world with thee no sure then thou must be thankefull God hath honored men when he hath given them more then others but yet hath made them but Stewards that Steward dishonoreth his master that keeps that he hath to himself and doth not use it to the benefit of the family those men provoke the justice of God to revenge the quarrell of his mercy that use not his mercies many men receive good things but they are unthankfull in the use of them as the Prodigall sonne made an evill use of his portion to the abuse of his father For the conclusion they are to use every thing three waies for the glory of God to the benefit of others and their owne comfort three things unseparable for if any man use any thing to the dishonour of God and hurt of his brethren or of himselfe he is unthankefull every man ought to returne part of that he hath to God part of it to the benefit of others as the Apostle speakes 1. Tim. 6.17 Charge them that are rich that they trust not in uncertaine riches on the other side charge them that they doe good that they be good and that they be better for their riches S. Cyprian complaineth of some that they were the poorer to God the richer he was to them every man ought therefore according as he hath received to returne due thankefullnesse againe to God Now we come to speake of the love of God and the question is Quest What is the love of God Answ The answer is it is a communicable Attribute whereby God loves himselfe his sonne and his spirit and then his creatures freely but not equally to explane these points we give love to God as other Attributes not as qualities not as accidents not as any thing comming from God that was not in him before because there is nothing in God that is not in God Love is given to God as voide of all imperfection or error it is a rule that the Learned have that whatsover Attribute is given to God must be free from all imperfection and error before we can Attribute it to him and therefore love as it is an Attribute given to God must be purged from all imperfection there are three things in love First a good will that one bears to another Secondly a good worke Thirdly a delighting in that which is loved these things are in God none hath a better will then God none doth more good then God and there is none that delights more in his beloved then God himselfe againe we say it is a communicable Attribute not that love is in God as it is in man but because there is something in man that is like this love of God man being made partaker of the godly nature that is they have this in the quality that God hath in substance and therefore we call it a communicable Attribute In the next place we say it is that whereby he loves himselfe his sonne and his spirit it is for his owne glory that he loves himselfe as it appeares in that the Scripture saith that God is a jealous God jealous of his worship and service if he be jealous there is a kinde of love of himselfe goes with it 2. Commandment so he loves himselfe and he loves