upon you that the earth affords that hell affords are against you Therefore if ye will walk contrary to God prepare ye to meet the Almighty God in most horrible and almighty wrath But tell me O sinner hast thou the strength of stones to bear his wrath such strength is too weak God can break the rocks and pound them to pouder much more thy stubborn heart If he touch the mountains they will smoak much more when he shall inflict full stroaks of vengeance upon thy soul and body What saith the Apostle Do we provoke the Lord to anger are we stronger then he Can ye stubborn sinners grapple with the terrible wrath of the Almighty God or can ye overcome him when ye shall meet him cloathed with almighty vengeance if ye can you can do more then all the Devils in hell can do for they tremble at the power of his wrath 2. Let the stout-hearted and stubborn sinners be admonished to humble themselves before this Almighty God and fear to sin any more against him Go and break your hearts and humble your souls deeply and make your peace with Almighty God before the decree bring forth his irresistible wrath Our most conquering contention and wrestling with God is our serious humiliation under the mighty hand of God Brethren either your hearts must be broken with the sense of sin or else the Almighty God will break you all to pieces like a potters vessel with his iron rod either you must cast your selves down before him or God in his wrath will cast you into the lowest hell Isa 27. 4 5. But you will say how shall we do it What said the Leaper to Christ Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean Go ye to Christ and say Lord if thou wilt thou canst humble my proud heart Lord if thou wilt thou canst break my stubborn heart Lord if thou wilt thou canst soften this hardned heart of mine Lord if thou wilt thou canst smite this rook of mine and rivers of tears shall gush out I see it is an hard matter for such proud stubborn hearts to be humbled but nothing is impossible for thee SECT 2. THe second Use is a use of terror Vse 2. to the professed enemies of God's Church and people 1. God will shew forth his almighty power and wrath against his Churches enemies to their utter destruction however the Nimrods the mighty hunters before the Lord may set themselves in their pride fury and malice against his people yet these lofty mountains shall be made plain and these Anakims these great Nimrods shall be driven away by his Almighty wrath as the chaff before the wind The Lord who is King of his Church is most wise and therefore can frustrate and bring to nothing all their devices he is Almighty therefore can destroy them with a sudden destruction Vse 2. Here is comfort to God's people Be not affraid thou worm Jacob for the Almighty God that hath all power all might all strength is thy sheild buckler tower God is on thy right hand and left hand before thee behinde thee to uphold preserve defend and save thee If God be with us who can be against us if God be with you who is he that can harm you let all the furies of hell with their malice and madness set upon you yet Vmbra Dei plus valet quam mille gladii hominum mille sagittae mille exercitus The shadow of Gods protection will be more available for your help then a thousand swords and darts of men then a thousand Armies are able to do you hurt Vse 4. Then be exhorted to pray with confidence at all times and daily to depend upon Almighty God So long as there is a possibility that the thing may be done though small or no probability in respect of the outward secondary causes and means appear yet pray because every thing is possible to Almighty God and he will put forth his Almighty power to do what shall make for his glory and thy good Despair of no mercy whatsoever Eph. 3. 20. God can do abundantly above what ye can ask or think God can do great matters give great mercies he can give great deliverances remove great evils confound the crafty overcome the mighty therefore pray still you cannot ask so great things as God can do for you you cannot think of so great things as God can do yet the mind can conceive greater things then the tongue can utter ask and think as great things as you can yet God can do and give more abundantly Despair likewise of no person despair not of the conversion of thy wife and children and friends after whose salvation thy soul longeth pray for them and continue in so doing because all things are possible to God he can break hearts he can change hearts convert the stubborn humble the proud he can draw a Camel through a needles eie Be exhorted likewise to depend always upon the Almighty God let him be thy stay trust and confidence in the greatest streights difficulties perplexlties or in what condition soever What! are means weak its no matter God is Almighty and can bring mighty things to pass by small means Do means go cross it is no matter God is Almighty and can make contraries to work thy happiness Do means fail God is Almighty and can do any thing without means All things are possible to him that beleiveth that dependeth on the Lord the Almighty God Vse 5. If God be Almighty then be ye lifted up ye heads that hang down and be strong ye feeble knees Gods almighty power is matter of great comfort Art thou weak be not cast down but hope in God and he can strengthen thee to do all things Art thou faint be not cast down God Almighty can renew thy strength that thou shalt run and not be weary walk and not be faint Isa 40. 31. Art thou afraid thou shalt not hold out but fall back from God the almighty power of God shall keep thee through faith unto salvation Gods almighty power is a Christians strong hold and garrison Art thou afraid of tentations Gods almighty power is sufficient to bear thee up and out of the most fearful tentations Hast thou a dead heart God's almighty spirit will quicken thee Fear no affliction for God's almighty power shall make thee more then a conqueror in all these Fear not death nor the grave for Gods almighty power can raise thee from the dust and make thy body glorious like unto the glorious body of Christ A discourse of the Life and Immortality of God Hebr. 3. 12. Take heed brethern lest there he in any of you an evil heart of unbeleif in departing from the living God CHAP. I. THe Author of this Epistle doubtless was St. Paul the chief subject of it is Christ A secondary drift and scope of it is to deter such as make profession of the faith of Christ from backsliding and departing from Christ as
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
VII BEhold here the incomparable and Use 3. unconceiveable happiness and priviledge of Believers how mean despicable and troublesome soever their condition in the world be Every Believer hath an eternal interest in this glorious Trinity The Eternal Father is their Eternal Father and he will shew forth his Almighty Power to save protect and defend them and wâ—ll bless them with all good the Eternal Son is their Eternal Saviour Brother and Co-heir the Eternal Spirit is their Eternal Comforter and Sanctifier This glorious Trinity do put forth their Eternal Attributes to work their eternal good the infinite Power the infinite Mercy the infinite Wisdom the infinite Goodness of this glorious Trinity worketh their good and they shall be all happy if these three glorious Persons can make them so It was the answer of David to Saul's servants Is it a small thing to be son in law to a King Implying it to be an high honour and dignity to be the son of a King the same may be spoken of every Believer 't is no small hononr and dignity for such poor creatures as Believers are to be the Sons of God the Father Brethren and Coheirs with the Eternal Son of God and to have the infinite blessed Spirit to be their Comforter Take heed then O ye wicked of the earth how ye do harm the Saints of God their Father their Saviour their Comforter will judge and avenge their wrongs you cannot long wrong and oppress them because God is their Father Sin and Devils cannot damn them because the Eternal Son of God is their Saviour you see they can rejoyce in tribulation because the Holy Ghost is their Comforter Seeing these glorious Persons do Use 4. delight in and love each other and glorifie one another let it admonish us that do profess three Persons and one God to give all honour and worship to this Trinity in unity to put all our delight in glorifying this one God with one mind and heart and with all our hearts and souls If God the Father be called Father by you then hear what the Apostle exhorts you to see that you pass the time of your sojâ—urning here in fear he is an holy Father be ye holy as he is holy If you call the Eternal Son of God your brother your Saviour then strive after a conformity to his Image if you call the Spirit of God your comforter then take heed of grieving your comforter by quenching and rebelling against his blessed motions let your hearts be for God let him have all your love your desires your esteem and rest fully satisfied in him From the whole verse thus explained we may draw two considerable uses 1. We may behold a strong ground Use of confidence and faith in Christ we have it in that this glorious Trinity with one consent bare this record that in Christ the son of God is life eternal God the Father testifies this to all that life eternal is from his Son God the Son gives the same testimony I Am the life and whosoever believeth on me hath life eternal And God the Holy Ghost gives this testimony therefore you that look for life eternal receive Christ for in him eternal life is found and you may be assured of it the glorious Trinity hath spoken the word therefore be confident 2. It sheweth to us the horrid nature of the sin of unbelief not only in that it is a full rejection of whole Christ but also it make's the glorious Trinity a liar 1 John 5. 10. God hath given this Testimony that pardon of Sin righteousness Life Eternal is in Jesus Christ if thou believest not dost thou not make God a liar A Discourse shewing What GOD is Exod. 6. 3. 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 CHAP. I. HAving already proved there is a God and but one God and in the Divivine Essence that there are Three Persons I am now to shew what God is and here I can shew no more then he hath revealed to us even his back parts his titles and his names As for his Essence never shall Angels or men know with a comprehensive knowledge we come to the knowlede of God four waies 1. Per viam negationis by way of of negation He is not this or that therefore this S. Paul laboureth to convince the idolatrous Athenians out of some of their own Poets that we are the off-spring of God and for that reason we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold or silver or stone engraven by Art or man's device but God was he that made the World and all things therein Lord of heaven and earth and not dwelling in Temples made with hands who is not Worshipped with mens hands as though he needed any thing seeing he giveth to all life and breath and all things Acts 17. 24 25. 29. 2 Per viam eminentiâ— by way of In perfectionibuâ— datur suprâ—mum in quâ—est status Eminency There are creatures Eminent in some one or other perfection but God is most Eminent There is wisdome power strength justice goodnesse holinesse in the Scriptures but God is most wise powerful just good and therefore 't is usual with Scripture speaking of excellent creatures to call them Gods things Mountains are called the Mountains of God Numb 10. 33. The tall Cedars are called God's Cedars Psal 80. 11. Sometimes the Scripture compounds names with the name of God as Ariel the strong Lion of God teaching us that when we behold any excellency in the creature we should lift up our minds tanquam per scalam to the Infinite Excellencies that are in God 3. We know God Per remotionem by removing all imperfections and defects from God as when we say God is Infinite Immortall Immutable we remove all defects from God he is most wise there is no shadow of folly in him he is most good there is no shadow of evil in him 4. Per viam causationis by his Efficiency this sheweth that there is a God the other three shew what God is Et qualis Deus what manner of God he is The Scripture make's known God to us all those waies but especially by his titles or names and by his Attributes Concerning God's titles which shew his Nature to us I will shew them here and his Atributes hereafter That his titles and names declare what God is this text is plain for it and nomen rei est notificatio rei And I appeared c. For the coherence of the words briefly this is to be considered Moses being sent to deliver Israel out of Egypt was an occasion of their sorer labour for Pharaoh and his mercilesse servants did redouble their tasks and slavery The children of Israel were much grieved at it and with a murmuring reproof did sharply rebuke Moses and Aaron as appeareth Exod. 5. 20 21. Saying to
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