English Puritan & Reformed

Body of Divinity

Edward Leigh (1602-1671) · 537,836 words · 2390 min

Large work readerShowing section 4 of 18. Corpus search still uses the whole work; source find opens the first matching section.

Section 4/18

Numina—

Juvenal. Satyr. 15.

Pythagoras, Plato, and all the Poets began their works with God's name. A Jove principium musae.

Socinus affirms, that there are whole Countries found at this day, which have no sense or suspicion of a Deity; which is very false, for God never suffered the Gentiles so to walk in their own ways, as to leave himself without all witness among them. Acts 14. 16, 17. The very Cannibals are found to believe the immortality of souls, and highly to prize their Priests. The Heathens lifted up their eyes & hands to heaven in any distress that came upon them. See 1 John 6▪ Vide Lud. Viu. de ver. Fid. Christ. l. 2. c. 1. & Voss. de orig. & Progress. Idol. l. 1. c. 2. Rom. 1. 19, 21. Acts 7. 28, 29.

3. By the particular Testimony of each man's conscience. Gen. 42. 21, 22. Conscience proclaims a Law in every heart, and denounceth a punishment for the breach of God's Law. Conscience is a natural ability of discerning the condition and state of our Actions. whether good or bad; and that not alone in respect of men, but of some other thing above men; for when one hath done things unlawful, though such as no man can accuse us of, because no man doth know; yet then he is accused and tormented, then he hath something in him threatening, arraigning, accusing and terrifying; a Deputy of God, sitting within him, and controlling him; A man must therefore confess, there is a higher power and Supreme Judge, to whom that conscience of his is an Officer. That which the conscience of every man beareth witness unto, is sure a truth, for that is a thousand witnesses. The fears of an ill conscience, the joy and security of a good conscience proves this, that there is a God, a revenger of sins, and a rewarder of virtues, Nero having killed his Mother Agrippina, confessed that he was often troubled with her Ghost. Caligula at the least thunder and lightning would cover his head, and hide himself under his bed; whence Statius saith— Primus in orbe Deos fecit Timor; on the contrary Paul and Silas could sing, and Peter could sleep securely in prison; David could triumphantly rejoice in God, in the greatest dangers, 1 Sam. 30. 6. Augustine calls peace of conscience, The Souls Paradise; and Solomon • continual Feast, Prov. 15. 15.— HIc murus aheneus • sto, Nil conscire sibi, nulla pallescere culpa .

2. Divers Reasons may be brought to prove that there is a God, from the effects and the contrary

1. From his effects

Ordinary.
Extraordinary.

1. Ordinary,

Natural.
Civil.

1. Natural.

1. General, The Creation and preservation of the world.

1. Creation, or making all things.

The world must needs be eternal, or must be made by itself, or by something which was before itself; and therefore also was far better then itself; but it could not make itself, for what maketh, worketh; what worketh, is; but what is made, is not till it be made: Now nothing can be, and not be at the same time; for both the parts of a contradiction can never be true together; neither could it be eternal, for a thing compounded of parts, must needs have those parts united together by some other thing beside itself, and above itself; and if they be compounded wisely, artificially, strongly and excellently, by some wise, strong and excellent worker, it is inimagible how each of these parts, being not reasonable, should come together of themselves; therefore sure there was some worker, which did so handsomely dispose and order them; and this worker must needs have a being, before he could so work, and therefore also before the conjunction of them; and so things in such sort made by composition of parts, could not be eternal, for that neither hath, nor can have anything before it; therefore it must needs be made by something which was capable of being from Eternity. What is Eternal; is of itself what is of itself is God; the world is not God, because the parts of it are corruptible, therefore it is not eternal; and what is finite in quantity, cannot be infinite in continuance. It could not be made by any creature in it; for the part cannot possibly make the whole, because it is of far less virtue then the whole, and because it hath its being in and of the whole; wherefore it must needs be made by something better then itself, which is no part of itself, and that is no other then God; so the making of the world proves a God. What created the world, is, and is better then the world, and before the world, and above all creatures in the world: God created the world. When we see the glorious frame of Heaven and Earth; the excellency, magnitude and multitude of natural things, the beautiful order and harmony, so great variety, we cannot but conclude that there is a God, who made and ordereth all these things.

2. The Preservation and Continuance of the world in that order which we see, maketh it manifest, that there is a God which preserveth and ordereth it, Heb. 1. 3. For either it must be preserved, ruled and ordered by itself; or by some more excellent thing then it; not by itself; for what could not make itself, cannot of itself keep and uphold itself, seeing no less power is required to its continuation then to its constitution; for it could not continue, if each of the parts did not so work as to help and uphold the other in some respect or other. Now these several parts could not so work for one common end, if they were not guided thereto by some common and understanding guide, which were acquainted with, and had power over each of them, therefore it hath one ruler and upholder. That which is effected by the constant, orderly and subordinate working of innumerable particulars for one common end, whereof no one of them hath any knowledge or acquaintance, must needs be wrought by some common Ruler and Governor which knows the motion and working of each, and rules all, and each to that end in their several motions. What upholds the world is; but God upholds the world, Therefore he is.

1. This is Aquinas his reason, Natural bodies which want knowledge, work for a certain end, because they frequently work after the same manner; therefore there must be a mind, understanding and governing all things, and directing them to that special and chief end. The whole world doth aptly conspire together for the attaining of one end, the good and benefit of man. All creatures incline to their proper operations, the stone down-ward, the fire upward, the seasons of the year constantly follow each other.

2. Particular Effects, the framing and maintaining of each creature in the world; the Heavens and Man especially; these two were most artificially made, as the Scripture shows. The Psalmist calls the heavens, The works of God's fingers, Psal. 8 4. because they were made with greatest ease and with exquisite Art, Heb. 11. 10. whose builder ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Artifex) is God, speaking of the Heavens.

David spends the 139 Psalm in admiring God's goodness to him, in the framing of his body, there is a multitude of members, and they have distinct offices, and one member sympathizeth with another, I am fearfully and wonderfully made, ver. 15. curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth: The Hebrew word is very emphatical, it signifieth embroidered, or wrought with a needle, that is cunningly wrought with Nerves, Veins▪ Arteries. Galen upon the contemplation of the admirable workmanship in the body of man, breaketh out into an Hymn, in the praise of him that made g him. The infusing of the soul, Eccles. 11. 5. and sustaining the infant in the womb (where it cannot breath) and the taking it out of the womb, are wonderful, Psal. 22. 9. and 71. 5.

1. The creation of the Heavens proves, that there is a God.

The largeness, roundness, pureness, solidness, the continual and constant motion of the heavens; doth excellently declare the glory of God. The very name of Astronomy (whose object is the motion of the heavenly Orbs and Stars) in exact signification importeth that the stars observe a Law in their motion; which Law is given unto them only by God himself, who is their true Law-giver.

Soudas affirmeth, that even Abraham himself was first occasioned, to seek after God by considering the motion of the stars; for he being by nation a Chaldean, (who, as Aristotle observeth, are naturally given to that kind of contemplation) and observing in their motion a wonderful order and variety, and yet no less a constancy, he presently collected that these strange revolutions were directed and guided by some God. The Sun is a representative god, the brightness of his beams shows the majesty of God; his influence, the omnipresence of God; his indefatigable motion, the eternity of God.

2. The Creation of man proves this truth, that there is a God.

1. A man may reason from his own framing in the womb, and preserving in the world. Man is framed in the womb, by some most noble, wise, and excellent workman. The Parents frame him not there, for they know nothing of his framing, neither when, nor how he was so formed; therefore some more excellent thing then a man did frame him there, and doth daily and hourly frame other men; and that is a wise worker, which is alike wise and potent in all places of the world at all times; seeing there is something more excellent then man which hath set down this order for producing of men, and so a God

2. The Nobility and Excellency of the soul, showeth plainly, that it is of Divine Original; it being spiritual and incorporeal, could not but proceed from that which is incorporeal. The effects cannot be toto genere better then the cause▪ Divers works are done by man, arts invented, Zach. 12. 12. The immortality of the soul proves that there is a God, the soul is quick and lively, when the body is sick and dying.

3. The being and preservation of each particular man. Each particular man in the world, may reason from his own being thus; either there must be an infinite number of men▪ or else there must be a first man, which was the beginning of all men; but an infinite number of particular men is not possible, seeing there can be no infinite number at all; for every number begins with an unity, and is capable of being made greater by the addition of an unity; therefore there cannot be an infinite number of particular men. Therefore we must come to some first man, and that first man could not make himself, nor be made by any inferior thing to itself; therefore it must be made by something more excellent then itself; viz. One infinite thing, from which all particulars had their original.

4. God is manifested in the consciences of men, as was touched before:

1. By the Ministry of the word, by which he powerfully worketh on their consciences.

2. By the inward Checks of conscience after sin committed.

1. In the godly, 1 Sam. 24. 5. and 2 Sam. 24 10.

2. In the wicked, Matth, 27. 3, 4, 5.

2. Civil Effects.

States and Kingdoms consist, and are governed by a few Magistrates and Rulers. There are innumerable more men, that wish and desire the overthrow and ruin of the State, then that would live under Government, and be subject to Order.

This effect must have some cause, either the wisdom and goodness of the governed, or of the Governors, or of some higher cause then they both. Now it cannot be attributed to the wisdom of the Governors, as being often times foolish, and men of mean understanding, at the best, such as cannot prevent the conspiracies of those under them: Nor yet doth it arise from the goodness of the persons governed, most of which most times are wicked, and unwilling to come under government: Therefore it must be of God; that is, a common Superior which holds all in awe.

2. Extraordinary Effects, Miracles.

There is a work of miracles, for all stories both of Scripture, and other Countries, do agree in relating divers▪ Miracles. Now the worker of a miracle, is he that can lift nature off the Hinges, as it were, and set it on again, as seemeth best to himself; and therefore is above the course of nature, and the Commander of the course of nature, and so is the Author of all things under himself, under nothing; and that is none but God. The certain and plain predictions of future Contingents long afore, whose events could by no wit of man, be either gathered from their causes, or conjectuced from their signs. Miracles are wrought beyond, and above the course of nature; therefore some supreme power must work them.

Secondly, Arguments may be drawn from the contrary, to prove that there is a God.

Reasons,

From the contrary are two:

1. From the being of Devils.

There is a Devil, an Enemy to God, which sets himself against God; and desires, and strives, and prevails in many places, to be worshipped as God; therefore it must needs be there is a God, to whom the service and honor is due, of being confessed and adored as God; which these do unduly affect and seek. Again, the Devil is a Creature for strength, wisdom, nimbleness, able to destroy all mankind quickly, and out of his malice and fury very willing to do it. Yet he cannot do it, it is not done; of this restraint there is some cause, therefore there must be something, which over-commands, and over-rules him, and that can be no other then a God; that is, something of higher Power, and in Wisdom far beyond him. Now there are Devils, it is apparent by the horrible temptations, which are cast into the hearts of men, quite against and beyond their natural inclinations, as Blasphemous suggestions, and as appeareth by the practices of Conjurers and Witches, who practice with the Devil; and of those Countries which worship him instead of God. Vide Lod. Viu. de Ver. Fid. Christ. l. 2. c. 16.

2. From the slightness of the Reasons brought to disprove this truth, or to show the contrary.

The Reasons produced to show there is no God, are fond and weak; and what is opposed alone by weak and false Reasons is a truth.

1. If there were a God, some man should see him, and sensibly converse with him.

This is a brutish Reason, What cannot be seen is not, then man hath no soul: God is above sense, more excellent then to be discerned by so poor, weak and low a thing as sense is.

2. God daily makes himself, after a sort, visible to men by his works.

2. If there were a God, he would not suffer wicked men to prosper, and oppose better men then themselves; nor himself to be so Blasphemed as he is.

Those things that to us seem most unjust and unfit, if we could see the whole tenor of things, from the beginning to the ending, would appear just and wise. Look on the whole story of Joseph, and then it is a rich piece.

All Divine Religion (say the Atheists) is nothing else but an Human invention, artificially excog • tated to keep men in awe; and Scriptures are but the device of man's brain, to give assistance to Magistrates in Civil Government.

This Objection strikes at the root and heart of all Religion, and opposeth two main principles at once: 1. That there is a God. 2. That the Scripture is the word of God, which though it be but a mere idle fiction; yet it prevailed too much with some learned men. Tully and Seneca were the chief Patrons of that conceit, Tha • Religion is no better then an human invention.

1. Religion is almost as ancient as man; when there were but three men in the world, we read that two of them offered up their sacrifices unto God.
2. The Universality of Religion, declareth that it is not a Human invention, but a Divine impression; yea, and a Divinity-Lesson of God's own heavenly teaching. Lactantius accounteth Religion to be the most proper and essential difference between a man and a Beast.
3. The perpetuity of Religion proveth also that it was planted by God.

For the second part of the Objection about the Scriptures, I answer:

Nothing is more repugnant to prudence and policy.

What policy was it in the Old Testament, to appoint circumcision, to cut a poor child, as soon as he comes into world? two and twenty thousand Ox • n▪ and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep were spent by Solomon, at the dedication of one Altar. To slaughter so many Oxen and Sheep (such useful creatures) was enough to bring a famine.

They were to give away the seventh part of their time to God.

Christ was not the Son of the Emperor Augustus, to commend him to the Grandees of the world, but the supposed Son of a poor Carpenter; a Star leads the wise men to a stable, though that shined gloriously without, yet there was nothing within, but what was base and contemptible.

Christ fell on the Pharisees, the great Doctors, Mat. • 3. called them fools and blind, and threatened them with hell; he cried down the Ceremonial Law, the Ministry which had been practiced divers hundred years; the Jews were naturally tenacious of their Customs, Christ chose silly unlearned men to propagate the Gospel.

Nothing crosseth human wisdom more, then the whole Scripture from the beginning to the end.

Martin Fortherby Bishop of Salisbury, (who wrote Atheomastix ) adds another reason, to prove that there is a God, and it is taken from the grounds of Arts: There is no Art (saith he) neither liberal nor illiberal, but it cometh from God, and leadeth to God.

1. From Metaphysics he urgeth, that the bounding of all natural bodies, is the work of God; to be unlimited and boundless, is only the Prerogative of the Maker of all things. Every finite body being thus limited, must needs have those bounds prescribed unto it by some other thing, and not by itself. For everything by nature, seeking to enlarge itself as far as it is able; if it had the setting of its own bounds, it would set none at all, but would be as infinite as God himself is, who hath the setting of limits unto all things. Who could circumscribe all things within their limits, but only God himself, who is both the Maker and Ruler of all things? Psal. 33. 7. Job 38. 11.

2. From Philosophy. Every thing that is, must needs have a cause, and nothing can be the cause of itself, and among all the causes, there can be but one first and principal cause; which is the true cause of all the rest, and of all those effects which proceed from all of them: Then the first cause can be nothing else but God; for what can that be, which giveth being unto all things, but only God?

2. All motion depends on some mover, the motion of subluna • y things depend▪ on the motion of the Heavens, and their motion must needs be caused by some supreme first mover. Therefore we must necessarily come at last to some first mover, which is moved of no other, and that is God. This was the common argument of Plato, Aristotle, and all the best Philosophers.

Every thing hath a peculiar end appointed, whereunto it is directed by nature (as the Bird to build her nest, and the Fox to make his den) the Director of nature herself herein must be something above nature, which is God.

3▪ Others add these Reasons to prove that there is a God:

1. The heroic motions and prosperous success of some famous men in undertaking and acting those things which exceed the common capacity of human nature; the gifts of mind in Aristotle, Achilles, Alexander.
2. The heinous punishments inflicted on particular men, families and Kingdoms for great offenses, some of which were wonderfully brought to execution, when by their power and subtlety they thought they could escape the Magistrates Sword.
3. There are virtues and vices, therefore there must be some law: There can be no eternal reason in the things themselves.

If we speak of Atheists strictly and properly, meaning such as have simply denied all Deity, and denied it constantly, Tullius sentence is most true, that there was never any such Creature in the world, as simply and constantly to deny God. The name of an Atheist in this sense, is nomen ociosum; a name without a •• ing. If we speak of Atheists in a larger sense, for such as have openly (though not constantly) denied the Divinity, of such professed Atheists, there have not been past two or three. If we speak of Atheists in the largest sense, meaning such as denied God's providence, justice, goodness, though they have done it but weakly, rather upon some sudden passion, then any settled resolution, their number hath scarcely amounted to a score, I mean of such open Atheists, as have made any public profession of their Atheism, though but even in these secondary points.

Those Atheists that denied a God, spake what they wished, rather then what they thought, or else they opposed the Heathenish gods, or to show their wit▪ Diagoras (the chiefest of them) did Potius Gentilium D • os r • dere, quam Deum negare: He rather derided false gods, then denied the true; 〈…〉 he was not a mere Atheist, appeareth in that he thus began his P • em • Quod a numine su •• no reguntur omnia. It is reported of him, that at the first he was very devout, and a great worshipper of the gods, but having committed some certain money unto a friends keeping, and afterwards demanding it again, his friend loath • o forego such a booty, forswore that he had received any, whom when Diagoras • awe, notwithstanding his horrible perjury, to thrive and prosper, and no Divine judgment to fall upon him, he presently turned Atheist, and enemy to the gods, and then labored by all means to bring other men to like impieties.

Athenians also condemned Protagoras for an Atheist; yet not for denying God, but for seeming to doubt of him: Because in the beginning of his Book he propoundeth this Problem, De diis quidem statuere nequeo; neque an sint, necn • . For this the Athenians banished him, and decreed, That his Books should be publicly burned. Theodorus (who for his notable profaneness was surnamed Atheos ) though at the first he was noted of Atheism, yet at the last he fell into Autotheism, professing himself a god, as Laertius reporteth; though carrying God in the name, he was an Atheist in his opinion, saith Fuller in his profane State of this Theodorus. A Pope dying said, Now I shall be resolved of three things, 1. Whether there be a God; 2. Whether the soul be immortal; 3. Whether there be an Heaven and Hell.

Some indirectly deny God by denying his providence, as Epi • urus, who denied not God's Essence, but only his Providence. He granted that there was a God, though he thought him to be such an one as did neither evil nor good. But God sitteth not idle in Heaven, regarding nothing that is done upon the Earth (as the Epicure conceiteth) he is a most observing God, and will reward and punish men according to their actions.

First, This serves to blame and condemn the miserable corruption of our evil hearts, which are so far over-run with Atheism; though this be the very first Truth which God hath engraven into the soul of a man, That there is a God, yet we weakly hold this conclusion; for all sin may and must be resolved into the ignorance of God and Atheism; Haereticus disputat contra fidem, malus Christianus vivit contra fidem. A • g. We should be humbled for our thoughts of Atheism, for saying in our hearts th • t there is no God; the Devil in judgment never was an Atheist, because of the sense he hath of God's wrath, I am. 4 19. we should take notice of, and bewail this foul vice.

There are few Atheists in opinion, more in affection, and most of all in life and conversation, Titus 1. 16. We should beware of opinions and practices that strike at the being of God:

1. Opinions that tend directly to Atheism:
- 1. To think men may be saved in all religions, Ephes. 4. 4. Micah 4. 4.
- 2. To deny the particular Providence of God, and exempt human actions from his determination.
- 3. To hold the mortality of the soul.
2. Practices which seem most contrary to the being of God,
- 1. Hypocrisy, that is a real blasphemy, Revel. 2. 9. Psa. 10. 11, 12, 13. an hypocrite denies God's omniscience and omnipresence.
- 2. Epicurism, this comes from and tends to Atheism, Psal. 14 2.
- 3. Scoffing in matters of religion, and applying of Scriptures to profane occasions, 2 Pet. 3. 1.

Secondly, We should oppose this Atheism, and labor to grow more and more in the knowledge of God, and to strengthen our Faith in this principle. That God is; meditate and ponder of his Works, and be perfect in those Lessons which the common book of Nature teacheth, pray to God to clear the eye of our mind, and to imprint a right knowledge of himself in us; The Papist is a make-god, and the Atheist is a mock-god; The Papist deludeth his conscience, and the Atheist derideth his conscience; Popery comforteth the flesh, and Atheism suppresseth the spirit.

As the Heathen Emperors took upon them the Title of god, so doth the Pope, Dominus Deus noster Papa. His Decrees and Canons are called Oracles; Oracle signifieth the answer of God, Rom. 3. 2. and 11. 4. And his decretal Epistles are equalled to the Canonical Epistles.

Deal with thy heart, as Junius his Father dealt with him: he seeing his son was Atheistical, he laid a Bible in every room, that his son could look in no room, but behold a Bible haunted him, upbraiding him, Wilt thou not read me Atheist? Wilt thou not read me? And so at last he read it, and was converted from his Atheism. The often meditating in the Scriptures will (through God's blessing) settle us in these two great Principles, 1. That there is a God; 2. That the Scripture is the Word of God; That God which made Heaven and Earth is the only true God; we must believe that this God which we read of in Scripture is the only true God; so it is not enough to believe there is a God, but that the Scripture of the Old and New Testament is the Word of God.

CHAP. II. What GOD is.

IN him consider,

First, His Nature.

Secondly, His Works.

In his Nature two things are considerable:

First, His Essence.

Secondly, The Distinction of Persons in that Essence.

1. Of God's Essence.

God is an Infinite Essence which is of Himself , and gives being to all other things: Or thus, He is a Spirit, in and of himself, Infinite in Being, Glory, Blessedn • sse and Perfection, All-sufficient, Eternal, Unchangeable, Incomprehensib •• ▪ everywhere Present, Almighty, Knowing all things, most Wise, most Holy, most Just, most Merciful and Gracious, Long-suffering and abundant in Goodness and Truth▪ So the Assembly in their larger Catechism.

Some things have their being wholly in another, as accidents, whiteness in the Wall, Wisdom in the mind.
2. Some things have a being by themselves not inhering in another, as substances, which are of two sorts:
- 1. Bodily Substances, which have dimensions, length, breadth and thickness, possessing a place by commensuration of parts.
- 2. Spiritual, freed from dimensions and from all circumscription of place; God is not an accident, that is, the most weak and imperfect being, nearest to a not being, and most easily reduced into nothing, as if the grass and flower fade, then the color and fashion of it cometh soon to nothing. God is not in any other thing, but all things are in him.

God is a Spirit, a being void of all Dimensions, Circumscriptions, and Divisibleness of parts. Other Spirits are compounded of Substance and Accidents at least, and exist in a place by limitation of Essence by which they are here and not there; but God is an Essence altogether simple and immaterial, utterly free from all manner of composition any way, in whom are no qualities, nor any limitation of Essence. He is a Spiritual, Simple, and Immaterial Essence. His Essence is substantial, an Essence which hath a being in itself, not in another, simply and wholly Immateriall (He is one most Pure and mere Act) but Incomprehensible, goes quite beyond our knowledge, so that we cannot comprehend his Essence, nor know it as it is. He only perfectly knows himself, but he may be known in some sort.

1. By his Names.
2. By his Attributes.

The word God is attributed.

First, Properly to him who is essentially God, Isa. 42. 8. • Cor. 8. 6. and either personally, commonly, without a determination of a certain person, John 4. 24. Or singularly to someone person by a Synecdoche, John 3. 16. Acts 26. 28. 1 Tim. 3▪ 16.

Secondly, Improperly to those which by nature are not God, 1 Cor. 8. 5. Gal. 4. 8. and that N • me is given to these, either from God's Ordination, for the Dignity and Excellency of their Office, as to Angels, Psal. 8. 6. to Magistrates, Psal. 82. 6. to Moses, Exod. 4 16. or from their own unjust usurpation, as to the Devil, who is called the god of the world, 2 Cor. 4. 9. or from the erroneous persuasion of men, as to Idols, 1 Cor. 8. 4, 5.

For the ten Hebrew Names of God (having handled them in another place) I shall say but li • tle of them here. The Name Jehovah, Yah, Ehejeh, signify God's Perfect, Absolute and simple Being of and by himself. 2. Such a Being as giveth Being to other things, and upon whom they depend. 3. Such a God as is true and constant in his Promises, ready to make good whatsoever he hath spoken. His Names El, Elohim, Schaddai, Adonai, signify a God All-sufficient in himself, strong and powerful, able to bless, protect and punish.

The Jews in pronouncing or writing the Names of God were reverent even to superstition. D Fulk against Martin.

In the New Testament God's most frequent Names are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 God and Lord.

The Title of Lord so often given to Christ in the New Testament, doth answer to the Title of Jehovah in the Old Testament. Some Reverend Divines conceive the Apostles did purposely use the Title of Lord, that they might not offend the Jews with the frequent pronouncing of the word Jehovah. Compare Deut. 6. 13. with Mat. 4. 10. & Deut. 6. 5. with Mat. 22. 37. D. Cheynels Divine Tri-unity.

He is also called the Father of lights, I am. 1. 17.

The Essential Names of God, are, 1. Proper, which agree to no Creature not Analogically. 2. Common, which are applied to others, but agree to God principally by way of excellency, as God, King, and Good.

The Name of God is used five ways in Scripture;

First, Essentially for God himself, Isa. 30. 27.

Secondly, For the Power and Efficacy which comes from God, Psal. 118. 10, 11, 12.

Thirdly, For the Command and Authority of God, 1 Sam. 17. 45.

Fourthly, Passively for those actions whereby he is acknowledged by us, Mat. 18. 19. that is, nothing but worshipping and calling upon the Father, Son and holy Ghost, for assistance.

Lastly, For that Word whereby he is distinguished from creatures, and by which we are to have our thoughts directed about him.

2. God may be known by his Attributes and essential Properties, of which some show, 1. What he is in himself, 2. What he is to us.

They are called Attributes, because they are rather said to be attributed to God (that we might by them better conceive what he is) then to be in him in such a way. They are that one most pure Essence diversely apprehended of us, as▪ it is diversely made known unto us, Isa. 43. 25. 1 John 4. 16. or they are those divine Perfections whereby he makes himself known unto us. They are called Properties, because they are peculiar to his Majesty, and are so in him, as they are not in any creature.

Some do distinguish of God's Attributes and Properties. Attributes are those which belong to the Essence, and Properties to the Persons themselves.

A Property in God is an essential Attribute in him, whereby his Nature is known in itself, and is distinguished from all other things.

Some Rules are to be observed in attributing these to God.

First, They are all Essential to God; for in him is no accident at all; whatsoever is in God, the same is God. God's wisdom is himself, and his Power is himself. God punishing the wicked, is the justice of God; God compassionating the miserable, is the mercy of God. All these are also one in him; his Mercy is his Justice, and his Justice is his Mercy, and each are his Essence, only they differ in our apprehension, and in regard of their different objects and effects.

Secondly, They are all Absolute Properties in God, and so distinguished from those respective Properties whereby every Person in the Trinity hath his own subsistence.

Thirdly, They are all equal to all the three Persons, and alike affirmed of all. The Father Eternal, most Holy, Almighty, Merciful; so is the Son and Holy Ghost.

Fourthly, These Attributes are altogether in God alone, and that in the highest degree and measure, yea above all degree and measure; they are Eternal and Infinite in him. He alone is good, Matth. 19. 17. and only wise, Rom. 16. 27. and King of Kings, 1 Tim. 6. 15. They are affirmed of him, both in the concrete and abstract; He is not only wise and good, but wisdom and goodness itself, Life and Justice itself.

Fifthly, They are all actually and operatively in God. He doth know, live and will; his holiness makes us holy. Every Attribute in God, as it is an excellency in him, so it is a principle to convey this to us. God's wisdom is the fountain of wisdom to us: We are to seek Eternal Life from his Eternity, Rom. 6. 23.

6. All these are in God objectively and finally; our holiness looks upon his holiness, as the face in the Looking glass on the man, whose representation it is; and our holiness ends in his.

The Attributes of God are Everlasting, Constant and Unchangeable, forever in him, at one time as well as another.

The Qualification of every service we perform ought to be taken from the Attribute of God which we would honor. He is a great King, Mal. 1. 14. therefore great service is due to him.

The Attributes of God are the objects of our Faith, the grounds of our Prayer, and the matter of our Thankfulness. If one cannot pitch upon a particular promise in prayer, yet he may bottom his Faith upon an Attribute, 2 Chron. 20. 6. John 17. 17.

This may minister comfort to God's people; God's Attributes are not mutable accidents, but his very Essence: his Love and Mercy are like himself, Infinite, Immutable and Eternal.

In the midst of all Creature comforts, let thy heart rise up to this, But these are not my portion. 2. If God at any time take away the comforts from thee, say, Satis solatii in uno Deo; his aim is when he takes away creature-comforts, that you should enjoy all more immediately in himself, Matth. 6. 21, 22. This shows that the Saints self-sufficiency lies in God's All-sufficiency, Gen. 17. 1. Prov. 14. 14. exercise Faith therefore upon every Attribute, that thereby thou mayest have the use and improvement of it, Ephes. 6. 10. and give unto God the praise of every Attribute, Psal. 21. 13.

2. We should imitate God, and strive to be immutably good and holy as he is, Levite. 11. 44. Mat. 5. 48.

These Attributes are diversely divided:

They are affirmative and Negative, as Good, Just, Invisible, Immortal, Incorporeal.

Proper and Figurative; as God is Good, Wise; Members and human affections are also attributed to him.

Absolute and Relative, without any Relation to the creatures; as when God is said to be Immense, Eternal; he is likewise said to be a Creator, King, Judge.

Some describe God, as he is in himself; he is an Essence Spiritual, Invisible, most Simple, Infinite, Immutable and Immortal. Some as he is to us, he is Omnipotent, most Good, Just, Wise and True.

Some declare God's own Sufficiency; so he is said to be Almighty, Infinite, Perfect, Unchangeable, Eternal; others his Efficiency, as the working of his Power, Justice and Goodness over the Creatures; so he is said to be Patient, Just, Merciful.

Some are Incommunicable and agree to God alone; as when he is said to be Eternal, Infinite. Others are Communicable in a so • t with the creatures, as when he is said to be Wise, Good.

The communicable Attributes (of which there are some resemblances to be found in the creature) are not so in us as in God, because in him they are Essential. The incommunicable Attributes are communicable to us in their use and benefit, though not in their Nature; they are ours per modum operationis, the others per modum imaginis, his Omnipotency acts for us, 1 Pet. 2. 9.

These Properties in God differ from those Properties, which are given to men and Angels.

In God they are Infinite, Unchangeable and Perfect, even the Divine Essence itself; and therefore indeed all one and the same; but in men and Angels they are finite, changeable and imperfect, mere qualities, divers, they receiving them by participation only, not being such of themselves by nature.

God doth some great work when he would manifest an Attribute, when he would manifest his Power he created the World, when he would manifest his Holiness he gave the Law, when he would declare his Love he sent his Son, when he would show his Goodness and Mercy he made Heaven, when he would discover his Justice and hatred of sin he made hell, Psal. 63. 2. and 106. 8. Arminians and Socinians endeavor to corrupt the Doctrine of God in his Essence, Subsistence, and Decrees.

Under the first Covenant three Attributes were not discovered, 1. God's pardoning Mercy, that was not manifested till the fall: 2. His Philanthropy or love to man, Hebr. 2. 16. 3. The Patience and Long-suffering of God, he cast the Angels into hell immediately after their sin. All the Attributes are discovered in the second Covenant in a higher way, his Wisdom was manifested in making the world, and in giving a Law, but a greater Wisdom in the Gospel, Ephes. 3. 10. the Truth and Power of God were more discovered under the second Covenant.

It is hard to observe an accurate method in the enumeration of the Attributes. Zanchi, D. Preston and M. Stock have handled some few of them, none (that I know) hath written fully of them all.

CHAP. III. That GOD is a Spirit, Simple, Living, Immortal.

GOd in respect of his Nature is a Spirit; that is, a Substance or • ssence altogether Incorporeal. This the Scripture expressly witnesseth, John 4 24. 2 Cor. 3. 17.

An understanding Spirit is either created or uncreated:

Created Spirit, as the soul of man or an Angel, Psal. 104. 4. 1 Cor. 6. ult. uncreated, God.

Whatsoever is affirmed of God, which is also communicable to the creatures, the same must be understood by a kind of Excellency and Singularity above the rest. Angels are Spirits, and the souls of men are spirits, but God is a Spirit by a kind of Excellency or Singularity above all spirits, the God of Spirits, Numb. 16. 22. the Father of Spirits, Heb. 12. 9. the Author of Spirits, and indeed the Spirit of spirits.

The word Spirit in Greek 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , in Hebrew Ruach, is used chiefly of God, and secondarily of the creatures; when it is used of God, it is used either properly or metonymically; properly, and so first essentially, then it signifieth the God-head absolutely, as John 4. 24. or more restrictively the Divine Nature of Christ, Heb. 9. 14. 1 Pet. 3. 18. Secondly, Personally for the third Person in the Trinity, commonly called the holy Spirit or Ghost, 1 Cor. 2. 11. If the word be taken metonymically, it signifieth sometimes the effects of grace, either the common graces of God's Spirit, prophetical, 1 Sam. 10. 6, 10. miraculous, or the sanctifying graces, Ephes. 5. 18.

Angels and men's souls are created spirits, but God is an infinite Spirit, the word is not applied to God in the same sense, Nihil de Deo & creaturis univoce dicitur, say the Schoolmen: God is not simply Invisible, but in reference to us, Angels and Saints above see him, they behold his face. He is Invisible to a mortal eye, as the Apostle speaketh.

Reasons.

First, God is a Spirit, because a Spirit is the best, highest and purest Nature; God being the most excellent and highest Nature, must needs be a Spirit too.

Secondly, God is a most simple and noble being, therefore must needs be incorporeal; Angels and souls have a composition in them; their Essence and Faculties are distinguished; they are compounded of Subject and Accidents, their Nature and Qualities or Graces; but God's Holiness is his Nature.

Thirdly, God is insensible, therefore a Spirit. Spirits are not subject to senses, John 1. 18.

This confutes, 1. Tertullian who held God to be corporeal, then he should consist of matter and form.

2. The Anthropomorphites who ascribed to God the parts and members of a man; they • lled • e that place, Gen. 1. 27. But some think the soul is the only subject and seat, in which the Image of God is placed; Grant that it was in the body likewise, it being capable of Immortality, yet a man was not said to be made after the Image of God in respect of his corporal figure, but in respect of Knowledge, Righteousness and Holiness, Ephes. 4. 23. Col. 3. 10. not in respect of his substance, but qualities.

Object. God is said to have Members, Face, Hands, Eyes, in some places of Scripture, and yet in others he is said not to be a body, but a Spirit; and consequently to have no hands nor eyes.

Answ. The word Hand and Eye is taken figuratively, for the power of seeing and working, which are actions, that men perform with the hand and eye as an Instrument; and so it is attributed to God, because he hath an ability of discerning, and doing infinitely more excellent then can be found in man. Sometimes again, those words are taken properly for members of the body of some such form, fashion, making; so they are not to be attributed unto God; who because he hath nobody, cannot have an hand, an eye. A body is taken three ways, 1. For everything which is opposite to a fancy and notion, and so whatever hath a being, may be called a body; in this sense Tertullian attributes a body to God. 2. For that thing which hath some composition or change; so God only is incorporeal. 3. More strictly for that which consists of matter and form, so some say Angels are incorporeal.

3. This shows the unlawfulness then of painting the God-head; Cajetan disliked it. Bellarmine ^b argues thus, Man is the Image of God, But man may be pictured, Therefore the Image of God may be pictured.

Man is not the Image of God, but in the faculties of his soul, which cannot be pictured; therefore the Image of God cannot be pictured. Although the whole man may be said Synecdochically to be pictured; yet is not man called the Image of God in his whole, but in a part, which is his reasonable and invisible soul, which cannot be pictured.

1. We must call upon God, and worship him with the Spirit; our Savior Christ teacheth us this practical use, John 4. 24. Bless the Lord, O my soul, Psalm. 103. Whom I serve in the Spirit, saith Paul. The very Heathen made this inference,

Si Deus est animus, sit pura mente colendus.

1. The Lord chiefly calls for the heart, Prov. 23. 26. His eye is upon it, Ezekiel 33. 31.
2. He abhors all services done without the heart, Matth. 5. 8.
3. It hath been the great care of God's people to bring their hearts to these services, Phil. 3. 3.

Motives to excite us when we draw near to God to bring our hearts:

1. It is this only which will make the service honorable, Gal. 4. 9.
2. This only makes it acceptable, 1 P • t. 2. 5. Hos. 14. 6.
3. This only makes it profitable, 1 Tim. 4. 7. Heb. 9. 9. Rom. 6. 22.
4. This only will make it comfortable, all true comfort flows from the sweetness in fellowship with God and Christ, Revel. 3. 24.
5. Else in every service we tempt God, Acts 5. 9. Isa. 29. 13.

How to know when I serve God in my heart, or worship him in Spirit:

1. Such a ones great care in all services will be to prepare his heart beforehand, 2 Chron. 30. 9.
2. Then the inward man is active throughout the duty, Revel. 3. 3. 2 Pet. 1. 5.
3. Then one keeps his thoughts intent throughout, Matth. 6. 21.
4, The grief after the duty done will be that the heart was so much estranged from God in duty.

2. God though invisible in himself, may be known by things visible: He that seeth the Son hath seen the Father, Joh. 14. 9. We should praise God, as for other Excellencies, so for his Invisibility, 1 Tim. 1. 17.

2. Learn to walk by faith, as seeing him who is Invisible, Heb. 11. 27.

3. Labor for pure hearts, that we may see God hereafter.

4. Here is comfort against invisible Enemies, we have the invisible God, and invisible Angels to help us.

3. God hath immediate power over thy Spirit, to humble and terrify thee. He is the Father of Spirits, he cannot only make thee poor, sick, but make thy conscience roar for sin: it was God put that horror into Cain, Judas, Spira 's spirits. He is a Spirit, and so can deal with the Spirit.

Lastly, Take heed of the sins of the heart and spirit, ignorance, pride, unbelief, insincerity, 2 Cor. 7. 1. 1 Thess. 5. 23. such as not only arise from, but are terminated in the spirit. These are first abhorred by God. He is a Spirit, and as he loveth spiritual performances, so he hates spiritual iniquities, Gen. 6. He punished the old world, because all the imaginations of the thoughts of their hearts were evil. 2. Most contrary to the Law of God, which is chiefly spiritual. 3. Sin is strongest in the spirit, as all evil in the fountain, Mat. 15. 19. • 4. Spiritual evils make us most like the Devils, who are spiritual wickednesses. All sin is from Satan, per modum servitutis, these per modum imaginis.

We should therefore also take heed to our own spirits, because of the danger we are in from these spiritual adversaries:

1. They are malignant spirits, 1 John 5. 18. and 2. 13, 14.
2. The spirit of a man is most maligned by Satan, all he did to Job's name, estate, posterity, was to enrage his spirit.
3. The spirit of a man is frequently and very easily surprised, few men are able to deny temptations that are suitable.
4. When the spirit is once surprised one is ready to engage with and for the Devil, Mat. 12. 30.
5. The spirit will then bring all about for the service of sin, the excellent parts of the mind, wit, memory, strength, Rom. 8. 7. and 6. 13, 19. James 3. 15. Matth. 23. 15.
6. It is hard for such a sinner to be recovered, Prov. 27. 1.

God is most Simple, Ens simplicissimum, Simplicity is a property of God, whereby he is void of all composition, mixtion and division, being all Essence; whatsoever is in God, is God. Simpleness is the first property in God, which cannot in any sort agree to any creature.

God is Simple, because he is free from all kinds of composition, which are five.

1. Of Quantitative parts, as a body.
2. Of essential parts, matter and form, as a man consists of soul and body.
3. Of a genus and difference, as every species.
4. Of subject and accidents, as a learned man, a white wall.
5. Of act and power, as the spirits.

Every creature is subject to composition, and consequently to division. All things which are created, are made by joining together more things then one in one, and so they consist of divers things.

Some have a more gross and palpable composition of parts, both essential and integral, as a man of soul and body, and the body of flesh, blood, bone, and such parts. The Spirits which have not so plain a composition, are yet compounded of substance, and accidents sustained by that substance, and inherent in it; for the substance of an Angel and his faculties, and qualities are different things; his life is one thing, his Reason another, his Will another, his Power, Wisdom, Nimbleness, other things. So the soul of a man, and all created things, are made up of many things conjoined in one.

God is absolutely Simple, he is but one thing, and doth not consist of any parts; he hath no accidents; but himself, his Essence and Attributes are all one thing, though by us diversely considered and understood. If he did consist of parts, there must be something before him, to put those parts together; and then he were not Eternal, Isa. 43. 10. In God to be, to will, and to do are the same, John 15. 26. compared with John 14. 6. and 1 John 1. 7. compared with 1 John. 1. 5. where to have life, and be life; to be in the light, and be light, are the same. God is therefore called in the Abstract Light, Life, Love, Truth, John 14. 6. 1 John 4. 8.

This is one Reason why God is so perfect, because he is Ens Simplissimum. In every kind a thing is so much Perfect, by how much it is more Simple and Pure. Whence the same Hebrew word signifieth both Simple and Perfect.

2. No Accidents are in God; when we affirm that God is good and gracious, we mean it not as when we say so of men; in men they are Qualities, Virtues, in God they are his Essence.

1. We should be simple as Doves, Matth. 10. 16. Simplicitas Columbina, non Asinina. Carthusian, Eph 6. 5. 2 Cor. 1. 12. It is called godly sincerity, which God worketh, and which is pleasing to him. Simpleness and Simplicity of heart is the main thing in Christianity, Eph. 6. 5. Col. 3. 22.

2. Here is matter of joy and comfort to the good; Mercy and Love are God's Essence, Isa. 54. 8. and of Fear and Terror to the wicked, because God's Anger and Justice are his Essence, and he is Unchangeable.

God is Living.

He is often called the living God in opposition to dead Idols: Turn from Idols to serve the living God, Gen. 16. 14. & 24. 62. & 25. 11. Deut. 5. 26. Ruth 3. 23. Iud. 8. 19. Isa. 3. 10. Ier. 10. 10. Ezek 3. 11. Dan. 4. 34. Matth. 16. 76. Acts 14. 15. He is called Life, 1 John 5. 18. The fountain of Life, Psal. 36. 9. He hath his name in Greek from life; He saith often of himself, I live; as if he should say, I alone do truly live, and he often adds forever, Deut. 32. 40. The Oath which the Fathers used, is most frequent, The Lord liveth, Jer. 5. 2. and 12. 16. for they swore by him, who truly and always lives. He himself swears by nothing but by his Life and Holiness, Iud. 8. 24. Ruth 3. 3. This Oath is used fourteen times in Ezekiel, Zeph. 2. 9. Jer. 46. 18, 22, 24. Isa. 49. 18. Deut. 32. 40. Numb. 14. 21, 28. God is called the living God.

1. To distinguish him from the false gods of the Gentiles, which were dead and senseless stocks, Acts 14. 15. 1 Thess. 1. 9.
2. To represent unto us the active Nature of God, he is all life.
3. To direct us to the Fountain or Well of Life, from whom all Life is derived unto the creature by a threefold stream.
- 1. Nature, God is the Author of the life of Nature, Gen. 2. 7. Acts 17. 28. We could contribute nothing to natural life.
- 2. Grace, he is the Author of that life, John 1. 2. Ephes. 4. 18.
- 3. Glory, he is the Author of the life of glory, Rom. 2. 7.

A reasonable life (to which God resembleth his) is a power to perform variety of regular and limited actions, to a certain known end, and that out of choice and council. God's life is his power of working all things according as seems good to himself after his own council for his own glory; to say he liveth, is to say he doth perpetually work.

The life of God is an essential Property of the Divine Nature, whereby it is, and is conceived of us to be in perpetual action, living and moving in itself, and of itself.

Life in things bodily ariseth from the union of the body and the soul together; and in things that be not bodies but spirits, from the perfection of the matter and qualities of them.

Our own life is a power, by which we are able to produce lively actions; God's life is that power, whereby he is fit to work or produce all sorts of actions suitable to the perfect Essence of his Divine Majesty; Or it is that whereby he knoweth, willeth and affecteth, and can do all sort of actions, beseeming his excellent Nature.

Reasons.

First, From the Effects of life, God understands, wills, loves, therefore he truly lives; for these are all the Properties of livers, therefore Aristotle often concludes from this, that because God understands all things, he lives a blessed Life.

Secondly, Those things live which move and stir themselves; God doth all things by himself, he is the first and perfectest cause of all; therefore he most properly lives, and that a most blessed life.

Thirdly, From his Name Jehovah, he is Jehovah, who is by himself and most perfectly, and of whom all things are which are and live; God therefore so lives, that he is the author of all life to all livers, and therefore he is called our life, Deut. 30. 20. John saith of Christ, in him was the Author of life, and Acts 3. Ye have killed the Author of life.

Amongst the creatures which are subject to our sense, there is a threefold kind of life: Two more imperfect; the third more perfect.

The former is the life of Vegetation or growth; by which things are able to do what is requisite for the attaining and maintaining of their full strength and Nature, and the propagating of their kind, according to their several kinds.

The second is the life of sense, whereby things are enabled to discern things hurtful to them, and things good for them; to shun the one, and to seek the other.

These are imperfect kinds of life, because they are inherent after a sort in the bodies of things, accompanying a corporal being, which is the meanest being.

But thirdly, there is a more worthy and noble kind of life called reasonable, such as is seen in men and in Angels, which is an ability to proceed reasonably and understandingly in all actions, for the attaining of good and shunning of evils, fit for the welfare of the person endued with reason. Now we must not conceive in God any such imperfect thing as growth or sense, for he is a spiritual, a simple and immaterial Essence; but his life is to be understood by the similitude of the life of reason, for he is a perfect understanding. To the being then of God adjoin reasonableness in our conceiving of him, and we conceive his life somewhat aright.

God's life differs from the life of the creature:

1. His life is his Nature or Essence, he is life itself; theirs the operation of their Nature, he is life, they are but living.
2. His life is his own, he liveth of, and by, and in himself; their life is borrowed from him, in him we live and move, Acts 17. 25, 28. He is life, and the fountain of life to all things.
3. His life is Infinite, without beginning or ending; their life is finite, and had a beginning, and most of them shall have an end.
4. His life is entire altogether and Perfect, theirs imperfect, growing by addition of days to days. He liveth all at once, hath his whole life perfectly in himself, one infinite moment.
5. He liveth necessarily, they contingently, so as they might not live.
6. His life is immutable, theirs mutable and subject to many alterations.

First, This serves to blame those which carry themselves no otherwise to God, then if he were a very dead Idol, not fearing his threats, or seeking to obey him.

Secondly, To exhort us all often to revive in ourselves the memory and consideration of his life, by stirring up ourselves, to fear his threats, respect his Promises, obey his Commandments, decline his displeasure, and seek his favor. Let us serve, fear, and trust in him, which liveth for evermore. Provoke not the Lord by your sins; For it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God, Heb. 10. 31.

Thirdly, Here is comfort to all the faithful servants of this God, which desire to please him; for they have a King which liveth and hath lived forever, a King Eternal, Immortal, Invisible and only Wise; in his life they shall enjoy life; though friends die, God ever liveth. His life is the preserver, upholder and comforter of your life. God living of himself, can bless you with natural, spiritual and eternal life, John 14. 10. Rom. 8. 10. 17. Life is better then all the comforts of it. Men will give skin for skin, and all that they have for life. It is reported of one, that he offered to redeem his life, thrice his weight in Silver, twice in Gold, once in Pearl. But we do little for the living God, and communion with him in the life of grace, and for obtaining eternal life.

It were better we had never had any life at all, then only the life of nature, Mat. 26. 24. and 18. 5. Eccles. 6. 3.

God is Immortal and Incorruptible, he liveth forever in like perfection.

The Scripture confirmeth this:

1. Negatively, when it removes mortality and corruption from God, Rom. 1. 23. 1 Tim. 1. 17. and 6. 16.
2. Affirmatively, when it giveth life to God, Genes. 16. 14. Deuter. 5. 26. Ier. 2. 13.

The property of God's life is, it is Endless, Incorruptible, Deut. 32. 40. Life is essential to God, he is life itself, but the life of other things is accidental. His life is also effective, he gives life to all living creatures.

2. God is of himself Eternal, of himself, and absolutely Immortal and Incorruptible. He only hath immortality, 1 Tim. 6. 16. Angels are not immortal in and of themselves, they have not original or absolute immortality; their immortality is dependent and derivative.

3. Because he is void of all composition, therefore he is free from corruption.

4. Because he is simply and every way Immutable.

5. This is proved from the Nobility and perfection of the Divine Essence. Living bodies are more perfect then such as do not live; but God is the most perfect and noble being, John 5. 26.

6. Because he is blessed, therefore he is Immortal, Ezek. 37. 14.

1. This comforts all God's people, who have the living God for their friend; who liveth forever, and they shall live eternally with him; the life of God comforted Job 19. 25. Let them trust in the living God. This should comfort us against spiritual weakness and deadness, though we be dull and dead in Prayer, God is life, and will quicken us.

2. We miserable men for sin are all subject unto death, 2 Sam. 14. 14. Psalm. 144. 4. Psal. 90. 6. Job 14. 1. Job describes there the brevity, frailty, instability, and manifold miseries of this life; therefore let us place all our confidence and hope in God, who is Immortal and Incorruptible; our soul is immortal, and made for immortality, it is not satisfied with anything nor resteth but in God, who is Immortal and Incorruptible. A thing may be said immortal two ways: First, Simpliciter, absolute, per se, suaque Natura, so that there is no outward, nor inward cause of mortality; so only God. Secondly, which in its own nature it may be deprived of life, yet ex voluntate Dei neither dies, nor can die; so the soul and Angels are immortal.

CHAP. IV. That GOD is Infinite, Omnipresent, Eternal.

GOD is truly Infinite in his Nature and Essence, actually and simply, by himself, and absolutely he is Infinite. It is a vain conceit, that there cannot be an infinite thing in Act.

He is not Infinite

1. In corporal quantity and extension, but in Essence and Perfection.
2. Not privative but negative, he hath simply no end.
3. He is Infinite not according to the Etymon of the word, which respects an end only; for he is both without beginning and end; although the word be negative, yet we intend by it a positive Attribute and perfection.

The Scripture demonstrates God to be Infinite:

1. Affirmatively, Psal. 143. 3.
2. Negatively, in the same place.
3. Comparatively, Job 11. 8. Isa. 40. 12, 15. Dan. 4. 32.

2. Reason proves this:

The perfection of God; whatsoever thing hath not an end of its perfection and virtue, that is truly and absolutely Infinite. Infiniteness is to be without bounds, to be unmeasurable, to exceed reason or capacity; it is opposed to Finite.

Infiniteness is such a property in God, that he is not limited to any time, place, or particular nature and being; or it is that whereby God is free altogether from all limitation of time, place, or degrees.

He hath all good things in him in all fullness of perfection, above all measure and degrees, yea above all conceivable degrees by us. He hath all Wisdom and power, above all that all creatures can conceive and think, Ephes. 3. 20. that goodness which is in him is Infinite, his Love is Infinite, his Mercies are Infinite, and so is his Anger. That which is of itself cannot be limited by anything. Every creature is limited and hath certain bounds set to it by its causes, especially the efficient and the matter; but God is no way limited, he hath not any bounds of any kind, but is altogether Infinite or boundless, Isa. 40. 12, 15, 17.

Every creature hath a three-fold limitation:

1. Of Kinds of being.
2. Of Degrees of its being.
3. Of Circumstances of its being.

First each thing is set in its own rank or order with other things, some being of one kind, some of another; some things are simple, some compounded, some corporeal, some incorporeal, some things living, some things void of life, some things sensible, and some things senseless, and so in the rest. The maker of all things hath as it were sorted them into divers kinds, for the greater beautifying of the whole, and demonstration of his wisdom in this variety.

Again things of the same kind, and of other kinds too, differ in the degrees of being; some have lower, some higher degrees of what they have, some a more lively life, some a quicker sense, some more power, some less, some greater degrees of wisdom.

God is not limited to any kind of being, but hath in himself all kinds of being, not subjectively but eminently. He hath a being beyond all degree and measure, whence all his properties are Infinite, All-sufficiency, Omnipotency, Omniscience, infinite Wisdom and Truth, and all in him Incomprehensible and Infinite.

He is unlimited in regard of Time or Duration, and so is Eternal; in regard of place, and so is Immense or Omnipresent, in regard of degrees of all things that are in him, and so is Perfect. Infinite in stability, Immutable in his Power, Omnipotent.

God's infiniteness makes all wonderful, his Mercies are Infinite, his Love Infinite, his Goodness and Excellencies Infinite.

A thing may be said to be Infinite, either absolutely and in the whole kind of being, so God, all good is in him formally or eminently. 2. In some certain kind only; as if there were Infinite Quantity, it were only Infinite in the way of a body; it would not contain all other things in it.

From God's Infiniteness ariseth his All-sufficiency, he is enough for himself and all things else, to make them happy and perfect in their several kinds; his All-sufficiency is that whereby God is of himself All-sufficient for himself to make himself most blessed, and to satisfy all other things, and make them happy in their several kinds; God hath therefore taken this Name upon him, and by the commemoration of it did comfort Abraham, and encourage him to be his servant.

But D ^r Preston hath written so largely and well of this Attribute, that I shall need to say but little of it.

God is an All-sufficient good, because he is a Perfect good. He hath enough in him to supply all the wants, and satisfy all the desires of his people both in this life and that which is to come.

1. To supply wants:

1. He that hath God for his God hath all things, Mark 10. 13. Revel. 21. 7.
2. There could not be a self-sufficiency in the Saints if there were not an All-sufficiency in God, 2 Cor. 3. 5. but there is a self-sufficiency in them, Phil. 4. 11. 1 Tim. 6. 6.
3. There is enough in God to supply all our wants here:
- 1. For Provision, he may have all in God, and he needs none else, Ierem. 2. 13.
- 2. Protection, He is a shield, Zech. 9. 12, 13. Psal. 62. 7. Zech. 2. 5.
- 3. For Pleasure, Job 22. 26. Psal. 37. 4.
- 4. For Glory and Honor, Psal. 3. 3. Ier. 2. 31, 32.
- 5. For Society, 1 John 1. 3.
- 6. For a pattern to imitate, Ephos. 5. 1.
- 7. For reward, Gen. 15. 1.
  
  Secondly. To satisfy all your desires, 1. Here, Ier. 31. 14. 2. In the life to come. Psal. 17. ult.

God in Covenant makes over himself as All-sufficient:

1. He promiseth himself to his people in his All-sufficiency, Psal. 84. 11. and 34. 10. Hosea 14. 5, 6, 7.
2. The people of Israel in the wilderness had neither bread nor water, provision nor protection, yet having an All-sufficient God, they wanted none of these, Deut. 33. 26, 27, 28.

Reasons,

1. His love, which is the ground and bottom of the Covenant, and of all mercies: Love is bountiful, John 3. 35. 2 Thess. 2. 6. God's great end in the Covenant of Grace was, his Manifestative Glory; if he will have the highest glory, he must make out the highest manifestation, therefore he made over himself and his All-sufficiency, because he had not a better to bestow.
2. In regard of the insufficiency in all things else for supply, Ier, 2. 13.
3. Because God would have the happiness of the Creature concentred in himself alone, Isa. 26. 3. 1 Pet. 1. 13.

Object. The Angels and Saints see the Essence of God, therefore it is not infinite, Matth. 18. 10. 1 Cor. 13. 12. 1 John 3. 2.

Answ. 1. We must distinguish between vision and comprehension, God is seen of the Angels and Saints, but not comprehended.

2. The finite understanding knoweth God beatifically, not by the force of nature, but by a supernatural illumination of the Holy Ghost, and benefit of grace.

1. This is a terror to wicked men, his anger and hatred are Infinite, therefore his anger is compared to all things terrible. 2. Serves to reprove their folly who will lose God to get any pleasure or profit, Infinite glory and happiness, for finite things.

2. Exhorts us not to pronounce rashly of his decrees and attributes, for this only can be comprehended of God, that he cannot be comprehended; we must not measure God's Infinite power and wisdom by our shallow capacities: The endeavoring to measure the nature and decrees of God by our human reason, hath been one main cause of many desperate errors in the world; therefore Paul Rom, 11. silenceth high and inquisitive disputes by this Exclamation, Oh the depth of the wisdom and knowledge of God, how unsearchable are his ways!

3. What is a sinful mortal man in comparison of God, Isa. 40. 15, 16, 17. therefore he should humble himself before him, and acknowledge his nothingness.

All the whole world compared to the Infinite God, is but as a point; let us therefore stand amazed at the consideration of this Infiniteness, and say with David, Psal. 8. 5. and 86. 8.

^a We should love God intensively with our chiefest affection, and extensively above all things. He is an infinite Ocean of all joy and happiness, he is a continual object of joy and delight to the Saints and Angels in heaven, they are not weary of him; our desires are fully satisfied with him alone that is infinite.

God is Immense or Omnipresent, Psal. 139. 7, 8, 9, 10. Josh. 2. 11. Job. 11. 8. Ier. 23. 23, 24. Immensity is taken 1. Largely, so it is the same with infiniteness, signifying that God is neither measured by place or time, nor by any other thing, but is in his own nature and essence infinite and immense. Immensum proprie est quod non possis metire. 2. Strictly, so it differs from infiniteness, as the Species from the Genus, there being two kinds of infiniteness, Immensity and Eternity.

Immensity is such a property of God, by which he cannot be measured nor circumscribed by any place, he fills all places without multiplying or extension of his essence.

He is neither shut up in any place, nor shut out from any place, but is immense, he is without place, and above place, present everywhere, without any extension of matter, but in an unspeakable manner.

He is above all, in all, and through all, Ephes. 4 6. over all (men) by his power, in all the (Saints) by his Spirit; and through all (the world) by his providence.

God is everywhere by his Essence, Presence and Power;

Enter, praesenter, Deus hic & ubique potenter.

1. By his Essence, because he fills all places and spaces with his Immensity, • Kings 8. 27. Isa. 60. 61. Acts 17. 27.
2. By his Presence.
3. By his Power and Operation, because he works all in all, 1 Cor. 6. 26.

This Immensity and Omnipresence of the Divine Essence, is proved to be essential to God.
- 1. From Scripture, and that
  - 1. Affirmatively, when he is said to be everywhere present. David proves it by a particular enumeration of places, Heaven and the Grave, the farthest parts of the earth, yea, all things, Psal. 139. 7, 8, 9, 10. He compares places most opposite together, and showing that God is present in them, he understands, that he is present in the places between, Amos 9. 2. Iovis omnia plena.
  - 2. Negatively, when he is denied to be concluded and comprehended in a certain place, 1 King. 8. 27. 2 Chron. 2. 6. and 6. 18. Acts 7. 48. and 17. 24, 27.
  - 3. Symbolically, Isa. 66. 1. Acts 7. 49.
- 2. From Reasons,
  - 1. From the simplicity of the Divine Essence, God is a pure act; therefore altogether indivisible▪ and therefore he is in everything, and in every part of everything, whole and undivided.
  - 2. Whatsoever is in its Essence Infinite, that also is everywhere present, else it should be terminated in place. God is infinite in his Essence and Being, therefore also of an infinite presence.

^e Each creature is limited by place, though spirits do not fill up a place by Commensuration of parts, yet they have a certain compass (as I may call it) beyond which their Essence extendeth not: they are so here, that they are not there; so in heaven, that they are not the same time on earth. But God is altogether above place, he is Omnipresent, not by any material extension, but after an incomprehensible and inexpressible manner. He is quite above all place, wholly without, and within all and every place, and that without all local motion or mutation of place. He is everywhere totally and equally, he was as well in the Jewish Synagogues, as in the Temple of Jerusalem, or Holy of Holi • s, as well in earth or hell, as in the Heavens in respect of his Essence.

God's being in every place, is not first by multiplication; there is not a multiplication of his being, as loaves were multiplied, so that they held out to do that which otherwise they could not; for then there should be many Divine Essences; nor secondly by division, as if part of his nature, were in one part of the world, and part in another; but he is wholly wheresoever he is. Nor thirdly, by commixtion, as if he came into composition with any creature. He is not the air or fire, but he is everywhere effectively with his Essence and Being, repletively he fills all places, heaven and earth: Yet he fills not up a place as a body doth; but is present everywhere, by being without limitation of place; so that he coexists with every creature. He is everywhere ineffably; where any creature is, there is he more then the creature; and where no creature is, there is he too: All the sins that we commit, are done in his presence, and before his face, Isa. 65. 3. Psal. 51. 4. as if a Thief should steal, the Judges looking on. We should set the Lord therefore always before us, as David, Psal. 16. 8. We should be comforted in troubles, and patient, Phil. 4. 5. a child will not care so long as he is in his fathers presence, Psal. 23. 4.

Object. God is said to descend and ascend.

Answ. This hinders not his being everywhere.

1. He is said to descend, as often as by any visible shape objected, he testifieth his presence, as Gen. 18. 21. Exod. 3. 8. when God withdraws that presence, he is said to ascend, as Gen. 35. 13.
2. When God by the destruction of his Enemies, and deliverance of his own, testifieth to his Church that he is with it on earth, Isa. 64. and the contrary, Psal. 68. 19.

Object. If God be everywhere, how is he then said to dwell in heaven? Psal. 2. 4. From those places, Isa. 66. 1. Mat. 6. 9. Vorstius thus argues, The Scripture placeth God there, therefore he is there only.

Answ. In respect of his Essence, God is everywhere, and in everything, as well as in heaven; but he doth more manifest his glory, wisdom, power and goodness, and bestows his grace more liberally on his Angels and Elect in heaven, then he doth here below.

Object. How can God be said to depart from man, if he be everywhere.

Answ. He departs not in respect of his essence, but in respect of the manifestation of his presence.

The Schoolmen say, God is five ways in the creatures:

1. In the Humanity of Christ, by hypostatical union.
2. In the Saints, by knowledge and love.
3. In the Church, by his essence and direction.
4. In Heaven, by his majesty and glory.
5. In Hell, by his vindicative justice.

1. This may teach the godly to be sincere and upright, because they walk before God. Gen. 17. 1. he is present with them, understands their secret thoughts and imaginations, Psal. 139. 7. 8, Ier. 23. 23, 24. This should curb them from committing secret sins, and encourage them to perform private duties, Mat. 6. 6. approving themselves to their father, who seeth in secret. Solitariness should not embolden us to sin, nor hinder us from well-doing. It was Joseph's reason to his Mistress, How can I do this great evil? though they were alone, God was present.

Two Religious men took two contrary courses with two lewd women, whom they were desirous to reclaim from their ill course of life; the one came to one of the women, as desirous of her company, so it might be with secrecy, and when she had brought him to a close room, that none could pry into, then he told her, that all the bolts and bars which were, could not keep God out. The other desired to accompany with the other woman openly in the street; which when she rejected as a mad request, he told her, It was better to do it in the eyes of a multitude, then of God.
2. This serves to confute the Lutherans, who hold Ubiquity to be communicated to Christ's body, and therefore they say his body is in the Sacrament, and everywhere else, because it is assumed by God; but this is false; for the reason of God's Omnipresence is the infiniteness of his nature, and therefore it can be no more communicated to the body of Christ then the Godhead can; for his human nature might as well be eternal as everywhere. Christ's body is a finite creature, and though it be glorified, yet it is not deified. It is an incommunicable attribute of the Deity, to be in many places at one and the same time, Totus Christus est ubique, but not totum Christi, whole Christ is everywhere, but not the whole of Christ, Totus Christus est homo, sed non totum Christi, whole Christ suffered, died and rose again, but not the whole of Christ; that is, both Natures.
3. Let us esteem God a greater good then any creature; friends are distant one from another, God is with us in our journeys and families. He only is the object of Prayer, for he is everywhere to hear thee; and so are not Angels. God himself comforts his people, by promising his gracious presence, Gen. 46. 4. Exod. 3. 12. Josh. 1. 9. Isa. 43. 1.
4. No man by wit or policy, flight or hiding himself, can escape the hand of God; for he is everywhere present, Amos 9. 2.
5. This is a terror to the secret devisers of wickedness, their plots are discovered.

God is Eternal.

Eternity is a being without limitation of time, or a being without beginning, ending, or succession. Time is the continuance of things past, present and to come, all time hath a beginning, a vicissitude, and an end, or may have, but God's Essence is bounded by none of these hedges. Time is Nunc fluens, but Eternity is Nunc stance, a standing moment.

First, he is without beginning, he is before time, beyond time, behind time, as it were, and above all circumscription of time. From everlasting to everlasting thou art God. He is what he is in one infinite moment of being, as I may • peak. I am Alpha and Omega, Rev. 1. 8. In the beginning God made all things, and he that made all things could not have a beginning himself. What hath no beginning, can have no succession nor end. We cannot properly say of God, that he hath been, or that he shall be, but he is. To him all things are present, though in themselves they have succession.

He is an everlasting King, everlastingly powerful and glorious; as the conclusion of the Lord's Prayer showeth.

He is called the King eternal, 1 Tim. 5. 17. and the eternal God, Rom. 16. 26. the Maker of times, Heb. 1. 2. he inhabiteth eternity, Isa. 67. 15. God only is properly and absolutely eternal: Angels and men's souls are said to be eternal, à posteriori, or à parte post, God à priori & à posteriori, ex parte ante & post, since he hath neither beginning, succession, nor end.

The Scripture confirms this Eternity of God divers ways:

1. With a simple and plain asseveration, Gen. 21. 33. Isa. 40. 28. and 57. 15. Dan. 6. 26. Rom. 16. 26.
2. By denying to him time and succession, Job 36. 26. Isa. 43. 10. Psal. 90. 5. 2 Pet. 3. 8.
3. By attributing to him eternal properties and operations; his mercy is said to endure forever, Psal. 103. 17. and 136.

1. Eternal counsel is attributed to him, Psal. 133. 11. Eternal Kingdom, Exod. 15. 18. Eternal power, Dan. 6. 26. Rom. 1. 20. Eternal glory, 1 Pet. 5. 10. his Dominion is an everlasting dominion, Dan. 7. 14. his Righteousness is everlasting, Psal. 119. 142. and his truth.
4. By a metaphorical description, days and years are attributed to him; but most distinct from our days and years, Job 10. 5. Dan. 7. 9, 22. He is called The ancient of days, Psal. 102. 28. thy years are not consumed.

1 Sam. 15. 29. he is called eternity itself; Christ is called The father of Eternity, Isa. 9. 6. most emphatically, to signify that he is Eternity itself, and the Author of it. The French style God in their Bibles l' Eternal, because he only is perfectly Eternal.

Reasons.

1. God is the best that is, therefore it must needs follow that he is an eternal Essence; for that which is eternal, is better then that which is not.
2. Else he should depend on something else, if he were not eternal, and then he were not God.
3. If he were not eternal, he must have a beginning, and then something else must give it him, and so be better then he.
4. God created all things, even time itself, Heb. 1. 2. he is therefore before all things, and without beginning, Rom. 1. 2. and whatsoever was before time, must needs be eternal.
5. He is the Author and Giver of eternal life to those that have it, therefore he must needs be eternal himself; for whatsoever can give eternity, that is eternal.

Object. If God were eternal, where was he before the world was? and what did he before he made all things? and why did he make the world no sooner then a few thousand years since?

Answ. These are curiosities, but for answer, as he was of himself, so was he in and with himself. He is that himself, to and in himself, which to us our being, time and place are found to be. 2. He enjoys himself, and his own happiness. 3. He made the world no sooner, because it did not please him.

Object. Is not the Creation of the world past with God, when he made it in six days, and the day of judgment to come?

Answ. God's acts are twofold:

1. Immanent, terminated in himself, Ephes. 1. 9 these have no succession, God plotted not, nor devised one thing after another.
2. Outward, in and upon the Creature, as Creation, Providence, Vocation, Sanctification, Glorification, Phil. 1. 6. there we must distinguish between the action itself, and the work. God's act in Creating is the act of his will, that such a Creature should stand up in time, Creatio is but Essentia Divina relatione ad Creaturam, Aquinas. But if we consider opus, the work itself, so the Creatures have a being one after another.

The Creature is limited by the circumstance of time, by which it hath its being measured out as it were by parcels, past, present and to come; it had beginning, hath succession, and may have an end. The most glorious Angel, as well as a worm, is thus limited by time; once he was not, then he began to be; that which is past, is gone, and that which is to come is not yet, and he hath but a little time present. But God's essence had no beginning, hath no succession, can have no end. We cannot say of it properly, It was or shall be, but alone It is, Exod. 3. 14. John 8. 58. he hath his whole being at once; not some after, some by parcels, one following another, Gen. 21. 13. and 23. 33. Psal. 90. 2. 24. Isa. 57. 15. Eternity is the continual existence and duration of the Divine Essence. The creatures being is a flux or perpetual flowing from one moment to another. God is a being above time, hath his being measured by time, but is wholly eternal.

1. God's love and electio • are also eternal, and he will give eternal life to all believers. That which is eternal, is perfect at once, therefore he should be adored and obeyed, his counsel followed. Old men are honored for their wisdom. God saith to Job, Where wast thou when I laid the foundation of the earth?
2. Let it be a foundation of comfort to us, as Psal. 102. 12. though friends die, goods be taken away, God remains forever, he fails not.
3. It must encourage the people of God to serve him, and do his will faithfully, for he will recompense it; whatever we hazard or lose, he liveth forever to requite, Isa. 54. 8. 2 Cor. 4. 17, 18.
4. It is a terror to the wicked, he shall be ever to make them everlastingly miserable; as heaven is an eternal Palace, so hell is an everlasting Prison. He whom thou dishonorest, is an eternal God, then all thy sins are always present before him, no sin past or to come. When Christ was made a Curse for us, God looked on him as bearing all the sins past, present and to come of all his Elect, Isaiah 53. 6. and he chargeth the guilt of all sins at once upon the damned in hell: He looks on your sins now, as he will hereafter, chargeth them all on thee at once, as on Christ, and the damned, there is nothing to come to him. 2. His preparations of wrath have been from eternity, as of glory for his people, Matth. 25. 41. how dreadful will the execution be, Isaiah 30. 33. and God bears with the sins of men so long, because he hath eternity to reckon with them in.
5. We must carefully and earnestly seek him, place our happiness in him that is everlasting, all other things are fleeting; if we get his favor once, we shall never lose it, he will be an everlasting friend, his truth and mercy remains forever.
6. Everyone should resolve in his own thoughts, and covenant with God, to spend but one half quarter of an hour every day, in meditating of eternity; renew these thoughts every day, This body of mine, though frail and mortal, it must live forever; and this soul of mine, it must live eternally, Nulla satis magna securitas ubi periclitatur aeternitas, mind such things that are eternal, Col. 3▪ 2. 2. Cor. 4. 18. 1. Upon this inch of time eternity depends, Eccles. 9. 10. John 9. 14. 2. God sent you into the world for this end, that you might provide for eternity, Luke 16. 9. 1 Tim. 6. 19. Eternal life is one of the principal Articles of our Creed, 1 Tim. 1. 16.

CHAP. V. That GOD is Immutable.

GOd is in himself, and in his own nature Immutable, Numb. 23. 19. 1 Sam. 15. 29.

Immutability is that whereby anything in its essence, existence or operation is unchangeable. God's unchangeableness is that whereby God in his essence, properties and decrees, is unchangeable.

The Scripture proves the Immutability of God, both affirmatively, Exod. 3. 6. Psal. 102. 29. and negatively, Mal. 3. 16. James 1. 17.

Immutability is twofold:

1. Independent and absolute, and that is only in God.
2. Dependent and Comparative, this may belong to some creatures, which they have from God, but yet infinitely different.

1. God is unchangeable originally and of himself, these from him.
2. In the manner, God is in his essence Immutable, that and his being are all one, therefore he is both potentially and actually so; the creatures are only actually.
3. God is so from eternity, they only from their first being.

All other things are subject to change and alteration, they may lose what they had, and attain something which before they had not; even the immortal Spirits are thus mutable, they may fall into sin, be annihilated; but in God there is no change, he is what he is, always the same, void of all mutation, corruption, alteration, and local motion, Psal. 90. 2. and 102. 26, 27, 1 Tim. 1. 17. Psal. 110. 4. Heb. 1. 11. and 6. 2.

A reasonable creature may be changed five ways:

1. In respect of existence, if it exist sometimes, and sometimes not.
2. In respect of place, if it be moved from one place to another.
3. In respect of accidents, if it be changed in quantity o • quality.
4. In respect of the knowledge of the understanding, as if it now think that to be true, which before it judged to be false.
5. In respect of the purpose of will, if it now decree to do something, which before it decreed not to do.

God is not changed any of these ways:

Not the first, because he is eternal, neither beginning nor ever ceasing to exist.

Not the second, because he is present everywhere, not newly beginning to exist in any place.

Not the third, because God is a Simple Essence, and there is no accident in him.

Not the fourth, because he is Omniscient, and cannot be deceived in his knowledge.

Not the fifth, because he changeth not his decrees, since he most wisely decrees all things.

God is unchangeable every way:

1. In Essence or Being, he cannot be changed into another nature, neither can that nature which he hath, be corrupced and decay.
2. In essential properties, his mercy endureth forever, he doth not love and after hate.
3. In his will and counsel; Psal. 33. 11. Rom. 11. 29. The council of the Lord shall stand, Prov. 19. 21.
4. In place, the Sun runs from one place to another, but God doth not remove from one place to another; but is always where he was, and shall be always; viz. In himself.
5. In his word and promises, Isa. 14. 24. 2 Cor. 1. 19. Rom. 46.

Reasons,

1. From his perfection, all change is a kind of imperfection; there is indeed a change corruptive and perfective; but the perfective alteration supposeth the subject to be imperfect.
2. He is uncompounded, therefore altogether Immutable, a pure act.
3. He is truly and properly eternal, therefore Immutable; for he is truly eternal, who is always the same, without beginning, change or end.
4. If God should change, then either he must change for the better, and then he was not best and perfect before; or for the worse, and then he is not best now.

If he should be changed, it must be from some other thing stronger then himself, and there is none such. Nothing without him can change him, because he is omnipotent; and nothing within him, for there is no ignorance in his mind, inconstancy in his will, nor impotency in his power.

Object. God doth repent, Gen. 6. 6. 1 Sam. 15. 11. 2 Sam. 24. 16. Psal. 135. 14. Ier. 26. 13. & 18. 8. to repent imports a change.

Answ. God is not said properly to repent; but after the manner of men, not affective but effective. God doth that which men use to do when they repent, they forbear to do what they have done, and do the contrary, change their actions; God's repenting of the evil in those places, is a putting on a resolution not to do the evil he had threatened, or not to persist in doing that which he had begun to do. There is a change in the creature, but no change in God, either in respect of his nature or decree; therefore in other places it is said, he doth not repent; that is, not change or alter his mind. God wills a change, but changeth not his will. The change is in us, not God; as houses and trees seem to move to them which are in a Ship, but the Ship moves and they stand firm. One may with the same will continuing immutable (saith Aquinas ) will that now, this thing be done, and after the contrary; but the will should be changed, if one began to will, what he willed not before.

Object. God promiseth and threateneth some things which come not to pass.

Answ. Those threatenings and promises were not absolute, but conditional; and howsoever the condition was uncertain in respect of men, yet it was most certain in respect of God. His promises are made with condition of faith and obedience, Deut. 28. 13. and his threatenings with an exception of conversion and repentance, Psal. 7. 2.

Object. God is reconciled with men, with whom he was offended before.

Answ. The object is changed, God is still the same; as the Sun which was troublesome to sore eyes, is pleasant to them being healed; the Sun here is not changed, but their eyes.

Object. Why are Prayers or means, if God be Immutable? why do I pray or hear?

Answ. God Immutably wills both the end and the means, and therefore as he wills thy pardon, so he wills thy prayer.

Object. God created the world, and so Christ was incarnate and made man; now he that was made something he was not before, or did make something he made not before, seems to be changed. He is a man, he was not so once; he is a Creator, he was not so from eternity.

Answ. Christ did only assume and take to himself an human nature, he was not changed into it. Creation is nothing but God's will from eternity, that the world should exist in time, so that the creature hath something now, which it had not before, but God's will hath not.

God is not changed any way, though he change his actions according to his good pleasure.

1. This is terrible to wicked men, God is unchangeable, which hath threatened to curse them, and bring destruction upon them; they must change, or else there is no repealing of the curse. The wicked hope he will change, the godly fear he will change.
2. It comforts the godly, to whom he hath made many promises, Numb. 23. 23. Heb. 13. 5. He is constant and will perform them. He told Adam, That the Seed of the woman should break the Serpents head: He was long, but sure, for it was fulfilled at last. His Covenant is everlasting, Isa. 55. 3. I am God and change not, therefore you are not consumed, Mal. 3. 6. we should labor for God's love, it is a free hold, and like himself, Immutable; whom he loves once, he loves forever: God's people shall never fall from Grace, never be wholly overcome of Temptations.
3. We should imitate God's Immutability in a gracious way, be constant in our love to God and men, in our promises and good purposes; as the Martyr said, Rawlins you left me, and Rawlins you find me; we should pray for the establishment of our faith and patience.
4. We should admire the glorious nature of God; for what an Infinite glorious God must he be, which hath had all that happiness and glory from eternity. 2. Worship the true God, because he is immutable, and we shall be so hereafter, being made most like to him, Psal. 102. 27.
5. It confutes the Eutichians and Ubiquitaries, which held, That the God-head became flesh; Can a Spirit be a body, and both visible and invisible?

CHAP. VI. That GOD is Great in his Nature, Works, Authority, a necessary Essence, Independent, wholly One.

GOd is exceeding Great, 1 Kings 8. 42. 2 Sam. 7. 22. Psal. 95. 3. and 96. 4. and 99. 2, 3. and 145. 3. Tit. 213. God is great and greatly to be praised, and who is so great as our God? He is great:

1. In his Nature and Essence.
2. In his Works.
3. In his Authority.

His name is Great, Ier. 10. 6, 11. Josh. 7. 9. his power is Great, Psal. 147. 5. his acts are great, Psal. 111. 1. his judgments are great, Exod. 7. 4. he is great in counsel, Ie▪r. 32. 19. and mighty works, Deut. 32. 4.

There is a double Greatness,

1. Of quantity or bulk, and that is an attribute of a body, by which it hath very large bodily dimensions, as a mountain is a great substance, the Sun a great body; and this cannot be found in God, who is not a body, but an Immaterial Essence.
2. Of Perfection, Worth and virtue, and that is abundance of all excellencies and largeness of whatsoever makes to perfection of being, and this is in God. He is so perfect every way that he stands in need of nothing. God is absolutely and simply perfect, because he hath all things which are to be desired for the chiefest felicity.

He is perfect: 1. In the highest degree of perfection, simply without any respect or comparison. 2. He is perfect in all kinds, 1 John 1. 5. John saith, he is light, in which there is no darkness, that is, Perfect and pure without the least mixture of the contrary, the author and cause of all perfections in all the creatures, they are all in him, but more perfectly, and in a perfecter manner. God is most absolutely perfect, Job 22. 2. Psal. 16. 2. Matth. 5. 48. The words in Scripture, attributed to God, which signify this, are

1. Schaddai, which is as much as One sufficient to help himself, or one that gives nourishment to all other things, and therefore ( Gen. 17. 1.) when God was to make a Covenant with Abraham, to leave all earthly things, and so trust in him only, he brings this argument, that he is such was sufficient God.
2. Gomer, The verb is used five times in the Psalms; as much as perfect from the effect, because God doth continually preserve to the end.
3. Tom, Job 37. 16. It signifieth both Simple and Perfect.
4. Calil, à Col. omnis, that in which all good things are.

God is perfect:

1. Essentially, he is perfect in and by himself, containing in him all perfections eminently, Matth. 5. 48. he hath all needful to a Deity.
2. Nothing is wanting to him, he hath no need of any other thing out of himself, Job 22. 2, 3. Psal. 16 2.
3. Originally, he is the cause of all perfection; what hast thou, which thou hast not received? James 1. 17.
4. Operatively, all his works are perfect, Deut. 32. 4.

A thing is perfect:

1. Negative, which wanteth nothing which is due by nature to its integrity.

2. Primative, which wanteth no perfection, and so God only is Perfect.

2. God is great in his works, Deut. 4. 36. Psal. 111. 2. Job 5. 9. God's perfection stands in an infiniteness of goodness ( Matth. 19. 17.) wisdom ( Rom. 11. 33.) power, ( Gen. 17. 1.) perfect wisdom, goodness, righteousness, moderation, holiness, truth, and whatsoever may possibly be required to grace, and commend an action, that is found in the whole course and frame of God's actions; the work of Creation is a perfect work, he made all things in unsearchable wisdom; no man could have found any want of anything in the world, which might be reasonably desired; no man could have found there any evil thing worthy to be complained of. The work of providence is perfect, all things are carried in perfection of wisdom, justice and goodness. So is the work of Redemption likewise perfect. The perfectest measure of justice, wisdom, truth, power, that can be conceived of, doth show itself forth in that work.

Reason. Such as the workman is, such must the work be, a perfect Artists workmanship will resemble himself. The perfection of God, is his incomprehensible fullness of all excellencies, he is absolutely and simply perfect.

Object. Why doth God use the help of others?

Ans. Not out of need, as the Artificer his Instruments, so that he cannot work without them; but out of choice and liberty, to honor them the more. Hence sometimes he will use no means at all, sometimes contrary means, to show that they help not, and that we should not rely upon them.

Object. Why is there sin in the world, seeing God needs not any glory that comes to him by Christ, and by his mercy in pardoning of sin? Why doth he suffer it.

Answ. Because sin is not so great an evil, as Christ is a good, and therefore God would not have suffered sin, if he could not have raised upto himself matter of honor; God makes an Antidote of this poison.

Object. How comes it to pass, that God makes one thing better then he did at first? as in the Creation, all things had not their perfection at first.

Answ. Those things were perfect ex parte operantis, he intended not they should have any farther perfection at that time; the essence of nothing can be made better then it is, because it consists in indivisibly. God makes not our graces perfect in us, because he aims at another end.

God's perfection hath all imperfections removed from it, 2 Tim. 2. 13. Titus 1. 2. James 1. 3. There be six imperfections found in every Creature: 1. Contingency. 2. Dependence. 3. Limitation. 4. Composition. 5. Alteration. 6. Multiplication.

Now God is free from all these. He is 1. A necessary Essence. 2. Independent. 3. Unlimited. 4. Simple. 5. Unchangeable. 6. Wholly one. Three of these, viz. God's Simplicity, unlitedness in respect of time and place, and unchangeableness, I have handled already; I shall speak of the other three, when I have dispatched this Attribute of God's Greatness or Perfection.

3. God is great in his Authority.

I have shown already that he is great in his Nature and Essence, and also in his works; now his greatness in Authority is to be considered.

He is a great King, he hath sovereign, absolute and unlimited Authority over all things, they being all subject and subordinate to him; for at his will they were and are created. This is signified by the Title of The most high, so frequently given him in Scripture. He is the high and lofty one, Isa. 57. 15.

1. In respect of place and dwelling, he is in heaven, Eccles. 5. 2. above the clouds.
2. In respect of Essence, he is high indeed, inexpressibly high, the high God, Gen. 14. 22. the Lord most high, Psal. 7. 17.
3. In respect of Attributes, he hath more wisdom, power, justice, mercy, then all creatures.
4. In respect of State and Dominion; he is exalted in Authority, power, jurisdiction; he is above all, as Commander of all.

God hath supreme dominion and power over all creatures, to order them as he pleaseth, Job 9. 12. and 33. 12, 13. and 34. 13, 14. Ier. 16 6. Isa. 45. 9. Dan. 6. 26. Rom. 11. the 4. last verses. and 9. 15, 16, 17, 18.

Dominion in the general is twofold:

1. Of jurisdiction, whereby he ruleth all subject to him, as he pleaseth.
2. Of propriety, whereby he having a right to every creature, may order it as he pleaseth.

The first is implied in that of James 4. 12. there is one Law-giver, who is able to save and to destroy.

The second, in that he is called the Lord of the earth; and all the beasts of the field are said to be his.

God's Dominion is that absolute right and power, whereby he possesseth all things as his own, and disposeth of them as he pleaseth, God over all, Rom. 9. 5. Ephes. 4. 6.

Reason. The supreme excellency of his nature; whereby he is infinitely above, not only those things which are actual, but likewise possible.

God's first dominion of jurisdiction hath these parts:

1. To Command.
2. To forbid; as Adam the eating of the tree.
3. To permit: thus he suffers sin to be, being Supreme Lord.
4. To punish or reward.

Secondly, his dominion of propriety consists in these particulars:

1. That he can order everything as he pleaseth for his honor and glory, Psal. 8. 1. the strange punishments laid on Pharaoh, were for this, God raised him up to show his glory.
2. He is bound to give none account of what he doth; that is true of God, which the Papists attribute falsely to the Pope, none may say to him Cur ita facis?
3. He can change and alter things as he pleaseth, Dan. 2. 21. as when he bid Abraham kill his Son, and the Israelites take the Egyptians goods.
4. He can distribute his goods unequally to whom, and when he pleaseth, to one health: sickness to another.

The adjuncts of this dominion:

1. It is Independent on any other, he hath this Dominion of himself, as he is God of himself, Dan. 4. 17. Ezek. 21. 25, 26.
2. Universal; it comprehends all places, times; this Kingdom is everlasting, God rules in heaven, earth, hell, James 5. 4.
3. Full and Perfect, 1 Chron. 29. 11, 12. His Dominion is infinitely greater then all others.
4. It extends to the soul and heart; God is called the Father of Spirits, the hearts of Kings are in his hand; he can terrify the conscience.

We should first prefer God above all things: The greatest person in any society is set before the rest. The Sun is respected above other Stars; the King above other persons; we should highly esteem his favor, Isa. 40, 12. there is a lofty description of God's greatness.

Secondly, We should perform all duties to him with the greatest care, diligence and reverence, and in the highest degree; love him greatly, fear him greatly, praise him with all our might, yield unto him a service proportionable to his incomprehensible greatness, Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, 1 Chron. 16. 25. Psal. 145. 3. and to be feared, Psal. 76. 7, 11.

Thirdly, It is a terror to all those to whom this great God is an enemy. The wrath of a great King is terrible, he must needs inflict great punishments on such a • rebel against him.

Fourthly, Here is great consolation to those to whom he is a Friend and Father; he will do great things for their good, they shall have great happiness.

We should choose the Lord to be our portion, for in him alone is true happiness, and contentedness to be found; in our wants we should confidently go to him for help, he being perfect can supply them.

We should place all our confidence in God alone, expect all good things from him, since he is an inexhausted fountain of all good things; we should imitate him, Be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect. Let Patience have her perfect work. Let us perfect holiness in his fear. Those which would be excellent Orators propound to themselves Cicero and Demosthenes to follow. Paul pressed on forward; Labor first to be perfect in heart, Psal. 119. 80. then in your ways. This may serve also to comfort the godly against their weaknesses; God will make his works perfect. He that hath begun a good work in them, will perfect it; they should be comforted therefore against all their imperfections to which they are subject in this life, and seek perfection from him. He will supply all their wants, bear with them here, and make them perfect in the other life, 1 Cor. 15. 28. the understanding shall have perfect sight, the will perfect goodness, the heart perfect joy.

We should not mutter under any affliction; for he himself cannot do better then he doth, he makes all things perfect, Eccl. 3. 11. Every thing beautiful in its season, this is the most perfect state and condition for thee, and so account it, God hath perfect wisdom, power, love.

Let us not be puffed up with anything we do to him; the Papists abound in this when they maintain merit; for that supposeth some eminency, as if God needed their graces, obedience and service; but let us walk more humbly; say rather, If I had no corruption in me, if I could do every duty required with as much purity as Angels; yet this would add nothing to thee; thou art a perfect God, perfectly happy, though I were not at all.

God's works are wonderful great; far exceeding the power of all creatures, either to do the like to them, or to stop and hinder them. Let all the men on earth lay their hands and heads together, let all Kings unite their counsels and their forces; Can they make an Earth-quake, a Whirlwind? Can they make the thunder to roar? Can they cause the flashes of lightening to flame out? It is not a mortal worm to whom the course of nature will submit itself. And if God will that these effects be wrought, what can any man, all men do for the hindering thereof?

2. God's works are unsearchable, and past finding out, Job 5. 9. Who can dive into the secrets of Nature, and tell us the true reason of the Wind, the Earthquake, the Thunder, the Rain, the Snow? We cannot dive into the bottom of God's Works, nor find them out by any study or wisdom.

3. We should so much the more honor, dread, and wonder at God, by how much we can less comprehend his works.

4. Let us learn often to contemplate God in his Works; see his Goodness, Greatness, Wisdom, Power in them, and so we shall profit much in the knowledge of him.

The exaltation of God is a terror to those who will needs be his Enemies, and slight and disesteem him, as the greatest part of men do. O how unhappy are they, that have so high and so a great a person to be their Enemy, seeing they have nothing to save themselves from his wrath.

2. We should labor to exalt him now, by striving to form and fix in ourselves a most reverent esteem of him, and by exercising in ourselves this virtue of honoring God, often reviving in our minds these thoughts, How high is God, and making them familiar with him; Oh how excellent is he that hath made and governs all! Why do I not esteem him more and more! The more we can lift up our hearts to exalt God, the more we shall grow in all holiness and righteousness.

3. His friends and servants shall also be exalted at last, though for a time despised and set light by.

We should often and seriously consider of this great Perfection of God's Nature, Authority and Works. The very Saints and Angels have a Negative Imperfection, though not a Privative; they are not deprived of that which should be in them, but there are many Perfections which they have not. God is simply and universally Perfect; and he only hath all kind of Perfection, according to his Essence.

God is a Necessary Essence.

Contingency is found in the Essence of every creature, it might not have been, as well as have been; it may not be, as well as be; there was once a possibility of its not being; as there is now a possibility of its not being; yea, there was an equal or greater possibility of its not being, then its being.

God is a necessary Essence; it is absolutely necessary that he should be, and he cannot but be, and be as he is, and his actions upon himself are altogether and simply necessary; they must be as they be, and cannot but be so.

God is Independent, Isai. 44. 6. Revel. 1. 8. and 21. 6. and 22. 13. Rom. 11. 35, 36.

Every Creature as a Creature, is Dependent, and hangs upon some other thing then itself, and owes its being and continuance to another, Nehem. 9. 6. It hath causes of its being, from which, of which, by which, and for which it is; and further then these causes did, and do contribute to its being, it cannot be. The Angels have an efficient cause and end, and they do as much stand indebted to God for their being and continuance as the poorest worm; and would no more have been without God, nor continue to be, then the silliest Gnat; but God is altogether Independent of himself, by himself, for himself; he hath no causes, but is to himself instead of all causes.

He is what he is, without any help from any other thing; as himself shows in his Name, I am that I am.

There are many things which have a beginning from some other thing; there must be something therefore that is of itself, or else we should wander infinitely, a self-essence and subsistence. God's being is neither ab alio, ex alio, per aliud, nor propter aliud.

We should acknowledge God to be a Necessary and Independent Essence.

3. God is wholly one, Deut. 6. 4. Gal. 3. 20. 1 Tim. 2. 5. Hos. 13. 4. Mal. 2. 10. All creatures are subject to multiplication; there may be many of them, and are many; many Angels, Men, Stars, and so in the rest. Not one of them is singular and only one so; but one might conceive that there should be more; for he that made one of them, can make another and another, and as many as he pleaseth; but God is simply one, singular and sole Essence; there neither is, nor can be more then one God, because he is the first and best Essence; and there can be but one first, and one best. He is Infinite, and there can be but one Infinite, because either one of them should include the other, and so the included must needs be finite, or not extend to the other, and so itself not be Infinite.

There was a first man, and a first in every kind of creature, but not any Absolute first save God: one Eternal, and one Incomprehensible, saith Athanasius in his Creed.

There can be but one chief Good, which we desire for itself, and all other things for it, say the moral Philosophers; and this must needs be God, for no infinite Good can be conceived but He.

Some places of Scripture simply deny other gods; and others exclude all but this one God; Though there be gods many, and Lord's many; that is, that are so called, and reputed by men, who deceive themselves in their own imaginations; yet to us (in the Church) there is but one God. Zech. 14. 9. after Christ shall come, the Gentiles with the Jews shall all worship one and the same true God.

That which is perfect in the highest degree can be but one; because that one must contain all Perfections; that which is omnipotent can be but one; if one can do all things, what need is there of many gods? if there were more gods then one, we might and ought to do service to more then one, to acknowledge them, praise and love them, and be at least in mind ready to obey them. If they should command us anything, we might lawfully seek to them for what we need, and give thanks to them, for what we received. But the Lord professeth himself to be a jealous God, and cannot endure any Copartner in worship. The Romans refused Christ, because they would have had their gods with him, and he would be worshipped alone without them.

He is one God

Not numerically, as one is a beginning of number (for that is a quantity) but transcendently, as Ens and unum are counted only one, solely and alone God; there cannot be two Infinites in Essence, for then one should not have all the other hath in it; God is Infinite, for of his Greatness there is no end.

Secondly, Others would be imperfect or superfluous, he being Infinite and Perfect.

Thirdly, From his Absolute Lordship, and Dominion over all; He is King of Kings, and Lord of Lord's. My God (said Luther to the Pope) will make your God know, that you are too weak for him. If there were two God's, there would be a strife between them (as between Caesar and Pompey ) who should be the greater and chiefest of all. God may be said in a special manner to be one, two several ways.

1. For the Purity and Simplicity of his substance, which is not compounded with anything else. For that is most truly and properly one, which is nothing but itself, and hath no other thing mixed with it. God is so pure and simple an Essence, that he is not compounded so much as of parts.
2. From his Singularity, because there are no more God's but one, God is not only One, but he is also the only One. He is such a one as hath no Copartners in worship. Both which Titles are expressly ascribed unto God in the Scriptures: Both that he is One, and that he is the only One. God is not only Unus, but also Uni • us, or to use S ^t Bernard's word, Unissimus. If that word may be used, he is of all things the Onest. Socrates and Plato in their definition of God, ascribe to him Unity, with particular respect unto his singularity.

Pythagoras his advice to his Scholars was to search the Unity.

There is a threefold Unity; First, of Persons in one Nature, so there is one God, Deut. 6. 4. The second, of Natures in one Person, so there is one Christ, 1 Cor. 8. 6. Thirdly, of sundry Natures and Persons in one quality; so there is one Church, Cant. 6. 8. The Socinians reject these three Unions, because they so far transcend reason, and they receive not those things, which their reason cannot comprehend.

The more we content ourselves with God only, the happier we are; he is the only infinite Riches, Wisdom, Goodness; how happy are they that have him in quo omnia? spend all thy pains in getting him.

2. If he be your enemy, there is none else to rescue you; he is God, and there is none else; he will destroy, and none shall be able to deliver out of his hands.

3. It shows the wickedness of those, which set up other gods, besides the true God. The Epicure makes his belly, and the covetous man Gold his god. Some worship stocks and stones; this is a great dishonor to him: the Papists worship the Cross, Invocate Saints and Angels, make a god of the Pope.

The Heathens were guilty of Polytheism, they worshipped many gods: they had their Dii majorum, and Minorum gentium. Hesiod reckons up thirty thousand gods; They had their Dii mortui Idols, Mortals men, and Mortiferi lusts. The Romans had their Capitol full of gods, yet the Geese preserved it, whom Augustine thus derides, Dii dormiebant, anseres vigilabant. The Manichees said there were two gods: The Tritheites that there were three.

The Heathens multiplied gods, because men cannot be happy without Associa •• s they thought God could not see, Isa. 55. 8, 9.

This is the very first of all God's Commandments, Thou shalt have no other gods before me. If there were more, for us not to acknowledge, adore and honor them, were a wrong and act of injustice against them; so the first and foundation of all the rest of the Commandments, should be a most injurious and unlawful Command; and therefore we must either conceive of him, which gave that Commandment, as a most envious, vain-glorious, arrogant and self-seeking God, that could not endure that other gods, perhaps his equals, should enjoy their due glory and homage (which were most absurd and blasphemous) or else we must needs confess that which is the truth, That he forbad us to make any other, because there is no other, and he would not have us mis-place our devotion and service, by tendering it to that which is not god.

If there be many gods, then either they must all be Subordinate, one being Superior; or else Coordinate each being equal to other. If one be inferior to another, that which is at the Command of another, or exceeded by another, is not God; if coordinate and equal, then one of them may cross another; or many may hinder one, and what can be hindered in its working is not God.

If there be more gods, they cannot be Eternal; for an Eternal being admits not of multiplicity; for that is Eternal which is simply first; and that which is simply first hath nothing of as long a continuance as itself.

God united heaven and earth, and made them one world, the Sea and the Land, and made them one Globe; soul and body, and made them one man; Jews and Gentiles, and made them one Church; Adam and Eve, and made them one flesh, nay, God and man, and made them one Christ.

CHAP. VII. Of God's Understanding that he is Omniscient, and of his Will.

THe next Attribute in God is his Understanding; which is the Divine Essence, Understanding, and knowing all things always, and by one act. It is called also Science, Knowledge and Omniscience. God knows all things, because first he knew himself directly in himself, by himself, and primarily as a most perfect object; which knowledge in God, is of Absolute Necessity (for he could not exist without the knowledge of himself) and infinite apprehending an infinite object, Psal. 147. 5.

Secondly, Because he knows the creatures all and singular viz. all things which have been, are, or shall be, might have been, and may be; not only the substances, but all the accidents of creatures, not only things necessary, but also contingent, all good things by himself, and all evils by the opposite good; and that infallibly without error.

For the manner of Divine Knowledge, God knows all things by his Essence, not by Species abstracted from the things; for so things should be before the Disvine Knowledge, on which yet they depend. God doth not understand by dicoursing from a known thing to that which is unknown, in a doubtful and successive reasoning; but by looking on them, and by one most simple individual and eternal Act comprehending all things. He apprehends by one Act of his Understanding, and by himself simple things without Species, compound without composition and division, Syllogisms and consequences without discourse; Lastly, he most perfectly understands all the multitude of things without distraction, and distance both local and temporal, without distinction of former and later, past or future, according to the beginning, progress and end, possessing all things together, and always present; which with us are revolved in time, Dan. 2. 21, 22. 1 Cor. 3. 19, 20. Isa. 44. 7. Rom. 11. 33. Heb. 4. 13. Psal. 94. 9, 10, 11.

The Scripture proves God's Omniscience.

1. Affirmatively or Positively, Job 28. 24. 1 Sam. 2. 3. he is called by Hannah in her Song, a God of Knowledge, 1 Sam. 16. 7. 1 King. 8. 39. Psa. 94. 11. He knows from eternity, by one simple Act, before all time, before there was a world; secondly, certainly; he cannot be deceived.

2. Negatively, Job 42. 2. Psal. 139. 45. Heb. 4. 13.

3. Metaphorically and Figuratively, for when eyes and ears be given to God, his Omniscience is signified, 2 Chron. 16. 9. Psal. 11. 7. when he is called light, • John 1. 5.

2. It is proved by Reason.

1. By way of negation, ignorance is a defect and imperfection; but God is most Perfect, therefore all ignorance is to be removed from him.

2. By way of Causality; God governs all things in the whole Universe, and directs to convenient ends even those things which are destitute of all Knowledge and Reason. Therefore he fore-knows and sees all things; all creatures are God's works, and an Artificer knows his work; the Prophet knew what was in Gehazi 's heart, God revealing it to him. God made the heart; shall not he know it?

3. By way of eminency. God hath made creatures intelligent and full of knowledge, viz. Angels and men; therefore he knows and understands in a far more perfect and eminent manner, Psal. 94. 10.

He knows.

1. The substantial natures of all other things; as of Angels, Men, Beasts, Plants, Gen. 1. He saw all things which he had made. Matth. 6. He is said to take care of Sparrows, which could not be without knowledge.

2. Their accidentals, as actions and passions with the circumstances of them. Hence he is said to know the hearts and try the reins of men; and there is nothing hid from him. Mat. 6. The Father which seeth in secret.

3. He knows things which are to come, not as if they were to come; for to him all things are present. God makes this an argument of his Divinity, when he bids them see, if their Gentile gods can tell what is to come. He doth not only know what things naturally shall be, but likewise what is possible.

By his Prophets, he hath often foretold future things.

4. He is privy to all our actions, Psal. 119. 168. Job 34. 21, 22. 2. Knows our words, 2 Kings 6. 12. Psal. 139. 4. Matth. 12. 36. 3. He knows our thoughts, Prov. 15. 11. Job 42. 2. 4. 1 Sam. 16. 7. Psal. 94. 11. God is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 he sees and knows the heart, Gen. 6. 5. Psal. 90. 8. and Rom. 8. 27. Apoc. 2. 23. He made the heart, and will judge men for their thoughts, he gives laws to the heart, saying, Thou shalt not covet thy neighbors house; else God were not Infinite in Knowledge, if he knew not the heart.

Our Understanding differs from God's many ways:

1, We have our knowledge from others, from him; he his from himself. He understands by himself without any help; man needs many helpers, his senses, fancy, and intelligible Species.
2. In extent; we know but some things, he all, general and particular.
3. Our knowledge is simply finite, but God's infinite.
4. We understand things by Species or Images, abstracted from them: he by his Essence.
5. We understand things successively one after another, with pains of discourse, proceeding from an unknown thing to a known, or from a less known to a more known: but God knows all things together, and by one most Simple, Immutable, and Eternal Act of Understanding.
6. He knows himself, and all other things perfectly, all things past, present and to come, open, secret, certain, contingent, that which shall be, which shall never be; we cannot show the Causes nor Properties of an Herb, and understand only those things which are, or at least have been, and we know doubtingly.

There is in God (say the Schoolmen) Scientia visions & simplicis intelligentiae. the object of the first is all things possible, of the other only things which really are, have been, or shall be. Visio enim terminatur ad existentiam rei, non ad solam possibilitatem, saith Bellarmine.

1. This is a terror to the wicked, who is ignorant of God, 2 Thess. 1. 8. The study of the knowledge of God, and our Lord Jesus Christ, is the highest, noblest, the most soul-perfecting and exalting knowledge that can be; all other knowledge without this will nothing advantage us.
2. It is necessary for us to be ruled by him, who is so full of Knowledge, and to believe all which he saith by way of relating, promising, threatening.
3. This may comfort God's people, My witness is in Heaven, said Job: If they know not how to express themselves in Prayer, God knows their groans.

To God's Understanding are referred his Wisdom, or Prudence, and Prescience.

The Wisdom or Prudence, and counsel of God, by which God rightly perceives the best reason of all things which are done. Hence it is that all things are joined and knit together in a most perfect harmony, and beautiful order, so that they well agree, both amongst themselves and with God.

God is wisdom itself, Prov. 8.

His Wisdom is,

1. Infinite, Psal. 136. 5. and unsearchable Job 11. 7.
2. Essential to himself. He is the only wise God, Rom. 16. 27. 1 Tim. 1. 17. He is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working, Isa. 28. 29.
3. He is perfectly, originally, unchangeably wise, Isa. 40. 13.
4. The fountain of all wisdom; Was there such wisdom in Adam, to give names to things according to their natures? and in Solomon to discourse of all things? and is there not much more in God?

Wisdom is an ability to fit all things to their ends. He that worketh for a worthy and good end, and fitteth everything unto it, worketh wisely. God doth four Actions to all his Creatures as Creatures, viz.

1. He made them. 2. Sustaineth them. 3. Actuateth them. 4. Guideth and disposeth them all wisely; aiming at a noble end, viz. his own glory, content and satisfaction.

He hath set also to each of them special ends, to which they serve in nature, and that end is the mutual preservation one of another, and common beautifying of the whole workmanship, in subordination to that high end of his glory; and so he hath sitted each thing for that particular end he made it; and all for the universal end, to which he intended all. The Sun was made to distinguish day and night, and the several seasons, it is most fit for that end, it is most fit for the end in its quantity, quality, motion, and all that pertain to it. God made grass for the food of Beasts, it is fit for that end; so in the rest.

Wisdom hath two principal acts, Fore-sight and Fore-cast, by which a man can before hand see what will be after to make his use of it; 2. Disposing and ordering things, by taking the fittest means and opportunities to attain his own good and right ends. This virtue is Infinitely in God, for he doth fore-see all things eternally; and in time disposeth of them most fitly, by the fittest means and opportunities for the best that can be, to his own glory, which is the highest end that he can and should aim at; for to that which is the best of all things, must all things else be referred; therefore God is the only wise God. God's knowledge differs from his wisdom, in our apprehension thus. His knowledge is conceived as the mere apprehension of every object, but his wisdom is conceived as that whereby he doth order and dispose all things. His knowledge is conceived as an act; his wisdom as an habit or inward Principle; not that it is so, but only we apprehend it in this manner.

God's wisdom is seen in these particulars:

1. In making of this great world, 1 Cor 1. • 1. all things therein are disposed in the best Order, Place, Time, by the wisest Architect. How doth David in the Psalms admire the wisdom and power of God, in making of the world, Psal. 136. 5. and 104. per totum. Much wisdom and art is seen in the Sun, Stars, creeping things; Solomon in all his glory was not comparable to one of the Lilies; for that is native and imbred, his adventitious.
2. In particular, in making of man, the little world. David is much affected with this, Psal. 139. 14, 15.
3. In the Order which is in these things, God hath made everything beautiful in his season, saith Solomon. He is called The God of order. Psal. 19. The heavens are said to have a line, which is likewise called their voice, because God by this exact order and art, which he shown in making of them, doth plainly declare to all the world, his Glory and Power.
4. In that nothing is defective or superfluous.
5. In contriving things by contrary means. He brings about contrary ends, by contrary means; by death he brought life to believers, by ignominy and shame the greatest glory. By terrors for sin, he brings the greatest comfort, and leads men by hell to heaven.
6. By catching those which are wise in their own craftiness, Psalm. 59. Job 9. 4.
7. In finding out a way to save man by Christ, Ephes. 3. 10. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Wisdom in many curious passages, 1 Pet. 1. 12. the very Angels desire to pry into this Mystery; and indeed here was so much wisdom, that if the understanding of all men and Angels had been put together, they could not have devised a possible way for man's salvation.
8. In the Church, in the Oracles of Scripture, exceeding all sharpness of human wit, in the Original, Progress, Change, and migration of the Church, and other mysteries of the Gospel, the profound and immense wisdom of God's counsels shines.
9. In the particular passages of his Providence to his Children, about their outward condition; in taking David from the sheep-fold to be a King; but how much misery did he undergo before he was settled? So to Jacob, Abraham and Paul; in doing them good by their sins, making them wary.
10. In heaven, in which the Counsels, Acts, Decrees, and Promises of God (all obscurity being removed) shall be most clearly unfolded.

Dost thou want wisdom, go to this fountain, I am. 1. 5. Psal. 94. 10. all the wisdom of men and Angels comes from him. The godly have a most wise teacher, Job 36. 22.

2. Take heed of trusting in thy own crafty wisdom, 1 Cor. 3. 18.

3. God's wisdom calls for our fear; the people feared Solomon for his wisdom; and praise, Rom. 16. 27.

4. The order and variety of things ariseth not from nature, but the Divine working.

5. We should be content with the portion which God gives us, that weather which he sends, those troubles he brings on us; since he is wisest, and knows best what is fittest for us, and when is the best time to help us.

6. Admire that in the works of God which we understand not: God's wisdom is unsearchable, and his counsel like unto the great depth.

7. Be constant and diligent in reading and pondering upon the Scriptures; they will make you wise to Salvation, to which add Prayer and Practice.

A holy close conversation, walking according to the rule of the Gospel, is a Christians only wisdom, Ephes. 5. 15, 16. Fifty times in the Proverbs a godly man is called a wise man, and every wicked man a fool; see Prov. 4. 7.

Reasons. 1. Such a conversation is most conformable to the rule of wisdom, the word of God.

2. All the Properties of wisdom are to be found in it.

1. A great part of wisdom is to choose that which is a real good, to propound the greatest good for his end, Eccles. 12. 13.

2. A wise man searcheth into the bottom of things, sees them inwardly; many things appear good that are not so, this is only found in a holy conversation.

3. Another property of wisdom is to take a right way to attain his end.

4. He will loose no opportunity, but pursues the chiefest good with all his might, A wise man's eyes are in his head. A fool hath a price in his hand, but no heart to it.

5. He will part with a lesser good for obtaining a greater.

6. Wisdom acts men by the highest principles, and is seen in a right judging and esteeming of things and persons, Daniel 4. 17. puts men upon the noblest actions, Prov. 15. 24.

God's Prescience or Fore-knowledge is that, whereby God fore-knew all future things necessarily, certainly, immutably, and from everlasting. Neither fore-knowledge nor remembrance are properly in God, all things both past, and to come, being present before him.

Although God's prescience bring not a necessity upon events, yet it is necessary for all things to happen so as God hath fore-told, because God so fore-knows, as he hath decreed and willed it shall be; but his decree give existence.

A certain Science and Prediction of future and contingent things, is that first mark by which we are taught to distinguish the true God from Idols, Isa. 41. 23. Vide Voet. Thes. de Scientia Dei, p. 251, 252, 253.

So much for God's Understanding; his Will follows; by which God freely, immutably, and efficaciously wills and approves of Good, and that only, both the chiefest and first, viz. himself and his own glory, as the end, Prov. 16. 4. and Rom. 11. 36. John 8. 50. and also the secondary, inferior and subordinate good, viz. that of the creature, as far as it hath an Image of that chiefest good, and tends as a mean to that ultimate end. God wills, 1. Most freely; for as liberty is essential to every will; so it is chiefly proper to the Divine, because it is a will especially; yet God wills good necessarily with a necessity of Immutability, but not with a necessity of coaction; for he is necessarily and naturally Good, and that which he once willed, he always wills immutably and yet freely; 2. God wills efficaciously; for no man resisteth, nor can resist his Will, Daniel 4. 32. Rom. 9. 19. Voluntas Dei semper impletur aut de nobis aut à Deo in nobis. Augustine.

1. For a faculty or power of the soul whereby we will; so we say there are these faculties in the soul, the understanding and the will. So for that faculty of willing which is in God, so it is one with God's Essence.
2. For the act of his willing called volitio: so it is one also with his Essence. For as he is Eternal and Immutable, so is also his will.
3. The Object or thing willed, so John 6. This is the will of my Father, that is, that which he willeth and hath decreed. So we say, It is the Princes will, that is, that which the Prince willeth; he willeth his own glory chiefly.

God's will is his Essence whereby he freely willeth good, and nilleth evil; or it is a faculty whereby God chooseth all and only good, and refuseth all and only evil.

The Will of God is:

1. Most holy, Rom. 12. 2. Psal. 119 137. the rule of justice, Lam. 3. 37: Ephes. 1. 11. Deut. 29. 29. Isa. 8. 20.
2. Eternal, Rom. 9. 11.
3. Unchangeable, Mal. 3. 6. Rom. 11. 1.

The will of God is one and the same, but it is distinguished

1. In respect of the object into voluntatem beneplaciti & placiti. God wills good things, and good effects with the will of his good pleasure, approving them first of all, and by himself, he intends their end and means, Ephes. 1. 5. but evil and evil effects as they are evil, he nils, disapproves and dislikes. Yet he voluntarily permits evil, and as there is a good end of it, he wills it with the will of his pleasure, for it is good that there should be evil, Psal. 81. 12. Acts 14. 16. 1 Cor. 10. 5. Divines thus distinguish, there is volitio mala & mali, to will sin to be, is not sinful, it had never come into the world if God had not willed it.

2. In respect of application to the creature, into

1. Absolute , when God willeth and concludeth anything concerning us without any condition in us.

2. Conditional, when he wills, some condition being put in us; so God would have all men saved on this condition, if they can believe. The first of these is by another name called Voluntas beneplaciti, the last Voluntas signi.

God's will is:

1. Secret, Voluntas propositi, that whereby he hath absolutely, and freely determined with himself what he will do, permit or hinder.

2. Revealed, Voluntas praecepti, that whereby God hath manifested what he would have believed, done or left undone by his reasonable creatures, Mark 3. 35. 1 Thess. 4. 3. That distinction of God's will into beneplaciti & signi, differs little from this. Signi is the same with revealed. Beneplacitum is the decree properly so called, which may be either hidden or manifest.

It serves first to comfort us in adversities; God is a most free Agent, therefore he is not bound to second causes, so as he cannot help without them, Psal. 115. 3.

Secondly, To exhort us to Sobriety in our judgment of God's works. He is a most free Agent, therefore we should not rashly exact of him a reason of his deeds.

2. We should labor first to know God's will; so did Eli, 1 Sam. 3. 17.

2. Our wills should be pliable to the will of God.

All goodness and truth in the creature is a conformity cum Archetype, say the Schoolmen, of truth to the mind of God, and of goodness to the will of God, the first truth and goodness is in him; those passages therefore in some men's writings had need to be well weighed, Quaedam volita quia bona, & quaedam bona quia volita, God wills some things because they are good, as if some things were antecedently good to the will of God. His will is the rule of all goodness, Non ideo volitum quia bonum, sed ideo bonum quia volitum. The power of grace mainly consists in a ready submission to the will of God.

Reason.

1. Grace is the Law written in the heart, Ier. 31. 33. when there is a disposition there suitable to every Commandment, Praebendo vires efficacissimas voluntati, saith Augustine.

2. The highest subjection of the soul to God is the subjection of the will.

He will be obeyed as well as worshipped, as a God:

1. You are his servants his will should be subdued to his Masters ends, he is to have no will of his own.
2. You are said to be married to God, Hos. 2. 19. The woman is to subject her will to her husband, Gen. 3. 16.
3. Because the act of the will only is the act of the man, Actus voluntatis est actus suppositi, Psal. 119. 30. that is an act of a man, which if he were free he would choose to do, Psal. 40. 6.
4. The main power of sin lies in the will, the blame is still laid upon that, Israel would have none of me, you will not come to me that you may have life, I would and you would not; I am bound (saith Augustine) Meaferrea voluntate.
5. The main work of the Spirit in the omnipotency of it, is seen in subduing the will, Eph. 1. 19. Psal. 110. 3.
6. Our sanctification shall be perfect when our wills shall be perfectly subjected to God, Heb. 12. 23.

We should be careful: 1. To do his will cheerfully, speedily, sincerely, constantly; a Christian makes God in Christ his portion, that is his faith; and the word of God his rule, that is his obedience.

3. Be patient under the hand of God in all afflictions, for nothing can befall us but that which is the good pleasure of our heavenly Father.

3. We should not depart from the Word of God, but make that the warrant of all our actions; for there is nothing sin but what God forbiddeth; and nothing acceptable, but what he commandeth. A man may with a good will, will that which God nils; as if a good Son desire his Fathers life whom God would have die, and one may will with an ill will, that which God wills with a good will, as if an ill Son should desire his Fathers death, which God also wills.

4. Pry not into the Lord's secrets, they belong not unto thee, but be wise unto Sobriety.

5. We should be afraid to sin against God, who can punish how he will, when he will, and where he will; God wills seriously the conversion of all men, by the preaching of the Word, Voluntate approbationis, by way of allowance, but not Voluntate effectionis & intentionis, not effectually, by way of full intention to work it in them. It is one thing to approve of an end as good, another thing to will it with a purpose of using all means to effect it. God's Commandments and Exhortations, show what he approves and wills, to be done as good; but his promises or threatenings show what he intendeth effectually to bring to pass.

Under God's will are comprehended affections which are attributed to God, and are divers motions of his will according to the diversity of Objects. Yet they are not sudden and vehement perturbations of God as they are in man, rising and falling as occasion serves, but constant, fixed, tranquil, and eternal Acts and Inclinations of the will, according to the different nature of things, either contrary or agreeable to it. There are in man some habitual and perpetual affections, as love and hatred, much more hath the Eternal will of God Eternal affections, whiles it moves itself to the objects, without alteration, impression and passion. God is so far affected toward particulars, as they agree or disagree with the universal and immutable notions and Idaeas of good existing in God from Eternity; so God hates evil and loves good, both in the abstract and universal Idea, and also in the concrete in particular subject as far as it agrees with the general.

CHAP. VIII. Of God's Affections, his Love, Hatred.

THe Affections, which the Scripture attributes to God, are

1. Love which is an act of the Divine Will, moving itself both to the most excellent good in itself, and to that excelling in the reasonable creature, approving it, delighting in it, and doing good to it, John 6. 16, 35. Rom. 5. 8. In which definition two things are to be noted.

1. The Object of God's Love.

2. The Effect or Manner of God's Love.

The primary object of God's Love is himself, for he taketh great pleasure in himself, and is the Author of greatest felicity and delight to himself. The Father, Son and holy Ghost, love one another mutually, Matth. 3. 17. and 17. 5. John 3. 33, 35. and 5. 20. and 10. 17. and 15. 9. and 17. 24. The secondary Object of God's love is the reasonable creature Angels and men. For though he approve of the goodness of other things, yet he hath chosen that especially, to prosecute with his chiefest love: for these Reasons.

1. For the excellency and beauty of the reasonable creature, when it is adorned with its due holiness.
2. Because between this only and God, there can be a mutual reciprocation of love, since it only hath a sense, and acknowledgement of God's goodness.
3. Because God bestows Eternity on that which he loves; but the other creatures besides the rational shall perish.

God's love to Christ is the foundation of his love to us, Matth. 3. 17. Ephes. 1. 6.

God loves all creatures with a General Love, Matth. 5. 44, 45. as they are the work of his hands; but he doth delight in some especially, whom he hath chosen in his Son, John 3. 16. Ephes. 1. 6. Psal. 106. 4.

God loves his Elect before they love him; his Love is actual and real in the purpose of it to them from Eternity. There are four expressions in Scripture to prove this:

1. He loves his people before they have the life of grace, Ephes. 4. 5. 1 John 4. 19. Rom. 5, 8.
2. Before they have the life of nature, Rom. 9. 11.
3. Before the exhibition of Christ, John 3. 16.
4. Before the foundation of the world was laid, Ephes. 1. 3. 2 Tim. 1. 9. Therefore God loves the Elect more than the Reprobate, and our love is not the motive of his love.

Object. How could God love them when they were workers of iniquity, Hab. 1. 13. Psal. 5. 3, 4. He loved their persons, but hated their works and ways. God loved Christ's person, yet was angry with him when the guilt of our sins was upon him.

He loves his people, 1. Before conversion, Amore benevolentiae, with a love of good-will and of pity, which is properly shown to one in misery, Ezek. 16. 5.

2. After Conversion, with a love 1. Of sympathy, Isa. 63. 9. Heb. 4. 15. and 5. 2. 2. Of Complacency and delight, Psal. 16. 10, 11. that Psalm is a Prophecy of Christ, see Ephes. 2. 5. This love of his delight is discovered four ways:

1. By his valuing of his people, Since thou wast precious in my sight thou wast honorable.

2. By his commendation of his Church and people, as often in the Canticles.

3. By his frequent visits, Luke 1. 68. Rev. 3. 20.

4. By revealing his counsels to them. John 15. 15.

2. The effect or manner of God's love is, that God makes the person happy whom he loves. For he doth amploy reward that joy and delight which he takes in the holiness and obedience of the Elect, while he pours plentifully upon them all gifts, both of grace and glory.

This love of God to the Elect is:

1. Free, Hosea 15. 5. he was moved with nothing but his own goodness, Ezek. 16. 8.
2. Sure, firm, and unchangeable, Rom. 5. 8, 10. 1 John 4. 10. John 13. 1. and 31. 3. Infinite and Eternal, which shall never alter, John 3. 16. It is without cessation, Psal. 27. 10. Diminution, Cant. 8. 7. interruption, Rom. 8. 35. to the end, or alteration, every created thing is immutable.
3. Effectual, as is declared both by his temporal and eternal blessings, 1 John 3. 1. Dei amare est bonum velle.
4. Sincere, It is a love without any mixture, love, and nothing but love. This is the motive which persuades God's to communicate himself, and act for his people Isa. 63. 9. Rev. 3. 19. and hath no motive but itself, Deut. 7. 6, 7, 8. 1 John 4. 8. God hath no need of us, or our love, nor doth not advantage himself by loving us, Job 22. 2.
5. Great and ardent, John 3. 16. and 15. 13. Rom. 5. 6, 7. God bestows pledges of his love and favor upon them whom he hath chosen, and sometimes he sheds the sense of his love abroad in their hearts, transforms us into his own image, Cant. 4. 9. and 6. 5. see Zeph. 3. 17.

We must love God Appreciative, love him above all things, and in all, Psal. 73. 24. Mat. 10. 37. Intensive and Intellective, with all our might and strength. Affectu & Effectu, love him for himself, and all things for the Lord's sake: else it is not, 1. A Conjugal love, 2. Not an equal love, to love the gifts, and not the giver.

We should love:

1. All the Divine persons in the Trinity, 1. The Father, Ye that love the Lord, hate evil. 2. Christ, for taking our nature upon him. He gave himself to us, and for us, Cant. 5. 16. 3. The Holy Ghost, for drawing our hearts to the knowledge of this great mystery, Rom. 5. 5.
2. All the Divine properties and excellencies, whereby God makes himself known to the sons of men: Love him for his holiness, Es. 6. beginning, fidelity, 1 Cor. 10. 13. Omniscience and Dominion, The Scepter of thy Kingdom is a Righteous Scepter.
3. We should love all his Ordinances, Psal. 27. 4. and 84. beginning, and all his discoveries to us in his word, 2 Thess. 2. 10.

We should express our love to him by our care in keeping his Commandments, 1 John 2. 3. John 14. 25. and 15. 10. and earnest desire of his presence, Psal. 4. 2, 3.

2. Our love should be conformed to God's, in loving the Saints, Psal. 16. 3. Gal. 6. 10. John 3. 14. 1 Pet. 1. 21. and Christ above all, desiring to be united to him, 1 Cor. 5. 44. 1 Pet. 1. 8.

3. We should admire the love of God, 1 John 3. 1. For the sureness, greatness, and continuance of it, it passeth our knowledge, Ephes. 3. 19. he hath given his son for a price, his spirit for a pledge, and reserves himself for a reward.

That Tantus so great a God, should love Tantillos so little creatures as we before we were, Rom. 9. 11. tales when we were Enemies, Rom. 5. 10. tantum so much.

Means to love God: 1. Beg this love much of God in Prayer. 2. Study much to know him, his nature, attributes, excellencies. 3. Labor to enjoy communion▪ with him. 4. Mortify other loves contrary to this, inordinate self-love, and love of the world, 1 John 2. 15.

There are many promises made to the love of God: 1. Of Temporal blessings, Psal. 91. 14. Rom. 8. 28. 2. Spiritual, all the comforts of the Gospel, 1 Cor. 2. 9. 3. Of heavenly and eternal blessings, James 1. 12. and 2. 5.

1. God is Maxim amabilis, he is truly lovely. 2. Consider the great benefits we receive from him, Psal. 116. 12. 3. He desires us to love him, Deut. 10 4. Mark 12. 33, 4▪ This affection only and joy abide forever, 1 Corinth. 13. ult.

The second affection in God, contrary to love, is Hatred, which is an act of the Divine will, declining, disproving and punishing of evil', prevailing and reigning in the reasonable creature.

In which definition three things are to be noted:

1. The object of God's hatred.
2. The cause and condition of the object hated.
3. The effect of God's hatred.

1. The object of God's hatred is the reasonable creature, for that only sins. He hateth iniquity, Psal. 71. 59. Hab. 1. 13. Prov 11. 1. and the creature which ob stinately and stubbornly persisteth in evil, so that he doth rejoice in the calamity and destruction thereof, Psal. 11. 5. and 5. 6. Prov. 16. 5.
2. The cause and condition of the object hated, is sin; for which God abhors the delinquent creature; only the reasonable creature hath left his station, and defiled himself with the filth of sin; all the rest of the creatures, whether brute beasts or insensible creatures, persist in the state of goodness wherein they were created, although perhaps not in the same degree of perfection and excellency for man's sin: But although God cannot hate the creature, unless as sinful, yet not every degree of sin, but a high measure of it, makes the person hated. It is true that God abhors the least sin, yet he doth not abhor the persons of the godly, in which are the relics of sin, as he doth those of the wicked in whom sin reigns.
3. The effect of God's hatred is to punish the person whom he hates, Psal. 9. 11. whom when once it is rejected by God, troops of evil do invade, God both permitting and commanding; and this actual hatred or outward manner of manifesting it, it may not unfitly be referred to the Divine justice. Hatred in God is a virtue and fruit of his justice, and not a vicious passion.

Consider, 1. The unsupportable horrors of conscience, Prov. 18. 14. 2. The painful death of little children, Rom. 5. 14. 3. How grievously God punisheth the sins of the Elect in his own Son, when he was made sin he was made a curse. 4. How small sins have been punished: The Angels for one aspiring thought were cast into hell; Uzzah struck dead for touching the Ark, fifty thousand Bethshemites for looking into it. Mr. Peacock felt a hell in his conscience for eating too much at one meal. 5. The appointing of everlasting torments.

We should hate sin (for God hateth it) and that with the greatest hatred, even as hell itself, Rom. 129. Sin is the first, principal, and most immediate object of hatred. Paul mentioning divers evils, saith, God forbid. I hate vain thoughts, saith David, our affections must be conformable to God's. He hateth nothing simply but sin, and sinners for sins sake. 2. Sin is, as most injurious to God, so most hurtful to man; therefore it is in itself most hateful. The ground of hatred of anything is the contrariety of it to our welfare, as we hate wild, fierce, and raging beasts, for their mischievousness, Toads and Serpents for their poisonfulness, which is a strong enemy to life and health. Sin is the most mischievous and harmful thing in the world. Just hatred is general of whole kinds, as we hate all Serpents, so we should all sins.

Means to hate sin:

1. Pray to God, that his Spirit may rule and order our affections, and set the same against evil.
2. Exercise ourselves in meditating of the infinite torments of hell, which sin deserveth, and the fearful threats denounced against it in the word of God, of all sorts of evils.
3. We should labor to get out of our natural estate, for the unregenerate man hates God, Psal. 81. 15. Rom. 1. 30. Christ, John 7. 7. and good men, eo nomine, as Cain did Abel, 1 John 3. 10, 12. they hate God's ways and Ordinances, Prov. 1. 22, 29. This hatred is 1. Causeless, Psa.. 69. 44. 2, Intire, without any mixture of love. 3. Violent, Psal. 53. 3. 4. Irreconcilable, Gen. 3. 15.

CHAP. IX. Of the Affections of Anger and Clemency, given to God Metaphorically.

OTher affections which are given to God metaphorically, and by an Anthropopathy; are 1. Anger, and its contrary, complacency or gentleness, which are improperly in God, for he is neither pleased nor displeased; neither can a sudden either perturbation or tranquility, agree to God; but by these the actions of God are declared, which are such as those of offended and pleased men are wont to be; viz. God by an eternal and constant act of his will approves obedience, and the purity of the creature, and witnesseth that by some sign of his favor, but abhors the iniquity and sin of the same creature, and shows the same, by inflicting a punishment, not less severe, but far more just then men are wont to do, when they are hot with anger, Exod, 32. 10. Now therefore, let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them, and I will make of thee a great Nation.

God's Anger is an excellency of his own Essence, by which it is so displeased with sin, as it is inclined to punish the sinner; or a settled and unchangeable resolution to punish sinners according to their sins.

God is greatly moved to anger against all impenitent sinners, especially the unjust enemies of his people, Rom. 1. 18. and 2. 8, 9. 1 Cor. 10. 22. Ephes. 5. 6. and Col. 3. 6. Deut. 32. 21. Psal. 106. 40, because such wrong God: He cannot be hurt, for that were a weakness; but he may be wronged, for that is no weakness, but a fruit of excellency, seeing nothing is more subject to be wronged then an excellent thing or person: for wrong is any behavior to a person not suitable to his worth. And the more worthy a person is, the more easy it is to carry ones self unseemly.

Sin wrongs God:

1. In his authority; when a just and righteous Governor hath made just and right Laws; then it is a wrong to his authority, a denying and opposing of it, to neglect, dis-regard, and infringe those Laws. Sin is a transgressing of God's Law, and impenitent sin, doing it in a very willful manner, with a kind of carelessness, and bold dis-respect of the Law-maker. God should not have shown himself wise, just, good, careful of mankind; that is to say, of his own work, if he had not made his Law; for it is a rule tending to guide man, to order his life most fitly for that which was the main end of it, the glory of his maker, and that which was the subordinate end of it, his own welfare.

2. It wrongs him in his honor, name and dignity; it is a denying of his perfect wisdom and justice.

3. In his goods, abusing them:

4. In his person, sin being offensive to the purity of his holy person.

Lastly, the opposing of God's people wrongs him, in those that are nearest him.

The properties of God's anger:

1. It is terrible: He is called Bagnal Chemah, the Lord of anger, Nahum 1. 5. His wrath is infinite like himself, Rom. 9. 22. if we consider it, 1. In regard of its intension, for God is called A consuming fire, Heb. 12. 29. it pierceth the soul, and the inmost part of the Spirit. 2. In respect of its extension, it comprehends in it all kinds of evil, Corporeal, Spiritual, in life, death, after death; it reacheth to Kingdoms, as well as to particular persons or families; to the posterity, as well as to the present generation. 3. In respect of duration, it continueth to all eternity, John 3. 36. it is unquenchable fire.

2. Irresistable, compared to a whirlwind.

God is most wise, of great and perfect understanding. He is slow to anger, never moved till there be great cause; therefore he holds out in his anger. Great persons inflict great punishments on those with whom they are displeased.

Object. Fury is not in me, Isa. 27. 4.

Answ. Take fury for unjust, undue and excessive anger, which riseth too soon, worketh too strong, and continneth too long; so it is not in God; but a discreet and well advised motion against any offender, by which one is moved to punish him according to his offense; anger so taken is in him.

Anger, wrath and rage, (or fury) are sometimes promiscuously put one for another, and sometimes distinguished. Anger is a boiling of the blood about the heart, causing a commotion of the spirits that are near. Wrath is the manifestation of that inward distemper by looks, gestures or actions tending to revenge; but rage is the extremity of both the former, Prov. 27. 4.

This may humble and astonish impenitent sinners, Hos. 8. 5. Psal. 90. 11. We must quench God's wrath as men do fire at the first, by casting in water, and taking away the fuel; by repentance and reformation; pour out water, 1 Sam. 7. 8. Ier. 4. 14. Psal. 6. 8. pray earnestly to him, Zeph. 3 3. Moses by prayer turned away God's hot anger from Aaron and Israel.

2. Let us take heed of sinning, and so provoking God to anger; and let us be angry with all sin, as he is. He is angry sometimes at the best people, Israel his peculiar treasure, Judges 2. Num. 11. 2. At the best of his people, with Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, Mic. 6. 4. Exod. 4. 14. 3. At the best of their performances, their prayers, Psal. 80. 4.

God's Meekness or Clemency is a property in him, whereby he doth so moderate his anger, that it doth not exceed, yea it doth not match the heinousness of the offense; or, it is a property, whereby the Lord in judgment remembereth mercy, not laying such grievous punishments, or of so long continuance upon his creatures, as their sins deserve, no not when he doth correct them, 2 Sam. 7. 14. Ier. 3. 5. Joel 2. 13. John. 3. 9, 10.

Queen Elizabeth said, next the Scripture she knew no Book did her so much good as Seneca de Clementia. Her clemency was such, that her brother King Edward was wont commonly to call her, His sweet sister Temperance.

Magistrates and Ministers, and all Christians should labor for this grace, they should be slow to anger, and moderate wrath. Magistrates should rule, and Ministers instruct in meekness. No virtue is so generally commended, 1 Tim. 6. 11. Titus 3. 2. James 3. 17, 18. Humbleness of mind, and meekness of spirit, are often in Scripture set down together, Ephes. 4. 2. Coloss. 3. 2.

God takes to himself also grief and joy. God's grief is his aptness to be displeased with a thing, as a man is with that which grieves him. Joy is the excellency of his nature, by which he is well pleased with other things.

So God attributes to himself desire and detestation, hope and fear. Desire is that whereby he useth fit means to effect anything. Detestation is that whereby he useth fit and due means to prevent anything.

God is said to expect or hope for that which he hath used due means to effect, and therefore requireth that it should be. To fear what he hath used due means to prevent, and so will order the means that it may not be.

CHAP. X. Of God's Virtues, Particularly of his Goodness.

SO much concerning the affections attributed to God, his virtues follow; which as they have their seat in man, in the will and affections; so it is not inconvenient for methods sake to refer them to the same in God. God's virtues are his essence considered, as it always worketh orderly, fitly, and agreeably to perfect reason. They are not things differing from his essence as in us, but we must conceive of them according to our capacity, and handle them distinctly.

By virtues we understand first in general the idea of virtue, or the chiefest moral perfection, by which God is in himself absolutely the best, and in respect of which all the virtues of angels and men are only slender shadows and representations. For God is Summum bonum, the chiefest good, and most perfect goodness, both metaphysically and morally; so that his nature and will is the first rule of goodness and rectitude, with which, as far as things agree, so far they are, and are called good. 2. He is the cause of all goodness in the creatures, which have so much goodness as God works and keeps in them.

God's Goodness is an essential property whereby he is infinitely, and of himself good, and the author and cause of all goodness in the creature.

God's goodness is considered as he is good in himself, yea, goodness itself, Exod. 34. 6. Psal. 119. 68. or as he is good to his creatures, which is his bounty, which being referred to his creatures, either as having goodness communicated to them, is his love; or as being in misery, is his mercy, or as having deserved no good thing at the hands of God, but rather the contrary, is his Grace.

Goodness is the perfection of things for which they are desirable; good and appetible are convertible: What is good is to be desired. God is to be desired of all, he is the chiefest good.

The properties of which are these:

1. It is propter se amabile, to be desired for itself; so only God.

2. It is able to satisfy the soul, and that satisfaction which it gives is perpetual. In God there is both satiety and stability; satisfaction of the appetite, and continuance of that satisfaction.

2. God is causally good, worketh all goodness in the creature, and doth good to them, Psal. 33. 5.

3. Eminently and absolutely good, the only good. There is a goodness in the creature, its nature is good, but goodness is not its nature; so there is none good but God; viz. Essentially, originally.

Our Savior Matth. 19. 17. reproved one for calling him good; not that he is not so essentially, but because he thinking him to be no more then a Prophet, did yet call him so. God is only good essentially, independently; comparatively to God the creature is not good; as a drop is no water compared to the Ocean.

The Scripture proveth God's goodness,

1. Affirmatively, when it affirmeth that God is good, and commends his goodness.
2. Negatively, when it denieth that there is any evil in him, Psal. 92. 16. Deut. 32. 4.
3. Symbolically, when it celebrateth the riches of his goodness, Rom. 2. 4.
4. Effectively, when it affirms that all the works of God are good, Gen. 1. 31. It was said of everything particularly when it was made, The Lord saw that it was good; and in the conclusion of the whole creation, God saw all his works that they were good, yea, very good; that is, commodious for the comfort of man, and all other creatures. He made all things good, therefore he is good himself. This may be proved by the goodness which still remains in the creatures; each creature hath yet remaining in him a power and fitness to do much good, and bring much comfort to man, as daily experience proves; therefore he, that notwithstanding the rebellion of man hath continued yet much good in the world, is surely good; the beasts do good to their young, man to his children; this power they received from God.
5. God is to be loved, honored, praised, and served by man, therefore he is good; or else he were not worthy this respect from the creature.

The goodness of God is either considered ad intra and absolutely, or else ad extra and respectively. For the first, God in himself is good.

This appears:

1. In reckoning up all the kinds of good things that are; for there is 1. Bonum utile, the profitable good; now how happy must they needs be who have him, which can command all things; if thou hast him, thou hast all things else in him. 2. There is bonum jucundum, taste and see how sweet he is, At thy right hand are pleasures for evermore. 3. Bonum honestum, he is the holy God, the Author of all holiness, and the exemplar of it.
2. This goodness of his cannot be increased, it being his essence, it cannot be made better; for God hath in him, not only all the actual, but all the possible goodness that is in the creatures; any creature still may be better; thy riches, honors, comforts may be better, but thy God cannot be a better God; therefore we should infinitely affect him more then all creatures.
3. It is independent goodness, he is omnis boni bonum; hence he is said to be only good, that is, essentially and immutably.
4. It is essential; the essence and goodness of the creatures is different; goodness in the Angels the perfectest creatures, is a superadded quality to them, they may be good, but ill bonus suo bon est, He is good with his own goodness, he cannot be God if he be not good.
5. It is illimitted goodness, infinite, without all bounds, above all that can be conceived, he being essentially so, and not limited to this or that being, neither is his goodness.
6. It is immixed goodness, 1 John 1. 5. he is light, and there is no darkness in him, not the least evil of sin.
7. It is the samplar and form of all goodness in the creatures: So far a thing is good as it doth resemble him.

All the good of a creature is in God always:

1. Eminently, as you consider it in its kind, without imperfection.
2. Efficiently, as he is the Author and cause of all the good the creature hath.
3. Exemplarily, as he is the rule and pattern of all goodness.
4. Finally, as he is the chiefest good of all creatures, so that all terminate their desires in him.

Secondly, God is good respectively in what he doth to the creature: that appeareth in the good things bestowed upon them. He gives to all liberally, especially the rational creatures, as men and Angels, partake of his goodness, being made capable of enjoying him forever. 2. In the evil he keeps off from the Elect; as he will withhold no good things, so he will let no evil befall them.

Object. God is infinitely good (say the Arminians) therefore he cannot but naturally will good to the creature.

Sol It doth not follow; for out of his goodness he made the world, his goodness freely communicated, not out of necessity, then it will follow that he naturally made the world. 2. God is infinitely just, therefore he also naturally wills the perdition of all sinners, which they will not admit. 3. He is infinitely good in himself, not therefore so to his creatures, for so he should will all good to them, and actually communicate it, and so should save all. Notwithstanding God's goodness of nature, he suffered man to fall; but yet he was so good that he would not have suffered it, unless he could have shown as much goodness to man another way; and indeed Christ is a greater good to us by faith, then Adams innocence could have been; but yet since that evil is come into the world, how many calamities might befall thee, did not God's goodness prevent it? that the earth swallows thee not up tis God's goodness. The goodness of God is so great, that no creature should suffer punishment, but that the justice of God doth require the same, or else some greater good may be drawn from thence, Ezek 33. 11.

Object. How doth it agree with God's goodness, that it is said Psal. 18. 27. With the froward he will show himself froward?

Answ. In the general, the meaning is only, that God's judgments shall agree with men's manners, and David shows not how God is in himself, but relatively how he is to us.

We should 1. Love God because of his goodness, for it is the proper object of love. That which is the chief good, ought to be the principal object of all the powers of our souls. God is the principal good: O that we could account him so, and accordingly carry ourselves toward him. Sine summo bono nil bonum, there is nothing good, without the chiefest good, Psal. 73 25, 26.

2. Imitate him, be good as he is good, be like our heavenly father, good to all, Summae religions est imitari quem Colis. Aug. de Civ. Dei, l. 8. c. 27. It is a chief point of Religion to imitate him whom we worship, Rom. 12. 9. Cleave to that which is good, we should still be doing or receiving good.

3. God's goodness will support his children in their calamities, Nehem. 1. 7. and arm them against poverty, and the fear of death itself. I do not fear to die (said Ambrose ) because we have a good Lord. Nec pudet vivere, nec piget mori, quia bonum habemus Dominum.

We are much to be blamed for slighting, despising or neglecting him the fountain of all goodness. Man is a most loathsome creature that hateth, and foolish, that slighteth this chief good.

Here is a ground of thankfulness to God's people, which enjoy the goodness of God in part here in the creature, and shall hereafter immediately and fully. God is good to all in bestowing upon them gifts of nature, of body or of mind, but he is especially good to some, whom he hath chosen to life eternal.

We may see the great evil of sin; nothing is so opposite to this attribute of God's goodness as sin; the Devils are not evil as creatures, but as sinful.

CHAP. XI. Of God's Grace and Mercy.

SO much in general of God's virtues.

Secondly, in special, the virtues which imply not imperfection in the reasonable creature, are attributed to God.

The principal of which are,

1. Bounty or Graciousness, by which God shows favor to the creatures freely, and that either commonly or specially: 1. Commonly, when he exerciseth beneficence and liberality toward all creatures, pouring upon them plentifully all goods of nature, body, mind and fortune, so that there is nothing which tasteth not of the inexhausted fountain of his blessings and goodness, Matth. 5. 44, 45. Psal. 36. 5, 6. God's bounty is a will in him to bestow store of comfortable and beneficial things on the creature in his kind. This bounty he shown to all things in the creation, even to all Spirits, all men and all creatures, and doth in great part show still, for he opens his hand, and filleth every living thing with his bounty, he gives all things richly to enjoy.

2. Specially toward the Church, by which he bestoweth eternal life on certain men fallen by sin, and redeemed in Christ, Titus 2. 11. and 3. 4. As this is exercised toward the whole Church, so in a special manner toward some members of it, as toward Enoch, Moses, Jacob, Paul, and especially Abraham, who is therefore often called The friend of God; he made with him and his seed a perpetual league of friendship, and he constantly kept his Laws and Statutes, John 15. 14, 15.

God's Graciousness is an essential property, whereby he is in and of himself most gracious and amiable, Psal. 145. 8. God is only gracious in and of himself, and whatsoever is amiable and gracious is so from him.

God's Graciousness is that whereby he is truly amiable in himself, and freely bountiful unto his creatures, cherishing them tenderly without any defert of theirs, Psal. 86. 15. and 111. 5. Gen. 43. 29. Pelagius taught, that grace is given to men in respect of their merits, Gratia Dei datur secundum merita nostra, he said that God's will had respect to merits foreseen, for this Pelagius was condemned for an Heretic in three Synods. S ^• Austin refuteth this error, and referreth the matter to God's will and purpose only. B. Carleton against Montague, Ch. 3. Vide Bellarm. de Gratia & lib. arbitrio l. 6. c. 4, 5, 6. John Scotus was the greatest Pelagian that lived in his time; for it was he that brought in the doctrine of Meritum ex Congruo, he teacheth that Faith, Charity, Repentance, may be had ex puris naturalibus, which some of the most learned Papists do confess to be the true Doctrine of Pelagius, Vide Bellarminum de Gratia & libero arbitrio l. 6. c. 2.

God is gracious to all, Psal. 145. 8, 9, 10. but especially to such whom he doth respect in his well-beloved Son, Jesus Christ, Exod. 33. 19. Isa. 30. 19. Luke 1. 30. Gen. 6. 8. 1 Cor. 15. 10. God's free favor is the cause of our salvation, and of all the means tending thereunto, Rom. 3. 24. and 5. 15, 16. Ephes. 1. 5, 6. and 2. 4. Rom. 9. 16. Titus 3. 5. Heb. 4. 16. Rom. 6. 23. 1 Cor. 12. 4, 9. The gospel sets forth the freeness, fullness, and the powerfulness of God's grace to his Church, therefore it is called The word of his grace, Acts 14. 3. and 20. 32. The Gospel of the grace of God, Acts 20. 24. Deus expandit gratiae immensum Coelum, Luther.

God's Graciousness is firm and unchangeable, so that those which are once beloved can never be rejected, or utterly cast off, Psal. 77. 10.

God bestoweth, 1. Good things. 2. Freely. 3. Plentifully, Psal. 111. 4. 4. In a special manner he is gracious toward the godly.

Love is 1. Grounded often on something which may deserve it; the grace of God is that love of his which is altogether free. 2. Grace is such a kind of love as flows from a superior to an inferior; love may be in inferiors toward their superiors.

We should be also liberal in our services toward God, in our prayers and good works.

We should desire and strive to obtain the grace and favor of God. David often calleth on God to cause his face to shine upon him, and to lift up the light of his countenance upon him. The holy Patriarchs often desired to find grace in the eyes of the Lord. It is better then life to him that hath it; it is the most satisfying content in the world, to have the soul firmly settled in the apprehension of God's goodness to him in Christ. It will comfort and stablish the soul in the want of all outward things, in the very hour of death. 2. It is attainable, Those that seek God's face shall find him.

Means of purchasing God's favor:

1. Take notice that your sins have worthily deprived you of his favor, and press these thoughts upon you till you feel your misery; meditate on the Law, to show you your cursedness.
2. Consider of the gracious promises of the Gospel, and see the grace of God in Christ. His grace was exceeding abundant, saith the Apostle.
3. Confess and bewail your sins, with a full purpose of amendment, and cry to God for grace in Christ.
4. This stays our hearts, when we apprehend our own unworthiness; God is gracious, and shows mercy to the undeserving, the ill-deserving. 2. We should acknowledge that all grace in us doth come from him the fountain of grace, and should go boldly to the throne of grace, and beg grace of him for ourselves and others, Heb. 4 16. Paul in all his Epistles saith, Grace be unto you. The Apostle, Ephes. 1. 3. and so on, speaks of Redemption, Vocation, Justification, Glorification, And all this, saith he, is to the praise of his glory, and 12. 14. verses, we should give God the praise of all: He is the first cause, and last end. The Arminians will seem to say, That all comes from grace, and that faith is the grace of God, but they say it is a power given to all, and that God hath done alike for all, only some improve the power of reason and will better then others, without any special discriminating grace from God; then God is not the first cause, that I believe it is the free working of God within me. We should take heed of encouraging ourselves in sin, because God is gracious; this is to turn God's grace into wantonness. We should frequent the Ordinances where God is graciously present, and re • dy to bestow all his graces on us: The word begets grace, prayer increaseth it, and the Sacraments seal it.

It refutes 1. The Papists, which boast of their own merits, By the grace of God I am that I am, 1 Cor. 15. 10. Rom. 11. 6. By grace we are saved, Ephes. 2. 8. They distinguish grace into that which is gratis data freely given, as the work of miracles, the gift of prophesying, and that which is gratum faciens, making us accepted, as faith and love are graces making us accepted; but the grace which maketh us accepted, is freely given, therefore they are not opposite members. There is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Grace, and the gift of grace, they differ as the cause and the effect, as Lux in sole, and Lumen in aere, one is in God subjective, the other in man objective. 2. The Arminians (the Patrons of man's free will, and enemies of God's free grace) who say that a man may so far improve naturals as to merit grace, and that God gives effectually grace to the wicked which shall never be saved, to Judas as well as Paul. How is that effectual, which moving men unto faith and repentance, doth never bring them to one nor other? it seems these Remonstrants never learnt this Lesson, Arminio praeceptore; for he defines effectual grace to be that qu • sortitur effectum, which obtains the effect. They say that a man without God's grace may keep all the Commandments, whereas Christ saith not (as Augustine notes) John 15. 5. without me you can do little, but, Without me you can do nothing. Never had the Church of God (saith Dr. Featly in his Pelagius Redivivns, 2. Parallel. ) since the Apostle St. Paul, a more valiant and resolute Champion of Grace then St. Augustine. Pelagius would change himself into divers forms, as is manifest by the History of him; although sometimes he seems to restrain the whole operation of grace to external persuasions; yet being pressed by Augustine and others, both he and his disciples have often been compelled also to confess the inward gifts of grace and the Holy Ghost.

It comforts us against sin and fear of eternal death, Rom. 5. 20, 21. Paul and Silas sung in prison.

We ought to love and reverence God above all; and return praise to him for his free goodness; gracious and amiable men win love and reverence from others. Some Divines think David is called a man after God's own heart, especially for his frequent praising of God in the Psalms. We should learn contentation and patience also under God's hand, and to bear losses quietly in these times, since all that we have we received freely from God. This was Job's argument, The Lord hath given, and the Lord hath taken, though he was plundered by the Chaldeans and the Sabaeans.

2. Mercy, which is, at it were, a sense of another misery, with a prompt and ready inclination of the will to help the creatures freely in their miseries. This affection God challengeth as proper to himself, and glories in it. Heroic and Noble Spirits are most gentle and merciful; cruelty is a sign of a weak and base mind. This merciful nature of God, although it principally appear toward man, as appears by the Laws given concerning Orphans, Widows, Strangers, Poor, and others oppressed with any calamity, yet his mercy is exercised also toward the brute beasts, Dent. 22. 4, 6, 7. Exod. 23. 5, 11, 12.

Mercy is a disposition toward the creature considered as sinful and miserable by his sin.

It is a readiness to take a sit course for the helping of the miserable, or it is an Attribute in God whereby the Lord of his free love is ready to succor those that be in misery, Judges 2. 18. & 10. 26. He is called The Father of mercies, 2 Cor. 1. 3. said To be abundant in mercy, 1 Pet. 1. 3. Rich in mercy, Ephes. 2. 4. He hath a multitude of mercies, Psal. 51. 1. is said To be of tender mercy, Psal. 25. 6. Luke 1. 58. to have bowels of mercy, Psal. 40. 12. God's mercy in Scripture usually hath some Epithets, Matchless, Jer. 3. 1. Great, 2 Sam. 24. 14. Psal. 57. 10. and 103. 11. Nehem 13. 22. Everlasting▪ Psal, 25. 6. Luke 1. 50. Free, Ephes. 2. Rom. 9. 15, 16. Sure, Isa. 55. 3.

God's mercy to his Church shines in these things: 1. In passing by her insirmitimes, Exod. 34. 7. 2. In accepting her endeavors. 3. In correcting, 1. Sparingly. 2. Unwillingly. 4. In providing all things needful for it.

Mercy in God is not any passion or quality, as it is in men, but it is the very divine Essence itself, and therefore perpetual and infinite, such as no tongue can express.

Mercy in God and in us differ:

1. It is in him essentially, in us as a quality.
2. In him primarily, in us secondarily.

God's mercy is the cause of all mercy, it is without motive or worth in us, natural, free, Rom. 9. 18. boundless, extends to a man's soul, body, this life, the next, to a man and his posterity, Exod. 34. 6, 7. it is above all his works, Psal. 145. 9. it is beyond his promise, and our expectation. He doth acts of mercy with delight, Ier. 32. 42. Mic. 7. 18. Counts it his glory to show mercy, Ier. 33. 9.

Reasons:

1. Whatsoever good and commendable thing is to be found in the creature, that must needs be found eminently and excellently in the Creator, from whom it is derived to the creature; and who could not derive it to the creature, if he had it not more perfectly in himself. Now mercy is to be found in all good men, and it is a lovely and commendable thing in them, such as begets good will and liking towards them; therefore it is much more fully in God.

2. He hath great mercy in him; if God be merciful at all, he must needs be merciful in great measure, yea, above all measure, beyond all degrees, in all perfection; for the essence of God is infinite, and his wisdom, power, and mercy are infinite. See Gen. 8. 21. Isa. 57. 17. and 55. 8, 9. He gives and forgives far beyond us.

First, He exceeds us in giving.

1. Our curtesies are often extorted from us, Luke 18. 11. he gives freely, Isa. 65. 1. Rom. 10. 21. 1 Iehn 4. 9.