Body of Divinity

Quest. Whether mercy and justice be equal in God, and how can he be most just and most merciful?

Answ. Mercy and Justice may be considered ad intra, as they are essential properties in God, and so he is equally just as well as merciful. 2. Ad extra, as he puts himself forth into the outward exercise of mercy and punishment. In this latter sense, we must distinguish between this present time, where mercy triumphs against judgment, James 2. 13. and the day of judgment, that is a time of justice and retribution to the wicked; and so David speaking of this present time, saith, All thy ways are mercy and truth, Psalm 25. and that of the Schools is true, Remunerat ultra condignum, punit infra.

God's justice and mercy are both infinite and equal in him, only in regard of man there is an inequality: For God may be said to be more merciful unto them that are saved, then just to them that are damned; for the just cause of damnation is in man, but of salvation is wholly from God. In himself and originally they are both equal, and so are all his attributes; but in respect of the exercise and expression upon his creatures and abroad in the world, there is some difference. Mr. Bolton on Prov. 18. 14. Justice seeks a fit object, Mercy only a fit occasion; Justice looks on those which deserve, Mercy only on those which need.

1. We should believe this point, labor to be fully persuaded in our hearts that God's mercies are great and many; he hath preventing mercies; how many sins hath he preserved thee from? 2. Sparing mercies▪* Lam. 3. 22▪ behold God's severity towards others, and mercy toward thee. 3. Renewing mercies. 4. Pardoning mercies. He is willing and ready to help us out of misery; therefore we should praise him for this attribute: How excellent and desirable a thing is mercy? therefore give him the glory of his mercy.

2. It is full of comfort to a child of God, he need not be dismayed with anything, not his imperfections, since the devil himself cannot hurt him; for God is more merciful to help him, then the devil can be malicious to hurt him.

3. We should be encouraged to seek to him for mercy, seeing there is so great store of it in him. There is an infiniteness of mercy in God, so that whatever my sins have been, if now I will turn, he will accept me; if I strive to turn he will enable me; therefore I will now run to him for mercy, I will fall down before the throne of justice, and confess I have deserved wrath, and nothing but wrath, but will cry to him for mercy.

The great motive to draw sinners to repentance, is God's mercy, Isa. 55. 7. Acts 2. 38, 39.

This will 1. Keep men from despair, Psal. 130. 4▪ and carnal confidence, Isa. 55. 1. 1 Cor, 1. 29.

2. It lays the greatest obligation on men, Tit. 2. 11. and gives the clearest satisfaction, Rom. 4. 16.

3. It is the great aim of the Scripture to draw men by mercy, Exod. 34. 6. Neh. 9. 17. Luke 15. 20. Isa 65. 20. Ier. 31. 20.

4. It is the aim of providence, and all God's dispensations, Psal. 145 9.

4. Those that have and do seek, should give him the glory of his mercy, and take comfort themselves in the confident hope of finding mercy. Praise him for his mercy to others, and he will give thee some comfortable hope of finding it thyself.

5. We should be merciful like God, to ourselves and brethren, their souls and bodies, imitate his mercy, be you merciful to the afflicted and distressed, show mercy freely and constantly, and then we shall obstain mercy, Mat. 5. 7.

6. We should labor to be qualified for mercy.

1. Confess our sins, and forsake them, Prov. 28. 13.

2. Fear God, his mercy is on them that fear him, Luke 1. 50. Psal. 103, 11▪ 17, 18.

3. Love God, he shows mercy to them that love him, Exod. 20. 6.

4. Trust in God, then mercy shall compass us, Psal. 32. 10.

5. Think on good things, then we shall have mercy, Prov. 14. 32.

6. Keep close to the rule of God's word, Gal. 6. 6.

CHAP. XII. Of God's Justice, Truth, Faithfulness.

A Third virtue in God is Justice, by which God in all things wills that which is just; or it is the Attribute whereby God is just in and of himself, and exerciseth justice toward all creatures, and giveth everyone his due, Isa 45. 21. Psal. 11. 7. Gen. 18. 25. Zeph. 3. 5. Rom. 2. 6, 7. 1 Pet. 1. 17. 2 Thess. 1. 6, 7. 2 Tim 4. 8. 1 John 1 9. & 2. 29. Justice in man is a settled will to do right in everything to every person, so God hath a settled will to do right, Shall not the Judge of all the world do right? and, Are not my ways equal? God stiles himself by this title, and gives himself this Attribute, Zeph. 3. 5.

God's Justice is twofold:

• 1. Disposing, by which, as a most free Lord and Supreme Monarch of all, he disposeth all things in his actions according to the rule of equity, and imposeth most just Laws upon his creatures, commanding and forbidding only that which is fit for them in right reason to do and forbear.
• 2. Distributive, which renders to everyone according to his work, without respect of persons, Psal. 62. 12. Job 34. 11, 19. Prov. 24. 12. Ier. 32. 19. Ezek. 7. 27. Mat. 16. 27. Deut. 16. 17. 2 Chron▪ 19. 7. Acts 10. 34. Ephes. 6. 9. Gal. 2. 6. and this distributive justice is also twofold, praemii, & paenae, of reward and punishment.
  • 1. Of reward, when God bountifully rewards the obedience of the creature with a free reward, 2 Thess. 1. 5, 7. Mat. 10. 41, 42. Mark 9. 41. God bestows this reward not only on the godly, both by heaping divers mercies on them in this life, and by the fullness of glory and felicity in the life to come, but also on the wicked, whose moral actions he rewards with temporary rewards in this world, as the obedience of Jehu, the repentance of Ahab.
  • 2. Of punishment, by which he appointeth to the delinquent creature, the punishment of eternal death for the least sin, Gen. 2. 17. Rom 6. 23. which death is begun in this life, in divers kinds of miseties and punishments, which for the most part are proportionable to their sins, Gen. 3. 17. and 20. 18▪ but is perfected in the life to come. when the full wrath of God is poured upon it, John 3. 36. 2 Thess. 1. 16.

This justice is so essential to God, immutable, and (as I may so speak) inexorable, that he cannot remit the creatures sins, nor free them from punishment, unless his justice be satisfied; God cannot dispense against himself, because sins do hurt the inward virtue of God, and the rule of righteousness, the integrity therefore and perfection of God cannot stand, if he satisfy not that; yet through his bounty and goodness he hath found out a way by which due satisfaction may be given thereunto; viz. By Christ, who hath born a punishnent equivalent to our sins, for us.

The Scripture proves the justice of God,

• 1. Affirmatively, when it calls him Just, A Revenger, Holy, Right, and extols his Justice, Exod. 9. 27. Psal. 11. 7, Ier. 12. 1.
• 2. Negatively, when it removes from him injustice and iniquity, respect of persons, and receiving of gifts, and also all the causes and effects of injustice, Deut. 32. 4. & 10. 17. Dan. 9. 14. Job 8. 3.
• 3. Affectively, when it Attributes to him zeal, anger, fury, Exod. 20. 5. & 32. 10. Numb. 11. 10. which are not in God such passions as they be in us, but an act of the immutable Justice.
• 4. Symbolically, when it calls him a consuming fire, Deut. 4. 24. compares him to an angry Lyon, an armed Soldier, Isa. 38. 13.
• 5. Effectively, when it affirms that he renders to everyone according to his works, 1 Sam. 26. 23.

God's Justice comprehends his righteousness and truth, he is just in words and deeds.

God's Justice is considered four ways:

• 1. As he is free Lord of all, and so his decrees are just, Rom. 9. 13. 14.
• 2. As he is God of all, and so the common works of preserving both the good and bad are just, 1 Tim. 4. 14. Mat. 5. 45.
• 3. As a Father in Christ, and so he is just in performing his promises, and infusing his grace, and in bestowing the justice of his Son, 1 John 1. 5.
• 4. As Judge of all the world, and so his justice is not only distributive, but corrective.

His Justice is,

• 1. Impartial; he will not spare,
  • 1. Multitude, all S • dome and Gomorrhah, and the old World perished.
  • 2. Great ones, the excellency or greatness of any creature will not exempt it from punishment; the Angels and Adam fell, he spared not the Angels, but threw them into hell. Adam was cast out of Paradise for one sin.
  • 3. Nearness; the Jews, God's people formerly, are now cast off; Moses and David were punished.
• 2. General, it extends to a man's posterity; God will visit the iniquity of fathers upon their children.
• 3. Inexorable, no sinners can escape unpunished; the sins of the godly are punished in their surety Christ, and they are afflicted in this life. God is Justice itself, justice is essential to him, his will is the rule of justice: a thing is just because he willeth it, and not he willeth it because its just. He will right the wrongs of his children, 2 Thess. 1. 6, 7, 8. He cannot be corrupted nor bribed.

God's Justice comprehendeth two things under it:

• 1. Equity, in that he directs men equally, and requites them equally, commanding all and only good things, such as they in reason ought to do, promising and threatening fit and due recompenses of their obedience and disobedience.
• 2. Truth, whereby he declareth nothing to them but as the thing is; and fidelity, whereby he fulfilleth all that he hath spoken.

The Arminians urge, How can God in Justice command a man by his word, the performance of that which cannot be done by him, without the inward help of the Spirit, and yet in the mean time God denies this inward grace unto him?

God may without blemish to his Justice, command man to perform his duty, although he have now no strength to do it, because once he had strength, and he hath now lost it Precepts and Exhortations ordinarily signify the approving w • ll of the Commander, and his duty to whom they are propounded, although sometimes the duty rather of the hearer, then the will of the speaker be declared by them. Rescrip. Ames. ad responsum. Grevinch c. 12. Deus jubet aliqua quae non possumus, ut noverimus quid ab illo petere debeamus, Aug. de grat. & lib. arbit. c. 16. 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. Mr. Pemble of Grace and Faith. Da Domine quod jubes, & jube▪ • uid vis, said Austin. God giveth thee, although thou be unable, a Law to square thy life by for three causes, Ut scias quid acceperis, ut videas quid amiseris, ut intelligas unde repetendum sit quod amiseris.

It reproves such as live in sin, Exod. 34. 17. Psal. 5. 5. Gal. 6. 6. if God be merciful that he may be feared, much more is he just that he may be feared. 2. We must take heed of justifying the wicked; we should be just in our actions to man, in buying and selling, in rewarding and punishing, Magistrates, Ministers, Masters, Parents should be just. We should not murmur at God's disposing justice in making us poor, and should yield to his directing justice, obeying his Commandments seem they never so unreasonable. Maurice the Emperor, when his wife and children were murdered before him, and his own eyes after bored out, uttered this speech, Iustus es, Domine, & recta judicia tua. We should get Christ's righteousness to satisfy God's Justice for us, and to justify us.

The consideration of God's Justice, should afright us from hypocrisy, sinning in secret, keeping bosom sins. It ministers comfort to the godly, who are wronged by the wicked, they shall have an upright and just Judge, who will uphold them in a good cause, Psal. 33. 24.

It may serve to exhort us to glorify God's Justice, both in fulfilling of his promises, and punishing wicked men, Psal. 7. 18. and 51. 15.

4. God is True.

Truth or veracity is, by which God is true as in himself, so in his sayings and deeds. He revealeth himself to his creature such a one as indeed he is.

Real truth, or the truth of things, is a property of them by which they are the same indeed which they seem. It is an agreement betwixt the being and appearance of things▪ it is double, 1. Essential, or of the very substance of things. 2. Accidental, of the qualities and actions of things; and this, as it is referred to the reasonable creature (for such truth can be nowhere but in it) is inward and outward according as the actions are.

Inward truth of understanding, is an agreement betwixt its conceit of things, and the things themselves, contrary whereto is error, or misjudging, and of the will contrary to hypocrisy and dissimulation.

Outward, 1. Of word, which is Logical, when I speak as the thing is; Moral, when I speak as I conceive the thing to be; and also in the matter of promises, when I mean as I say, and hold still that meaning till I have actually made good my words.

2. Of deeds, when they are such in the intention and meaning of my mind, as in the outward pretence, and are agreeable to the promises I have made.

God is true in all these respects:

1. His Essence is real and true, he is a God indeed, not in imagination alone; the Scripture calls God the true God, To know thee, saith our Savior Christ, the only true God, and whom thou hast sent, Jesus Christ. He is the true God, not a bare conceit of our own head or siction: He hath not an imaginary and counterfeit, but a very real being; he is indeed such he saith he is; for that which gives being to other things, must needs itself be in very deed. The other supposed gods alone in name and in fancy of the worshippers, but he is.

2. He hath a true, not an erroneous conceit of things, he knows all things most exactly, he is indeed a willer of true goodness.

3. He speaks nothing but as the thing is, and as he doth conceive it; he means what he promiseth, and doth what he means, the Lord dissembleth not with men; he is true in his word, and his whole word, whether Narrations, Promises, Threats, Visions, or Predictions: He is abundant in truth, Exod. 34. 6. what he telleth, it is as he telleth it; what he promiseth or threateneth to do, he intendeth, and will perform, Psalm 89. 33, 34, Deut. 7. 9. 2 Cor. 1. 20. Promissa tua sunt; & quis falli timeat, cum promittit veritas? Aug. Confes. l. 12. c. 1.

4. God is true in his works, they are not done counterfeitly, as those of the Devil, but truly, Psal. 145. 17. Rev. 15. 3.

The Scripture proves the truth of God, 1. Essentially, when it affirms God to be true in his works, Deut. 32. 4. Psal. 25. 10. Rev. 15. 3. & 16. 7. 2. In his words, which is proved both affirmatively, John 17. 17. 2 Sam. 7. 28. and negatively, Num. 23, 19. 1 Sam. 15. 29. Heb. 6. 18.

Reason 1. All lying and falsehood ariseth from weakness and imperfection, or wickedness, neither of which is in God, seeing to be God is to be perfect and absolute. He is the Lord God of truth, Psal. 34. 5. his Son is truth, John 14. 6. his holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, John 17. 6. the Gospel is the word of truth, Col. 1. 5. God is the chief and first truth, the Author of truth, truth is in him essentially and immutably, Psal. 100. 5. only true, Rom. 3. 4. This distinguisheth him from false gods, 2 Chron. 15. 3. John 17. 3. God is worthy to be trusted, honored, and esteemed, ergo most true. Where it is said, God seduced the Prophets, it is not so understood, as if God inspired a false prophecy and an error; but that he delivered them to the devil to be seduced.

1. It serves to reprove the wicked, who believe not threats; and the weak Christians, who in temptations and desertions doubt of promises.

2. It exhorts us to desire the manifesting of this truth, Psal. 43. 3. we should be true like God. Zach. 8. 16. in our words and deeds, keep our vows with God, and promises with men. God loves truth, as in himself, so in his creatures, but abhors dissimulation and hypocrisy, Prov. 12. 22.

The true Church is the pillar of truth, God's word the word of truth, Psal. 19 9. We should therefore believe God's word, and depend upon his promise, seem it never so unlikely or impossible, give him the glory of his truth; He that believeth, setteth to his seal that God is true, he that believeth not, maketh God a liar. Will you receive the testimony of men? and will you not much more receive the testimony of God? He that believeth God's promises, will surely do the things to which the Lord by promises encourageth him: He that believes the threats, will forbear the thing which God by his threats seek to deter him from.

This is matter of solid comfort for all the true children of God; if he be faithful, they must be happy.

Truth is that virtue of the will by which it is moved to goodness for God's sake, when the thing moving us to be good, is God's Commandment, and the end whereat we aim is the glorifying and pleasing of God, then we serve God in truth.

5. God is Faithful, Rev. 19. 11.

First, In himself, by an uncreated faithfulness.

Secondly, In his Decrees, Isa, 14. 24, 27.

Thirdly, In all his ways and works, Psal. 145. 17.

• 1. Of Creation, 1 Pet. 4. ult.
• 2. Of Redemption, Heb. 2. 17.
• 3. Of Justification, John 1. 19.
• 4. Of Protection and Preservation of his Church, Rev. 19. 11.

Fourthly, In all his words and speeches:

• 1. His Commandments are the rule of truth and faithfulness to us, Psalm 19. 9.
• 2. His Predictions are all faithfully accomplished many thousand years after, as Christ's incarnation in the fullness of time, so Gen. 49. 10.
• 3. His Menaces are most faithful.
• 4. His Promises, Exod. 12. 41. Heb. 10. 23.

There is a difference between faithfulness in the Creator, and in the Creature.

• 1. This is the ocean and fountain from whence all faithfulness and truth in men and Angels issue.
• 2. This is the rule and measure of that, and the nearer it comes to this, the more complete it is.
• 3. It is unchangeable in him; the Angels that fell were faithful, but soon changed, so Adam.
• 4. It is in God in most high perfection.

Reasons.

• 1. Because of his most just and righteous nature, whose most righteous will is the rule of all his ways, Psal. 145. 17.
• 2. He is most perfect and unchangeable in perfection.
• 3. Because of his most pure and holy affection.
• 4. There is no imperfection in him to hinder his faithfulness.

God's faithfulness is the ground of all true Religion.

• 1. We must ground all the Doctrine of faith, all the Articles of faith, all our judgment and opinion in matters of faith upon this faithfulness of God, and this by holding fast all the faithful word, Titus 1. 9. Rom. 3. 4.
• 2. All our obedience of faith must be grounded on this, John 3. 33. Heb. 11. 11. & 10. 23, Zeph. 3. 5. Heb. 6. 30.
• 3. All our prayers of faith must be grounded on God's faithfulness, Dan. 9. 16. 1 John 1. 9. 1 Pet. 4 19. Psal. 1. 5.
• 4. All sound profession of faith must be grounded on this, Genes. 17. 1. Psal. 91. 4.
• 5. All true perseverance in the faith, 1 Cor. 1. 8. & 10, 13.

We must be faithful:

• 1. To God, by being faithful in his Covenant, as the Psalmist speaketh.
• 2. To men for God's sake in our several places, in friendship as David and Jonathan.

Moses and Christ were faithful, the Apostle saith, In Stewards it is required that they be found faithful, 1 Cor. 4 1. Titus 2. 10. 1 Cor. 4. 10. Ephes. 6. 21. Col. 4. 7, 9. 1 Sam. 3. 20. 2 Sam. 2. 35. Nehem. 13. 13. 1 Tim 3. 11. Faithfulness is required and commended in all sorts of men.

Reasons:

The welfare and prosperity of all estates dependeth upon man's fidelity and faithfulness, it will be impossible for any good to be done amongst men, if each in his person and place be not faithful; this therefore is required of all men.

Faithfulness is that virtue by which a man is careful to perform constantly and in truth all those duties to which either his place or promise, or both, do bind him. Or, it is that virtue by which a man is as good as his word, when one doth speak good, and is in deed as good as in speech, this is faithfulness. It hath two parts: 1. The agreement of his meaning with his words at the time that he speaketh, when he purposeth to do according as he speaketh. 2. The agreement of his actions with his words and meaning, when he continues constant in his purpose till he have done what in him lies to effect it; as it is said of Boaz, that when he had said the thing, he would not be quiet until he had brought it to pass. A promise is the proper subject of faithfulness, in the well making and well keeping of that standeth fidelity.

CHAP. XIII. Of GOD'S Patience, Longsuffering, Holiness, Kindness.

CHAP. XIV. Of GOD'S Power.

SO much be spoken concerning God's Will, Affections, and Virtues: there followeth Power in God, by which God by the bare beck of his Will, effecteth all things which he will, and howsoever he will, perfectly without labor and difficulty, and can do perfectly all things which he wills; this is called Absolute Power, by which he can do more things then either he doth or will. Actual Power is when God causeth those things to exist which he will have exist.

Both God's Absolute and Actual Power is Active only, and no way Passive.

This Power of God is Infinite,

First, In respect of the Divine Essence, since it slows from the Infinite Nature of God; for it is a most certain Rule, that the faculties and powers of the Subject slow from the form, and agree with the form.

Secondly, In respect of the Object and Effects, for God doth never so many and so great works, but he can do more and greater; although we must hold that God cannot make a creature of infinite Perfection simply, or creatures indeed infinite in number, for so they should be God's; for the Divine Power is so far exercised on the object, as the passive Power of the object extends itself, but Infinite Perfection imports a pure Act.

Thirdly, In respect of Duration, which is perpetual as his Essence is, therefore this force and power of God is deservedly styled Omnipotency, Job 42. 2. God's Power is not only Potentia, or Multipotentia, but omnipotentia, for degree infinite; Shall any matter be hard for the Lord?

The Scripture confirms the Omnipotency of God,

1. Affirmatively, when it calls God Abbir, Job 34. 20. Shaddai All-sufficient, Gen. 35. 11. Deut. 10. 17. Psal. 89. 13. Gibbor Powerful, Deut. 10. 17.

2. Effectively, when it witnesseth, that God can do all things, Mat. 3. 9. & 19. 16. Mark 14. 36. Luk. 18. 26. Eph 3. 20. Hitherto belong all the works of the Divine Power and supernatural Miracles.

3. Negatively, when it denies anything to be difficult to him, much less impossible, Gen. 18. 14. Ier. 32. 17, 27. Luke 1. 37. Matth. 19. 36.

4. Symbolically, when it gives him a strong right hand, a stretched out arm, 1 Chron. 29. 12. Ier. 32. 17. Ephes. 1. 19.

Reason proves it also:

1. His essence (as was said) is infinite, therefore his power.

2. He is most perfect, therefore most powerful.

3. Whatsoever good thing is to be found in any creature, the same is perfectly and infinitely in God.

Some observe that this is expressed seventy times in Scripture, that God is Almighty. He is the only Potentate, 1 Tim. 6. 15. The Psalmist saith, Power belongs to God. The first Article of our faith teacheth us to believe that God is Omnipotent.

God can work by weak means, without means, contrary to means.

It shows one to be a skillful Artist, when he can effect that by an unfit instrument, which another can scarce do with a most fit one: As it is reported of Apelles, that with a coal taken from the fire he so expressed him by whom he was invited to Ptol • mies dinner, that all at the first sight of it knew the man: But it is no wonder for God to perform what he will with unfit instruments, since he needs no instruments at all to effect what he pleaseth.

God's power is,

Essential and Independent, it is the cause of all power, John 19. 8. it reacheth beyond his will, Mat. 26. 35.

2. It extends to things that are not, nor never will be, as to raise up children of stones to Abraham, Matth. 3. 9. to give Christ more then ten Legions of Angels.

The object of Divine power are all things simply and in their own nature possible, which neither contradict the nature of God, nor the essence of the creatures; those which are contrary to these are absolutely impossible; such things God cannot do, because he cannot will them, nor can he will and do contrary things, as good and evil, or contradictory, as to be, and not to be, that a true thing be false, that anything while it is should not be; God cannot sin, lie, deny, change or destroy himself, suffer, for all these things do ex diametro, oppose the Divine, Immutable, Simple, most true and perfect essence. God cannot create another God, nor cause a man to be unreasonable, nor a body to be infinite and everywhere, for these things contradict the essential definitions of a creature, of a man, and a body; not to be able to do all these things is not impotency, but power, for to be able to do opposite things, is a sign of infirmity, being not able to remain altogether in one and the same state.

God is therefore omnipotent, because he cannot do these things which argue impotency, as if I should say The Sun is full of light, it cannot be dark. Yet it is not so proper a speech to say God cannot do these things, as to say, these are acts too mean, base, and worthless to be effects of Divine power, Haec non possunt fieri, rather then, Deus non potest facere, saith Aquinas.

God's omnipotence lies in this, * that he is able to do whatsoever is absolutely, simply and generally possible. A possible thing is that, the doing of which may be an effect of God's wisdom and power, and which being done, would argue power and perfection; an impossible, that which cannot be an effect of wisdom and power, but if it should be done, would argue weakness and imperfection in God, The Arminians say, That God is often frustrated of his end, which derogates from his power. 2. In respect of manner, he doth it with a Word, Let there be light, saith he, and there was light. 3. He can do all things of himself, without any creatures help. God's power is styled, Might of power, Ephes. 1. 19. and it is seen in his works of creation, making all things of nothing, therefore that follows the other in the Crred. 2. In his works of providence. Christ is a mighty God and Savior to his people, Isa. 7▪ 6. Psal. 89. 19. Isa. 63. 1. Heb. 7. 25. Rev. 18. 8. He is strong in himself.

He was mighty:

1. In suffering, he bore the revenging justice of God, he suffered the wrath of God upon the Cross.

2. In doing: 1. Made all, John 1. 5. Col. 1. 16. 2. Preserves all, Col. 1. 17. 3. As he is the head of the Church.

2. He is strong in his Saints:

1. In the gathering of his Church.

2. In upholding it.

3. In raising all people out of their afflictions.

4. In his Ordinances, Prayer, Sacraments, Word, Rom. 1. 16.

5. In his Graces, Faith, Heb. • 1. Love, 1 Cor. 13.

God's power is limited and restrained:

1. By his nature, he cannot contradict himself.

2. Regulated by his will, he cannot do evil.

3. By his glory, he cannot lie, he is truth itself, nor be tempted of evil, James 1. 13.

There is a difference between 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , potentia and potestas: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or potestas is properly authority, right to do a thing, as a King hath over his Subjects, a father over his children, a husband over his wife, a master over his servants, of which Christ speaks, John 17. 2. Mat. 28. 18. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or potentia is properly strength to do something, as some great King may have power to overcome his enemies over which he hath no authority. A Lay-man hath power to give Bread and Wine, but he hath not potestatem, a calling or right to do it.

It serves both for a spur to do well, since God is able to save, Gen. 17. 1. and a bridle to restrain from evil, seeing he hath power to destroy, we should therefore humble ourselves under his mighty hand, 1 Pet. 5. 6. Luke 12. 5.

It reproves the wicked, which care not for God's power, but provoke the Almighty God, Matth. 10. 28. and so contend with power itself, none shall deliver them out of his hand, 1 Cor. 10. 22. and it condemns the godly, which distrust the power of God, Num. 11. 21. John 21. 32. Remembering not that he hath unlimited power. The Lord's Prayer ends thus, For thine is the power.

This ministers comfort to those which have God on their side, they need not fear what man or Devil can do against them. He can strengthen them in spiritual weaknesses against sin, and unto duty, all the Devils in hell are not able to pluck them out of his hands. Mat. 16. 18. John 10. 28, 29. if a people fall from him, he is able to graff them in again, Isa, 44. 22. Rom. 11. 23. they are kept by his power through faith to salvation, 1 Pet. 1. 5. he can protect them against their enemies, though they be never so many, Dan. 3. 17. Psalm 3. 6. he can and will make you strong in his power to bear patiently all afflictions. God is able to raise them up again, when they are rotten in the grave, at the general resurrection, Heb. 11. 19.

We should not despise a weak Christian, God is able to make him strong; we should by this strengthen our faith in God's promises, as Abraham, Rom. 4. 22. it is prefixed in the Creed, as the prop of our belief in the Articles of our Christian faith. That Commandment, Be strong in Christ and in his power, includes a promise, that he will give us his power, if we seek to him, and rest on him; for it were a very mocking to bid us be strong in him, if he would not communicate his strong power to us; if we have any strength either of body or mind to do anything, we must return to him the glory of it, and be ruled by him in the use of it, because we have it from him, and hold it at his mere pleasure. Oh saith God to Job, Can you do this and that? and then Who made the clouds? by which question he would cause Job to see his own impotency, and God's Omnipotent power.

CHAP. XV. Of God's Glory and Blessedness.

FRom all these before mentioned Attributes, ariseth the Glory or Majesty of God, which is the infinite excellency of the Divine Essence, Heb. 1. 3. Exod. 33. 18. Psal. 29. 9. This is called, The face of God, Exod. 33. 20. and light inaccessible, 1 Tim, 6. 16. which to acknowledge perfectly belongs to God alone, yet the revelation and obscurer vision thereof is granted to us in this life by the ministry of those things which are seen and heard, the clearer in the life to come, where we shall see God face to face, 1 Cor. 13. 12. Mat. 18. 10.

God is and ever shall be exceeding Glorious, Exod. 15. 11. Deut. 28. 58.

Glory is sometime taken for outward luster and shining, as one glory of the Sun; sometimes for outward decking and adorning, as long hair is a glory to a woman; but the proper signification of it is, excellent estimation by which one is preferred before others.

It is the splendor, clarity or shining of a thing, resulting and rising from the perfection, eminency, or excellency it hath above other things. The glory of God is the perfection of his Nature and Attributes, infinitely surpassing and outshining the perfection of all creatures.

Things that are good we praise, things that are excellent we honor, and things that are transcendently good we glorify.

Glory is used metonymically for that which is the ground and matter of glory, as Prov. 19. 11. & 20. 29. Sometimes the glory of God signifieth the very essence and nature of God, as Exod. 33. 18. Sometimes it is used to signify some of God's Attributes, Ephes. 1. 12. that is his grace and good will, by showing forth of which he makes himself glorious. Sometimes it is put for some work of God which is great and marvelous, John 11. 40. that is, the grace and powerful work of God in raising up thy brother Lazarus unto life again, Exod. 25. 16. & 40. 35. that is, some extraordinary splendor, as R. Moses expounds it, which God created thereby to show forth his magnificence and glory.

Glory is essential, so it signifieth the incomprehensible excellency of the Divine Nature, Exod. 33. 13. or else it signifieth manifestatively the acknowledgement and celebration of his excellencies; and this is called properly glorification: this may have more or less.

Or secondly, much to the same purpose, the glory of God may be taken two ways:

• 1. For the inward excellency and worth whereby he deserves to be esteemed and praised.
• 2. For the actual acknowledging of it, for glory is defined a clear and manifest knowledge of another's excellency; therefore the glory of God is twofold.

First, Internal, which is again twofold:

• 1. Objective, that glory of God is the excellency of his Divine nature, for such is his Majesty and excellency, that he is infinitely worthy to be praised, admired and loved of all.
• 2. Formal, is his • own knowledge love and delight in himself; for this is infinitely more the glory of God, that he is known and beloved of himself, then that he is loved and praised by all Creatures, Men or Angels, because this argueth an infinite worth in God's own nature, that an infinite love and delight is satisfied with it.

God hath this kind of glory objective and formal, most fully even from all eternity; therefore when he is said to make all things for himself or his glory, it is not meant of this inward glory, as if he could have more of that.

Secondly, External; and that again,

1. By way of object, viz. when he made the Heavens and Earth, and all these glorious creatures here below, which are said to show forth his glory, Psal. 19. that is, objectively, they are the effects of his glorious wisdom and power, and so become objects of men's and Angels praises of him; and as the glory of men consists in outward ornaments, so God's glory consists in having such creatures, men and Angels to be his followers.

2. Formal, when men and Angels do know, love and obey him, and praise him to all eternity.

The Scriptures everywhere extol the Majesty and glory of God:

1. Essentially, when it calls God Great, Most high, glorious, The God of glory, Acts 7. 2. King of glory, Psalm 24. 8. Father of glory, Ephes. 1. 17.

2. Efficaciously, when it affirmeth that all the earth is full of the glory of God, Isa. 6. 3. and propounds the glorous and wonderful works of God to be considered by us, Exod. • 2. 18. He means he will show him so much of his glory as it is possible for a creature to behold and live, we cannot behold the fullness of it.

God is glorious in his nature, 1 Cor. 11. 7. his glory obscureth all other glory, Isa. 6. 2. Gen. 18. 17 1 Kings 10. 13.

His glory is manifested:

1. Extraordinarily, • n the cloud, in apparations and visions.

2. Ordinarily, in his word and works. The Law sets forth the glory of his justice, and the Gospel that of his mercy, 2 Cor. 3. 8. it is called his glorious Gospel, Luke 2. 14.

All his works set forth his glory, both those of creation, and preservation or providence, Psalm 19. the whole creation must needs show forth his glorious power and wisdom, the sound is said to go over all the world; that is, All creatures must needs gather, that if the Heavens be such glorious Heavens, the Sun so glorious a Sun, how much more must that God be a glorious God, who is the author and worker of them.

The whole Platform of saving the Church by Christ, sets forth God's glory principally, Phil. 2. 11. Luke 2. 14. glory to God in the highest. In some works the excellency of God's power, in others the excellency of his wisdom, patience, but in this all the Attributes of God shine out in their utmost perfection.

1. His wisdom, that all the three persons of the Trinity should join in one work, to one end, wherein mercy, power, grace, justice, patience, all meet together.

2. Power, in upholding Christ to undergo the weight of God's vindictive Justice.

3. Free-grace, to do all this without any motive in the world but himself, nothing was foreseen in them, and some rather then others were saved.

4. His revenging Justice and Wrath here were manifested, as much as they be in Hell itself.

5. His Holiness, he can have no communion with those that are unclean.

6. His Majesty, none may be admitted to speak or come nigh to him, but in the mediation of Christ. The Gospel is The glorious Gospel of the blessed God, 1 Tim. 1. 11. that is, The glory of all the Attributes of God doth appear in the Gospel more brightly, then in all the works which God hath made, Mr. Burrh.

God is glorious in all his works upon the hearts of believers, he puts a glory upon them, so that in this sense he is effectually glorious, Ephes. 5. a glorious Church, and Psalm 43. The Kings daughter is all glorious within; this glory is grace, when God makes one holy, heavenly minded, meek, zealous; hereafter we shall have glorious bodies and souls.

God made all things for his glory, for of him and to him are all things, Rom. 11. All the unreasonable creatures are for God's glory.

1. In that they are serviceable to man, for herein God is glorified, in that they can accomplish those ends for which they were made, and that is for man, Gen. 1. the Sun and Stars are for him, as well as creeping things: These creatures are for a twofold use:

1. To give him habitation and to be means of his corporeal life.

2. To be continual quickeners of him, to praise God's glorious power and wisdom; God is said Acts 4. not to leave himself without witness; the reasonable creatures are made chiefly for his glory, because they know and love him.

That God is Glorious appears:

1. God hath made many of his creatures glorious, Dan. 10. 8. so there is one glory of the Sun, another of the Moon; the King clad with gorgeous attire, and being arrayed with the Ensigns of his Sovereignty is glorious, so Solomon.

2. This glory shall continue forever, because God hath it from himself, and derived it not from another. He is a perfect being, independent, all things are under him; the inferior cannot work without the Superior.

There is a double glory in things:

1. Inherent in themselves, which is partly visible, as that of the Sun; partly intelligible, an excellency in a thing which affects the understanding.

2. From without, given by others; so there is a kind of glory and excellency in some precious stones which affect a man with a kid of wondering; so in an Angel a great shining, as in that which appeared to Zacharias; so in the vision that Paul saw, and when God appeared to Moses.

There is an inward glory standing in being worthy of highest esteem, and an outward glory standing in being highly accounted of; God is worthy to be esteemed above all, and is so by the Saints.

The chiefest and highest cause of any benefit shown to us, is not ourselves, but the name of God, even his glory, and the clear declaration of his own excellencies, Ezek. 20. 9. 14. 22. Psalm 25. 1. Ezek. 36. 22.

Reas. 1. The thing which induced God to make all things, must needs be the cause of all other benefits bestowed after the creation; now he made all things for himself, and his own name; for neither had they any being, nor could they have any before, and therefore could not be any moving cause to their own creation, therefore neither of any other thing.

2. All creatures are nothing, and less then nothing in comparison of God, therefore he could not by them be moved to work anything, but doth it for his own names sake. Things mean and trifling are not fit to be the highest end of an excellent work. God is most high and glorious, and all creatures are less then nothing before him, therefore himself must be moved by himself, not by them chiefly to do anything for them; for as God hath no efficient, material or formal cause at all, but is to himself instead of all these, because he is of himself, so neither can he have any final cause but himself; for if he have any other end then himself, that is, his own glory, he were some way dependent upon some other thing, which is impossible.

If it be objected, How is it said then, that God doth this or that for Abraham, Isaac and Jacob's sake, as often Moses presseth him in his prayers.

The Answer is, he looks upon them still in subordination to his own name, so that they are motives but in reference to his name, and no otherwise. He glorifieth himself, and aimeth at his own glory, in keeping covenant and promise with them.

God's glory is the end of predestination, both reprobation, Prov. 16. 1. and election, Ephes. 1. 5, 6. of the creation and administration of all things, Rom. 11. 36. of all benefits obtained in Christ, 2 Cor. 1. 20. and should be of all our actions, 1 Cor. 10. 35.

CHAP. XVI. Of the Trinity or Distinction of Persons in the Divine Essence.

WE say God may be known by light of nature, Quod attinet ad unitatem Naturae, but not Quod attinet ad Trinitatem Personarum.

We cannot by the light of nature know the mystery of the Trinity, nor the Incarnation of Jesus Christ. 1 Cor. 2. 7, 8.

Aquinas par. 1. Summae Theol. Quaest. 32. Art. 1. Conclus. saith, Impossible est per rationem naturalem ad Trinitatis divinarum personarum cognitionem pervenire. It is impossible by natural reason to come to the knowledge of the Trinity of the Divine Persons. He there shows that he which endeavors to prove this mystery by natural reason, derogates from faith in respect of drawing others to believe. Cum enim aliquis (faith he excellently) ad probandum fidem inducit rations quae non sunt cogentes, cedit in irrisionem infidelium. Credunt enim quod hujusmodi rationibus innitamur, & propter ease credamus. When a man to prove any Article of faith urgeth reasons that are not cogent, he exposeth himself to the derision of Infidels. For they suppose that we rely on such reasons, and believe because of them.

We think (saith Cloppenburg in his Answer to Bidel, Argum 1.) that the mystery of the holy Trinity (as many mysteries of faith) can neither be demonstrated nor refuted by reason, 2 Cor. 10. 5. Adam in the state of innocence was not able by natural reason to find out the Trinity.

But when by faith we receive this Doctrine we may illustrate it by reason. The simil • es which the Schoolmen and other Divines bring, drawn from the creature, are unequal and unsatisfactory, since there can be no proportion between things Finite and Infinite.

Two resemblances are much used in Scripture, the Light and the Word. The Light which was three days before the Sun, Gen. 1. and then condensed into that glorious body, and ever since diffused throughout the world, is all one and the same Light. So the Father of Lights which inhabiteth Light which none can approach, I am 1. 17. and Sun of Righteousness, Mal. 4. 2. In whom all the fullness of the God-head dwelleth bodily; and the holy Ghost the Spirit of illumination are all one and the same God.

Again, It is the same thing that the mind thinketh, and the word signifieth, and the voice uttereth: so is the Father as the mind conceiving, the Son as the Word conceived or begotten, the holy Ghost as the voice or speech uttered and imparted to all hearers; and all one and the same God.

A studious Father meditating on the mystery of the Trinity, there appeared unto him a child with a shell lading the Sea into a little hole; he demanding what the child did, I intend, said the child, to empty the Ocean into this pit. It is impossible, said the Father; as possible, said the child, as for thee to comprehend this profound mystery in thy shallow capacity.

The Mystery of the Trinity is necessary to be known and believed of all that shall be saved; it was not so plainly revealed to the Jews of old, as it is to us in the New Testament, a perfect and full knowledge of this mystery is not attainable in this life.

Although Trinity in its native signification signify the number of any three things, yet by Ecclesiastical custom it is limited to signify the three Persons in the Trinity. This is not meant as if the Essence did consist of three Persons, as so many parts; and therefore there is a great difference between Trinity and Triplicity. Trinity is when the same Essence hath divers ways of subsisting; and Triplicity is when one thing is compounded of three as parts, they are three not in respect of Essence or Divine Attributes, three Eternals; but three in respect of personal properties, as the Father is of none, the Son of the Father, and the holy Ghost of both; three Persons but one God, as to be, to be true, to be good, are all one, because Transcendants.

The acts of the Persons in the God-head (say some) are of three sorts:

• 1. Essential, in which all the Persons have equal hand, Opera Trinitatis ad extra sunt indivisa, the outward works which concern the creature, belong to one Person as well as the other, as to create, govern.
• 2. Some ad intra, opera propria, The personal properties or internal works are distinguished, as the Father begets, the Son is begotten of the Father, and the holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the Son.
• 3. Appropriata, as the Schools speak, acts of office, more peculiarly attributed to one Person th • n another, Eph. 4. 7. So the Father is said to give the Son, the Son to redeem the world, to be made flesh; the holy Ghost is the bond of union. See D ^r Hampton on Gen. 1. 6. & 1 Pet. 1. 2. God's plot in the work of Redemption, was not only (say some) to exalt the Attributes of the Nature, but to glorify the Persons distinctly according to their appropriated acts.

There is in the Trinity alius & alius, another and another, but not aliud & aliud, another thing and another thing, as there is in Christ; the Father is another Person from the Son, but yet there is the same Nature and Essence of them all. They differ not in their Natures as three men or three Angels differ, for they differ so as one may be without the other; but now the Father is not without the Son, nor the Son without the Father, so that there is the same numerical Essence.

The Father in some sense is said to be the only God, John 17. 3. that is, besides the Divine Nature which is common to the three Persons, there is not another God to be found, the word (Only) is opposed to all feigned gods, to everything which is not of this Divine Nature; So when it is said, None knoweth the Father but the Son, and the Son but the Father, that excludes not the holy Ghost which searcheth the hidden things of God, but all which are not of that Essence.

Though there be no inequality in the Persons, yet there is an order, not of dignity but of beginning . The Father in the Son by the holy Ghost made the world, not as if there were so many partial causes, much less as if God the Father were the Principal and these Instrumental, but only mere order. A Person is Diversus modus ha • endi eandem Essentiam. Subsistentia in Schools signifies a being with an individual property, whereby one is not another; Person (say some) is a Law term, it is anything having reason with an individual property.

A Person is such a subsistence in the Divine Nature, as is distinguished from every other thing by some special or personal property, or else it is the God-head restrained with his personal property. Or it is a different manner of subsisting in the God-head, as the nature of man doth diversely subsist in Peter, James, John, but these are not all one. It differs from the Essence as the manner of the thing from the thing itself, and not as one thing from another; one Person is distinguished from another by its personal property, and by its manner of working.

We have no reason to be offended with the use of the word Person, if we add a fit Epithet, and say, The Father is a Divine or Uncreated Person, and say the same of the Son and holy Ghost. The word Person signifies an understanding Subsistent, 2 Cor. 1. 11▪ Persona, quasi per se una. This word doth express more excellency then the word subsistence, as one doth import, for it is proper to say, that a beast doth subsist, but it is absurd to say a beast is a person, because a Person is an understanding subsistent. D ^r Cheynels Divine Trin-unity.

The personal property of the Father is to beget, that is, not to multiply his substance by production, but to communicate his substance to the Son. The Son is said to be begotten, that is, to have the whole substance from the Father by communication. The holy Ghost is said to proceed, or to be breathed forth, to receive his substance by proceeding from the Father and the Son jointly; in regard of which he is called The Spirit of the Father, and the Spirit of the Son both, Gal. 4. 6. The Father only begetteth, the Son only is begotten, and the holy Ghost only proceedeth; both procession and generation are ineffable.

When Gregory Nazianzen was pressed by one to assign a difference between those words Begotten and Proceeding. Dic tu mihi (said he) quid sit generatio, & ego dicamquid sit processio, ut ambo insaniamus. Distinguere inter Processionem & Generationem, nescio, non vel • o, non sufficio. Aug.

In the manner of working they differ, for the Father worketh of himself, by the Son, and through the holy Ghost; the Son worketh from the Father by the holy Ghost; the holy Ghost worketh from the Father and the Son by himself. There is so one God, as that there are three Persons or divers manners of being in that one God-head, the Father, Son, and the holy Ghost.

1. Whatsoever absolutely agrees to the Divine Nature, that doth agree likewise to every Person of the Trinity.

2. Every Person hath not a part, but the whole Deity in itself.

A Person is one entire, distinct subsistence, having life, understanding, will and power, by which he is in continual operation.

These things are required to a Person:

• 1. That it be a substance; for accidents are not Persons, they inhere in another thing, a person must subsist.
• 2. A lively and intelligent substance endued with reason and will; an house is not a Person, nor a stone or beast.
• 3. Determinate and singular, for man-kind is not a Person; but John and Peter.
• 4. Incommunicable, it cannot be given to another; hence the nature of man is not a person, because it is communicable to every particular man; but every particular man is a person, because that nature which he hath in particular, cannot be communicated to another.
• 5. Not sustained by another, therefore the human nature of Christ is not a person, because it is sustained by his Deity.
• 6. It must not be the part of another; therefore the reasonable soul which is a part of man, is not a person.

That there are three Persons in the Deity, viz. Father, Son, and holy Ghost, is manifest by express Testimonies of Scripture, Gen. 1. 26. Let us make man in our image after our likeness. Deus qui loquitur ad Deum loquitur: Ad Patris & Filii imaginem homo conditur, nomen non discrepat, natura non differt. Hilary lib. 5. de Trin. Vide plura ibid.

Gen. 19. 24. Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and Gom • rrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of Heaven. The Lord rained from the Lord, the Son from the Father. Mercer on the place saith, Sed efficaciora in Iudaeos, aut alios qui Trinitatem negant argumenta sunt proferenda. Num quid (saith Hilary de Trin.) non verus Dominus à vero Domino? aut quid aliud quàm Dominus à Domino? vel quid praeter significationem Personae in Domino ac Domino coaptabis, & memento quod quem solum verum Deum nosti, hunc eundem solum justum judicem sis professus. Adime filio quod iudex est, ut auferas quod Deus verus est. Vide plura ibid.

Psal. 110. 1. The Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy foot stool. Rabbi Saadia Gaon on Daniel interprets this of the Messias. Vide Grotium in Matth. 22. 42. It is of Christ that he speaks, so Peter, Paul and Christ himself show Mat. 22. 43. and the Pharisees acknowledge it, since he calls him His Lord, although he ought to descend of his race, and should be called the son of David.

Psal. 33. 7. there three are named, the Word, the Lord, and the Spirit, Isa. 6. 3. Holy, Holy, Holy.

But this truth is most clearly taught in the New Testament, Matth. 3. 16. Luke 3. 22. The first Person in the Trinity utters his voice from Heaven, This is my beloved Son; The Son is baptized in Jordan, the holy Ghost descends in the shape of a Dove upon Christ. Pater auditur in voice, Filius manifestatur in homine, Spiritus Sanctus dignoscitur in Co • umba. Aug. Tract. 6. in Joh.

Add to this the History of Christ's Transfiguration, described Mat. 17. 5. Mark 9. 7. Luke 9. 35. In which likewise the voice of the Father was heard from Heaven, This is my beloved Son, the Son is transfigured, the holy Ghost manifests himself in a bright cloud.

Matth. 28. 19. The Apostles are commanded to baptize in the Name of Father, Son and holy Ghost. Cameron thinks that is the most evident place to prove the Trinity. But that it is as apposite a place as any for this purpose, 1 John 5. 7. For there are three that bear record in Heaven, the Father, the Word, and the holy Ghost. The Arians wiped this place out of many Books, 2 Cor. 13. 14. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the holy Ghost be with you all.

The Arians, Samosate • ians, Sabellians, Photinians, and others deny the Trinity of Persons in one Essence of God. Servetus a Spaniard was burnt at Geneva in Calvin's time, he denied that Christ was God's Son till Mary bore him. Servetus Trinitatem idolum, item Cerberum Tricipitem vocabat.

The Ministers of Transylvania (in a most pestilent book of theirs) often contumeliously call him Deum Tri-personatum, whom we holily worship. Hoornbeeck Anti-socin. l. 2. c. 5. sect. 1. p. 415.

Those of Polonia (in their Catechism) say, That there is but one Divine Person, and urge John 17. 3. 1 Cor. 8. 6. Ephes. 4. 1. Zanchi long since hath vindicated the truth and refuted them.

Socinus calls him, Deum tripersonatum, ridiculum humanae curiositatis inventum. Infaustus Socinus omnium haereticorum audacissimus, saith Rivet. See Cheynels rise of Socinianism, chap. 3. and ch. 1. p. 6.

Some glory in this as a great argument against the three Persons in the Trinity. If there be Persons in the Trinity, they are either something or nothing, Nothing they cannot be, Non entis nullae sunt affections, if something, they are either finite or infinite, finite they cannot be, nor infinite, then there should be three Infinites.

It is, 1. plain in Scripture, there is but one God, 1 Cor. 8. 4.

2. The Scripture speaks of Father, Son and holy Ghost or Spirit, these are said to be three, 1 John 5. 7.

3. The God-head is attributed to all, and the essential Properties belong to all.

4. Something is attributed to one in the Scripture that cannot be said of all. The Son was made flesh, and the Son is begotten, this cannot be said of the other; the Son and the Spirit are sent, but this cannot be said of the Father. It is not strange among the creatures that a Father should be distinguished from himself as a man, the Persons are something and infinite, each of them infinite, as each of them is God, yet not three Infinites nor God's; so Athanasius in his Creed. A Person is Essentia divina cum proprietate sua hypostatica, the divine Nature distinguished by an incommunicable property, though we cannot express the manner of this great mystery, yet we should believe it. The ground of Arminianism and Socinianism is, because they would examine all the great truths of God by their Reason. That saying of Bernard here hath place, Scrutari haec temeritas est, credere pietas est, nosse vero vita aeterna est.

That the Father is God, is confessed by all, and it is manifest from Scripture, we are directed to pray to him. The Apostle saith, Grace to you, and peace from God our Father, Philem. v. 3. See Rom. 1. 7. 1 Cor. 8. 6. Ephes. 1. 3.

That Christ is God, is proved

1. By clear Texts of Scripture affirming this truth in so many words. The Prophet fore-telling of him saith, this is his name by which you shall call him, Jehovah, or The Lord our Righteousness, Jer. 23. 16. and The mighty God, Isa. 9. 6. Paul saith, Rom. 9. 5. Who is God over all, blessed forever; and St. John saith, 1 John 5. 20. This is very God; and St. Paul saith, 1 Tim. 3. 16. Great is the mystery of Godliness, God manifested in the flesh; and accordingly Thomas made his confession, John. 20. 28. My Lord, and my God, which title he accepteth and praiseth Thomas for believing, and that he could not have done without extreme impiety, had he not been God, Vide Bellarm▪ de Christo l. 1. c. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9.

2. By evident Reasons drawn from the Scripture.

He hath the Name, Titles, Works, essential Attributes and worship of God ascribed unto him in Scripture.

1. Divine Names and Titles are given to Christ; He is the only blessed Potentate, 1 Tim. 6. 15. The King of Kings, Revel. 1. 5. and Lord of Lord's, Apoc. 17. 14. and 19. 16. He is called The Image of the invisible God, Col. 1. 15. The brightness of his glory, Heb. 1. 3. The word and wisdom of the Father, Prov. 8. 12. and 9. 1. He is called the Word, because he is so often spoken of and promised in the Scripture, and is in a manner the whole subject of the Scripture; he is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 cum articulo, Joh. 1. 1. Act. 20. 28. 1 Tim. 3. 16. The great God, Titus 2. 13. The true God, 1 John 5. 20. God over all, or Blessed above all, Rom. 9. 5. The most high, Luk. 1. 76. and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 by which name the Septuagint have expressed Jehovah the proper name of God alone, John 20. 28. My Lord, Jude 4. The only Lord, Acts 10. 36. The Lord of all, 1 Cor. 15. 48. The Lord from Heaven, 1 Cor. 2. 8. The Lord of glory, 1 Cor. 2. 8. The Lord of Heaven and Earth, Matth. 28. 18. These Titles are too high and excellent to be given unto any mere man whatsoever, God therefore who will not have his glory given to another, would never have given these Titles to another, if he were not God.

2. The works of God, even the principal and most eminent of all, which are proper to the Lord only, are ascribed to Christ.

1. The work of Creation, even of creating all things, John 1. 3. and Col. 1. 16. He for whom, and by whom all things were created, is very God. For Christ and by him all things were created, therefore he is very God. Heb. 1. 10, 11, 12. The foundation of the earth, and the creation of the Heavens, and the change which is to happen to both at the last day, are attributed to the Son of God.

2. The work of Preservation and Government is attributed to him also, he is before all things, and by him all things consist, Heb. 1. 2. He who upholds all things by his powerful word, is God. So doth Christ, therefore he is God.

3. The working of Divine miracles, raising up the dead by his own power is given to him, John. 6. 54. and John. 5. 21. He that can quicken and raise the dead is God. So doth Christ, therefore he is God.

4. Redeeming of mankind, Luke 1. 68. Matth. 20. 28. Ephes. 1. 7. Revel. 1. 5.

5. Sending of the holy Ghost, John 21. 22. and 14. 16. and of Angels, is ascribed to him, Mat. 13. 41. Revel. 1. 1. He forgives sins, Mark 9. 2, 5. He gives eternal life.

3. The principal and incommunicable Attributes of God are given to him.

1. Omniscience, John 2. 24, 25. He knew all men, and he knew what was in them, John. 21. 17. Lord, thou knowest all things.

2. Omnipotency, Revel. 1. 8. and 4. 8. and 11. 17. Phil. 3. 21.

3. Eternity, John. 17. 5. Revel. 1. 18. John 1. 1. Isa. 9. 6. He is called The everlasting Father.

4. Omnipresence, Matth. 18. 20.

5. Unchangeableness, Heb. 1. 11, 12, 13. and 13. 8. He that is Omniscient, Omnipotent, Eternal, Omnipresent, Unchangeable, equal to the Father in Majesty and Glory, Phil. 2. 16. is God. So is Christ, therefore he is God.

Lastly, Worship due to God is ascribed to him, Heb. 1. 6. Let all the Angels of God worship him, Revel. 5. 13. The Lamb, that is, Christ, hath the same worship rendered to him that the Father hath. We are commanded to call upon his name, to believe and trust in him, John 14. 1. & 3. 16. & 6. 40. to hope in him, Isa. 11. 10. we are baptized in his name, Matth. 28. 19. Act. 8. 16. and swear by him, Rom. 9. 1.

The mystery of the Sons generation is so profound, that it is difficult and dangerous to wade further in it, then we have clear ground from Scripture: that the Son was of the Father begotten from eternity, and is one with him, and of equal power and dignity, seems clear from Prov. 8, 23, 26. John 1. 3. & 10. 30. and 17. 5. Phil. 2. 6. but Modus quo genitus fuerit, seems to some beyond human reach.

Some of our Divines say, Christ is begotten of the Father by a communication of the Divine Essence; if this be granted (say others) it will be hard to defend the God-head of Christ. He that is God must have his being from himself, à se Deus, à Patre Filius. M ^r Wotton on John. 1. goes this way, and some others. But some say then he should be his adopted Son. Vide Bellar. de Christo l. 2. c. 15. The Athanasian Creed hath it, God of God, and Christ saith of the holy Ghost, that he shall receive of him. Illud arcte nobis tenendum, à persona Patris per generationem Filio esse communicatam essentiam ingenitam. R. Usser. Ignat. & Clem. Interpolator heresy suspectus. cap. 15. That Christ hath his God-head from the Father, makes not against his God-head but for it, if he hath the same God-head which the Father hath though from the Father, then he is the same God with the Father.

CHAP. I. Of God's Decree, and especially of Predestination, and the Parts thereof, Election and Reprobation.

HAving spoken of the Scripture, and God; the works of God in the next place are to be handled, which some make two; the Decree, and the Execution of the Decree: others, three, Decree, Creation, Providence. The works of God, whereby he moves himself to his Creatures, are three; Decree, Creation, Providence; not three individually; for so they are innumerable, but in the species and kinds of things.

The works of God, are,

1. Before time or eternal, his Decree.

2. In time.

1. Past, Creation of all things.

2. Present, Gubernation and Sustentation, Government and Preservation. Or thus;

God's Works are,

1. Internal, which are in the very will of God from eternity, and they are called the Decrees of God, by which God determined from eternity, what he would do in time: We follow the received Phrase of Divines, when we call the Decrees, the works of God, and speak of God after our capacity. Therefore we call Decrees of God, his Works; because the Decrees of man are Works, or Actions from man, and really distinct from his understanding and will, by which we conceive the Decrees of God, or rather God decreeing.

2. External; Creation, and Providence.

1. Of God's Decree.

Decree is a speech taken from the affairs of men, especially Princes, in the determination of causes between parties at variance, whose sentence is called a Decree: or secondly, it is a resolution of things consulted of, either negatively, or affirmatively, according to the latter use of the Phrase, it is applied to God, Isaiah 46. 10.

Decretum in the Latin is indifferent, to signify either in the Abstract, God's Decree; or, in the Concrete, a thing decreed.

God's Absolute Decree , is that whereby the Lord, according to the Counsel of his own Will, hath determined with himself what he will do, command, or forbid; permit, or hinder, together with the circumstances of the same, Acts 2. 23. and 4. 28. Luke 22. 22. John 7. 30.

Or, God's Decree is an eternal and infinite act of the Divine Essence, by which he doth determine to do, or not to do, whatsoever is, or shall be done, from the beginning to all eternity, that good is; and to permit or suffer whatsoever evil is done, or shall be.

God's Decree is called Counsel , because it is done most wisely; all things being so ordered, as is most agreeable to truest reason; as if things had been long de bated, or consulted of before; though the Divine Nature be free from all need of consulting; and it is called the Counsel of his Will; because his Will doth determine all things agreeably to that Counsel.

It is an eternal determining of all things which have been, are, or shall be, so as himself saw fittest to have them, upon best reasons known to him, though not to us.

The Decree of God extends to all things good and bad; and the rule of it his own wisdom, and good pleasure guided by his wisdom: the end is for his glory; that is, the manifestation of his excellencies. His mercy moved him to decree, his wisdom orders the Decree, his power perfects it, and brings it to pass.

The Properties of God's Decree.

• 1. It is complete, that is, it comprehends the determination of everything, whatsoever the Creature itself works, or God concerning it, that was decreed from eternity so to be, Mat. 10. 29. it reacheth to greater matters; the Incarnation and coming of Christ, Psalm 40. 6, 7, 8. Compared with Heb. 10. 5, 6, 7. the Kingdom of Christ, Psal. 2. 2. to less matters, in things which befall the Church, as the ordering of things in Egypt, when the Israelites were in Captivity. Nothing comes to pass but what God hath decreed shall come to pass; and nothing comes to pass otherwise then as he hath decreed it shall come to pass, we do not only subject res ipsas, but modos rerum to the Will and decree of God. Neither hath God decreed only good things, but even justly the evil works of evil men; for evil in respect of God's ordering it, habet rationem boni. viz. that by it the glory of God may be revealed in his Justice and Mercy. He doth order, determine, and direct the sinful actions of men, but not effect them.
• 2. It is most wise, Ephes. 1. 11. 1 Tim. 1. 17. Rom. 11. 33. In decretis sapientum nulla litura.
• 3. Just. Rom. 9. 13, 14.
• 4. Free, Rom. 9. 18. Nothing moved the Decree of God without, or beyond himself: Even so, O Father, saith Christ, because it pleaseth thee.
• 5. Certain, firm, 2 Tim. 2. 19. infallible, unchangeable, Matth. 18. 14.
• 6. Eternal, Acts 15. 18. Ephes. 1. 4. 2 Tim. 1. 9. It was one of Vorstius prodigious Doctrines, to maintain, that God's Decrees are not eternal; then he would be changeable.
• 7. Absolute; not so as to exclude means, but Causes, Merits, and Conditions.

The Decree is twofold.

• 1. Common and General, which concerns all Creatures, the Decree of Creation, and Government, or Providence. So that nothing comes to pass unawares, but it was ordered by an eternal Decree, Zach. 6. 1. Mountains of brass; that is, stable and eternal Decrees.
• 2. Special, which belongs to reasonable Creatures, Angels and Men; and orders their eternal estate. It is called the Decree of Predestination, Psal. 135. 6. and it consists of two parts; viz. of a Decree of Election, about saving: and of Reprobation about damning some Angels and Men.

The Execution likewise of the Decree is twofold.

• 1. Common; the execution of the Decree of Creation, which is Creation: and of Government, called Providence.
• 2. Special: 1. the execution of the Decree of Election, in good Angels, their confirmation in that state, and in elect men. Redemption, and Restauration, and all the gracious works of God. 2. the execution of the Decree of Reprobation, partly in evil Angels, casting them out from their state and condition, and their punishments in Hell; partly in men, viz. their rejection, obduration, and all effects of Divine anger upon them.

But I shall handle the special Decree first, called Predestination, and speak briefly concerning the two parts of it, Election and Reprobation; and then proceed to treat likewise of Creation and Providence.

Of Predestination.

To Predestinate , is to Decree the attaining of some end, by such like means as counsel shall prompt us with. It differs from Election; Election is in the Will; Predestination in the understanding, Act. 4. 28. Election is only of the end, this is of the means also.

By Divines, Predestination is used to signify the Decree of God concerning the eternal and supernatural estate of Angels and men, or of men elect and reprobate: although predestination concern Angels and men alike; yet the Scripture especially inculcates to us men the Predestination of men.

Predestination in Scripture (say some) is all one with Election almost every where, as Rom. 8. 30. When they are distinguished, Election is especially and properly referred to the End itself, Predestination to the Means. With the ancient Latins, Destinare, is used of punishment as well as reward; and ancient Divines make a Predestination to punishment, as well as to glory.

Predestination is the Sentence, or Decree of God, according to Counsel, determining with himself from all eternity, to create and govern man-kind for his special Glory, viz. the praise of his glorious Mercy, or excellent Justice.

Or thus;

Predestination is the secret and immutable purpose of God, whereby he hath decreed from all eternity, to call those whom he hath loved in his Son Christ, and through faith and good works, to make them vessels of eternal glory. Or thus;

Predestination is the infallible purpose of God, whereby he hath made choice of some, and rejected others, according to the pleasure of his own will.

It is part of Providence, 1 Pet. 1. 2. There is a double difference between Predestination and Providence; 1. In respect of the Object; all things are the object about which Providence is conversant; reasonable Creatures only are the object of Predestination: 2. In respect of the End; Providence directs all things, as well to natural as supernatural ends, but Predestination only directs reasonable Creatures to their supernatural ends.

The Lord hath not only decreed in general, that he will save some which believe, and condemn those which continue in infidelity: but he hath determined whom, and how many he will bring to holiness, and life eternal, for the praise of his Grace, and how many he will leave to themselves, and punish for sin, for the praise of his Justice. The ancient Fathers call that Verse, Rom. 8. 30. the golden chain of our salvation.

The parts of Predestination are two; Election, and Reprobation.

This Doctrine of Election is profitable to be taught in the Church of God; for it sets forth the profound depth of the Lord's love, the glory and riches of his grace and mercy, ascribing the whole praise of our Vocation, Justification, Adoption, and Glorification, to the Mercy of God; it holds forth the wonderful Wisdom of God, Rom. 11. 33. It sets out his Power and Sovereignty, Rom. 9. 20.

The word Election signifieth.

• 1. The choosing or taking of one into some office, 1 Sam. 10. 24. Luke 6. 13. and 17. 12. either in the Common-weal, Psal. 78. 70. or Church, John 6. 70.
• 2. The making choice of a Nation to be God's peculiar people, upon whom (passing by others) he will bestow his Laws, Ordinances, and singular pledges of his love, D • ut. 4. 37. and 7. 7. and 10. 15. and 32. 8. Rom. 11. 5. 25.
• 3. It is put for the Elect themselves, as Rom. 11. 7.
• 4. It notes Electionem & salutem, the eternal Decree of God, separating some men to holiness and glory, for the praise of his rich grace, Ephes. 1. 4. 11. 2 Tim. 1. 9. 1 Tit. 1. 2. Particularis & completa electio, neminem spectat nisi morientem, say the Arminians.
• 5. It is taken for the execution of God's eternal Decree, or the separation of certain men in time by effectual vocation, Luke 18. 7. Col. 2. 12. Apoc. 17. 14.

Election is the Decree of God's good pleasure, according to Counsel, whereby he hath from eternity chosen and determined with himself to call some men to faith in Christ, to justify, adopt, sanctify, and give them eternal life, for the praise of his incomprehensible grace, and rich mercy.

Or, it is an action of God ordaining some men out of his mere good will and pleasure to eternal life, which is to be had by faith in Christ, for the manifestation of his grace and mercy.

Or it is an unchangeable Decree of God, whereby he hath out of his own Free-will in Christ appointed some Angels and men to holiness and happiness, for the praise of the glory of his Grace. 1. A Decree of God in Christ, Ephes. 1. 4. and 3. 11. Christ is first elected as the Head, we as the Members. 2. Of certain Angels and men, they are called elect Angels; Jacob have I loved; Moses his name was written in the book of Life, Rev. 13. 20. and 8. 17. It is unchangeable, Zach. 6. 1, 2, 4. It is to the Means as well as the End, Ephes. 1. 4. 1 Pet. 1. 1, 2. a Decree founded on God's free-will, Ephes. 1. 11.

1. The general nature of it, it is an action of God ordaining.

2. The impulsive Cause, of his mere good will, Ephes. 1. 6. Rom. 9. 16, 18. There can be no other reason given, when men have wearied themselves out in disputes, but only God's will, Even so Father, because it pleaseth thee, Matth. 11. God will have mercy on whom he will have mercy. God's mere free▪will makes us differ in naturals; thou art a man, and not a Toad; how much rather must it make us differ in supernaturals? To fly to a scientia media, or a congrua motio divina, or to the preparation and use of Free-will, is to wander, and to say anything in man makes a difference.

3. The Object of Election, whether man absolutely considered, or respectively, as good by Creation; miserable by sin. Some make homo condendus, man to be made, the object of Election, some man made, but not fallen; some man made and fallen. But these opinions may be reconciled, for those who hold homo Condendus, or massa pura to be the object, do extend Election further then the latter do, even to comprehend in it a decree to make man, and to permit him to fall; but as for that actual Election and Separation, Austin, Calvin, Beza, Rivet, hold it to be from the corrupted Mass; and so doth B. Carleton and others; of which opinion these reasons may be given.

1. We are chosen, that we might be holy and unblameable; this supposeth that we were considered in Election, as sinners, Ezek. 16. 6. 9. Election is of God, that showeth mercy, and we are called vessels of mercy; mercy presupposeth misery.

2. We are elected in Christ as our head; and he is a Mediator and Savior which presupposeth sin; he came to save sinners, Mat. 20. 16. the means of salvation are given to few, few are holy, the effect of Election, Matth. 7. 13.

3. Man simply considered is the object of Predestination, in respect of the preordination of the end; but man corrupted, if we respect the ordination of the means which tend to that end; or man absolutely, in respect of the supreme or last end, not in respect of this, or that subordinate end.

4. The end of Election is twofold: 1. near and immediate, eternal life. 2. farther off and ultimate, the glory of his Name, Ephes. 1. 3, 4, 5, 6.

5. The means to bring about these ends, Christ's merits apprehended by faith.

Consider also the adjuncts of this Decree, the eternity, immutability, and certainty of it. There is a certain and determinate number of the Elect, which cannot be diminished, or augmented.

Christ prayed to his Father that the Faith of his Elect might not fail, John 17. 16, 20. It is impossible they should be deceived, Mat. 24. 24.

The Papists think that the certainty of immutable Election begets in a man carnal security and profaneness: but Peter thinks far otherwise, 2 Peter 1. 10.

God was not moved by anything outwardly to choose us to eternal life, but it was only the mere will of God.

Some of the Papists say, God did choose man to eternal life upon the foresight of his good works, and his perseverance in them.

The Lutherans say for faith foreseen, not because of any dignity in faith, but for Christ apprehended by it.

CHAP. II. 2. The Execution of God's Deeree.

GOD executes his Decree by Actions, Creation, and Providence. God's works are in time

1. Past, Creation of all things.

2. Present, Government and preservation.

Creation is taken, 1. Strictly, when God makes any Creature of nothing, merely of nothing, not as if nothing were the matter but the term, so the souls of men and Angels are created of nothing.

2. Largely, when of some prejacent matter, but very unfit and indisposed, a creature is made, as Adam of the earth.

Creation is the action of God, whereby out of nothing he brought forth nature itself and all things in nature, both substances and accidents, in and with the substances, and finished them in the space of six days, both to his own glory and the salvation of the Elect.

Or, It is an action whereby God the Father by his word, and holy Spirit made all things exceeding good for the glory of his Name.

Or thus, Creation is a transient or external action of God, whereby in the beginning He made the world by a mere command out of his own free will in six days space to the glory of his Name.

• 1. An action, ] not a motion or change, motion argueth some succession, but in the things created, the fieri & factum esse is all one, nor is it a change, because that supposeth some alteration in the Agent.
• 2. Transient, ] it passeth from the Agent to the thing created, whereas in immanent actions, as God's will, decrees, and personal actions, they abide in himself.

• 3. Of God, ] The efficient cause of all things is God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Creation is the proper work of God alone, so that he is God which created the world, and he created the world who is God, Ier. 10. 11. It is without controversy, that the work of creation agrees to God the Father, the same is expressly given to the Son, John 1. 3. Col. 1. 16. and to the Holy Ghost also, Psal. 33. 6. He brooded on the waters, Gen. 1. 1, 2.

  Aquinas parte prima Qu. 44. Artic. 1. hath this question, Utrum sit necessarium omne ens esse creatum a Deo. The Schoolmen much dispute, whether God may not give a creating power to a creature; and answer, no creature can be so elevated as to concur to the execution of an almighty act. In Scripture it is always made the work of God, Gen. 1. 1. Prov. 16. 4. Psal. 33. 6. 8, 9. Creation is an act of omnipotency. The Apostles when they dealt with the Heathens, urged the works of creation, Acts 14. 10. & 7. 26. Rom. 1. 19, 20.

• 4. In the beginning, ] by the Scripture it is a matter of faith to hold that the world was not from all eternity, in the beginning notes not that there was time first, and then God created the world (for time is a creature and concreated) but it denotes order, that is, at first.
• 5. The world, ] that is, the Heaven and Earth and all things contained in them, Act. 4. 4. and 17. 24. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that well ordered, decent, beautiful and comely frame of heaven and earth.
• 6. By his mere command, ] as appears Gen. 1. Let there be light, let there be heavens, which argues his omnipotency.
• 7. Out of his own free will, ] for God did not need the world, and therefore he created it no sooner. He was happy enough in himself without men or Angels, Psal. 115. 5. Prov. 8. 30.
• 8. The final cause, to the glory of his Name, Rom. 2. 30. Three Attributes especially manifest themselves in this work of Creation, God's power, wisdom, goodness; his power in that he made all things by a word, and of nothing, Isa. 40. 16. his wisdom is seen in the order and variety of his works, Psal. 136. 5. and their exceeding wonderful and particular uses; his goodness, in that he would communicate being to the creatures.

Plutarch writeth, that the old Philosophers, the ancientest Divines amongst the Pagans, were wont to describe portrayed out in stone, wood, and other matters, the Images of their God's, with musical Instruments in their hands, not that they would teach others, or did believe it themselves, that the God's were Fiddlers or Pipers, or used to solace themselves with Lute or Viol, but because they held nothing more fit or answering to the nature of God, then to do all things in sweet harmony and proportion; which the Wiseman calleth in number, in measure, and in weight. Montague against Seld. c. 1.

The work of Creation (say some ) is set out generally in a general proposition, In the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth; Which proposition He after explains by its parts.

That the world was not from eternity, but was made by God, these arguments may persuade.

First, and principally Faith, Heb. 11. 3. which is grounded upon divers places of Scripture, as the first and second chapters of Genesis, 38 & 39 chapters of Job, and some Psalms almost whole, as 104 & 136. this also is the first Article of our Creed, that the world was created in time by God. The Apostle Paul, Acts 14. 15. & 17. 24. 28 doth point out God to the Heathen by this work above others.

The Doctrine of Creation is a mixed principle, partly discovered by nature, and chiefly in the word. Consider it, 1. Ex parte rei, so the thing itself was known to the Heathens. 2. Ex parte modi, faith only teacheth what it is: the manner and circumstances of the Creation, how and wherefore the world was made, was wholly unknown to them, because these things are not matters of sense, but depend on the limitation of God's will; nor matters of reason, but depend on the exuberancy of his power.

The same individual assent to the same truth may be both Cognitio Scientiae, and Cognitio Fidei. By Faith we know that the worlds were made, and assent to it. And by demonstrations it may be proved, that the world was made; and these also are sufficient to persuade assent. Now we from both grounds (jointly) assent to this proposition, that the world was made. The which Assent in respect of the Ground ( propter evidentiam rei ) is an assent of Science or natural knowledge. In regard of the other Ground ( propter anthoritatem dicentis ) is an assent of Faith, or supernatural knowledge. Mr. Wallis Truth tried, ch. 8.

Secondly, and probably, the light of nature shining in these reasons.

• 1. The original of Nations laid down by Moses, Gen. 10. and elsewhere, which could not be feigned by him, since some memory of them was then extant among many, which yet in progress of time was extinguished.
• 2. The beginning of Arts, the first inventers whereof are known, and in what time they flourished: for it is not probable that so many ages before, mankind lived without Arts, and that in these last times they were all both invented and perfected.
• 3. The newness of all Heathenish Histories, the ancientest of which tell of nothing before Noah 's flood, or the beginning of the Assyrian Empire under Ninus. The holy History itself is only of 4000 years or thereabout, which nevertheless is the greatest monument of antiquity. Now it would be a most unworthy reproach and contumely cast upon all those men who had lived so many infinite ages ago, to say they were so ignorant that they could not, or so slothful that they would not deliver in writing what was done in their times.
• 4. The decay of man's body and age, which from a great strength, quantity, bigness and time of life, is now come down to a narrow scantling, which if had decreased so always in infinite ages, it would by this time have been brought almost to nothing.
• 5. The certain series and order of causes and impossibility of their proceeding in infinitum: for it must needs be that there should be one first, which is the universal cause: but first it is not unless it be One, nor One except it be God.
• 6. As a thing is, so it works, but God doth not depend upon another in his being, therefore neither in working doth he require a preexistent matter.
• 7. Art presupposeth nature, and nature matter; but God in working is a more excellent cause then art or nature, therefore presupposeth nothing in working.
• 8. The first cause, viz. God is infinite, therefore he can do whatsoever implieth not a contradiction, but the Creation of things in time implieth it not.
• 9. Whatsoever perisheth hath a beginning: the world doth perish, because all its parts decay, and are subject to corruption, therefore the whole. The Angles and souls of men are changeable by nature, as appears by the fall of the Devil and man's fall.
• 10. Either the world was eternal or had a beginning; It could not be eternal,

1. Because it is compounded of divers parts, and those in nature contrary one to another, which could not meet together in that order themselves, therefore it was made by some-what, and then either by itself, which could not be: for that which makes, is before that which is made; and the same thing cannot be before itself, or else it was made by some creature, which could not be; because that is but a part of the whole, and therefore meaner then it considered as whole, and not able to make it.

2. The world could not be eternal, because it is limited in respect of place, quantity, power, therefore it is not infinite in time. That which is eternal is the first thing, and consequently the best, therefore God is only so, having no parts, nor being subject to corruption.

By these reasons it is evinced, that the world is not eternal, but was created by the chief work-man of all things in time. But concerning the time of the year, when the world was made, whether in Summer, Autumn, or the Spring, we will not raise any curious and unprofitable questions. See Sarsans Chronologia vapulans, page 123. Let it suffice to know that it was created by God in the beginning, Gen. 1. 1. that is, in the beginning of time, or rather together with time then in time; for the instant and moment of Creation was the beginning of all following, but not the end of precedent time.

Hitherto concerning the efficient cause, there followeth the matter of Creation.

Of the first and immediate Creation, there was no matter at all, the Divine power drew out nature itself, not out of any Pre-existent matter, but out of mere nothing.

Thus were created all incorporeal and immaterial Substances; the Angels, the reasonable soul, and the highest Heaven (as some say) for those things which are void of matter, cannot be framed out of matter.

2. The mediate Creation is, when a thing is brought forth of a preexistent matter; yet so rude and indisposed, that it may be accounted for nothing: so Adams body was created of the dust or slime of the Earth, Gen. 2. 7. Beasts and birds out of the Earth, Gen. 1. 19. which God did merely of his good pleasure, no necessity compelling him, nor the matter he took any way helping him in working; it was nothing privatively, as they call it.

Divines observe four things in God's Creation.

1. His Command; whereby he said, Let there be light, and there was light. God's words are things.

2. His Approbation; whereby all things are acknowledged as good. God sa • they were good. They were so in respect of their own kind and nature. 2. In respect of the universe, that is, apt for the end for which they were made, free from all defect and deformity. God made all the creatures to be serviceable one to another, especially to man, 1 Tim. 4. 4. I cannot tell by what Logic we call a Toad, a Bear, or an Elephant ugly, they being created in those outward shapes and figures, which best express those actions of their inward forms. And having past that general visitation of God, who saw that all that he had made was good, that is, conformable to his will, which abhors deformity, and is the rule of order and beauty. D. Browns Religio Medici.

3. Ordination and Appointment, whereby he assigned unto all creatures their use, Ier. 52. 15. He made nothing in vain.

4. A Sanction of a Law and Decree which the creatures must always observe, called a Covenant with day and night.

Hitherto of the efficient cause and the matter, there followeth the form of Creation, which may be considered either in respect of God, or in respect of the things created.

1. The manner of Creation in respect of God is this, He did not create the world by a necessity of nature, but according to the Eternal and Immutable; yet most free decree of his will.

2. By his word and beck alone, without any change, weariness or toil, he made and established all things.

The form of Creation in respect of the things created, is twofold.

1. Internal ( viz. ) the very force and power of nature imprinted by God both in all things in a common manner and respect, and in the several kinds according to the particular essence and condition of everything, by which they are made powerful to proper or common operations.

2. The external form is twofold, partly a sudden and momentary production of all things, partly a most beautiful disposing and excellent order of all things produced, both in themselves, and among one another, Gen. 1. 3. There is order,

1. In making them: In simple things as the Elements, God began with those that are most perfect, the light or fire, the purest creature, Psal. 104. 2. and then went on to the less perfect, in mixed bodies, he began with things more imperfect, First made things that have being and no life, then plants, after beasts and men. 2. In disposing all things in their proper places for the beauty and service of the whole, the beasts in the earth, the fishes more in number and greater in bulk in the Sea. The world hath its name in Greek from beauty, God could have created them all at once, but he made them in the space of six days, that he might show,

1. His power in producing whatsoever effects he would without their general causes, while he enlightened the world, made the earth fruitful, and brought plants out of it, before the Sun and Moon were created.

2. His goodness and liberality while he provides for his creatures not yet made, and brings the living creatures into the earth filled with plants and nourishment, men into a world abundantly furnished with all things for necessity and delight.

3. That we might thereby more easily conceive, that the world was not made confusedly or by chance, but orderly, and by counsel, and might not perfunctorily but diligently consider the works of Creation. How should we deliberate in our actions which are subject to imperfection? since it pleased God not out of need to take leisure.

So much for the form of Creation, there remains in the last place the End, which is twofold.

1. The last and chiefest, the glory of God the Creator, in manifesting his Goodness, Power and Wisdom, which excellencies of God shining forth in the existence, order and wonderful workmanship of all creatures, and in the wise Government and administration of them, God would have acknowledged and praised by reasonable creatures, Psal. 19. 1. & 10. 24. Prov. 16. 5. Isa. 40. 26. Rom. 1. 20▪ & 36.

2. The next End for the work itself, that all things should serve man, and be useful to him, especially to further the salvation of the Elect, Gen. 1. 20. Psal. 8. 4, 5, 6. 1 Cor. 3. 21, 22.

It serves to confute sundry errors:

• 1. The Arians, which said the world was made by Christ, as the instrument and secondary cause, that place Rom. 11. 36. doth not prove an inequality of persons.
• 2. The Manichees, which held two beginnings contrary to themselves, God the author of good things, and the Devil the author of evil, this is blasphemy against God, and is contrary to what Moses saith, Gen. 1. 31.
• 3. Aristotle, that held the world was eternal (as Ludov. Viv. de veritate Fidei Christ. l. 1. c. 10. saith,) though some say he did not. Democritus who held that the world was made by a casual concourse of Atoms, and that there were infinite worlds, when the Scripture speaketh but of one; God sent his Son into the world, not worlds; See the Discovery of the World in the Moon, Proposit. 2. M ^r Ross opposeth those Atoms Refutat. of D ^r Browns Vulgar Errors, c. 17. Ubi sunt, aut unde ista corpuscula, cur illa nemo praeter unum Leucippum somniavit, à quo Democritus eruditus, haereditatem stultitiae reliquit Epicuro. Lactant. Divin. Instit. l. 3. de falsa sapientia p. 190. Vide plura ibid. & 191.

Galen, who having read the fifth Chapter of Genesis, said, That Moses said much, but proved little.

2. It condemns.

1. Those which set their affections on the creature, If there be beauty in that, what is in the Creator?

2. Those that abuse the creatures by cruelty, or pretended Lordship.

3. Those which mock at the parts of any man; if born lame or deformed; this is to despise the Workman, to murmur at the Potter.

3. It shows that God hath first, chief, absolute, and perpetual Sovereignty over all his creatures; so that he can use, command, and do with them as in equity seems good to his heavenly wisdom.

4. When we'behold the Heavens, the Earth, Air and Sea, how they are filled, what use and commodities they have, we should contemplate God in these things we see with our eyes. 2. We should learn what a one God is,

1. Eternal, He that made Heaven and Earth, is ancienter then both.

2. Almighty; Great works cannot be brought to pass without great strength: he must needs be infinite in power, which made Heaven and Earth, and hangs the Earth as a Ball, without any pillar to support it.

3. Most Wise; strength separated from wisdom, is little worth: God knows all things, the nature of the Heavens, Earth, Water perfectly; because he put such a Nature into them: Tell yourselves, that God is a wise understanding Essence, can order all to the best.

4. Exceeding Good; He hath infused goodness into the Heavens, Waters, Earth, they are helpful and serviceable to man: how much more goodness is there in God! He is good and doth good, Psal. 119.

5. See his Love in making man best of the creatures here below: we should honor God in our minds, account him the chiefest and only good, and his favor the chiefest felicity, bring our wills to long after him, to desire him above all other things, choosing him as our happiness, loving him and desiring to enjoy him fully: Learn to fear him above all, not daring to offend him, Acts 4. 24. and obey and please him; what more agreeable to reason, then that the Maker of all should be Ruler of all? We are more his, then a child his Parents, a servant his Masters. We should also acknowledge that he made us, Psal. 100. and praise him: God's great works call for great praise; Commend him with our tongues, and speak good of his Name, Psal. 19. 2. The Heavens declare the glory of God, i. e. give occasion to man of declaring it.

5. This is a comfort to those who acknowledge God to be such a one as he is; Is not he rich enough to maintain them? Wise enough to direct them? Strong enough to protect them? If thou want goodness, he can create in thee a new heart; it may comfort the godly in regard of the Resurrection; God can raise them up at the last day.

6. It is a great terror to the wicked, which do not fear but despise him; God will hate, despise and destroy them: God can do it; he made Heaven and Earth, and he will do it, because he is true, he hath threatened it; Oh the misery of that man which hath him for his enemy!

7. We may learn from all the creatures in general, 1. To bewail our Rebellion against God, which all of them reprove, for they all stand in their kind and station in which God set them at first. The Sun rejoiceth to run his course: the Sea keepeth her bounds; the Earth stands upon her foundation; the Heavens keep their motion, and declare God's glory; the very Winds and Seas obey him. 2. All of them teach the invisible things of God, Rom. 1. 20. as was before showed.

8. We should make a right use of the creatures: use them, 1. Devoutly, 1 Tim. 4. 5. in Faith, Rom. 14. 14. & ult. with Prayer and Thanksgiving, Mat. 15. 36. Act. 27 35. 2. Soberly, 1 Cor. 10. 31. 3. Thankfully, 1 Tim. 4. 4.

Having handled the works of Creation in general, I now proceed according to Moses his Method, to a more particular enarration of each days work.

The whole first Chapter of Genesis may be thus divided:

1. The Author of the worlds Creation, God.

2. The Work.

3. The Approbation of it.

Verse 1. In the beginning of time, or being, therefore the World was not eternal.

John begins so, and took it hence: But beginning there may mean from Eternity: or as here, Christ did not begin then, but was then, Prov. 8. 22.

Bara Elohim, God's Created . That difference between the Noun Plural, and Verb Singular (saith Rivet ) signifieth not the mystery of the Trinity, but is an Idiotism of the Hebrew Tongue, in which such Enallages are frequent, as Numb. 32. 25. Most of our men take the joining of a Singular Verb with the Plural Elohim, for a mystical expressing the holy Trinity. But the Jewish Grammarians make it an Enallage of number, chiefly to express excellency in the Persons, to whom it is referred. M ^r Seldens Titles of Honor, part. 1. chap. 6. However, there is no difference in the thing itself; for the Name of God's being taken here essentially, (not personally) is common to the three Persons; God's created, is as much as the Father, the Son and holy Ghost created: for elsewhere it is manifest from Scripture, that not only the Father, but the Son and holy Ghost also created the world.

Created, signifieth an act of infinite power, and is not communicable to any creature. i. Ex nihilo fecit, & quidem potentissime ac magnificentissime. Junius.

Heaven and Earth. In the first day were created Heaven and Earth; as it were the foundation and roof of the building, Psal. 104. 5. Isa. 40. 21, 22.

The work of the first day, was 1. Heaven, under which name are comprehended partly the Empyraean first and immovable Heaven, which is called in Scripture, the third Heaven, and Heaven of Heavens,