A Body of Practical Divinity

To the READER.

THESE Catechetical Lectures of the late Reverend Mr. Tho. Watson, all, but one written with his own hand, I have read over, together with some Sermons annexed to them; and since my Testimony is desired concerning them, I do hereby declare, That (though' I will not undertake to justify every Expression or Sentence in them, or in any Human Writing, yet) I find them in the main agreeable unto the Doctrinal Articles of the Church of England, and unto the Westminster Assembly's Confession of Faith and Catechisms: And I believe, that through the Blessing of God, they may be profitable unto the Edification of all that read them with an honest desire to know and do the Will of God: for certainly there are many excellent things in them, which if they meet with a well-disposed serious Mind, are very apt to have a good Effect upon it; and if it prove otherwise with any that happen to read this Book, it will be their own Fault, more than the Books. Most Writers have different Stiles, and it is well known that Mr. Watson had one peculiar to himself, which yet has found good Acceptance with, and has been useful unto serious People; and I hope this (by reason of the great Variety of excellent Matter) may be more generally Useful than any other thing that ever he wrote. I little doubt but every sober Christian will be of this mind after he hath read his Lectures on God's Attributes, the Ten Commandments, Lord's Prayer, &c. I sincerely profess, I have no other End in giving this Testimony of this Book, but thereby to serve the Common Good of Christ's Church, and not the Private Interest of any Person or Party in the World: if my Conscience did not bear me witness that this Book may be Useful to that excellent End, no Man should ever have prevailed with me thus to prefix my Testimony and Name to it. Moreover, I do not doubt, but every Intelligent and Candid Reader will consider that this is a Posthumous Work, and on that account will make some Allowance for any small Fault that may be in it, as also for the Errors of the Press. That it may answer the main End for which it was first written by the Author (whom I always took to be a grave, serious, modest, good Man); and for which (I hope) it is now published, to wit, The Edification of the Church of Christ in Faith, Holiness, and Comfort, is the hearty Desire of one of the meanest Servants of our most Blessed LORD JESUS,

WE whose Names are subscribed, having seen the Testimony of our Worthy Brother, Mr. William Lorimer, after his Perusal of this Book, doubt not but it may be of use to many, as the former Writings of Mr. Thomas Watson have been; and with that Desire and Hope, we Recommend it to Masters of Families, and others.

• William Bates,
• Matth. Barker,
• John Howe,
• Matth. Mead,
• Edw. Lawrance,
• Samuel Slater,
• Richard Mayo,
• Richard Adams,
• Richard Steel,
• Samuel Stancliff,
• John Reynolds,
• Nath. Vincent,
• John Hughes,
• Matth. Sylvester,
• Joseph Read,
• Dan. Burgess,
• Abraham Hume,
• Joseph Cawthorne,
• Rich. Stretton,
• Daniel Williams,
• Richard Wavel,
• John Shower,
• Timothy Cruso,
• Francis Glascock,
• Timothy Rogers,
• Nath. Oldfield.

ADVERTISEMENT.

THere are many single Sermons on Variety of Occasions, as at Fasts, Thanksgivings, Sacrament Discourses, besides several Subjects handled in many Sermons on each Text of Scripture, left under Mr. Thomas Watson 's one Hand-writing, if these find Acceptance, in due time (after their being perused by some Learned Divine) may be published.

A Catalogue of what Books Mr. Thomas Watson published.

• THree Treatises, 1. The Christian's Charter, showing the Privileges of a Believer. 2. The Art of Divine Contentment. 3. A Discourse of Meditation: To which is added, several Sermons preached Occasionally. Quarto.
• The Beatitudes: or, a Discourse upon part of Christ's famous Sermon on the Mount. Whereunto is added, Christ's various Fulness; The Preciousness of the Soul; The Soul's Malady and Cure; The Beauty of Grace; The Spiritual Watch; The Heavenly Race; The Sacred Anchor; The Trees of Righteousness; The Perfume of Love; The good Practitioner.
• The Godly Man's Character.
• A Word of Comfort to the Church of God, in a Sermon. Quarto.
• The Crown of Righteousness: at the Funeral of Mr. Hoges, Merchant. Quarto.
• A Sermon preached July 2, at the Funeral of Mr. John Wells, late Pastor of Olave-Jury, London. By Thomas Watson. Quarto.
• The Fight of Faith Crowned: or, a Sermon preached at the Funeral of the eminently Holy Man Mr. Henry Stubs. By Thomas Watson.
• The Doctrine of Repentance, Useful for these Times.
• Religion our true Interest: or Practical Notes upon the third Chapter of Malachi, the sixteen, seventeen, and eighteen Verses.
• The Mischief of Sin, it brings a Person Low.
• A Divine Cordial: or, the Transcendent Privilege of Those that Love God, and are savingly Called.
• The Holy Eucharist; or, the Mystery of the Lord's Supper briefly explained.
• A Plea for the Godly: Wherein is shown the Excellency of a Righteous Person.
• The Duty of Self-denial briefly Opened and Urged.
• Heaven taken by Storm.

A Preliminary Discourse TO CATECHISING.

COL. I.xxiii. If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled—

INtending the next Lord's Day to enter upon the Work of Catechising, it will not be amiss to give you this Preliminary Discourse as preparative to it; showing you how needful it is for Christians to be well instructed in the Grounds of Religion: If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled —Two Propositions,

• First, It is the Duty of Christians to be settled in the Doctrine of Faith.
• Second, The best way for Christians to be settled, is to be well grounded.

Doct. 1. That it is the Duty of Christians to be settled in the Doctrine of Faith: It is the Apostle's Prayer, 1 Pet. 5.10. The God of all grace stablish, strengthen, settle you. That they might not be Meteors in the Air, but fixed Stars. The Apostle Jude speaks of wandering Stars, Verse 13. They are called wandering Stars, because as Aristotle saith, they do saltare, leap up and down and wander into several parts of the Heaven; and being but dry Exhalations, not made of that pure Celestial Matter as the fixed Stars are, they often fall to the Earth. Now such as are not settled in Religion will at one time or other prove wandering Stars, they will lose their former Strictness, and wander from one Opinion to another. Such as are unsettled are of the Tribe of Reuben, Unstable as water, Gen. 49.4. Like a Ship without a Ballast, overturned with every Wind of Doctrine. Beza writes of one Bolsectius, whose Religion changed as the Moon. The Arians had Annuam Fidem, every Year a new Faith. These are not Pillars in the Temple of God, but Reeds shaken every way. The Apostle calls them damnable Heresies, 2 Pet. 2.1. A Man may go to Hell as well for Heresy as Adultery. To be unsettled in Religion argues want of Judgment: if their Heads were not giddy, they would not reel so fast from one Opinion to another. It argues Lightness; Feathers will be blown any way; so will feathery Christians: Triticum non rapit. ventus, inanes paleae jactantur, Cypr. Therefore such are compared to Children, Eph. 4.14. That we be no more children tossed to and fro. Children are fickle, sometimes of one mind, sometimes of another, nothing pleaseth them long: So unsettled Christians are childish, those Truths they embrace at one time, they reject at another; sometimes they like the Protestant Religion, and soon after they have a good mind to turn Papists. Now that you may labor to be settled, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , (as Ignatius ) in the Faith, in unsettled Times of settled Judgments.

1. It is the great End of the Word preached, to bring us to a Settlement in Religion: Eph. 4.11, 13. And he gave some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the edifying of the body of CHRIST, that we henceforth be no more children. The Word is called an Hammer, Ier. 23.29. Every blow of the Hammer is to fasten the Nails of the Building; the Preacher's Words are but to fasten you the more to Christ: they weaken themselves to strengthen and settle you. This is the grand Design of Preaching, not only for the Enlightning but for the Establishing of Souls; not only to guide them into the right Way, but to keep them in it; now if you be not settled, you do not answer God's End in giving you the Ministry.

2. To be settled in Religion is both a Christian's Excellency and Honor; 'tis his Excellency, when the Milk is settled it turns to Cream; now he will be something zealous for Truth, walk in close Communion with God. And his Honor, Prov. 16.31. The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness. 'It is one of the best sights to see an old Disciple ; to see Silver Hairs adorned with Golden Virtues.

3. Such as are not settled in the Faith, can never suffer for it: Skeptics in Religion will hardly ever prove Martyrs; they that are not settled do hang in aequilibrio, in suspense; when they think of the Joys of Heaven, then they will espouse the Gospel; but when they think of Persecution, then they desert it. Unsetled Christians do not consult what is best, but what is safest:

They will never suffer for the Truth, but be as a Soldier that leaves his Colours, and runs over to the Enemy's side; he will fight on the Devil's side for Pay.

4. Not to be settled in the Faith is highly provoking to God: To espouse the Truth and then fall away, brings an ill Report on the Gospel, which will not go unpunished: Psal. 78.57, 59. They turned back and dealt unfaithfully: When God heard this he was wrath, and greatly abhorred Israel. The Apostate drops as a Windfall into the Devil's Mouth.

5. Is ye are not settled in Religion, you will never grow: We are commanded to grow up into the Head Christ, Eph. 4.15. But if we are unsettled no growing: Planta quae saepe transfertur non coalescit ; The Plant which is continually removing never thrives. He can no more grow in Godliness, which is unsettled, then a Bone can grow in the Body that is out of joint.

6. What great need there is to be settled, because indeed there are so many things to unsettle us, and make us fall away gradually from the Truth. Seducers are abroad whose work is to draw away People from the Principles of Religion, 1 Joh. 2.26. These things have I written concerning them that seduce you. Seducers are the Devil's Factors, they are of all others the greatest Fellons that would rob you of the Truth: Seducers are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , they have Silver Tongues, a fair Tongue can put off bad Wares; they have a slight to deceive, Eph. 4.14. The Greek word there 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , taken from those that can cog a Dye, and cast it for the best advantage. So Seducers are Impostors, they can cog a Dye, they can so dissemble and sophisticate the Truth, that they can deceive others. Now the Style by which Seducers use to deceive is,

1. By Wisdom of Words, Rom. 16.18. By good words and fair speeches they deceive the hearts of the simple. They have fine elegant Phrases, flattering Language, whereby they work on the weaker sort; as being Christed with Christ, and the Light within them.

2. Another Slight is a Pretence of Extraordinary Piety, that so People may admire them, and suck in their Doctrine. They seem to be Men of Zeal and Sanctity, and to be divinely inspired: they pretend Revelations, as Munster, Michel Servetus, and other of the Anabaptists in Germany ; though they were tainted with Pride, Lust and Avarice.

3. A third Slight, or Cheat Seducers have, is a laboring to villify and nullify sound orthodox Teachers; they would eclipse those that bring the Truth; like unto the black Vapors that darken the Light of Heaven: They would Defame others that themselves may be more admired. Thus the false Teachers cried down Paul, that they might be received, Gal. 4.17.

4. The fourth Slight or Cheat of Seducers is by preaching Doctrines of Liberty: As the Antinomian preacheth, That Men are freed from the Moral Law, the Rule as well as the Curse. He preacheth that Christ hath done all for them, and they need do nothing. So he makes the Doctrine of Free-grace a Key to open the Door to all Licentiousness.

5. Another thing to unsettle Christians, is Persecutors, 2 Tim. 3.12. The Gospel is a Rose cannot be plucked without Prickles. The Legacy Christ hath bequeathed is the CROSS. While there is a Devil and a wicked Man in the World, never expect a Charter of Exemption from Trouble; And how many fall away in an Hour of Persecution? Rev. 12.3, 4. There appeared a great red dragon, having seven heads, and ten horns; and his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven: The Red Dragon, the Heathenish Empire, and his Tail, viz. his Power and Subtilty drew away Stars, viz. Eminent Professors that seemed to shine as Stars in the Firmament of the Church. Therefore we see what need there is to be settled in the Truth, for fear the Tail of the Dragon cast us to the Earth.

6. To be unsettled in Good is the Sin of the Devil's, Jude 6. They are called Morning Stars, Job 38.7. but falling Stars ; they were holy but mutable. As the Vessel is overturned with the Sail, so their Sails being swelled with Pride, were overturned, 1 Tim. 3.6. By Unsettledness who dost thou imitate but lapsed Angels. The Devil was the first Apostate. So much for the first Proposition, That it is a great Duty of Christians to be settled. The Sons of Zion should be like Mount Zion which cannot be removed.

Second, The second Proposition is, That the way for Christians to be settled, is to be well grounded: If ye continue grounded and settled ; the Greek word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , grounded, a Metaphor, it alludes to a building that hath the Foundation well laid; so Christians should be grounded in the Essential Points of Religion, and have their Foundation well laid.

Here let me speak to two things: 1. That we should be grounded in the Knowledge of Fundamentals. 2. That this grounding is the best way to Setling.

1. That we should be grounded in the Knowledge of Fundamentals: The Apostle speaks of the first Principles of the Oracles of God, Heb. 5.12. In all Arts and Sciences, Logic, Physic, Mathematics, there are some Praecognita, some Rules and Principles that must necessarily be known to the Practice of those Arts. So in Divinity there must be the first Principles laid down. The Knowledge of the Grounds and Principles of Religion is exceeding useful:

1. Else we cannot serve God aright; we can never worship God acceptably unless we worship him regularly: And how can we do that, if we are ignorant of the Rules and Elements of Religion? We are bid to give God a reasonable Service, Rom. 12.1. If we understand not the Grounds of Religion, how can it be a reasonable Service.

2. Knowledge of the Grounds of Religion much enricheth the Mind: It is a Lamp to our Feet, it directs us in the whole Course of Christianity, as the Eye directs the Body. Knowledge of Fundamentals is the Golden Key that opens the chief Mysteries of Religion; it gives us a whole System and Body of Divinity exactly drawn in all its Lineaments and lively Colours, it helps us to understand many of those 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , those difficult things which do occur in the reading of the Word; it helps to untie many Scripture-Knots.

3. Armor of Proof; it doth furnish us with Weapons to fight against the Adversaries of the Truth.

4. It is the Holy Seed of which Grace is formed: 'It is semen fidei, the Seed of Faith, Psal. 9.10. 'It is Radix Amoris, the Root of Love, Eph. 3.17. Being rooted and grounded in love. The Knowledge of Principles conduceth to the making of a complete Christian.

2. That this Grounding is the best way to Setling: Grounded and settled, a Tree that it may be well settled, must be well rooted; so if you would be well settled in Religion, you must be rooted in the Principles of it. He in Plutarch set up a dead Man, and he would not stand, O, saith he, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , there must be something within. So that we may stand in shaking Times, there must be a Principle of Knowledge within; first grounded and then settled. That the Ship may be kept from overturning, it must have its Anchor fastened; Knowledge of Principles is to the Soul as the Anchor to the Ship, that holds it steady in the midst of all the rolling Waves of Error, or the violent Winds of Persecution. First grounded and then settled.

Use 1. See the reason why so many People are Unsetled, ready to embrace every Novel Opinion, and dress themselves in as many Religions as they do Fashions; it is because they are ungrounded. See how the Apostle joins these two together, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Unlearned and unstable, 2 Pet. 3.16. Such as are unlearned in the main Points of Divinity, will be unstable; as the Body cannot be strong that hath the Sinews shrunk, so neither can that Christian be strong in Religion who wants the Grounds of Knowledge, which are the Sinews to strengthen and stablish him.

Use 2. See then what great Necessity there is of laying down all the main Grounds of Religion in a way of Catechize, that the weakest Judgment may be instructed in the Knowledge of the Truth, and strengthened in the Love of it. Catechising is the best Expedient for the Grounding and Setling of People. I fear one reason why there hath been no more Good done by Preaching, hath been because the chief Heads and Articles in Religion have not been explained in a Catechistical Way: Cathechising is the laying the Foundation, Heb. 6.7. To Preach and not to Catechize, is to build without a Foundation; this way of Catechising is not Novel, it is Apostolical; the Primitive Church had their Forms of Catechism. So much those Phrases imply, a form of sound words, 2 Tim. 1.13. And the first Principles of the Oracles of God, Heb. 6.1. And since the Church had their Catechumenoi, as Grotius and Erasmus observe. Many of the Ancient Fathers have written for it, as Fulgentius, Austin, Theodoret, Lactantius, and others. God hath given great Success to it. By this laying down of Grounds of Religion Catechistically, Christians have been clearly instructed and wondrously built up in the Christian Faith. Insomuch that Julian the Apostate seeing the great success of Catechising, did put down all Schools, and Places of Public Literature and Instructing of Youth. 'It is my Design therefore (with the Blessing of God,) to begin this Work of Catechising, the next Sabbath Day; and I intend every other Sabbath in the Afternoon, to make it my whole Work to lay down the Grounds and Fundamentals of Religion in a Catechistical Way. If I am hindered in this Work by Men, or taken away by Death, I hope God will raise up some other Labourer in the Vineyard among you, that may perfect this Work which I am now beginning.

Man's Chief End TO GLORIFIE GOD.

Quest. I. WHat is the chief End of Man?

Resp. Man's chief End is to glorify God, and enjoy him forever.

Here are two Ends of Life specified, 1. The Glorifying of God. 2. The Enjoying of God.

First, I begin with the first, The Glorifying of God, 1 Pet. 4.11. That God in all things may be glorified ; the Glory of God is a Silver Thread which must run through all our Actions: 1 Cor. 10.31. Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. Every thing works to some end in things natural and artificial; now Man being a rational Creature, must propose some end to himself, and that is, that he may lift up God in the World, and better loose his Life, then loose the End of his living: So then the great Truth asserted is this, That the End of every Man living is to glorify God; this is the yearly Rent is paid to the Crown of Heaven. Glorifying of God, hath respect to all the Persons in the Trinity; it respects God the Father, who gave us our Life; it respects God the Son, who lost his Life for us; it respects God the Holy Ghost, who produceth a new Life in us: we must bring Glory to the whole Trinity.

When we speak of God's Glory, the Question will be moved, What are we to understand by God's Glory?

Resp. There is a twofold Glory: 1. The Glory that God hath in himself ; his intrinsical Glory. Glory is essential to the Godhead, as Light is to the Sun: he is called the God of Glory, Acts 7.2. Glory is the sparkling of the Deity; Glory is so co-natural to the Godhead, that God cannot be God without it. The Creature's Honor is not essential to his Being; a King is a Man without his Regal Ornaments, when his Crown and Royal Robe are taken away: but God's Glory is such an essential Part of his Being, that he cannot be God without it; God's very Life lies in his Glory. His Glory can receive no addition, because it is Infinite; this Glory is that which God is most tender of, and which he will not part with, Isa. 42.8. My glory I will not give to another. God will give Temporal Blessings to his Children, Wisdom, Riches, Honor; he will give them Spiritual Blessings, he will give them Grace, he will give them his Love, he will give them Heaven, but his essential Glory he will not give to another. King Pharaoh parted with a Ring off his Finger to Joseph, and a Gold Chain, but he would not part with his Throne, Gen. 41.40. Only in the throne will I be greater then thou. So God will do much for his People, he will give them the Inheritance; he will put some of Christ's Glory as Mediator upon them, but his essential Glory he will not part with; in the throne he will be greater.

2. The Glory which is ascribed to God, or which his Creatures labor to bring to him, 1 Chr. 16.29. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name. And, 1 Cor. 6.20. Glorify God in your body, and in your spirit. The Glory we give God is nothing else but our lifting up his Name in the World, and magnifying him in the eyes of others, Phil. 1.20. Christ shall be magnified in my body.

Quest. What is it to glorify God, or wherein doth it consist?

Resp. Glorifying of God consists in four things: 1. Appretiation. 2. Adoration. 3. Affection. 4. Subjection. This is the yearly Rent we pay to the Crown of Heaven.

1. Appretiation: To glorify God is to set God highest in our Thoughts, to have a venerable Esteem of him, Psal. 92.8. Thou Lord art most high for evermore. Psal. 97.9. Thou art exalted far above all gods. There is in God all that may draw forth both Wonder and Delight; he is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , there is in him a Constellation of all Beauties; he is Prima Causa, the Original and Spring-head of Being, who sheds a Glory upon the Creature. This is to glorify God when we are God-Admirers; we admire God in his Attributes, which are the glistering Beams by which the Divine Nature shines forth; we admire him in his Promises, which are the Charter of Free-grace, and the Spiritual Cabinet where the Pearl of Price is hid; we admire God in the noble Effects of his Power and Wisdom, viz. the making of the World; this is called the work of his fingers, Ps. 8.3. such curious Needle-work it was that none but a God could work. This is to glorify God, to have God-admiring Thoughts; we esteem him most excellent, and search for Diamonds only in this Rock.

2. Glorifying of God consists in Adoration, or Worship, Psal. 29.2. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name. Worship the Lord in the Beauty of Holiness: There is a twofold Worship, 1. A Civil Reverence we give to Persons of Honor, Gen. 23.7. Abraham stood up and bowed himself to the children of Heth. Piety is no Enemy to Curtesie. 2. A Divine Worship, which we give to God, is his Prerogative-royal, Neh. 8.6. They bowed their heads, and worshipped the Lord with their faces towards the ground. This Divine Worship God is very jealous of; this is the Apple of his Eye, this is the Pearl of his Crown which he guards as he did the Tree of Life, with Cherubims and a flaming Sword, that no man may come near to violate it: Divine Worship must be such as God himself hath appointed, else it is offering strange fire, Levite. 10.2. The Lord would have Moses make the Tabernacle 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , according to the Pattern in the Mount, Exod. 25.40. he must not leave out anything in the Pattern, nor add to it; if God was so exact and curious about the Place of his Worship, how exact will he be about the Manner of his Worship; surely here everything must be according to the Pattern prescribed in his Word.

3. Affection: This is a part of the Glory we give to God; God counts himself glorified when he is loved, Deut. 6.5. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul. There is a twofold Love, 1. Amor Concupiscentiae, a Love of Concupisence, which is a Self-love, when we love another because he doth us a good Turn: Thus a wicked Man may be said to love God, because he hath given him a good Crop, or filled his Cup with Wine, and to speak properly, this is rather to love God's Blessings then to love God. 2. Amor Amicitiae, a Love of Delight, as a Man takes delight in a Friend; this is indeed to love God, the Heart is set upon God, as a Man's-Heart is set upon his Treasure. And this Love is, 1. Exuberant, not a few Drops but a Stream. 2. It is Superlative, we give God the best of our Love, the Cream of it, Cant. 8.2. I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine of the j • ice of my pomgranat. If the Spouse had a Cup more juicy and spiced Christ must drink of it. 3. It is Intense and Ardent; true Saints are Seraphims burning in holy Love to God. The Spouse was Amore perculsa, in sainting Fits sick of love, Cant. 2.5. Thus to love God is to glorify him; he who is the chief of our Happiness, hath the chief of our Affections.

4. Subjection: When we dedicate ourselves to God, and stand ready pressed for his Service. Thus the Angels in Heaven glorify him; they wait on his Throne, and are ready to take a Commission from him, therefore they are resembled by the Cherubims with their Wings displayed to show how swift the Angels are in their Obedience. This is to glorify God when we are devoted to his Service, our Head studies for God, our Tongue pleads for him, our Hands relieve his Members: The wise Men that came to Christ, did not only bow the Knee to him, but presented him with Gold and Myrrh, Mat. 2.11. so we must not only bow the Knee, give God Worship, but bring Presents, Golden Obedience. This is to glorify God when we stick at no Service, we will fight under the Banner of his Gospel against Regiments, and we say to him as David to King Saul, 1 Sam. 17.32. Thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine. Thus you see wherein the Glorifying of God doth consist, in Appretiation, Adoration, Affection, Subjection.

A good Christian is like the Sun which doth not only send forth Heat, but goes its Circuit round the World; thus he who glorifies God hath not only his Affections heated with love to God, but he goes his Circuit too; he moves vigorously in the sphere of Obedience.

Quest. Why we must glorify God?

Resp. 1. Because he gives us our Being, Psal. 100.3. It is he that hath made us. We think it a great kindness in a Man to spare our Life, but what kindness is it in God to give us our Life; we draw our breath from him, and as Life, so all the Comforts of Life are from God: he gives us Health, which is the Sawce to sweeten our Life; he gives us Food, which is the Oil that nourisheth the Lamp of Life: now if all we receive is from the hand of his Bounty, is it not good reason we should glorify him, and live to him, seeing we live by him, Rom. 11.36. For of him and through him are all things. Of him are all, all we have is of his Fulness; through him are all, all we have is through his Free-grace; and therefore to him should be all, so it follows, To him be glory forever. God is not only our Benefactor, but our Founder; the Rivers come from the Sea, and they empty their Silver Streams into the Sea again.

2. Because God hath made all things for his own Glory, Prov. 16.4. The Lord hath made all things for himself ; that is, for his Glory. As a King hath Excise out of Commodities, God will have his Glory out of everything; he will have Glory out of the Wicked, the Glory of his Justice; they will not give him Glory, but he will get his Glory upon them, Exod. 14.17. I will get me honor upon Pharaoh. But especially he hath made the Godly for his Glory, they are the living Organs of his Praise, Isa. 43.21. This people have I formed for myself, and they shall show forth my praise. It is true they cannot add to his Glory, but they may exalt it; they cannot raise him in Heaven, but they may raise him in the Esteem of others. God hath adopted the Saints into his Family, and made them a Royal Priesthood that they should show forth the Praises of him who hath called them, 1 Pet. 2.9.

3. Because the Glory of God hath so much intrinsic Value and Excellency in it; it transcends the Thoughts of Men, and the Tongue of Angels. God's Glory is his Treasure, all his Riches lie here, as Mica said, Judge. 18.24. What have I more? So of God, what hath God more? God's Glory is more worth then Heaven, More worth then the salvation of all Men's souls: Better Kingdoms be thrown down, better Men and Angels be annihilated, then God should lose one Jewel of his Crown, one Beam of his Glory.

4. Creatures below us and above us bring Glory to God, and do we think to sit Rent-free, shall everything glorify God but Man? it is pity then that ever Man was made! 1. Creatures below us glorify God, the inanimate Creatures; the Heavens glorify God, Ps. 19.1. The heavens declare the glory of God. The curious Workmanship of Heaven sets forth the Glory of its Maker; the Firmament is beautified and pensill'd out in Blue and Azure colors, where the Power and Wisdom of God may be clearly seen. The heavens declare his glory : We may see the Glory of God blazing in the Sun, twinkling in the Stars. 2. Look into the Air, the Birds with their chirping Music sing Hymns of Praise to God, saith Anselm. Every Beast doth in its kind glorify God, Isa. 43.20. The beasts of the field shall honor me. 2. Creatures above us glorify God: The angels are ministering spirits, Heb. 1.14. They are still waiting on God's Throne, and bring some Revenues of Glory into the Exchequer of Heaven: Then surely Man should be much more studious of God's Glory then the Angels, for God hath honor'd him more then the Angels, in that Christ took Man's Nature upon him, and not the Angels; say though' in regard of Creation God hath made Man a little lower then the Angels, Heb. 2.7. yet in regard of Redemption, God hath set him higher than the Angels; he hath married Mankind to himself: The Angels are Christ's Friends, but not his Spouse; he hath covered us with the Purple Robe of his Righteousness, which is a better Righteousness then the Angels have, 2 Cor. 5.20. So that if the Angels bring Glory to God, much more should we, being dignified with Honor above the Angelical Spirits.

5. Resp. We must bring Glory to God, because all our Hopes hang upon him, Psal. 39.7. My hope is in thee. And, Psal. 62.5. My expectation is from him ; I expect a Kingdom from him. A Child that is good natured will Honor his Parent, as expecting all that ever he is like to be worth from him, Psal. 87.8. All my fresh springs are in thee. The Silver Springs of Grace, the Golden Springs of Glory.

Quest. How many ways may we glorify God?

Resp. 1. It is a glorifying God when we aim purely at God's Glory ; it is one thing to advance God's Glory, another thing to aim at it; God must be the Terminus ad quem, the Ultimate End of all our Actions; thus Christ, Joh. 8.50. I seek not my own glory, but the glory of him that sent me. 'It is the Note of an Hypocrite, he hath a squint Eye, he looks more to his own Glory then God's Glory. Our Savior Deciphers such, and gives a Caveat against them, Matth. 6.2. When thou givest alms do not sound a trumpet. A Stranger would ask, What means the noise of this Trumpet? Then it was answered, They are going to give to the Poor. And so they did not give Alms, but sell them for Honor and Applause, that they may have Glory of Men: the Breath of Men was the Wind that blew the Sails of their Charity: Verily, they have their reward. The Hypocrite may make his Acquittance, and write, Received in full payment. Vain-glory Chrysostom calls one of the Devil's great Nets to catch Men. And Cyprian, Quem non gula 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 superavit: Whom Satan cannot prevail against by Intemperance, those he prevails against by Pride and Vain-glory. O let us take heed of this 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Self-worshipping! Aim purely at God's Glory.

Quest. How shall we know we aim at God's Glory?

Resp. 1. When we prefer God's Glory above all other things; above Credit, Estate, Relations; when the Glory of God comes in competition with them, we prefer his Glory before them: if Relations lie in our way to Heaven, we must either leap over them, or tread upon them: A Child must unchild himself, and forget he is a Child, he must know neither Father nor Mother in God's Cause, Deut. 33.9. Who said unto his father and his mother, I have not seen him ; neither did he acknowledge his Brethren. This is to aim at God's Glory.

2. Then we aim at God's Glory when we can be content that God's Will should take place though it cross ours: Lord I am content to be a Looser if thou a Gainer; to have less Health, if I may have more Grace, and thou more Glory; whether it be Food or bitter Physic thou givest me, Lord I desire that which may be most for thy Glory: Thus our Blessed Savior, Not as I will, but as thou wilt, Matth. 26.39. So God might have more Glory by his Sufferings, he was content to suffer, Joh. 12.28. Father glorify thy name.

3. Then we aim at God's Glory, when we can be content to be out-shined by others in Gifts and Esteem, so God's Glory may be increased: A Man that hath God in his Heart, and God's Glory in his Eye, desires that God should be exalted, and if this be effected, let who will be the Instrument, he rejoiceth. Phil. 1.15. Some preach Christ of Envy, notwithstanding Christ is preached, and I therein do rejoice, and will rejoice ; they preached Christ of Envy, they envied Paul that Concourse of People, and they preached that they might out-shine him in Gifts, and get away some of his Hearers. Well, saith Paul, Christ is preached, and God is like to have Glory, therefore I rejoice; let my Candle go out, if the Sun of Righteousness may but shine.

2. We Glorify God by an ingenuous Confession of Sin: The Thief of the Cross had dishonor'd God in his Life, but at his Death he brings Glory to God by Confession of Sin, Luke 23.41. We indeed suffer justly. He acknowledged he deserved not only Crucifixion but Damnation, Josh. 7.19. My son, give, I pray thee, glory to God, and make confession unto him. An humble Confession exalts God; how is God's Free-grace magnified in crowning those who deserve to be condemned; as the excusing and mincing of Sin doth cast a Reproach upon God, Adam denies not he did taste the forbidden Fruit, but instead of a full Confession, he taxes God, Inscripser • Deos sceleri, Gen. 3.12. The woman whom thou gavest me, she gave me of the tree and I did eat. It is long of thee, if thou hadst not given me the Woman to be a Tempter, I had not sinned. So Confession glorifies God, it clears, it acknowledgeth he is Holy and Righteous whatever he doth. Nehemiah vindicates God's Righteousness, Chap. 9.33. Thou art just in all that is brought upon us. And Confession then is ingenuous when it is free not forced, Luke 15.18. I have sin'd against heaven, and before thee ; he chargeth himself with Sin before ever his Father chargeth him with it.

3. We glorify God by Believing; Rom. 4.20. Abraham was strong in faith, giving glory to God. Unbelief affronts God, it gives him the Lye, He that believeth not, maketh God a liar, 1 Joh. 5.10. So Faith brings Glory to God, it sets to its Seal that God is true, John. 3.33. he that believes flies to God's Mercy and Truth, as to an Altar of Refuge; he doth Ingarrison himself in the Promises, he trusts all he hath with God, Psal. 31.5. Into thy hands I commit my spirit ; this is a great way of bringing Glory to God, therefore God honors Faith, because Faith honors God. It is a great Honor we do to a Man when we trust him with all we have, we put our Lives and Estates into his hand; a sign we have a good Opinion of him. The three Children glorified God by believing, The God whom we serve is able to deliver us, and will deliver us, Dan. 3.17. Faith knows there are no Impossibles with God, and will trust him where it cannot trace him.

4. We glorify God by being tender of God's Glory; God's Glory is dear to him as the apple of his Eye ; now when we are tender of his Glory by laying to heart his Dishonours, this is a glorifying of him. An ingenuous Child weeps to see a Disgrace done to his Father, Psal. 69.9. The reproaches of them that reproach thee, are fallen upon me. When we hear God reproached, it is as if we were reproached; when God's Glory suffers, 'tis as if we suffered. This is to be tender of God's Glory.

5. We glorify God by Fruitfulness, Joh. 15.8. Hereby is my Father glorified, if ye bring forth much fruit. As 'tis a Dishonor to God to be barren, so Fruitfulness doth honor him: Phil. 1.11. Filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are to the praise of his glory. We must not be like the Fig-tree in the Gospel, which had nothing but Leaves, but like the Pomocitron, that is continually either mellowing or blossoming, it is never without Fruit. 'It is not Profession but Fruit glorifies God, God expects to have his Glory from us this way, 1 Cor. 9.7. Who plants a vineyard and eats not of the fruit of it? Trees in the Forest may be barren, but Trees in the Garden are fruitful: We must bring forth the Fruits of Love and Good Works: Matth. 5.16. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Faith doth sanctify our Works, and Works do testify our Faith: To be doing good to others, to be Eyes to the Blind, Feet to the Lame, doth much glorify God. And thus Christ did glorify his Father, He went about doing good, Acts 10.38. By being fruitful we are fair in God's Eyes, Jer. 11.16. The Lord called thy name a green olive-tree, fair and of goodly fruit. And we must bear much Fruit, it is Muchness of Fruit glorifies God; if ye bear much Fruit. The Spouse's Breasts are compared to Clusters of Grapes, Cant. 7.7. to show how fertile she was. Tho' the lowest degree of Grace may bring Salvation to you, yet not so much Glory to God: it was not a spark of Love Christ commended in Mary, but much love, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , she loved much, Luke 7.47.

6. We glorify God by being contented in that State where his Providence hath set us; we give God the Glory of his Wisdom in that we rest satisfied with what he carves out to us: Thus did holy Paul glorify God, the Lord had cast him into as great variety of Condition as any Man, in Prisons more frequent, in Deaths oft, 2 Cor. 11.23. yet he had learned to be content: St. Paul could sail either in a Storm or a Calm; he could be anything that God would have him; he could either want or abound, Phil. 4.13. A good Christian argues thus: It is God hath put me in this Condition; he could have raised me higher if he pleased, but that might have been a Snare to me; God hath done it in Wisdom and Love, therefore I will sit down satisfied with my Condition. Surely this doth much glorify God; God counts himself much honored by such a Christian; saith God, Here is one after my own heart, let me do what I will with him, I hear no murmuring, he is content. This shows abundance of Grace. When Grace is crowning it is not so much to be content, but when Grace is conflicting with Inconveniencies, then to be content is a glorious thing indeed: for one to be content when he is in Heaven, is no wonder, but to be content under the Cross, is like a Christian: This Man must needs bring Glory to God, for he shows to all the World that though he hath little Meal in Barrel, yet he hath enough in God to make him content; he saith as David, Psal. 16.5. The Lord is the portion of my inheritance, the lines are fallen to me in pleasant places.

7. We glorify God in working out our own Salvation: God hath twisted these two together, his Glory and our Good; we glorify him by promoting our own Salvation; 'tis a Glory to God to have multitude of Converts; now his design of Free-grace takes, and God hath the Glory of his Mercy: So that while we are endeavoring our Salvation, we are honoring God: What an Encouragement is this to the Service of God, to think while I am Hearing and Praying, I am glorifying God, while I am furthering my own Glory in Heaven, I am increasing God's Glory: Would it not be an Encouragement to a Subject, to hear his Prince say to him, You will honor and please me very much, if you will go to yonder Mine of Gold, and dig out as much Gold for yourself as you can carry away? So for God to say, Go to the Ordinances, get as much Grace as you can, dig out as much Salvation as you can, and the more Happiness you have, the more I shall count myself glorified.

8. We glorify God by living to God: 2 Cor. 5.15. That they which live should not live to themselves, but unto him who died for them. Rom. 14.8. Whether we live we live unto the Lord. The Mammonist lives to his Money, the Epicure lives to his Belly; the design of a Sinner's Life is to gratify Lust. But then we glorify God when we live to God.

Quest. What is it to live to God?

Resp. When we live to his Service, and lay out ourselves wholly for God: The Lord hath sent us into the World, as a Merchant sends his Factor beyond the Seas to trade for him. Then we live to God when we trade for his Interest, and propagate his Gospel; God hath given every Man a Tallent: Now when he doth not hide it in a Napkin, but improves it for God, this is to live to God. When a Master in a Family, by Counsel and good Example, labors to bring his Servants to Christ, when a Minister doth exhaust himself in the Labors of his Holy Calling, when he spends himself, and is spent, that he may win Souls to Christ, and make the Crown flourish upon Christ's Head; when the Magistrate doth not bear the Sword in vain, but labors to cut down Sin, and suppress Vice; this is to live to God, and this a glorifying of God: Phil. 1.20. That Christ may be magnified, whether by life or by death. Three Wishes St. Paul had, and they were all about Christ, That he might be found in Christ, be with Christ, and that he might magnify Christ.

9. We glorify God by walking cheerfully: It is a Glory to God when the World sees a Christian hath that within him that can make him cheerful in the worst Times: he can with the Nightingale sing with a Thorn at his Breast. The People of God have ground of Chearfulness, they are justified, and instated into Adoption, and this Creates inward Peace; it makes Music within, whatever Storms are without, 2 Cor. 1.4. 1 Thes. 1.6. If we consider what Christ hath wrought for us by his Blood, and wrought in us by his Spirit, it is a ground of great Chearfulness, and this Chearfulness glorifies God: It reflects upon a Master when the Servant is always drooping and sad, sure he is kept to hard Commons, his Master doth not give him what is fitting. So when God's People hang their Harps on Willows, sure they do not serve a good Master, repent of their Choice, this reflects Dishonor on God; as the gross Sins of the Wicked bring a Scandal on the Gospel, so do the unchearful Lives of the Godly, Psal. 100.2. Serve the Lord with gladness. Your serving him doth not glorify him, unless it be with Gladness; a Christian's cheerful looks glorify God; Religion doth not take away our Joy but refine and clarify it, it doth not break our Viol but tunes it, and makes the Music sweeter.

10. We glorify God by standing up for his Truths: Much of God's Glory lies in his Truth; God hath entrusted us with his Truth, as a Master intrusts his Servant with his Purse to keep: We have not a richer Jewel to trust God with than our Souls; nor God hath not a richer Jewel to trust us with than his Truth: Truth is a Beam that shines from God, much of his Glory lies in his Truth; now when we are Advocates for Truth, this is to glorify God, so Athanasius, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the Bulwark of Truth, Jud. 3. That ye should contend earnestly for the faith ; viz. the Doctrine of Faith. The Greek word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , to contend, signifies a great contending, as one would contend for his Land, and not suffer his Right to be taken from him; so we should contend for the Truth: Were there more of this Holy Contention, God would have more Glory. Some can contend earnestly for Trifles and Ceremonies, but not for the Truth: we should count him indiscreet that should contend more for a Picture then for his Land of Inheritance, a Box of Counters, then for his Box of Evidences.

11. We glorify God by praising of him; Doxology or Praise is a God-exalting Work, Psal. 50.23. Whoso offers praise glorifies me. The Hebrew word Bara to create, and Barak to praise, are little different, because the End of Creation is to Praise God: David was called the sweet Singer of Israel, and his praising God was called a glorifying of God, Psal. 86.12. I will praise thee, O Lord my God, and I will glorify thy name. Though nothing can add to God's essential Glory, yet Praise exalts him in the eyes of others: when we praise God we spread his Fame and Renown, we display the Trophies of his Excellency: In this manner the Angels glorify God, they are the Queristers of Heaven, and do trumpet forth God's Praise; and praising of God is one of the highest and purest Acts of Religion; in Prayer we act like Men, in Praise we act like Angels; this is an high degree of glorifying God. Believers are called Temples of God, 1 Cor. 3.16. when our Tongues praise God, then the Organs in God's Spiritual Temple are going. How sad is it that God hath no more of his Glory from us this way. Many are full of Murmurings and Discontents, but seldom do they bring Glory to God by giving him the Praise due to his Name. We read of the Saints having Harps in their hand, Rev. 5.8. the Emblem of Praise: Many have Tears in their eyes, and Complaints in their mouth, but few have Harps in their hand, blessing and glorifying of God; let us Honor God this way. Praise is the Quit-rent we pay to God; while God renews our Lease, we must renew our Rent.

12. We glorify God by being zealous for his Name, Numb. 25.11. Phinehas hath turned my wrath away, while he was zealous for my sake. Zeal is a mixed Affection, a Compound of Love and Anger; it carries forth our Love to God, and Anger against Sin in a most intense manner: Zeal is impatient of God's Dishonor; a Christian fired with Zeal takes a Dishonor done to God worse then an Injury done to himself: Rev. 2.2. Thou canst not bear them that are evil. Our Savior Christ did thus glorify his Father; he being baptized with a Spirit of Zeal, drove the Money-changers out of the Temple, Job. 2.14 and 17. The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.

13. We glorify God when we have an eye at God, both in our Natural and in our Civil Actions: 1. In our Natural Actions, in eating and drinking, 1 Cor. 10.31. Whether therefore ye eat or drink, do all to the glory of God. A gracious Person holds the Golden Bridle of Temperance, he takes his Meat as a Medicine to heal the Decays of Nature, and that he may be the fitter by the strength he receives for the Service of God; he makes his Food not Fuel for Lust, but Help to Duty. 2. In buying and selling, we do all to the Glory of God; the Wicked live upon unjust Gain, either by falsifying the Ballance, Hos. 12.7. The balances of deceit are in his hand: While Men make their Weights lighter, they make their Sins heavier, or by exacting more then the Commodity is worth, they do not for fourscore write down fifty, but for fifty fourscore; they exact double the Price that a thing is worth. But then we buy and sell to the Glory of God, when in our buying and selling we observe that Golden Maxim, To do to others as we would have them do to us, Matth. 7.12. When we so sell our Commodities that we do not sell our Conscience: Acts 24.16. Herein do I exercise myself to have always a conscience void of offense towards God, and toward men. This is to glorify God, when we have an eye at God in all our Civil and Natural Actions, and will do nothing that may reflect any Blemish on Religion.

14. We glorify God by laboring to draw others to God; we convert others, and so make them Instruments of glorifying God. We should be both Diamonds and Loadstones, Diamonds for the Luster of Grace, and Loadstones for our attractive Virtue in drawing others to Christ: Gal. 4.19. My little children, of whom I travel, &c. This is a great way of glorifying God, when we break the Devil's Prison, and turn Men from the Power of Satan to God.

15. We glorify God in an high manner when we suffer for God, and Seal the Gospel with our Blood: Joh. 21.18, 19. When thou shalt be old, another shall gird thee and carry thee whither thou wouldst not: This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. God's Glory shines in the Ashes of his Martyrs, Isa. 24.15. Wherefore glorify the Lord in the fires. Micaiah was in the Prison, Isaiah sawn asunder, Paul beheaded, Luke hanged on an Olive-tree, thus did they by their Death glorify God. The Sufferings of the Primitive Saints did Honor God, and make the Gospel famous in the World: What would others say, See what a good Master they serve, and how they love him, that they will venture loss of all in his Service. The Glory of Christ's Kingdom doth not stand in Worldly Pomp and Grandeur, as other Kings, but it is seen in the cheerful Sufferings of his People; The Saints of old loved not their lives to the Death, Rev. 12.11. They snatched up Torments as so many Crowns. God grant we may thus glorify him, if he calls us to it: many pray, Let this cup pass away, but not, Thy will be done.

16. We glorify God when we give God the Glory of all we do: Herod when he had made an Oration, and the People gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a God, and not of a Man ; and he took this Glory to himself, the Text saith, Immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory; and he was eaten of worms, Acts 12.23. Then we glorify God when we sacrifice the Praise and Glory of all to God, 1 Cor. 15.10. I labor more abundantly then they all. A Speech one would think savoured of Pride; but the Apostle pulls the Crown from his own Head and sets it upon the Head of Free-grace, Yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. As Joab when he fought against Rabbah, sent for King David that he might carry away the Crown of the Victory, 2 Sam. 12.28. so a Christian when he hath gotten power over any Corruption or Tentation, sends for Christ that he may carry away the Crown of the Victory: as the Silk-worm when she weaves her curious Work, she hides herself under the Silk, and is not seen; so when we have done anything Praise-worthy, we must hide ourselves under the Vail of Humility, and transfer the Glory of all we have to done God. Constantine did use to write the Name of Christ over his Door; so should we write the Name of Christ over our Duties; let him wear the Garland of Praise.

17. We glorify God by an holy Life: Christianorum religio ha • c sine macula vivere lactant ; As a bad Life doth dishonor God, 1 Pet. 2.9. Ye are an holy nation, that ye should show forth the praises of him that hath called you. Rom. 2.24. The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you. Epiphanius saith,

So by our exact Bible-conversation we glorify God; though the main Work of Religion lies in the Heart, yet our light must so shine, that others may behold it; the chief of Building is in Foundation, yet the Glory of it is in Frontis-piece, so Beauty in the Conversation: When the Saints who are called Jewels, cast a sparkling Luster of Holiness in the Eyes of the World; when they walk as Christ walked, 1 John. 2.6. when they live as if they had seen the Lord with bodily Eyes, and been with him upon the Mount; then they adorn Religion, and bring Revenues of Glory to the Crown of Heaven.

Use 1. It shows us what should not be our chief End, not to get great Estates, not to lay up Treasures upon Earth: This is the Degeneracy of Mankind since the Fall, their great Design is to compass the Earth, and grow Rich, and this they make their Finis ultimus, their chief End: Cassa & caduca pluris faciunt quam coelestia Cavidro: These never think of glorifying God, they trade for the World, but are not Factors for Heaven: Eccles. 9.3. Madness is in their heart while they live ; sometimes they never arrive at an Estate, they do not get the Venison they hunt for; or though they do, what have they? that which will not fill the Heart no more then the Mariner's Breath will fix the Sails of a Ship; like a fair Picture drawn on the Ice, and to spend all one's time as Israel in gathering Straw, but remember not the End of living to glorify God: Eccles. 5.16. What profit hath he that labored for the wind? And these things are soon gone.

Use 2. It reproves such, 1. as bring no Glory to God: They do not answer the End of their Creation, their time is not true lived, but time lost; they are like the Wood of the Vine, Ezek. 15.2. Their Lives are as St. Bernard speaks, Aut peccatum aut sterilitas ; Either Sinfulness or Barrenness. Telluris inutile pondus: —God will one day ask such a question as King Ahasuerus did, Esther 6.3. What honor and dignity hath been done to Mordicai? So will the Lord say, What honor hath been done to me? What Revenues of Glory have you brought into my Exchequer? There is none here present, but God hath put you in some Capacity of glorifying him; the Health he hath given you, the Parts, Estate, Seasons of Grace, these all are Opportunities put into your hand to glorify him; and be assured God will call you to account to know what you have done with the Mercies he hath entrusted you with, and what Glory you have brought to him: The Parable of the Talents, Matth. 25.15. where the Man with the five Talents, and the two Talents are brought to a Reckoning, doth evidently show that God will call you to a strict Account to know how you have traded with your Talents, and what Glory you have brought to him. Now how sad will it be with them that hide their talent in a napkin, that bring God no Glory at all; Verse 30. Cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness. It is not enough for you to say, that you have not dishonored God, you have not lived in gross Sin; but what Good have you done, what Glory have you brought to God? It is not enough for the Servant of the Vineyard, that he doth no hurt in the Vineyard, he doth not break the Trees, or destroy the Hedges, if he doth not do service in the Vineyard, he looseth his Pay: If you do not good in your Place, not glorify God, you will lose your Pay, miss of Salvation. Oh think of this all you that live Unserviceably! Christ cursed the barren Fig-tree.

2. It reproves such as are so far from bringing Glory to God, that they rob God of his Glory, Mal. 3.8. Will a man rob God, yet ye have robbed me. They rob God who take the Glory due to God to themselves, 1. If they have gotten an Estate, they ascribe all to their own Wit and Industry, they set the Crown upon their own Head, not considering that, Deut. 8.18. Thou shalt remember the Lord thy God, for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth. 2. If they do any Duty of Religion, they look asquint to their own Glory, Matth. 6.5. That they may be seen of men ; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , That they may be set upon a Theatre, that others may admire and canonize them. The Oil of Vain-glory feeds their Lamp: how many hath the Wind of Popular Breath blown to Hell? Quos non gula 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 superavit, Cyprian. Whom the Devil could not destroy by Intemperance, he hath by Vain-glory.

3. It reproves them who fight against God's Glory: Acts 5.39. Lest ye be found to fight against God.

Quest. But who do fight against God's Glory?

Resp. Such as do oppose that whereby God's Glory is promoted. God's Glory is much promoted in the preaching of the Word, because it is his Engine whereby he converts Souls. Now, such as would hinder the preaching of the Word, these fight against God's Glory: 1 Thess. 2.16. Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles, that they might be saved. Dioclesian who raised the tenth Persecution against the Christians, did prohibit Church-meetings, and would have the Temples of the Christians to be razed down. Such as hinder Preaching, do as the Philistines that stopped the Wells, they stop the Well of the Water of Life; they take away the Physicians that should heal Sin-sick Souls: Ministers are Lights, Matth. 5.14. and who but Thieves hate the Light? These Persons do directly strike at God's Glory; and what an Account will they have to give to God, when he shall charge the Blood of Men's Souls upon them: Luke 11.52. Ye have taken away the key of knowledge; ye entered not in yourselves, and they that were entering in ye hindered. If there be either Justice in Heaven, or Fire in Hell, they shall not go unpunished.

Use 4. Exhortation: Let us everyone in our place make this our chief End and Design, to glorify God: 1. Let me speak to Magistrates; God hath put much Glory upon them, Psal. 82.6. I have said ye are gods ; And will not they glorify him whom he hath put so much Glory upon? Magistrates should be zealous for God's Worship and Day, they should not let the Sword rust in the Scabbard, but draw it out for the cutting down of Sin. 2. Ministers, how should they study to promote God's Glory; God hath entrusted them with two the most precious Things, his Truths and the Souls of his People. Ministers are by virtue of their Office to glorify God: 1. They must glorify God by laboring in the Word and Doctrine, 2 Tim. 4.1. I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead: Preach the word, be instant in season, out of season, &c. It was St. Augustine 's Wish,

2. Ministers must glorify God by their Zeal and Sanctity: The Priests under the Law, before they served at the Altar, did wash in the Lavor. Such as serve in the Lord's House, must first be washed from gross Sin in the Lavor of Repentance. 'It is matter of Grief and Shame, to think how many who call themselves Ministers, do instead of apparently bringing Glory to God, Dishonor God; their Lives as well as Doctrines are Heterodox, they are not free from the Sins which they reprove in others. Plutarch 's Servant upbraided him, It is not as my Master Plutarch saith, he hath written a Book against Wrath, Anger, Et ipse mihi irascitur, yet he falls into a Passion of Anger with me. So this Minister preacheth against Drunkenness, yet he will be drunk, he preacheth against Swearing, yet he will swear; this reproacheth God, and makes the Offering of the Lord to be abhorred. 3. Masters of Families do you glorify God, season your Children and Servants with the Knowledge of the Lord, your Houses should be little Churches: Gen. 18.19. I know that Abraham will command his children, that they keep the way of the Lord. You that are Masters, know you have a Charge of Souls under you; for want of the Bridle of Family-discipline Youth runs wild: Well, let me lay down some Motives to glorify God:

1 Motive, It will be a great Comfort in a dying hour, to think we have glorified God in our Lives; it was Christ's Comfort before his Death, John. 17.3. I have glorified thee on earth. At the hour of Death all your earthly Comforts will vanish, if you think how Rich you have been, what Pleasures you have had on Earth, this will be so far from comforting you, that it will but torment you the more: What is one the better for an Estate that is spent? But now to have Conscience telling you, that you have glorified God on Earth, what sweet Comfort and Peace will this let into your Soul! how will this make you long for Death! The Servant that hath been all day working in the Vineyard, longs till Evening comes when he shall receive his Pay. They who have lived and brought no Glory to God, how can they think of dying with Comfort; they cannot expect an Harvest that never sowed any Seed: How can they expect Glory from God, that never brought any Glory to him? O in what Horrour will they be at Death! the Worm of Conscience will gnaw their Souls, before the Worms are gnawing their Bodies.

2 Mot. If we glorify God, he will glorify our Souls forever; by raising God's Glory we increase our own; by glorifying of God we come at last to the blessed Enjoying of Him, and that brings me to the second, The Enjoying of God.

Secondly, Man's chief End is to Enjoy God forever, Psal. 73.25. Whom have I in heaven but thee? Quasi, What is there in Heaven I desire to enjoy but thee? Ibi Angeli musculus, There is a twofold Fruition, or enjoying of God; the one is in this Life, the other in the Life to come:

1st, An enjoying of God here in this Life: The enjoying of God's Presence; it is a great matter to enjoy God's Ordinances, (a Mercy that some do envy us) but to enjoy God's Presence in the Ordinances, is that which a gracious Heart aspires after, Psal. 63.2. To see thy glory so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary. This sweet enjoying of God is, when we feel his Spirit co-operating with the Ordinance, and distilling Grace upon our Hearts: 1. When in word the Spirit doth quicken and raise the Affections, Luke 24.32. Did not our hearts burn within us? 2. When the Spirit doth transform the Heart, leaving an impress of Holiness upon it, 2 Cor. 3.8. We are changed into the same Image, from glory to glory. 3. When the Spirit doth receive the Heart with Comfort, it comes not only with its Anointing, but its Seal, it sheds God's Love abroad in the Heart, Rom. 5.5. this is to enjoy God in an Ordinance. 1 Joh. 1.3. Our fellowship is with the Father and his son Jesus. In the Word we hear God's Voice, and in the Sacrament we have his Kiss; this is enjoying of God: And what infinite Content doth a gracious Soul find in this? The Heart being warmed and inflamed in a Duty, this is God's answering by Fire. When a Christian hath the sweet Illapses of God's Spirit, these are the first Fruits of Glory, when God comes down to the Soul in an Ordinance: Now Christ hath pulled off his Veil, and showed his smiling Face, now he hath led a Believer into the Banqueting-house, and given him of the spiced Wine of his Love to drink; he hath put in his Finger at the hole of the Door, he hath touched the Heart, and made it leap for Joy: Oh how sweet is it thus to enjoy God! The Godly have in the use of the Ordinances, had such Divine Raptures of Joy and Soul-transfigurations, that they have been carried above the World, and despised all things here below.

Use 1. Is the enjoying God in this Life so sweet, how prodigiously wicked are they that prefer the enjoying their Lusts before the enjoying of God, 2 Pet. 3.3. The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, the pride of life, is the Trinity they worship: Lust is an inordinate Desire or Impulse provoking the Soul to that which is evil; there is the revengeful Lust, and the wanton Lust; Lust is like a feverish Heat, it puts the Soul into a Flame. Aristotle calls sensual Lusts brutish, because when any Lust is violent, Reason or Conscience cannot be heard, the Beast rides the Man. These Lusts when they are enjoyed do besot and dispirit Persons, Hos. 4.11. Whoredom and wine take away the heart: They have no heart for anything that is good; how many make it their chief end, not to enjoy God, but to enjoy their Lusts? As that Cardinal said,

Lust first bewitcheth with Pleasure, and then comes the fatal Dart, Prov. 7.23. Till a dart strike through his liver. This should be as a flaming Sword to stop Men in the way of their carnal Delights; who would for a Drop of Pleasure drink a Sea of Wrath?

Use 2. Let it be our great Care to enjoy God's sweet Presence here, which is the Beauty and Comfort of the Ordinance. Enjoying spiritual Communion with God, is a Riddle and Mystery to most People: everyone that hangs about the Court doth not speak with the King. We may approach to God in Ordinances, and as it were hang about the Court of Heaven, yet not enjoy Communion with God; we may have the Letter without Spirit, the visible Sign without the invisible Grace: it is the enjoying of God in a Duty we should chiefly look at, Psal. 42.2. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God. Alas, what are all our worldly Enjoyments without the enjoying of God? What is it to enjoy a great deal of Health, a brave Estate, and not to enjoy God: Job 30.28. I went mourning without the sun. So mayest thou say in the Enjoyment of all Creatures without God, I went mourning without the sun ; I have the Star-light of outward Enjoyments, but I cannot enjoy God, I want the Sun of Righteousness, I went mourning without the sun. This should be our great Design, not only to have the Ordinances of God, but the God of the Ordinances. The enjoying God's sweet Presence with us here, is the most contented Life: he is an Hive of Sweetness, a Magazine of Riches, a Fountain of Delight, Psal. 36.8, 9. The higher the Lark flies the sweeter it sings: and the higher we fly by the Wing of Faith, the more of God we enjoy, the sweeter Delight we feel in our Souls: How is the Heart inflamed in Prayer and Meditation, what Joy and Peace in believing? Is it not comfortable being in Heaven? He that enjoys much of God in this Life, carries Heaven about him: O let this be the thing we are chiefly ambitious of, the enjoying of God in his Ordinances: remember, the enjoying God's sweet Presence here, is an Earnest of our enjoying him in Heaven:—and that brings me to the second thing, which is,

2d, The enjoying God in the Life to come: Man's chief end is to enjoy God forever; before this plenary Fruition of God in Heaven, there must be something previous and antecedent, and that is, our being in a State of Grace: We must have Conformity to him in Grace, before we can have Communion with him in Glory. Grace and Glory are inter se connexae, linked and chained together; Grace precedes Glory, as the Morning-star ushers in the Sun. God will have us qualified and fitted for a state of Blessedness: Drunkards and Swearers are not fit to enjoy God in Glory, the Lord will not lay such Vipers in his Bosom; only the pure in heart shall see God: We must first be as the King's Daughter, glorious within, before we are clothed with the Robes of Glory: as King Ahasuerus first caused the Virgins to be purified and anointed, and they had their sweet Odours to perfume them, and then they were to stand before the King, Esth. 2.12. so must we, we must have the anointing of God, and be perfumed with the Graces of Spirit, those sweet Odours, and then we shall stand before the King of Heaven: now, being thus divinely qualified by Grace, we shall be taken up into the Mount of Vision, and enjoy God forever. This enjoying God forever, is nothing else but to be put into a State of Happiness. As the Body cannot have Life, but by having Communion with the Soul, so the Soul cannot have Blessedness, but by having immediate Communion with God. God is the Summum Bonum, the Chief Good ; therefore the enjoying of him is the highest Felicity. He is, I say, the Chief Good.

1. He is an Universal Good; Bonum in quo omnia Bona. The Excellencies of the Creature are limited. A Man may have Health, not Beauty; Learning, not Parentage; Riches, not Wisdom: But in God are eminently contained all Excellencies: He is a Good commensurate fully to the Soul; he is a Sun, a Portion, an Horn of Salvation; in him dwells 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 all Fulness, Col. 1.19. 2. God is an Unmixed Good : No Condition in this Life but hath its mixture; for every drop of Honey, there is a drop of Gall. Solomon, who gave himself to find out this Philosopher's Stone▪ to search out for an Happiness here below, he found Vanity and Vexation, Eccles. 1.2. but God is a perfect, quintessential Good. He is sweetness in the Flower. 3. God is a Satisfying Good. The Soul cries out, I have enough. Psal. 17.15. I shall be satisfied with thy likeness ; A Man that is thirsty, bring him to the Ocean, and he hath enough. If there be enough in God to satisfy the Angels, then sure enough to satisfy us. The Soul is but Finite, but God is an increase Infinite Good. And yet though God be such a Good as doth satisfy, yet not surfeit. Fresh Joys spring continually from God's Face; and God is as much desired after Millions of Years by Glorified Souls, as at the first moment. There is so much Fulness in God as satisfies, yet so much Sweetness that the Soul still desires; it is Satisfaction without Surfeit. 4. God is a delicious Good. That which is the chief Good must ravish the Soul with pleasure ; there must be in it Spirits of Delight, and Quintessence of Joy; and this is to be enjoyed only in God. In Deo quadam dulcedine delectatur anima immo rapitur ; the Love of God drops such infinite suavity into the Soul as is unspeakable and full of glory. If there be so much delight in God, when we see him only by Faith, 1 Pet. 1.8. what will the joy of Vision be when we shall see him face to face? If the Saints have found so much delight in God while they were Suffering, O then what Joy and Delight will they have when they are Crowning? If Flames are Beds of Roses, O then what will it be to lean on the Bosom of Jesus, what a Bed of Roses will that be? 5. God is a Superlative Good. He is better then anything you can put in competition with him; he is better then Health, Riches, Honor. Other things maintain Life, he gives Life. But who would go to put anything in Ballance with the Deity? who would weigh a Feather with a Mountain of Gold? God excels all other things more infinitely then the Sun the light of a Taper. 6. God is an Eternal Good. He is the ancient of Days, Dan. 7.9. yet never decays, or waxes old. The Joy he gives is eternal, the Crown he gives fadeth not away, 1 Pet. 5.4. The glorified Soul shall be ever solacing itself in God; it shall be feasting on his Love, and sunning itself in the light of his Countenance. We read of the River of Pleasure at God's right hand, but will not this in time be dried up? No, there's a Fountain at the bottom which feeds it, Psal. 36.9. With the Lord is the fountain of life. Thus God is the Chief Good, and the enjoying God forever is the Supreme Felicity the Soul is capable of.

1. Use of Exhortation. Let it be the chief end of our living to enjoy this Chief Good hereafter; this is that will crown us with Happiness. Austin reckons up two hundred eighty eight Opinions among the Philosophers about Happiness, but all did shoot short of the Mark. The highest Elevation of a reasonable Soul, is to enjoy God forever. It is the enjoying God, makes Heaven, 1 Thess. 4.17. Then shall we ever be with the Lord. The Soul trembles, as the Needle in the Compass, and is never at rest till it comes to God. To set out this excellent State of a Glorified Soul's enjoying God; 1. This enjoying of God must not be understood in a Sensual Manner; we must not conceive any Carnal Pleasures in Heaven. The Turks in their Alcoran speak of a Paradise of Pleasure, where they have Riches in abundance, and red Wine served in Golden Chalices. Here is an Heaven consisting of Pleasures for the Body; the Epicures of this Age would like such an Heaven when they die. Though indeed the State of Glory be compared to a Feast, and is set out by Pearls and precious Stones, yet these Metaphors are only to be Helps to our Faith, and to show us that there is Superabundant Joy and Felicity in the Empyraean Heaven; but those are not carnal, but sacred Delights. As our Employments shall be spiritual, it will consist in Adoring and Praising of God: so our Enjoyment shall be spiritual, it shall consist in the having the Perfection of Holiness, in seeing the pure Face of Christ, in feeling the Love of God, in conversing with Heavenly Spirits; these Delights will be more adequate and proper for the Soul, and infinitely exceed all carnal voluptuous Delights. 2. We shall have a Lively Sence of this glorious Estate. A Man in a Lethargy, though he be alive, yet he is as good as dead, because he is not sensible, nor doth he take any pleasure in his Life; we shall have a quick and lively sense of the infinite Pleasure which ariseth from Enjoyment of God; we shall know ourselves to be happy; we shall reflect with joy upon our Dignity and Felicity; we shall taste every Crumb of that Sweetness, every Drop of that Pleasure which flows from God. We shall be made able to bear a sight of that Glory. We could not now bear that Glory, it would overwhelm us; sensibile forte destruit sensum, as a weak Eye cannot behold the Sun; but God will capacitate us for Glory; our Souls shall be so heavenly, and perfected with holiness, that they may be able to enjoy the blessed Vision of God. Moses in a Clift of the Rock saw the Glory of God passing by, Exod. 33.22. Through that blessed Rock Christ, we shall behold the Beatifical sight of God. 4. This Enjoyment of God shall be more then a bare Contemplation of him. Some of the Learned move the Question, Whether the Enjoyment of God shall be only by way of Contemplation? Answ. That is something, but it is but one half of Heaven; there shall be a Loving of God, an Acquiescence in him, a Tasting his Sweetness; not only Inspection, but Possession, Joh. 17.24. That they may behold my Glory ; there is Inspection: Vers. 22. And the Glory thou hast given me, I have given them ; there's Possession. Glory shall be revealed in us, Rom. 8.18. not only revealed to us, but in us. To behold God's Glory, there is Glory revealed to us; but to partake of his Glory, there is Glory revealed in us. As the Spunge sucks in the Wine, so we shall suck in Glory. 5. There's no Intermission in this State of Glory. We shall not only have God's glorious Presence at certain special Seasons, but we shall be continually in his Presence; continually under Divine Raptures of Joy. There shall not be one Minute in Heaven, wherein a glorified Soul may say, I do not enjoy Happiness. The Streams of Glory are not like the Water of a Conduit, often stopped, that we cannot have one drop of Water; but those heavenly Streams of Joy are continually running. O how should we despise this Valley of Tears where we now are, for the Mount of Transfiguration! How should we long for the full Enjoyment of God in Paradise! Had we a sight of that Land of Promise, we should need Patience to be content to live here any longer.

2. Let this be a Spur to Duty. How diligent and zealous should we be in glorifying God, that we come at last to enjoy him. If Tully, Demosthenes, Plato, who had but the dim Watch-light of Reason to see by, and did but fancy an Elizium and Happiness after this Life, did take such Herculean Pains to enjoy it, O then, how should Christians, who have the Light of Scripture to see by, bestir themselves, that they may arrive at the Eternal Fruition of God and Glory. If anything may make us rise off our Bed of Sloth, and serve God with all our might, it should be this, the hope of our full Enjoyment of God forever. What made Paul so active in the Sphere of Religion, 1 Cor. 15.10. I labored 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 more abdundantly then they all. His Obedience did not move slow, as the Sun on the Dial, but swift as the Sun in the Firmament. Why was he so zealous in glorifying God, but that he might at last center and terminate in him? 1 Thess. 4.17. Then shall we be ever with the Lord.

3. Use of Consolation. Let this comfort the Godly in all the present Miseries they feel. Thou complainest (Christian) thou dost not enjoy thyself, Fears disquiet thee, Wants perplex thee; in the Day thou canst not enjoy Ease, in the Night thou canst not enjoy Sleep. Thou dost not enjoy the Comforts of thy Life, let this revive thee, that shortly thou shalt enjoy God, and then thou shalt have more then thou canst ask or think; Thou shalt have Angels Joy, Glory without Intermission and Expiration. We shall never enjoy ourselves fully, till we enjoy God Eternally.

Of the SCRIPTURES.

Quest. II. WHat Rule hath God given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him?

Answ. The Word of God (which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament) is the only Rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him.

2 Tim. 3.16. All Scripture is given by Inspiration of God, &c. By Scripture is understood the Sacred Book of God.—It is given by Divine Inspiration; that is, the Scripture is not the Contrivance of Man's Brain, but of a Divine Original. The Image of Diana was had in Veneration by the Ephesians, because they did suppose it fell from Jupiter, Acts 19.35. This Book then of the Holy Scripture is to be highly reverenced and esteemed, because we are sure it came from Heaven, 2 Pet. 1.21. The two Testaments are the two Lips by which God hath spoken to us.

Quest. How doth it appear that the Scriptures have a Jus Divinum, a Divine Authority stamped upon them?

Answ. Because the Old and New Testament are the Foundation of all Religion. If their Divinity cannot be proved, the Foundation is gone on which we build our Faith. I shall therefore endeavor to evince this great Truth, That the Scriptures are the very Word of God. I wonder whence the Scripture should come, if not from God. 1. Bad Men could not be the Authors of Scripture: would their Minds be employed in indighting such holy Lines? would they declare so fiercely against Sin? 2. Good Men could not be the Authors of Scripture. Could they write in such a strain? or could it stand with their Grace to Counterfeit God's Name, and put, Thus saith the Lord, to a Book of their own devising? 3. Nor could any Angel in Heaven be the Author of Scripture. Because 1. the Angels pry and search into the Abyss of Gospel Mysteries, 1 Pet. 1.12. which implies their nescience of some parts of Scripture; and sure they cannot be Authors of that Book which themselves do not fully understand▪ besides 2. what Angel in Heaven durst be so Arrogant as to Personate God, and say, I create, Isa. 65.17. and I the Lord have said it, Numb. 14.35. So that it is evident, The Pedigree of Scripture is Sacred, and it could come from none but God himself.

Not to speak of the Harmonious Consent of all the Parts of Scripture, there are Seven cogent Arguments may Evince it to be the Word of God.

1. By its Antiquity: It is of ancient standing. The gray Hairs of Scripture make it Venerable. No Human Histories extant reach further then since Noah 's Flood; but the Holy Scripture relates Matters of Fact that have been from the beginning of the World; it writes of things before Time. Now that is a sure Rule of Tertullian, That which is of the greatest Antiquity , is to be received as most Sacred and Authentic.

2. We may know the Scripture to be the Word of God by the Miraculous Preservation of it in all Ages. The Holy Scriptures are the richest Jewel that Christ hath left; and the Church of God hath kept these Public Records of Heaven that they have not been lost. The Word of God hath never wanted Enemies to oppose, and if possible to extirpate it. They have given out a Law concerning Scripture, as Pharaoh did the Midwives concerning the Hebrew Womens Children, to strangle it in the Birth, yet God hath preserved this blessed Book inviolable to this Day. The Devil and his Agents have been blowing at Scripture-Light, but could never prevail to blow it out; a clear sign that it was lighted from Heaven .—Nor hath the Church of God in all Revolutions and Changes only kept the Scripture that it should not be lost, but that it should not be depraved. The Letter of Scripture hath been preserved without any Corruption in the Original Tongue. The Scriptures were not corrupted before Christ's Time, for then Christ would never have sent the Jews to the Scriptures; but he sends them to the Scriptures, John 5.39. Search the Scriptures. Christ knew these Sacred Springs were not muddied with Human Fancies.

3. The Scripture appears to be the Word of God, by the Matter contained in it. 1. By its Profundity. The Mystery of Scripture is so abstruse and profound, that no Man or Angel could have known it, had it not been Divinely revealed. That Eternity should be born, that he who Thunders in the Heavens, should cry in the Cradle, that he who Rules the Stars should Suck the Breasts ; That the Prince of Life should die, that the Lord of Glory should be put to shame, that Sin should be punished to the full, yet pardoned to the full, who could ever have conceived of such a Mystery, had not the Scripture been the Oracle to reveal it to us? So for the Doctrine of the Resurrection, That the same Body which is crumbled into a thousand pieces, should rise idem numero, the same individual Body (for else it were a Creation, not a Resurrection) how could such a Sacred Riddle, above all Human disquisition, be known, had not the Scripture made a Discovery of it? 2. By its Purity. It is for the Matter of it so full of Goodness, Justice, and Sanctity, that it could be breathed from none but God: The Holiness of it shows it to be of God, it bears his very Image. The Scripture is compared to Silver refined seven times, Psal. 12.6. This Book of God hath no Errata's in it: It is a Beam of the Sun of Righteousness, a Crystal Stream flowing from the Fountain of Life. All Laws and Edicts of Men have had their Corruptions, but the Word of God hath not the least Tincture, it is of a Meridian Splendour. Psal. 119.140. Thy Word is very pure, like wine that comes from the grape, which is not mixed or adulterated. It is so pure, that it purifies everything else. John 17.17. Sanctify them through thy truth. The Scripture presseth Holiness so as never any Book did: It bids us live soberly, righteously, godly, Titus 2.12. Soberly, in Acts of Temperance; Righteously, in Acts of Justice; Godly, in Acts of Zeal and Devotion. It commends to us whatever is just, lovely, of good report, Phil. 4.8. This Sword of the Spirit (Eph. 6.17.) cuts down Vice. Out of this Tower of Scripture is thrown down a Milstone upon the Head of Sin. The Scripture is the Royal Law, which commands not only the Actions, but Affections; it binds the Heart to its good Behaviour. Where is there such Holiness to be found, as is digged out of this Sacred Mine? Who could be the Author of such a Book, but God himself?

4. That the Scripture is the Word of God, is evident by its Predictions; it Prophesieth of things to come. This shows the Voice of God speaking in it; it was foretold by the Prophet, A Virgin shall conceive, Isa. 7.14. and the Messiah shall be cut off, Dan. 9.26. The Scripture foretells things that should fall out many Ages and Centuries after; as how long Israel should serve in the Iron Furnace, and the very day of their Deliverance: Exod. 12.41. At the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the self same day, it came to pass, the Hosts of the Lord went out of Egypt. This Prediction of Future Things, merely contingent, and not depending upon Natural Causes, is a clear Demonstration of its Divine Original.

5. The Impartiality of those Men of God who wrote the Scriptures; they do not spare to set down their own Failings. What Man that writes an History would black his own face, viz. record those things of himself that might stain his Reputation? Moses records his own Impatience when he struck the Rock, and tells us therefore he could not enter into the Land of Promise. David writes of his own Adultery and Bloodshed, which stands as a Blot in his Scutchion to succeeding Ages. Peter relates his own Pusillanimity in denying Christ. Jonah sets down his own Passions, I do well to be angry to the death. Surely had not their Pen been guided by God's own Hand, they would never have written that which did reflect dishonor upon themselves. Men do usually rather hide their Blemishes, then publish them to the World: But these Pen-men of Holy Scripture eclipse their own Name; they take away all the Glory from themselves, and give the Glory, to God.

6 Arg. The mighty power and efficacy the Word hath had upon the Souls and Consciences of Men. 1. It hath changed their heart. 1. Some by reading of Scripture have been turned into other Men, they have been made holy and gracious. By reading other Books the Heart may be warmed, but by reading this Book it is transformed. 2 Cor. 3.3. Ye are manifestly declared to be the Epistle of Christ, written not with Ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. The Word was copied out into their Hearts, and they were become Christ's Epistle, so that others might read Christ in them. If you should set a Seal upon Marble, and it should make an Impression upon the Marble, and leave a Print behind, there were a strange Virtue in that Seal: So when the Seal of the Word leaves an heavenly print of Grace upon the Heart, there must needs be a Power going along with that Word no less than Divine. 2. It hath comforted their Heart. When Christians have sat by the Rivers weeping, the Word hath dropped as Honey, and sweetly revived them. A Christians chief Comfort is drawn out of these Wells of Salvation; Rom. 15.4. That we through Comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. When a poor Soul hath been ready to faint, he hath had nothing to Comfort him but a Scripture Cordial. When he hath been sick, the Word hath revived him; 2 Cor. 4.17. Our light affliction which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. When he hath been deserted, the Word hath dropped in the golden Oil of Joy into his Heart; Cant. 3.31. The Lord will not cast off forever. He may change his Providence, not his Purpose: he may have the Look of an Enemy, but the Heart of a Father. Thus the Word hath a Power in it to comfort the heart; Psal. 119.50. This is my comfort in my affliction, for thy Word hath quickened me. As the Spirits are conveyed through the Arteries of the Body: So Divine Comforts are conveyed through the Promises of the Word. Now the Scriptures having such an exhilarating Heart-comforting Power in them, it shows clearly that they are of God, and it is he that hath put this Milk of Consolation into these Breasts.

7. The great Miracles wherewith the Lord hath confirmed Scripture. Miracles were used by Moses, Elijah, Christ, and continued many years after by the Apostles, to confirm the verity of the Holy Scriptures. As Props are set under weak Vines, so these Miracles were set under the weak Faith of Men, that if they would not believe the Writings of the Word, yet they might believe the Miracles. We read of God's dividing the Waters, making a Cawsey in the Sea for his People to go over, the Iron swimming, the Oil increasing by pouring out, Christ's making Wine of Water, his curing the Blind, and raising the Dead: Thus God hath set Seal to the Truth and Divinity of Scripture by Miracles.

Object. The Papists indeed cannot deny but that the Scripture is Divine and Sacred, but they affirm that quoad nos, with respect to us, it receives its Divine Authority from the Church; and they bring that Scripture 1 Tim. 3.15. where the Church is said to be the Ground and Pillar of Truth.

Answ. It is true the Church is the Pillar of Truth, but it doth not therefore follow that the Scripture hath its Authority from the Church. The King's Proclamation is fixed on the Pillar, the Pillar holds it out that all may read, but the Proclamation doth not receive its Authority from the Pillar but from the King: So the Church holds forth the Scriptures, but they do not receive their Authority from the Church, but from God. If the Word of God should be Divine because the Church holds it forth, then it will follow that our Faith is to be built upon the Church, and not upon the Word; contrary to that Eph. 2.20. Built upon the Foundation (that is, the Doctrine) of the Apostles and Prophets.

Quest. Are all the Books in the Bible of the same Divine Authority?

Answ. Those which we call Canonical.

Quest. Why are the Scriptures called Canonical?

Answ. Because the Word is a Rule of Faith, a Canon to direct our Lives. The Word is the Judge of Controversies, the Rock of Infallibility; that only is to be received for Truth, which is consonant to, and agrees with Scripture, as the Transcript with the Original. All Maxims in Divinity are to be brought to the Touchstone of Scripture, as all Measures are brought to the Standard.

Quest. Are the Scriptures a complete Rule?

Answ. The Scripture is a full and perfect Canon, containing in it all things necessary to Salvation: 2 Tim. 3.15. Thou hast from a Child known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise to salvation. It shows the credenda, what we are to believe, and agenda, what we are to practice. It gives us an exact Model of Religion, and perfectly Instructs us in the deep Things of God. The Papists therefore make themselves guilty, who go to seek out Scripture with their Traditions, which they equalize it: The Council of Trent saith, That the Traditions of the Church of Rome are to be received pari pietatis affectu, with the same Devotion that Scripture is to be received with: So bring themselves under that Curse Rev. 22.18. If any Man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this Book.

Quest. What is the main Scope and End of Scripture?

Answ. To Chalk out a Way to Salvation: It makes a clear Discovery of Christ. John 20.31. These things are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, and that believing ye might have Life through his Name. The Design of the Word is to be an Examen whereby our Grace is to be tried; a Sea-mark to show us what Rocks we are to avoid. The Word is to sublimate and quicken our Affections; it is to be our Directory and Consolatory; it is to waft us over to the Land of Promise.

Quest. Who shall have the Power of interpreting Scriptures?

The Papists do assert that it is in the Power of the Church. If you ask who they mean by the Church? They say the Pope, who is Head of it, and he is Infallible; so Bellarmine. But that Assertion is false, because many of the Popes have been ignorant and vicious, as Platina affirms, who writes of the Lives of the Popes: Pope Liberius was an Arian, and Pope John XXII. denied the Immortality of the Soul; therefore Popes are no fit Interpreters of Scripture: Who then?

Ans. The Scripture is to be its own Interpreter, or rather the Spirit speaking in it: nothing can cut the Diamond but the Diamond; nothing can interpret Scripture but Scripture; the Sun best discovers its self by its own Beams; the Scripture interprets itself in easy places to the Understanding. But the Question is concerning hard places of Scripture, where the weak Christian is ready to wade beyond his depth, who shall interpret here?

Resp. In the Church God hath appointed, Ordo docentium & discentium, some to Expound and Interpret Scripture; therefore he hath given Gifts to Men; the several Pastors of Churches like bright Constellations give light to dark Scriptures, Mal. 2.7. The priests lips should preserve knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth.

Quest. But this is to pin our Faith upon Men?

Resp. We are to receive nothing for currant but what is agreeable to the Word; as God hath given to his Ministers Gifts for the interpreting obscure places, so he hath given to his People so much of the Spirit of Discerning, that they can tell (at least in things necessary to Salvation) what is consonant to Scripture, and what is not, 1 Cor. 12.10. To one is given a spirit of prophesy, to another discerning of spirits: God hath endued his People▪ with such a measure of Wisdom and Discretion that they can discern between Truth and Error, and judge what is sound and what spurious, Acts 17.11. The Bereans searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so: They weighed the Doctrine they heard, whether it was agreeable to Scripture, though' Paul and Silas were their Teachers, 2 Tim. 3.16.

Use 1. See the wonderful goodness of God, who besides the Light of Nature, hath committed to us the Sacred Scriptures. The Heathens are inveloped with Ignorance; Psal. 147.20. As for his judgments, they have not known them. They have the Oracles of the Sybils, but not the Writings of Moses and the Apostles. How many live in the Region of Death, where this bright Star of Scripture never appeared. We have this blessed Book of God to resolve all our Cases, to chalk out a Way of Life to us. John 14.22. Lord! How is it thou wilt show thyself to us, and not unto the World?

2. Seeing God hath given us his written Word to be our Directory, this takes away all Excuses from Men. No Man can say I went wrong for want of a Light; no, God hath given thee his Word, as a Lamp to thy feet ; therefore now if thou goest wrong, thou dost it willfully. No Man can say, If I had known the Will of God, I would have obeyed; no, thou art inexcusable, O Man, God hath given thee a Rule to go by, he hath written his Law with his own finger, Therefore now if thou obeyest not, thou hast no Apology left. If a Master leaves his Mind in writing with his Servant, and tells him what Work he will have done, yet the Servant neglects the Work, that Servant is left without Excuse. John 15.22. Now ye have no Cloak for your sin.

Use 2. Is all Scripture of Divine Inspiration, is it a Book made by GOD himself? Then this reproves, 1. The Papists who take away part of Scripture, and so clip the King of Heaven's Coin; they expunge the second Commandment out of their Catechisms, because it makes against Images; 'tis usual with them if they meet with anything in Scripture which they dislike, either they put a false Gloss upon it, or if that will not do, pretend it is corrupted; these are like Ananias who kept back part of the Money, Acts 5.2. so they keep back part of Scripture from the People. This is an high Affront to God, to deface and obliterate any part of his Word: by this they bring themselves under that Premunire, Rev. 22.19. If any man shall take away from the words of the book this prophesy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life. Is all Scripture of Divine Inspiration? 2. It condemns the Antinomians that lay aside the Old Testament as useless and out of date; they call them Old Testament Christians: God hath stamped a Divine Majesty upon both Testaments, and till they can show me where God hath given a Repeal to the Old it stands in force. The two Testaments are the two Wells of Salvation; the Antinomians would stop up one of these Wells, they would dry up one of the Breasts of Scripture. There is much Gospel in the Old Testament; The Comforts of the Gospel in the New Testament have their rise from the Old. The great Promise of the Messiah is in the Old Testament, A Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son: —Nay, I say more, the Moral Law in some part of it speaks Gospel, I am the Lord thy God ; here is the pure Wine of the Gospel. The Saints great Charter where God promiseth to pour clean water on them, and put his spirit within them, is to be found primarily in the Old Testament, Ezek. 36.26. So that they who go to take away the Old Testament, do as Sampson, Pull down the pillars ; they would take away the Pillars of a Christian's Comfort. 3. It condemns the Enthusiasts who pretending the Spirit, lay aside the whole Bible, they say the Scripture is a Dead Letter, and they live above it. What Impudency is this? till we are above Sin we shall not be above Scripture; let not Men talk of a Revelation from the Spirit, suspect it to be an Imposture; the Spirit of God acts regularly, it works in and by the Word; and he that pretends a new Light, which is either above the Word, or contrary to it, abuseth both himself and the Spirit; his Light is borrowed from him who transforms himself into an Angel of Light. 4. It condemns the Slighters of Scripture; such are they who can go whole Weeks and Months and never read the Word; they lay it aside as rusty Armor; they prefer a Play or Romance before Scripture, the Magnalia legis are to them Minutula. O how many can be looking their Faces in a Glass all the Morning, but their Eyes begin to be sore when they look upon a Bible: Heathens die in the want of Scripture, and these in the contempt of it. They surely must needs go wrong who slite their Guide; such as lay the reins upon the neck of their Lusts, and never use the curbing Bit of Scripture to check them, are carried to Hell and never stop. 5. It condemns the Abusers of Scripture: 1. Who do mud and poison this pure Crystal Fountain with their corrupt Glosses, who rest Scripture, 2 Pet. 3.16. The Greek word is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , they set it upon the Rack; they give wrong Interpretations of it, not comparing Scripture with Scripture; as the Antinomians pervert that Scripture, Numb. 23.21. He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob. Hence they infer, God's People may take liberty in sin, because God sees no sin in them. 'It is true, God sees not sin in his People with an Eye of Revenge, but he sees it with an Eye of Observation. He sees not sin in them, so as to damn them, but he sees it so as to be angry, and severely to punish them. Did not David find it so when he cried out of his broken bones? In like manner the Arminians wrest Scripture: John 5.40. Ye will not come to me: here they bring in Free-will. This Text shows 1. how willing God is that we should have Life; 2. that sinners may do more than they do; they may improve the Talents God hath given them: but it doth not prove the Power of Free-will, for it is contrary to that Scripture, John 6.44. No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him. These therefore wring the Text so hard as they make the Blood come; they do not compare Scripture with Scripture. 2. Who do jest with Scripture. When they are sad they take the Scripture as their Lute or Minstrel to play with, and so drive away the sad Spirit; as that Drunkard I have read of, who having drunk off his Cups, called to some of his Fellows, Give us of your Oil for our Lamps are gone out. In the fear of God take heed of this. Eusebius tells us of one who took a piece of Scripture to make a Jest of, who was presently struck with Frenzy, and run mad. And 'tis a saying of Luther, Quos Deus vult perdere, &c. whom God intends to destroy, he gives them leave to play with Scripturre.

Use 3. of Exhortation. If the Scripture be of Divine Inspiration, then be exhorted 1. to study the Scripture; it is a Copy of God's Will: be Scripture Men, Bible Christians. I adore the fullness of Scripture, saith Tertullian. In the Book of God are scattered many Truths as so many Pearls. John 5.39. Search the Scriptures: Search as for a Vein of Silver. This blessed Book will fill your Head with Knowledge, and your Heart with Grace. God wrote the two Tables with his own Fingers, and if God took pains to write, well may we take pains • o read. Apollos was mighty in the Scriptures, Acts 18.24. The Word is our Magna Charta for Heaven, shall we be ignorant of our Charter? Col. 3.16. Let the word of God dwell in you richly. The Memory must be a Table-Book where the Word is written. To make us read the Word, consider 1. There is Majesty sparkling in every Line of Scripture. Take but one Instance, Isa. 63.1. Who is this that cometh from Edom, with died garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. Behold here a lofty magnificent style! what Angel could speak after this manner. Junius was converted by reading one Verse of John ; he beheld a Majesty in it beyond all Human Rhetoric. 2. There is Melody in Scripture. This is that blessed Harp which drives away sadness of Spirit. Hear the sounding of this Harp a little, 1 Tim. 1.15. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Jesus Christ came into the World to save sinners ; he took not only our Flesh upon him, but our Sins. And Matth. 11.28. Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. How sweetly doth this Harp of Scripture sound? what heavenly Music doth it make in the Ears of a distressed sinner, especially when the Finger of God's Spirit toucheth upon this Instrument. 3. There is Divinity in Scripture. It contains the Marrow and Quintessence of Religion. The Scripture is a Rock of Diamonds, a Mystery of Piety; the Lips of Scripture have Grace poured into them. The Scripture speaks of Faith, Self-denial, and all the Graces, which as a Chain of Pearl adore a Christian. The Scripture excites to Holiness, it treats of another World, it gives a prospect of Eternity. Oh then search the Scriptures! Make the Word familiar to you. Had I the Tongue of Angels, I could not sufficiently set forth the Excellency of Scripture. It is a spiritual Optick Glass in which we behold God's Glory; it is the Tree of Life, the Oracle of Wisdom, the Rule of Manners, the heavenly Seed of which the New Creature is formed, James 1.18. The two Testaments (saith Austin) are the two Breasts which every Christian must suck, that he may get spiritual Nourishment. The Leaves of the Tree of Life were for Healing, Rev. 22.2. so these Holy Leaves of Scripture, like those Leaves, are for the healing of our Souls. The Scripture is profitable for all things: If we are deserted, here is the spiced Wine that cheers the heavy heart: If we are pursued by Satan, here is the Sword of the Spirit to resist him: If we are diseased with Sins leprosy, here are the Waters of the Sanctuary, both to Cleanse and Cure. Oh, then search the Scriptures! There is no danger in tasting this Tree of Knowledge. There was a Penalty laid at first, that we might not taste of the Tree of Knowledge, Gen. 3.17. In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. But there is no danger of plucking this Tree of Holy Scripture; if we do not eat of this Tree of Knowledge, we shall surely die: Oh then read the Scriptures!—Time may come when the Scriptures may be kept from us.

Quest. How should we so search the Scriptures as to find Life?

Answ. 1. Read the Bible with Reverence; think every Line you read God is speaking to you. The Ark wherein the Law was put was over-laid with pure Gold, and was carried on Barrs that the Levites might not touch it, Exod. 25.14. And why was this? but to breed in the People Reverence to the Law. 2. Read with Seriousness. 'It is Matter of Life and Death: By this Word you must be tried; Conscience and Scripture are the Jury God will proceed by in Judging of you. 3. Read the Word with Affection. Get your Hearts quickened with the Word; go to it to fetch fire. Luke 24.31. Did not our hearts burn within us. Labor that the Word may not only be a Lamp to direct, but a Fire to warm. Read the Scripture not only as an History, but as a Love-Letter sent to you from God, which may affect your Hearts. 4. Pray that the same Spirit that wrote the Word may assist you in the reading of it; that God's Spirit would show you the wonderful Things of his Law. Go near, saith God to Philip, join thyself to this Chariot, Acts 8.29. So when God's Spirit joins himself with this Chariot of the Word, then it becomes effectual.

2. Be exhorted to prize the Word written, Job 23.12. David valued the Word more precious than Gold. What would the Martyrs have given for a Leaf of the Bible.! The Word is the Field where Christ the Pearl of price is hid. In this Sacred Mine we dig, not for a Wedge of Gold, but a Weight of Glory. 1. The Scripture is a Sacred Collyrium, or Eye-salve to illuminate us. Prov. 6.23. The Commandment is a Lamp, and the Law is Light. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Clem Alexandrinus. The Scripture is the Card and Compass by which we Sail to the New Jerusalem. 2. The Scripture is a Sovereign Cordial in all Distresses. What are the Promises but the Water of Life to renew fainting Spirits? Is it sin troubles? there is a Scripture Cordial Psal. 65.3. Iniquities prevail against me; as for our Transgressions thou shalt purge them away ; or as it is in Hebrew Te eapperem, Thou shalt cover them. Is it outward Affliction disquiets? there is a Scripture Cordial Psal. 91.15. I will be with him in trouble ; not only to behold, but to uphold. Thus, as in the Ark was laid up Manna, Promises are laid up as Manna in the Ark of Scripture. 3. The Scripture will make us wise: Wisdom is above Troubles. Psal. 119.104. By thy Precepts I get understanding. What made Eve so desire the Tree of Knowledge, Gen. 3.6. It was a Tree to make one wise. The Scriptures teach a Man to know himself; they discover Satan's 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 snares and stratagems, 2 Cor. 2.11. They make one wise to Salvation, 2 Tim. 3.15. O then highly prize the Scriptures! I read of Queen Elizabeth, at her Coronation she received the Bible presented to her, with both her Hands, and kissing it, laid it to her Breast, saying, That that Book had ever been her chiefest delight.

3. If the Scripture is of Divine Inspiration, Believe the Word. The Romans, that they might gain Credit to their Laws, reported that they were inspired by the God's at Rome. O give credence to the Word! it is breathed from God's own Mouth. Hence ariseth all the profaneness of Men, they do not believe Scripture. Isa. 53.1. Who hath believed our Report? Did you believe the glorious Rewards the Scripture speaks of, would you not give diligence to make your Elections sure? Did you believe the Infernal Torments the Scripture speaks of, would not this put you into a cold sweat, and cause a trembling at heart for sin? But People are in part Atheists, they give but little credit to the Word, therefore they are so impious, and draw such dark shadows in their Lives. Learn to realize Scripture, get your hearts wrought to a firm belief of it. Some think, if God should send an Angel from Heaven, and declare his Mind, then they should rather believe him; or if he should send one from the damned, and preach the Torments of Hell all in Flames, then they would believe. But Luke 16.31. If they believe not Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one arose from the dead. God is wise, and he thinks this way fittest to make his Mind known to us by writing; and such as will not be Convinced by the Word, shall be Judged by the Word. The belief of the Scripture is of high importance: It is the belief of Scripture that will enable us to resist Temptation: 1 John 2.14. The Word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one. It is the belief of Scripture conduceth much to our Sanctification; therefore these two are put together, Sanctification of the Spirit, and Belief of the Truth. • Thess. • .13. If the Word written be not believed, it is like writing on the Wate • , which takes no impression.

4. Love the Word written. Psal. 119.97. O how love I thy Law. Sint 〈◊〉 deliciae meae Scripturae sanctae: Lord (saith Augustine ) let the holy Scriptures be my chaste delight. Chrysostom compares the Scripture to a Garden, every Truth is a fragrant Flower, which we should wear, not in our Bosom, but our Heart. David tasted the Word sweeter than the Honey and the Honey-comb, Psal. 19.10. There is that in Scripture may breed delight: It shows us the way to Riches, Deut. 28.5. Prov. 3.16. to long Life, Psal. 34.12. to a Kingdom, Hebr. 12.28. Well then may we count those the sweetest hours which are spent in reading the holy Scriptures: Well may we say with the Prophet, Ier. 15.16. Thy words were sound, and I did eat them, and they were the joy and rejoicing of my heart.

5. Conform to Scripture. Let us lead Scripture Lives: O that the Bible might be seen printed in our Lives! Do what the Word commands. Obedience is an excellent way of Commenting upon the Bible. Psal. 86.11. I will walk in thy Truth. Let the Word be the Sun-Dial by which you set your Life. What are we the better for having the Scripture, if we do not direct all our Speeches and Actions according to it? What is a Carpenter the better to have his Rule about him, if he sticks it at his back, and never makes use of it for the measuring and squaring his work? So what are we the better for the Rule of the Word, if we do not make use of it, and regulate our Lives by it? How many swerve and deviate from the Rule. The Word teacheth to be sober and temperate, but they are drunk; to be chaste and holy, but they are profane; they go quite from the Rule. The Scriptures are Canonical, but their Lives are Apocryphal: What a dishonor is this to Religion, for Men to live in a Contradiction to Scripture? The Word is called a Light to our feet, Psal. 119.105. It is not only a Light to our Eyes to mend our sight, but to our Feet to mend our walk. O let us lead Bible Conversations!

6. Contend for Scripture. Though we should not be of contentious Spirits, yet we ought to contend for the Word of God; this Jewel is too precious to be parted with; Prov. 4.13. Keep her, for she is thy Life. The Castle of Scripture is beset with Enemies, Heretics fight against it, we must therefore 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , contend for the Faith once delivered to the Saints, Jude 3. The Scripture is our Book of Evidences for Heaven; shall we part with our Evidences? The Saints of old were both Advocates and Martyrs for Truth; they would hold fast Scripture, though it were with the loss of their Lives.

7. Be thankful to God for the Scriptures. What a Mercy is it that God hath not only acquainted us what his Will is, but that he hath made it known to us by writing. In the old Times God did reveal his Mind by Revelations, but the Word written is a surer way of knowing God's Mind than by Revelation. 2 Pet. 1.19. This Voice which came from heaven we heard, we have also a more sure word of prophecy. The Devil is God's Ape, and he can transform himself into an Angel of Light ; he can deceive with false Revelations: As I have heard of one who had (as he thought) a Revelation from God to Sacrifice his Child, as Abraham had, whereupon he following this Impulsion of the Devil, did kill his Child. Thus Satan oft deceives People with Delusions instead of Divine Revelations; therefore we are to be thankful to God for revealing his Mind to us by Writing: We have a more sure word of prophesy. We are not left under a doubtful Suspence that we should not know what to believe, but we have an Infallible Rule to go by. The Scripture is our Pole-star to direct us to Heaven, it shows us every step we are to take: when we go wrong it instructs us, when we go right it comforts us. And 'tis matter of Thankfulness, that the Scriptures are made intelligible by being translated.

8. Adore God's distinguishing Grace, if you have felt the Authority and Power of the Word upon your Conscience; if you can say as David, Psal. 119.50. Thy word hath quickened me. Christian, bless God that he hath not only given thee his Word to be a Rule of Holiness, but his Grace to be a Principle of Holiness: Bless God that he hath not only written his Word, but sealed it upon thy Heart, and made it effectual: Canst thou say it is of Divine Inspiration, because thou hast felt it to be of lively Operation. O Free-grace! that God should send out this Word and heal thee; that he should heal thee and not others; that the same Scripture which is to them a dead Letter, should be to thee a Savior of Life.

That there is a GOD.

Quest. III. WHat do the Scriptures principally Teach?

Resp. The Scriptures principally teach what Man is to believe concerning GOD, and what Duty GOD requires of Man.

Quest. What is God?

Resp. God is a Spirit, Infinite, Eternal, and Unchangeable in his Being, Wisdom, Power, Holiness, Justice, Goodness, and Truth. Here is 1. something implied, That there is a God. 2. Expressed, that he is a Spirit. 3. What kind of Spirit.

1. Implied, that there is a God: The question, What is God? takes it for granted that there is a God: the belief of God's Essence is the Foundation of all Religious Worship, Heb. 11.6. He that comes to God must believe that he is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; there must be a first Cause which gives a Being and Existence to all things besides. We come to know that there is a God, 1. By the Book of Nature, the Notion of a Deity is engraven in Man's Heart, it is demonstrable by the Light of Nature; I think it hard for a Man to be a natural Atheist, he may wish there were no God, he may dispute against a Deity, but he cannot in his Judgment believe there is no God, unless by accumulated Sin his Conscience be sear'd, and he hath such a Lethargy upon him, that he hath sin'd away his very Sense and Reason. 2. We come to know that there is a God by his Works; and this is so evident a Demonstration of a God-head, that the most Atheistical Spirits when they have considered these Works of God, have been forced to acknowledge some Wise and Supreme Power the Maker of these Things; as 'tis reported of Galen and others. 1. We will begin with the greater World, 1. The Creation of the glorious Fabric of Heaven and Earth; sure there must be some Architect or first Cause, the World could not make itself: Who could hang the Earth on Nothing, but the Great God? Who could provide such rich Furniture for the Heavens, the glorious Constellations, the Firmament bespangled with such glittering Lights? all this speaks a Deity. We may see God's Glory blazing in the Sun, twinkling in the Stars. Who could give the Earth its Clothing, cover it with Grass and Corn, adorn it with Flowers, enrich it with Gold, only God, Job 28.4. Who but God could make the sweet Music in the Heavens, cause the Angels to join in consort, and sound forth the Praises of their Maker? Job 38.7. When the morning-stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy. If a Man should go into a far Country, and see stately Edifices there, he would never imagine that these could build themselves, but that some greater Power built them: To imagine that the Work of the Creation was not framed by God, is as if we should conceive a curious Landskip to be drawn by a Pensil without the Hand of a Limner: Acts 17.24. God that made the world, and all things therein. To Create is proper to a Deity. 2. The wise Gubernation of all things evince there is a God: God is the great Superintendent of the World, he holds the Golden Reins of Government in his Hand, guiding all things most regularly and harmoniously to their proper end; who that eyes Providence, but must be forced to acknowledge there is a God? Providence is the Queen and Governness of the World: it is the Hand that turns the Wheel of the whole Creation; Providence sets the Sun its Race, the Sea its Bounds. If God should not guide the World, things would run into an Ataxy and Confusion. When one looks on a Clock, and sees the motion of the Wheels, the striking of the Hammar, the hanging of the Plummets, he would say there were some Artificer did make it, and put it into that Order: So when we see the excellent Order and Harmony in the Universe, the Sun that great Luminary dispensing its Light and Heat to the World, without which the World were but a Grave or Prison, the Rivers sending forth their silver Streams to refresh the Bodies of Men, and prevent a Drought, and every Creature acting within its Sphere, and keeping its due Bounds, we must needs acknowledge there is a God who wisely orders and governs all these things. Who could set this great Army of the Creatures in their several Ranks and Squadrons, and keep them in their constant March, but he whose Name is, The LORD of Hosts? And as God doth wisely dispose all things in the whole Regiment of the Creatures, so by his Power he doth support them: Did God suspend and withdraw his Influence never so little, the Wheels of the Creation would unpin, and the Axle-tree break asunder. 3. The Motion of the Creatures: All Motion (as the Philosophers say) is from something that is immovable. As for Example: The Elements are moved by the Influence and Motion of the heavenly Bodies: The Sun and Moon, and these Planets, are moved by the highest Orb, called Primum Mobile ; now if one should ask, Who moves that highest Orb, or the first Mover of the Planets? Sure it can be no other hand but God himself.

2. Let us speak of Man who is a Microcosm, or lesser World: The excellent Contexture and Frame of his Body who is wrought curiously as with Needle-work, Psal. 139.15. I was curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. And the Endowment of this Body with a noble Soul; who but God could make such an Union of different Substances, Flesh and Spirit? In him we live, and move, and have our being. The quick acute Motion of every Part of the Body, shows that there is a God; we may see something of him in the sparkling of the Eye: And if the Cabinet of the Body be so curiously wrought, what is the Jewel? The Soul hath a Celestial Brightness in it, as Damascene saith. 'It is a Diamond set in a Ring of Clay: What noble Faculties is the Soul endowed with? Understanding, Will, Affections, which are a Glass of the Trinity, as Plato speaks. The Matter of the Soul is Spiritual; 'tis a Divine Sparkle lighted from Heaven: and being spiritual is immortal, as Scaliger notes. Anima non senescit ; the Soul doth not wax old, it lives forever. And who could create a Soul ennobled with such rare Angelical Properties, but God? We must needs say as the Psalmist, It is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves, Psalm 100.3.

2. We may prove a Deity by our own Conscience. Conscience is God's Deputy or Vicegerent. Conscience is a Witness of a Deity. If there were no Bible to tell us there is a God, yet Conscience might. Conscience, as the Apostle saith, either accuseth or excuseth, Rom. 2.15. Conscience acts in order to an higher Judicatory. 1. Natural Conscience being kept free from gross sin, excuseth. When a Man doth Virtuous Actions, lives soberly and righteously, obeserves the golden Maxim, Doing to others as he would have them do to him, then Conscience approves, and saith, well done. Conscience, like a Be, gives Honey. 2. Natural Conscience in the Wicked doth accuse. When Men go against the Light of Conscience, then they feel the Worm of Conscience. Eheu quis intus scorpio? Sen. Conscience being sinned against, spits fire in Men's faces, fills them with shame and horror. When the Sinner sees an Hand-writing on the Wall of Conscience, his Countenance is changed. Many have hanged themselves to quiet their Conscience. Tiberius the Emperor, a bloody Man, felt the Lashes of his Conscience, he was so haunted with that Fury, that he told the Senate, he suffered Death daily. And what is it should put a Man's Conscience into such an Agony, but the Impression of a Deity, and the Thoughts of coming before God's Tribunal. Those who are above all Human Laws, yet are subject to the Checks of their own Conscience. And it is observable, the nearer the Wicked approach to Death, the more they are terrified, and Conscience gives a louder Alarm to them; And whence is this, but from the apprehension of Judgment approaching. The Soul being sensible of its Immortal Nature, trembles at him who never ceaseth to Live, and therefore will never cease to Punish.

3. That there is a God, appears by the Consent of Nations, by the Universal Vote and Suffrage of all. Nulla gens tam barbara cui non insideat haec persuasio Deum esset, Tully; No Nation so barbarous (saith Tully ) as not to believe there is a God. Though the Heathen did mistake in their Devotion, they did not worship the true God, yet they worshipped a God. They set up an Altar 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , to the unknown God, Acts 17.22. They knew a God should be worshipped, though they knew not the God whom they worshipped. Some did worship Jupiter, some Neptune, some Mars: rather than not worship something, they would worship anything.

4. That there is a God, appears by his Prediction of Future Things. He who can foretell things which shall surely come to pass, is the True God. God foretold that a Virgin should conceive, he prefixed the time when the Messias should be cut off, Dan. 9.76. he foretold the Captivity of the Jews in Babylon, and who should be their Deliverer, Isa. 45.1. This is such a strong Argument to prove a Deity, as God himself useth it to prove he is the True God, and that all the God's of the Heathens were Fictions and Nullities, Isa. 41.22. Testimonium Divinitatis est Veritas Divinationis, Tertul. To foretell Things contingent, and which depend upon no natural Causes, is proper to a Deity.

5. That there is a God, appears by God's unlimited Power and Sovereignty. He who can work, and none hinder him, is the True God; but God can do so, Isa. 43.13. I will work, and who shall let it. Nothing can hinder Action but some Superior Power; but there is no Power above God; all Power that is, is by him, therefore all Power is under him: he hath a mighty Arm, Psal. 89.13. He sees the Designs Men drive on against him, and plucks off their Chariot Wheels; he maketh Diviners mad, Isa. 44.25. he cutteth off the Spirit of Princes: He bridleth the Sea, gives check to the Leviathan, binds the Devils in Cain's; he acts pro arbitrio, he doth what he will, I will work, and who shall let it.

6. There are Devils, therefore there is a God. Atheists cannot deny but there are Devils, and then they must grant there is a God. We read of divers possessed with the Devil. The Devils are called in Scripture, Cashegnirini, Hairy ones, because they oft appeared in the form of Goats or Satyrs. Gerson in his Book De probatione Spirituum, tells us how Satan on a time appeared to an holy Man in a most glorious manner, professing himself to be Christ; the old Man answered, I desire not to see my Savior here in this Desert, it shall suffice me to see him in Heaven. Now if there be a Devil, then there is a God. Socrates an Heathen, when he was accused at his Death, confessed that, as he thought there was a malus genius, an Evil Spirit, so he thought there was a Good.

Use 1. Seeing there is a God, this reproves such Atheistical Fools as deny it. Epicurus denied that there was a Providence, saying, That all things fell out by Chance, Diagoras. He that saith there is no God, is the wickedest Creature that is, he is worse then a Thief, who doth but take away our Goods from us, but the Atheist would take away our God from us: Joh. 20. They have taken away my Lord. So we may say of Atheists, they would take away our God from us, in whom all our Hope and Comfort is laid up: Psal. 14.1. The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. He durst not speak it with his Tongue, but said it in his Heart; he wished it. Sure none can be Speculative Atheists: The devils believe and tremble, Jam. 2. I have read of one Arthur a professed Atheist, who when he came to die, cried out, he was damned. But though there are few found who say, There is no God, yet many deny him in their Practices: Tit. 1.16. In works they deny him. Cicero said of Epicurus, Verbis reliquit Deos resustulit. The World is full of Practical Atheism: most People live as if they did not believe there was a God. Durst they lie, defraud, be unclean, if they believed there were a God, who would call them to account? If an Indian, who never heard of a God, should come among us, and have no other means to convince him of a Deity, but the Lives of Men in our Age, sure he would be of Protagoras his mind, who did hang in a doubtful suspense, and did question, Whether there were a God; Utrum Dii sint non ausim affirmare.

Use 2. Seeing there is a God, he will deal righteously, and give just Rewards to Men. Things seem to be carried in the World very unequally; The wicked flourish, Psal. 73. they who tempt God are delivered, Mal. 3.15. The ripe Clusters of Grapes are squeezed into their Cup, and in the mean while, the godly who wept for sin, and served God, are afflicted; Psal. 102.9. I have eaten Ashes like Bread, and mingled my drink with weeping. Evil Men enjoy all the Good, and Good Men endure all the Evil. But seeing there is a God, he will deal righteously with Men: Gen. 18.25. Shall not the Judge of all the World do right? Offenders must come to punishment. The Sinners Deaths-day and Dooms-day is a coming; Psal. 37.13. The Lord seeth that his day is coming. While there is an Hell the wicked shall be scourged enough; and while there is Eternity, they shall lie there long enough; and God will abundantly compensate the faithful Service of his People. They shall have their white Robes and Crown; Psal. 58.11. Verily there is a Reward for the Righteous; verily he is a God that judgeth in the Earth. Because God is God, therefore he will give forth glorious Rewards to his People.

Use 3. Seeing there is a God, woe to all such as engage this God against them, he lives forever to be avenged upon them: Ezek. 22.14. Can thine heart endure, or can thine hands be strong in the day that I shall deal with thee? Such as pollute God's Sabbath, oppose his Saints, trampling these Jewels in the dust; such as live in a contradiction to God's Word; these do engage the infinite Majesty of Heaven against them, and how dismal will their Case be? Deut. 32.41. If I whet my glittering Sword, and mine Hand take hold of Judgment, I will render Vengeance to mine Enemies; I will make mine Arrows drunk with Blood, &c. If it be so terrible to hear the Lion roar, what is it when he begins to tear his Prey? Psal. 50.22. Consider this ye that forget God, least I tear you in pieces. O that Men would think of this, who go on in Sin! shall we engage the great God against us? God strikes slow, but heavy: Job 40.9. Hast thou an arm like God? Canst thou strike such a blow? God is the best Friend, but the worst Enemy. If he can look Men into their Grave, how far can he throw them? Who knows the power of his wrath? Psal. 90.11. What Fools are they who for a Drop of Pleasure drink a Sea of Wrath. Paracelsus speaks of a Frensy some have which will make them die Dancing: Sinners go Dancing to Hell.

Use 4. Seeing there is a God, let us firmly believe this great Article of our Creed. What Religion can there be in Men, if they do not believe a Deity? He that comes to God must believe that he is. To worship God, and pray to him, and not believe there is a God, Irrisio Dei est, it is to put a high Scorn and Contempt upon God. Believe that God is the only true God, such a God as he hath revealed himself in his Word, A lover of righteousness, and hater of wickedness, Psal. 45.7. The real belief of a Deity gives life to all Religious Worship: the more we believe the Truth and Infiniteness of God, the more Holy and Angelical we are in our Lives. Whether we are alone or in Company God sees us; he is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the Heart-searcher; the belief of this would make us live always as under God's eye, Psal. 16.8. I have set the Lord always before me. The belief of a Deity would be a Bridle to Sin, a Spur to Duty; it would add Wings to Prayer, and Oil to the Lamp of our Devotion: the belief of a Deity would cause dependence upon God in all our Streights and Exigencies: Gen. 17.1. I am God all-sufficient ; a God that can supply all your Wants, scatter all your Fears, resolve all your Doubts, conquer all your Temptations: The Arm of God's Power can never be shrunk, he can create Mercy for us, and therefore can help and not be beholding to the Creature. Did we believe there is a God; we should so depend on his Providence as not to use any indirect Means; we would not run ourselves into Sin to rid ourselves out of Trouble: 2 Kings 1.3. Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to inquire of Baal-zebub the God of Ekron? When Men run to sinful Shifts, is it not because they do not believe there is a God, or that he is All-sufficient?

2. Seeing there is a God, let us labor to get an interest in him, Psal. 48.14. This God is our God. Two things will comfort us, Deity and Propriety: since the Fall we have lost Likeness to God, and Communion with God ; let us labor to recover this lost Interest, and pronounce this Shibboleth my God, Psal. 43.5. 'It is little Comfort to know there is a God, unless he be ours; God offers himself to be our God, Jer. 31.33. I will be their God. And Faith catcheth hold of the Offer, it appropriates God, and makes all that is in him over to us to be ours, his Wisdom ours to teach us, his Holiness ours to sanctify us▪ his Spirit ours to comfort us, his Mercy ours to save us. To be able to say God is mine, is more then to have all the Mines of Gold and Silver.

3. Seeing there is a God, let us Serve and Worship him as God: It was an Indictment brought in against them, Rom. 1.21. They glorified him not as God. 1. Let us pray to him as to a God, Pray with fervency, Jam. 5.16. An effectual fervent Prayer prevails much; this is both the Fire and the Incense, without Fervency 'tis no Prayer. 2. Love him as a God, Deut. 5.6. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart. To love him with all the heart, is to give him a Precedency in our Love, desire to let him have the Cream of our Affections; to love him not only appretiatively but intensively, as much as we can. As the Sun-beams united in a Burning-glass burn the hotter, so all our Affections should be united, that our love to God may be more ardent. 3. Obey him as a God: All Creatures obey him, the Stars fight his Battels, the Wind and Sea obey him, Mark 4.41. much more should Man whom God hath endu'd with a Principle of Reason: He is God, and hath a Sovereignty over us, therefore as we received Life from him, so we must receive a Law from him, and submit to his Will in all things: This is to kiss him with a Kiss of Loyalty, and it is to glorify him as God.

GOD is a SPIRIT.

Quest. IV. WHat is God?

Resp. God is a Spirit. 2. The Thing expressed. John. 4.24. God is a Spirit. God is essentia spiritualissima, Zanchi.

Quest. What do you mean when you say God is a Spirit?

Resp. By Spirit, I mean, God is an Immaterial Substance, of a pure, subtle, unmixed Essence, not compounded of Body and Soul, without all Extension of Parts. The Body is a dreggish Thing; The more Spiritual God's Essence is, the more Noble and Excellent. The Spirits are the more refined part of the Wine.

Quest. Wherein doth God differ from other Spirits?

1. The Angels are Spirits.

Resp. We must distinguish of Spirits. 1. The Angels are created, God is a Spirit uncreate. 2. The Angels are Spirits, but are finate, and capable of being annihilated. The same Power which made them is able to reduce them to their first Nothing: but God is an infinite Spirit. 3. The Angels are confined Spirits, they cannot be in duobus locis simul, they are confined to a place: but God is an immense Spirit, and cannot be confined, being in all places at once. 4. The Angels, though they are Spirits, yet they are but ministering Spirits, Hebr. 1.14. Though they are Spirits, yet they are Servants. God is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a Super-excellent Spirit, the Father of Spirits, Hebr. 12.9.

2. The Soul is a Spirit. Eccles. 12.7. The Spirit shall return unto God that gave it.

Quest. How doth God, being a Spirit, differ from the Soul?

Servetus and Osiander thought, That the Soul being infused, did convey into Man the very Spirit and Substance of God; an absurd Opinion: for the Essence of God is incommunicable.

Resp. Therefore, when it is said the Soul is a Spirit, it is meant, God hath made it intelligible, and hath stamped upon it his Likeness, not his Essence.

Quest. But is it not said, That we are made Partakers of the Divine Nature?

Resp. By Divine Nature there, is meant Divine Qualities, 2 Pet. 1.4. We are made Partakers of the Divine Nature, not by Identity or Union with the Divine Essence, but by a transformation into the Divine Likeness. Thus you see how God differs from other Spirits, Angels, and Souls of Men. He is a Spirit of transcendent Excellency, the Father of Spirits.

Object. Against this Vorstius and the Anthropomorthites object, That in Scripture an Human Shape and Figure is given to God; he is said to have Eyes and Hands?

Resp. It is contrary to the Nature of a Spirit to have a Corporeal Substance; Luke 24. • 9. Handle me, and see me, for a Spirit hath not Flesh and Bones as ye see me have. Bodily Members are ascribed to God, not properly, but metaphorically, and in a borrowed sense; he is only set out to our Capacity: By the right Hand of the Lord is meant his Power; by the Eyes of the Lord are meant his Wisdom. Now that God is a Spirit, and is not capable of Bodily Shape or Substance, probatur. 1. A Body is visible, but God is invisible, Therefore he is a Spirit, 1 Tim. 6.16. whom no man hath seen, nor can see, not by an Eye of sense. 2. A Body is terminated, can be but in one place at once; but God is ubique, in all places at once, Therefore he is a Spirit, Psal. 139.7, 8. God's Center is everywhere, and his Circumference is nowhere . 3. A Body being compounded of integral Parts, may be dissolved; Quicquid divisibile est corruptibile, but the God-head is not capable of dissolution; he can have no End from whom all things have their Beginning. So that it clearly appears God is a Spirit, which adds to the Perfection of his Nature.

Use 1. If God be a Spirit, then he is impassible ; he is not capable of being hurt. Wicked Men may set up their Banners, and bend their Forces against God, they are said 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , to fight against God, Acts 5.39. But what will this fighting avail? what hurt can they do to the Deity? God is a Spirit, and therefore cannot receive any hurtful impression: wicked Men may imagine Evil against the Lord; Nahum. 1.9. What do ye imagine against the Lord? But God being a Spirit, is impenetrable. The wicked may Eclipse his Glory, but cannot touch his Essence. God can hurt his Enemies, but they cannot hurt him. Julian might throw up his Dagger into the Air against Heaven, but could not touch the Deity. God is a Spirit, invisible, how can the Wicked with all their Forces hurt him, when they cannot see him? Hence all the Attempts of the Wicked against God are foolish, and prove Abortive; Psal. 2.3, 4. The Kings of the Earth set themselves against the Lord, and against his Anointed. He that sits in the Heavens shall laugh. He is a Spirit, he can wound them, but they cannot touch him.

Use 2. If God be a Spirit, then it shows the folly of the Papists, who worship him by Pictures and Images. Being a Spirit, we cannot make any Image to represent him by; Deut. 4.12. The Lord spake to you out of the midst of the fire, ye heard the voice of the words, but saw no similitude.

1. God being a Spirit, is imperceptible, cannot be discerned, how then can there be any Resemblance made of him? Isa. 40.18. To whom then will ye liken God, or what likeness will ye compare unto him? How can you paint the Deity? can we make an Image of that which we never saw? Ye saw no similitude. God is a Spirit. It were a folly to go to make the Picture of the Soul, because it is a Spiritual Thing, or to Paint the Angels, because they are Spirits.

Object. Are not the Angels in Scripture represented by the Cherubims?

Resp. There is Imago Personae & Officii, there is the Image of the Person, and the Image that represents the Office. The Cherubims did not represent the Persons of the Angels, but their Office. The Cherubims were made with Wings, to show the swiftness of the Angels in discharge of their Office: and if we cannot Picture the Soul, nor the Persons of the Angels, because they are Spirits, much less can we make an Image or Picture of God, who is Infinite, and the Father of Spirits.

2. God being a Spirit is Omnipresent ; he is present in all places, Ier. 23.24. Do not I fill Heaven and Earth, saith the Lord? Therefore being everywhere present, it is absurd to worship him by an Image. Were it not a foolish thing to bow down to the King's Picture, when the King is present? So to go to worship God's Image when God himself is present.

Quest. But how then shall we conceive of God being a Spirit, if we may make no Image or Resemblance of him?

Resp. We must conceive of him Spiritually, viz. 1. In his Attributes; his Holiness, Justice, Goodness, which are the Beams by which his Divine Nature shines forth. 2. We must conceive of him as he is in Christ ; Christ is the Image of the invisible God, Col. 1.15. Set the Eyes of your Faith on Christ, God-man. In Christ we see some Sparklings of the Divine Glory; in him there is the exact Resemblance of all his Fathers Excellencies. The Wisdom, Love, and Holiness of God the Father shine forth in Christ; John 14.9. He that hath seen me hath seen the Father.

3. Infer. If God be a Spirit, it shows us, that the more spiritual we grow, the more we grow like to God. To be earthly is to be unlike God. How do Earth and Spirit agree? Phil. 3.19. Earthly ones may give for their Crest, the Mole or Tortoise, that live in the Earth. What Resemblance is there between an Earthly Heart, and him who is a Spirit? The more Spiritual any one is, the more like God.

Quest. What is it to be Spiritual?

Resp. To be Refined and Sublimated, to have the Heart still in Heaven, to be thinking of God and Glory, and to be carried up in a fiery Chariot of Love to God, this is to be Spiritual; Psal. 73.25. Whom have I in Heaven but thee: on which Beza paraphraseth thus, Apage Terra, utinam tecum in Coelo essem! O that I were in Heaven with thee! A Christian, who is taken off from these Earthly Things, as the Spirits are taken off from the Lees, hath a noble Spiritual Soul, and doth most resemble him who is a Spirit.

4 Infer. It shows us what that Worship is God requires of us, and is most acceptable to him, viz. such a Worship as is suitable to his Nature, Spiritual Worship ; John 4.24. They which worship him, must worship him in Spirit and Truth. Spiritual worship is the Virgin-worship. Though God will have the Service of our Bodies, our Eyes and Hands lifted up, to testify to others that Reverence we have of God's Glory and Majesty, yet chiefly he will have the worship of the Soul: 1 Cor. 6.20. Glorify God in your body and in your spirit. Spirit-worship God prizeth because it comes so near to his own Nature who is a Spirit.

Quest. What is it to Worship God in the Spirit?

Resp. 1. To worship him without Ceremonies. The Ceremonies of the Law which God himself ordained, are now abrogated and out of date; Christ the Substance being come, the Shadows fly away; and therefore the Apostle calls the Legal Ceremonies Carnal Rites, Heb. 9.10. and if not use those Jewish Ceremonies which God did once appoint, then not those which he did never appoint.

Resp. 2. To worship God in Spirit, is to worship him, 1. With Faith in the Blood of the Messiah, Heb. 11.9. And, 2. to worship him with the utmost Zeal and Intensness of Soul: Acts 26.7. Our twelve tribes instantly serving God day and night, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , with Intensness of Spirit, not only constantly but instantly. This is to worship God in the Spirit. The more Spiritual any Service is, the nearer it comes to God who is a Spirit, and the more excellent it is; the spiritual part of Duty is the Fat of the Sacrifice, it is the Soul and Quintessence of Religion. The richest Cordials are made of Spirits, and the best Duties are such as are of a Spiritual Nature. God is a Spirit, and will be worshipped in Spirit: It is not Pomp of Worship but Purity which God accepts. Repentance is not in the outward Severities used to the Body, Penance, Fasting, and Chastising the Body, but it consists in the Sacrifice of a broken Heart; Thanksgiving doth not stand in Church-Music, the Melody of an Organ, but rather making Melody in the Heart to the Lord, Eph. 5.19. Prayer is not the Tuning of the Voice into an heartless Confession, or telling over a few Beads, but it consists in Sighs and Groans, Rom. 8.26. When the Fire of Fervency is put to the Incense of Prayer, now it ascends as a sweet Odor, that is, the true Holy Water, not which the Pope sprinkles, but what is distilled from the Limbeck of a Penitent Eye. Spirit-worship best pleaseth that God who is a Spirit, John. 4.23. The Father seeks such to worship him ; to show the great acceptance of such, and how God is delighted with Spiritual-worship. This is the savoury Meat God loves. How few mind this, worshipping him who is a Spirit in the Spirit; they give him more Dreggs then Spirits ; they think it enough to bring their Duties, but not their Hearts, which hath made God disclaim those very Services he himself appointed, Isa. 1.12. Ezek. 33.31. Let us then give God Spirit-worship, this best suits with his Nature; a Sovereign Elixar full of Virtue, may be given in a few drops: a little Prayer, if it be with the Heart and Spirit, may have much Virtue and Efficacy in it. The Publican made but a short Prayer, God be merciful to me a sinner, Luke 18.13. but it was full of life and spirit, it came from the Heart, therefore was accepted.

Use 2. of Exhortation. Pray to God, that as he is a Spirit, so he will give us of his Spirit. The Essence of God is incommunicable, but the Motions, the Presence and Influences of his Spirit. When the Sun shines in a Room, not the Body of the Sun is there, but the Light, Heat, and Influence of the Sun. God hath made a Promise of his Spirit, Ezek. 36.27. I will put my Spirit within you. Turn Promises into Prayers. O Lord, thou who art a Spirit, give me of thy Spirit; I Flesh beg thy Spirit; thy enlightening, • anctifying, quickening Spirit. Melancthon 's Prayer, Domine accende animam meam Spiritu tuo, Lord inflame my Soul with thy Holy Spirit. How needful is his Spirit; we cannot do any Duty without it in a lively manner: when this Wind blows upon our Sails, then we move swiftly towards Heaven. Pray therefore that God will give us of the Residue of his Spirit, Mal. 2.15. that we may move more vigorously in the Sphere of Religion.

Use 3. of Comfort. As God is a Spirit, so the Reward that he gives is Spiritual; that is the Excellency of it; as the chief Blessings he gives us in this Life are Spiritual Blessings, Eph. 1.3. not Gold and Silver; he gives Christ, his Love; he fills us with Grace; so the main Rewards he gives after this Life are Spiritual, a Crown of Glory that fades not away, 1 Pet. 5.4. Earthly Crowns fade, but the Believer's Crown being Spiritual is Immortal, a never-fading Crown. It is impossible (saith Julius Scaliger) for that which is Spiritual to be subject to Change or Corruption. This may comfort a Christian in all his Labors and Sufferings; he lays out himself for God, and hath little or no Reward here, but remember God, who is a Spirit, will give Spiritual Rewards, a sight of his Face in Heaven, white Robes, a weight of Glory. Be not then weary of God's Service, think of the Spiritual Reward, a Crown of Glory which fadeth not away.

GOD is INFINITE.

Quest. WHat kind of Spirit is God?

Resp. He is Infinite; so he differs from all created Beings which are Finite. Though Infinite may be applied to all God's Attributes, he is infinitely Merciful, infinitely Wise, infinitely Holy, yet if we take Infiniteness properly so, implies,

1. God's Omnipresency; the Greek word for Infinite 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , signifies without Bounds or Limits: God is not confined to any place, he is Infinite, and so is present in all places at once. His Centre is every-where, Divina essentia nusquam inclusa aut exclusa, Aug. 1 Kings 8.27. Behold, the heaven, and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee. This the Turks have a Notion of, they build their Temples open on the top to show, that God cannot be confined to their Temples or circumscribed, but is in all places by his Presence. God's Essence is not limited either to the Regions above, or to the Terrestrial Globe, but his whole Essence is every-where. This is to be Infinite. As Philosophers say of the Soul, it is. Tota in toto & tota in qualibet parte: The Soul is in every part of the Body, in the Eye, Heart, Foot; so we may say of God, he is Ubique, his Essence is every-where; his Circuit is in Heaven, and Earth, and Sea, and he is in all places of his Circuit at once. This is to be Infinite. God who bounds everything else, is himself without Bounds: He sets Bounds to the Sea, Huc usque, Hitherto shalt thou come and no further. He sets Bounds to the Angels, they like the Cherubims move and stand at his appointment, Ezek. 10.16. but he is Infinite, without Bounds. He who can span the Heavens, and weigh the Earth in a pair of Scales, must needs be Infinite, Isa. 40.12.

Object. Vorstius, That God is in all places at once, but not in regard of his Essence, but, Virtute & potentia, by his Virtue and Influence; as the Body of the Sun is in Heaven, it only sends forth its Beams and Influences to the Earth, or as a King who is in all places of his Kingdom Authoritative, by his Power and Authority, but he is personally in his Throne.

Resp. But to answer, God who is Infinite is in all places at once, not only by his Influence, but his Essence; for if his Essence fills all places, then he must needs be there in Person. But, Ergo, Minor in Ier. 23.24. Do not I fill heaven and earth?

Object. But doth not God say Heaven is his Throne? Isa. 66.1.

Resp. It is also said, that an humble Heart is his Throne, Isa. 57.15. The humble Heart is his Throne in regard of his gracious Presence, and Heaven is his Throne in regard of his glorious Presence; and yet neither of these Thrones will hold him, for the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain him.

Object. But if God be Infinite in all places, then he is in places impure, and he mingles with that Impurity?

Resp. Though God be in all places, in the Heart of a Sinner by his Inspection, and in Hell by his Justice, yet he doth not mingle with that Impurity, or receive the least tincture of Evil: Divina natura non est immista rebus aut sordibus inquinata, Aug. No more then the Sun shining on a Dunghil is defiled, or its Beauty spotted; or then Christ going among Sinners was defiled, his Godhead was a sufficient Antidote against Infection.

Reason why God must needs be Infinite in all places at once, not only in regard of the Simplicity and Purity of his Nature, but in regard of his Power, which being so glorious who can set him Bounds? or prescribe him a Circuit to walk in? 'It is as if the Drop should go to limit the Ocean, or the Star to set the Sun its Bounds.

Use 1. It condemns the Papists who would make more things Infinite then the Godhead, they hold that Christ's Body is in many places at once, that it is in Heaven and in the Bread and Wine in the Sacrament: Though Christ as he is God is Infinite, and in all places at once, yet as Man he is not; Christ when he was on Earth his Manhood was not in Heaven, though his Godhead was; and now he is in Heaven his Manhood is not on Earth though his Godhead be: Heb. 10.5. 'tis spoken of Christ, A body hast thou prepared me. This Body cannot be in all places at once, for then it is no more a Body, but a Spirit; Christ's Body in Heaven though it be Glorified, it is not Deified; it is not Infinite, for so it must be if it be both in Heaven and in the Bread and Wine by Transubstantiation.

If God be Infinite, present in all places at once, then it is certain he governs all things in his own Person; he needs no Proxies or Deputies to help him carry on his Government. He is in all places at an instant, and manageth all Affairs both in the World and Heaven. A King cannot be in all places of his Kingdom in his own Person, therefore he is fain to govern by Deputies and Vicegerents, and they often pervert Justice: but God being Infinite, needs no Deputies, he is present in all places; he sees all with his own Eyes, and hears all with his own Ears; he is every-where in his own Person, therefore is fit to be the Judge of the World, he will do everyone Right.

If God be Infinite by his Omnipresency, then see the Greatness and Immensness of the Divine Majesty▪ What a Great God do we serve? 1 Chr. 29.11. Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the glory, and the majesty, and thou art exalted as head above all. Well may the Scripture display the Greatness of his Glory, who is Infinite in all places. He transcends our weak Conceptions, how can our finite Understanding comprehend him who is Infinite? He is infinitely above all our Praises, Neh. 9.5. Blessed be thy glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise. O what a poor Nothing is Man, when we think of God's Infiniteness, as the Stars disappear at the rising of the Sun! O how doth Man shrink into nothing when Infinite Majesty shines forth in his Glory, Isa. 40.15. The nations are as a drop of the bucket, or the small dust of the balance. O what a little of that Drop are we! The Heathens thought they had sufficiently praised Jupiter, when they called him Great Jupiter. Of what Immense Majesty is God who fills all places at once, his is excellent Greatness, Psal. 150.2.

If God be Infinite, filling Heaven and Earth, see what a full Portion the Saints have, they have him for their Portion who is Infinite. His Fulness is an Infinite Fulness; and he is infinitely sweet as well as infinitely full: If a Conduit be filled with Wine, here is a sweet Fulness, but still it is Finite; but God's is a sweet Fulness, and it is an Infinite. He is infinitely full of Beauty, of Love, his Riches are called unsearchable, Eph. 3.8. because they are Infinite. Stretch your Thoughts as much as you can, there's that in God exceeds, it is an Infinite Fulness. He is said to do abundantly for us, above all that we can ask, Ephes. 3.20. What cannot an ambitious Spirit ask? he can ask Crowns and Kingdoms, Millions of Worlds; but God can give more then we can ask, because he is Infinite, nay, or think: We can think, what if all the Dust were turned to Silver, if every Flower were a Ruby, every Sand in the Sea a Diamond: yet God can give more then we can think, because he is Infinite! O how rich are they who have the Infinite God for their Portion! Well might David say, The Lord is the portion of my inheritance, the lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places, and I have a goodly heritage, Ps. 16.5. We may go with the Be from Flower to Flower, but we shall never have full Satisfaction till we come to the Infinite God. Jacob said, I have enough, in Hebrew, Li col, I have all, Gen. 33.11. because he had the Infinite God for his Portion. God being an Infinite Fulness, there is no fear of Want for any of the Heirs of Heaven, though there be Millions of Saints and Angels which have a share in God's Riches, yet he hath enough for them all, because he is Infinite. Though a thousand Men behold the Sun, there is Light enough in the Sun for them all. Put never so many Buckets into the Sea, there's Water enough in the Sea to fill them. Though an innumerable Company of Saints and Angels are to be filled out of God's Fulness, yet God being Infinite, he hath abundantly enough to satisfy them. God hath Land enough to give to all his Heirs, there can be no want in that which is Infinite.

If God be Infinite, he fills all places, is every-where present; this is sad to the Wicked, God is their Enemy and they cannot escape him, nor fly from him, for he is everywhere present: they are never out of his Eye, nor out of his Reach, Psal. 21.8. Thy hand shall find out all thy enemies. What Caves or Thickets can Men hide in that God cannot find them: go where they will he is present, Psal. 139.7. Whither shall I fly from thy presence? If a Man owes a Debt to another, he may make some Escape, and fly into another Land where the Creditor cannot find him; But whither shall I fly from thy presence? God is Infinite, he is in all places, so that he will find out his Enemies and punish them.

Object. But is it not said, Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, Gen. 4.16.

Resp. The meaning is, he went out from the Church of God, where were the visible Signs of God's Presence, and where God did in a special manner manifest his sweet Presence to his People. But Cain could not go out of God's sight, for God being Infinite, is every-where present. Sinners can neither go from an Accusing Conscience, nor a Revenging God.

If God be every-where present, then for a Christian to walk with God is not impossible. God is not only in Heaven, but he is on Earth too, Isa. 66.1. Heaven is his Throne, there he sits, the Earth is his Footstool, there he stands. He is every-where present, therefore we may come to walk with God: Enoch walked with God, Gen. 5.21. If God were confined to Heaven, a trembling Soul might think how can I Converse with God, how can I walk with him who lives in Excelsis, above the upper Region; but God is not confined to Heaven, he is Omnipresent, he is above us, yet he is about us, he is near to us, Acts 17.27. Though he be not far from the Assembly of his Saints. He stands in the Congregation of the Mighty, Psal. 82.1. He is present with us, God is in everyone of us: so that here on Earth we may walk with God. In Heaven the Saints rest with him, on Earth they walk with him. To walk with God is to walk by Faith; we are said to draw nigh to God, Heb. 10.22. and to see him, Heb. 11.27. as seeing him who is invisible, and to have Fellowship with him, Hos. 1.3. Or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , our Fellowship is with the Father. Thus we may take a turn with him every day by Faith: ['It is a slighting of God not to walk with him; if a King be in presence, it is a slighting him to neglect him and walk with the Page] there's no Walk in the World so sweet as to walk with God: Psal. 89.15. They shall walk in the light of thy countenance. Psal. 138.5. Yea, they shall sing in ways of the Lord; it is like walking among beds of spices which send forth a fragrant perfume.

Use 2. If God be Infinite in his glorious Essence, learn to admire where you cannot fadom. The Angels wear a Veil, they cover their Faces, as adoring this Infinite Majesty, Isa. 6.3. Elias wrapped himself in a Mantle when God's Glory passed by; admire where you cannot fadom, Job 11.7. Canst thou by searching find out God? Here we see some Beams of his Glory, we see him in the Glass of the Creation, we see him in his Picture, his Image shines in the Saints; but who can search out all his Essential Glory, what Angel can measure these Pyramids? Canst thou by searching find out God? He is Infinite. We can no more search out his Infinite Perfections, then a Man upon the top of the highest Mountain can reach the Firmament, or take a Star in his hand. O have God-admiring Thoughts! adore where you cannot fathom. There are many Mysteries in Nature which we cannot fathom; Why the Sea should be higher then the Earth, yet not drown it. Why Nile should overflow in Summer, when by the Course of Nature the Waters are lowest. How the Bones grow in the Womb, Eccles. 11.5. If these things pose us, how may the Infinite Mystery of the Deity transcend our most raised Intellectuals. Ask the Geometrician, if he can with a pair of Compasses measure the breadth of the Earth. So unable are we to measure the Infinite Perfections of God. In Heaven we shall see God clearly, but not fully, for he is Infinite; he will communicate himself to us according to the bigness of our Vessel, but not the Immensness of his Nature. Adore then where you cannot Fathom.

If God be Infinite in all places, then let us not go to limit God, Psal. 78.41. They limited the holy one of Israel. 'It is a limiting God to confine him within the narrow compass of our Reason. Reason thinks God must go such a way to work, or the business will never be effected. This is to limit God to our Reason, whereas he is Infinite, and his ways are past finding out, Rom. 11.33. In the Deliverance of the Church it is a limiting God either to set him a Time, or prescribe him a Method for Deliverance. God will deliver Zion, but he will be left to his own Liberty, he will not be tied to a Place, to a time, to an Instrument: this were to limit him, and then he should not be Infinite. God will go his own way, he will pose and nonplus Reason, he will work by Improbabilities, he will save in such a way as we think he will destroy; now he acts like himself, like an Infinite Wonder-working God.

Of the Knowledge of GOD.

FOr the Lord is a God of Knowledge, and by him Actions are weighed, 1 Sam. 2.3. Glorious things are spoken of God; he transcends our Thoughts and the Angels Praises. God's Glory lies chiefly in his Attributes, which are the several Beams by which the Divine Nature shines forth. Among other of his Orient Excellencies, this is not the least, The Lord is a God of Knowledge ; or as the Hebrew word is, el Degnoth, a God of Knowledges. Through the bright Mirror of his own Essence he hath a full Idea and Cognisance of all things; the World is to him Corpus diaphanum, a transparent Body. He makes an Heart-Anatomy; he is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Rev. 2.23. I am he which searcheth the Reins and the Heart. The Clouds are no Canopy, the Night is no Curtain to draw between us and his sight, Psal. 139.12. The Darkness h • death not from thee. There is not a word we whisper but God hears it, Psal. 139.4. There is not a word in my Tongue, but lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether. There is not the most subtle Thought comes into our Mind, but God perceives it, Isa. 66.18. I kn • w their thoughts. Thoughts speak as loud in God's Ears as Words do in ours. All our Actions, though never so subtly contrived, and secretly conveyed, are visible to the Eye of Omnisciency, Isa. 66.18. I know their works. Achan hid the Babylonish Garment in the Earth, but God brought it to light, Josh. 7.21. Minerva was drawn in such curious Colours, and so lively pensil'd, that which way soever one turned, Minerva 's Eye was upon him: so which way soever we turn ourselves, still God's Eye is upon us, Job 37.16. Dost thou know the balancing of the Clouds, the Works of him who is perfect in knowledge? God knows whatever is knowable; he knows Future Contingencies: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Chrys. He foretold Israel's coming out of Babylon, and the Virgins conceiving. By this the Lord proves the Truth of his God-head against Idol-God's, Isa. 41.23. Indicate Futura—Shew the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know ye are gods. The Perfection of God's Knowledge is that it cannot be searched out to perfection, Job 11.7. What Angel can reach the top of these Pyramids? But 1. God's Knowledge is Primary. He is the Original, the Pattern and Prototype of all Knowledge; others borrow their Kowledge of him; the Angels light their Lamps at this glorious Sun. 2. God's Knowledge is Pure. It is not contaminated with the Object. Divina Natura non est immista r • bus aut sordibus inquinata, Aug. Though God knows sin, yet it is to hate and punish it. No Evil can mix or incorporate with his Knowledge, no more than the Sun can be defiled with the Vapors which arise from the Earth. 3. God's Knowledge is Facil ; it is without any difficulty. We study and search for Knowledge, Prov. 2.4. If thou seekest for her as Silver. But the Lamp of God's Knowledge is so infinitely bright, that all things are easily intelligible to him. 4. God's Knowledge is infallible ; there is no mistake in his Knowledge. Human Knowledge is subject to error and misprision. A Physician may mistake the Cause of a Disease; but God's Knowledge is un-erring; he can neither deceive, nor be deceived. He cannot deceive, because he is Truth; nor be deceived, because he is Wisdom. 5. God's Knowledge is Instantanious. Our Knowledge is successive ; one thing after another. We argue from the Effect to the Cause. God knows Things past, present, and to come, uno intuitu, at once. They are all before him in one entire prospect. 6. God's Knowledge is Retentive ; he never looseth any of his Knowledge; he hath reminiscentia as well as intelligentia ; he remembers as well as understands. Many things elapse out of our Mind, but God's Knowledge is eternized. Things transacted a thousand years ago, are as fresh to him as if they were done but the last minute. Thus he is Perfect in Knowledge.

Object. But is it not said, Gen. 18.21. I will go down and see whether they have done according to the cry which is come up unto me, and I will know?

Resp. It could not be a nesciency that God was ignorant, because there is mention made of a Cry; but the Lord speaks there 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , after the manner of a Judge, who will first examine the Cause before he passeth the Sentence. God when he is upon a work of Justice, is not in a Riot, as if he did not care where he hits; but he goes in the way of a Circuit against Offenders; he lays Judgment to the Line, and Righteousness to the Plummet, Isa. 28.17.

Object. Hos. 13.12. The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up, his sin is hid?

Resp. Not that his sin was hid from God, but his sin is hid, that is, it is recorded, it is laid up against a Day of Reckoning. That this is the meaning, is clear by the fore-going words, His iniquity is bound up ; as the Clerk of the Assizes binds up the Indictments of Malefactors in a Bundle, and at the Assizes brings out the Indictments and reads them in Court, so God binds up Men's sins in a Bundle, and at the Day of Judgment this Bundle shall be opened, and all their sins brought to light before Men and Angels.

That God is thus infinite in his Knowledge, 1. It cannot but be so: For he who is the Original Cause, and gives a Being to things, must needs have a clear inspection into them; Psal. 94 9. He that planted the Ear, shall not he hear; he that formed the Eye, shall not he see? He who makes a Watch or Engine, knows all the Workmanship in it. God that made the Heart, knows all the Motions and Fallacies of it. He is like Ezekiel 's Wheels, full of Eyes ; and as Austin saith, Totus oculis, all eye. 2. It ought to be so: for, he is to be Judge of all the World, Gen. 18.25. There are so many Causes to be brought before him, and so many Persons to be tried, that he must have a most exquisite perfect Knowledge, or he could not do Justice. An ordinary Judge cannot proceed without a Jury; the Jury must search the Cause, and give in their Verdict; but God can judge without a Jury. He knows all things in and of himself, and needs no Witness to inform him. A Judge judgeth only Matters of Fact, but God judgeth the Heart. He not only judgeth wicked Actions, but wicked Designs. He sees the Treason of the Heart, and punisheth it.

Use 1. Is God infinite in Knowledge, 1 John 1.5. He is Light, and in him is no Darkness ; then how unlike are they to God, who are Darkness, and in them is no Light, who are destitute of Knowledge, such as the Indians, who never heard of God. And are there not many among us, who are no better than baptized Heathens? who are to seek in the first Principles of the Oracles of God. It is sad, that after the Sun of the Gospel hath shined so long in our Horison, yet, to this day the Veil should be upon their Heart. Such as are inveloped with Ignorance, cannot give God a reasonable Service, Rom. 12.1. Ignorance is the Nurse of Impiety: the Schoolmen say, Omne peccatum fundatur in ignorantia ; Jer. 9.3. They proceed from evil to evil, and know not me, saith the Lord. Where Ignorance reigns in the Understanding, Lust rageth in the Affections: Prov. 19.2. That the Mind be without Knowledge, it is not good ; neither Faith nor Fear: no Faith, for Knowledge carries the Torch before Faith: Psal. 9.10. They that know thy Name will put their trust in thee. A Man can no more believe without Knowledge, than the Eye can see without Light. Nor Fear of God; How can they fear him whom they do not know? The Covering of Haman 's Face was a sad Presage of Death. When Peoples Minds are covered with Ignorance, this Covering of the Face is a fatal fore-runner of Destruction.

2. If God be a God of Knowledge, then see the folly of Hypocrisy. Hypocrites do not virtutem facere, but fingere, Melanct. they carry it fair with Men, but care not how bad their Hearts are; they live in secret sin: Psal. 73.11. They say how doth God know? Psal. 10.11. God hath forgotten, he • ideth his face, he will never see it. But Psal. 147.5. His Understanding is infinite. He hath a Grate ( Crates ) that looks into Men's Breasts: he hath a Key for the Heart, he beholds all the sinful workings of Men's Spirits: As in a Glass-Hive we can see the Bees working in their Combs, Matth. 6.4. he sees in secret; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , in impios habet, Rivet. As a Merchant enters down Debts in his Book, so God hath his Diary or Day-Book, and he enters down every sin into the Book. He makes a Critical Discant upon Men's Actions. Jeroboam 's Wife disguised herself that the Prophet should not know her, but he discerned her, 1 Kings 14.6. Why feignest thou thyself to be another. The Hppocrite thinks to prevaricate and juggle with God, but God will unmask him; Eccles. 12.14. God shall bring every work into Judgment with every secret thing. Jer. 29.23. They have committed Villany in Israel, even I know and am a witness, saith the Lord. I, but the Hypocrite hopes he shall color over his sin, and make it look very specious. Absalom masks over his Treason with the pretence of a Religious Vow. Judas dissembles his Envy at Christ, and Covetousness, with a pretence of Charity to the Poor, John 12.5. Jehu makes Religion a stirrup to his Ambitious Design, 1 Kings 10.16. but God sees through these Fig leaves. You may see a Jade under his gilt Trappings. Ier. 16.17. Their Iniquities is not hid from my eyes. And he that hath an Eye to see, will find an Hand to punish.

Use 2. of Exhortation. Is God so infinite in his Knowledge, then we should always set ourselves as under his Omniscient Eye. Sic vivendum est tanquam in conspectu, Seneca. Let us set David's Prospect before our Eye, Psal. 16.8. I have set the Lord always before me. Seneca counseled Lucilius, that whatever he was doing, he should imagine some of the Roman Worthies beheld him, and then he would do nothing dishonorable. The consideration of God's Omnisciency would, 1. Be preventive of much sin. The Eye of Man will restrain from sin, and will not God's Eyes much more? Esther 7.8. Will he force the Queen before me, when I stand and look on? Will we sin when our Judge looks on. Would Men speak so vainly if they considered God over-heard them? Latimer took heed to every word in his Examination, when he heard the Pen go behind the Hangings. So what care would Persons have of their words, if they remembered God heard, and the Pen is going in Heaven. Would Men go after strange Flesh, if they believed God were a Spectator of their wickedness, and would make them do Penance in Hell for it? would they defraud in their Dealings, and use false Weights, if they thought God saw them? and for making their Weights lighter, would make their damnation heavier. 2. The setting ourselves, as under the Eye of God's Omnisciency, would cause Reverence in the Worship of God. God sees the frame and carriage of our Hearts when we come before him: How would this call in our straggling thoughts? how would this animate and spirit Duty? it would make us put fire to the Incense. Acts 26.7. The Tribes instantly served God day and night, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , omnibus venibus, with the utmost zeal and intensness of Spirit. To think God is in this place, he beholds us, would add Wings to Prayer, and Oil to the flame of our Devotion.

2. Is God's Knowledge infinite, study sincerity, be what you seem ; 1 Sam. 16.7. The Lord looketh upon the heart. Men judge of the Heart by the Actions, God judgeth of the Actions by the Heart. If the Heart be sincere, God will see the Faith, and wink at the failing. Asa had his 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , his Blemishes, but his Heart was right with God, 2 Chron. 15.17. God saw his Sincerity, and pardoned his Infirmity. Sincerity in a Christian is like Chastity in a Wise, which doth excuse many Failings. Sincerity makes our Duties acceptable, like Musk among Linen, that perfumes it. As Jehu said to Iehonadab, 2 Kings 10.15. Is thy heart right with me? and he said it is: if it be (saith he) give me thy hand; and he took him up into the Chariot. So if God sees our heart is right, that we love him, and design his glory, now, saith he, give me your Prayers and Tears, now you shall come up with me into the triumphant Chariot of Glory. Sincerity makes our Services to be golden, and God will not cast away this Gold, though it may want some weight. Is God Omniscient, and his Eye chiefly upon the Heart, wear this Girdle of Truth about you, and never leave it off.

Use 3. of Comfort. Is God a God of infinite Knowledge, then there is Comfort, 1. To the Saints in particular, 2. To the Church in general, in three Respects.

1. In case of Private Devotion. Christian, thou settest hours apart for God, thy Thoughts run upon him as thy Treasure, God takes notice of every good Thought; Mal. 3.17. He had a Book of Remembrance written for them that thought upon his Name. Thou enterest into thy Closet, and prayest to thy Father in secret; he hears every sigh and groan; Psal. 38.9. My groaning is not hid from thee. Thou waterest the Seed of thy Prayer with Tears, God bottles every Tear; Psal. 56.8. Put thou my Tears into thy bottle. When the Secrets of all Hearts shall be opened, God will make an honorable mention of the Zeal and Devotion of his People, and he himself will be the Herald of their Praises, 1 Cor. 4.5. Then shall every man have praise of God.

2. The Infiniteness of God's Knowledge is a Comfort, in case the Saints have not so clear a Knowledge of themselves. They find so much Corruption, that they judge they have no Grace; Gen. 25.22. If it be so, why am I thus? If I have Grace, why is my Heart in so dead and earthly a frame? O remember, God is of infinite Knowledge, he can spy Grace where thou canst not; he can see Grace hid under Corruption, as the Stars may be hid under a Cloud. God can see that Holiness in thee, which thou canst not discern in thyself. He can spy the flower of Grace in thee, though overtop'd with weeds; 1 Kings 14.13. Because there is in him some good thing, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . God sees some good thing in his People, when they can see no Good in themselves; and though they judge themselves, he will give them an Absolution.

3. It is Comfort in respect of Personal Injuries. It is the Saints lot to suffer. The Head being crowned with Thorns, the Feet must not tread upon Roses; if Saints find a real Purgatory, 'tis in this Life, but this is the Comfort, God sees what wrong is done to them; The Apple of his Eye is touched, and is not he sensible? St. Paul was scourged by cruel Hands, 1 Cor. 11.35. Thrice was I beaten with Rods ; as if you should see a Scullion whip the King's Son. God beholds it; Exod. 3.7. I know their sorrows. The Wicked make wounds in the backs of the Saints, and then pour in Vinegar: God writes down their Cruelty. Believers art part of Christ's Mystical Body, and for every drop of a Saint's Blood spilled, God puts a drop of Wrath in his Vial.

2. Comfort to the Church of God in General. If God be a God of Knowledge, he sees all the Plots of the Enemies against Zion, and can make them prove Abortive. The wicked are subtle, having borrowed their skill of the old Serpent; they dig deep to hide their Counsels from God, but he sees them, and can easily counterwork them. The Dragon is described with seven Heads, Rev. 12.3. to show how he plots against the Church. But God is described with seven Eyes, Zach. 3.9. to show, that he sees all the Plots and Stratagems of the Enemies, and when they deal proudly, he can be above them. Come, saith Pharaoh, let us deal wisely, Exod. 1.10. and he never plaid the Fool more, then when he thought to deal wisely. Exod. 14.24. In the morning watch the Lord looked to the Hoast of the Egyptians, by the Pillar of fire, and troubled their Hoast. How may this be as Sap in the Vine, and may comfort the Church of God in her Militant State, the Lord hath an Eye in all the Counsels and Combinations of the Enemy, he sees them lay their Train, and can blow them up in their own Mine.

Of the Eternity of GOD.

THE next Attribute is, God is Eternal, Psal. 90.2. From everlasting to everlasting thou art God. The Schoolmen distinguish between Aevum & Eternum, to Explain the Notion of Eternity. There is a threefold Being, 1. Such a Being as had a Beginning, and shall have an End. So all Sensitive Creatures, the Beasts, Fowls, Fishes; these at Death are destroyed, and return to Dust, their Being ends with their Life. 2. Such a Being as had a Beginning, but shall have no End; as the Angels and Souls of Men; they are Eternal, à parte post, they abide forever. 3. Such a Being as is without Beginning and without Ending, and that is proper only to God. He is semper existens, viz. from everlasting to everlasting ; it is God's Title, a Jewel of his Crown. 1. He is called, The King Eternal, 1 Tim. 1.17. 2. Jehovah, a word that properly sets out God's Eternity ; a word so dreadful, that the Jews trembled to name or read it, therefore used another word Adonai, Lord. Jehovah contains in it Time past, present, and to come, Rev. 1.4. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which is, and which was, and which is to come ; it interprets the word Jehovah. Which is ] He subsists of himself, having a pure independent Being. Which was ] God only was before Time. There is no searching into the Records of Eternity. Which is to come ] His Kingdom hath no End. His Crown hath no Successors; Hebr. 1.8. Thy Throne, O God, is forever and ever. The doubling of the word ratifies the certainty of it, as the doubling of Pharaohs Dreams did. I shall prove that God only could be Eternal, without Beginning. Angels could not, they are but Creatures, though Spirits ; they were made, and therefore there beginning may be known; their Antiquity may be searched into. If you ask, When they were created? Some think before the World was; but not so. For what was before time was Eternal: the Angels first Rice and Original reacheth no higher than the beginning of the World. 'It is thought by the Learned, that the Angels were made that day on which the Heavens were made; Job 38.7. When the Morning-stars sang together, and all the Sons of God shouted for joy ; St. Jerome, Gregory, venerable Bede, understand it of the Angels. When God laid the Foundation Stone of the World, the Angels being then Created, did sing the Anthems of Joy and Praise. The Angels could not be before time; for what was before Time was Eternal. 'It is only proper to God to be Eternal, without Beginning. He is Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, Rev. 1.8. No Creature can write itself Alpha, that is only a Flower of the Crown of Heaven, Exod. 3.14. I am that I am; viz. he who Exists from and to Eternity.

Use 1. Here is Thunder and Lightning to the Wicked; God is Eternal, therefore the Torments of the Wicked are Eternal. God lives forever, and as long as God lives, he will be punishing the damned.—This methinks, should be as that Hand-writing on the Wall, Dan. 5.5. it should make their joints to be loosed, &c. The sinner takes liberty to sin, he breaks God's Laws, like a Wild beast that breaks over the Hedge, and leaps into forbidden Pasture: he sins 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , with greediness, Eph. 4.19. as if he thought he could not sin fast enough. But remember, this is one of God's Names, Eternal, and as long as God is Eternal, he hath time enough to reckon with all his Enemies. To make Sinners tremble, let them think of these three things: The Torments of the the Damned are without Intermission, without Mixture, and Eternal.

1. Without Intermission ; their Pains shall be acute and sharp, and no relaxation; the fire shall not be slackened, or abated; Rev. 4.11. They have no rest day nor night: like one that hath his Joints stretched continually on the Rack, and hath no ease; therefore the Wrath of God is compared to a Stream of Brimstone, Isa. 30.33. Why to a Stream? Because a Stream runs without intermission; it runs and doth not stop: so God's Wrath runs like a stream, and pours out without any intermission. In the Pains of this Life there is some abatement and intermission; the Fever abates, after a fit of the Stone the Patient hath some ease: but the Pains of Hell are intense and violent, in summo gradu, the damned Soul never saith, I am now more at ease.

2. Without Mixture. Hell is a place of pure Justice. In this Life God in Anger remembers Mercy, he mixeth Compassion with Suffering. Deut. 33.25. Asher 's shoe was of Iron, but his foot was dipped in Oil. Affliction is the Iron shoe, but Mercy is mixed with it; here is the foot dipped in Oil. But the Torments of the Damned have no mixture, Rev. 14.10. They shall drink of the Wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture. No mixture of Mercy. How is the Cup of Wrath said to be full of mixture, Psal. 75.8. The Wine is red, it is full of mixture: yet in the Revelation it is said to be without mixture? It is full of mixture, that is, it is full of all the Ingredients that may make it bitter. The Worm, the Fire, the Curse of God, all these are bitter Ingredients. It is a Cup mixed; yet it is without mixture, viz. there shall be nothing to afford the least Comfort, no mixture of Mercy ; so it is a Cup without mixture. In the Sacrifice of Jealousy, Numb. 5.15. there was no Oil put to it. So in the Torments of the Damned their is no Oil of Mercy to abate their Sufferings.

3. Without Cessation, Eternal. The Pleasures of sin are but for a season, but the Torments of the wicked are forever. Sinners have a short Feast, but a long Reckoning. Origen erroneously thought that after a thousand years the damned should be released out of their Misery: But the Worm, the Fire, the Prison are all Eternal, Rev. 14.11. The smoke of their Torment ascendeth up forever and ever. Poenae Gehennales puniunt, non finiunt, Prosper. Eternity is a Sea without Bottom and Banks. After Millions of years there's not one Minute in eternity wasted; and the Damned must be ever burning, but never consuming, always dying, but never dead, Rev. 9.6. They shall seek death, but shall not find it. The Fire of Hell is such as multitude of Tears will not quench it, Length of Time will not finish it; the Vial of God's Wrath will be always dropping upon a sinner. As long as God is Eternal, he lives for Ever to be avenged upon the wicked. O Eternity, Eternity, who can Fathom it? Mariners have their Plummets to measure the Depth of the Sea; but what Line or Plummets shall we use to Fathom the Depth of Eternity? The Breath of the Lord kindles the Infernal Lake, Isa. 30.33. and where shall we have Engines or Buckets to quench that Fire? O Eternity! If all the Body of the Earth and Sea were turned to Sand, and all the Air up to the starry Heaven were nothing but Sand, and a little Bird should come every 1000th year, and fetch away in her Bill but the Tenth part of a grain of all that heap of Sand, what a numberless number of years would be spent before that vast heap of Sand would be fetched away; yet, if at the end of all that time the sinner might come out of Hell (though long) yet there would be some hope: But this word ever breaks the heart, The smoke of their Torment ascendeth up forever and ever. What a Terror is this to the wicked, enough to put them into a cold Sweat, to think as long as God is Eternal, he lives forever to be avenged upon sinners.

Quest. Here a Question may be moved, Why sin that is committed in a short time, should be punished eternally?

Resp. We must hold with St. Augustine, that God's Judgment on the wicked, Occulta esse possunt injusta esse non possunt, may be secret, but never unjust. The reason why sin committed in a short time is eternally punished, is because every sin is committed against an Infinite Essence, and no less than Eternity of Punishment can satisfy. Why is Treason punished with Confiscation and Death, but because it is against the King's Person, which is Sacred; much more that Offence which is against God's Crown and Dignity, is of an heinous and infinite Nature, and cannot be satisfied with less than Eternal Punishment.

Use 2. Of Comfort to the Godly, God is Eternal, therefore lives forever to Reward the Godly, Rom. 2.7. To them who seek for glory and honor eternal life. The People of God here are in a suffering Condition, Acts 20.23. Bonds and Afflictions abide me. The Head being crowned with Thorns, the Feet must not tread upon Roses. The Wicked are clad in Purple, and fare deliciously, while the Godly suffer. Goats climb upon the high Mountains, while Christ's Sheep are in the Valley of Slaughter. But here is the Comfort, God is Eternal, and he hath appointed Eternal Recompences for the Saints. In Heaven are fresh Delights, Sweetness without Surfeit. And that which is the Crown and Zenith of Heavens happiness is, it is Eternal, 1 John 2.25. Were there but the least suspicion that this Glory must cease, it would much eclipse, yea embitter it; but it is Eternal. What Angel can span Eternity? 2 Cor. 4.17. An eternal weight of glory. The Saints shall bathe themselves in the Rivers of Divine Pleasure; and these Rivers can never be dried up: Psal. 16.11. At thy right hand are pleasures for evermore. This is the Elah, the highest strain in the Apostles Rhetoric, 1 Thess. 4.17. Ever with the Lord. There is Peace without Trouble, Ease without Pain, Glory without End, ever with the Lord. Let this comfort the Saints in all their Troubles, their Sufferings are but short, but their Reward is eternal. Eternity makes Heaven to be Heaven; 'tis the Diamond in the Ring: O blessed Day that shall have no Night! The Sun-light of Glory shall rise upon the Soul, and never set! O blessed Spring that shall have no Autumn, or Fall of the Leaf! The Roman Emperors have three Crowns set upon their Heads, the first of Iron, the second of Silver, the third of Gold. So the Lord sets three Crowns on his Children, Grace, Comfort and Glory; and this Crown is Eternal: 1 Pet. 5.4. Ye shall receive a Crown of Glory that fadeth not away. The Wicked have a never-dying Worm, and the Godly a never-fading Crown. O how should this be a Spur to Virtue! how willing should we be to work for God? though we had nothing here, God hath time enough to reward his People; the Crown of Eternity shall be set upon their Head.

Use 3. Of Exhortation. 1. In General, study Eternity. Our Thoughts should chiefly run upon Eternity. We are all for the present, something that may delight the Sences. If we could have lived (as Augustine) A cunabulis Mundi, from the Infancy of the World to the Worlds old Age, what were this? What is Time measured with Eternity? As the Earth is but a small Point to the Heaven, so Time is but, nay scarce a Minute to Eternity; and then, what is this poor Life, which crumbles away so fast! O think of Eternity! Annos aeternos in mente habe: Brethren, we are every day travelling to Eternity, and whether we wake or sleep, we are going our Journey; some of us are upon the Borders of Eternity. O study the shortness of Life, and the length of Eternity!

2. More Particularly: Think of God's Eternity and the Soul's Eternity. 1. Think of God's Eternity. He is the Ancient of Days, who was before all Time. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Thales. There is a figurative Description of God, Dan. 7.9. The Ancient of Days did sit, whose Garment was white as snow, and the hair of his Head like the pure Wooll. His white Garment wherewith he was clothed signified his Majesty, his Hair like the pure Wool, his Holiness, and the Ancient of Days his Eternity. The thoughts of God's Eternity would make us have high adoring thoughts of God. We are apt to have mean irreverent thoughts of him, Psal. 50.21. Thou thoughtest I was such a one as thyself; weak and mortal. But if we would think of God's Eternity, when all Power ceaseth, he is King Eternal, his Crown flourisheth forever, who can make us happy or miserable forever, this would make us have adoring thoughts of God; Rev. 4.10. The four and twenty Elders fell down before him that sat on the Throne and worship him that liveth forever and ever, and cast their Crowns before the Throne. The Saints fall down, to signify by that humble posture, that they are not worthy to sit in God's Presence. They fall down, and they worship him that lives forever, they do as it were kiss his feet. And they cast their Crowns before the Throne, they lay all their Honor at his Feet. Thus they show humble Adoration to the Eteral Essence. Study God's Eternity, it will make us adore where we cannot Fathom. 2. Think of the Soul's Eternity. As God is Eternal, so he hath made us Eternal. We are never-dying Creatures; we are shortly entering upon an Eternal State, either of Happiness or Misery. Have serious thoughts of this: Say, O my Soul, which of these two Eternities is like to be thy Portion? I must shortly depart hence, and whither then shall I go, to which of these Eternities, either of Glory or Misery? The serious Meditation of the Eternal State we are to pass into, would work strongly with us.

1. Thoughts of Eternal Torment, a good Antidote against Sin: Sin tempts with its Pleasure, but when we think of Eternity it may cool the intemperate Heat of Lust: Shall I for the Pleasure of Sin for a Season, endure eternal Pain? Sin like those Locusts, Rev. 9.7. seems to have on its Head a Crown like Gold, but it hath in it a Tail like a Scorpion. Verse 10. And a Sting in its Tail, and this Sting can never be plucked out. Shall I venture eternal Wrath? is Sin committed so sweet, as lying in Hell forever is bitter? This would make us fly from Sin as Moses from the Serpent.

2. The serious Thoughts of Eternal Happiness would very much take us off from these Worldly Things, we should not esteem much of them: What are these Sublunary Things to Eternity? they are quickly gone, they salute us and take their Farewell. But I am to enter upon an Everlasting Estate: I hope to live with Him who is Eternal; what is the World to me? They who stand upon the top of the Alps, the great Cities of Campania seem as small things in their eyes; so he who hath his Thoughts fixed on his Eternal Estate after this Life, all these things seem as nothing in his eye. What is the Glory of this World? how poor and contemptible compared with an Eternal Weight of Glory? Aeternis inhianti in fastidio suns transito, Bern.

3. To conclude, The serious Thoughts of an Eternal Estate, either of Happiness or Misery, would have a powerful Influence upon whatsoever we take in hand: Every Work we do promotes either a blessed or cursed Eternity; every good Action sets us a step nearer to an Eternity of Happiness, every bad Action sets us a step nearer to an Eternity of Misery. O what Influence would the Thoughts of Eternity have upon our Religious Duties! it would make us do them with all our Might▪ A Duty well performed lifts a Christian higher towards Heaven, and sets a Christian a step nearer to a blessed Eternity.

GOD's Vnchangeableness.

THE next Attribute is God's Unchangeableness, Mal. 3.6. I am Jehovah, I change not. 1. God is unchangeable in his Nature. 2. In his Decree.

1st, Unchangeable in his Nature: 1. There is no Eclipse of his Brightness. 2. No Period put to his Being.

1. No Eclipse of his Brightness: His Essence shines with a fixed Luster, I am. 1.17. With whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Psal. 102.27. Thou art the same. All created Things are full of Vicissitude, 1. Princes and Emperors are subject to Mutation. Sehostris, an Egyptian Prince, having subdued divers Kings in War, made them draw like Horses in his Chariot, as if he intended to turn them to Grass, as God did King Nebuchadnezzar. The Crown hath many Successors. 2. Kingdoms have their Eclipses and Convulsions: What is become of the Glory of Athens? the Pomp of Troy? I am seges est ubi Troja fuit. Kingdoms though' they have a Head of Gold, yet Feet of Clay. 3. The Heavens change, Psal. 102.25, 26. As a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed. The Matter of the Elements as it is more pure, so more firm and solid; the Heavens are the most ancient Records where God hath written his Glory with a Sun-beam; yet these shall change, though I do not think they shall be destroyed as to their substance, yet they shall be changed as to their qualities: They shall me • t with fervent heat, 2 Pet. 3.12. and so be more refined and purifi'd. Thus the Heavens shall be changed, but not He who dwells in Heaven: With him is no Variableness or Shadow of Turning. 4. The best Saints have their Eclipses and Changes: look upon a Christian in his Spiritual Estate, and he is full of Variation: though the Seed of Grace doth not die, yet the Beauty and Activity of it doth often wither. A Christian hath his Aguish Fits in Religion, sometimes his Faith is at an high Tide, sometime • low Eb • , sometimes his Love flames, and at another time like Fire hid in the Embers, and he hath lost his first Love. How strong was David 's Grace at one time, 2 Sam. 22.3. The God of my rock, in him will I trust. At another time, I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul. What Christian can say he doth not find a Change in his Graces: that the Bow of his Faith doth never unbend, the Strings of his Viol do never slacken. Sure we shall never meet with such Christians till we meet them in Heaven. But God is without any Shadow of Turning. 5. The Angels were subject to Change, they were created Holy, but Mutable, Jud. 6. The angels which kept not their first estate. Those Morning-stars of Heaven were falling Stars. But God's Glory shines with a fixed Brightness: In God there is nothing looks like a Change, no better or worse, no better in him, because then he were not perfect, nor worse in him, for then he should cease to be perfect: He is immutably Holy, immutably Good; There is no Shadow of Change in him.

Object. Christ who is God, assumed the Human Nature, here was a Change.

Resp. If indeed the Divine Nature had been converted into the Human, or the Human into the Divine, here had been a Change; but not so. The Human Nature was distinct from the Divine, therefore there was no Change. As suppose a Cloud cover the Sun, this makes no Change in the Body of the Sun; so though the Divine Nature be covered with the Human, this makes no Change in the Divine Nature.

2d, There is no Period put to his Being: 1 Tim. 1.16. Who only hath immortality. The Godhead cannot die: 1. An Infinite Essence cannot be changed into a Finite, but God is Infinite. 2. He is Eternal, Ergo, he is not Mortal to be Eternal, and Mortal is a Contradiction.

Use 1. See here the Excellency of the Divine Nature in its Immutability: this is the Glory of Godhead. Mutableness denotes Weakness; it is not so in God, he is the same Yesterday and to Day, and forever, Heb. 13.8. Men are fickle and mutable, like Rueben, Unstable as water, Gen. 49.4. They go in changeable Colours:

1. They are changeable in their Principles, [sometimes Protestant, sometimes Papist,] if their Faces altered as fast as their Opinions, we should not know them.

2. Changeable in their Resolutions; like the Wind that blows strongly in the East, presently turns about to the West ; they resolve to be virtuous, but quickly repent of their Resolutions: Their Minds are like a sick Man's Pulse, alters every half Hour; these the Apostle compares to Waves of the Sea, and wandering Stars, Iud. 13. They are not Pillars in God's Temple, but Reeds.

3. Others are changeable in their Friendship, quickly love and quickly hate; sometimes will put you in their Bosom, then excommunicate you out of their Favor: thus they change as the Chameleon into several Colours. But God is Immutable.

Use 2. See the Vanity of the Creature; there are Changes in everything but in God, Ps. 62.9. Men of high degree are vanity, and men of low degree are a lie. O quantum est in rebus inane: We look for more from the Creature, then God hath put into it. The World rings Changes; the Creature hath two Evils in it, it promiseth more then we find, and it fails us when we most need it: There is a Failure in Omni. A Man desires to have his Corn ground, the Water fails and then his Mill cannot go. The Mariner is for a Voyage, the Wind either doth not blow, or it is contrary, and he cannot sail. One depends upon another for the payment of a Promise, and he fails, and is like a Foot out of joint. Who would look for a fixed Stability in the vain Creature! As if one should build Houses on the Sand, where the Sea comes in and overflows. The Creature is true to nothing but Deceit, and is constant only in its Disappointments. 'It is no more wonder to see Changes fall out here below, then to see the Moon dressing itself in a new shape and figure; look to meet with Changes in everything but in God.

Use 3. Comfort to the Godly, 1. In case of Losses, if an Estate be almost boyld away to nothing; if lose dear Friends by Death, here's a double Eclipse; but this is the Comfort, God is Unchangeable; I may loose these things, but I cannot lose my God, he never dies. When the Fig-tree and Olive failed, yet God did not fail, Hab. 3.17. I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Flowers in the Garden die, but a Man's Portion remains: So outward things die and change, but, Psal. 73.26. Thou art the strength of my heart, and my portion forever.

2. In case of Sadness of Spirit, when God seems to cast off the Soul in Dejection, Cant. 5.6. My beloved had withdrawn himself ; yet God is Unchangeable. He is Immutable in his Love, he may change his Countenance but not his Heart▪ Ier. 31.4. I have loved thee with an everlasting love ; Hebrew Gnolam, A Love of Eternity. If once God's Electing Love riseth upon the Soul, it never sets, Isa. 54.10. The mountains shall be removed, but my loving kindness shall not depart from thee, nor the covenant of my peace be removed. God's Love stands faster then the Mountains; God's Love to Christ is Unchangeable, and he will no more cease loving Believers then he will cease loving Christ.

Use 4. of Exhortation: Get an Interest in this Unchangeable God, then thou art as a Rock in the Sea, immovable in midst of all Changes.

Quest. How shall I get a part in this Unchangeable God?

Resp. By having a Change wrought in thee, 1 Cor. 6.11. But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified.