A Body of Practical Divinity

But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified. When we are changed, A tenebris ad lucem, so changed as if another Soul did live in the same Body, by this Change we are interested in the Unchangeable God.

Trust to this God only who is Unchangeable, Isa. 2.22. Cease from man, leave trusting to the reed, but trust to the rock of ages. He that is by Faith in garrison'd in God, is safe in all Changes; he is like a Boat that is tied to an immovable Rock. He that trusts in God, trusts in that which cannot fail him, he is Unchangeable, Heb. 13.5. I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. Health may leave us, Riches, Friends may leave us, but saith God, I will not leave thee; my Power shall support thee, my Spirit shall sanctify thee, my Mercy shall save thee: I will never leave thee. O trust in this Unchangeable God. God is jealous of two things, Of our Love, and of our Trust: He is jealous of our Love, least we love the Creature more then him, therefore he makes it prove bitter: And of our Trust, least we should place more Confidence in it then him, therefore he makes it prove unfaithful. Outward Comforts are given us as Baits by the way to refresh us, but not as Crutches to lean on: If we make the Creature an Idol, what we make our Trust God makes our Shame. O trust in Deo Immutabili: We like Noah 's Dove have no footing for our Souls, till we get into the Ark of God's Unchangeableness, Psal. 125.1. They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed.

God is Unchangeable in his Decree, what he hath decreed from Eternity is unalterable, Isa. 46.11. My counsel shall stand. Argument, That God's eternal Counsel or Decree is Immutable. If God changeth his Decree, it must be from some Defect of Wisdom or Foresight in God: for that is the reason why Men do change their Purposes, through a want of Foresight they see something after which they did not see before: But this cannot be the cause why God should alter his Decree, because his Knowledge is perfect, he sees all things in one entire Prospect before him.

Object. But is not God said to Repent, there seems to be a Change in his Decree, Io • . 3.10. The Lord repented of the evil that he said he would do unto them.

Resp. Repentance is attributed to God figuratively and improperly, Num. 23.19. He is not man that he should repent. There may be a Change in God's Work, but not in his Will: God may will a Change, but not change his Will. Mutat sententiam non decretum: God may change his Sentence, but not his Decree. As suppose a King shall cause the Sentence to be passed upon a Malefactor whom he intends to save, notwithstanding this Sentence, the King doth not alter his Decree. So God threatened Destruction to Nineveh, Chap. 3.4. but the People of Nineveh repenting, God spared them; here God changed his Sentence, but not his Decree; it was what had la • n in the Womb of his Purpose from Eternity.

Object. But if God's Decree be Unchangeable, and cannot be Revers'd, then to what purpose should we use the Means, our Endeavors towards Salvation cannot alter his Decree?

Resp. This Decree of God doth not take off my Endeavor, for he that hath decreed my Salvation, hath decreed it in the use of Means, and if I neglect the Means I go about to Reprobate myself; no Man argues thus. God hath decreed how long I shall live; Ergo, I will not use Means to preserve Life, not eat and drink: God hath decreed the time of my Life in the use of Means; so God hath decreed my Salvation in the use of Word, Prayer, Sacraments: And as a Man that refuseth his • ood murders himself, so he that refuseth to work out his Salvation doth destroy himself. The Vessels of Mercy are said to be prepared unto Glory, Rom. 9.23. How are they prepared, but by being sanctified▪ and that cannot be but in the use of Means: therefore let not God's Decree take thee off from Holy Endeavor. A good Saying of Dr. Preston, Hast thou an Heart to pray to God, it is a sign no Decree of Wrath is passed against thee.

Use 1. If God's Decree be Eternal and Unchangeable, then God doth not Elect our Faith foreseen, as the Arminians. Rom. 9.11. The children being not yet born, that the purpose of God according to election might stand. It was said, Jacob have I loved, Esau have I hated. We are not elected for Holiness, but to Holiness, Eph. 1.3. If we are not justified for our Faith, much less elected for our Faith; but we are not justified for it: We are said to be justified, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , through Faith as an Instrument, Eph. 2.8. but not for Faith as a Cause: and if not justified for Faith, then much less elected. God's Decree of Election is Eternal and Unchangeable, therefore depends not upon Faith foreseen, Acts 13.48. As many as were ordained to eternal life believed. They were not elected because they believed, but they believed because they were elected.

Use 2. If God's Decree be Unchangeable, 'tis Comfort in two Cases, 1. Concerning God's Providences towards his Church: We are ready to quarrel with Providence if everything doth not jump with our Desire: Remember God's Work goes on, and nothing falls out but what he hath decreed from Eternity. 2. God hath decreed Troubles for the Churches good; the troubling of God's Church is like the Angel's troubling the Water, John. 5.4. which made way for healing his People. He hath decreed Troubles in the Church, His fire is in Zion, and his furnace in Jerusalem, Isa. 31.9. The Wheels in a Watch move cross one to another, but they all carry on the Motion of the Watch: So the Wheels of Providence often move cross to our Desires, but still they carry on God's unchangeable Decree: Dan. 12.10. Many shall be made white. God lets the Waters of Affliction be poured on his People, he doth but lay them a Whitening. Therefore murmur not at God's Dealings; His Work goes on, nothing falls out but what he hath wisely decreed from Eternity; everything shall promote God's Design, and fulfil his Decree.

2. Comfort to the Godly in regard of their Salvation, 2 Tim. 2.19. The foundation of God stands sure, having this seal, the Lord knows who are his: God's Counsel of Election is Unchangeable: once elected and forever elected, Rev. 3.5. I will not blot his name out of the book of life. The Book of God's Decree hath no Errata's in it, no blottings out: once justified never unjustified, Hos. 13.14. Repentance shall be hid from mine eyes. God never repents of his electing Love, • Joh. 13.1. He loved them to the end. Therefore if thou art a Believer, comfort thyself with this, the Immutability of God's Decree.

Use 3. To conclude, a word to the Wicked, who march furiously against God and his People, let them know God's Decree is Unchangeable, God will not alter it, nor can they break it, and while they resist God's Will they fulfil it. There's a twofold Will of God, Voluntas praecepti & decreti ; The Will of God's Precept, and of his Decree. While the Wicked resist the Will of God's Precept, they fulfil the Will of his Permissive Decree. Judas betrays Christ, Pilate condemns him, the Soldiers crucify him; while they resisted the Will of God's Precept, they fulfilled the Will of his Permissive Decree, Acts 4.28. Such as are wicked, God commands one thing they do the quite contrary; to keep Sabbath, they profane it; while they disobey his Command they fulfil his Permissive Decree. If a Man set up two Nets, one of Silk, the other of Iron, the Silken Net may be broken, not the Iron: God's Commands are the Silken Net; while Men break the Silken Net of God's Command, they are taken in the Iron Net of his Decree; while they sit backward to God's Precepts, they row forward to his Decree; his Decree to permit their Sin, and to punish them for their Sin permitted.

Of the Wisdom of GOD.

THE next Attribute is God's' Wisdom, which is one of the brightest Beams of the Godhead, Job 9.4. He is wise in heart. Kacham lavau: The Heart is the Seat of Wisdom; Cor in Hebraeo sumitur pro Iudicio, Pineda. Among the Hebrews the Heart is put for Wisdom. Job 34.32. Let Men of Understanding tell me: In the Hebrew,— Let Men of Heart tell me. God is wise in heart, that is, he is most wise. 1. God is only wise; he doth monopolize and ingross all Wisdom; Ergo, he is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the only wise God, 1 Tim. 1.17. All the Treasures of Wisdom are locked up in him, and no Creature can have any Wisdom, but as God is pleased to give it out of his Treasury. 2. God is perfectly wise ; there is no defect in his Wisdom. Men may be wise in some things, but in other things may betray imprudence and weakness. But God is the Exemplar and Pattern of Wisdom, and the Pattern must be perfect, Matth. 5.48. God's Wisdom appears in two things: 1. His Infinite Intelligence, 2. His Exact Working.

1. His Infinite Intelligence. He knows the most profound, obstruse Secrets, Dan. 2.28. He knows the Thoughts, which are the most intricate subtle things. Amos 4.13. He declareth to Man what is his thought. Let Sin be contrived never so politically, God will pull off all Masks and Disguises, and make an Heart-Anatomy. He knows all future Contingencies, & ante intuitu, all things are before him in one clear Prospect.

2. His exact curious Working. He is wise in heart ; his wisdom lies in his works. These Works of God are bound up in three great Volumes, where we may read his Wisdom.

1. The Work of Creation. The Creation, as it is a Monument of God's Power, so a Looking-glass in which we may see his Wisdom. None but a wise God could so curiously contrive the World. Behold the Earth decked with variety of Flowers, which are both for Beauty and Fragrancy; the Heaven bespangled with Lights, we may see the glorious Wisdom of God blazing in the Sun, twinkling in the Stars. His Wisdom is seen in the marshalling and ordering everything in its proper Place and Sphere. If the Sun had been set lower, it would have burnt us; if higher, it would not have warmed us with its Beams. God's Wisdom is seen in appointing the Seasons of the Year; Psal. 74.17. Thou hast made Summer and Winter. If it had been all Summer, the Heat would have scorched us; if all Winter, the Cold would have killed us. The Wisdom of God is seen in chekoring the Dark and the Light. If it had been all Night, there had been no Labor; if all Day, there had been no Rest. Wisdom is seen in mixing the Elements, the Earth with the Sea. If it had been all Sea, then we had wanted Bread; if it had been all Earth, then we had wanted Water. The Wisdom of God is seen in preparing and ripening the Fruits of the Earth: the Wind and Frosts prepare the Fruits, the Sun and Rain ripen the Fruits. God's Wisdom is seen in setting Bounds to the Sea, and so wisely contriving it, that though the Sea be higher than the Earth, yet it should not overflow the Earth: so that we may cry out with the Psalmist, Psal. 104.24. O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: there is nothing to be seen but Miracles of Wisdom. God's Wisdom is seen in ordering things in the Body Politick, that one shall have need of another: the Poor need the Rich Man's Money, and the Rich need the Poor Man's Labor. God makes one Trade depend upon another, that one may be helpful to another, and that mutual Love may be preserved.

2. The second Work wherein God's Wisdom shines forth, is the Work of Redemption. 1. Here was the Master-piece of Divine Wisdom, to contrive a way to Happiness between the Sin of Man, and the Justice of God. We may cry out with the Apostle, Rom. 11.33. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , O the depth of the Riches both of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God! This posed Men and Angels. If God had put us to find out a way of Salvation when we were lost, we could neither have had an Head to devise, nor an Heart to desire what God's infinite Wisdom hath found out for us. Mercy had a mind to save Sinners, yet loath that the Justice of God should be wronged: 'It is pity, saith Mercy, that such a noble Creature as Man should be made to be undone, and yet no reason that God's Justice should be a loser. What way then shall be found out? Angels cannot satisfy for the wrong done to God's Justice; nor is it fit that one Nature should sin, and another Nature suffer. What then, shall Man be forever lost? Now, while Mercy was thus debating with itself what to do for the recovery of fallen Man, here the Wisdom of God step'd in, and thus the Oracle spake; Let God become Man, let the second Person in the Trinity be Incarnate, and Suffer, and so for fitness he shall be Man, and for ability he shall be God. Thus Justice may be satisfied, and Man saved. O the depth of the riches of the wisdom of God, thus to make Justice and Mercy to kiss each other! Great is this Mystey, God manifest in the flesh, 1 Tim. 3.16. What wisdom was this, that Christ should be made sin, yet know no sin; that God should condemn the sin, yet save the sinner. Here was wisdom to find out the way of Salvation. 2. The means by which Salvation is applied sets forth God's wisdom. That Salvation should be by Faith, not by Works. Faith is an humble Grace, it gives all to Christ, 'tis an adorer of Free-grace; and Free-grace being advanced here, God hath his glory, and it is his highest wisdom to exalt his own glory. 3. The way of working Faith declares God's wisdom; 'tis wrought by the Word preached, Rom. 10.17. Faith comes by hearing. What is the weak Breath of a Man to convert a Soul? 'tis like whispering in the Ears of a dead Man; this is foolishness in the eye of the world: but the Lord loves to show his wisdom by that which seems folly, 1 Cor. 1.27. He hath chosen the foolish things of the World to confound the wise. Why so? Verse 29. That no flesh should glory in his presence. Should God convert by the Ministry of Angels, then we should have been ready to have gloried in Angels, and have given that honor to them which is due to God. But when God works by weak Tools, makes use of Men who are of like Passions with ourselves, and by them Converts, now the Power is plainly seen to be of God: 2 Cor. 4.7. We have this Treasure in earthen Vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. Herein is God's wisdom seen, that no flesh may glory in his presence.

3. The Wisdom of God wonderfully appears in the Works of his Providence. Every Providence hath either a mercy or a wonder wrapped up in it. The wisdom of God in his Works of Providence, appears 1. By effecting great things by small contemptible Means. He cured the stung Israelite by a brazen Serpent. If some Sovereign Antidote had been used, if the Balm of Gilead had been brought, there had been some likelihood that this should have healed: But what was there in a brazen Serpent? it was a mere Image, and not applied to him that was wounded, only he was to look upon it; yet this wrought a Cure. The less probability in the Instrument, the more is God's wisdom seen. 2. The wisdom of God is seen in doing his work by that which to the Eye of Flesh seems quite contrary. God intended to advance Joseph, and make all his Brethren's sheaves bow to his sheaf. Now, what way doth he take? First Joseph is thrown into the Pit, then sold into Egypt, then after that put in Prison, Gen. 39.20. and by his Imprisonment God made way for his Advancement. For God to save in an ordinary way, wisdom would not be so much taken notice of; but when he goes strangely to work, and saves in that very way in which we think he will destroy, now his wisdom shines forth in a most glorious conspicuous manner. God would make Israel victorious, and what way doth he go in? He lessens Gideon 's Army, Judge. 7.2. The people that are with thee are too many: he reduceth the Army of two and thirty thousand to three hundred, and by taking away the means of Victory, makes Israel victorious. God had a design to bring his People out of Egypt, and a strange course he takes to effect it: he stirred up the Hearts of the Egyptians to hate them, Psal. 105.25. He turned their heart to hate his people. The more they hated and oppressed Israel, the more God plagued the Egyptians, and the gladder they were to let Israel go, Exod. 12.33. The Egyptians were urgent upon Israel that they might send them out of the Land in haste, God had a mind to save Jonah when he was cast into the Sea, and he lets the Fish swallow him up, and so bring him to the shore. God would save Paul, and all that were in the Ship with him, and there was no way to save them but the Ship must break, and they all came safe to Land upon the broken pieces of the Ship, Acts 27.44. In reference to the Church God oft goes by contrary means, makes the Enemy do his work; he can strike a strait stroke by crooked sticks. God hath oft made his Church grow and flourish by persecution. The showers of Blood have made her more fruitful, Julian. Exod. 1.10. Come let us deal wisely with them, least they multiply. And that way they took to suppress them, made them multiply, Vers. 12. The more the afflicted them, the more they multiplied: Like Ground, the more it is harrowed, it bears the better Crop. The Apostles were scattered by reason of Persecution▪ and their scattering was like the scattering of Seed, they went up and down and preached the Gospel, and brought in daily Converts. Paul was put in Prison, and his Bonds were a Means to enlarge the Gospel, Phil. 1.12.

3. The wisdom of God is seen in making the most desperate Evils turn to the good of his Children. As several poisonful Ingredients, wisely tempered by the skill of the Artist make a Sovereign Medicine, so God makes the most deadly Afflictions co-operate for the good of his Children. He purifies them, and prepares them for Heaven, 2 Cor. 4.17. These hard Frosts hasten the Spring-flowers of Glory. The wise God, by a Divine Chemistry, turns Afflictions into Cordials. God makes his People gainers by losses, and turns their Crosses into Blessings.

4. The wisdom of God is seen in this, that the sins of Men shall carry on God's work, yet that he should have no hand in their sins. The Lord permits sin, but doth not approve it. He hath an Hand in the Action in which sin is, but not in the sin of the Action. As in the crucifying of Christ, so far as it was a Natural Action, God did concur; if he had not given the Jews Life and Breath, they could not have done it: but as it was a sinful Action, so God abhorred it. A Musician plays upon a Viol out of tune, the Musician is the Cause of the sound, but the jarring and discord is from the Viol it se • f; so Men's natural Motion is from God, but their sinful Motion is from themselves. A Man that rides on a lame Horse, his riding is the Cause why the Horse goes, but the lameness is from the Horse itself. Herein is God's wisdom, the sins of Men shall carry on his Work, yet he hath no hand in them.

5. The wisdom of God is seen in helping in the desperate Cases. God loves to show his wisdom when Human Help and Wit fail. Exquisite Lawyers love to wrestle with Nicities and Difficulties in the Law, to show their skil the more. God's wisdom is never at a loss, but when Providences are darkest, now appears the Morninst-star of Deliverance, Psal. 136.23. Who remembered us in our low condition. Sometimes God melts away the Spirits of his Enemies, Josh. 2.24. Sometimes he finds them other work to do, and sounds a Retreat to them, as he did to Saul when he was pursuing David, The Philistines are in the Land. In the Mount will God be seen. When the Church seems to be upon the Altar, her Peace and Liberty ready to be Sacrificed, now comes the Angel.

6. God's wisdom is seen in befooling wise men, and making their wisdom a means of their overthrow. Achitophel had deep Policy, 2 Sam. 16.23. The counsel of Achitophel which he counseled, was as if a man had inquired at the Oracle of God: but he consulted his own shame, The Lord turned his counsel into foolishness, 2 Sam. 17.23. Job 5.13. God taketh the wise in their own craftiness ; that is, when they think to deal wisely, he not only disappoints them, but insnares them. The Snares they lay for others catch themselves. Psal. 9.16. In the Net which they hid is their own foot taken. God loves to counter-plot Politicians; he makes use of their own Wit to undo them, and hangs Haman upon his own Gallows.

Use 1. Adore the wisdom of God, it is an infinite Deep, the Angels cannot search into: Rom. 11.33. His ways are past finding out. And as we should Adore, so we should Rest in the wisdom of God: God sees what Condition is best for us. Did we believe the wisdom of God, it would keep us from murmuring. Rest in God's wisdom, in several Cases: 1. In want of Spiritual Comfort: God is wise, he sees it good sometimes we should be without Comfort. Perhaps we should be lifted up with Spiritual Enlargements, as Paul with his Revelations, 2 Cor. 12.7. 'It is hard to have the Heart low when Comfort is high. God sees Humility is better for us then Joy. 'It is better to want Comfort and be humble, then to have it and be proud. 2. In want of bodily strength rest in God's wisdom; he sees what is best. Perhaps the less Health the more Grace. Weaker in Body, the stronger we are in Faith, 2 Cor. 4.16. Though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. At Rome there were two Laurel Trees, when the one withered the other flourished. The inward Man is renewed. When God shakes the Tree of the Body, he is now gathering the Fruits of Righteousness, Hebr. 12.11. Sickness is God's Launce to let out the Impostbume of sin, Isa. 27.9. 3. In case of God's Providences to his Church: we wonder what God is doing with us, and are ready to kill ourselves with Care; Rest in God's wisdom, he knows best what he hath to do, Psal. 77.19. His footsteps are not known. Trust him where you cannot trace him. God is most in his way, when we think he is most out of the way. When we think God's Church is as it were in the Grave, and there is a Tombstone laid upon her, God's wisdom can roll away the Stone from the Sepulcher. Christ cometh leaping over Mountains, Cant. 2.8. Either his power can remove the Mountain, or his wisdom knows how to leap over it. 4. In case we are low in the World, or have but little Oil in our Cruise, Rest in God's wisdom, he sees it best ; it is to cure Pride and Wantonness. God knew, if thy Estate had not been lost, thy Soul had been lost. God he saw Riches would be a Snare to thee, 1 Tim. 6.9. Art thou troubled that God hath prevented a Snare? God will make thee rich in Faith ; what thou lackest in Temporals, shall be made up in Spirituals; God will give thee more of his love. Thou art weak in Estate, yet God will make thee strong in Assurance. O rest in God's wisdom! he will Carve the best piece for thee. 5. In case of the loss of dear Friends, a Wife, or Child, or Husband, rest satisfied in God's Wisdom. God hath taken away these, because he would have more of your Love. He breaks these Crutches, that we may live more upon him by Faith. God would have us learn to go without Crutches.

Use 2. If God be infinitely wise, then let us go to him for Wisdom ; as Solomon ▪ 1 Kings 3.9. Give thy servant an understanding heart, and the speech pleased the Lord ; and there is encouragement for us. If any one lack wisdom, let him ask of God who giveth liberally and upbraideth not, Jam. 1.5. Wisdom is in God, tanquam in fonte, as in the Fountain; his wisdom is imparted, not impaired ; his Stock is not spent by giving. Go then to God, Lord do thou light my Lamp; in thy Light 'I shall see Light; give me wisdom to know the fallacies of my heart, the subtleties of the old Serpent, to walk jealously towards myself, religiously towards thee, prudently towards others; guide me by thy Counsel, and afterwards receive me to Glory.

Of GOD's Power.

THE next Attribute is God's Power, Job 9.19. If I speak of strength, lo he is strong. In this Chapter is a magnificent Description of God's Power. So he is strong ] The Hebrew word for strong, ammytz, signifies a conquering, prevailing strength. He is strong ; the Superlative Degree is intended here, viz. He is most strong. He is called El Shaddai, God Almighty, Gen. 17.1. His Almightiness lies in this, he can do whatever is feasible. Divines distinguish between 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Authority and Power. God hath both.

1. He hath a Sovereign Right and Authority over Man. He may do with his Creature as he please. Who shall Dispute with God? who shall ask him a Reason of his doings? Dan. 4.35. He doth according to his Will in the Army of Heaven, and among the Inhabitants of the Earth, and none can stay his Hand, or say unto him, what dost thou? God sits Judge in the highest Court, he calls the Monarchs of the Earth to the Barr, and is not bound to give a reason of his proceedings; Psal. 75.5, 7. He putteth down one, and raiseth up another. He hath Salvation and Damnation in his power. He hath the Key of Justice in his hand, to lock up whom he will in the fiery Prison of Hell; and he hath the Key of Mercy in his hand, to open Heaven's Gate to whom he please. This is the Name engraven upon his Vesture, King of Kings, and Lord of Lord's, Rev. 19.16. he sits Lord paramount, and who can call him to account? Isa. 46.10. I will do all my pleasure. The World is God's Diocese, and shall not he do what he will in his own Diocese? He it was that turned King Nebuchadnezzar to grass, and threw the Angels to Hell when they sinned, that broke the head of the Babylonish Empire, Isa. 14.12. How art thou fallen from Heaven, O Lucifer! thy pomp is brought down to the grave: Who sets bounds to the Sea, and bridles the proud Waves, Job 38.11. God is the Supreme Monarch, all Power is seated originally in him; and the powers that be are of God, Rom. 13.1. Kings hold their Crowns from him, Prov. 8.15. By me Kings reign.

2. As God hath Authority, so he hath Infinite Power. What is Authority without Power? He is mighty in strength, Job 9.4. This Power of God is seen,

1. In the Creation. To Create requires an Infinite Power; all the World cannot make a Fly. God's Power in Creating is evident, 1. Because he needs no Instruments to work with; 'tis proper to God to work without Tools. 2. He needs no Matter to work upon; first he creates Matter, and then works upon it. 3. He works without labor, Psal. 33.9. He spake and it was done.

2. The Power of God is seen in the Conversion of Souls. Surely a mighty Power went to raise Christ from the Grave, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Eph. 1.20. The same power goes to draw a Sinner to God, as drew Christ out of the Grave to Heaven. Greater Power is put forth in Conversion, than in Creation. 1. When God made the World he met with no opposition; as he had nothing to help him, so he had nothing to hinder him: But when he comes to convert a Sinner, here he meets with opposition; Satan opposeth him, and the Heart opposeth him: a Sinner is angry with Converting Grace. 2. The World was the work of God's Fingers, Psal. 8.3. Conversion is the work of God's Arm, Luke 1.5. 3. In the Creation God wrought but one Miracle, he Spake the word ; but in Conversion he works many Miracles: The Blind is made to see, the Dead is raised, the Deaf hears the Voice of the Son of God. O the infinite Power of Jehovah! Before his Scepter Angels veil, and prostrate themselves, Kings cast their Crowns at his Feet, Amos 9.5. He toucheth the Mountains and they melt. Job 9.6. He removes the Earth out of her place. An Earthquake makes the Earth tremble upon her Pillars, but God shakes it out of its place; he can remove the Earth from its Center. God can do what he will, his Power is as large as his Will. Were Men's power as large as their will, what work would they make in the World! God's Power is of equal extent with his Will. God can with a word un-pin the wheels, and break the Axle-tree of the Creation. He can do 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , more then we can think, Eph. 3.20. He can suspend natural Agents: he sealed up the Lions mouth, made the Fire not burn; he made the waters stand upon an heap, he caused the Sun to go ten Degrees backward in Ahaz his Dial, Isa. 38.8. What can pose Omnipotency? The Lord cuts off the Spirit of Princes, Psal. 76.12. He Counter-works his Enemies, he pulls down their Flags and Banners of Pride, infatuates their Counsels, breaks their Forces; and he doth it with ease: with the turning of his hand, Psal. 81.14. with his breath, Isa. 40.24. with a look. That is all it needs cost God to destroy his Enemies, a look, a cast of his eye, Exod. 14.24. The Lord looked into the host of the Egyptians, through the pillar of fire, and troubled their host. Who shall stop him in his March? God commands, and all Creatures in Heaven and Earth obey him. Xerxes the Persian Monarch threw Fetters into the Sea when its Waves swelled, as if he would have chained up the Waters: but when God speaks, the Wind and Sea obey him; if he say but the word, the Stars fight in their course against Sisera, if he stamp with his Foot, an Army of Angels shall presently be in a Battalia. What cannot Omnipotent Power do? The Lord is a Man of War, Exod. 15.3. He hath a mighty Arm, Psal. 89.13. God's Power is a glorious power, Col. 1.11. 1. It is an irresistible power, Rom. 9.19. Who hath resisted his will. To contest with him, is as if the Thorns should set themselves in Battle array against the fire; or as if an infirm Child should fight with an Arch-Angel. If the Sinner be once taken in God's Iron Net, there is no escaping, Isa. 43.13. There is none that can deliver out of my hand. 2. God's Power is an inexhaustible power, it is never spent or wasted. Men, while they exercise their strength weaken it: but God hath an everlasting spring of strength in him, Isa. 26.4. though he spends his Arrows upon his Enemies, Deut. 32.23. yet he doth not spend his strength, Isa. 40.28. He fainteth not, neither is weary.

Object. Can God do all things, he cannot deny himself?

Answ. Though God can do all things, he cannot do that which stains the glory of his Godhead: he cannot sin; he cannot do that which implies a Contradiction. To be a God of Truth, and yet deny himself, is a Contradiction.

Use 1. If God be so infinite in Power, Fear this great God. We are apt to fear such as are in power; Ier. 5.22. Fear ye not me, saith the Lord? will ye not tremble at my presence? He hath power to cast our Souls and Bodies into Hell; Psal. 90.11. Who knows the power of his wrath? God can with the same Breath that made us, dissolve us; his Eyes are as a flame of fire ; the Rocks are thrown down by him, Nah. 1.6. Solomon saith, Where the word of a King is, there is power, Eccles 8.4. much more where the word of a God is. O let us fear this mighty God! The fear of God would drive out all other base Fear.

Use 2. See the deplorable Condition of wicked Men: 1. This Power of God is not for them; 2. It is against them.

1. This Power of God is not for them: they have no Union with God, therefore have no warrant to lay claim to his Power. His Power is no relief to them. He hath power to forgive sins, but he will not put forth his power towards an impenitent sinner. God's Power is an Eagles wing to carry the Saints to Heaven. But what Privilege is that to the wicked? Though a Man will carry his Child in his Arms over a dangerous water, yet he will not carry an Enemy in his Arms. God's Power is not engaged to help those that fight against him. Let Miseries come upon the Wicked, they have none to help them; they are like a Ship in a storm without a Pilot, driven upon the Rocks.

2. This Power of God is against the Wicked. God's Power will not be the Sinner's Shield to defend him, but a Sword to wound him. God's Power will bind the the Sinner in Chains. God's Power serves to revenge the wrong done to his Mercy. God will be Almighty to damn the Sinner. Now in what a condition is every Unbeliever; God's Power is engaged against him, and it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God, Hebr. 10.31.

Use 3. It reproves such as do not believe this Power of God. We say we do not doubt of God's Power, but his Will . But indeed it is God's Power that we question. Is anything too hard for God? Jer. 32.27. yet we stagger through Unbelief, as if the Arm of God's Power were shrunk, and he could not help in desperate Cases. Take away a King's Power and we un-king him; take away the Lord's Power and we un-God him: yet how guilty of this are we. Did not Israel question God's Power? Can he prepare a Table in the Wilderness? Psal. 78.19. they thought the Wilderness was a fitter place for making of Graves, then spreading of a Table. Did not Martha doubt of Christ's Power? John 11.39. He hath been dead four days. If Christ had been there while Lazarus was sick, or when he had been newly dead, Martha did not question but Christ could have raised him, but he had laid in the Grave four days, and now she seemed to question his Power. Christ had as much ado to raise her Faith, as to raise her dead Brother. And Moses, though an holy Man, yet limits God's Power through Unbelief, Numb. 11.21. The People amongst whom I am, are six hundred thousand footmen, and thou hast said I will give them flesh for a whole month; shall the flocks and the herds be slain for them to suffice them? or shall all the Fish of the Sea be gathered for them to suffice them? And the Lord said unto Moses, is the Lord's hand waxed short? This is a great Affront to God, to go to deny his Power. That Men doubt of God's Power, appears 1. By their taking indirect Courses. Would they defraud in their Dealings, use false Weights, if they believed the Power of God; that he could provide for them? 2. By their depending more upon second Causes then upon God, 2 Chron. 16.12. In his disease he sought not to the Lord but to the Physician.

Use 4. If God be infinite in Power, then let us take heed of hardening our hearts against God, Job 9.4. Who hath hardened himself against him and prospered? Job sends a Challenge to all Creatures in Heaven and Earth, Who is he did ever take up the Bucklers against God, and came of Conqueror? For a Person to go on daringly in any sin, is to harden his heart against God, and as it were to raise a War against Heaven; and let him remember, God is El Shaddai, Almighty ; he will be too hard for them that oppose him, Job 40.9. Hast thou an arm like God? Such as will not bow to his golden Scepter, shall be broken with his iron Rod. Julian hardened his heart against God, he opposed him to his Face; but what got he at last? did he prosper? Being wounded in Battle, he threw up his Blood into the Air, and said to Christ, Vicisti Galilaee, O Galilean, thou hast overcome; I acknowledge thy Power, whose Name and Truth I have opposed. Will Folly contend with Wisdom? Weakness with Power? Finite with Infinite? O take heed of hardening your heart against God! he can send Legions of Angels to avenge his Quarrel. 'It is better to meet God with Tears in your Eyes, then Weapons in your Hand. You may overcome God sooner by Repentance then by Resistance.

Use 5. Get an Interest in God, and then this glorious Power is engaged for you. God gives it under his hand, that he will put forth the whole Power of his God-head for the good of his People, 1 Chron. 17.24. The Lord of hosts is the God of Israel, even a God to Israel. This Almightiness of God's Power is a wonderful Support and Comfort to every Believer. It was Sampson 's Riddle, Judge. 14.14. Out of the strong came forth sweetness: So out of the Attribute of God's Power, out of this strong comes forth sweetness. 'It is Comfort in several Cases:

1. In case of strong Corruption : My sins (saith a Child of God) are potent. I have no power against this Army that comes against me. I pray and humble my Soul by Fasting, but my sins return upon me. I, but dost thou believe the Power of God; the strong God can conquer thy strong Corruption; though sin be too hard for thee, yet not for him; he can soften hard hearts, quicken the dead. Is any thing too hard for the Lord? Gen. 18.14. Set God's Power on work. By Faith and Prayer, say, Lord! it is not for thy honor that the Devil should have so strong a Party within me; O break the head of this Leviathan, Abba, Father, all things are possible to thee.

2. In case of strong Temptation: Satan is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , The strong Man ; O but remember the Power of God, Christ is called, The Lion of the Tribe of Judah ; he hath broken the Serpent's head upon the Cross. Satan is a chained Enemy, and a conquered Enemy: Michael is stronger then the Dragon.

3. Comfort in case of Weakness of Grace, and Fear of falling Away: I pray, but I cannot send out strong Cries; I believe, but the hand of my Faith doth shake and tremble: Cannot God strengthen weak Grace? 2 Cor. 12.9. My strength is made perfect in weakness: Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. I fear I shall not hold out. Christian, Dost thou believe the Power of God? Hath not God preserved thy Grace thus far? Mayest not thou set up thy Eben-ezer? God hath kept thy Grace hitherto as a Spark in the main Ocean, and is not he able still to keep thy Grace, 1 Pet. 1.5. We are kept by the power of God, &c. God's Mercy pardons us, but his Power preserves us. He who by his Power keeps the Stars that they do not fall out of their Orb, keeps our Grace that it doth not fail or annihilate.

4. Comfort in case of the Deficiency in thy Estate: God can multiply the Oil in the Cruise; miraculously he can raise up Supplies. God that provides for the Birds of the Air, cannot he provide for his Children? He that clothes the Lilies, cannot he clothe his Lambs?

5. Comfort in regard of the Resurrection: This seems difficult to believe, that the Bodies of Men when eaten up by Worms, devoured by Beasts and Fishes, or consumed to Ashes, should be raised the same Numerical Bodies; but if we believe the Power of God, it is no great Wonder: Which is hardest to create or raise the Dead? He that can make a Body of nothing, can restore it to its parts, when mingled and confounded with other Substances, Matth. 19.26. With God all things are possible. If we believe the first Article of the Creed, That God is Almighty; we may quickly believe the other Article, The Resurrection of the Body. God can raise the Dead because of his Power, and he cannot but raise them because of his Truth.

6. It is Comfort in reference to the Church of God: He can save and deliver it when it is brought low. The Enemies have power in their hand, but the remainder of Wrath God will restrain, Psal. 76.10. God can either confine the Enemies Power, or confound it: If God be for us, who can be against us? God can create Jerusalem a praise, Isa. 65.18. The Church in Ezekiel was compared to dry Bones, but God made breath to enter into them, and they lived, Ezek. 37.10. The Ship of the Church may be tossed, because Sin is in it, but it shall not be overwhelmed, because Christ is in it, Psal. 46.5. Deus in medio. All the Churches Pangs shall help forward her Deliverance.

Of the Holiness of GOD.

THE next Attribute is God's Holiness, Exod. 15.11. Glorious in holiness, Nedar Bakkodesh ] Holiness is the most sparkling Jewel of his Crown, it's the Name by which God is known, Psal. 111.9. Holy and reverend is his name. He is the holy one, Job 6.10. Seraphims cry, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of his glory, Isa. 6.3. His Power makes him Mighty, his Holiness makes him Glorious: God's Holiness consists in his perfect loving of Righteousness, and abhorrency of Evil, Hab. 1.13. Of purer eyes then to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity.

1 st, God is holy intrinsically: 1. He is holy in his Nature; his very Being is made up of Holiness, as Light is of the Essence of the Sun. 2. He his holy in his Word; the Word bears a Stamp of his Holiness upon it, as the Wax bears an Impression of the Seal, Psal. 119, 140. Thy word is very pure ; it is compared to Silver refined seven times, Psal. 12.6. Every Line of the Word breaths Sanctity; it encourageth nothing but Holiness. 3. God is holy in his Operations, all God doth is holy: He cannot act but like himself; he can no more do an Unrighteous Action, then the Sun can darken, Psal. 145.17. The Lord is holy in all his works.

2 dly, God is holy primarily: He is the Original and Pattern of Holiness; Holiness began at him who is the Ancient of Days.

3 dly, God is holy efficiently: He is the Cause of all that Holiness in others, I am. 1.17. Every good and perfect gift comes from above. He made the Angels holy; he infused all that Holiness into Christ's Human Nature: All the Holiness we have is but a Crystal Stream from this Fountain. We borrow all our Holiness from God, as the Lights of the Sanctuary were lighted from the middle Lamp; so all the Holiness of others is a Lamp lighted from Heaven. Lev. 20.8. I am the Lord which sanctify you: God is not only a Pattern of Holiness, but he is a Principle of Holiness. His Spring feeds all our Cisterns; he drops his holy Oil of Grace upon us.

4 hly, God is holy transcendantly: 1 Sam. 2.2. There is none holy as the Lord: No Angel in Heaven can take the just Dimensions of God's Holiness. The highest Seraphim is too low of Stature to measure these Pyramids: the Holiness in God is far above the Holiness in the Saints or Angels:

1. It is above the Holiness in the Saints, 1. It is a purer Holiness: The Saints Holiness is like Gold in the Oar, imperfect; their Humility is stained with Pride; he that hath most Faith, had need pray, Lord help my unbelief. But the Holiness of God is pure, like Wine from the Grape, it hath not the least dash or tincture of Impurity mixed with it. 2. A more unchangeable Holiness: The Saints though they cannot lose the habit of Holiness, (for the Seed of God remains,) yet they may lose some degrees of their Holiness, Rev. 2.4. Thou hast left thy first love. Grace cannot die, yet the Flaim of it may go out: Holiness in the Saints is subject to Ebbing, but Holiness in God is Unchangeable, he never lost a drop of his Holiness. As he cannot have more Holiness because he is perfectly Holy, so he cannot have less Holiness, because he is unchangeably Holy.

2. The Holiness, in God is above the Holiness in the Angels: Holiness in the Angels is only a Quality, which may be lost, as we see in the fallen Angels; but Holiness in God is his Essence, he is all over Holy, and he can as well lose his God-head as his Holiness.

Object. But is not he privy to all the Sins of Men, he behods their Impurities, how can this be, and he not be defiled?

Resp. God sees all the Sins of Men, but is no more defiled with them, then the Sun is defiled with the Vapours that arise out of the Earth: God sees Sin not as a Patron to approve it, but as a Judge to punish it.

Use 1. Is God so infinitely Holy, then see how unlike to God Sin is: Sin is an unclean thing, it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Hyperbolically Evil, Rom. 1.13. it is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , an Abomination, Deut. 7.25. God hath no mixture of Evil in him, Sin hath no mixture of Good; it is the Spirits and Quintissence of Evil; it turns Good into Evil; it hath deflowr'd the Virgin-Soul, made it red with Guilt, and black with Filth: it is called the accursed thing, Jos. 7.11. No wonder, ergo, that God doth so hate Sin, being so unlike to him, nay, so contrary: it strikes at his Holiness, Sin doth all it can to spite God; Sin would not only Unthrone God, but Ungod him; if Sin could help it, God should be God no longer.

Use 2. Is God the Holy One, and is his Holiness his Glory? Then how impious are they, 1. That are Haters of Holiness, as the Vulture hates Perfumes: so they hate this sweet Perfume of Holiness in the Saints; their Hearts rise against Holiness as a Man's Stomach at a Dish he hath an Antipathy against. There is not a greater sign of a Person devoted to Hell, then to hate one for that thing wherein he is most like God, his Holiness. 2. That are Despisers of Holiness; they despise the Glory of the Godhead, Glorious in holiness ; the despising of Holiness is seen in the deriding of it; Is it not sad Men should deride that which should save them? Sure that Patient will die that derides the Physic? The deriding the Grace of the Spirit comes near to the despighting the Spirit of Grace: Scoffing Ishmael was cast out of Abraham 's House, Gen. 21.9. Such as scoff at Holiness shall be cast out of Heaven.

Use 2. of Exhortation: Is God so infinitely holy, then let us endeavor to imitate God in Holiness, 1 Pet. 1.16. Be ye holy for I am holy. There's a twofold Holiness, An Holiness of Equality, and an Holiness of Similitude: An Holiness of Equality no Man or Angel can reach to: Who can be equally Holy with God? Who can parallel him in Sanctity? But, 2. there is an Holiness of Similitude, and that we must aspire after, to have some Analogy and Resemblance of God's Holiness in us; be as like him in Holiness as we can: though a Taper doth not give so much Light as the Sun, yet it doth resemble it. We must Imitate God in Holiness.

Quest. Must we be like God in Holiness, wherein doth our Holiness consist?

Resp. In two things, 1st, In our Suitableness to God's Nature. 2dly, Our Subjection to his Will:

1. Our Holiness stands in our Suitableness to the Nature of God: Hence the Saints are said to partake of the Divine Nature, 2 Pet. 1.4. which is not a partaking of his Essence, but his Image. Herein is the Saints Holiness, when they are the lively Pictures of God: they bear the Image of God's Meekness, Mercifulness, Heavenliness; they are of the same Judgment with God, of the same Disposition, they love what he loves, and hate what he hates.

2. Our Holiness consists in our Subjection to the Will of God: As God's Nature is the Pattern of Holiness, so his Will is the Rule of Holiness. This is our Holiness, 1. When we do his Will, Acts 13.22. 2. When we bear his Will, Mich. 7.9. What he inflicts wisely, we suffer willingly. This is our Holiness, when we are suitable to God's Nature, and submissive to his Will; this should be our great Care to be like God in Holiness. Our Holiness should be so qualified as God's; God's is a real Holiness, such should ours be, Ephes. 4.24. Righteousness and true holiness ; it should not be only the Paint of Holiness, but the Life of Holiness; it should not only be like the Egyptian Temples, beautiful without, but like Solomon 's Temple, Gold within, Psal. 45.13. The King's Daughter is glorious within. That I may press you to resemble God in Holiness.

1. How Illustrious every holy Person is; he is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , he is a fair Glass in which some of the Beams of God's Holiness shines forth. We read Aaron put on Garments for Glory and Beauty, Exod. 28.2. When we wear the embroidered Garment of Holiness, it is for Glory and Beauty. A good Christian is ruddy, being sprinkled with Christ's Blood, and white, being adorned with Holiness. As the Diamond to a Ring, so is Holiness to the Soul. So beautiful a thing is Holiness, that as Chrysostom saith, 'They that oppose it, cannot but admire it.

2. It is the great Design God carries on in the World, to make a People like himself in Holiness: What are all the Showers of the Ordinances for, but to rain down Righteousness upon us, and make us Holy? What are the Promises for, but to encourage Holiness? What is the sending of the Spirit into the World for, but to anoint us with the Holy Unction, 1 John. 2.20. What are all Afflictions for, but to make us Partakers of God's Holiness, Heb. 12.10▪ What are Mercies for, but Loadstones to draw us to Holiness? What is the end of Christ's dying, but that his Blood might wash away our Unholiness, Tit. 2.14. Who gave himself for us, to purify unto himself a peculiar People. So that if we are not holy, we cross God's great Design in the World.

3. 'It is our Holiness draws God's Heart to us: Holiness is God's Image: God cannot choose but love his Image where he sees it. A King loves to see his Effigies upon a piece of Coin: Psal. 45.7. Thou lovest righteousness. And where doth Righteousness grow, but in an holy Heart? Isa. 6 • .4. Thou shalt be called Hepbsiba, for the Lord delighteth in thee: It was her Holiness drew God's Love to her, Verse 12. They shall call them the holy people. God values not any by their high Birth, but their Holiness.

4. Holiness is the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the only thing that differenceth us from the Reprobate Part of the World: God's People have his Seal upon them, 2 Tim. 2.19. The foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knows them that are his. And, let all that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. The People of God are sealed with a double Seal, 1. Election, The Lord knows who are his. 2. Sanctification, Let everyone depart from iniquity. As a Nobleman is distinguished from another by his Silver Star; as a virtuous Woman is distinguished from an Harlot by her Chastity; so Holiness distinguisheth between the two Seeds. All that are of God as they have Christ for their Captain, Heb. 2.10. so Holiness is the white Colour they wear.

5. Holiness is our Honor, Holiness and Honor put together, 1 Thes. 4.4. Dignity goes along with Sanctity, Rev. 1.6. He hath washed us from our sins • n his blood, and hath made us kings unto God. When we are washed and made holy, then we are Kings and Priests to God. The Saints are called Vessels of Honor, they are called Jewels for the sparkling of their Holiness, because filled with Wine of the Spirit; this makes them Earthly Angels.

6. Holiness gives us Boldness with God, Job 22.23, 26. Thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacle, and shalt lift up thy face unto God. Lifting up the Face is an Emblem of Boldness. Nothing makes us so ashamed to go to God as Sin: a wicked Man in Prayer may lift up his Hands, but he cannot lift up his Face. When Adam had lost his Holiness, he lost his Confidence; he hid himself. But the holy Person goes to God as a Child to his Father, his Conscience doth not upbraid him with allowing any Sin, therefore he can go boldly to the Throne of Grace, and have Mercy to help in time of need, Heb. 4.16.

7. Holiness gives Peace: Sin raiseth a Storm in the Conscience, Ubi peccatum ibi procella: Isa. 57.21. There's no peace to the wicked ; Righteousness and Peace are put together. Holiness is the Root which bears this sweet Fruit of Peace: Righteousness and peace kiss each other.

8. Holiness leads to Heaven: Holiness is the King of Heaven's Highway, Isa. 35.8. An high-way shall be there, and it shall be called the way of holiness. At Rome there was the Temple of Virtue and Honor, and they were to go through the Temple of Virtue to the Temple of Honor: So we must go through the Temple of Holiness to the Temple of Heaven. Glory begins in Virtue, 2 Pet. 1.3. Who hath called us to glory and virtue? Happiness is nothing else but the Quintessence of Holiness. Holiness is Glory militant, and Happiness Holiness triumphant.

Quest. What shall we do to resemble God in Holiness?

Resp. Have recourse to Christ's Blood by Faith; it is Lavacrum animae, Legal Purifications, Types and Emblems of it, 1 John. 1.7. The Word is a Glass to show us our Spots, and Christ's Blood is a Fountain to wash them away.

2. Pray for an holy Heart, Psal. 51.10. Create in me a clean heart, O God. Lay thy Heart before the Lord, and say, Lord, my heart is full of Leprosy; it defiles all it toucheth: Lord I am not fit to live with such an heart, for I cannot honor thee, nor die with such an heart, for I cannot see thee. O create in me a clean heart; send thy Spirit into me to refine and purify me, that I may be a Temple fit for the holy God to inhabit.

3. Walk with them that are holy, Prov. 13.20. He that walketh with the wise shall be wise. Be among the Spices and you will smell of them. Association begets Assimilation: nothing hath a greater Power and Energy to effect Holiness, then the Communion of Saints.

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Of GOD's Justice.

THE next Attribute is God's Justice: All God's Attributes are identical, and are the same with his Essence. Though he hath several Attributes whereby he is made known to us, yet he hath but one Essence. A Cedar Tree may have several Branches, yet it is but one Cedar. So there are several Attributes of God, whereby we conceive of him, but one entire Essence. Well, then concerning God's Justice, Deut. 32.4. Just and right is he. Job 37.23. Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out, he is excellent in plenty of Justice. God is said to dwell in Justice, Psal. 89.14. Justice and Judgment are the habitation of thy Throne. In God Power and Justice meet. Power holds the Scepter, and Justice holds the Balance.

Question. What is God's Justice?

Resp. Iustitia est jus suum cuique tribuere ; Justice is to give everyone his due. God's Justice is the Rectitude of his Nature, whereby he is carried to the doing of that which is righteous and equal; Prov. 24.12. Shall not he render to every Man according to his Works? God is an Impartial Judge ; he judgeth the Cause. Men oft judge the Person, and not the Cause, which is not Justice, but Malice. God judgeth the Cause, Gen. 18.21. I will go down and see if they have done according to the cry which is come up unto me. When the Lord is upon a punitive act, he weighs things in the Ballance, he doth not punish rashly ; he doth not go in the way of a Riot, but a Circuit against Offenders. Concerning God's Justice, I shall lay down these six Positions.

1. God cannot but be Just. His Holiness is the Cause of his Justice. Holiness will not suffer him to do anything but what is Righteous. He can no more be unjust, then he can be unholy.

2. God's Will is the Supreme Rule of Justice: It is the Standard of Equity. His Will is wise and good. God wills nothing but what is just, and therefore it is just, because he wills it.

3. God doth Justice voluntarily: Justice flows from his Nature. Men may act unjustly, because they are bribed or forced: God will not be bribed, because of his Justice, he cannot be forced because of his Power. He doth Justice out of Love to Justice, Hebr. 1.8. Thou lovest righteousness.

4. Justice is the perfection of the Divine Nature. Aristotle saith, Justice 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , comprehends in it all Virtues. To say God is just, is to say he is all that is Excellent: Perfection meets in him as Lines in a Center. He is not only Just, but Justice itself.

5. God never did, nor can do the least wrong to his Creature. God's Justice hath been wronged, but never did any wrong. God doth not go according to the summum jus, or rigor of the Law; he abates something of his Severity. He might inflict heavier Penalties than he doth, Ezra 9.14. Thou hast punished us less then our iniquities deserve ; our Mercies are more then we deserve, our Punishments less.

6. God's Justice is such, that it is not fit for any Man or Angel to expostulate with God, or demand a Reason of his Actions. God hath not only Authority on his side, but Equity: He lays Judgment to the Line, and Righteousness to the Plummet, Isa. 28.17. and it is below him to give an Account to us of his Proceedings. Which of these two is fittest to take place, God's Justice or Man's Reason? Rom. 9.20. Who art thou, O man, that disputest against God? The Plumb-Line of our Reason is too short to fathom the depth of God's Justice, Rom. 11.33. How unsearchable are his Iudgments! we are to adore God's Justice, where we cannot see a reason of it.

Now God's Justice runs in two Channels: 'It is seen in two Things, the distribution of Rewards and Punishments.

1. In rewarding the Virtuous; Psal. 58.11. Doubtless there is a reward for the righteous. The Saints shall not serve him for naught, he will reward praeces & lachrymas, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , though they may be losers for him, they shall not be losers by him, Hebr. 6.10. God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love which ye have shown to his Name. He gives a Reward, not that we have deserved it, but because he hath promised it.

2. He is just in punishing Offenders. And he is just, 1. Because he punisheth Sinners by a Law. Where there is no Law there is no transgression, Rom. 4.15. But God hath given Men a Law, and they brake it, therefore he punisheth them justly. 2. God is just in punishing the Wicked, because he never punisheth them, but upon full Proof and Evidence. What greater Evidence then for a Man's own Conscience to be Witness against him? There is nothing God chargeth upon a Sinner, but Conscience doth set Seal to the Truth of it.

Use 1. See here another Flower of God's Crown the is just and righteous. He is the Exemplar and Pattern of Justice.

Object. But how doth it seem to stand with God's Justice, that the Wicked should prosper in the World, Prov. 12.1. Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? This hath been a great stumbling, and been ready to make many question God's Justice. Such as are highest in sin are highest in power. Diogenes seeing Harpalus a Thief go on prosperously, said, Sure God had cast off the Government of the World, and minded not how things went here below.

Resp. 1. The wicked may be sometimes Instruments to do God's work ; though they do not design his glory, yet they may promote it. Cyrus (Ezra. 1.7.) was instrumental for the building God's Temple in Jerusalem. There is some kind of Justice, that they should have a Temporal Reward: God lets them prosper, under whose Wing his People are sheltered. God will not be in any Man's debt; Mal. 1.10. Who hath kindled a fire on my Altar for naught?

2. God lets Men go on in sin and prosper, that he may leave them more inexcusable, Rev. 2.21. I gave her space to repent of her Fornication. God adjourns the Sessions, spins out his Mercies towards Sinners, and if they repent not, his Patience will be a Witness against them, and his Justice will be more cleared in their Condemnation, Psal. 51.4. That thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.

3. God doth not always let the wicked prosper in their sin, some he doth punish openly, that his Justice may be taken notice of, Psal. 9.16. The Lord is known by the judgment which he executeth: that is, his Justice is seen by striking Men dead in the very act of sin. Thus he struck Zimri and Cozbi in the Act of Uncleanness.

4. If God do let Men prosper a while in sin, his Vial of Wrath is all this while filling; his Sword is all this while whetting: and though God may forbear Men a while, yet long forbearance is no forgiveness. The longer God is taking his blow, the heavier it will be at last; as long as there is Eternity, God hath time enough to reckon with his Enemies. Justice may be as a Lion asleep, but at last this Lion will awake, and roar upon the Sinner. Doth not Nero, and Julian, and Cain now meet with God's Justice?

Object. But God's own People suffer great Afflictions, they are injured and persecuted, Psal. 73.14. All the day long have I been plagued and chastened every morning. How doth this stand with God's Justice?

Resp. 1. That is a true Rule of St. Austin, Iudicia Dei possunt esse occulta, non injusta ; God's ways of Judgment are sometimes secret, but never unjust. The Lord never Afflicts his People without a Cause ; so that he cannot be unjust. There is some good in the godly, therefore the wicked afflict them; there is some evil in them, therefore God afflicts them. God's own Children have their 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , their blemishes, 2 Chron. 28.10. Are there not with you, even with you, sins against the Lord? These Spiritual Diamonds, have they no flaws? Do not we read of the Spots of God 's Children, Deut. 32.10. Are not they guilty of much Pride, Censoriousness, Passion, Worldliness? though by their Profession they seem to resemble the Birds of Paradise, to fly above, and feed upon the Dew of Heaven, yet as the Serpent, they lick the dust. And these sins of God's People do more provoke God than others, Deut. 32.19. Because of the provoking of his sons and daughters. The sins of others pierce Christ's side, these wound his heart: therefore is not God just in all the Evils that befall them, Amos 3.2. You only have I known of all the Families of the Earth, therefore I will punish you for your Iniquities. I will punish you sooner, surer, sorer then others.

2. The Trials and Sufferings of the godly are to refine and purify them. God's Furnace is in Zion, Isa. 31.9. Is it any Injustice in God to put his Gold into the Furnace to purify it? Is it any Injustice in God by afflicting his People, to make them partakers of his Holiness? Hebr. 12.10. What doth more proclaim God's Faithfulness, than to take such a course with them as may make them better, Psal. 119.75. In faithfulness thou hast corrected me.

3. What Injustice is it in God to inflict a lesser Punishment, and prevent a greater? The best of God's Children have that in them which is meritorious of Hell: Now I pray, doth God do them any wrong, if he useth only the Rod, where they have deserved the Scorpion? Is the Father unjust if he only corrects his Child, who hath deserved to be disinherited? If God deals so favourably with his Children, he only puts Wormwood in their Cup, whereas he might put Fire and Brimstone, they are rather to admire his Mercy, than complain of his Injustice.

Object. How can it stand with God's Justice, that all Men, being equally guilty by Nature, God should pass by one, and save another? why doth not he deal with all alike?

Resp. Rom. 9.14. Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. Job. 8.3. Doth the Almighty pervert justice? 1. God is not bound to give an account of his Actions to his Creatures. If none may say to a King, what dost thou? Eccles. 8.4. much less to God. It is sufficient, God is Lord paramount, he hath a Sovereign Power over his Creatures, therefore can do no Injustice, Rom. 9.21. Hath not the Potter power over the Clay, of the same Lump to make one Vessel to honor, and another unto dishonor? God hath a liberty • e • t in his own Breast to save one, and not another, and his Justice is not at a • l impeach'd or blemished. If two Men owe you Money, you may without any Inju • tice remit the Debt to one, and exact it of the other. If two Male-factors be condemned to die, the King may pardon one, and not the other. He is not unjust if he • ets one suffer, because he offended the Law, nor if he save the other, because he will make use of his Prerogative as he is King. 2. Though some are saved, and others perish, yet there is no unrighteousness in God, because whoever peri • heth, his destruction is of himself, Hos. 13.9. O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself. God offers Grace, the Sinner refuseth it, Is God bound to give Grace? If a Surgeon comes to heal a Man's wound, he will not be healed, but bolts out his Surgeon, is the Surgeon bound to heal him? Prov. 1.24. I have called, and ye refused. Psal. 81.11. Israel would none of me. God is not bound to force his Mercies upon Men: If they willfully oppose the offer of Grace, there sin is to be taxed as the cause of their perishing, and not God's justice.

2. See the difference between God and a great part of the World, they are unjust, 1. In their Courts of Judicature; they pervert Justice: Isa. 10.1. They decree unrighteous decrees. The Hebrew word for a Judges Robe, Magnil, signifies Prevarication, Deceit, or Injustice. It is often truer of the Judge then the Robe. The Judge deserves rather to have that Name than the Robe. What is a good Law, without a good Judge? Injustice lies in two things, either not to punish where there is a Fault, or to punish where there is no Fault; how frequent! Again, 2. Unjust in their Dealings. This is 1. either in using false weights, Hos. 12.7. The Balances of deceit are in his hand. 'It is sad to have the Bible in one hand, and false Weights in the other. Or 2. in adulterating Commodities; Isa. 1.22. Thy wine is mixed with water ; when they mix bad grain with good, yet sell it for pure grain. I can never believe he is good in the first Table, who is not good in the second. He cannot be godly who is not just. Though God doth not bid you be Omnipotent, as he is, yet be Just as he is.

Use 2. Imitate God in Justice. Let Christ's golden Maxim be observed, Matth. 7.12. What you would have men do to you, do ye even so to them. You would not have them wrong you, neither do you them; rather suffer wrong than do wrong, 1 Cor. 6.7. Why do ye not rather take wrong? O be exemplary for Justice! Let Justice be your Ornament, Job 29.14. I put on Righteousness (viz. Justice) as a Robe and a Diadem. A Robe for its graceful Beauty; and I put it on, & induebam justitiam. A Judge puts on his Robe, and puts it off again at Night; but Job did so put on Justice, as he did not put it off till Death, semper vestiti. We must not lay off this Robe of Justice, till we lay down our Tabernacle. If you have anything of God in you, you will be like him. By every unjust Action you do deny yourselves to be Christians; you stain the glory of your Profession; Heathens will rise up in Judgment against you. The Sun might sooner alter its Course, than he could be turned from doing Justice.

Use 3. If God be just, there will be a Day of Judgment. Now things are out of Course. Sin is rampant, Saints are wronged, they are often cast in a righteous Cause, they can meet with no Justice here, Justice is turned into Wormwood; but there is a day coming, when God will set things right; he will do every Man Justice; he will crown the righteous, and condemn the wicked; Acts 17.31. He hath appointed a day, &c. If God be a just God, he will take vengeance. God hath given Men a Law to live by, they break it, there must be a day for the Execution of Offenders: a Law not executed is but like a Wooden Dagger, for a show. At the last Day God's Sword shall be drawn out against Offenders; then his Justice shall be revealed before all the World, — God will judge in righteousness, Acts 17.31. Shall not the Judge of all the world do right? Gen. 18.25. The Wicked shall drink a Sea of Wrath, but not sip one Drop of Injustice. At that day shall all Mouths be stopped, and God's Justice shall be fully vindicated from all the Cavils and Clamors of unjust Men.

Use 4. Comfort to the true Penitent: As God is a just God he will pardon him, Homo agnoscit, Deus ignoscit: 1 Joh. 1.9. If we confess our sins (i. e. confess and forsake) he is just to forgive us our sins. Not only merciful, but just, Why just? because he hath promised to forgive such, Prov. 28.13. If thy heart hath been broken for and from Sin, thou mayest not only plead God's Mercy, but his Justice for the pardoning thy sin. Shew him his Hand and Seal, he cannot deny himself.

The Mercy of GOD.

THE next Attribute is God's Goodness or Mercy: Mercy is the Result and Effect of God's Goodness, Psal. 33.5. Psal. 119.64. So then this is the next Attribute, God's Goodness or Mercy. The most Learned of the Heathens thought they gave their God Jupiter two Golden Characters, when they styled him, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Good and Great: both these meet in God, Greatness and Goodness, Majesty and Mercy.

God is, 1. Essentially good in himself. And, 2. Relative good to us. They are both put together, Psal. 119.68. Thou art good, and dost good. This Relative goodness is nothing else but his Mercy, which is an innate Propensness in God to pity and succor such as are in Misery. Concerning God's Mercy,

1 st, I shall lay down these Twelve Positions: 1. It is the great Design of the Scripture to represent God as Merciful. This is a Loadstone to draw Sinners to him, Exod. 34.6. The Lord merciful, gracious, longsuffering, abundant in goodness, &c. Here are six Expressions to set forth God's Mercy, and but one to set forth his Justice; who will by no means clear the Guilty. Psal. 57.10. God's mercy is great above the heavens. Psal. 108.4. God is represented as a King, and a Rain-bow was about his Throne, Rev. 4.2, 3. The Rain-bow was an Emblem of Mercy. The Scripture doth oftener represent God in his white Robes of Mercy, then with his Garments rolled in Blood; oftener with his Golden Scepter then his Iron Rod.

Position 2. God is more inclinable to Mercy then Wrath: Pronior est Deus ad parcendum quam ad puniendum. Mercy is his darling Attribute which he most delights in, Mic. 7.18. Mercy pleaseth him. 'It is delightful to the Mother, saith Chryso'stom, to have her Breasts drawn. So it is to God to have the Breasts of his Mercy drawn. Isa. 27.4. Fury is not in me: That is, I do not delight in it. Acts of Severity are rather forced from God, he doth not afflict willingly, Lam. 3.33. The Be naturally gives Honey, it stings only when it is provoked. God doth not punish till he can bear no longer, Jer. 44.22. So that the Lord could bear no longer, because of the evil of your doings. Mercy is God's right Hand, that he is most used to. Inflicting of Punishment is called God's strange Work, Isa. 28.21. he is not used to it. And when the Lord would shave off the Pride of a Nation, he is said to hire a Rasor, as if he had none of his own, Isa. 7.20. He shall shave with a razor that is hired. He is slow to anger, Psal. 103.8. But ready to forgive, Psal. 86.5.

Position 3. There is no Condition but we may spy Mercy in it: When the Church was in Captivity, she cries out, It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, Lam. 3.22. Geographers write of Syracuse in Sicily, it is so situated that the Sun is never out of sight. In all Afflictions we may see some Sunshine of Mercy. That outward and inward Troubles do not come together, is Mercy.

Position 4. Mercy sweetens all God's other Attributes: God's Holiness without Mercy, and his Justice without Mercy were Terrible. When the Water was bitter, and Israel could not drink, Moses cast a Tree into the Water, and then they were made sweet. How bitter and dreadful were the other Attributes of God, did not Mercy sweeten them; Mercy sets God's Power on work to help us; it makes his Justice become our Friend; it shall avenge our Quarrels.

Position 5. God's Mercy is one of the most Orient Pearls of his Crown; it makes his Godhead appear amiable and lovely. When Moses said to God, I beseech thee show me thy glory. The Lord answered him, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will show mercy, Exod. 33.19. God's Mercy is his Glory: his Holiness makes him Illustrious, his Mercy makes him Propitious.

Position 6. Even the Worst taste of God's Mercy, such as fight against God's Mercy taste of it: The Wicked have some Crumbs from Mercy's Table; The Lord is good to all, Psal. 145. • . The sweet Dew drops on the Thistle as well as the Rose. The Diocese where Mercy visits is very large. Pharaoh 's Head was crowned, though his Heart was hardened.

Position 7. Mercy coming to us in a Covenant is sweetest: It was Mercy that God would give Israel Rain, and Bread to the full, and Peace, and Victory over their Enemies, Levite. 26.4, 5, 6. But it was a greater Mercy, that God would be their God, Verse 12. To have Health is a Mercy, but to have Christ and Salvation is a greater Mercy; this is like the Diamond in the Ring, it casts a more sparkling Luster.

Position 8. One Act of Mercy engageth God to another: Men argue thus, I have shown you Kindness already, therefore trouble me no more. But because God hath shown Mercy, he is more ready still to show Mercy: his Mercy in Election makes him Justify, Adopt, Glorify; one Act of Mercy engageth God to more. A Parent's love to his Child, makes him always giving.

Position 9. All the Mercy in the Creature is derived from God, and is but a drop of this Ocean: The Mercy and Pity a Mother hath to her Child, is from God; he that puts the Milk in her Breast, puts the Compassion in her Heart: therefore God is called the Father of Mercies, 2 Cor. 1.3. because he begets all the Mercies in the World. If God hath put any Kindness into the Creature, how much Kindness is in him who is the Father of Mercy.

Position 10. God's Mercy as it makes the Saints Happy, so it should make them Humble: Mercy is not the Fruit of our Goodness, but the Fruit of God's Goodness. Mercy is an Alms that God bestows; they have no cause to be Proud that live upon the Alms of God's Mercy, Job 10.15. If I be righteous yet will I not lift up my head: All my Righteousness is the Effect of God's Mercy, therefore I will be humble, I will not lift up my Head.

Position 11. It is Mercy stays the speedy Execution of God's Justice: Sinners continually provoke God, and make the fury come up in his face, Ezek. 38.18. Whence is it God doth not presently Arrest and Condemn them, it is not that God cannot do it, for he is armed with Omnipotency, but it is from God's Mercy: Mercy gets a Reprieve for the Sinner, and stops the speedy Process of Justice. God would by his Goodness lead Sinners to Repentance.

Position 12. 'It is dreadful to have Mercy witness against one: How sad was it with Haman when the Queen herself accused him, Esth. 7.6. so when this Queen of Mercy shall stand up against a Person, and accuse him. It is only Mercy that saves a Sinner, now how sad to have Mercy become an Enemy; If Mercy be an Accuser, who shall be our Advocate? The Sinner never scapes Hell, when Mercy draws up the Indictment.

I might show you several Species or Kinds of Mercy, Preventing Mercy, Spareing Mercy, Supplying Mercy, Guiding Mercy, Accepting Mercy, Healing Mercy, Quickening Mercy, Supporting Mercy, Forgiving Mercy, Correcting Mercy, Comforting Mercy, Delivering Mercy, Crowning Mercy; but I shall speak of the Qualifications or Properties of God's Mercy,

1. God's Mercy is free: To set up Merit is to destroy Mercy; nothing can deserve Mercy, because we are polluted in our Blood, nor force it. We may force God to punish us, not to love us, Hos. 14.4. I will love them freely. Every Link in the Chain of Salvation, is wrought and interwoven with Free-grace. Election is free, Eph. 1.4. He hath chosen us in him 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , according to the good pleasure of his will. Justification is free, Rom. 3.24. Being justified freely by his grace. Salvation is free, Tit. 3.5. According to his mercy he saved us. Say not then I am Unworthy, for Mercy is free: If God should show Mercy only to such as are Worthy, he should show Mercy to none at all.

2. God's Mercy is an Overflowing Mercy, 'tis Infinite, Psal. 86.5. Plenteous in mercy. Eph. 2.4. Rich in mercy. Psal. 51.1. Multitude of mercies. The Viol of Wrath doth but drop, but the Fountain of Mercy runs. The Sun is not so full of Light, as God is of Mercy: God hath Morning-mercies, Lam. 3.23. His mercies are new every morning ; and Night-mercies, Psal. 42.8. In the night his song shall be with me. God hath Mercies under Heaven, those we taste of, and in Heaven, and those we hope for.

3. God's Mercy is Eternal, Psal. 103.17. The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting. It is repeated six and twenty times in one Psalm, His mercy endureth forever, Psal. 136. The Souls of the Blessed shall be ever bathing themselves in this sweet and pleasant Ocean of God's Mercy. God's Anger to his Children lasts but a while, Psal. 103.9. But his mercy lasts forever. As long as he is God, he will be showing Mercy: As his Mercy is overflowing, so ever-flowing.

Use 1. of Information, It shows us how we are to look upon God in Prayer, not in his Judge's Robes, but clothe with a Rain-bow, full of Mercy and Clemency; add Wings to Prayer. When Jesus Christ ascended up to Heaven, that which made him go up thither with Joy, was, I go to my Father ; so that which should make our Hearts ascend with Joy in Prayer, is, We are going to the Father of Mercy, who sits upon a Throne of Grace. Go with Confidence in this Mercy; as when one goes to a Fire, it is not doubtingly, perhaps it will warm me, perhaps not.

Use 2. Believe in this Mercy, Psal. 52.8. I trust in the mercy of God forever. God's Mercy is a Fountain opened, let down the Bucket of Faith, and you may drink of this Fountain of Salvation, what greater Encouragement to believe then God's Mercy. God counts it his glory to be scattering Pardons; he is desirous that sinners should touch the golden Scepter of his Mercy, and live. And this willingness to show Mercy appears two ways:

1. By his entreating of sinners to come and lay hold on his Mercy; Rev. 22.17. Whosoever will, come and take the water of life freely. Mercy woes sinners, it even kneels down to them. It were strange for a Prince to entreat a condemned Man to accept a Pardon. God saith, poor sinner, suffer me to love thee, be willing to let me save thee.

2. By his joyfulness when sinners do lay hold on his Mercy. What is God the better, whether we receive his Mercy or no? What is the Fountain profited that others drink of it? Yet such is God's goodness, that he rejoiceth at the Salvation of sinners, and is glad when his Mercy is accepted off. When the Prodigal Son came home, how glad was the Father? and he makes a Feast to express his joy. This was but a Type or Emblem, to show how God rejoiceth when a poor sinner comes in, and lays hold of his Mercy. What an Encouragement is here to believe in God, he is a God of Pardons, Nehem. 9.17. Mercy pleaseth him, Micah 7.18. Nothing doth prejudice us but Unbelief. Unbelief stops the current of God's Mercy from running: It shuts up God's Bowels, closeth the Orifice of Christ's Wounds, that no healing Virtue will come out, Matth. 13.58. He could do no mighty works there because of their unbelief. Why dost thou not believe in God's Mercy? Is it thy sins discourage? God's Mercy can pardon great sins, nay, because they are great, Psal. 25.11. The Sea covers great Rocks as well as lesser Sands; some that had an hand in crucifying Christ, found Mercy. As far as the Heavens are above the Earth so far is God's Mercy above our sins, Isa. 55.9. What will tempt us to believe, if not the Mercy of God?

Use 3. of Caution. Take heed of Abusing of this Mercy of God. Suck not Poison out of the sweet Flower of God's Mercy; Do not think, that because God is merciful, you may go on in sin ; this is to make Mercy become your Enemy. None might touch the Ark but the Priests, who by their Office were more holy. None may touch this Ark of God's Mercy, but such as are resolved to be holy. To sin because Mercy abounds, is the Devil's Logic. He that sins because of Mercy, is like one that wounds his Head because he hath a Plaister: He that sins because of God's Mercy, shall have Judgment without Mercy. Mercy abused turns to Fury. Deut. 29.19. If he bless himself, saying, I shall have peace though I walk after the imaginations of my heart, to add drunkenness to thirst, the Lord will not spare him, but the anger of the Lord, and his jealousy shall smoke against that man. Nothing sweeter then Mercy when it is improved, nothing fiercer when it is abused. Nothing colder than Lead when it is taken out of the Mine, nothing more scalding than Lead when it is heated. Nothing blunter than Iron, nothing sharper when it is whetted. Psal. 103.17. The mercy of the Lord is upon them that fear him. Mercy is not for them that sin and fear not, but for them that fear and sin not. God's Mercy is an holy Mercy, where it pardons it heals.

Quest. What shall we do to be interested in God's Mercy?

Answ. 1. Be sensible of your wants. See how you stand in need of Mercy, pardoning, saving Mercy. See yourselves Orphans; Hos. 14.3. In thee the fatherless findeth Mercy. God bestows the Alms of Mercy only on such as are indigent. Be emptied of all Opinion of Self-worthiness. God pours the golden Oil of Mercy into empty Vessels.

2. Go to God for Mercy, Psal. 51.1. Have Mercy upon me, O God! Put me not off with common Mercy that Reprobates may have: Give me not only Acorns, but Pearls: Give me not only Mercy to feed and clothe me, but Mercy to save me; give me the Cream of thy Mercies; Lord! let me have Mercy and Loving kindness: Psal. 103.4. Who crowned thee with loving kindness and tender mercies. Give me such Mercy as speaks thy electing love to my soul. O pray for Mercy! God hath Treasures of Mercy; Prayer is the Key that opens these Treasures: and in Prayer be sure to carry Christ in your Arms; all Mercy comes through Christ; 1 Sam. 7.9. Samuel took a sucking Lamb. Carry the Lamb Christ in your Arms, go in his Name, present his Merits, say, Lord! here is Christ's Blood, which is the price of my pardon: Lord, show me Mercy, because Christ hath purchased it. Though God may refuse us when we come for Mercy in our own Name, yet not when we come in Christ's Name: Plead Christ's Satisfaction, and this is such an Argument as God cannot deny.

Use 4. It exhorts such as have found Mercy to three Things: 1. To be upon Mount Gerizim, the Mount of Blessing and Praising. They have not only heard the King of Heaven is merciful, but they have found it so: the Honey-comb of God's Mercy hath dropped upon them; when in wants, Mercy supplied them; when they were nigh unto Death, Mercy raised them from the Sick-bed; when covered with guilt, Mercy pardoned them. Psal. 103.1. Bless the Lord, O my Soul, and all that is within me bless his holy Name. O! how should the Vessels of Mercy run over with Praise: 1 Tim. 1.13. Who was before a Persecutor, and injurious, but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 I obtained Mercy. I was bemiracled with Mercy: as the Sea overflows and breaks down the Banks, so the Mercy of God did break down the Banks of my Sin, and Mercy did sweetly flow into my Soul. You that have been Monuments of God's Mercy, should be Trumpets of Praise: You that have tasted the Lord is gracious, tell others what Experiences you have had of God's Mercy, that you may encourage them to seek to him for Mercy; Psal. 66.16. I will tell you what God hath done for my Soul. When I found my heart dead, God's Spirit did come upon me mightily, and the blowing of that wind made the withering flowers of my Grace revive. O! tell others of God's goodness, that you may set others a blessing him, and that you may make God's Praises live when you are dead.

2. To love God. Mercy should be the Attractive of Love; Psal. 18.1. I will love thee, O Lord my strength. The Hebrew word for Love, ercameca, signifies Love out of the inward Bowels. God's Justice may make us fear him, his Mercy may make us love him. If Mercy will not produce Love, what will? We are to love God for giving us Food, much more for giving us Grace; for sparing Mercy, much more for saving Mercy. Sure that Heart is made of Marble, which the Mercy of God will not dissolve into Love. I would hate my own Soul (saith St. Austin) if I did not find it loving God.

3. To imitate God in showing Mercy. God is the Father of Mercy: show yourselves to be his Children, by being like him. St. Ambrose, The sum and definition of Religion is, Be rich in works of Mercy, be helpful to the Bodies and Souls of others. Scatter your golden Seeds; let the Lamp of your profession be filled with the Oil of Charity. Be merciful in giving and forgiving. Be ye merciful as your heavenly Father is merciful.

Of the Truth of GOD,

THE next Attribute is God's Truth ; Deut. 32.4.— A God of Truth, and without Iniquity, just and right is he. Psal. 57.10. For thy Mercy is great unto the Heavens, and thy Truth unto the Clouds. A God of Truth; Psal. 86.15. — Plenteous in Truth. God is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the Truth. He is true, 1. in a Physical sense; True in his Being: he hath a real Subsistance, and gives a Being to others. 2. He is true in a Moral sense; he is true, sine error, without Errors, & sine fallacia, without Deceit. God is prima veritas, the Pattern and Prototype of Truth. There is nothing true but what is in God, or comes from God. I shall now speak of God's Truth as it is taken for his Veracity, in making good of his Promises: 1 Kings 8.56. There hath not failed one word of all his good promise: The Promise is God's Bond, God's Truth is the Seal set to his Bond. This is the thing to be explicated and discussed, God's Truth in fulfilling his Promises.

There are two things to be observed in the Promises of God to Comfort us: 1. The Power of God, whereby he is able to fulfil the Promise. God hath promised to subdue our Corruption, Micah 7.19. He will subdue our iniquities. O! saith a Believer, my Corruption is so strong, that sure I shall never get the mastery of it: but the power of God can fulfil his Promise. Thus Abraham looked at God's Power, Rom. 4.21. Being fully persuaded that what God had promised, he was able to perform. He believed that that God, who could make a World, could make dry Breasts give suck. This is Faith's support, there is nothing too hard for God. He that could bring water out of a Rock, is able to bring to pass his Promises.

2. The Truth of God in the Promises: God's Truth is the Seal set to the Promise. Titus 1.2. In hope of eternal life, which God that cannot lie hath promised. Eternal Life, there is the sweetness of the Promise: God which cannot lie, there is the certainty of it. Mercy makes the Promise, Truth fulfils it. God's Providences are uncertain, but his Promises are the sure Mercies of David. Acts 13.34. God is not a man that he should repent, 1 Sam. 15.29. The word of a Prince cannot always be taken, but God's Promise is inviolable. God's Truth is one of the richest Jewels of his Crown, and he hath pawned this Jewel in a Promise; 2 Sam. 23.5. Although my House be not so with God, yet he hath made with me an everlasting Covenant, ordered in all things, and sure. Although my House be not so ] That is, though I fail much of that exact Purity the Lord requires, yet he hath made with me an everlasting Covenant, that he will pardon, adopt, and glorify me; and this Covenant is ordered in all things sure: The Elements shall melt with fervent heat, but this Covenant abides firm and inviolable, being sealed with the Truth of God: nay, God hath added to his Word, his Oath, Hebr. 6.17. wherein God pawns his Being, Life, Righteousness, to make good the Promise. If as oft as we break our Vows with God, he should break Promise with us, it would be very sad; but his Truth is engaged in his Promise, therefore it is like the Law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be altered. We are not (saith Chrysostom) to believe our Sences so much, as we are to believe the Promises ; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , &c. Our Sences may fail us, but the Promise cannot, being built upon the Truth of God; God will not deceive the Faith of his People, nay he cannot; God which cannot lie hath promised: He can as well part with his Deity, as his Verity. God is said to be abundant in Truth, Exod. 34.6. What is that? viz. if God hath made a Promise of Mercy to his People, he will be so far from coming short of his word, that he will be better than his word. God often doth more then he hath said, never less. He is abundant in Truth.

1. The Lord may sometimes delay a Promise, but he will not deny. He may delay a Promise. God's Promise may lie a good while, as Seed under ground, but at last it will spring up into a Crop. God promised to deliver Israel from the Iron Furnace, but this Promise was above four hundred years in travail before it brought forth. Simeon had a Promise, that he should not depart hence till he had seen the Lord's Christ, Luke 2.26. but it was a long time first, but a little before his Death, that he did see Christ. But though God delay the Promise, he will not deny. Having given his Bond, in due time the Money will be paid in.

2. God may change his Promise, but he will not break his Promise. Sometimes God doth change a Temporal Promise into a Spiritual. Psal. 85.12. The Lord shall give that which is good: Perhaps this may not be fulfilled in a Temporal Sence, but a Spiritual. God may let a Christian be cut short in Temporals, but God makes it up in Spirituals. If he doth not increase the Basket and the Store, he gives increase of Faith, and inward Peace; here he changeth his Promise, but he doth not break it, he gives that which is better. If a Man promiseth to pay me in Farthings, and he pays me in a better Coin, in Gold, he doth not break his Promise; Psal. 89.33. I will not suffer my faithfulness to fail: in the Hebrew it is ve lo ashakka, to lie.

Object. 1. But how doth this consist with the Truth of God? he saith he will have all to be saved, 1 Tim. 2.4. yet some perish.

Resp. St. Austin understands it not of every Judicial Person, but some of all sorts shall be saved: As in the Ark, God saved all the living Creatures; not every Bird or Fish were saved, for many perished in the Flood; but all, that is, some of every kind were saved; so God will have all to be saved, that is, some of all Nations.

Object. It is said, Christ died for all; He is the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the World, Joh. 1.29. How doth this consist with God's Truth, when some are vessels of wrath? Rom. 9.22.

Answ. 1. We must distinguish of World. The World is taken either in a limited sense, for the World of the Elect, or in a larger sense, for both Elect and Reprobates. Christ takes away the sins of the world, that is, the world of the Elect.

2. We must distinguish of Christ's dying for the World. Christ died sufficiently for all, not effectually. There is the value of Christ's Blood, and the Virtue: Christ's Blood hath value enough to Redeem the whole World, but the virtue of it is applied only to such as believe; Christ's Blood is meritorious for all, not efficacious. All are not saved, because some put away Salvation from them, Acts 13.46. and vilify Christ's Blood, counting it an unholy thing, Hebr. 10.29.

Use 1. Here is a great Pillar for our Faith, the Truth of God. Were not he a God of Truth, how could we believe in him? our Faith were Fancy. But he is Truth itself, and not a word he hath spoken shall fall to the ground: Truth is the object of Trust. The Truth of God is an immovable Rock, we may venture our Salvation here. Isa. 59.15. Truth faileth ; Truth on Earth doth, but not Truth in Heaven: God can as well cease to be God, as cease to be True. Hath God said he will be good to the Soul that seeks him, Lam. 3.25. he will give rest to the weary, Matth. 11.28. Here is a safe Anchor hold, he will not alter the thing which is gone forth of his Lips. The Public Faith of Heaven is engaged for Believers, can we have better Security? The whole Earth hangs upon the word of God's Power, and shall not our Faith hang upon the Word of God's Truth? where can we rest our Faith but upon God's faithfulness? There is nothing else we can believe in, but the Truth of God; we cannot trust in an Arm of Flesh, we cannot trust in our own Hearts; this is to build upon the Quicksands; but the Truth of God is a golden Pillar for Faith to stay upon: God cannot deny himself; 2 Tim. 2.13. If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful; he cannot deny himself. Not to believe God's Veracity, is to affront God; 1 John 5.10. He that believeth not hath made God a liar. A Person of Honor cannot be more affronted or provoaked, then when he is not believed. He that denies God's Truth, makes the Promise no better than a forged Deed ; and can there be a greater affront offered to God.

Use 2. of Terror to the Wicked. God is a God of Truth, and he is true in his Threatenings ; the Threatenings are a flying Roll against sinners. God hath threatened to wound the hairy scalp of everyone that goes on still in his Trespasses, Psal. 68.21. He hath threatened to judge Adulterers, Hebr. 13.3. to be avenged upon the malicious ; Psal. 10.14. Thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requite it with thy own hand: To rain fire and brimstone upon the sinner, Psal. 11.6. And God is as true in his Threatenings as his Promises ; God hath oft (to show his Truth) executed his Threatenings, and let his Thunder-bolts of Judgment fall upon Sinners in this Life: He struck Herod in the act of his Pride: He hath punished Blasphemers; Olympius, an Arian Bishop, reproached and blasphemed the blessed Trinity, immediately Lightning fell down from Heaven upon him, and consumed him. God is as true in his Threatenings, as in his Promises. Let us fear the Threatning, that we may not feel it.

Use 3. Is God a God of Truth, let us be like God in Truth. 1. We must be true in our Words. Pythagoras being asked what made Men like God? answered, Cum vera loquuntur, when they speak Truth. It is the note of a Man that shall go to Heaven, Psal. 15.2. He speaketh the Truth from his heart. Truth in words is opposed, 1. to Lying, Eph. 4.25. Putting away lying, speak everyone truth to his neighbor. Lying is when one speaks that for a truth, which he knows to be false. A Liar is most opposite to the God of Truth. There is, as Austin saith, two sorts of Lies, 1. Mendacium Officiosum, an Officious Lie, when a Man tells a Lie for his Profit, as when a Trades-man saith his Commodity cost him so much, when perhaps it did not cost him half so much. He that will lie in his Trade, shall lie in Hell. 2. Mendacium Iocosum, a jesting Lie, when a Man tells a Lie in sport to make others merry: he goes laughing to Hell. When you tell a Lie, you make yourselves like the Devil; John 8.44. The Devil is a liar, and the Father of it. He deceived our first Parents by a Lie. Some are so wicked, that they will not only speak an Untruth, but will Swear to it; nay, they will wish a Curse upon themselves, if that Untruth be not true. As I have read of a Woman (one Anne Averies ) 1575. who being in a Shop, wished that she might sink if she had not paid for the Wares she took; she fell down speechless immeditately, and died in the place. A Liar is not fit to live in a Commonwealth. Lying takes away all Society and Converse with Men. How can you Converse with him whom you cannot believe what he saith? Lying shuts Men out of Heaven, Rev. 22.25. Without are Dogs, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. And as it is a great sin to tell a lie, so it is a worse sin to teach a lie, Isa. 9.15. The Prophet that teacheth lies. He who broacheth Error, teacheth Lies; he spreads the Plague; he not only damns himself, but helps to damn others. 2. Truth in words is opposed to Dissembling. The Heart and Tongue should go together, as the Dial goes exactly with the Sun. To speak fair to ones Face, and not to mean what one speaks, is no better then a lie; Psal. 55.21. His words were smoother than oil, but war was in his heart. Some have an Art at this, they can flatter and hate. Jerome speaking of the Arians, saith, They pretended friendship, they kissed my hands, but plotted mischief against me. Psal. 29.5. A man that flattereth his neighbor, spreadeth a net for his feet. Impia sub dulci melle venena latent —Falsehood in Friendship is a lie. Counterfeiting of Friendship is worse then counterfeiting of Money. This is contrary to God, who is a God of Truth.

2. We must be true in our Profession of Religion. Let Practice go along with Profession; Eph. 4.24. Righteousness and true Holiness. Hypocrisy in Religion is a Lie. The Hypocrite is like a Face in a Glass, there is the show of a Face, but no true Face: So he makes a show of Holiness, but hath no Truth of it; 'tis but the Face in the Glass. Ephraim pretended to be that which he was not, and what saith God of him? Hos. 11.12. Ephraim compasseth me about with lies. By a lie in our words we deny the Truth, by a lie in our profession we disgrace it. Not to be what we profess to God, is telling a lie; and the Scripture makes it little better than Blasphemy, Rev. 2.9. I know the blasphemy of them that say they are Jews, and are not. O! I beseech you labor in this to be like God, he is a God of Truth, he can as well part with his Deity as his Verity; be (I say) like God, be true in your Words, be true in your Profession; God's Children are Children that will not lie, Isa. 63.9. When God sees Truth in the inward parts, and lips in which is no guile, now he sees his own Image in you: This draws God's Heart towards you; Likeness draws Love.

But One GOD.

Quest. V. THE fifth Question is, Are there more God's then one?

Answ. There is but one, only the living and true God.

That there is a God hath been proved, and those that will not believe the Verity of his Essence, shall feel the Severity of his Wrath, Deut. 6.4. Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is One Lord. He is the only God, Deut. 4.39. Know therefore this day, and consider it in thy heart, that the Lord he is God in Heaven above, and upon the Earth beneath there is none else. Isa. 45.21. A just God and a Savior, There is none beside me. There are many titular God's; Kings represent God; their Regal Scepter is an Emblem of his Power and Authority. Judges are called God's, Psal. 82.5. I have said ye are God's, (viz.) set in God's place to do Justice; but dying God's, verse. 7. Ye shall die like men, 1 Cor. 8.5, 6. There be that are called God's, but to us there is but One God.

Argument 1. There is but one first Cause, that hath its Being of itself, and on which all other Beings depend. As in the Heavens the primum Mobile moves all the other Orbs, so God gives Life and Motion to everything existent. There can be but one God, because there is but one first Cause.

2. There is but one infinite Being, therefore there is but one God. There cannot be two Infinites, Ier. 23.24. Do not I fill heaven and earth, saith the Lord? If there be one Infinite, filling all places at once, how can there be any room for another Infinite to subsist.

3. There is but one Omnipotent Power ; if there be two Omnipotents, then we must always suppose a Contest between these two, that which one would do, the other Power being Equal, would oppose, and so all things would be brought into a Confusion. If a Ship should have two Pilots of equal Power, one would be ever crossing the other; when one would Sail the other would cast Anchor; here were a Confusion, and the Ship must needs perish. The Order and Harmony in the World, the constant and uniform Government of all things, is a clear Argument that there is but one Omnipotent, one God that rules all. Isa. 44.6. I am the first, and I am the last, and beside me there is no God.

Use 1. of Information. If there be but one God, then it excludes all other God's. Some have feigned that there were two God's, so the Valentinians ; others, that there were many God's, so the Polytheites ; the Persians worshipped the Sun, the Egyptians the Lion and Elephant, the Grecians worshipped Jupiter; These, I may say err, not knowing the Scriptures, Matth. 22.29. Their Faith is a Fable. God hath given them up to strong delusions, to believe a lie, that they may be damned, 2 Thess. 2.11.

2. If there be but one God, then there can be but One true Religion in the World, Eph. 4.5. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , one Lord, one Faith. If there were many God's, then there might be many Religions, every God would be worshipped in his way; but if there be but one God, there is but one Religion; one Lord, one Faith. Some say we may be saved in any Religion; 'tis absurd to imagine, that God, who is one in Essence, should appoint several Religions in which he will be worshipped. 'It is as dangerous to set up a false Religion, as to set up a false God. There are many ways to Hell; Men may go thither which way their Fancy leads them; but there is but one direct Road to Heaven, viz. Faith and Holiness. There is no way to be saved in but this: as there is but one God, so there is but one True Religion.

3. If there be but one God, then you have but One that you need chiefly study to please, and that is God. If there were divers God's, we should be hard put to it how to please them all; one would command one thing, another the quite contrary, and to please two contrary Masters is impossible: but there is but one God, therefore you have but one to please. As in a Kingdom there is but one King, therefore everyone seeks to ingratiate himself into his favor, Prov. 19.6. so there is but one true God; therefore here lies our main work, to please him. Be sure to please God, whoever else you displease. This was Enoch 's Wisdom, Hebr. 11.5. he had this Testimony before he died, that he pleased God.

Quest. What doth this pleasing God imply?

Answ. 1. We please God when we comport with his Will. 'Twas Christ's meat and drink to do his Father's will, John 4.34. and so he pleased him, Matth. 3 17. A voice came from heaven, saying, this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. It is the will of God that we should be holy, 1 Thess. 4.3 • . Now when we are bespangled with Holiness, our Lives are walking Bibles: this is according to God's will, and it pleaseth him.

2. We please God when we do the Work that he sets us about, John 17.4. I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do, viz. my mediatory work. Many finish their lives, but do not finish their work. Our work God hath cut out for us, is to observe the first and second Table. In the first is set down our duty towards God; in the second our duty towards Man. Such as make Morality the chief and sole part of Religion, set the second Table above the first; nay, they take away the first Table: for if Prudence, Justice, Temparance, be enough to save, then what needs the first Table? and so our worship towards God shall be quite left out. But those two Tables which God hath joined together, let no Man put asunder.

3. We please God when we dedicate our Heart to give him the best of everything. Abel gave God the fat of the Offering, Gen. 4.4. Domitian would not have his Image carved in Wood or Iron, but in Gold. Then we please God, when we serve him with love, fervency, alacrity, we give him golden Services; herein lies our Wisdom and Piety, to please God; there is but one God, therefore there is but one whom we have chiefly to please, namely God.

4. If there be but one God, then we must pray to none but God. The Papists pray to Saints and Angels: 1. To Saints ; a Popish Writer saith, When we pray to the Saints departed, they being touched with compassion, say the like to God for us, as the Disciples did to Christ for the Canaanitish Woman, Matth. 15.23. Send her away, for she crieth after us. The Saints above know not our Wants, Isa. 63.16. Abraham is ignorant of us ; or if they did, we have no warrant to pray to them. Prayer is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a part of Divine Worship which must be given only to God. 2. They pray to Angels. Angel-worship is forbidden, Col. 2.18, 19. and that we may not pray to Angels, is clear from Rom. 10.14. How shall they call upon him in whom they have not believed? We may not pray to any, but whom we may believe in; but we may not believe in an Angel, ergo, we may not pray to him. There is but one God, and it is a sin to invocate any but only God.

5. If there be but one God, who is above all, Ephes. 4.6. then he must be loved above all. 1. We must love him with a love of Appreciation ; set the highest estimate on him who is the only Fountain of Being and Bliss. 2. We must love him with a love of Complacency. Amor est complacentia amantis in amato, Aquin. Our love to other things must be more indifferent; some drops of love may run beside to the Creature, but the full stream must run towards God; the Creature may have the Milk of our love, but we must keep the Cream of our love for God. God who is above all, must be loved above all; Psal. 73.25. There is none on earth whom I desire in comparison of thee.

Use 2. of Caution. If there be but one God, then let us take heed of setting up more God's then one. Psal. 16.4. Their sorrows shall be multiplied, that hasten after another God: their Drink-offerings of Blood will I not offer, nor take up their Names into my lips. God is a jealous God, and he will not endure that we should have other God's. 'It is easy to commit Idolatry with the Creature. 1. Some make a God of Pleasure, 2. Tim. 3.4. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Lovers of pleasure more then lovers of God. Whatever we love more then God, we make a God. 2. Others make Money their God. The Covetous Man worships the Image of Gold, therefore is called an Idolater, Eph. 5.5. that which a Man trusts to, he makes his God, but he makes the wedge of Gold his Hope. He makes Money his Creator, Redeemer, Comforter. 'It is his Creator ; if he hath Money, then he thinks he is made. It is his Redeemer ; if he be in danger, he trusts in his Money to redeem him out. It is his Comforter ; if at any time he be sad, the golden Harp drives away the Evil Spirit. So that Money is his God; God made Man of the Dust of the Earth, and Man makes a God of the Dust of the Earth. 3. Another makes a God of his Child, sets his Child in God's room, and so provokes God to take it away. If you lean too hard upon a Glass, it will break; many break their Children, by leaning too hard upon them. 4. Others make a God of their Belly, Phil. 3.19. Whose God is their Belly. Clemens Alexandrinus writes of a Fish that hath its heart in its Belly; an Emblem of Epicures, their Heart is in their Belly; they mind nothing but indulging the Sensual Appetite; they do sacrificare lari, their Belly is their God, and to this they pour Drink-offerings: Thus Men make many God's. The Apostle names the wicked Man's Trinity, 1 John 2.16. The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, the pride of life. The lust of the flesh, Pleasure ; the lust of the eye, Money ; Pride of Life, Honor. O take heed of this! whatever you Deifie besides God, will prove a Bramble, and Fire will come out of this Bramble, and devour you, Judges 9.15.

Use 3. of Reproof. If the Lord Jehovah be the •• lie true God, then it reproves those who renounce the true God; I mean such as seek to familiar Spirits : this is too much practiced among them that call themselves Christians. 'It is a sin condemned by the Law of God, Deut. 18.11. There shall not be found among you any that consults with familiar Spirits. How ordinary is this? If People have lost any of their Goods, they send to Wizards to know how they may come by their Goods again. What is this but consulting with the Devil? and so you renounce God and your Baptism. What? because you have lost your Goods, will you lose your Souls too? 2 Kings 1.6. Thus saith the Lord, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel that thou sendest to inquire of Baal-zebub? so is it not because you think there is not a God in Heaven, that you ask Counsel of the Devil? If any here be guilty, be deeply humbled, you have renounced the true God; better be without the Goods you have lost, then have the Devil help you to them again.

Use 4. of Exhortation. If there be but one God, as God is O •• , so let them that serve him be One. This is that Christ prayed so heartily for, John 17.21. That they all may be One. Christians should be One, 1. in Judgment; the Apostle exhorts to be all of one mind, 1 Cor. 1.10. How sad is it to see Religion wearing a Coat of divers Colours, to see Christians of so many Opinions, and going so many different ways. It is Satan hath sown these Tares of Division, Matth. 13.39. he first divided Men from God, and now divides one Man from another. 2. One in Affection. They should have one Heart ; Acts 4.32. The multitude of them that believed were of one heart, and of one soul. As in Music, though there be several strings of a Viol, yet all make one sweet harmony, so though there are several Christians, yet there should be one sweet harmony of Affection among them. There is but one God, and they that serve him should be one. There is nothing would render the true Religion more lovely, or make more Proselytes to it, than to see the Professors of it tied together with the heart-strings of love, Psal. 133.1. Behold how good and pleasant a thing it is to see brethren live together in unity! It is as the sweet Dew on Hermon, and the fragrant Ointment poured on Aaron 's Head. If God be one, let all that profess him be One, of one mind, and one heart; this fulfils Christ's Prayer, that they all • may be one.

2. If there be but one God, let us labor to clear the Title that this God is ours, Psal. 48.14. This God is our God. What Comfort can it be to hear that there is a God, and that he is the only God, unless he be our God. What is Deity without Propriety? O let us labor to clear the Title; beg the Holy Spirit; the Spirit works faith, by faith we are one with Christ, and through Christ we come to have God for our God, and so all his glorious fullness is made over to us by a Deed of Gift.

Use 5. What Cause have we to be thankful that we have the knowledge of the only true God. How many are brought up in blindness? some worship Mahomet, divers of the Indians worship the Devil, they light a Candle to him, that he should not hurt them. Such as know not the true God, must needs stumble into Hell in the dark. O be thankful that we are born in such a Climate where the Light of the Gospel hath shined! To have the knowledge of the true God, is more then if we had Mines of Gold, Rocks of Diamonds, Islands of Spices, especially if God hath savingly revealed himself to us, if he hath given us eyes to see the light, if we so know God, as to be known of him, as to love him, and believe in him, Matth. 11.25. We can never be enough thankful to God, that he hath hid the knowledge of himself from the wise and prudent of the World, and hath revealed it unto us.

The TRINITY

Quest. VI. HOw many Persons are there in the Godhead? Resp. Three Persons, yet but one God, 1 John 5.7. There are three that bear Record in Heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one.

God is but One, yet there are three distinct Persons subsisting in one God-head. This is a sacred Mystery, which the Light within could never have discovered. As the two Natures in Christ, yet but one Person, is a wonder, so three Persons, yet but one God-head. I am in a great deep, the Father God, the Son God, the Holy Ghost God, yet not three God's, but one God. The three Persons in the blessed Trinity are distinguished, but not divided; three Subsistances, but one Essence. This is a Divine Riddle, where one makes three, and three make but one. Our narrow Thoughts can no more comprehend the Trinity in Unity, then a little Nutshel will hold all the Water in the Sea. Let me shadow it out by this similitude: In the Body of the Sun, there is the Substance of the Sun, the Beams, and the Heat; the Beams are begotten of the Sun, the Heat proceeds both from the Sun and the Beams; but these three, though different, are not divided; they all three make but one Sun. So in the blessed Trinity, the Son is begotten of the Father, the Holy Ghost proceeds from both, yet though they are three distinct Persons, yet but one God. First let me speak of the Unity in Trinity, then of the Trinity in Unity.

1. Of the Unity in Trinity. The Unity of the Persons in the Godhead consists in two things.

1. The identity of Essence. In the Trinity there is an Oneness of Essence: the three Persons are of the same Divine Nature and Substance: so that in Deo non est magis & minus, there are no degrees in the Godhead; one Person is not God more then another.

2. The Unity of the Persons in the Godhead, consists in the mutual in-being of them, or their being in one another. The three Persons are so united, that one Person is in another, and with another, John 17.21. Thou Father art in me, and I in thee.

2. Let me speak of the Trinity in Unity. 1. The first Person in the Trinity is God the Father. H • is called the first Person in respect of Order not Dignity ; for God the Father hath no essential Perfection which the other Persons have not. He is not more wise, more holy, more powerful then the other Persons are; a Priority, not Superiority.

2. The second Person in the Trinity is Jesus Christ, who is begotten of the Father before all Time, Prov. 8.23, 24, 25. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. When there were no depths, I was brought fortth: when there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were set led: before the hills, was I brought forth. Which Scripture declares the Eternal Generation of the the Son of God. This second Person in the Trinity, who is Jehovah, is become our Jesus. The Scripture calls him the Branch of David, Jer. 23.5. and I may call him the Flower of the Virgin, having assumed our Nature. By him all that believe are justified, Acts 13.39.

3. The third Person in the Trinity is the Holy Ghost, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. His work it is to illuminate the Mind, and inkindle sacred Motions. The Essence of the Spirit is in Heaven, and everywhere, but the Influence of it is in the Hearts of Believers. This is that blessed Spirit who gives us the holy Unction, 1 John 2.20. Though Christ merits Grace for us, it is the Holy Ghost works it in us. Though Christ makes the Purchase, it is the Holy Ghost makes the Assurance, and Seals us up to the Day of Redemption. Thus I have spoken of all the three Persons.—The Trinity of Persons may be proved out of Matth. 3.16. Jesus when he was baptized went up straightway out of the water, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a Dove, and lighting upon him, and lo a voice from Heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son. Here are three Names given to the three Persons. He who spake with a Voice from Heaven was God the Father; He who was baptized in Jordan, was God the Son; He who descended in the likeness of a Dove, was God the Holy Ghost. Thus I have shewn you the Unity of Essence, and the Trinity of Persons.

Use 1. It confutes the Jews and the Turks, who believe only the first Person in the Godhead: this cuts asunder the Sinews of our Comfort. Take away the distinction of the Persons in the Trinity, and you overthrow Man's Redemption: for, God the Father being offended with Man for sin, how shall he be pacified without a Mediator. This Mediator is Christ, he makes our Peace! and Christ having died, and shed his Blood, how shall this Blood be applied, but by the Holy Ghost? Therefore if there be not three Persons in the Godhead, Man's Salvation cannot be wrought out. If there be no second Person in the Trinity, then there is no Redeemer. If no third Person, then there is no Comforter. And so the Plank is taken away by which we should get to Heaven.

2. It confutes the execrable Opinion of the Socinians, who deny the Divinity of the Lord Jesus; they make him only to be a Creature of an higher Rank. As the Papists blot out the Second Commandment, so the Socinians would the Second Person in the Trinity. If to oppose Christ's Members be such a sin, what is it to oppose Christ himself? 1. Jesus Christ is coequal with God the Father, Phil. 2.6. He thought it no robbery to be equal with God. 2. He is coeternal with God the Father, Prov. 8.23. I was from the beginning ; for else there was a time when God was without a Son, and so he should be no Father: nay, else there was a time when God was without his glory, for Christ is the brightness of his Fathers glory, Hebr. 1.3. 3. He is coessential with God the Father. The Godhead subsists in Christ, Col. 2.9. In whom dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. 'It is said, not only Christ was with God before the beginning, but he was God, John 1.1. and 1 Tim. 3.16. God manifest in the flesh. The Title of Lord so often given to Christ in the New Testament, doth answer to the Title of Jehovah in the Old Testament, Deut. 6.5. Matth. 22.37. so that Christ hath a Coeternity and Consubstantiality with his Father, John 10.30. I and my Father are One. It were a Blasphemy for any Angel to speak thus! Yet further to prove Christ's Godhead, consider 1. the glorious incommunicable Attributes belonging to God the Father, are ascribed to Christ. 1. Is God the Father Omnipotent, so is Jesus Christ. He is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the Almighty, Rev. 1.8. he Creates, Col. 1.16. 2. Is God the Father infinitely Immense, filling all places, Ier. 23.24. so is Jesus Christ. While Christ was on the Earth by his bodily presence, he was at the same time in the bosom of his Father, John 3.13. in regard of his Divine presence. 2. The same Iura Regalia, or Prerogatives Royal which belong to God the Father, belong also to Christ. (1.) Doth God the Father seal Pardons, this is a Flower of Christ's Crown, Matth. 9.2. Thy sins be forgiven thee. Nor doth Christ only remit sin organice, as Ministers do, by virtue of a Power delegated to them from God; but Christ doth it by his own Power and Authority. (2.) Is God the Father the adequate Object of Faith, is he to be believed in, so is the Son, John 14.1. (3.) Doth Adoration belong to God the Father, so it doth to the Son, Hebr. 1.6. Let all the Angels of God worship him. How Sacrilegious therefore is the Socinian, who would rob Christ of the best Flower of his Crown, his Godhead; they that deny Christ to be God, must greatly wrest, or else deny the Scripture to be the Word of God.

3. It confutes the Arians, who deny the Holy Ghost to be God. The Eternal Godhead subsists in the Holy Ghost, John 16.13. He shall guide you into all Truth. Christ speaks not there of an Attribute, but a Person. And that the Godhead subsists in the Person of the Holy Ghost, appears thus: The Spirit, who gives diversity of Gifts, is said to be the same Lord, and the same God, 1 Cor. 12.5, 6. The black and unpardonable sin is said, in a special manner, to be committed against the Godhead, subsisting in the Holy Ghost, Matth. 12.32. The mighty power of God is made manifest by the Holy Ghost. He changeth the Hearts of Men. The Devil would have Christ prove himself to be God, by turning Stones into Bread; but thus the Holy Ghost shows his Godhead, by turning Stones into Flesh, Ezek. 36.26. I will take away the stony heart, and give you an heart of flesh. Yet further, the power and Godhead of the Holy Ghost appeared in the effecting the glorious Conception of our Lord Jesus Christ; the very Shadow of the Holy Ghost made a Virgin conceive, Luke 1.35. The Holy Ghost works Miracles, which transcend the sphere of Nature; as raising the Dead, Rom. 8.11. to him belongs 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Divine Worship; our Souls and Bodies are the Temples of the Holy Ghost, 1 Cor. 6.19. in which Temples he is to be worshipped, verse. 20. We are baptized in the Name of the Holy Ghost, therefore either we must believe his Godhead, or renounce our Baptism in his Name. Methinks it were enough for such Men, as have not so much as heard whether there be an Holy Ghost, or no, Acts 19.2. to deny his Deity; but that any who go for Christians, should deny this Article of their Creed, seems to me very strange. They who would wittingly and willingly blot out the third Person, shall have their Names blotted out of the Book of Life.

Use 2. of Exhortation. 1. Believe this Doctrine, the Trinity of Persons in the Unity of Essence. The Trinity is purely an Object of Faith: The Plumb-line of Reason is too short to fathom this Mystery, but where Reason cannot wade, there Faith must swim. There are some Truths in Religion may be demonstrated by Reason, as that there is a God; but the Trinity of Persons in Unity of Essence is wholly Supernatural, and must be believed by Faith. This Sacred Doctrine, though it be not against Reason, yet it is above Reason. Those illuminated Philosophers that could find out the Causes of things, and discourse of the Magnitude and Influence of the Stars, the Nature of Minerals, could never by their deepest Search find out the Mystery of the Trinity. This is of Divine Revelation, and must be adored with humble believing: we can be no good Christians, without the firm belief of the Trinity. How can we pray to God the Father, but in the Name of Christ, and through the help of the Spirit. Believe the glorious Trinity. How are the Quakers to be abhor'd, who go under the Name of Christians, yet undervalue and renounce Jesus Christ. I have read of some of the Quakers, who speak thus; We deny the Person of him whom you call Christ, and affirm, That they who expect to be saved by that Christ without, will be damned in that Faith. Could the Devil himself speak worse Blasphemy? they would pull up all Religion by the Roots, and take away that Corner-stone, on which the Hope of our Salvation is built.

2. If there be one God subsisting in three Persons, then let us give 1. Equal Reverence to all the Persons in the Trinity. There is not more or less in the Trinity, the Father is not more God then the Son and Holy Ghost. There is an Order in the Godhead, but no Degrees; one Person hath not a Majority or Supereminency above another, therefore we must give equal Worship to all the Persons, John 5.23. That all Men should honor the Son as they honor the Father. Adore Unity in Trinity.

2. Obey all the Persons in the blessed Trinity, for all of them are God. 1. Obey God the Father. His words, either preceptive or minatory, must be observed. Christ himself, as Man, obeyed God the Father, John 4.34. much more then must we, Deut. 27.10.

2. Obey God the Son, Psalm 2.12. Kiss the Son lest he be angry. Kiss him with a kiss of Obedience. Christ's Commands are not grievous, 1 John 5.3. Nothing he commands but is for our interest and benefit: O then kiss the Son! Why do the Elders throw down their Crowns at the feet of Christ, and fall down before the Lamb, Rev. 4.10, 11. but to testify their Subjection, and to profess their Readiness to serve and obey him.

3. Obey God the Holy Ghost: our Souls are breathed into us by the glorious Spirit, Job 33.4. The Spirit of God hath made me. Our Souls are adorned by the blessed Spirit. Every Grace is a Divine Sparkle lighted in the Soul by the Holy Ghost. Nay more, the Spirit of God sanctified Christ's Human Nature, he united it with the Divine, and fitted the Man Christ to be our Mediator. Well then doth this third Person in the Trinity, the Holy Ghost, deserve to be obeyed; he is God, and this Tribute of Homage and Obedience is to be paid him by us.

Of the CREATION.

Quest. VII. WHat are the Decrees of God?

The Decrees of God are his eternal purpose, according to the counsel of his own will, whereby for his own glory he hath foreordained whatsoever shall come to pass.

I should come now to speak concerning the Decrees of God, but I have already spoken something to this under the Attribute of God's Immutability, God is unchangeable in his Essence, and he is unchangeable in his Decrees, his Counsel shall stand, he hath decreed the Issue of all things, and carries them on to their Period by his Providence; and therefore I shall proceed to the Execution of his Decrees.

Quest. VIII. The next Question is, What is the Work of Creation?

Resp. It is God's making all things of nothing by the word of his power, &c. Gen. 1.1. In the beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth.

The Creation is glorious to behold; it is a pleasant and fruitful study. Some think that Isaac, when he went abroad into the Fields to meditate, it was in the Book of the Creatures. The Creation is the Heathen Man's Bible, the Ploughman's Primmer, the Travelers Perspective Glass, through which he receives the Species and Representation of those infinite Excellencies which are in God. The Creation is a large Volume, in which God's Works are bound up; and this Volume hath three great Leaves in it, Heaven, Earth, Sea.

The Author of the Creation is God, so it is in the Text, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 God created. The World was created in time, and could not be from Eternity, as Aristotle thought. The World must have a Maker, it could not make itself. If one should go into a far Country, and see stately Edifices there, he would never imagine that these could build themselves, but that there had been some Artificer there to raise such goodly Structures; so this great Fabric of the World could not create itself, it must have some Builder and Maker, and that is God. In the beginning God created: To imagine that the Work of the Creation was not framed by the Lord Jehovah, is as if we should conceive a curious Lanskip to be drawn without the Hand of a Limner, Acts 17.24. God that made the World, and all things therein.

In the work of the Creation there are two things to be considered:

• The making of it
• The adorning of it.

I. The making of the World. Here consider, 1. God made the World without any preexistent Matter. This is the difference between Generation and Creation. In Generation there is materia habilis & disposita, some Matter to work upon. But in Creation there is no preexistent Matter. God brought all this glorious Fabric of the World out of the Womb of Nothing. We see our Beginning, it was of Nothing. Some brag of their Birth and Ancestry, you see how little cause they have to boast, they came of Nothing.

2. God made the World with a Word. When Solomon was to build a Temple he needed many Workmen, and they all had Tools to work with, but God wrought without Tools, Psal. 33.6. By the word of the Lord were the Heavens made. The Disciples wondered that Christ could with a word calm the Sea, Matth. 8.26, 27. But it was more with a word to make the Sea.

3. God made all things at first very good, Gen. 1.31. no defect or deformity. The Creation came out of God's hands a curious Piece; it was a fair Copy, without any Blot, written with God's own fingers, Psal. 8.3. So perfect was God's Work.

II. The adorning of the World. First God made this great Lump and Mass, Rudis indigestaque moles, and then beautified it, and put it into a dress. He divided the Sea and the Earth, he decked the Earth with Flowers, the Trees with Fruit, but what is Beauty when it is mask'd over? Therefore that we might behold this glory, God made the Light. The Heavens were bespangled with Sun, Moon, and Stars, that so the Worlds Beauty might be beheld and admired. God in the Creation began with things less noble and excellent, Vegetables and Sensitives, and then the Rational Creatures, Angels and Men. Man was the most exquisite Piece in the Creation: he is a Microcosme, or little World. Man was made with deliberation and counsel, Gen. 1.26. Let us make Man. It is the manner of Artificers to be more then ordinary accurate, when they are about their Master-pieces. Man was to be a Master-piece of this visible World, therefore God did consult about the making of so rare a Piece. A Solemn Council of the Sacred Persons in the Trinity was called, Let us make Man ; and let us make him in our own Image. On the King's Coin his Image or Effigies is stamped, so God stamped his Image on Man, and made him partake of many Divine qualities.

I shall speak 1. of the Parts of Man's Body: 1. The Head, the most excellent Architectonical Part, 'tis the Fountain of Spirits, and the Seat of Reason. In Nature the Head is the best Piece, but in Grace the Heart excels. 2. The Eye. It is the Beauty of the Face; it shines and sparkles like a lesser Sun in the Body. The Eye occasions much sin, and therefore well may it have Tears in it. 3. The Ear ; which is the Conduit-pipe through which Knowledge is conveyed. Better lose our seeing than our hearing, for faith cometh by hearing, Rom. 10.17. To have an Ear open to God, is the best Jewel on the Ear. 4. The Tongue. David calls the Tongue his glory, Psal. 16.9. because it is an Instrument to set forth the Glory of God: The Soul at first was a Viol in tune to praise God, and the Tongue did make the Music. God hath given us two Ears, but one Tongue, to show that we should be swift to hear, but slow to speak. God hath set a double fence before the Tongue, the Teeth and the Lips, to teach us to be wary that we offend not with our Tongue. 5. The Heart. This is a noble part and Seat of Life:

2. The Soul of Man: This is the Man of the Man. Man, in regard of his Soul, partakes with the Angels; nay, as Plato saith, the Understanding, Will, and Conscience are a Glass that resemble the Trinity. The Soul is the Diamond in the Ring, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the Soul is a Vessel of Honor; God himself is served in this Vessel. It is a Sparkle of Celestial Brightness, saith Damascene. If David did so admire the rare Contexture and Workmanship of his Body, Psal. 139.13. I am wonderfully made, I was curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the Earth. If the Cabinet be so curiously wrought, what is the Jewel? How richly is the Soul embroidered! Thus you see how glorious a Work the Creation is, and Man especially, who is the Epitome of the World.

Quest. But why did God make the World?

Resp. 1. Negatively; Not for himself; he did not need it, being infinite. He was happy before the World was, in reflecting upon his own sublime Excellencies and Perfections. 2. God did not make the World to be a place of Mansion for us, we are not to abide here forever. Heaven is the Mansion-House, John 14.2. the World is only a Passage-room to Eternity; the World is to us as the Wilderness was to Israel, not to rest in, but to travel through to the glorious Canaan. The World is a Tyring-room to dress our Souls in, not a place where we are to stay forever. The Apostle tells us of the Worlds Funerals, 2 Pet. 3.10. The Elements shall melt with fervent heat, the Earth also and the Works that are therein shall be burnt up.

2. Positively ; God made the World to demonstrate his own glory. The World is a Looking-glass, in which we may see the Power and Goodness of God shine forth: The Heavens declare the glory of God, Psal. 19.1. The World is like a curious Piece of Arras or Tapestry, in which we may see the Skill and Wisdom of him that made it.

Use 1. Did God create the World? This convinceth us of the Truth of his Godhead: to create is proper to a Deity, Acts 17.24. This convinced Plato of a Deity, when he saw all the World could not make a Fly. Thus God proves himself to be the true God, and distinguisheth himself from Idols, Ier. 10.11. It is written in Chaldee, Thus shall ye say to them, the gods that have not made the Heavens and the Earth, even they shall perish. Who but God can create? The Creation is enough to Convince the Heathen that there is a God. There are two Books, out of which God will judge and condemn the Heathen, viz. the Book of Conscience, Rom. 2.15. Who have the Law written in their heart: and the Book of the Creation, Rom. 1.20. The invisible things of him are clearly seen by the things that are made, even his eternal Power and Godhead. The World is full of Emblems and Hyeroglyphicks; every Star in the Sky, every Bird that flies in the Air, is a Witness against the Heathen. A Creature could not make itself.

2. Here is a mighty support for Faith, God Creates. He that made all things with a word, what cannot he do? He can create strength in weakness; he can create a supply of our wants. What a foolish question was that, Psal. 78.19. Can he prepare a table in the wilderness? Cannot he that made the World do much more? Psal. 124.8. Our help standeth in the Name of the Lord, who made Heaven and Earth. Rest on this God for help, who made Heaven and Earth. The work of Creation, as it is a Monument of God's Power, so it is a stay to Faith. Is thy Heart hard, he can with a word create softness. Is it unclean, he can create purity; Psal. 51.10. Create in me a clean heart, O God. Is the Church of God low, he can create Jerusalem a Praise, Isa. 65.18. No such golden Pillar for Faith to stay upon as a creating Power.

3. Did God make this World full of Beauty and Glory, everything very good, then what an evil thing is sin, that hath put out of frame the whole Creation. Sin hath much eclipsed the beauty, sowrd the sweetness, and marred the harmony of the World. How bitter is that Gall, a drop whereof can embitter a whole Sea. Sin hath brought Vanity and Vexation into the World, yea, a Curse. God cursed the ground for Man's sake, Gen. 3. There were several Fruits of the Curse:

1. In sorrow shalt thou eat of it, verse. 17. By that word sorrow, is to be understood all the Troubles and Cares of this Life. 2. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, verse. 19. In Innocency Adam did till the ground, (he must not live idly) but it was rather a delight then a labor; that tilling was without toiling. The eating in sorrow, and the sweat of the brow, came in after sin. 3. Thorns also and Thistles shall the ground bring forth, verse. 18.

Quest. Whether in Innocency did not the Earth bear Thorns, because it is threatened as a punishment?

Answ. It is likely it did bear Thorns; for when God had done creating, he made no new Species, or Kinds of things: but the meaning is, now after Sin the Earth should bring forth more plenty of Thorns, and now those Thorns should be hurtful, and choke the Corn, which hurtful quality was not in them before. Ever since the Fall, all the Comforts of this Life have a Thorn and a Thistle in them. 4. The fourth fruit of the Curse was the driving Man out of Paradise, verse. 24. So he drove out the Man. God at first brought Adam into Paradise, as into an House ready furnished, or as a King into his Throne, Gen. 1.28. have dominion over every living thing that moveth. Now God's driving Adam out of Paradise, signified his dethroning and banishing him, that he might look after an heavenly and a better Paradise. 5. A fifth fruit of the Curse was Death, verse 19. To dust thou shalt return. Death was not natural to Adam, it came in after sin. Josephus is of opinion, Man should have died though he had continued in Innocency, only he should have had a longer term of years added to his life; but out of question, Death grew out of the Root of Sin: the Apostle saith, Rom. 5.12. By sin came death. See then how cursed a thing Sin is, that hath brought so many Curses upon the Creation. If we will not hate Sin for its Deformity, let us hate it for the Curse it brings.

4. Did God make this glorious World, did he make everything good, was there in the Creature so much beauty and sweetness? Oh! then what sweetness is there in God? Quicquid efficit tale, illud est magis tale, the Cause is always more noble than the Effect. Think with yourselves, is there so much excellence in House and Lands, then how much more is there in God that made these? Is there beauty in a Rose? what beauty then is there in Christ the Rose of Sharon? Doth Oil make the face shine? Psal. 104.15. How will the Light of God's Countenance make it shine? Doth Wine cheer the heart? O what Virtue is in the true Vine! How doth the Blood of this Grape cheer the Heart? Is the fruit of the Garden sweet? how delicious are the Fruits of the Spirit? Is a Gold Mine so precious? how precious is he who founded this Mine? What is Christ in whom are hid all Treasures? Coloss. 2.3. We should ascend from the Creature to the Creator. If there be any Comfort here below, how much more is there in God, who made all these things? How unreasonable is it that we should delight in the World, and not much more in him that made it? How should our Hearts be set on God, and how should we long to be with God, who hath infinitely more sweetness in him than any Creature?

Use 2. of Exhortation. 1. Did God create the World, let us wisely observe these Works of Creation? God hath given us, not only the Book of the Scriptures to read in, but the Book of the Creation: Look up to the Heavens, they show much of God's glory; the Sun gilds the World with its bright Beams: behold the Stars, their regular motion in their Orbs, their Magnitude, their Light, their Influence. We may see God's glory blazing in the Sun, twinkling in the Stars. Look into the Sea, and see the wonders of God in the Deep, Psal. 107.24. Look into the Air, there the Birds make Melody, and sing forth the Praises of their Creator. Look into the Earth, there we may wonder at the Nature of Minerals, the Power of the Loadstone, the Virtue of Herbs. See the Earth decked as a Bride with Flowers, all these are the glorious Effects of God's Power. God hath wrought the Creation as with curious Needle-work, that we may observe his Wisdom and Goodness, and give him the Praise due to him, Psal. 104.24. O Lord, how manifold are thy works, in wisdom hast thou made them all.

2. Did God create all things, let us obey our Maker. We are his Iure Creationis, we owe ourselves to him: If another gives us our Maintenance, we think ourselves bound to serve him, much more should we serve and obey God, who gives us our Life, Acts 17.28. In him we live and move. God hath made everything for Man's Service, the Corn for nourishment, the Beasts for usefulness, the Birds for Music, that Man should be for God's Service. The Rivers come from the Sea, and they run into the Sea again. All we have is from God, let us honor our Creator, and live to him that made us.

3. Did God make our Bodies out of the Dust, and that Dust out of Nothing? let this keep down pride. When God would humble Adam, he useth this Expression, Out of the dust was thou taken, Gen. 3.19. Why art thou proud, O Dust and Ashes! thou art made but of course Mettal; cum sis humi limus, cur non humilimus. Bernard. David saith, I was curiously wrought, Psal. 139. Thy being curiously wrought may make thee thankful, but being made of the Dust, may keep thee humble. If thou hast Beauty, it is but well-color'd Earth. Thy Body is but Air and Dust mingled together, and this Dust will drop into the Dust. When the Lord had said of the Judges they were God's, Psal. 82.6 lest they should grow proud, he tells them, they were dying gods, verse. 7. Ye shall die like men.

4. Did God create our Souls after his Image, but we lost it, let us never leave till we are restored to God's Image again. We have now got the Devils Image in Pride, Malice, Envy; let us get God's Image restored, which consists in Knowledge and Righteousness, Col. 3.10. Grace is our best Beauty, it makes us like God and Angels: As the Sun to the World, so is Holiness to the Soul. Let us go to God to repair his Image in us: Lord! thou hast once made me, make me anew, Sin hath defaced thy Image in me, O draw it again by the Pencil of the Holy Ghost.

The Providence of GOD.

GOD's Works of Providence are his most holy, wise, and powerful Preserving and Governing all his Creatures, and all their Actions.

The Work of God's Providence, Joh. 5.17. My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. The great God hath rested from the Works of Creation, he doth not create any new Species of Things, Gen. 2.7. He rested from all his Works, and therefore the Scripture must needs be meant of God's Works of Providence, My Father worketh and I work. Psal. 103.19. His kingdom ruleth over all; i. e. his Providencial Kingdom. Now for the clearing of this Point, I shall,

• 1. Show you that there is a Providence.
• 2. What that Providence is.
• 3. Lay down some Maxims or Propositions concerning the Providence of God.

1. That there is a Providence: There is no such thing as blind Fate, but there is a Providence that guides and governs in the World, Prov. 16.33. The lot is cast into the lap, but the whole dispose thereof is of the Lord.

2. What this Providence is? I answer, Providence is God's ordering all Issues and Events of things after the Council of his Will to his own Glory, 1. I call Providence God's ordering of things, to distinguish it from his Decrees, God's Decree ordains things that shall fall out, God's Providence ordereth them.

2. I call Providence the ordering of Things after the Council of God's Will, that I may free it from all Rashness and Precipitancy, and to show you that 'tis a high Act of Prudence done after the Council of his own Will.

3. God orders all Events of things after the Council of his Will to his own Glory, the Glory of God being the Ultimate End of all God's Actings, and the Centre where all the Lines of Providence do meet. The Providence of God is Regina Mundi, the Queen and Governess of the World; it is the Eye that sees, and the Hand that turns all the Wheels in the Universe. God is not like an Artificer that builds a House and then leaves it and is gone, but like a Pilot that does with a great deal of Care steer on the Ship of the whole Creation.

3. I shall lay down some Positions about the Providence of God.

1. God's Providence reaches to all Places, Persons and Occurrences, 1. To all Places, Jer. 23. Am I a God at hand, and not a God afar off? The Diocese where Providence visits is very large, it reaches to Heaven, to Earth and Sea, Ps. 107.23, 24. They that go down to sea see the wonders of God in the deep. Now that the Sea which is higher then the Earth, should not drown the Earth, is a Wonder of Providence: and the Prophet Jonah he saw the Wonders of God in the Deep, when the very Fish which did devour him and swallow him, did bring him safe to Shore. 2. God's Providence reaches to all Persons, especially the Persons of the Godly, they are in a special manner taken notice of; God takes care of every Saint in particular, as if he had none else to take care for, 1 Pet. 5.7. He careth for you, (i. e.) Elect in a special manner. Psal. 33.18, 19. The eye of the Lord is over them that fear him; to preserve them from death, and to keep them alive in famine. God by his Providential Care shields off Dangers from his People, he sets a Life-guard of Angels about them, Psal. 19.11. God's Providence keeps the very Bones of the Saints, Psal. 34.10. It bottles their Tears, Psal. 56.8. It strengthens the Saints in their Weaknesses, Heb. 11.34. It supplies all their Wants out of its Alms-basket, Psal. 23.5. Thus Providence doth wonderfully supply the Wants of the Elect. When the Protestants in Rochelle were besieged by the French King, God by his Providence sent in a great number of small Fishes that fed them, such as were never seen before in that Haven. So the Raven, that unnatural Creature, (that will hardly feed its own Young, yet) providentially brought Sustenance to the Prophet Elijah, 1 Kings 17.6. The Virgin Mary, though by bearing and bringing forth the Messiah she helped to make the World rich, yet she herself was very poor; and now being warned of the Angel to go into Egypt, Matth. 2.13. the Virgin had scarce enough to bear her Charges thither, see now how God provides for her beforehand, he by his Providence sends the Wise-men from the East, and they bring costly Gifts, Gold, Myrrh, and Franckincence and present there to Christ: And now the Virgin had enough to defray her Charges unto to Egypt. God's Children sometimes scarce know how they are fed, and yet Providence feeds them, Psal. 37.3. Verily thou shalt be fed. If God will give his People a Kingdom when they die, he will not deny them daily Bread while they live. 3. God's Providence reaches to all Affairs and Occurrences in the World, there is nothing that stirs in the World but God hath by his Providence the over-ruling of it. The raising of a Man to Honor, whence is this? but through Divine Providence: Psal. 75.7. He puts down one, and sets up another. Success and Victory in Battle is the result of Providence; Saul had the Victory, but God wrought the Salvation, 1 Sam. 11.13. That among all Virgins that were brought before the King, that Esther should find Favor in the Eyes of the King, was not without God's special Providence; for by this means the Lord saved the Jews alive that were destinat'd to Destrustion. Providence reaches to the least of things, to the Birds and Pismire; Providence feeds the young Raven when the Dam forsakes it, and will give it no Food, Psal. 147.9. Providence reaches to the very Hairs of our Head, Matth. 10.30. The hairs of your head are numbered ; and surely if Providence reaches to our Hairs, then much more to our Souls. And thus you have seen that the Providence of God reaches to all Places, to all Persons, to all Occurrences and Affairs. Now there are two Objections against this Doctrine,

Object. 1. But may some say, There are many things done in the World which are Excentrecal▪ they are very disorderly and irregular, and surely the Providence of God doth not • each to these things?

Answ. Yes, these things that seem to us irregular, God makes use of to his own Glory. For Instance: Suppose you were in a Smith's Shop, and there should see several sorts of Tools, some crooked, some bowed, others hook'd, would you condemn all these things for naught because they do not look handsome; the Smith makes use of them all for the doing of his Work. Thus it is with the Providence of God, they seem to us to be very crooked and strange, yet they all carry on God's Work. I shall clear this to you in two particular Cases:

1 st, God's People are low; why this seems to be very much out of order, that these that are best should be in the lowest Condition: but there is much Wisdom to be seen in this Providence, as appears thus: 1. Perhaps the hearts of the Godly were lifted up with Riches, or with Success, now God comes with an humbling Providence to Afflict them and Fleece them; better is the Loss that makes them Humble, then the Success that makes them Proud. Again, 2. if the Godly were not sometimes afflicted, and suffered an Eclipse in their outward Comforts, how could their Graces be seen, their Faith and Patience. If it were always Sunshine, we should see no Stars; if we should have always Prosperity, it would be hard to see the Actings of Men's Faith. Thus you see God's Providences are wise and regular, though to us they seem very strange and crooked.

2 dly, Here's another Case, the Wicked flourish; this seems to be very much out of order: ay, but God in his Providence sees good sometimes that the worst of Men should be exalted, they may do some work to God, though against their will, Isa. 10.7. God will be in no Man's debt. God makes use of the Wicked sometimes to protect and shield his Church: he makes use of them to refine and purify his People, Hab. 1.12. Thou hast ordained them for correction. As if the Prophet had said. Thou hast ordained the Wicked to correct thy Children. (And indeed as Austin saith well, We are beholding to wicked Men, who against their wills do do us good. ) As the Corn is beholding to the Flayl to thresh off its Husks, or as the Iron is beholding to the File to brighten it; so the Godly are beholding to the Wicked, though' it be against their will, to brighten and refine their Graces. Now then if the Wicked do God's own Work, though against their will, God will not let them be Loosers by it, he will raise them in the World, exalt them and wring out the Waters of a full Cup to them. Thus you see these Providences are wise and regular, which to us seem strange and crooked.

Object. 2. But may some say, if God hath a hand in ordering all things that fall out, why then he hath a hand in the Sins of Men?

I answer, No, by no means, he hath no hand in any Man's sin. God cannot go contrary to his own Nature, he cannot do any unholy Action, no more then the Sun can be said to be darkened. Here you must take heed of two things, as you must take heed of making God ignorant of Men's sins, so you must take heed of making God to have a hand in Men's sins: Is it a thing likely that God is the Author of Sin, that is an Avenger of it? Is it a likely thing that God should make a Law against Sin, and then have a hand in breaking his own Law, is that likely? And therefore to answer the Objection, God in his Providence doth permit Men's sins, Acts 14.16. He suffered all nations to walk in their own ways. God permitted their sin, and he would never permit their sin, if he could not bring good out of it; as the Apothecary can make a Treakle of Poison. Had not Sin been at all permitted, God's Justice in punishing Sin, and his Mercy in pardoning Sin had never been so well known. The Lord is pleased to permit it, but he had no hand in it.

Object. But is it not said, that God hardened Pharaoh 's Heart, here's more then God's bear permitting of Sin?

Answ. God doth not infuse Evil into Men, only he withdraws the Influence of his Graces, and then the Heart hardens of itself, even as Light being withdrawn, Darkness presently follows in the Air; but it were absurd to say, that therefore the Light darkens the Air: and therefore you shall observe that Pharaoh is said to harden his own Heart, Exod. 8.15. God is the cause of no Man's Sin; 'tis true God hath a hand in the Action where Sin-is, but no hand in the Sin of the Action: He that plays upon a jarring Instrument, he is the cause of the sounding of the Instrument, but the jarring is from itself: so 'tis here, the Actions of Men so far as they are natural are from God, but so far as they are sinful, they are from Men themselves, and God has no hand at all in them. And so much for the first Position, That God's Providence reaches to all Places, to all Persons, and to all Occurrences.

2. A second Position is this: There are Providences that are casual and accidental to us, are predetermin'd by the Lord: the falling of a Tyle upon one's head, the breaking out of a Fire to us, is casual, but 'tis ordered by a Providence of God. You have a clear Instance of this, 1 Kings 22.34. A certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness. This Accident was casual as to the Man who drew the Bow, but 'twas divinely ordered by the Providence of God; God's Providence directed the Arrow to hit the Mark. Things that seem to fall out casual and by chance, they are the Issues of God's Decrees, and the Interpretation of his Will.

3. God's Providence is greatly to be observed, but we are not to make it the Rule of our Actions, Psal. 107.43. Whoso is wise, will observe these things. 'It is good to observe Providence, but we must not make it our Rule to walk by; Providence is a Christian's Diurnal but not his Bible. Sometimes a bad Cause prevails and gets ground, it is not to be liked because it doth prevail; we must not think the better of what is sinful because 'tis successful, here is no Rule of our Actions to be directed by.

4. Divine Providence is irresistible, there is no standing in the way of God's Providence to hinder it: When God's time was come for Joseph 's Release, the Prison could hold him no longer, The king sent and loosed him, Psal. 105.20. When God would indulge the Jews with Liberty in their Religion, Cyrus, by a Providence, puts forth a Proclamation to encourage the Jews to go and build their Temple at Jerusalem, and worship God, Ezra 1.2, 3. If God will shield and protect Jeremiah 's Person in Captivity: the very King of Babylon shall nurse up the Prophet, and give charge concerning him that he want nothing, Ier. 39.11, 12.

5. God is to be trusted when his Providences seem to run contrary to his Promises. God promised David to give him the Crown, to make him King, but Providence runs contrary to his Promise: David was pursued by Saul, was in danger of his Life, but all this while it was David 's Duty to trust God. Pray observe, the Lord doth oftentimes by cross Providences bring to pass his Promises. God promised Paul the Lives of all that were with him in the Ship; but now the Providence of God seems to run quite contrary to his Promise, the Winds blew, the Ship splits and breaks in pieces, and thus God fulfilled his Promise upon the broken pieces of the Ship, they all come safe to shore. Trust God when Providences seem to run quite contrary to Promises.

6. The Providences of God are Checquer-work, they are intermingled: In the Life to come there shall be no more Mixture; in Hell there is nothing but Bitter, in Heaven there is nothing but Sweet: but in this Life the Providences of God are mixed, there is something of the sweet in them, and something of the bitter. Providences are just like Israel 's Pillar or Cloud that conducted them in their March, it was dark on one side and light on the other, so the Providences of God are a dark part and a light part. In the Ark there was laid up the Rod and Manna, so are God's Providences to his Children, there is something of the Rod and something of the Manna: so that we may say with David, I will sing of mercy and judgment. Joseph : was in Prison, there was the dark side of the Cloud, but God was with Joseph, there was the light side of the Cloud. Ashur 's Shooes were of Brass, but his Feet were dipt in Oil, Deut. 33.24. So Affliction is the Shooe of Brass that pinches; ay, but there is Mercy mingled with the Affliction, there's the Foot dipt in Oil.

7. The very same Action as it comes from God's Providence may be good, which as it comes from Men may be evil. For Instance: Joseph being sold into Egypt, as he was sold by his Brethren it was evil, very wicked, for it was the Fruit of their Envy; but as it was an Act of God's Providence, so it was good, for by this means Jacob and all his Family were preserved alive in Egypt. Another Instance is in Shimei 's cursing David, now as Shimei cursed David, 'twas wicked and sinful, for 'twas the Fruit of his Malice; but as his cursing was ordered by God's Providence, so 'twas an Act of God's Justice to punish David, and to Humble him for his Adultery and Murder. The Crucifying of Christ as it came from the Jews 'tis an Act of Hatred and Malice to Christ: So Judas betraying him was an Act of Covetuousness; but as it was an Act of God's Providence, so there was good in it; for, see, it was an Act of God's Love in giving Christ to die for the World. Thus I have cleared to you the Doctrine of God's Providence, in these several Positions: let me now speak something by way of Application.

Use 1. By way of Exhortation, in these particulars, 1st, Admire God's Providence: The Providence of God keeps the whole Creation upon the Whee • s, or else it would soon be dissolved, and the very Axle-tree would break in pieces: If God's Providence should be withdrawn but for a while, Creatures would be dissolved, and run into their first Nothing. Without this wise Providence of God there would be an Anxiety and Confusion in the whole World; just like an Army when it is routed and scattered. The Providence of God infuses Comfort and Virtue into everything we enjoy; our Cloaths would not warm us, our Food would not nourish us without the special Providence of God. And doth not all this deserve your Admiration of Providence?

2. Learn quietly to submit to Divine Providence; do not murmur at things that are ordered by Divine Wisdom. We may no more find fault with the Works of Providence, then we may with the Works of Creation: It is a Sin as well to quarrel with God's Providence, as to deny God's Providence. If Men do not act as we would have them, they shall act as God would have them. His Providence it is his Master-wheel that turns these lesser Wheels, and God will bring his Glory out of all at last: Psal. 39.9. I was dumb and opened not my mouth, because thou, Lord, didst it. It may be we think sometimes we could order things better if we had the Government of the World in our hands; but, alas! should we be left to our own Choice, we should choose those things that are hurtful for us. David did earnestly desire the Life of his Child which was the Fruit of his Sin; now had the Child lived it had been a perpetual Monument of his Shame. Let us be content God should Rule the World; learn to acquiesce in his Will, and submit to his Providence: Doth any Affliction befall you, remember God sees it is that which is fit for you, or it should not come; your Cloaths cannot be so fit for you as your Crosses. God's Providence may sometimes be secret, but it is always wise: Tho' we may not be silent under God's Dishonor, yet we should learn to be silent under his Displeasure.

3. You that are Christians, believe that all God's Providences shall conspire for the good of his People, and shall promote their Salvation at last. The Providences of God are sometimes dark, and our eyes dim, and we can hardly tell what to make of them: but when we cannot unriddle Providence, believe it shall work together for the good of the Elect, Rom. 8.28. The Wheels in a Watch seem to move cross one to another, but they help forward the Motion of the Watch, and make the Larum strike; so the Providences of God seem to be cross Wheels, but for all that they shall carry on the Good of the Elect. The pricking of a Vein is in itse • f evil and hurtful, but as it prevents a Fevor, and tends to the Health of the Patient, so it is good: So Affliction in itself is not glorious but grievous, but the Lord turns this to the good of his Saints. Poverty shall starve their Sins, Affliction shall prepare them for a Kingdom. Therefore, Christians, believe that God loves us, that he will make the most cross Providences to promote his Glory, and our Good.

4. Let this be an Antidote against Immoderate Fear ; for nothing comes to pass but what is ordained by God's Decree, and ordered by his Providence. We sometimes fear what the Issue of things will be; Men grow high in their Actings; let us not make things worse by our Fear. Men are limited in their Power, and shall not go one Hair's breadth further then God's Providence will permit: He might let Sennacherib 's Army march towards Jerusalem, but he shall not shoot one Arrow against it, Isa. 38.36. Then the angel of the Lord went forth and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred and fourscore and five thousand. When Israel was compassed in between Pharaoh and the Red Sea, no question some of their hearts did begin to tremble, and they looked upon themselves as dead Men, but Providence so ordered it, that the Sea was a safe Passage to Israel, and a Sepulcher to Pharaoh and all his Host.

Use 2. Comfort in respect of the Church of God: God's Providence reacheth in a more special manner to his Church, Isa. 27.2. Sing ye unto her, A vineyard of red wine. God waters this Vineyard with his Blessings, and watcheth over it by his Providence, I the Lord keep it night and day. Such as think totally to ruin the Church, must do it in a time when it is neither Day nor Night, for the Lord keeps it by his Providence Night and Day. What a miraculous Conduct of Providence had Israel, God led them by a Pillar of Fire, gave them Manna from Heaven, set the Rock abroach. God by his Providence preserves his Church in the midst of Enemies ; which is as to see a Spark kept alive in the Ocean, or a Flock of Sheep among Wolves. God saves his Church strangely, 1. By giving Unexpected Mercies to his Church, when she looked for nothing but Ruin, Psal. 126.1. When the Lord turned the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. How strangely did God raise up Queen Esther to preserve alive the Jews, when Haman had got a bloody Warrant signed for their Execution? 2. Strangely by saving in that very way in which we think he will destroy: God works sometimes by Contraries. He raiseth his Church by bringing it low. The Blood of the Martyrs hath watered the Church, and made it more fruitful, Exod. 1.12. The more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied: The Church is like that Plant Gregory Nazianzen speaks of, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , it lives by dying, and grows by cutting. 3. Strangely in that he makes the Enemy do his Work: When the People of Amon, and Moab, and Mount Seir came against Judah, God set the Enemy one against another, 2 Chr. 20.23. The children of Amon and Moab, stood up against them of Mount Seir, to slay them; and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, everyone helped to destroy another. In the Powder-Treason he made the Traitors to be their own Betrayers: God can do his work by the Enemies hand. God made the Egyptians send away the People of Israel laden with Jewels, Exod. 12.36. The Church is the Apple of God's Eye, and the Eye-lid of his Providence doth daily cover and defend it.

5. Let the merciful Providences of God cause Thankfulness: We are kept alive by a Wonder-working Providence. Providence makes our Cloaths warm us, our Meat nourish us. We are fed every day out of the Alms-basket of God's Providence. That in Health, that we have an Estate, it is not our Diligence but God's Providence, Deut. 8.18. Thou shalt remember the Lord thy God, for he it is that gives thee power to get wealth. Especially if we go a st • p higher, we may see cause of Thankfulness: That we should be born and bred in a Gospel Climate; that we should live in such a place where the Sun of Righteousness shines; this is a signal Providence: Why might not we have been born in such places where Paganism prevails? That Christ should make himself known to us, and touch our hearts with his Spirit, when he passeth by others: Whence is this but from the miraculous Providence of God, which is the Effect of his Free-grace?

Use 3. See here that which may make us long for that time when the great Mystery of God's Providence shall be fully unfolded to us. Now we scarce know what to make of God's Providences; therefore are ready to Censure what we do not understand, but in Heaven we shall see how all God's Providences (Sickness, Losses, Sufferings,) carried on our Salvation. Here we see but some dark pieces of God's Providence, and it is impossible to judge of God's Works by Pieces, but when we come to Heaven, and see the full Body and Pourtraicture of God's Providence drawn out in its lively Colours, it will be a glorious Sight to behold: Then we shall see how all God's Providences helped to fulfil his Promises. Never a Providence but we shall see had either a Wonder or a Mercy in it.

The Covenant of Works.

Quest. IX. I Proceed to the next Question, What special Providence did God exercise towards Man in the Estate wherein he was created?

Answ. When God created Man he entered into a Covenant of Life with him, upon Condition of perfect Obedience, forbidding him to eat of the Tree of Knowledge, upon pain of death.

For this, consult with Gen. 2.16, 17. And the Lord commanded the man, saying, of every Tree of the Garden thou mayest freely eat, but of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, thou shalt not eat; for in the day thou eatest of it, thou shalt surely die. The Subject then of our next Discourse is, the Covenant of Works. This Covenant was made with Adam, and all Mankind; for Adam was a public Person, and the Representative of the World.

Quest. For what Reason did God make a Covenant with Adam and his Posterity in Innocency?

Resp. 1. To show his Sovereignty over us, we were his Creatures; and as God was the great Monarch of Heaven and Earth, God might impose upon us terms of a Covenant. 2. God made a Covenant with Adam to bind him fast to God; as God bound himself to Adam, so Adam was bound to God by the Covenant.

Quest. What was the Covenant?

Resp. God commanded Adam not to eat of the Tree of Knowledge; God gave Adam leave to eat of all the other Trees of the Garden. God did not envy him any Happiness, only, meddle not with this Tree of Knowledge, because God would try Adam's Obedience: As King Pharaoh made Joseph chief Ruler in his Kingdom, and gave him a Ring off his Finger, and a Chain of Gold, only he must not touch his Throne, Gen. 41.40. in like manner God dealt with Adam, he gave him a sparkling Jewel, Knowledge, and araid him with a fine Vesture, put upon him the Garment of Original Righteousness, only saith God, Touch not the Tree of Knowledge, for that is aspiring after Omnisciency. Adam had power to have kept this Law; Adam had the Copy of God's Law written in his heart. This Covenant of Works, had a Promise annexed to it, and a Threatning. 1. The Promise, Do this and live. In case Man had stood, it is probable he had not died, but had been translated to a better Paradise. 2. The Threatning, Thou shalt die the death ; Hebr. in dying thou shalt die ; that is, thou shalt die both a natural Death and an Eternal, unless some other Expedient be found out for thy Restoration.

Quest. But why did God give Adam this Law, seeing God did foresee that Adam would transgress?

Resp. 1. It was Adam 's fault he did not keep the Law; God gave him a stock of Grace to trade with, but he of himself broke. 2. Though God foresaw Adam would transgress, yet that was not a sufficient reason that Adam should have no Law given him: for by the same reason, God should not have given his written Word to Men, to be a Rule of Faith and Manners, because he foresaw that some would not believe, and others would be profane. Shall not Laws be made in the Land because some break them? 3. God, though he foresaw Adam would break the Law, he knew how to turn it to a greater good, in sending Christ. The first Covenant being broken, he knew how to establish a second, and a better. Well, concerning the First Covenant, consider these four Things.

1. The Form of the first Covenant in Innocency, was working; Do this and live. Working was the Ground and Condition of our Justification, Gal. 3.12. Not but that working is required in the Covenant of Grace: we are bid to work out salvation, and be rich in good works. But works in the Covenant of Grace are not required under the same Notion, as in the first Covenant with Adam. Works are not required to the Justification of our Persons, but as a Testification of our Love to God, not as a Cause of our Salvation, but as an Evidence of our Adoption. Works are required in the Covenant of Grace, not so much in our own strength, as in the strength of another. It is God which worketh in you, Phil. 2.13. As the Scrivener guides the Child's hand, and helps him to form his Letters, so that it is not so much the Child's writing, as the Scriveners that guides his hand; so not our working, as the Spirit's co-working.

2. The Covenant of Works was very strict. God required of Adam, and all Mankind, 1. Perfect Obedience. Adam must do all things written in the Book of the Law, Gal. 3.10. and not fail, either in the matter or manner. Adam was to live up to the whole breadth of the Moral Law, and go exactly according to it, as a well made Dial goes with the Sun: a sinful thought had forfeited the Covenant. 2. Personal Obedience. Adam must not do his work by a Proxy, or have any Surety bound for him; no, it must be done in his own Person. 3. Perpetual Obedience. He must continue in all things written in the Book of the Law, Gal. 3.10. Thus it was very strict. There was no Mercy in case of failure.

3. The Covenant of Works was not built upon a very firm Basis ; therefore it must needs leave Men full of Fears and Doubts. The Covenant of Works rested upon the strength of Man's inherent Righteousness ; which though in Innocency was perfect, yet was subject to a change. Adam was created holy, but mutable. He had a power to stand, but not a power not to fall. Adam had a stock of Original Righteousness to begin the World with, but he was not sure he should not break. Adam was his own Pilot, and could steer right in the time of Innocency; but he was not so secured, but that he might dash against the Rock of a Temptation, and he and his Posterity suffer Shipwrack. So that the Covenant of Works must needs leave Jealousies and Doubtings in Adam 's heart, he having no Security given him, that he should not fall from that glorious state.

4. The Covenant of Works being broken by Sin, Man's Condition was very deplorable and desperate. He was left in himself helpless; there was no place for Repentance: the Justice of God being offended, sets all the other Attributes against Mandkind When Adam lost his Righteousness, he lost his Anchor of Hope, and his Crown: there was no way for Man's relief, unless God would find out such a way that neither Man nor Angels could devise.

Use 1. See the Condescension of God, who was pleased to stoop so low, as to make a Covenant with us. For the God of Glory to make a Covenant with Dust and Ashes; for God to bind himself to us, to give us Life in case of Obedience: Entring into Covenant was a sign of God's Friendship with us, and a Royal Act of his Favor.

2. See what a glorious Condition Man was in, when God entered into Covenant with him: 1. He was placed in the Garden of God, which for the pleasure of it, was called Paradise, Gen. 2.8. he had his choice of all the Trees, (one only excepted) he had all kind of precious Stones, pure Mettals, rich Cedars; he was a King upon the Throne, and all the Creation did obeisance to him, as in Joseph 's Dream, all his Brethren's sheaves did bow to his sheaf. Man in Innocency had all kind of Pleasure that might ravish his Sences with delight, and be as Baits to allure him to serve and worship his Maker. 2. Besides, he was full of Holiness; Paradise was not more adorned with Fruit, then Adam 's Soul was with Grace. He was the Coin on which God had stamped his lively Image; Light sparkled in his Understanding, he was like an Earthly Angel, his Will and Affections were full of order, tuning harmoniously to the Will of God. Adam was 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a perfect Pattern of Sanctity. 3. Adam had intimacy of Communion with God, and conversed with him, as a Favorite with his Prince. Adam knew God's Mind, and had his Heart. He not only enjoyed the Light of the Sun in Paradise, but the Light of God's Countenance. This Condition was Adam in when God entered into Covenant with him. But this did not long continue; Man being in honor abideth not, Psal. 49. ult. lodged not for a night; his Teeth watered at the Apple, and ever since it hath made our Eyes water.

3. Learn from Adam 's Fall, how unable we are to stand in our own strength. If Adam in the state of Integrity did not stand, how unable are we now, when the Lock of our original Righteousness is cut? If purified Nature did not stand, how then shall corrupt Nature? we need more strength to uphold us then our own.

4. See in what a sad Condition all Unbelievers and Impenitent Persons are: so long as they continue in their sins, they continue under the Curse of the first Covenant. Faith entitles us to the Mercy of the second Covenant: but while Men are under the power of their sins, they are under the Curse of the first Covenant, and if they die in this Condition, they are damned to Eternity.

5. See the wonderful goodness of God, who was pleased, when we had forfeited the first Covenant, to enter into a new Covenant with us. Well may it be called Foedus Gratiae, a Covenant of Grace; it is bespangled with Promises, as the Heaven with Stars. When the Angels, those glorious Spirits fell, God did not enter into a new Covenant with them to be their God, but let those golden Vessels lie broken; but hath entered into a second Covenant with us, better then the first, Hebr. 8.6. It is better, because it is surer ; it is made in Christ, and cannot be reversed; Christ hath engaged his strength to keep every Believer. In the first Covenant we had à posse stare, a power of standing: in the second we have à non posse cadere, an impossibility of Falling finally, 1 Pet. 1.5.

6. Whoever they are that look for Righteousness and Salvation by the power of their Free-will, or the inherent goodness of their Nature, or by Virtue of their Merit, as the Socinians and Papists, these are all under the Covenant of Works ; they do not submit to the Righteousness of Faith, therefore they are bound to keep the whole Law, and in case of failure they are condemned. The Covenant of Grace is like a Court of Chancery, to relieve the Sinner, and help him who is Cast by the first Covenant. It saith, Believe in the Lord Jesus, and be saved; but such as will stand upon their own inherent Righteousness, Free-will, and Merit, they fall under the first Covenant of Works, and are in a perishing Estate.

Use 2. Let us labor by Faith to get into the second Covenant of Grace, and then the Curse of the first Covenant is taken away by Christ. If once we get to be Heirs of the Covenant of Grace, we are in a better state than before. Adam stood on his own Legs, therefore fell; we stand in the strength of Christ. Under the first Covenant the Justice of God, as an Avenger of Blood, pursues you; but if ye get into the second Covenant, you are got into the City of Refuge you are safe, and the Justice of God is pacified towards you.

Concerning SIN.

Quest. X. What is Sin?

Answ. Sin is any want of conformity unto, or transgression of the Law of God.

1 John 3.4. Sin is a Transgression of the Law. Of Sin in general.

1. Sin is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a Violation or Transgression. The Latin word transgredior, to transgress, signifies to go beyond ones Bounds. The Moral Law is to keep us within the bounds of our Duty; Sin is a going beyond our bounds.

2. The Law of God ; it is not the Law of an Inferior Prince is broken, but of Jehovah, who gives Laws as well to Angels as Men; it is a Law that is just, and holy, and good, Rom. 7.12. It is just, there is nothing in it unequal; holy, nothing in it impure; good, nothing in it prejudicial. So that there is no reason to break this Law, no more than for a Beast that is in a fat Pasture to break over the Hedge to leap into a barren Heath or Quagmire.

I shall show what an heinous and execrable thing Sin is. It is malorum colluvies, the complication of all Evil; it is the Spirits of Mischief distil'd: The Scripture calls it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the accursed thing, Josh. 7.13. it is compared to the venom of Serpents, the stench of Sepulchers. The Apostle useth this expression of sin, out of measure sinful, Rom. 7.13. or as in the Greek, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , hyperbolically sinful. The Devil would paint over sin with the Vermilion color of Pleasure and Profit, that he may make it look fair. But I shall pull off the Paint from Sin, that you may see the ugly face of it. We are apt to have slight thoughts of Sin, and to say of it as Lot of Zoar, Gen. 19.20. Is it not a little one? But that you may see how great an Evil Sin is, consider these four things.

I. The Original of Sin, whence it comes: It fetcheth its Pedigree from Hell; Sin is of the Devil, 1 John 3.8. He that committeth sin is of the Devil. Satan was the first Actor of sin, and the first Tempter to sin. Sin is the Devils First-born.

II. Sin is evil in the Nature of it.

1. It is a defiling thing. Sin is not only a Defection, but a Pollution. It is to the Soul as Rust is to Gold, as a Stain is to Beauty. It makes the Soul red with guilt, and black with filth. Sin in Scripture is compared to a menstruous clothe, Isa. 30.22. to a plague sore, 1 Kings 8.38. Joshua 's filthy Garments, in which he stood before the Angel, Zach. 3.3. were nothing but a Type and Hieroglyphic of Sin. Sin hath blotted God's Image, and stained the orient brightness of the Soul. Sin makes God loath a sinner, Zach. 11.8. and when a sinner sees his sin, he loathes himself, Ezek. 20.42. Sin drops poison on our holy things, it infects our Prayers. The High Priest was to make Atonement for sin on the Altar, Exod. 29.36. to typify that our holiest Services need Christ to make Atonement for them. Duties of Religion in themselves are good, but sin corrupts them, as the purest Water is polluted, running through muddy ground. The Leper under the Law, if he had touched the Altar, the Altar had not cleansed him, but he had defiled the Altar. The Apostle calls Sin 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , filthiness of flesh and spirit, 2 Cor. 7.1. Sin stamps the Devil's Image on a Man. Malice is the Devil's Eye, Hypocrisy his Clovenfoot It turns a Man into a Devil, John 6.20. Have not I chosen twelve, and one of you is a Devil.

2. Sin is a grieving of God's Spirit, Eph. 4.30. Grieve not the holy Spirit of God. To grieve is more than to anger.

Quest. How can the Spirit be said to be grieved? for seeing he is God, he cannot be subject to any passion.

Resp. This is spoken Metaphorically; Sin is said to grieve the Spirit, because it is an injury offered to the Spirit, and he takes it unkindly, and as it were lays it to heart. And is it not much thus to grieve the Spirit? The Holy Ghost descended in the likeness of a Dove; Sin makes this blessed Dove mourn. Were it only an Angel, we should not grieve him, but much less the Spirit of God. Is it not sad to grieve our Comforter?

3. Sin is an act of Contumacy against God; a walking Antipodes to Heaven, Lev. 26.27. If ye will walk contrary to me. A sinner tramples upon God's Law, crosseth his Will, doth all he can to affront, yea to spite God. The Hebrew word for sin Pashang, signifies Rebellion; there is the heart of a Rebel in every sin; Ier. 44.16. We will do whatsoever proceedeth out of our mouth, to burn Incense to the Queen of Heaven. Sin strikes at the very Deity; Peccatum est Dei-cidium, Sin would not only unthrone God, but un-God him. If the sinner could help it, God should no longer be God.

4. Sin is an act of disingenuity and unkindness; God feeds the sinner, keeps off evils from him, be miracles him with Mercy, but the sinner not only forgets God's Mercies, but abuseth them: he is the worse for Mercy; like Absalom, who as soon as David had kissed him, and took him into favor, plotted Treason against him, 2 Sam. 15.10. Like the Mule, who kicks the Damn after she hath given it Milk. Vas pertusum, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , 2 Sam. 16.17. is this thy kindness to thy Friend? God may upbraid the sinner: I have given thee (may God say) thy Health, Strength, and Estate, thou requirest me evil for good, thou woundest me with my own Mercies; Is this thy kindness to thy Friend? did I give thee life to sin? did I give thee wages to serve the Devil?

5. Sin is a Disease, Isa. 1.5. The whole head is sick. Some are sick of Pride, others of Lust, others of Envy. Sin hath distempered the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the intellectual part, 'tis a leprosy in the Head, it hath poisoned the Vitals, Tit. 2.16. Their Conscience is defiled. 'It is with a sinner as with a sick Patient, his Pallat is distempered, the sweetest things taste bitter to him. The Word, which is sweeter then the Honycomb, tastes bitter to him, Isa. 5.20. they put sweet for bitter. Thus, a Disease, and nothing can cure this Disease but the Blood of the Physician.

6. Sin is an irrational thing; it makes a Man act not only wickedly, but foolishly. It is absurd and irrational to prefer the lesser before the greater, the Pleasures of Life, before the Rivers of Pleasures at God's right hand for evermore? Is it not irrational to lose Heaven for the satisfying or indulging the Lust? as Lysimachus, who for a draught of Water lost a Kingdom. Is it not irrational to gratify an Enemy? in sin we do so. When Lust, or rash Anger burn in the Soul, Satan warms himself at this fire. Mortalium errores epulae sunt daemonum, Men's sins feast the Devil.

7. Sin is a painful thing; it costs Men much labor in pursuing their sins. How do Men tire themselves in doing the Devil's drudgery, Ier. 9.5. They weary themselves to commit iniquity. Peccatum est sui ipsius poena. What pains did Judas take to bring about his Treason? He goes to the High Priest, and then after to the Band of Soldiers, and then back again to the Garden. St. Chrysostom saith, Virtue is easier than Vice. 'It is more pains to some to follow their sins, than to others to worship their God. While the sinner travails with his sin, in sorrow he brings forth; it is called serving divers Lusts, Tit. 3.3. not enjoy, but serve: why so, because not only of the slavery in sin, but the hard labor ; it is serving divers Lusts. Many a Man goes to Hell in the sweat of his brows.

8. Sin is the only thing God hath an antipathy against: God doth not hate a Man because he is poor, or despised in the World; you do not hate your Friend because he is sick; but that which draws forth the keens of God's hatred, is sin, Ier. 44.4. O do not this abominable thing which I hate. And sure, if the sinner dies under God's hatred, he cannot be admitted into the Celestial Mansions; will God let him live with him whom he hates; God will never lay a Viper in his bosom; the Feathers of the Eagle will not mix with the Feathers of other • owls. God will not mix and incorporate with a sinner. Till sin be removed, there is no coming where God is.

III. See the evil of Sin in the Price paid for it; it cost the Blood of God to expiate it. O Man (saith St. Austin) consider the greatness of thy sin by the greatness of the price paid for sin. All the Princes on Earth, or Angels in Heaven, could not satisfy for sin, only Christ. Nay, Christ's active Obedience was not enough to make atonement for sin, but he must suffer upon the Cross; for without blood is no remission, Hebr. 9.22. O what an accursed thing is sin, that Christ should die for it! The evil of sin is not so much seen in that one thousand are damned for it, as that Christ died for it.

IV. Sin is evil in the Effects of it.

1. Sin hath degraded us of our Honor. Reuben by Incest lost his Dignity, and though he were the first-born, he could not excel, Gen. 49.4. God made us in his own Image, a little lower than the Angels, but sin hath debased us. Before Adam sinned he was like an Herald that hath his Coat of Arms upon him, all reverence him because he carries the King's Coat of Arms; but let this Coat be pulled off, and he is despised, no Man regards him. Sin hath done this, it hath plucked off our Coat of Innocency, and now it hath debased us, and turned our glory into shame, Dan. 11.21. And there shall stand up a vile person. This was spoken of Antiochus Epiphanes, who was a King, and his name signifies illustrious, yet sin had degraded him, he was a vile person.

2. Sin disquiets the Peace of the Soul: whatever defiles, disturbs ; as Poison tortures the Bowels, corrupts the Blood, so doth Sin the Soul. Isa. 57.21. Sin breeds a trembling at the heart; it creates fears, and there is torment in fear, 1 John 4.18. Sin makes sad Convulsions in the Conscience. Judas was so terrified with guilt and horror, that he hangs himself to quiet his Conscience. And is not he like to to be well cured, that throws himself into Hell for ease?

3. Sin produceth all Temporal Evil. Lam. 1.8. Jerusalem hath grievously sinned, ergo she is removed. It is the Trogan Horse, it hath Sword, and Famine, and Pestilence in the Belly of it. Sin is a Coal, that not only blacks but burns. Sin creates all our Troubles; it puts Gravel into our Bread, Wormword in our Cup. Sin rots the Name, consumes the Estate, buries Relations. Sin shoots the flying Roll of God's Curses into a Family and Kingdom, Zach. 5.4. It is reported of Phocas, having built a Wall of mighty strength about his City, there was a voice heard, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Sin is within the City, and that will throw down the Wall.

4. Sin unrepented of brings final damnation. The canker that breeds in the Rose is the cause of its perishing; and corruptions that breed in Men's Souls, are the cause of their damning. Sin without Repentance brings the second death, Rev. 20.14. that is, mors sine morte, Bern. a death always dying. Sins pleasure will turn to sorrow at last; like the Book the Prophet did eat, Ezek. 3.3. sweet in the mouth, but bitter in the belly. Sin brings the wrath of God, and what Buckets or Engines can quench that Fire? Mark 9.44. Where the worm never dies, and the fire is not quenched.

Use 1. See how deadly an evil sin is; how strange is it that any one should love it, Psal. 4.3. How long will ye love vanity? Hos. 3.1. Who look to other God's, and love Flagons and Wine. Sin is a Dish Men cannot forbear, though it make them sick; who would pour Rose-water into a Kennel? what pity is it so sweet an affection as Love should be poured upon so filthy a thing as sin. Sin brings a sting in the Conscience, a curse in the Estate, yet Men love it. A sinner is the greatest Self-denier for his sin, he will deny himself a part in Heaven.

Use 2. Do anything rather then sin. O hate sin! there is more evil in the least sin, then in the greatest bodily Evils that can befall us. The Ermyn rather chooseth to die, then defileth her beautiful skin. There is more evil in a drop of sin, then in a Sea of Affliction: Affliction is but like a rent in a Coat, Sin a prick at the Heart. In Affliction there is aliquid boni, some good. In this Lion there is some Honey to be found; Psal. 119.71. It is good for me that I was afflicted. Utile est animae si in hac area mundi flagellis trituretur corpus, Aug. Affliction is God's Flail to thrash off our Husks; not to consume, but refine. There is no good in sin; it is the spirit and quintissence of Evil. Sin is worse then Hell; for the pains of Hell only are a burden to the Creature, but sin is a burden to God, Amos 2.13. I am pressed under your iniquities, as a Cart is pressed under the sheaves.

Use ult. Is Sin so great an Evil, then how thankful should you be to God, if he hath taken away your sin; Zach. 3.3. I have caused thy iniquity to pass from thee. If you had a Disease on your Body, Plague or Dropsy, how thankful would you be to have it taken away, much more to have sin taken away. God takes away the guilt of sin by pardoning grace, and the power of sin by mortifying grace. O be thankful that this sickness is not unto death. That God hath changed your Nature, and by grafting you into Christ, made you partake of the sweetness of that Olive; that sin, though it live, doth not reign, but the elder serves the younger, the elder of sin serves the younger of grace.

ADAM 's SIN.

Quest. XI. WHat was the Sin whereby our first Parents fell from the Estate wherein they were created?